Electricity Regulations 1947 (Western Australia) — Zoe

Western Australia regulation

Electricity Regulations 1947

In ForceWA

Jurisdiction

Western Australia

Collection

regulation

Plain English Summary

7/10 complexity

What these regulations do (mechanically)

Require residual current devices (RCDs) to be installed on residential premises, common property and transportable accommodation to specific technical standards and at specified locations on switchboards (definitions and technical requirements: r.12, r.12A). Owners must ensure RCDs are "properly installed" before specified events such as transfer of title, entry into a residential tenancy, or making premises available for hire or short‑term rental (r.13, r.14, r.15, r.17). A new owner who inherits premises without required RCDs must install them within a short post‑transfer period and, in some cases, may recover reasonable costs from the prior owner (r.15A).
Give the Director broad administrative powers to approve or exempt (temporarily) people or premises from the RCD requirements, subject to conditions and safety considerations (r.18). The Director can delegate, approve inspection plans and require further testing or withdraw approvals for electrical appliances (r.331; r.253; r.323; r.332).
Regulate how network operators may connect and supply electricity to premises. Network operators must ensure their apparatus is safe, must not connect unless satisfied that consumer installations are safe (or an approved inspection plan applies), and must run or adopt an approved system of inspection or require individual inspections (r.242; r.253; r.254). Network operators also have duties to remedy neutral‑conductor voltage problems and to notify consumers where the consumer’s installation is at fault (r.243).

JSON API

Deep Dive

5,129 words · generated 11/05/2026

What it does

The Electricity Regulations 1947 (WA) establish the detailed operational, safety and administrative framework that supports the Electricity Act 1945. The regulations are organised into several distinct Parts, each targeting a different phase of the electricity supply chain from the consumer’s side of the meter through to the approval of appliances and the management of vegetation near overhead lines. Part IV imposes a mandatory requirement for residual current devices (RCDs) on residential premises and common property, triggered by events such as a transfer of title, entry into a residential tenancy agreement, making premises available as short-term rental accommodation, or completion of building works that require a building permit. Part V prohibits unauthorised alteration or interference with electrical installations and specifically forbids the installation of thermal insulation in a way that makes any part of the installation unsafe or non-compliant with the applicable electrical work requirements. Part VIII governs the supply of electricity to consumers, including the network operator’s obligations before connecting supply , it must ensure its own service apparatus is safe, that the connection will not make the consumer’s installation unsafe, and that a notice of completion under the Electricity (Licensing) Regulations 1991 has been produced. That Part also sets a strict limit of below 6 volts AC on the neutral conductor of a consumer’s installation and prescribes the network operator’s duties when that limit is exceeded. Consumers are made liable for damage to network operator apparatus caused by overloading, and the network operator retains a right to disconnect without notice if the installation is faulty or unsafe or if the consumer interferes with supply to others. Part IX makes it an offence for a person performing vegetation control work for reward to do so within the danger zone of overhead power lines, with the danger zone defined by voltage-dependent distances (3 metres for lines up to 33 000 volts, 6 metres for higher voltages), subject to an exemption for trained personnel working in accordance with a Director-approved code of practice. Part X establishes a comprehensive approval scheme for electrical appliances, requiring applicants to submit samples and test reports, and providing for the issue of certificates of approval that are valid for up to five years and are not renewable. The Director may refuse or withdraw approval on grounds including that the appliance is dangerous or that the applicant has made misleading representations. A general penalty provision in Part XI makes any contravention of the regulations an offence carrying a maximum fine of $50 000 for an individual and $250 000 for a body corporate, while Schedule 1 specifies modified penalties for a range of prescribed offences that can be dealt with by infringement notice under the Criminal Procedure Act 2004.

Current sections

Direct links to the current provisions in Electricity Regulations 1947.

Authorised Version

The authorised version of this legislation is published by the jurisdiction's legislation service. Follow the link below to read or download it from the official source.

View on official register

Sourced from the Western Australian Legislation website (legislation.wa.gov.au). Not the authorised version.

