What Electrical work am I legally allowed to do in New Zealand?

DIY or “Do It Yourself” is a trending practice in fashion, home accessories, crafts and now even electrical work! Building or repairing things yourself can be such a feel-good factor and it’s something you can do with friends, family or take it up as a solo mission.

However, if you live in New Zealand DIY electrical work can be extremely tricky business.

The law in New Zealand tells you what electrical work you are allowed to legally do, on your own and what you cannot.

Though you might be tempted to save some money on electrical work, especially if you live in an expensive city like Auckland, make sure to read on if you are planning on doing your own electrical work. You don’t want to end up breaking the law without even realising it and be prosecuted, or damage appliances, cause a fire or hurt yourself or those around you!

Your expert electrician or those DIY videos on YouTube that you have watched probably make it look like fixing electrical appliances or installing your own wiring is easy but remember that it’s not simple as it looks. Electricians make it look easy because they have learnt how to do the work over a period of time and they have been practicing for years! If you don’t know exactly what you should be doing, you could risk the safety of yourself and those around you by possibly getting an electric shock or even causing a fire if you do the wiring incorrectly.

Before deciding to do your own electrical work, there are many things to consider, such as what electrical work are you legally allowed to do by the NZ law, what you are not allowed to do, and work that you can do but need to get checked by a certified and qualified electrician.

For more details on what work you are legally allowed to do and work you are not allowed to do, you can read the full version of the article here about DIY Electrical works.