Do you need to be an electrician to Test and Tag?

No - you don’t need to be an electrician or have an electrical background to test and tag in Australia.

According to Australian Standards AS/NZS 3760, you must be deemed a ‘Competent Person’. This can be achieved by undertaking a Test & Tag Course, which usually takes 1 day to complete. Most states and territories specify that the training should be conducted by a Registered Training Organisation, while the course is of a Nationally Recognised standard.

This effectively means that even if you’re not an electrician, you can still learn to use a portable appliance tester and test electrical equipment. In fact, the majority of our students have no electrical background or knowledge at all.

A test and tag course will ensure you gain all the required skills and knowledge to test and tag according to the Australian standards. Upon completion of a course, you will deemed 'Competent' and be able to freely PAT test across Australia. Then, you'll be able to either test and tag your own equipment, or act as a service provider and test and tag other peoples electrical items. 

There are other ways a person can be allowed to test and tag in Australia, which stem from having relevant qualifications, experience on the job or a combination of both.

If you have any questions regarding any of this, please call us on 1300 848 302.

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