Purpose claims (as expressed in the text): the RCD rules and inspection requirements exist to improve electrical safety in residences and to ensure consumers’ installations and network apparatus are safe to use; the appliance approval provisions exist to ensure appliances meet published specifications and are safe for use (see r.12A; r.253; Part X generally). The text also declares inspection systems are for safety and monitoring the work of licensed electrical contractors (r.253(1)–(2)).
Costs and who pays: owners bear the direct cost of purchasing and installing RCDs (r.12A; r.13–r.15A). New owners may bear initially but, if prior owners failed to install required devices before transfer, the new owner can recover reasonable costs in court (r.15A(3)). Network operators bear the administrative and operational costs of setting up and maintaining inspection systems, responding to neutral voltage faults and implementing Director‑approved procedures (r.242; r.253; r.243). Applicants for appliance approvals bear testing, sample provision and fee costs, and holders of approvals bear costs of any additional testing the Director requires (r.322; r.323; r.326). The Director may impose charges for services to network operators (r.280).
Incentives and behavioural effects: owners are incentivised to install RCDs before transfers, tenancies or hires to avoid fines (r.13–r.15). The potential to recover costs from prior owners creates a backward‑looking financial incentive for prior owners to comply before sale (r.15A(3)). Network operators are incentivised to approve and monitor inspection plans and to audit contractor workmanship because failure to maintain effective inspection systems is an offence with penalties and the Director can order changes (r.253(1)–(9); Schedule 1). Appliance manufacturers/sellers are incentivised to secure and maintain approvals and labelling to be able to sell legally (r.326–r.327). Dealers must cooperate with Director purchases for inspection (r.335).
Trade‑offs and opportunity costs: installing RCDs and operating inspection systems imposes compliance costs on private parties (owners, network operators, appliance businesses) that could be spent on other investments. The Director’s discretion to approve or exempt (r.18; r.253(6)) centralises decision making and may speed or delay compliance depending on administrative capacity. Recovery of costs between prior and new owners (r.15A(3)) shifts short‑term cash burdens but requires litigation or agreement to enforce, which creates transaction costs. Defences for demolition cases (r.16) allow some owners to avoid the installation cost where demolition is imminent, which alters incentives around timing of property transfers.
Compliance burden and practical implementation risks: compliance requires technical installations to meet referenced Australian standards (AS/NZS 3190:2016; AS/NZS 3001:2008; AS 4741‑2010 — see r.12A; r.17; r.243(2)). Network inspection systems require approved system plans, record keeping, and may be audited (r.253). The procedures rely on the Director’s timely approvals, audits and enforcement (r.253(6)–(8); r.331). Where the Director approves alternative practices or grants exemptions (r.18; r.253(6)), the safe outcome depends on the quality of that administrative assessment.
Effects on private enterprise and market functioning: appliance approval and labelling requirements add compliance costs and administrative overhead for manufacturers, which may raise entry costs for small suppliers (Part X: r.322–r.327; r.335). Network operator inspection obligations may increase their operating costs and affect timelines for new connections (r.242; r.253). Landlords and short‑term rental hosts face upfront equipment costs and record‑keeping obligations (r.13; r.14; r.12 definition includes short‑term rental). Contract freedom is constrained by requirements to install RCDs before entering tenancy agreements (r.13–r.14), and transfers of property can trigger installation obligations (r.13–r.15A).
Enforcement and sanctioning: offences carry a general maximum fine (r.340) and a detailed infringement/modified penalty schedule (Schedule 1). Authorised officers may issue infringement notices and processes are set out in Schedule 2 forms (r.342–r.344; Schedule 2). This provides both administrative (infringement) and court‑based enforcement paths.

Main concepts

Several key concepts run through the regulations and are essential to understanding the obligations they create. A residual current device is defined in regulation 12 as a device designed to isolate supply to protected circuits, socket outlets or electrical equipment in the event of a current flow to earth that exceeds a particular value. The term properly installed, in relation to residential premises or common property, means the device is installed in accordance with regulation 12A and is not also installed in relation to any other premises or property. Regulation 12A specifies the installation criteria: the premises must have at least one RCD if there is one final subcircuit, or at least two if there are more than one; lighting points must be distributed among the devices; each device must comply with AS/NZS 3190:2016; each must have a maximum rated residual current of 30 mA; each device must protect not more than three final subcircuits; and each must be installed at the switchboard where the protected subcircuit originates. The concept of final subcircuit is itself defined in that regulation as a final subcircuit to which a socket outlet, lighting point or directly-connected hand-held appliance is connected.

