Upgrading your registration class
How to upgrade from your current class of registration to another.
Some current registrations will give certain exemptions when seeking an upgrade in class of registration.
If you are seeking a dual registration, then you must fulfil all registration requirements for the additional class you wish to apply for: ie Line Mechanic and Electrician.
Scroll down to your current class of registration below and click on the class of registration you are seeking. If either class is not mentioned below then please refer to the full registration requirements.
Where an examination is required this also requires an Approved Course to be completed for eligibility.
All experience must be gained while holding a Trainee Limited certificate (TLC) in the required class.
Once you have completed the requirements below go to this page to apply for an upgrade.
If you are currently holding a practising licence there is no need to pay for a new one, a new card is issued with the new registration.
EAS
You are an Electrical Appliance Serviceperson and plan to apply for:
Electrical Appliance Serviceperson (endorsed to disconnect and reconnect) - EASQ
Upgrade requirements
- EASQ course and examination
- EASQ practical assessment
- Supply a reference to show your experience of disconnecting and reconnecting from a pcu
OR;
- National Certificate in Electrical Engineering in Electrical Appliance and Electronic Servicing - level 3
Electrical Service Technician - EST
- EST course and examination (EAS section of an EAS/EST course not required)
- EST practical assessment (EST skills only needed if EAS Registration is held)
- Supply a reference to show your experience of disconnecting and reconnecting from fixed wiring and including 6 months 3 phase experience while holding an EST-TLC
Electrical Installer - EI
- EI Theory course and examination or E Theory course and examination
- E Regulations course and examination
- E practical assessments -Stages 1-3
- Supply a reference to show your experience of 2 years’ installation of one electrical system ie lifts or HVAC while holding an EI-TLC
Electrician - E
- E Theory course and examination
- E Regulations course and examination
- E practical assessments -Stages 1-3
- Supply a reference to show your experience of 3½ years of electrician work including 2000 hours of installation wiring work while holding an E-TLC.
OR;
- Complete a New Zealand Certificate in Electrical Engineering Theory and Practice (Trade) level 4.
EASQ
You are an Electrical Appliance Serviceperson (endorsed to disconnect and reconnect) - EASQ and plan to apply for:
Electrical Service Technician - EST
- EST course and examination (EAS section of an EAS/EST course not required)
- EST practical assessment (EST skills only needed if EAS Registration is held)
- Supply a reference to show 6 months 3 phase experience with the reference also including disconnecting and reconnecting from fixed wiring experience while holding an EST-TLC
Electrical Installer - EI
- EI Theory course and examination or E Theory course and examination
- E Regulations course and examination
- E practical assessments -Stages 1-3
- Supply a reference to show your experience of 2 years’ installation of one electrical system i.e. lifts or HVAC while holding an EI-TLC
Electrician - E
- E Theory course and examination
- E Regulations course and examination
- E Practical Assessments -Stages 1-3
- Supply a reference to show your experience of 3½ years of electrician work including 2000 hours of installation wiring work while holding an E-TLC.
OR;
- Complete a New Zealand Certificate in Electrical Engineering Theory and Practice (Trade) level 4.
EST
You are an Electrical Service Technician - EST and plan to apply for:
Electrical Installer - EI
- EI Theory course and examination or E Theory course and examination
- E Regulations course and examination
- E practical assessments -Stages 2-3
- Supply a reference to show your experience of 2 years’ installation of one electrical system ie lifts or HVAC while holding an EI-TLC
Electrician - E
- E Regulations course and examination
- E Theory course and examination
- E practical assessments -Stages 2 - 3
- Supply a reference to show your experience of 3 years of electrician work including 2000 hours of installation wiring work while holding an E-TLC.
OR;
- Complete a New Zealand Certificate in Electrical Engineering Theory and Practice (Trade) level 4.
Electrical Engineer - EE
- E Regulations course and examination
- E practical assessments -Stages 2 - 3
- Bachelor of EE qualification or NZ Diploma Level 6 or old NZ Certificate
- Supply a reference to show your experience of 1 year of electrician work including 1500 hours of installation wiring work while holding an EE or E-TLC.
