According to NT WorkSafe’s electrical contractor licence guidance, dated 13 May 2025 (figures checked 1 October 2026), an NT electrical contractor must notify the Electrical Safety Regulator within 30 days if its nominated person ceases to hold an unrestricted electrical work licence or ceases to be an owner (director), partner or employee. The contractor must use the Application to vary an electrical contractor’s licence form and cannot treat a replacement as the licence’s nominated person until the Regulator approves the change.
Which changes trigger notification within 30 days?
The nominated-person notification is required when either of these changes occurs:
| Trigger | Required response |
|---|---|
| The nominated person ceases to hold an unrestricted electrical work licence | Notify the Electrical Safety Regulator within 30 days |
| The nominated person ceases to be an owner (director), partner or employee of the electrical contractor | Notify the Electrical Safety Regulator within 30 days |
These are the stated triggers for losing the nominated person. The variation form does not replace the need to meet the notification deadline.
Which form must be used?
Use the Application to vary an electrical contractor’s licence form to report the change in nominated-person details.
The same form is used for changes to body corporate or partnership details, including:
- a change in the body corporate’s or partnership’s name;
- a change in the electrical contractor’s trading name; or
- a change in the members of a partnership.
The cited guidance does not attach the stated 30-day period to these entity-detail changes. Submit the variation notification using the current instructions on the NT WorkSafe page, but do not treat submission as approval of a replacement nominee.
What must the replacement nominated person satisfy?
A nominated person must be an owner, partner or employee of the electrical contractor and must:
- hold a current unrestricted electrical work licence;
- have held that unrestricted licence for at least two years;
- have completed the contractor-course units of competency approved by the Electrical Safety Regulator; and
- be a nominated person for only one electrical contractor licence at a time.
The listed contractor-course units include:
- UEEEL0040 — Develop Compliance Policies and Plans to conduct an Electrical Contracting Business; and
- UEEEL0002 — Apply Currency of Safe Working Practices and Compliance Verification of Electrical Installations.
An electrical contractor licence can have more than one nominated person, but each person may be nominated for only one electrical contractor licence at a time.
Can the replacement be used before approval?
No—not as the nominated person for that contractor licence. An electrical contractor must not change its nominated person without the Electrical Safety Regulator’s approval.
All electrical work completed by an electrical contractor must be performed or supervised by a nominated person. Until the Regulator approves the variation, the contractor should not rely on the replacement as the nominee endorsed on its licence.
What happens if electrical work continues without an approved nominee?
NT WorkSafe states that a contractor’s licence will be suspended until a new nominated person is approved. Its guidance also says that suspension is not automatic. Because the cited guidance does not explain how those statements apply together, a contractor should not assume that submitting the variation form permits it to continue electrical work; confirm the licence status with the Regulator.
The guidance identifies these situations as offences under electrical safety legislation:
| Situation | Stated compliance consequence |
|---|---|
| The contractor has lost its nominated person, fails to notify the Regulator and continues to provide and perform electrical work | Offence |
| The contractor performs electrical work without a nominated person endorsed on its licence | Offence |
Notifying the Regulator and having a nominee endorsed are separate steps. Sending the variation form does not, by itself, satisfy the continuing requirement for an endorsed nominated person. The cited page identifies offences but does not state a penalty amount.
Where should the current requirements be checked?
This is general information, not financial or legal advice. Check the current NT WorkSafe regulator page for the latest form, submission instructions and licence status, and review the PDS for your policy for any applicable notification requirements.
Sources
FAQ
What if the contractor still has another nominated person?
An electrical contractor may have more than one nominated person. The nominee who loses the required unrestricted electrical work licence or stops being an owner, partner or employee must still be reported through the variation process within 30 days, while electrical work must be performed or supervised by a nominated person endorsed on the licence.
Does sending the variation form make the replacement the nominee?
No. The form notifies the Electrical Safety Regulator of the change, but the contractor must not change its nominated person without the Regulator’s approval.
Is suspension always immediate?
The cited guidance says a licence will be suspended until a replacement nominee is approved, but it also says suspension is not automatic. A contractor should not assume it may continue electrical work merely because it has lodged the form; it should confirm its status with the Regulator.
Can a replacement nominee already be nominated to another contractor?
No. A person may be a nominated person for only one electrical contractor licence at a time.
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