The term network operator is defined broadly in regulation 241(1) to mean a supply authority and any person lawfully operating transmission or distribution works, and service apparatus. The regulation expressly declares that the word network includes service apparatus but does not include a line, pole, switch, transformer or apparatus on or part of the consumer’s premises beyond the point of supply. It also clarifies that a person who simply distributes electricity to an occupier of part of their premises is not a network operator for the purposes of Part VIII. The term fuse is defined as a device to protect a circuit against damage from an excessive current by opening the circuit when the current melts an element. The approval scheme in Part X relies on several defined terms, including appliances of the same class, appliances of the same type, applicant, approvals marking, published specification, and duly constituted authority in another State of the Commonwealth. Approved in relation to an electrical appliance means approval by the State Energy Commission prior to the commencement of section 6 of the Energy Corporations (Transitional and Consequential Provisions) Act 1994, or thereafter by the Director. The danger zone for vegetation control work is defined in regulation 316A as anywhere at the same height as, higher than, or not more than the specified distance lower than, the power line conductors, and directly above or below or not more than the specified distance to either side of the conductors. The specified distance is 3 metres for lines up to 33 000 volts and 6 metres for lines above that voltage. The term short-term rental accommodation is given the meaning in the Short-Term Rental Accommodation Act 2024 section 3, and residential premises means premises that constitute or are intended to constitute a place of residence or accommodation, whether short or long-term, but does not include any common property.

Who it affects

The regulations impose obligations on a range of persons. The RCD requirements in Part IV directly affect owners of residential premises, including both owner-occupied and non-owner-occupied premises, and also owners of common property relating to residential premises. A new owner who acquires title to transferred premises where the prior owner has not complied with the RCD obligation must themselves ensure RCDs are properly installed within either two months or, if a notice of intended demolition has been given, six months after the transfer. The prior owner may be liable for the new owner’s reasonable costs of compliance. The owner of a transportable structure or vehicle used for accommodation must install at least one RCD in accordance with AS/NZS 3001:2008. The Director may grant temporary exemptions from these requirements where special temporary circumstances exist and no undue risk arises. Tenants are not directly regulated under Part IV, but their presence triggers the owner’s duty: entering into a residential tenancy agreement with a person who was not a tenant before 9 August 2009 triggers the requirement for non-owner-occupied premises. The short-term rental accommodation amendments that commenced on 1 July 2024 added making premises available as short-term rental accommodation as a triggering event.

Network operators , supply authorities and persons lawfully operating transmission or distribution works , are the primary duty holders under Part VIII. They must not connect supply unless their own apparatus is safe and installed, the connection will not make the consumer’s installation unsafe, and a notice of completion has been produced. They must establish and maintain an effective system of inspection under regulation 253, subject to Director approval, and they may be audited. If they do not have an approved inspection plan, they must individually inspect new, altered or expanded installations before supplying electricity under regulation 254. They must also monitor neutral conductor voltage and take action if it exceeds 6 volts AC, and they may disconnect a consumer who fails to remedy a fault. Consumers are affected by their liability for damage to network operator apparatus caused by overloading, by their obligation to permit entry for testing and removal of the network operator’s property, and by the network operator’s right to disconnect without notice for faulty installations, interference with supply, or unauthorised increased load. Persons performing vegetation control work for reward are directly regulated by Part IX; they must not work within the danger zone unless trained and working in accordance with the Director’s code of practice. The approval scheme in Part X affects manufacturers, importers and sellers of electrical appliances, who must obtain certificates of approval before selling, hiring or advertising prescribed appliances, and must ensure appliances are stamped or labelled with the approvals marking. Dealers may be required to sell appliances to the Director for inspection at the same price as charged to other purchasers. The Director and authorised officers exercise significant powers of approval, inspection, audit, exemption and enforcement throughout the regulations.

