What electrical work needs a licensed electrician in South Australia?
What you can legally do yourself
The short list: replace light bulbs and fluorescent tubes, plug in and use appliances, reset circuit breakers and safety switches, and install battery-powered devices like standalone smoke alarms (noting hard-wired alarms are required in many situations). Replacing the plug-in fitting on a lamp you bought at a shop is fine; anything wired into the house is not.
What must be done by a licensed electrician
Everything fixed: installing or replacing power points and light switches, installing light fittings, ceiling fans and downlights, running or extending cable, switchboard work of any kind, hard-wiring appliances like ovens and hot water systems, and outdoor or garden wiring. Even "simple" swaps — like replacing a broken power point with an identical one — are licensed work.
Why the line is so strict
Two reasons. First, safety: a loose termination behind a wall can sit there heating up for years before it becomes a house fire, and there's no way to tell good DIY from dangerous DIY without opening it up. Second, accountability: licensed work in SA comes with a Certificate of Compliance, which means someone qualified is on the hook for the work being safe.
What DIY electrical work can actually cost
Beyond the safety risk, unlicensed electrical work can attract significant fines, and insurers can decline claims where non-compliant work contributed to the damage. A $200 professional job is cheap against a declined house-fire claim.
Renting, buying or renovating?
These are the moments the rules bite hardest. Buying an older home? A pre-purchase electrical inspection will surface any inherited DIY surprises before they're your problem. Renovating? Plan the licensed work early — our guide on preparing your electrical system before a renovation covers the sequence.
The bottom line
If it involves fixed wiring, it involves a licence. For the everyday jobs this covers — power point installation, lighting, switches — professional work is quicker and cheaper than most people expect. See our Adelaide price guide for typical ranges.
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Editorial note: This guide is general information for South Australian homeowners. It does not replace an inspection, electrical testing or advice from a licensed contractor. Requirements, incentives and prices can change.