Licence ID cards

Issuing of cards

New licences

All registered electrical workers must hold a practising licence to carry out prescribed electrical work. A licence ID card is issued once you are registered and uplifted a practising licence for the first time. You may pay for your practising licence at the same time as applying for registration.

Relicensing

You must After that, you need to renew your licence and pay the licence fee every 2 years after registration and issuing of your first practising licence.

A new card is issued stating that you hold a current practising licence until the new expiry date on the card. You don’t need to upload a new photo when you re-license but you may choose to do so at that time.

Lost or replacement cards

If your card is stolen, lost or damaged and you need a replacement, complete this form and send it with the replacement fee to the address provided on the form.

1.7 Replacement certificate, licence or card application form [PDF, 159 KB]

Requirements for new cards and photographs

Licence ID cards include a photograph and all classes of registration shown on a single card. This ensures that no one else can use your ID card if it is lost or stolen and improves the overall professionalism of the trade.

To ensure that every ID card is produced to a high standard only passport standard and sized photographs will be accepted.

Photographic images of a different size (the ratio must be 3:4 – width to height) result in a stretched image on ID cards.

We strongly recommend that you obtain a professionally produced digital photograph to passport standards, however but if you already have a photo or wish to take your own photo that meets the standard, it may will be accepted.

ID card photograph standards

To ensure that every ID card is produced to a high standard, images submitted with your application must be:

• a face, head and shoulders shot, looking directly at the camera and less than 6 months old
• no sunglasses, or glasses with tinted lenses that obscure your eyes
• 3:4 – width to height ratio, in full colour
• between 50KB and 5MB in size (or printed image for paper applications).

Check that your photo meets the requirements here: 

Online photo checker(external link) — passports.govt.nz

The Board may also refuse photographs which are not of adequate quality or are composed in a way that is unsuitable for use on an ID card.

Submitting your photograph

You can submit your photograph:

• online at anytime if you are already registered
  Upload your photograph now, simply login to your EWRB Portal(external link) and upload your photograph by clicking My Profile and then Photo ID. There is no fee and the upload process is quick and easy. Alternatively you can upload your photograph at the time you renew your practising licence online OR;.
• by including a hard-copy print with your registration/licensing application if posting your application.

To assist with the cost of obtaining a quality photo for your licence ID card, MBIE has negotiated a 25% discount for electrical workers when they purchase a photo (either printed or electronic) at one of the 150 Post Shop stores nationwide that provide the service.

To receive your discount simply quote the discount code, BUILD or show the Post Shop staff a copy of Electron issue 76.

New Zealand Post(external link) can help you find your nearest Post Shop to take your photograph.