Key duties and rights

The core duties under the regulations are structured around safety and fall on different parties depending on the context. Owners of residential premises have a duty under regulations 13 and 14 to ensure residual current devices are properly installed before a triggering event occurs: before a transfer of title, before entering into a residential tenancy agreement (with specific timing for non-owner-occupied premises), before making premises available as short-term rental accommodation, before making premises available for hire, and before completion of building works requiring a building permit (for non-owner-occupied premises). The same duty applies to common property under regulation 15. A new owner who receives transferred premises where the prior owner has not complied must install RCDs by the end of the post-transfer period, and the new owner has a right to recover the reasonable costs from the prior owner as a debt in a court of competent jurisdiction. The owner of a transportable structure or vehicle used for accommodation must install at least one RCD complying with AS/NZS 3001:2008. These duties are subject to the Director’s power to grant temporary exemptions under regulation 18 if special temporary circumstances exist and no undue risk of injury or damage arises.

Network operators have a duty under regulation 242(1) not to supply electricity to any premises unless they have ensured their own service apparatus is installed safely, the connection will not cause the consumer’s installation to become unsafe, and a notice of completion has been produced to them. They may, however, connect before receiving the notice if their Director-approved inspection plan sets out a process for managing such a connection and it is followed. Under regulation 243, a network operator aware that the neutral conductor voltage on a consumer’s installation is not below 6 volts AC must remedy a fault in its own distribution works, or if the fault is in the consumer’s installation or another consumer’s installation, must give a notice requiring remedy within at least 7 days, with a warning that disconnection may follow. The network operator may disconnect if the consumer does not comply. A consumer is liable for damage to meters or other network operator property caused by overloading of which the network operator had no previous notification (regulation 244). Only an employee or authorised person of the network operator may insert the ends of the consumer’s wiring into any service fuse, meter, indicator, current limiter or other device owned by the network operator (regulation 249). The network operator has a right under regulation 271 to enter premises at all reasonable times to inspect and test the installation and meter, to interrupt supply for tests or alterations, and is not liable for injury, damage or loss resulting from supply interruptions due to storm, accident, breakdown or force majeure unless negligence on its part is shown. The network operator may disconnect without notice under regulation 272 if the consumer’s installation is faulty or unsafe, if the service interferes with supply to others, or if substantial increased load is connected without consent. The supply authority must give reasonable notice before making a material alteration to the system of supply and must obtain Director approval (regulation 276). Persons performing vegetation control work for reward have a duty not to work within the danger zone unless exempted by undergoing training and working in accordance with the Director’s code of practice (regulation 316A). Holders of appliance approval certificates have duties to make appliances available for further testing, to ensure appliances are stamped with the approvals marking, and to notify the Director of any change of address within one month.

Penalties and enforcement

The regulations contain a layered enforcement structure. Regulation 340 creates a general offence for any person who by act or omission contravenes the regulations, punishable by a fine of up to $50 000 for an individual and $250 000 for a body corporate. This provision catches any breach not specifically addressed by a separate penalty clause. However, many specific regulations carry their own penalties: for example, the RCD obligations in regulations 13, 14, 15, 15A and 17 each carry a penalty of $15 000 for an individual and $100 000 for a body corporate. Regulation 257 imposes a penalty of $50 000 for an individual and $250 000 for a body corporate for failing to provide an accessible space and enclosure for transformers when required by the network operator. These higher penalties reflect the seriousness of failing to provide infrastructure necessary for safe supply.

