If you need assistance with online forms or have a query about licensing applications, renewals or Registered Electrical Contractor (REC) applications in ESVConnect, contact our Licensing team:
Not yet, but it is strongly advised. It means your details are always up to date (which is a legal requirement), and it makes it much easier for Energy Safe Victoria to update you on CPD, regulatory requirements, and more.
All licensing processes are now handled in ESVConnect. You can apply for a licence or registration, renew existing ones, manage your CPD requirements, and update your contact details as required. Additionally you can track the process of your lodged applications via the ESVConnect portal and email updates, as well as add information to applications when required and requested.
ESVConnect is now the only platform for all Licences Electrical Workers (LEWs), Licences Electrical Inspectors (LEIs) and Registered Electrical Contractor (REC) licence holders.
Electrical workers cannot lodge electronic Certificate Of Electrical Safety (COES) and RECs cannot lodge on your behalf if you have not upgraded to ESVConnect.
In ESVConnect you can apply online for these licences:
Electrical Worker Licence (A Grade)
Restricted Electrical Licence(REL)
Switchgear Worker Licence (SW)
Supervised workers Licence (L)
Electrical Inspectors Licence (I)
Lineworker licence(LW)
You can also
register for an Employers of electrical workers registration (EMP)
register as an electrical contractor (REC) or
apply to register a cathodic protection system (CPS).
Inspectors can handle inspection requests, and qualified people can lodge Electronic Certificates of Electrical Safety (COES).
ESVConnect will show all your associations, past and present with electrical licences and any associations you have with registrations. You can
renew your licence or electrical contractor registration
track the progress of your applications
track change requests
make licence card replacement requests.
Use Google Chrome, which is a simple and free download. Do NOT use Internet Explorer.
Chrome is the preferred browser, but is compatible with all major browsers including Safari, Edge and Firefox.
The licensing platform is not currently optimised for use on a mobile phone, but will be re-assessed in the future. For best results, we recommend using a laptop or desktop computer in order to lodge your application.
You will need to register for ESVConnect. If you previously held a licence you will have a user id and password and will be able to upgrade to the ESVConnect platform. If you don’t have an existing Online services account, logging into ESVConnect for the first time is also a straight forward account set up process. Read the full login process here.
Use the email address that we sent you to access the system. When you have registered on the system, simply click on the icon with your initials in the top right hand corner of the screen, select ‘change email’, enter your preferred email address, and then we will use that email address from then on.
In ESVConnect we have introduced an eligibility checker for all new licence applications. It allows applicants to determine for themselves their suitability for a specific type of licence or registration. In order to determine your eligibility you will be required to submit relevant support documents throughout the process, which will be assessed by our licensing officers.
After creating or upgrading your account click on My Applications in the menu found on the left hand side. It is here you can commence and manage your applications.
You will need to recover your online services User ID and password. You can lodge an enquiry via our licensing contact form or, call the licensing team on 1800 815 721.
This is a 6 digit number you would have been issued with when your licence was granted if it was prior to 2019.
If you don’t have this number recorded please contact the licensing section via our contact form or call the licensing team on 1800 815 721.
If it is a straightforward application and all the information provided is correct and complete, please allow up to 20 business days to finalise. Upon successful lodgement of your application, you will receive an acknowledgement of receipt with your tax invoice.
If you wish to renew a licence or registration that has expired you need to register for ESVConnect immediately and contact the licensing section licensing@energysafe.vic.gov.au or 1800 815 721 for further information.
You will be required to complete a re-instatement form and may be subject to reassessment depending on how long the licence has been lapsed.
Warning: It is a serious legal offence to carry out electrical work without a licence and large fines can apply for individuals and employers. If you have been working illegally you must stop working until your licence is successfully renewed.
You can click on the round icon with your initials on the top right hand side of your profile, and select my profile. For your convenience, it can also be found on the left hand side of your profile.
You will click on the pen to paper icon. From this menu, you can also update your email, change your password or log off.
Make sure your address is correct under 'My profile'.
Click on the licence or registration profile you need a replacement card for and click the orange ‘replace licence card’ icon in the top right hand side of the profile.
You will receive a series of notifications beginning 90 days prior to your licence expiring via email.
If you do not renew at this point you will receive another notification at 60 days, and then another at 14 days prior to expiry, then one on the date of expiry, and finally a cancellation notice shortly after this.
You will need to log into your ESVConnect profile and click on the orange renewal button on the top of the profile to renew your licence prior to the expiry date. Please ensure your address and contact details are correct before renewing.
If you have failed to renew your licence by the expiry date as stated in your online profile and on your licence or registration card, Energy Safe Victoria must cancel the licence of an electrical worker or Electrical Contractor who does not apply for renewal of the licence by the renewal date specified on the licence card.
You can then lodge your application via your ESVConnect portal. Once you have paid and submitted your application, a licensing officer will assess your application. This process can take up to 20 business days depending on how busy the section is.
After you have received the ‘application finalised’ notification please allow approximately 3 weeks to receive your actual card in the post.
Instructions can be found in the email you received ‘Request for information’. Please click on ‘My Applications’ and select the ‘Needs Action’ tab. You can then respond to the request and attach any outstanding documents that have been requested by selecting the ‘Add attachment’ tab and then pressing ‘Submit’.
Go to the ESVConnect portal. Click on your REL licence on the top right hand side of the page, or the left hand side of the page.
You will see an orange tab ‘Add/Upgrade Trade Class’. Select the additional trade you want to add from the drop down box, and answer the drop down questions that follow. Upload the relevant information and submit it via the portal for review.
