Short answer: there is no stand-alone New Zealand fine for failing to test and tag, because testing and tagging is not mandatory. WorkSafe NZ is explicit that testing and tagging is one useful way to check electrical equipment is safe, but what is legally required is that equipment is electrically safe and maintained in a safe condition.
That reframes the question that probably brought you here. Instead of a fixed number that applies when a plug has no tag on it, New Zealand works on a duty-of-care model. You must keep electrical equipment safe, and how you do that is a decision for the business. This guide explains where the real duty sits, what genuinely applies when workplace electrical equipment is unsafe, and what a sensible, defensible approach looks like.
There is no set fine for skipping test and tag
You will not find a schedule that says an untagged appliance equals a penalty. Testing and tagging is a method, not a mandate. The duty is about the outcome: equipment must be electrically safe and maintained in a safe condition. WorkSafe states plainly that it is up to the person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) to decide whether to test and tag, and that they can either buy testing equipment and train a worker or hire a third party to carry out the work. If you want a plain-language explanation of the process itself, see what test and tag involves.
Why the numbers you see quoted online do not apply here
Articles and social posts that promise a specific figure for not testing and tagging usually combine three different things: general health and safety offences, overseas regulatory regimes, and the price of a testing service. None of those is a New Zealand test and tag fine. The Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 sets the general duty to ensure health and safety so far as is reasonably practicable, and the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010 apply to appliances, leads and hand-held tools connected to electricity. Neither creates a fixed charge for an untagged lead. When something goes wrong, the response depends on the facts: the equipment, the environment, the controls that were in place, and what harm, if any, occurred.
Where the real electrical safety duty sits
Keep these four layers distinct, because blurring them is where most of the misinformation starts:
| Layer | What it is | How it applies to you |
|---|---|---|
| Law | Health and Safety at Work Act 2015; Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010 | You must ensure equipment is electrically safe and maintained in a safe condition. |
| Standard | AS/NZS 3760 (in-service inspection and testing) | Optional. One way to demonstrate you are managing equipment safety. |
| Regulator guidance | WorkSafe NZ guidance on testing and tagging | Recommended reading. It explains the regulator's position in plain terms. |
| Best practice | A documented schedule, visual checks and records | Practical. It helps you show what was checked and when. |
What actually applies if workplace electrical equipment is unsafe
Once equipment is unsafe, the issue is no longer tagging; it is electrical safety. WorkSafe's guidance is straightforward: any faulty equipment must be immediately removed from use, then repaired and tagged by a licensed electrical worker, or replaced. Repaired equipment must carry the proper repair tag. Anyone who carries out testing must have the knowledge and skills to understand the Standards involved. Testing itself does not require a registered electrical worker, but only a registered electrical worker can fix the problems that testing reveals.
RCD protection is a separate control that still matters whether or not equipment has been tested and tagged. Equipment still needs RCD protection in certain circumstances, such as outside in damp conditions. On construction sites, all electrical equipment should be RCD-protected, including kettles, microwaves and other domestic appliances. RCDs, including those on portable socket-outlet assemblies, should be test-button tested every day. You can read more in our guide to RCD protection and testing.
Test and tag is an option, not the only option
WorkSafe describes AS/NZS 3760 as an option PCBUs can follow to demonstrate they are complying with testing and tagging. It is a voluntary Standard, not law. Frequency is a risk decision: how often you inspect and test depends on the nature of the equipment and the workplace. Equipment used on a construction site, outside and in damp conditions, needs more frequent attention than a computer sitting in an office. Nothing in the framework mandates a blanket twelve-month cycle for every item. For a fuller discussion of how to choose a cycle, see how often electrical equipment should be checked.
What testing actually gives you
It helps to be precise about what a test result means. WorkSafe notes that testing and tagging does not guarantee future electrical safety; it provides a snapshot of how safe an appliance is at the time of testing. That is why daily visual checks still matter even when a tag is current, and why a damaged cord that looks fine from the outside can still be a problem. A fault can be invisible. The strength of an electrical safety regime comes from layering controls: RCD protection, routine visual inspection, periodic testing if you choose it, and a record of what was done. No single control carries the whole load, and no tag removes the need for the others.
Do construction sites change the picture?
They often do, because the environment is harsher and faults are more likely. WorkSafe's construction guidance adds several specific requirements on top of the general duty. A temporary supply switchboard, usually called a builder's temporary, must comply with AS/NZS 3012 to be considered electrically safe, and only a licensed electrical worker may install, connect, modify or move one. Before use, an electrician must provide a Certificate of Compliance, a Record of Inspection and an Electrical Safety Certificate. The builder's temporary then needs a periodic assessment at least every six months, with a Certificate of Verification confirming compliance with AS/NZS 3000 and AS/NZS 3012.
Portable socket-outlet assemblies must be marked as AS/NZS 3012-compliant when purchased and checked by an electrician at least every three months, and their RCDs should be test-button tested every day. Given that electric shock is the main risk on site and that harsh conditions shorten the life of cables and equipment, these steps are worth understanding even if you never handle them yourself. Relocatable buildings, caravans and certain vehicles also need a valid Electrical Warrant of Fitness issued by an electrical inspector, and it is an offence to connect such a building to a power supply with an expired one. Hire companies carry responsibility too: they must not hire out electrically unsafe equipment, and they are responsible for testing and tagging hire equipment before it goes out.
A practical approach to electrical safety
If you want the defensibility that people assume a fine schedule would give them, build the routine instead:
- Register every item of electrical equipment your workplace uses, so nothing is quietly forgotten.
- Decide a risk-based inspection and testing frequency for each class of equipment.
- Do a visual check of cords, plugs and tools before use. Damage is often visible if you look.
- Make sure RCD protection is in place wherever it is needed.
- Remove faulty equipment from use immediately, then have it repaired or replace it.
- Record results after any testing or inspection, and keep them accessible on site.
Common mistakes
- Assuming testing is a legal requirement of its own, then worrying about a fine that does not exist here.
- Assuming that because it is not compulsory, nothing needs to be done at all.
- Repairing faulty equipment without a licensed electrical worker.
- Skipping daily visual checks because a tag is still current.
- Keeping no records, so there is nothing to show what was checked and when.
- Relying on a tag for shock protection instead of checking RCD coverage.
When to use a professional
You can test in-house if someone has the knowledge and skills to understand the Standards involved. It does not have to be a registered electrical worker. But if testing reveals a fault, only a registered electrical worker can repair it. Many businesses find it simpler to engage a third party for the periodic inspection and testing, and keep their own people on visual checks and record-keeping. If you are unsure how to classify your equipment or how much risk applies to your site, a professional assessment removes the guesswork.
The bottom line
There is no specific fine for not test and tagging in New Zealand, because testing and tagging is not mandatory. What matters is that your equipment is electrically safe and maintained in a safe condition. Build a routine around that duty: register your equipment, inspect it, protect it with RCDs where needed, remove faults immediately, and keep records. Do that and you can show exactly what you did, every time. Our electrical testing services can take on the periodic work and reporting, or request a quote to talk through your site.
