Wiring a deck for power or lights is electrical wiring work, and in NSW that needs an electrical licence or certificate, however small the job. Licensed electricians must then lodge a Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work (CCEW) with Building Commission NSW no later than 7 days after completing the work, including its safety and compliance test, and can have a copy emailed to you.
Deck jobs, side by side
The NSW rules don’t list deck jobs by name. They define electrical wiring work as installing, repairing, altering, removing or adding to an electrical installation, or supervising that work. Read against that definition, the usual deck jobs look like this:
| The job | Who may do it | What follows |
|---|---|---|
| A new circuit, outlet or wired light for the deck | Someone holding an electrical licence or certificate. | A CCEW, for any work that installs, repairs, adds or alters electrical equipment in an installation. |
| Swapping existing equipment like for like | A licensed electrician. | Still a CCEW: Building Commission NSW says this includes like-for-like replacement of electrical equipment. |
| Fitting or replacing a safety switch (RCD) | A licensed electrician. | Each RCD installed or replaced must be tested under the Wiring Rules, and Type AC RCDs must not be installed in any new electrical work. |
| A power point for pool equipment near the deck | A licensed electrician, installing a suitable weather-protected power point close to the equipment. | A CCEW, as for any new outlet. |
The certificate, in practice
The certificate is the record that someone tested the work, and that it meets three sets of rules: the Gas and Electricity (Consumer Safety) Act 2017, the Gas and Electricity (Consumer Safety) Regulation 2018 and the relevant Australian Standards. From 1 July 2026 every CCEW must be lodged through the BCNSW eCert portal; handwritten and PDF forms are no longer accepted.
The person who carries out the electrical test lodges it. If the electrician adds your email address, the portal sends you a copy automatically when the certificate is lodged; they can also download a copy and share it with you later. The NSW Government notes a CCEW is often required for warranty purposes, and that customers can ask the electrician for a copy.
Before any of that, the work has to pass a safety and compliance test. Building Commission NSW quotes section 34(4) of the regulation: “An electrical installation, or part of an electrical installation, must not be energised unless its safe operation and compliance with the Australian/New Zealand Wiring Rules have been established by a safety and compliance test.”
Electricity outdoors, in the regulator’s words
The NSW Government’s electrical safety advice opens with four habits: “use care and common sense”, “don’t do it yourself – get a professional to do the job”, “don’t mix water and electricity” and “use a safety switch.” For outdoor spaces it adds:
- “Don’t leave appliances and cords out in the weather – put them away after use.”
- “Electric shocks received in wet areas are more likely to be fatal than in other locations as they often involve bare feet, minimum clothing and water. Take extra care near swimming pools.”
- “Dry shoes should be worn when using electrical appliances in laundries, on concrete floors or outdoors.”
Penalties, as at October 2026
The NSW Government says carrying out electrical wiring work without a licence or certificate is a breach of the Home Building Act 1989, with fines of $22,000 for an individual or $110,000 for a company. Source: NSW Government, electrical work licences.
Building Commission NSW lists on-the-spot fines of up to $1000 each time a CCEW is not supplied, and penalties of up to $550,000 for failing to carry out electrical installation work to the technical standards in the Regulation. Source: Building Commission NSW, electrical compliance requirements.
Checking a licence
The NSW Government suggests asking to see the electrician’s electrical contractor’s licence, doing a licence check online, or calling NSW Fair Trading on 13 32 20.