NSW is the biggest solar market by volume, and its rules separate who can sign the contract from who can do the wiring. Both ideas appear in the search for a NSW Fair Trading solar installer licence.
The licences
Electrical contractor licence. The business that contracts for solar work holds an electrical contractor licence, or a building contractor licence in which case an electrician is brought in for the electrical part. NSW Fair Trading issues these licences and publishes the rules.
Electrician licence. The person doing the wiring holds a NSW electrician’s licence. Unlicensed people cannot do electrical work, whatever the task.
SAA accreditation. Not a state licence, but required for STC creation. The accredited person is named in the claim. See SAA accreditation and how to become an accredited installer.
What to carry on site
NSW Fair Trading expects a tradesperson installing solar to be able to show the customer their electrical licence and accreditation. Keep both on hand, with insurance certificates.
Other NSW pieces
- A certificate of compliance for electrical work must follow the job. Check Fair Trading for how it is lodged.
- NSW also runs the Energy Savings Scheme and Peak Demand Reduction Scheme, where an Accredited Certificate Provider is involved for ESCs and PRCs; see becoming an ACP in NSW. That is separate from STCs.
- Your insurance needs to match the work; see insurance for solar installers.
Working in NSW from another state
If you hold a licence in another state, you may be able to work in NSW under automatic mutual recognition or other arrangements. See interstate electrical licence recognition, because Queensland, for example, has been treated differently under some arrangements.
From the desk: the contract in NSW has to come from a licensed business. A retailer who contracts and subcontracts the install should record this on the retailer written statement; see solar retailer requirements.
What this means for installers
For NSW, the sequence is licence first, then SAA, then insurance, then selling. The rules above are a guide and regulators can change them, so confirm with NSW Fair Trading. Once working, start trading to line up STC settlement, and read about how the claim path works. Other states are on the installers hub, including Victoria and Queensland.