Licence ID cards
Your Licence ID card includes your photograph and your classes of registration. You must carry your Licence card with you whenever you are at work.
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 when you apply for Registration for the first time. You must pay for your Practising Licence at the same time when you apply for Registration.
Relicensing
You must renew your Practising Licence every 2 years from the date your Practising Licence was issued.
A new card is issued stating that you hold a current Practising Licence until the new expiry date on the card. You do not need to upload a new photo when you relicence 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 by completing the following:
Login to your EW Portal and select "Order a new licence card or registration certificate”.
This allows you to request a replacement a new ID card for your current Practising Licence. You can update your photo as you complete this request.
If you want to request a replacement Licence card for another type of licence (such as Limited Certificate) you will need to use the form below:
1.7 Replacement certificate, licence or card application form [PDF, 248 KB]
Requirements for new cards and photographs
Licence ID cards include a photograph and your classes of registration 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 photo that meets the criteria for your ID card (if not already on file):
- a face, head and shoulders shot, looking directly at the camera and less than 6 months old;
- plain, light coloured background;
- sunglasses, glasses with tinted lenses OR headwear that obscures your face are not permitted;
- 3:4 – width to height ratio, in full colour;
- between 50KB and 5MB in size (or printed image for paper applications) and
- Saved in .jpg or .jpeg format.
Check that your photo meets the requirements here:(external link)
Online photo checker(external link) – New Zealand passports
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 and upload your photograph by clicking Update my Photo. 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
login to your EWRB Portal(external link)
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.