Certificate of Electrical Safety (CES)

Written and checked by the Energy Merchants desk · Reviewed 3 October 2026

A Certificate of Electrical Safety, or CES, is the generic name for the paperwork an electrician completes after electrical work. It confirms the work was tested and meets the wiring standard, AS/NZS 3000. Each state calls it something slightly different, so CES, COES and CCEW all show up in installer conversations.

Where the name is used

The “Certificate of Electrical Safety” wording is used in Victoria and in the ACT, with Victoria’s version regulated by Energy Safe Victoria. NSW calls its version a CCEW. Other states use a certificate of compliance or a notice. If you work across borders, check each state’s regulator for the correct form and lodging method.

In practice

For solar and battery jobs, the certificate sits next to the photos, the serial numbers and the written statement. The claim is stronger when the dates, the address and the licensed person on the certificate match the rest of the file. The system’s commissioning details often come from it too. See commissioning date.

Worked example

An installer completes a 9.9 kW system in Canberra on 14 October. The certificate carries the same address and date as the installation record. When a reviewer checks the claim, the paperwork agrees. A certificate dated three weeks after the installation would raise a question, even though the work itself is fine.

Common confusion

A CES is not an STC and is not issued by the Clean Energy Regulator. It comes from the state electrical regulator’s system. It is also not the same as an installer’s accreditation to claim STCs. See installer.

The Victorian short form is covered at COES, and the NSW version at CCEW.

For the claim process see how STC audits work, STC trading and the glossary.