South Africa does not issue a document called a “wireman’s licence”. What people mean by it is registration with the Department of Employment and Labour as a “registered person” under the Electrical Installation Regulations, 2009, in one of three categories: single phase tester, installation electrician or master installation electrician.
Only a registered person may issue a certificate of compliance for an electrical installation. To register you must satisfy the chief inspector that you have sufficient knowledge of the rules and appropriate practical experience for the category you apply for.
Business Requirements at a Glance
- Who registers: individuals who inspect, test and certify electrical installations, in one of the three categories below.
- Test for registration: sufficient knowledge of the rules that apply to electrical installations in your category, and practical experience appropriate to the type of installation you want to certify.
- Application: made to the chief inspector on Annexure 5, together with the registration fee.
- Evidence: two photographs, training details and documentary proof of your practical experience (see below).
- Not the same as a contractor registration: an electrical contractor is registered separately.
Registration and Legal Requirements
The regulations define the categories by what you may verify and certify:
- Single phase tester: installations supplied by a single-phase supply at the point of control, excluding specialised installations.
- Installation electrician: any electrical installation, excluding specialised installations.
- Master installation electrician: any electrical installation, with no exclusion.
Apply for the category that matches the work you will certify. The regulations do not name a trade test as a condition of registration, although the application form asks you to list any trade test you have passed. Experience must be appropriate to the type of installation for which you want to be registered.
The chief inspector can withdraw a registration if you no longer meet the knowledge and experience conditions or are convicted of an offence under regulation 15. You can appeal to the Director-General within sixty days of the decision being made known.
Documents and Ownership Information Required
Annexure 5, the application form for registration as a registered person, asks for:
- two clear, identical photographs of 40 mm by 30 mm showing your face and shoulders
- details of your training, with testimonials from employers where you did not complete an apprenticeship
- documentary proof of your practical experience, such as certificates of service
- certificates or trade test passes you hold
If you hold qualifications from abroad, ask the Department how they will be assessed before you apply.
Tax, Licence and Compliance Requirements
The 2009 regulations set the registration fee at R120, payable as uncancelled revenue stamps affixed to the application form. That is the figure in the regulation text, so confirm the current fee and payment method with the Department before you apply.
Registration is the registered person’s side of the rules. Every user or lessor of an installation must hold a valid certificate of compliance (Annexure 1) accompanied by a test report. Where an addition or alteration is made, a certificate is needed for at least the addition or alteration. If an installation changes ownership, the user or lessor may not allow it unless the certificate of compliance is no more than two years old.
Process, Deadlines and Ongoing Obligations
- Choose your category and gather your photographs, training records and proof of experience.
- Complete Annexure 5 and obtain the Department’s current fee and payment instructions.
- Submit the application to the chief inspector at the Department of Employment and Labour.
- Once registered, keep your registration certificate available. You must produce it on request to anyone to whom you will issue a certificate of compliance.
Tell the chief inspector of any change affecting your registration within 14 days of the change. The regulations do not set a processing time, so ask the Department how long applications are currently taking.
Electrical contractors are separate. A contractor must itself be registered (annually, on Annexure 3) and must either employ a registered person full-time or be one.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a wireman licence allow?
Registration as a registered person lets you verify, test and issue certificates of compliance for electrical installations within your category. Only a registered person may issue the certificate.
What are the categories?
Single phase tester, installation electrician and master installation electrician. The first two exclude specialised installations; the master installation electrician category does not.
What is a wireman certificate?
In practice it is the registered person’s certificate of registration, which you must show on request, and the certificate of compliance (Annexure 1) that the registered person issues for an installation, accompanied by a test report.
How do I apply for wireman registration?
Apply to the chief inspector on Annexure 5 with the fee, photographs, training details and proof of experience. Get the current form and fee from the Department of Employment and Labour.
How do I check an electrician is registered?
Ask to see their registration, and check the category covers the installation. The Department has said the public can verify the authenticity of an electrical contractor’s registration letter, or lodge a complaint, on 051 505 6371 or 051 505 6200, in a 2021 statement. Confirm the current contact details with the Department.
Confirm the current form, fee and process with the Department of Employment and Labour before applying. See company registration requirements if you are setting up an electrical business, and browse all business and compliance requirements.