Part XI also establishes an infringement notice scheme under Part 2 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2004. Regulation 342 and Schedule 1 prescribe a list of offences for which an infringement notice may be issued, with specified modified penalties that are significantly lower than the maximum court-imposed fines. For example, an owner failing to ensure RCDs are properly installed faces a modified penalty of $1 000 for an individual and $4 000 for a body corporate, compared to a maximum court fine of $15 000/$100 000. A network operator supplying electricity without a notice of completion faces a modified penalty of $10 000 for a body corporate. Performing vegetation control work for reward in the danger zone attracts a modified penalty of $2 000 for an individual and $8 000 for a body corporate. The schedule also includes offences under the Electricity (Licensing) Regulations 1991 and the Electricity (Network Safety) Regulations 2015, such as carrying out unlicensed electrical work ($1 000 individual) and failing to report an electrical accident ($750 individual). Regulation 343 empowers the Director to appoint authorised officers and approved officers, and requires the Director to issue certificates of appointment. Regulation 341 provides that proceedings for penalties or forfeitures may be taken in the name of any person authorised by the Director. Form 1 in Schedule 2 sets out the content of an infringement notice, including details of the alleged offender, the offence, the modified penalty, and notice that payment within 28 days avoids prosecution. Form 2 is a withdrawal of infringement notice, which triggers a refund if the penalty has already been paid. The regulations also contain specific defence provisions: for RCD offences, it is a defence to show that the new owner gave a notice of intended demolition (regulation 16(1)), and for common property RCD offences it is a defence that the person had arranged for demolition before the charge was laid (regulation 16(2)). For individual inspection requirements under regulation 254(5), it is a defence that the Director gave prior written approval to supply without inspection.

How it interacts with other laws

The Electricity Regulations 1947 operate as subordinate legislation under the Electricity Act 1945, and they must be read in that context. The regulations themselves cross-reference numerous other Western Australian statutes and regulations. For example, the definition of building permit in regulation 12 adopts the meaning given in the Building Act 2011 section 3, which means that the timing for RCD installation in non-owner-occupied premises is tied to the building permit process under that Act. The definition of common property incorporates the Strata Titles Act 1985 and the Community Titles Act 2018, reflecting the interaction with strata and community title schemes. The definition of short-term rental accommodation in regulation 12 refers to the Short-Term Rental Accommodation Act 2024 section 3, which commenced on 1 July 2024. The term residential tenancy agreement is given the meaning in the Residential Tenancies Act 1987 section 3, linking the RCD obligations with the residential tenancy framework. The term transferred residential premises and the obligations on new owners and prior owners create a direct interface with property transfer law; the right of the new owner to recover costs as a debt due from the prior owner relies on the general law of debt and may be enforced in any court of competent jurisdiction.

Part VIII interacts heavily with the Electricity (Licensing) Regulations 1991. Regulation 242 requires a notice of completion as defined in those regulations before connection of supply, unless the network operator has an approved inspection plan. Regulation 253’s system of inspection is designed to monitor the work of electrical contractors and other persons licensed under the Act, and the Director may audit the network operator. Regulation 254 requires individual inspection where the network operator does not have an approved inspection plan, and that regulation refers to the provisions of the Electricity (Licensing) Regulations 1991 regarding notices of completion and accident reporting. The Director’s powers under this Part also interact with the Energy Coordination Act 1994: regulation 254(2) requires a network operator to send a copy of an order made under section 18(2)(a) of that Act to the Director within 28 days of inspection.

Part IX on vegetation control work near overhead power lines interacts with occupational safety and health legislation through the requirement to work in accordance with the Director’s Code of Practice for Personnel Electrical Safety for Vegetation Control Work Near Live Powerlines. Part X on appliance approval interacts with standards made by Standards Australia: the published specification is defined as the relevant Approval and Test Specification published by Standards Australia, and the Director may accept test reports from laboratories recognised for the purpose. The scheme also provides for mutual recognition, as appliances approved by a duly constituted authority in another Australian state or territory may be recognised without a separate application. The register of approved appliances and the infringement notice scheme interact with the Criminal Procedure Act 2004 Part 2, which governs the issue and enforcement of infringement notices. The modified penalty amounts in Schedule 1 are enforced under the Fines, Penalties and Infringement Notices Enforcement Act 1994, as noted on the infringement notice form. Parts II, III, VI and VII of the regulations were deleted at various times, and the Electricity (Licensing) Regulations 1991 and the Electricity (Network Safety) Regulations 2015 now cover much of the content previously in those Parts; Schedule 1 includes prescribed offences from those regulations.

