For gratuitous electrical work in Tasmania, either the practitioner or the property owner must have at least $5 million in Public Liability and Products Liability insurance covering the work performed. The person undertaking the prescribed work must hold a valid practitioner licence, record the work on a Certificate of Electrical Compliance (CEC), lodge the form and specific work details with TechSafe within three days of energising, and keep the records—including insurance details—for ten years. These requirements appear in Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (CBOS), “Doing work for no payment (gratuitous work)”, dated 14 November 2022; figures checked 1 October 2026.
Who must have the $5 million cover?
CBOS sets out an either/or arrangement:
| Question | CBOS requirement |
|---|---|
| Who can have the insurance? | Either the practitioner or the property owner |
| How much cover is required? | At least $5 million in Public Liability and Products Liability insurance |
| What must it cover? | The electrical work performed |
Before starting, identify which party has the relevant insurance and check the policy’s PDS to confirm that it covers the electrical work. The absence of a payment does not remove CBOS’s stated insurance requirement.
What counts as gratuitous electrical work?
CBOS calls work performed for friends, relatives or community groups for no payment gratuitous work. Community groups may include churches and sports clubs, and the work could include work on the practitioner’s own house.
The no-payment element does not remove the licensing, insurance, CEC or recordkeeping requirements described by CBOS.
Must the person doing the work hold a practitioner licence?
Yes. CBOS states that prescribed work, such as electrical work, requires the person undertaking it to hold a valid practitioner licence. This is the starting point before considering the separate contractor-licence exception.
Is a contractor licence also required for no-payment work?
An appropriate practitioner licence is enough to perform gratuitous work without an additional contractor licence. That exception does not remove the stated requirement for the person performing the prescribed work to hold a valid practitioner licence.
Contracting is a separate role. CBOS says a company or person entering into a contract to perform prescribed work must hold a valid contractor licence and must either employ practitioners or hold the practitioner licence itself.
When must the CEC be lodged?
The electrical work process has two clear steps:
- Record the gratuitous electrical work using the Certificate of Electrical Compliance form.
- Provide details of the specific work performed and lodge the form with TechSafe within three days of energising the electrical work.
The stated lodgement period runs from the point at which the electrical work is energised.
How long must electrical work records be kept?
Records of the electrical work must be maintained for ten years, including the insurance details. Whether the practitioner or property owner has the insurance, those insurance details remain part of the records covered by the stated retention requirement.
What should be checked before work starts?
Confirm that:
- the person undertaking the electrical work holds a valid practitioner licence;
- either you or the property owner has insurance meeting the stated Public Liability and Products Liability requirement and covering the work;
- the relevant PDS supports the cover being relied upon; and
- the current CBOS regulator page contains the latest lodgement details.
This is general information, not financial or legal advice. Check the current regulator page and the PDS for the policy being relied on before starting work.
Sources
FAQ
Can the property owner hold the cover instead?
Yes. CBOS says either the practitioner or the property owner must have at least $5 million in Public Liability and Products Liability insurance covering the electrical work performed.
Must I still hold a practitioner licence?
Yes. A person undertaking prescribed electrical work must hold a valid practitioner licence, including when the work is performed gratuitously.
Does no-payment work require an additional contractor licence?
An appropriately licensed practitioner may perform gratuitous work without an additional contractor licence. A company or person contracting to perform prescribed work must meet CBOS’s separate contractor-licence requirements.
When must the CEC be lodged with TechSafe?
The form and details of the specific electrical work must be lodged with TechSafe within three days of energising the electrical work.
How long must the records be kept?
Electrical work records, including insurance details, must be kept for ten years.