What is a CCEW? The NSW certificate of compliance for electrical work, explained
Every CCEW lodged digitally through BCNSW eCert. Paper stops working.
Every bit of electrical installation work in NSW ends the same way: with a CCEW. Here's what the certificate actually is, who's allowed to sign it, when it's due, and what changed on 1 July 2026.
What a CCEW is
CCEW stands for Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work. It's the legal record that the electrical installation work you did was tested and is safe and compliant. The requirement comes from the Gas and Electricity (Consumer Safety) Act 2017 and its Regulation 2018 — it's law, not paperwork the industry made up.
One certificate covers one job: the work you did, the installation, the safety and compliance test you ran, and your declaration that it all checks out.
Who has to lodge a CCEW
Only a licensed electrician can complete and lodge a CCEW. Not the apprentice, not the office — the licence holder who did or supervised the work signs the declaration. If you hold the licence, the CCEW is yours to lodge, every job.
When a CCEW is due
The clock starts when you finish the safety and compliance test on the installation work. From that point you have 7 days to lodge the CCEW. Not when the invoice goes out, not when you get around to the paperwork — 7 days from the test.
Where the copies go
A copy of the CCEW goes to the customer — their proof the work was certified by a licensed electrician. Where the work touches the network, a copy also goes to the network distributor, so they know what changed on their side of the point of supply.
How to lodge a CCEW online
Since 1 December 2025 you've been able to lodge a CCEW digitally through the Building Commission NSW eCert system, voluntarily. From 1 July 2026 that's the only way — every CCEW must be lodged digitally via eCert. The carbon book and the PDF form stop counting.
To lodge online you need:
- A current NSW electrical licence — eCert checks it on every lodgement.
- The job details: customer, site, the work, the equipment, your test results.
- A way in: Kando, or another app connected to the BCNSW eCert API.
The fast way to lodge a CCEW
The certificate asks for the same information on every job, so the fastest lodgement is the one that's already half filled in. Kando pre-fills the CCEW from your job data — customer, site and tester carried over — so you type the electrical detail, check it, and hit lodge.
Kando lodges a CCEW straight to BCNSW in about 90 seconds, from the back of the ute. Test done, certificate lodged, copies on their way to the customer and the distributor — before you've packed the test kit away.
Lodge your next CCEW in 90 seconds
Five certificates free, then unlimited. Straight to BCNSW eCert, from the back of your ute.