How to Check an Electrician or Gasfitter Licence in Victoria Before Hiring

Why Licence Verification Matters for Compliance

Victorian rental law requires that electrical and gas safety checks be conducted by licensed practitioners. A safety check report issued by an unlicensed or incorrectly licensed tradesperson does not satisfy the Residential Tenancies Regulations 2021 — and when Consumer Affairs Victoria requests your records under Section 65F, an invalid certificate is the same as no certificate at all.

The distinction matters because not all electrical or gas work licences cover safety inspection and certification. An apprentice electrician or a restricted licence holder cannot issue a Certificate of Electrical Safety (COES). A plumber with gas appliance servicing training may not hold the gasfitting licence class required for a statutory two-yearly gas safety check.

Checking an Electrician's Licence

Energy Safe Victoria (ESV) maintains the public licence register for electrical workers. To verify an electrician's credentials:

1. Go to the ESV public register search at energysafe.vic.gov.au/licensing/search-public-register
2. Search by the tradesperson's name or licence number
3. Confirm the practitioner has a current electrician's licence appropriate for the safety check. LEW means Licensed Electrical Worker; ask whether their licence authorises the work and any Certificate of Electrical Safety required.

The COES is the critical document. After completing the electrical safety check, the electrician lodges a COES with Energy Safe Victoria and provides you with a copy alongside the Electrical Safety Check Report. If the electrician says they'll "send the certificate later" and never does, the check is effectively incomplete for compliance purposes.

Checking a Gasfitter's Licence

Gasfitter registrations and licences in Victoria are administered by the Building and Plumbing Commission (BPC). To verify:

1. Go to the BPC practitioner search at bpc.vic.gov.au/find-and-check-a-practitioner
2. Search by name or registration number
3. Confirm the practitioner holds a current gasfitting registration or licence with the Type A gas appliance servicing class required for rental gas safety checks

The gas safety check report must document carbon monoxide spillage testing, flue clearance verification, line pressure checks, and appliance burner audits. A general plumbing certificate does not cover gas safety inspection work.

What to Ask Before Booking

When engaging a tradesperson for a rental safety check, confirm three things upfront:

• Licence currency: Is the licence active and not suspended or expired?
• Licence class: Does their specific licence category authorise them to conduct periodic safety checks and issue the required certificates?
• Reporting output: Will they provide both the safety check report and the formal certificate (COES for electrical, Gas Safety Check Report for gas)?

These questions aren't adversarial — they protect both you and the tradesperson. An honest licensed practitioner will have no hesitation confirming their credentials.

Pre-Draughtproofing Gas Check (Section 68C)

If you're planning to install weather stripping, chimney dampers, or other draught-sealing measures on a property with gas appliances, fixtures, or fittings, Section 68C of the RTA requires a gas safety check within six months before the draughtproofing work begins. This check must also be conducted by a licensed or registered gasfitter — the same verification process applies. Draughtproofing without a current gas check carries penalties up to 150 penalty units ($31,365 for individuals in 2026–27), more than double the fine for most other tenancy offences.

Keep a Record of the Verification

When you verify a tradesperson's licence, note the date, the register you checked, the licence number, and the licence class. Store this alongside the safety check report and certificate. If Consumer Affairs Victoria later questions the validity of a safety certificate, your verification record demonstrates due diligence.

The Victoria Rental Minimum Standards Compliance Guide includes a trade qualification verification worksheet designed for exactly this purpose — space to record licence details, check dates, and certificate references for every trade you engage across the property's compliance cycle.

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