How to hire an electrician in the UK, US, Canada and Australia

Published 6 November 2026. Written by Maksim Shchegolev.

Electrical work is one of the few home jobs where the paperwork matters as much as the workmanship. A neat job with no certificate can cause trouble when you sell the house, make an insurance claim or let the property. So the first thing to settle with any electrician is not the price but how the work will be registered, inspected and signed off where you live.

This guide covers what to check in each country, the questions to ask, and what should be on paper before and after the job.

What every good electrician will do, wherever you are

Look at the job before quoting anything larger than a simple swap of a fitting.
Tell you whether the work needs a permit, notification or inspection, and who arranges it.
Give a written quote that lists the circuits, fittings and materials included.
Test the work when it is finished and give you a certificate or record of that test.
Show proof of licence or registration and insurance without fuss when asked.

If an electrician suggests skipping the permit or the certificate to save you money, treat that as a reason to walk away. The saving is usually small and the problems later are not. Our guide to contractor red flags covers other warning signs.

United Kingdom

Registered competent person schemes

In England and Wales, domestic electrical work falls under Part P of the Building Regulations. Some work is notifiable, for example adding a new circuit, replacing a consumer unit (fuse box), or certain work in bathrooms close to a bath or shower. Notifiable work has to be either done by an electrician registered with a competent person scheme, who can self-certify it, or notified to your local authority Building Control before it starts, which usually means paying for an inspection.

The best-known schemes are NICEIC and NAPIT, and there are others. A registered electrician notifies the work through the scheme, and you should later receive a Building Regulations compliance certificate. Check registration on the scheme's own online register rather than relying on a logo on a van or website, since logos are easy to copy.

Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own building standards systems, so ask a local electrician or the local council how notification works there.

Certificates to expect

Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC): for new installations, new circuits and consumer unit replacements. It records the design, construction and testing of the work.
Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate: for small additions or alterations to an existing circuit, such as an extra socket.
Building Regulations compliance certificate: for notifiable work done by a scheme member, sent via the scheme.

Keep these with your property documents. Buyers' solicitors often ask for them.

EICR for landlords and buyers

An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is an inspection of an existing installation, not a certificate for new work. It grades any defects by how urgent they are. Landlords in England have a legal duty to have the electrics in rented homes inspected and tested at regular intervals and to give tenants a copy of the report, and similar duties exist elsewhere in the UK. Homeowners also commission an EICR when buying an older home or before a big renovation. Check the current rules for your nation with the government or your local council, since they are updated from time to time.

One caution: an EICR is sometimes used to sell remedial work. If a report lists many urgent defects, it is reasonable to ask for photos, ask what each code means in plain terms, and get a second opinion before paying for large repairs.

United States

Electrician licensing is set by states, and some cities and counties add their own rules. Many places distinguish between apprentice, journeyman and master electricians, and require an electrical contractor licence for a business that takes on jobs for the public. Requirements, and what a handyman is allowed to do without a licence, vary a lot, so check your state licensing board or your city's licence lookup.

Most work beyond like-for-like replacements needs a permit from your local building department, followed by an inspection. On larger jobs there may be a rough-in inspection before walls are closed up, then a final inspection. Ask:

Is your licence active in this state, and can I see the number so I can look it up?
Will you pull the permit in your name, and is its cost in the quote?
Who will be on site, and are they licensed or supervised?
Will you be present for the inspection, and who fixes anything the inspector flags?

An electrician who asks you to pull the permit yourself as the homeowner is shifting responsibility to you. Be careful with that arrangement.

Canada

Electrical safety is a provincial and territorial matter. In Ontario, the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) licenses electrical contractors, and a Licensed Electrical Contractor should file for a permit with the ESA before starting most work. You can check a contractor's licence through the ESA. Other provinces have their own regulators and permit systems, and some allow homeowners to do certain work on their own home under a permit.

Ask the contractor who files the permit, when the inspection will happen, and how you will get confirmation that the work passed. If you are unsure who regulates electrical work where you live, your provincial government or municipality can tell you.

Australia

In every state and territory, electrical work must be carried out by a licensed electrician; this is not an area for DIY or an unlicensed handyman. Ask for the electrician's licence number and check it with the state regulator.

After the work, the electrician should give you a certificate showing it complies with the safety standards. The name and process vary by state: in New South Wales it is a Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work, and in Victoria a Certificate of Electrical Safety. Ask which document you will receive and keep it.

Comparing quotes

Quotes for the same electrical job can differ widely because electricians scope the job differently. Line them up and check:

Exactly which circuits, sockets, lights or appliances are included.
Whether testing, certification, notification or permit fees are included.
Who supplies fittings, and what brand or grade of materials is assumed.
Whether making good (filling chases, patching plaster) is included or left to you.
What happens if the existing wiring turns out to need more work than expected.
Payment terms, and whether any deposit is reasonable for the size of the job.

For a wider method, see getting quotes and how to vet a builder, much of which applies here too.

What to put in writing

The scope of work, room by room if possible.
The total price, what is excluded, and how extra work will be priced and agreed.
Who handles notification, permits and inspection.
Which certificate you will receive and when.
Start date, expected duration and payment stages.

After the job

Before making the final payment, make sure you have the certificate or proof of inspection, that the electrician has shown you any new consumer unit or breaker panel and labelled the circuits, and that the site is safe and tidy. If a compliance certificate is due from a scheme or regulator, note when it should arrive and chase it if it does not. That document is the part of the job you will need years later.