Queensland’s Electrical Safety Regulation 2013 expired at the end of 31 August 2026. The Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 took over on 1 September, and most of the trade barely looked up.
That reaction is mostly fair, since the remake carries existing Queensland electrical safety policy forward without adding new obligations.
The main practical impact is renumbering. Every section has a new number, and compliance paperwork that cites the old ones is now out of date.
Why Queensland Replaced Its Electrical Safety Regulation in 2026
Queensland replaced the regulation because the 2013 version reached its automatic ten-year expiry. A review found the rules were still needed, so a new regulation was made to keep them in force.
A sunset review is the statutory check every Queensland regulation faces before it expires after ten years. Reviewers test whether the rules still earn their place and whether they can be made easier to use. The process can’t be used to introduce new policy.
Submissions pushing for policy changes were logged on an internal register for future work. Anyone hoping this round would bring reform came away empty-handed.
Consultation ran in two stages. The first opened in February 2025, and the second tested a draft between April and May 2026. The new regulation is due to expire in 2036 unless it’s remade again.
What Actually Changed in the 2026 Regulation
The 2026 Regulation is a structural rewrite of the existing obligations. Provisions were reordered, grouped into new parts, renumbered and linked more explicitly to the Electrical Safety Act 2002. The main structural changes include the following.
- Every section has a new number, and related provisions now sit together in new parts.
- New cross-references tie each requirement to its parent provision in the Act.
- A handful of duplicated or redundant provisions were folded into others or dropped.
- Part 2 groups the duties that apply to every PCBU, including businesses whose workers never do electrical work.
- High voltage live line work requirements are now split across sections 205 and 206.
- Approved codes of practice are getting consequential updates, limited to references and terminology.
A PCBU is a person conducting a business or undertaking. It’s the legal label covering most employers, principal contractors and facility owners with workers on site.
Some references to acting “reasonably” were also removed from how powers are exercised. Nothing has loosened, since Queensland’s Acts Interpretation Act still reads the reasonableness requirement back in.
Why the Renumbering Causes the Most Trouble
Renumbering causes the most trouble because any document citing a 2013 section number may now point to the wrong provision, or to nothing. These are the documents most likely to carry outdated references.
- Safe work method statements (SWMS) and safe work procedures
- Contractor prequalification forms and site induction packs
- Tender specifications and subcontract scopes written before September 2026
- Maintenance agreements covering switchboards, residual current device (RCD) testing and test and tag
- Internal audit checklists and toolbox talk notes
- Training material for apprentices and new supervisors
A common scenario involves a SWMS citing the old section on exclusion zones near overhead lines. An auditor checking it against the 2026 Regulation finds a reference that doesn’t say what the SWMS claims. The site work can be spotless and still cop a nonconformance.
Documents that describe the practical requirement without quoting a section number usually just need a read-through for accuracy.
Contracts tend to be the slowest to catch up, since they’re rarely reread until something goes wrong. A comparison table mapping old sections to new ones was published alongside the regulation, which makes bulk fixes quick work.
Work Near Overhead and Underground Lines
Rules for work near electric lines now sit in separate sections for overhead and underground lines, reflecting their different risk profiles. The substance of the obligations is the same.
The definitions of exclusion zone and unsafe distance moved to the front of the regulation, at sections 10 and 11. The requirements now sit in sections 13 to 15, and exclusion zone distances remain in Schedule 2.
An exclusion zone is the minimum distance a person, plant or vehicle must keep from an overhead line. The distance varies with line voltage and who’s doing the work.
Civil crews, excavation contractors and arborists often work around both line types in the same week. Procedures that lump the two together now sit awkwardly against a regulation that splits them.
What the 2026 Regulation Means for Electrical Licences
The 2026 Regulation doesn’t affect the validity of existing electrical licences, and holders don’t need to reapply. The changes are about where licensing provisions sit and how key terms are defined.
Provisions covering qualified technical persons (QTPs) and qualified business persons (QBPs) now sit inside the licensing part, with their definitions at section 143. Definitions for terms used when issuing an electrical work licence are at section 152.
Applications caught mid-process were handled cleanly. A licence application lodged before 1 September 2026 and still undecided gets assessed as if made under the 2026 Regulation.
Internal QTP records and compliance registers are a common place for old section numbers to linger. It’s a ten-minute check.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Existing Electrical Licences Need Replacing Under the 2026 Regulation?
Existing electrical licences don’t need replacing under the 2026 Regulation. Licences issued under the 2013 Regulation continue with the same conditions, requirements and obligations. Holders don’t need to apply for anything because of the changeover.
Has Electrical Safety Enforcement Changed in Queensland Since September 2026?
The 2026 Regulation hasn’t changed how inspectors enforce electrical safety rules in Queensland. Notices for breaches that occurred before 1 September 2026 can still be issued under the 2013 Regulation.
Does a SWMS Need Rewriting for the 2026 Regulation?
A SWMS only needs updating for the 2026 Regulation where it cites 2013 section or part numbers. Those references need mapping to the new numbering. A SWMS describing controls in plain terms usually just needs a check for accuracy.
Key Takeaways
The 2026 Regulation keeps the same obligations under a new structure, so the compliance work is mostly administrative.
- The 2026 Regulation started on 1 September 2026 and is due to expire in 2036 unless it’s remade.
- Every section number changed, so any document citing the 2013 Regulation needs checking.
- Licences, notices and authorisations carried over without any action required.
- Restructured SMS provisions apply from 1 September 2027.
- The separate Amendment Act moved the unsafe equipment ban power into the Electrical Safety Act.
