1Citation
These regulations may be cited as the Electricity Regulations 1947.
[Regulation 1 inserted: Gazette 30 May 2000 p. 2567.]
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Bill homepageThese regulations may be cited as the Electricity Regulations 1947.
[Regulation 1 inserted: Gazette 30 May 2000 p. 2567.]
In these regulations, unless the contrary intention appears —
active conductor means —
in a system that includes a neutral conductor — a conductor in the system maintained at a difference of potential from the neutral conductor; and
in a system that does not include a neutral conductor — any conductor in the system;
appliance means a consuming device, other than a lamp, in which electricity is —
converted into heat, motion or other form of energy; or
substantially changed in its electrical character;
conductor means a wire or other form of conducting material suitable for carrying current except where the wire or material is directly employed in converting electrical energy into another form;
electrical equipment means any of the following when used for the generation, conversion, storage, transmission, distribution or utilisation of electrical energy —
wiring systems;
switchgear;
controlgear;
accessories;
appliances;
luminaires;
fittings;
neutral conductor means —
the conductor of a 3‑phase system that is maintained at an intermediate and approximately uniform potential in respect of the active conductors; or
the conductor of a single‑phase system that is connected to earth at its origin.
[Regulation 2 inserted: Gazette 2 Oct 2018 p. 3785.
[Pts. II and III (r. 3‑11) deleted: Gazette 14 Apr 2015 p. 1324.]
In this Part —
building permit has the meaning given in the Building Act 2011 section 3;
common property, relating to residential premises —
if the premises are part of a strata titles scheme as defined in the Strata Titles Act 1985 section 3(1) — means common property as defined in that section; or
if the premises are part of a community titles scheme as defined in the Community Titles Act 2018 section 3(1) — means common property as defined in that section; or
if those premises and other residential premises are situated on the same lot as defined in the Planning and Development Act 2005 section 4(1), or on 2 or more contiguous lots — means all the areas of the lot or lots that do not comprise or form part of any residential premises;
new owner, in relation to transferred residential premises, means the person to whom the title was transferred;
notice of intended demolition, in relation to transferred residential premises, means written notice, given to the prior owner before the transfer, of the new owner’s intention to demolish the premises within 6 months after the transfer;
occupied by an owner, in relation to residential premises, means occupied by an owner, whether legal or beneficial, of those premises as the owner’s principal place of residence;
premises does not include a transportable structure or vehicle;
prior owner, in relation to transferred residential premises, means the person from whom the title was transferred;
properly installed, in relation to residential premises or common property relating to residential premises, means —
installed in accordance with regulation 12A in relation to those premises or that property; and
not installed in relation to any other premises or property;
residential premises means premises that constitute or are intended to constitute a place of residence or accommodation, whether short or long‑term, but does not include any common property relating to the residential premises;
residential tenancy agreement has the meaning given in the Residential Tenancies Act 1987 section 3;
residual current device means a device designed to isolate supply to protected circuits, socket outlets or electrical equipment in the event of a current flow to earth that exceeds a particular value;
short‑term rental accommodation has the meaning given in the Short‑Term Rental Accommodation Act 2024 section 3;
transferred residential premises means residential premises the title to which has been transferred.
[Regulation 12 inserted: Gazette 8 May 2009 p. 1493‑4; amended: Gazette 5 Mar 2010 p. 842; 10 May 2011 p. 1663; 2 Oct 2018 p. 3786.]
[Regulation 12 amended: Gazette 31 Dec 2019 p. 4641; SL 2021/71 r. 4; SL 2024/123 r. 20(2).]
In this regulation —
final subcircuit means a final subcircuit to which a socket outlet, lighting point or directly‑connected hand‑held appliance is connected.
Residual current devices are installed in accordance with this regulation in relation to residential premises, or common property relating to residential premises, if all of the following apply —
the number of residual current devices installed on the premises is at least —
1, if the premises have 1 final subcircuit; and
2, if the premises have more than 1 final subcircuit;
if 2 or more residual current devices are installed on the premises, lighting points connected to final subcircuits are distributed between the devices;
each residual current device complies with AS/NZS 3190:2016 Approval and test specification — Residual current devices (current‑operated earth‑leakage devices);
each residual current device has a maximum rated residual current of 30 mA;
each residual current device protects not more than 3 final subcircuits;
each residual current device is installed at the switchboard at which each final subcircuit protected by it originates.
