Under the Electricity Act, Energy Market Authority licences electrical workers by competency class and voltage / current handling capacity. The class determines what scope of work the worker may supervise.
The three working classes (simplified)
- Electrician — installation, alteration and supervision of low-voltage works up to a defined load threshold. Day-to-day HDB and small commercial.
- Electrical Technician — larger LV scopes, including sub-DBs, busbar tap-offs and commercial fit-outs above the Electrician threshold.
- Electrical Engineer — works including HV / LV switch rooms, transformers, large commercial and industrial installations, and engineering supervision.
Each class is further qualified by an Approved Capacity in amps / kVA, and by whether it covers Installation, Operation, or both. The full live list — name, licence number, class and capacity — sits on the EMA ELISE Licensed Electrical Worker directory.
How to verify in under a minute
- Ask the contractor for the LEW name and licence number
- Open the ELISE directory and search by name or licence number
- Confirm class (Electrician / Technician / Engineer) matches your scope
- Confirm Approved Capacity is at or above your installation load
- Save a screenshot of the verification for your project records
A licensed company is not the same as a licensed worker
An electrical contractor (the business) and a Licensed Electrical Worker (the person) are two different licences. Both can be required for a scope. The LEW is the human who signs off the work.
Why the class matters
If the work exceeds the licensed class on site, the certificate at handover is technically invalid. That matters at insurance time, at resale inspection time, and at any subsequent authority audit. Verifying the class up front costs nothing and avoids the whole problem.