Yes, if your business does electrical work for others in Queensland. WorkSafe says section 56 of the Electrical Safety Act 2002 requires a business carrying out electrical work for others to hold an electrical contractor licence, and individuals doing electrical work need a licence for it unless one of the very limited section 55 exceptions applies. They are separate licences, and one person can be both the qualified technical person and the qualified business person.[2][1]
Two licences for two different things
WorkSafe says it is illegal to do electrical work in Queensland without a licence. Section 55 allows only very limited unlicensed tasks, such as authorised testing of electrical equipment, installing or repairing telecommunication cables, electrical work while performing the profession of an electrical engineer, and learning electrical work as an apprentice or trainee. Treat those as narrow exceptions, not general permission.
The worker licence belongs to the individual and covers their class of work. The contractor licence belongs to the business that does the work for others.
Worker licence classes
Eligibility is set in sections 157 and 158 of the Electrical Safety Regulation 2026.
| Licence | What WorkSafe says it allows |
|---|---|
| Electrical mechanic | All electrical work, such as installing wiring, changing an overhead line or repairing any electrical equipment |
| Electrical linesperson | All electric line work, including overhead line building and maintenance and street lighting work |
| Electrical fitter | Electrical equipment work, such as rewinding a motor or building a switchboard |
| Electrical jointer | Limited specialist cable work, such as jointing and terminating a high voltage cable |
| Restricted electrical work | Specific electrical work associated with another trade, with a legitimate need. Saving time or money is not enough |
| Electrical work training permit | Restricted electrical work under specified conditions while being trained |
Sources[2]
What the contractor licence involves
A sole trader, partnership or company performing electrical work for others must hold one. The current page refers to section 173 of the 2026 Regulation for eligibility. The licence is issued for one year and eligibility must be maintained throughout. The business nominates at least one qualified technical person and one qualified business person, and the same person may hold both roles.
Insurance must be in the applying business's legal name and meet section 165. The WorkSafe summary refers to public and products liability of at least $5 million plus consumer protection of at least $50,000, and to other listed coverage. The headline sums alone do not show a policy qualifies, so confirm the actual policy with your insurer.
Sources[1]
Readiness checklist you can copy
This checklist is our suggestion, not an official form. Replace every square bracket.
ELECTRICAL CONTRACTING READINESS CHECK Business: [legal name and structure] Date: [DD/MM/YYYY] People doing electrical work and their licence class: [name, class, licence number] Checked on WorkSafe's licence holder search: [date] Qualified technical person: [name] Qualified business person: [name, may be the same person] Contractor licence eligibility confirmed against the current regulation: [yes / no, notes] Insurance policy in business legal name: [insurer, policy] Policy confirmed against section 165 with insurer: [yes / no, date] Contractor licence renewal date (one-year licence): [DD/MM/YYYY] Other licences to check separately, such as QBCC: [notes]
Common questions
- What do I need to start an electrical contracting business?
- On WorkSafe's pages: an electrical contractor licence for the business, a nominated qualified technical person and qualified business person, insurance that meets section 165, and the appropriate licence for each person doing electrical work. Confirm current requirements and the licence status of your people with WorkSafe before you start.[1][2]
Official sources
Checked 16 October 2026. Rules can change; use these sources to check the requirements for your job.
Related guides
- What supervision must a Queensland electrical employer provide to apprentices?
- When must Queensland trade businesses test and tag tools?
Job workflows for electricians.
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