Some electrical articles must be approved by the Commissioner for Fair Trading, or by an authorised external approval scheme, carry the appropriate approval mark and comply with the relevant Australian Standard before being sold in Australia.
These electrical articles are known as ‘declared’ articles.
Other electrical appliances and equipment, known as ‘non-declared articles’, must comply with the minimum safety requirements contained in Australian Standard AS/NZS 3820:2009.
Declared articles
There are 64 classes of electrical items classified as declared articles. These include dishwashers, hairdryers, room heaters and sewing machines.
View or download the explanatory notes relating to the requirements for the sale of electrical articles in NSW or call 13 32 20 for a copy of the list.
If you are selling declared articles before you receive them, you should:
- insist that your supplier provides you with a copy of an ‘Australian’ Certificate of Approval
- confirm that an approval mark appears on the electrical articles and accessories.
Overseas Certificates of Approval and approval marks are not acceptable in Australia.
Go to the safe electrical goods - a guide for retailers and importers page for more information.
The majority of Australian Standards applied to electrical articles are based on International (IEC) and European (EN) Standards.
Test reports to these standards maybe accepted provided they address Australian deviations.
What do approval marks look like?
Here are examples of legally acceptable ‘electrical safety approval marks’.
Approval Scheme | Approval number or mark |
|---|---|
NSW Fair Trading | NSW xxxxx |
Other State Government agencies | Q xxxxx, ESO xxxxx, V xxxxx, ESV xxxxx, S xxxxx, T xxxxx |
Regulatory Compliance Mark (RCM), historical use |  |
SAI Global Certification Services Pty Ltd | SAI TE EA xxxxxxx or SAI SMK EA xxxxxx or SAI-xxxxxx-EA |
The Australian Gas Association (AGA) | AGA xxxxxx EA or AGA xxxxxx G EA |
SGS Australia Pty Ltd | SGSEA xxxxxx or SGS-xxxxxx-EA |
SAA Approvals Pty Ltd | SAA xxxxxx EA |
UL International New Zealand Limited | U xxxxxx EA |
TUV Rheinland Australia Pty Ltd | TUV xxxxxx EA |
Global Mark Pty Ltd | GMA-xxxxxx-EA |
Market Access (AUS) Pty Ltd trading as Certification Body Australia | CBA xxxxxx or CBA-xxxxxx-EA |
Australian Safety Approval | ASA-xxxxxx-EA |
Conformity Certification Services Pty Ltd | CCS-xxxxxx-EA |
| Oz Cert Pty Ltd | OZC-xxxxxx-EA |
What are 'declared articles'?
Below is a list of electrical goods that the law refers to as 'declared articles'.
Accessories
- Appliance connectors
- Control and conditioning devices
- Cord line switches
- DC Isolator
- Fluorescent lamp ballasts and starters
- Lampholders – bayonet, edison and adaptors
- Miniature overcurrent circuit breakers
- Outlet devices
- Plugs
- Residual current devices (safety switches)
- Socket outlets and adaptors
- Supply flexible cords
- Wall switches
Body appliances
- Electric blankets
- Flexible heating pads
- Hairdryers
- Immersion heaters
- Massagers
- Razors and hair clippers
- Waterbed heaters
Household appliances
- Air Conditioners incorporating flammable refrigerant
- Bread toasters
- Clothes dryers
- Dishwashers
- Fans
- Floor polishers/scrubbers
- Evaporative coolers
- Heaters
- Irons
- Jugs
- Kitchen machines
- Liquid heating appliances (includes rice cookers)
- Microwave ovens
- Portable cooking appliances (includes blenders and frying pans)
- Projectors
- Ranges and range hoods
- Refrigerators/freezers
- Sewing machines
- Television receivers
- Vacuum cleaners
- Washing machines
Outdoor appliances
- Fence energisers
- Hedge trimmers
- Insect electrocutors
- Lawn care appliances
- Swimming pool and spa equipment
Lighting
- Decorative lighting
- Inspection headlamps
- Nightlights
- Portable lamps
- Self-ballasted LED lamps
- Therapeutic lamps
- Christmas and festival lights
Power supplies
- Battery chargers
- Extra-low voltage supply
Miscellaneous
- Arc welding machines
- Power tools
- Pressure storage water heaters
- Soldering irons
Approval of declared articles
NSW Fair Trading is authorised under the Electrical (Consumer Safety) Act, to certify declared articles for sale in Australia and New Zealand.
Electrical & Gas Approvals of NSW Fair Trading Testing Services completes the work.
The Act also allows a number of private organisations to be recognised under the external approvals scheme.
An approval issued by a government or authorised external approval scheme means the declared article can legally be sold in any state of Australia or in New Zealand.
Approval process
Approval is mandatory for declared articles. Approval may be granted for a declared article if it complies with:
- the class specification (Australian Standard) associated with the relevant declaring definition, and
- any further requirements (eg. product standards) that may be applicable to the model because of its particular design.
An approval application must be made on the appropriate form (EEA1) and include:
- the application fee
- evidence of compliance with the relevant requirements
- comprehensive colour photographs (in some cases a sample of the article may also be sought)
- a letter of authorisation, when an application is being lodged by an agent on behalf of the approval holder.
Fair Trading can ask for more information. Approvals are usually granted for five years and can be renewed or extended. Approval for hair care articles such as hair strengtheners is only for two years.
Modification of model approval
An application for modification must be done if the design, material or construction of a model article is changed.
The application must be made on the appropriate form (EEA1).
Note: The legislation requires that for declared articles, the complete modified article comply with the applicable class standard, including any amendments made since the approval of the original article.
Renewal of approval (including modifications)
The application must be made on the appropriate form (EEA2) and include:
- the application fee
- evidence of compliance with the relevant requirements
- comprehensive colour photographs
- a letter of authorisation where an application is being lodged by an agent on behalf of the approval holder.
The application must be submitted no earlier than two months and no later than one month before the original approval will expire.
Notification of changes in particulars
Written notice should be provided to Fair Trading no later than 21 days if any of the following changes:
- name of the approval holder
- model reference code
- description (including Trade Name marking).
Notification must be made on the appropriate form (EEA3) and include the application fee. A separate form must be completed for each certificate.
Non-declared articles
Voluntary approval can be done for any non-declared electrical articles, which must be safe to use and must comply with minimum safety requirements as set out in the Electricity Safety (Consumer Safety) Regulation 2018 and the requirements of selected clauses of Australian and New Zealand standard AS/NZ 3820: 2009 Essential safety requirements for low voltage electrical equipment.
Approval may be granted where it is shown that the article complies with the relevant Australian Standard or product standards as determined by the certifying authority.
An approval application must be made on the appropriate form (EEA1), be accompanied by the application fee and the same information as for a declared article.
Investigations
It’s an offence for a person to sell an article that has been declared under the Act as requiring certification if the article has not been approved for sale and marked with that approval.
Fair Trading investigators visit suppliers at regular intervals to inspect electrical goods being sold and can take action to prosecute suppliers selling unapproved, unmarked or non-compliant declared electrical articles.
The current maximum penalty under the Electricity (Consumer Safety) Act 2004 is $825,000 or 2 years imprisonment.
Through the Electrical & Gas Unit of NSW Fair Trading Specialist Services, NSW Fair Trading maintains a proactive investigation, education and enforcement program to detect and prosecute persons who may be selling unapproved declared articles, including the sale of such items online.