Choose and book an electrician for your job
In short
For electrical installation work in Melbourne, engage a Registered Electrical Contractor and check the business through Energy Safe Victoria. Ask who will carry out the work and check their electrical worker licence too. Choose a contractor with experience in your job type, confirm they service your suburb, and compare written quotes covering the same work, testing and safety paperwork. A directory listing or recommendation is a starting point for these checks.
Step 1
Identify the work and the right first contact
Describe what needs installing, replacing or investigating. Ask a prospective contractor about similar work: fault finding, apartment renovations and a new EV charger each need a different conversation before a quote.
If the power is out beyond your property, check your electricity distributor’s outage information. Melbourne has different distribution areas, so use the faults and emergencies number on your bill rather than assuming every suburb has the same distributor. A network outage needs the distributor; a fault in your installation may need an electrician.
Start with your job type
| What you need | What to ask or do first |
|---|---|
| Lights, power points or a ceiling fan | Give the quantity and say whether each fitting is a replacement or a new position. |
| A circuit that keeps tripping | Describe when it happens and ask about the cost of a diagnostic visit before repairs are quoted. |
| Switchboard or supply upgrades | Ask about assessment, inspection and any distributor coordination needed. |
| An EV charger | Give the charger model, parking location and cable route; ask for an assessment of the existing supply. |
| A rental electrical safety check | Request the rental safety check and written report, with repairs priced separately. |
| An area power outage | Contact the electricity distributor using the faults number on your bill. |
Step 2
Check the contractor and the worker in Victoria
Ask for the business’s legal name and Registered Electrical Contractor number, often shortened to REC. On Energy Safe Victoria’s public register page, choose the Registered Electrical Contractor Register. Match the record to the business on the quote and confirm its registration is current.
Use the separate Licensed Electrical Worker Search for the person doing the work. Ask to see their licence and clarify any restrictions relevant to your job. Business registration and a worker’s licence serve different purposes. If the details do not match, resolve that with the business or Energy Safe before accepting.
Confirm the contractor serves your postcode and ask about recent work of a similar scope. References can help you assess communication and follow-through; they do not replace the regulator checks.
Step 3
Give the electrician a brief they can assess
Include the suburb and postcode, property type, what you want changed and your preferred dates. In a Melbourne apartment, check with the building manager about access to shared meter rooms, lift bookings and any arrangements for work affecting shared areas. Tell the contractor what is confirmed and what still needs approval.
For a house, describe access to the work area and any known restrictions. Avoid guessing the condition of concealed wiring. An electrician may need a site visit before giving a firm price.
Example brief: “Carlton apartment. Replace two existing pendant lights with fittings I will supply. Ceiling height about 2.7 metres. Building manager holds the meter-room key; access needs arranging. Please confirm fitting suitability and quote for installation, testing and required certificate.”
Step 4
Agree on the total and the completion documents
Send the same brief to each contractor. Compare the total including GST where applicable, call-out charges, labour, fittings, disposal and making good walls or ceilings. For fault finding, confirm the initial visit charge and agree how further work will be approved. For a fixed quote, ask what could change the price.
Victorian electrical installation work requires a Certificate of Electrical Safety, or COES. Ask whether your scope needs an independent inspection and whether the quote includes arranging it. Work classified as prescribed requires inspection; let the contractor identify the correct category for your actual job.
For a rental safety check, request the written safety report. This is distinct from a COES for electrical installation work, so ask what documents you will receive if repairs are also carried out. Keep the quote, approved changes, invoice and completion records together.
Sources and useful links
Sources checked 6 October 2026
- Victorian Government: safety and emergencies
Triple Zero for police, ambulance and fire emergencies.
- Energy Safe Victoria: search a public register
Separate public searches for electrical contractors and electrical workers, using live regulator records.
- Energy Safe Victoria: working with electrical tradespeople
Engaging a registered contractor, checking a worker’s licence and obtaining a Certificate of Electrical Safety.
- Energy Safe Victoria: prescribed and non-prescribed work
Inspection categories and exceptions depend on the electrical installation work being performed.
- Victorian Government: energy outages
Contacting your electricity distributor using the faults and emergencies number on your bill.
- Consumer Affairs Victoria: repairs in rental properties
Dangerous electrical faults are urgent repairs; the page explains notification and next steps when an agent or rental provider does not respond.
- Consumer Affairs Victoria: rental electrical safety
Electrical safety check reports and record keeping for rental properties.
