QualtecElectrical compliance, documented
NZ workplace electrical compliance

Know your electrical assets are safe, compliant and on record.

Independent testing, a live asset register and audit-ready reporting — so when WorkSafe, your insurer or your BWoF assessor asks, the answer takes thirty seconds.

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The knowledge base · 27 guides

Straight answers about NZ electrical compliance

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act you must keep electrical equipment safe — and be able to show how you know. That duty is real, it is enforceable, and it sits with you. What the law does not do is prescribe the method, which is where most of the confusion comes from.

We explain what is genuinely required, where testing earns its keep, and where the obligations are hardest — emergency lighting is a Specified System under the Building Act, and most buildings that fail it fail on paperwork rather than hardware. Every page is written against the standards and the legislation, cited, dated and reviewed by a person.

Browse all 27 guides →
Is test and tag legally required in New Zealand? There is no law naming test and tag in NZ, but you do have a legal duty to keep equipment safe and prove it. How often should you test and tag in New Zealand? NZ testing intervals under AS/NZS 3760 — 3 months on construction sites, 6 months in workshops, 12 months in offices, up to 5 years for low-risk gear. Emergency lighting testing and your Building Warrant of Fitness Emergency lighting is a Specified System under the Building Act 2004 — unlike test and tag, it is the law. RCD types AC, A, F and B — what changes on 12 November 2026 New work must use Type A, F or B RCDs from 12 November 2026 under the newly cited AS/NZS 3000:2018. Who can test and tag in New Zealand? You do not need to be an electrician to test and tag in NZ. What happens if you miss a BWoF inspection in New Zealand? A missed procedure means your IQP cannot issue a Form 12A — the Building Act allows no exemptions.

Why businesses move their compliance to us

Not because we are cheaper per item — though what test and tag should actually cost is worth understanding before you compare quotes. Because the answer to “show me” stops being a filing cabinet.

The register, not the sticker

A tag proves one item was tested on one day. A register proves you run a system. When an insurer, an auditor or a lawyer asks, only one of those is an answer.

Intervals we will defend

Set per area against real risk and written down with the reasoning. Sometimes that means testing less than you are now. We will tell you when it does.

One person, three obligations

Appliances, emergency lighting and RCDs usually sit with three different suppliers and no shared record. One visit, one register, one point of contact who has been on your site.

Not sure how often you actually need to test?

Four questions. You will get the interval, the reasoning behind it, and what to record — whether or not you ever hire us.

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Common questions

Short answers. Each one links to the full guide, with the legislation cited.

Is test and tag legally required in New Zealand?

You have a legal duty, under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 and the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010, to keep electrical equipment safe and to be able to demonstrate how you know. No law names test and tag or sets an interval — but testing is the most widely accepted way to discharge that duty, which is why almost every business does it. Read the full answer →

How often do I need to test and tag?

It depends on the environment. As a working rule under AS/NZS 3760: every 3 months on construction sites, 6 months in workshops and commercial kitchens, 12 months in offices, retail and schools, and up to 5 years for low-risk equipment that never moves and has a documented risk assessment behind it. Check your interval →

Do I need an electrician to test and tag?

No. WorkSafe states that the person must have the knowledge and skills to do the task correctly and to understand the standards involved, but does not need to be a registered electrical worker. Only a registered electrical worker can repair the faults that testing finds. Read the full answer →

Is emergency lighting testing a legal requirement?

Yes. Emergency lighting is Specified System 4 under the Building Act 2004. If it is on your building’s compliance schedule, carrying out the inspection, maintenance and reporting procedures is a legal obligation and your annual Building Warrant of Fitness depends on it. Read the full answer →

What changes for RCDs on 12 November 2026?

Installation work where construction begins after that date must comply with AS/NZS 3000:2018 as newly cited by the Electricity (Safety) Amendment Regulations 2025, which requires RCDs to be Type A, F or B rather than plain Type AC. Existing installations do not have to be upgraded merely because the citation changed. Read the full answer →

What areas does Qualtec cover?

Waikato, Auckland, Bay of Plenty. We list our coverage by territorial authority, because for Building Warrant of Fitness work the council is what actually differs — each keeps its own IQP register and words its compliance schedules its own way. See where we work →