Go to your ESVConnect portal. Click on your LEI licence on the top right hand side of the page.
You will see an orange tab ‘Add Inspector Class’, upload the relevant information and submit it via the portal for review.
You can create an ESVConnect account and then answer the suitability questions, when prompted, select the licence course you would like to sit and a letter of authorisation will be generated for you.
Alternatively, contact the licensing department for further assistance. You can lodge an enquiry via our licensing contact form or, call the licensing team on 1800 815 721.
Click the ‘forgot password’ button on the entry site to ESVConnect, you will need to enter your email address and complete the captcha. You will then receive a verification code via email, which you will need to enter in order to reset your password. Once you have done this you will receive a confirmation email and will be able to log into ESVConnect.
You may have created a new account on ESVConnect rather than upgrading your existing online services account. You can lodge an enquiry via our licensing contact form or call the licensing team on 1800 815 721.
If your licence or registration shows ‘change pending’ this means that you have an application that you have started and not completed or deleted. Click on ‘My Applications’ and scroll down to your ‘Draft’ folder.
You can either click on it to complete it or delete it by clicking on the bin icon.
It may be an issue with your browser cache. You can click on the 3 dots on the right hand side of the address bar on your web browser and go to settings. Click on ‘Privacy and security’. Then select ‘Clear browsing data’ Clear history, cookies, cache and more. You can select ‘basic’ and ‘last 4 weeks’, select ‘clear data’ and then you can close the tab that you opened.
Please note: If you have not previously registered for ESVConnect, and have not received and invitation to upgrade, you will not receive a reset password link. You can lodge an enquiry via our licensing contact form or, call the licensing team on 1800 815 721.
There are 4 different roles in ESVConnect. They are Business supervisor, Technical Supervisor, operator and Licensed electrical worker (LEW).
The Business Supervisor is responsible for the business management and administration of the REC registration. In this role it is the Business Supervisor’s responsibility to renew and maintain the Registered Electrical Contractor's licence.
A Business Supervisor role can perform the following functions in ESVConnect:
Add or Remove Business Supervisor
Add or Remove Technical Supervisor
Add or Remove Operator Role
Add or Remove LEW workers
Purchase certificates
Renew registrations.
A Technical supervisor role can perform the following functions in ESVConnect
Add or Remove Technical Supervisor
Add or Remove Operator Role
Add or Remove LEW workers
Purchase certificates
Raise and certify certificates of electrical safety when they are the worker
Raise draft EIC (certificates) on behalf of other LEW
Review and approve EIC certificates on behalf of other LEW
Review and return EIC certificates for amendment
Allocate an Inspector (LEI) or inspection company
Download, save and print final COES
Enable/disable bypass of review stage.
An Operator role can perform the following functions in ESVConnect
Add or Remove LEW workers
Purchase certificates
Raise draft EIC (certificates) on behalf of other LEW
Allocate an Inspector (LEI) or inspection company
Download, save and print final COES.
A LEW role can perform the following functions in ESVConnect
Raise and certify certificates of electrical safety when they are the worker (Note: The EIC must be approved by the Technical Supervisor to complete the COES process)
Certify draft EIC certificates raised on their behalf
Amend EIC returned to them by the Technical Supervisor and the LEI when defects are identified on a prescribed COES.
At present, you will need to contact the licensing or COES staff and they will request this be done on your behalf, there are enhancements planned to automate this in the near future.
As the Business Supervisor, log into the ESVConnect profile with your email address and password, then click on the ‘add/remove Business Supervisor’ or ‘add/remove Technical Supervisor’ and follow the prompts.
Click on the ‘add/remove operator’ icon and change the status from Active to Inactive.
Click on the ‘add/remove operator’ icon and change the status from Active to Inactive.
Log into the ESVConnect profile with your email address and password. Click on the REC id you wish to add a licensed electrical worker onto.
Scroll to the workers list and click on ‘add worker’ enter the electrical licence number and click ‘search’, if it is a valid and current licence number it will appear, click ‘submit’.
You will then receive the following message: ‘Your request has been completed successfully. An email notification has been sent to the relevant party.’ Once they have accepted the nomination they will then appear on your workers' list.
You will receive an email notification stating 'you have been nominated to be allocated as a licensed electrical worker of the registered electrical contractor described below'.
Please accept or refuse this request via ESVConnect by logging in with your user profile, clicking on my applications and navigating to the ‘needs action’ section of your dashboard.
Any work completed in Victoria, without a Victorian electrical licence is considered unlicensed work and a breach of the Electricity Safety (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 2010, irrespective of you holding a licence in another state.
Before you conduct electrical work in Victoria you must apply for an equivalent licence or registration in Victoria under Mutual Recognition.
Any work completed in Victoria, without a Victorian electrical licence is considered unlicensed work and a breach of the Electricity Safety (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 2010, irrespective of you holding a licence in another state.
Before you conduct electrical work in Victoria, you must apply for Automatic Mutual Recognition of an Interstate licence for licensed interstate electricians who do not permanently reside in Victoria.
Please reply to that email and advise us that you are no longer in the industry and do not wish to maintain your Licence. We will then remove you from our records.
We are sorry for your loss. Please reply to that email or letter and advise us that your spouse or colleague has passed, and we will then remove them from our records.
There is a requirement to complete the CPD component before renewing your licence. You will be able to track the status of your completion of the course via the ESVConnect portal.
The currency and accuracy of this document cannot be guaranteed once printed or saved to a storage device. If in doubt, please check the ESV website for the current version.