Amendment history

The Electricity Regulations 1947 were originally made as the Electricity Act Regulations 1947 and have been amended numerous times, as detailed in the compilation table. The regulations were gazetted on 27 June 1947 and commenced that day. Significant early amendments occurred in 1955 when Part X on approval of electrical appliances was inserted, and in 1991 when the Electricity (Licensing) Regulations 1991 deleted Parts VI and VII. The major restructuring of the regulations occurred in the 1990s and 2000s: in 1994 the Electricity (Amendment) Regulations 1995 (gazetted 23 December 1994) made substantial changes including the insertion of new provisions on inspection systems and fees. In 2000 the heading structure was revised with the insertion of Part headings. In 2006 the Electricity Corporations (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2006 and the Electricity Amendment Regulations (No. 2) 2006 made significant changes to Part VIII, including the insertion of the definition of network operator and the new provisions on connection of supply and disconnections.

The RCD requirements were introduced in stages. Part IV was first inserted by the Electricity Amendment Regulations 2009 (gazetted 8 May 2009, operative 9 August 2009). The original RCD regulations imposed obligations on owners of residential premises and included the concepts of owner-occupied and non-owner-occupied premises. In 2010 the Electricity Amendment Regulations (No. 5) 2009 inserted regulation 18 giving the Director power to grant temporary exemptions. In 2011 the Electricity Amendment Regulations (No. 3) 2010 inserted the new regulation 15A imposing obligations on new owners and providing a defence for demolition, and added the new owner cost recovery mechanism. The most substantial revision to Part IV came via the Electricity Amendment Regulations 2018 (Part 2), gazetted 2 October 2018 and operative 1 January 2019. These regulations remade the RCD provisions, expanding the definition of properly installed to incorporate the detailed technical requirements of new regulation 12A, adding the obligation on owners of common property (regulation 15), adding the obligation on owners of transportable structures or vehicles (regulation 17), and updating the defences in regulation 16. The 2018 amendments also inserted the increased penalties for RCD offences ($15 000 individual, $100 000 body corporate) and updated references to standards (AS/NZS 3190:2016). The Short-Term Rental Accommodation Regulations 2024 (SL 2024/123), operative 1 July 2024, amended the definitions and triggering events to include making premises available as short-term rental accommodation. The Electricity Regulations Amendment (Licensing) Regulations 2024 (SL 2024/211), operative 17 October 2024, further amended Schedule 1. The compilation table also shows numerous reprints, the most recent being Reprint 7 as at 21 October 2016, before the 2018 amendments. The 2018 changes were significant enough that practitioners should rely on the current compilation rather than any older reprint.

Gotchas

Several provisions in the regulations contain subtle traps that may catch practitioners who rely on a superficial reading. The RCD obligation under regulation 13(a) applies before title to the premises is transferred, but regulation 16(1) provides a defence if the new owner gave a notice of intended demolition. However, the new owner then has its own obligation under regulation 15A: if demolition has not commenced within the post-transfer period (six months if notice given, two months if not), the new owner must install RCDs itself. The new owner’s cost recovery from the prior owner under regulation 15A(3) only applies if the new owner has not given a notice of intended demolition , meaning a new owner who does give such a notice loses the right to recover costs from the prior owner. The definition of properly installed in regulation 12 includes not only compliance with regulation 12A but also the requirement that the device is not installed in relation to any other premises or property. This means an RCD cannot serve both the residential premises and common property or another unit , it must be dedicated. The technical requirements in regulation 12A are prescriptive: each RCD must protect no more than three final subcircuits, and lighting points must be distributed between devices if two or more are installed. An owner who simply adds a single RCD covering all circuits without distribution will not be compliant if there are multiple final subcircuits.

