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Quick answer: In Queensland, check two licences. The person needs an electrical work licence and the business needs an electrical contractor licence. The regulator runs an online licence holder search. Queensland has 6 kinds of work licence and 2 kinds of contractor licence, and only the electrical mechanic licence and the unrestricted contractor licence cover all electrical work.
Licences you may see in a QLD check
| Licence | Scope | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical mechanic licence | All electrical work | Business Queensland |
| Electrical linesperson, fitter or jointer licence | Specialised electrical work | Business Queensland |
| Restricted electrical work licence | Limited work linked to another trade | Business Queensland |
| Electrical work training permit | Supervised training, valid for 1 year | Business Queensland |
| Unrestricted electrical contractor licence | All electrical work done by a business | Business Queensland |
| Restricted electrical contractor licence | One kind of electrical work done by a business | Business Queensland |
How to run a licence check
- Ask for the licence number of the worker and of the business.
- Look it up in the Queensland electrical licence holder search.
- Match the licence type to the job using the table above. A restricted licence does not cover general wiring.
- Confirm the business holds a contractor licence if it is quoting you for the work.
- For comparison, NSW checks that licence applicants know the wiring rules AS/NZS 3000:2018, the same standard your installer should work to.
Practice for the electrician licence exam
This page covers the route into the trade. Licensing is run by each state, so for the exam itself our main page is the Australia electrician exam guide: the assessment format, the licensing authority, the wiring rules and the official links in one place.
Try the free Australia electrician practice test in your browser. The questions are original and follow Energy Safe Victoria’s Licensed Electrician’s Assessment and AS/NZS 3000; other states assess differently, so check your state regulator as well. The one-time Australia exam pack unlocks every Australia question and a printable PDF version, with no subscription.
FAQ
What licence does a Queensland electrician need for house wiring?
An electrical mechanic licence, which authorises all electrical work. The business that sells the job also needs an electrical contractor licence.
Is a training permit holder a licensed electrician?
No. The permit lets a person train under supervision for 1 year while they meet the requirements for a licence.
Will an apprentice show up in the search?
Apprentices work under supervision. Business Queensland asks employers to move apprentices onto a licence when they finish, and that licence is what a check would show.
Sources
- Business Queensland: Electrical licences
- Business Queensland: Applying for an electrical work licence
- WorkSafe Queensland: Electrical licence holder search
Page updated: 2026-09-30. Figures were read from the linked official pages on 2026-09-30. Rules differ by state, so check your own state regulator before you enrol or apply. The licence search page refused automated reads, so the licence types come from Business Queensland and the search is only linked.
About the author: Engineer Tsai moved from an office job into electrical and MEP field work in Taiwan and holds Taiwanese indoor wiring and water piping technician certificates. Engineer Tsai has not held an Australian electrical licence, so every Australian rule on this page links to the state regulator or agency that publishes it.
