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Work health and safetyModel WHS lawsKeep until superseded

Electrical testing records (test and tag)

How long do electrical testing records (test and tag) need to be kept in Australia?

Keep forUntil next tested or removed
Clock startsThe equipment is next tested or permanently removed
Applies toPCBUs with electrical equipment and RCDs

Where this applies. The model WHS laws apply in the Commonwealth, NSW, Queensland, SA, Tasmania, the ACT, the NT and WA (WA with variations). Victoria has a different law (OHS Act 2004). Its periods are not shown here. Not Queensland or the Northern Territory. Queensland covers this under its Electrical Safety Regulation 2013 (tags, no record period). The NT repealed these rules from 1 July 2024 (Electrical Safety Act 2022).

General information, not legal advice or permission to destroy a record. Coverage may be incomplete or out of date. Check the official text, other applicable obligations and any investigations, disputes or legal holds before disposal. Get advice for your situation. Terms of use.

Under the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011, PCBUs with electrical equipment and RCDs must keep electrical testing records (test and tag): until next tested or removed.

Records of testing electrical equipment and residual current devices (test and tag).

2 provisions of the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 apply to these records. Each one is set out below.

The terms

r 150(3)Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011
Until the electrical equipment is: (a) next tested; or (b) permanently removed from the workplace or disposed of
until the electrical equipment is: (a) next tested; or (b) permanently removed from the workplace or disposed of
r 165(2)Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011
Until the earlier of the following occurs: (a) the device is next tested; (b) the device is permanently removed from use
until the earlier of the following occurs: (a) the device is next tested; (b) the device is permanently removed from use

Conditions and exceptions Caution

From the provisions:

  • Excludes daily testing
  • Daily testing records not required to be kept under this provision

The law

Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011, r 150(3) · Inspection and testing of electrical equipmentOfficial text ↗
The person must ensure that a record of any testing carried out under subregulation (1) is kept until the electrical equipment is: (a) next tested; or (b) permanently removed from the workplace or disposed of.
Text as at 25 March 2025
Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011, r 165(2) · Testing of residual current devicesOfficial text ↗
The person must keep a record of all testing of a residual current device (other than any testing conducted daily) until the earlier of the following occurs: (a) the device is next tested; (b) the device is permanently removed from use.
Text as at 25 March 2025
Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011r 150(3), r 165(2) · Federal Register of Legislation
Legislation ↗
Safe Work AustraliaOfficial guidance
Guidance ↗

Other terms that apply to these records

This page covers electrical testing records (test and tag) on their own. The same file is often caught by other laws as well, with different periods and start dates. See why a legal term is not a schedule.

2 records. 2 sets of rules. They don't agree.

One business file can hold all of these at once.

Electrical testing records (test and tag)EventWork Health and Safety Regulations 2011, r 150(3), r 165(2) · the equipment is next tested or permanently removed
Notifiable incident records5yWork Health and Safety Act 2011, s 38(7) · the regulator is notified

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