EI
You are an Electrical Installer - EI and plan to apply for:
Electrician - E
- E Theory examination
- Supply a reference to show your experience of 2 ½ years of electrician work including 2000 hours of installation wiring work while holding an E-TLC.
OR;
- Complete a New Zealand Certificate in Electrical Engineering Theory and Practice (Trade) level 4.
Electrical Engineer - EE
- Bachelor of EE qualification or NZ Diploma Level 6 or old NZ Certificate
- Supply a reference to show your experience of 1 year of electrician work including 1500 hours of installation wiring work while holding an EE or E-TLC.
EE
You are an Electrical Engineer - EE and plan to apply for:
Electrician - E
- Supply a reference to show your experience of 3 years of electrician work including 2000 hours of installation wiring work.
- Electrician exam pass (course may not be required – ask the EWRB for an exemption)
Electrical Engineer - EE removal of limitation
Removing limitation**
- Reference only showing work outside limitation while under supervision – TLC not required.
E
You are an Electrician - E and plan to apply for:
Electrical Engineer - EE a dual registration
- Bachelor of EE qual or NZ Diploma Level 6 or NZ Certificate
Electrician E - Mining
- Supply a reference showing your experience of 1 year in Mining Operation
- Quals showing training in mine safety (as Gazetted)††
Inspector
- 3 years registration as an E
- Inspector examination
- Inspector practical assessment
- Supply references that show 3 years of work experience as an electrician. If you have been self-employed, you can use a Statutory Declaration form to state your work experience.
Statutory Declaration form [DOCX, 26KB] - Supply evidence of 3 examples of high risk work e.g. COC’s that have been entered on the Worksafe High Risk Data Base or the corresponding ROI’s.
Worksafe High Risk Data Base
Inspector - Mining Endorsement
- 3 years registration as an E
- Inspector examination
- Inspector practical assessment
- Supply references that show your experience as an electrician
- Supply a reference showing your experience of 3 years in Mining Operation
- Quals showing training in mine safety (as Gazetted)††
INSP
You are an Electrical Inspector and plan to apply for:
Inspector - Mining Endorsement
- Supply a reference showing your experience of 1 year in Mining Operation
- Quals showing training in mine safety (as Gazetted)††
LM, CJ and Substation Maintainer. No exemptions *
You are a Line Mechanic (Distribution, Transmission and/or Traction) and plan to apply for:
Electrical Appliance Serviceperson (endorsed to disconnect and reconnect) - EASQ
- Must meet full registration requirements
Electrical Service Technician - EST
- Must meet full registration requirements
Electrical Installer - EI
- Must meet full registration requirements
Electrician - E
- Must meet full registration requirements
Electrical Engineer - EE, including EE with limitation
- Must meet full registration requirements
AT
You are an Associated Tradesperson - AT and plan to apply for:
Electrical Appliance Serviceperson (endorsed to disconnect and reconnect) - EASQ
- Must meet full registration requirements
Electrical Service Technician - EST
- Must meet full registration requirements
Electrical Installer - EI
- Must meet full registration requirements
Electrician - E
- Must meet full registration requirements
Electrical Engineer - EE, including EE with limitation
- Must meet full registration requirements
*NB All the Line Mechanic classes, Cable Jointer and Substation Maintainer are dual registrations rather than upgrades when applying for a secondary (or third) registration.
Upgrading exemptions are only available for EAS – Inspector.
** An Electrical Engineer with limitations can apply to have their limitations removed by sending in a reference from a supervisor attesting to their experience in a field outside their limitation. No application form/fee is required. A cover letter only is required. Supervisor must be a suitably registered person.
†† As Gazetted you must show training and skills in the following:
- the control of earth potential rise;
- the use of relocatable mining electrical equipment;
- the performance of safety functions required for mining activities and mining electrical equipment; and
- risk management
For the mining endorsement a Mining Operation is defined as not including:
- exploring for minerals
- an alluvial mining operation
- a mining operation wholly or under the seabed on the seaward side of the mean high water mark’
- a quarrying operation