[Regulation 12A inserted: Gazette 2 Oct 2018 p. 3787.]
Subject to any exemption under regulation 18, an owner of residential premises that are occupied by an owner must ensure that residual current devices are properly installed in relation to the premises —
before title to the premises is transferred; or
before the owner enters into a residential tenancy agreement in respect of some or all of the premises; or
before the owner makes some or all of the premises available as short‑term rental accommodation; or
before the owner makes some or all of the premises available for hire.
Penalty:
in the case of an individual — a fine of $15 000;
in the case of a body corporate — a fine of $100 000.
[Regulation 13 inserted: Gazette 8 May 2009 p. 1494; amended: Gazette 10 May 2011 p. 1663; 13 Apr 2012 p. 1647; 2 Oct 2018 p. 3787; SL 2024/123 r. 20(3).]
Subject to any exemption under regulation 18, an owner of residential premises that are not occupied by an owner must ensure that residual current devices are properly installed in relation to the premises —
before title to the premises is transferred; or
before the owner enters into a residential tenancy agreement in respect of the premises with someone other than a person who was a tenant (as defined in the Residential Tenancies Act 1987 section 3) of the premises immediately before 9 August 2009; or
before the owner makes the premises available as short‑term rental accommodation; or
before the owner makes the premises available for hire; or
before the completion of any building works on the premises, if those works require the grant of a building permit.
Penalty:
in the case of an individual — a fine of $15 000;
in the case of a body corporate — a fine of $100 000.
[Regulation 14 inserted: Gazette 8 May 2009 p. 1494; amended: Gazette 10 May 2011 p. 1663; 2 Oct 2018 p. 3788; SL 2024/123 r. 20(4).]
In this regulation —
post‑transfer period, in relation to transferred residential premises, means —
if the new owner has given a notice of intended demolition — 6 months after the transfer;
if the new owner has not given a notice of intended demolition — 2 months after the transfer.
If —
the title to residential premises is transferred; and
the prior owner has not complied with regulation 13(a) or 14(a); and
demolition of the premises has not commenced within the post‑transfer period,
the new owner must, on or before the expiry of the post‑transfer period, ensure that residual current devices are properly installed in relation to the premises.
Penalty:
in the case of an individual — a fine of $15 000;
in the case of a body corporate — a fine of $100 000.
If the new owner has not given a notice of intended demolition, the new owner’s reasonable costs of complying with subregulation (2) —
are a debt due by the prior owner to the new owner; and
may be recovered in a court of competent jurisdiction.
[Regulation 15A inserted: Gazette 10 May 2011 p. 1664; amended: Gazette 2 Oct 2018 p. 3788.]
Subject to any exemption under regulation 18, an owner of common property relating to residential premises must ensure that residual current devices are properly installed in relation to the common property.
Penalty:
in the case of an individual — a fine of $15 000;
in the case of a body corporate — a fine of $100 000.
[Regulation 15 inserted: Gazette 2 Oct 2018 p. 3788.
It is a defence to a charge of an offence under regulation 13(a) or 14(a) for the person charged to prove that the new owner of the transferred residential premises gave a notice of intended demolition.
It is a defence to a charge of an offence under regulation 15 for the person charged to prove that the person had, before the charge was laid, arranged for the demolition of the premises.
[Regulation 16 inserted: Gazette 10 May 2011 p. 1665; amended: Gazette 2 Oct 2018 p. 3788‑9.]
Subject to any exemption under regulation 18, an owner of a transportable structure or vehicle that constitutes or is intended to constitute a place of residence or accommodation, whether short or long‑term, must ensure that at least 1 residual current device is installed in relation to the structure or vehicle in accordance with AS/NZS 3001:2008 Electrical installations — Transportable structures and vehicles including their site supplies.
Penalty:
in the case of an individual — a fine of $15 000;
in the case of a body corporate — a fine of $100 000.
[Regulation 17 inserted: Gazette 2 Oct 2018 p. 3789.
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