The neutral conductor voltage limit in regulation 243(1) is absolute: below 6 volts AC, measured in accordance with AS 4741-2010 Appendix A. The network operator’s obligation to act arises when it becomes aware that the voltage is not below that limit, not necessarily when it first detects a problem. The notice to the consumer must specify at least 7 days, but the regulation does not say whether the consumer can be disconnected sooner if there is imminent danger; the disconnection power under regulation 243(5) is only exercisable after non-compliance with the notice. However, regulation 272 gives the network operator a separate right to disconnect without notice if the installation is faulty or unsafe. The network operator’s liability exclusion under regulation 271(c) only applies unless negligence on the part of the supply authority was the reason for or part of the reason for the injury, loss or damage , a consumer must prove negligence to overcome the exclusion. The vegetation control danger zone in regulation 316A applies to work for reward; volunteers or homeowners doing their own work are not captured, but the definition of for reward is broad: work in the course of employment is treated as for reward, and assisting to perform work is included. The exemption for trained persons requires training in electrical linework to the satisfaction of the Director or training in vegetation control work by an approved training authority, plus compliance with the Director’s code of practice or approved safety requirements. A person who has been trained but fails to comply with the code commits the offence. In the appliance approval scheme, a certificate of approval has effect for a period not exceeding 5 years as determined by the Director and cannot be renewed (regulation 326(8)). After it expires, the appliance is no longer approved and any sale or hire becomes unlawful unless a fresh approval is obtained. The approvals marking must be permanently marked on the appliance, unless the Director accepts that the appliance is too small or there is other sufficient reason, in which case packaging may be used. Any modification of design, materials or construction requires prior Director approval under regulation 328; selling an appliance that has been altered without approval is an offence. The register provisions in regulation 337 allow public inspection of the registers of prescribed and approved appliances upon payment of a fee. The change of address obligation in regulation 338 is strict: within one month, no exception for forgetfulness.

How to comply

Compliance with the Electricity Regulations 1947 requires different action depending on the regulated party. For owners of residential premises, the first step is to determine whether residual current devices are properly installed in accordance with regulation 12A. If not, they must be installed before any of the triggering events listed in regulations 13 and 14 occur: before a transfer of title, before entering into a residential tenancy agreement (for non-owner-occupied premises, only with a person who was not a tenant before 9 August 2009), before making premises available as short-term rental accommodation, before making premises available for hire, and before completion of building works requiring a building permit. Owners should engage a licensed electrical contractor to carry out the installation and ensure that the contractor provides a certificate of compliance. The installation must satisfy all six requirements of regulation 12A: the correct number of devices, distribution of lighting points, compliance with AS/NZS 3190:2016, 30 mA rating, protection of no more than three final subcircuits per device, and installation at the originating switchboard. For common property, the same standard applies. For transportable structures or vehicles used for accommodation, at least one RCD complying with AS/NZS 3001:2008 must be installed. If an owner is unable to comply due to special temporary circumstances, an application for a temporary exemption should be made in writing to the Director under regulation 18, setting out the special circumstances and demonstrating that no undue risk of injury or damage will arise.

Network operators must ensure they have an effective system of inspection approved by the Director under regulation 253, or must individually inspect installations under regulation 254. They should prepare a system plan and policy statement complying with Director guidelines and submit it for approval; the approval lasts up to 4 years. Where an approved system plan exists, connections may be made before receiving a notice of completion if the plan sets out a process for managing such connections. Network operators must monitor neutral conductor voltage and act promptly if it exceeds 6 volts AC, giving consumers at least 7 days to remedy faults in their installations before resorting to disconnection. They must ensure that only their employees or authorised persons insert wiring into service fuses, meters and other devices. They must keep records of inspection activities and cooperate with Director audits. For vegetation control work, any person performing such work for reward near overhead power lines must first obtain the required training: either electrical linework training to the Director’s satisfaction, or vegetation control training from an approved training authority. The work must be carried out in accordance with the Director’s Code of Practice for Personnel Electrical Safety for Vegetation Control Work Near Live Powerlines or other Director-approved safety requirements. A pre-work assessment of the nominal voltage of the line is critical to determine the applicable danger zone distance (3 m or 6 m). For manufacturers, importers and sellers of electrical appliances, the key step is to obtain a certificate of approval from the Director before any sale, hire or advertisement. An application must be made in the approved form, accompanied by samples, drawings, test reports from a recognised laboratory, and the prescribed fee. If the appliance is already approved by a recognised authority in another state, an application is not needed , the foreign approval is deemed a certificate of approval. Approved appliances must be permanently stamped or labelled with the approvals marking. Any modification to design, materials or construction requires prior Director approval. The holder of a certificate must notify the Director of any change of address within one month. The certificate must be made available for inspection on request and remains the property of the Director. All regulated parties should be aware of the infringement notice scheme: many common breaches can be dealt with by paying the modified penalty within 28 days, avoiding court proceedings, but the option to elect court prosecution remains open.