Electricity Act 1992

Miscellaneous provisions - General electricity matters - Offences

163D: Other offences

You could also call this:

“Things you can't do with electricity and what happens if you break the rules”

If you do something dangerous with electricity, you can get in big trouble. You might have to pay a fine of up to $50,000 if you’re a person, or $250,000 if you’re a company. This can happen if you do dangerous work on electrical things, or if you let someone do work they’re not allowed to do.

You can also get in trouble if you have a special certificate or licence for electrical work and you do things you’re not supposed to do with it. It’s also not okay to stop people from doing their job when they’re checking electrical things.

If you have a special certificate or licence and someone asks you to give it back, you need to do that within 10 working days. If you don’t, you might have to pay a fine of up to $10,000.

Only certain people are allowed to say you’ve done something wrong with electrical work. These people are called the Registrar or someone the Board says can do it.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM2863982.


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Part 14 Miscellaneous provisions
General electricity matters: Offences

163DOther offences

  1. Every person commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $50,000 in the case of an individual, or $250,000 in the case of a body corporate, who—

  2. intentionally or negligently does or causes or permits to be done any work on any works or electrical installation or electrical appliance in a manner that is dangerous to life; or
    1. knowingly employs, permits, or pays any person to do any prescribed electrical work in breach of section 74; or
      1. being a person registered or licensed or authorised in accordance with this Act, does any prescribed electrical work that the person is not entitled under this Act to do; or
        1. intentionally obstructs any person in the performance of any duty or in doing any work that the person has lawful authority to do under Part 3; or
          1. intentionally hinders or obstructs any authorised person in the exercise of any powers conferred by or under section 83 or 123 or 147 or any regulations made under section 169.
            1. Every person commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 who, being in possession of any limited certificate issued under Part 9 or certificate of registration or licence issued under Part 10, fails or refuses to surrender it to the Board or the Secretary within 10 working days of a written demand to do so by the Registrar or the Secretary.

            2. A charging document must not be filed under subsection (1)(b) by any person other than the Registrar or a person authorised in writing in that behalf by the Board.

            Notes
            • Section 163D: inserted, on , by section 22 of the Electricity Amendment Act 2006 (2006 No 70).
            • Section 163D(1): amended, on , by section 413 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 (2011 No 81).
            • Section 163D(2): amended, on , by section 413 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 (2011 No 81).
            • Section 163D(3): amended, on , by section 413 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 (2011 No 81).