Skip to content
Electrical

How much does an electrician cost?

Small electrical jobs, like one power point, cost about $150 to $180.

Call-out and first hour, business hours:$150–$230 per job

Updated 15 October 2026 · 2 min read · GST basis not confirmed by sources. Check GST on every quote.

Find a provider
On this page
  1. How an electrician works out the price
  2. What it costs, by scenario
  3. What changes the price
  4. What's usually included, and what isn't
  5. Metro and regional differences
  6. Licensing and compliance
  7. Before you accept a quote, check
  8. Frequently asked questions
  9. Sources and method

How an electrician works out the price

An electrician usually charges a service or call-out fee that often covers the first half hour, then an hourly rate in short steps, plus parts. Common jobs such as a power point or a switchboard upgrade are often quoted at a fixed price. The hourly rate has to cover more than wages: the Fair Work award minimum for a grade 5 electrical worker is $29.45 an hour from 1 July 2026, and the charge-out rate also pays for the vehicle, test gear, insurance, licence and paperwork.

  1. Service or call-out fee, often covering the first 30 minutes
  2. Time on site at an hourly rate, usually billed in 15-minute steps
  3. Parts and materials, such as the power point, cable and fittings
  4. Testing and the electrical safety certificate the state requires
  5. GST on the total

Worked example: One new power point, easy access, business hours (illustrative, not a quote)

Service fee, covers first 30 minutes
$90
Further 30 minutes at $90 an hour
$45
Power point, cable and fittings
$40
Total
$175 total (illustrative)

What it costs, by scenario

Low, typical and high prices. Built on 15 October 2026 from Australian marketplace price guides, a compiled Yellow Pages guide, the Fair Work award and state regulator pages. Each range stays inside figures that at least two publishers' ranges share; GST basis is not confirmed by the sources.

  • Call-out and first hour, business hours (per job)

    Service fee plus time on site. The range sits where two sources' service-fee and hourly figures overlap.

    Low
    $150
    Typical
    $190
    High
    $230

  • Add one power point, easy access (per job)

    Labour and materials. Brick walls, long cable runs and older wiring cost more.

    Low
    $150
    Typical
    $165
    High
    $180

  • Install LED downlights (per light)

    Per light, when several are installed in one visit. A single light on its own usually adds a service fee.

    Low
    $60
    Typical
    $65
    High
    $70
Low, typical and high prices by scenario
ScenarioLowTypicalHigh
Call-out and first hour, business hours (per job)Service fee plus time on site. The range sits where two sources' service-fee and hourly figures overlap.$150$190$230
Add one power point, easy access (per job)Labour and materials. Brick walls, long cable runs and older wiring cost more.$150$165$180
Install LED downlights (per light)Per light, when several are installed in one visit. A single light on its own usually adds a service fee.$60$65$70

Want to compare providers?

Tell us the job and we'll bring the right providers together.

Find a provider

What changes the price

  • Access. A power point in a brick wall or a ceiling with no cavity access takes longer than one in a new plasterboard wall.
  • Age of the wiring. Older homes may need extra work before new circuits, safety switches or a new board can be fitted.
  • Number of points. Fitting several downlights or power points in one visit lowers the cost per item, because the service fee is shared.
  • Parts and fittings. Basic LED lights cost a few dollars each, while specialty fittings and large boards add hundreds.
  • Time of day. Urgent, after-hours and weekend work usually carries a loading on the hourly rate.
  • Location. Travel time, local wages and demand differ between cities and regions. See the metro and regional note below.

What's usually included, and what isn't

Usually included

  • Travel to your home and an assessment of the job
  • Labour for the agreed work
  • Standard materials such as a power point, cable and basic fittings
  • Testing the work before power is switched back on
  • The electrical safety certificate your state requires, where it applies

Often extra

  • Patching and painting plaster after cables are run
  • Specialty light fittings, smart switches and appliances unless the quote says they are supplied
  • Upgrading the mains supply or meter, which the network provider may handle
  • Asbestos testing or removal in older switchboards or walls
  • Roof, ceiling or insulation work to reach cable paths

Metro and regional differences

Metro: Capital cities have more providers, but wages, parking and traffic time raise hourly rates. Our sources give higher average hourly rates in New South Wales and Victoria than in the ACT, South Australia and Western Australia.

Regional: Our sources do not give separate regional figures, so treat the range as a national guide. Outside the cities, a longer drive can add to the call-out, and fewer providers means fewer quotes to compare.

Licensing and compliance

Only a licensed electrician may do electrical wiring work, and most states require them to give you a certificate once the work is tested.

Regulators: New South Wales, Building Commission NSW, where the electrician lodges a Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work within seven days and a copy goes to the customer's email; Victoria, Energy Safe Victoria, where a Registered Electrical Contractor or Licensed Electrical Worker issues a Certificate of Electrical Safety (due no later than 30 days after non-prescribed work); Queensland, the Electrical Safety Office at WorkSafe Queensland, which licenses electrical contractors; Western Australia, Building and Energy, where the electrical contractor lodges a Notice of Completion and gives an Electrical Safety Certificate to the person who asked for the work; South Australia, the Office of the Technical Regulator, which governs electricians and electronic Certificates of Compliance, with licensing through Consumer and Business Services; Tasmania, Consumer Affairs Tasmania, where notifiable work needs a Certificate of Electrical Compliance lodged with TechSafe Australia within three days of energising; the ACT, Access Canberra, where the Certificate of Electrical Safety is the electrician's declaration that the work was completed, tested and compliant; and the Northern Territory, NT WorkSafe, where a Certificate of Compliance is needed for electrical work other than like-for-like replacements.

Ask for the licence number and the certificate, and check the licence on the regulator's register.

Before you accept a quote, check

  • Does the price cover the service fee, labour and materials, or only some of them?
  • How many lights or points does the price assume?
  • Is the work fixed price, or hourly with a minimum?
  • Does the quote say whether GST is included?
  • Will you receive the electrical safety certificate for your state?
  • What happens if the electrician finds older wiring that needs extra work?

Frequently asked questions

How much is an electrician per hour in Australia?

Most sources put business-hours rates between about $80 and $110 an hour, with Sydney and Melbourne usually higher.

What is an electrician's service fee?

It is a charge to attend, which often covers the first 30 minutes on site. Sources put it from around $80 to $150, so ask what it includes.

How much does it cost to add a power point?

Around $150 to $180 in our range for an easy-access job. Brick walls, long cable runs and older wiring cost more, so compare two quotes.

Are downlights cheaper when I do several together?

Yes. Per-light prices of about $60 to $70 assume several lights in one visit, because the service fee is spread across them.

Why do switchboard upgrade prices vary so much?

The size of the board, the number of circuits, safety switches and whether old wiring needs work all change the job. The sources we read disagree widely, so we do not give a range. Get a written, itemised quote.

Does the electrician have to give me a certificate?

In the states and territories we checked, electrical work needs a certificate or notice once it is tested, with the name and timing differing as set out in the licensing section. Only the Northern Territory page we read exempts like-for-like replacements, so ask your electrician what applies to your job.

Sources and method

Built on 15 October 2026 from Australian marketplace price guides, a compiled Yellow Pages guide, the Fair Work award and state regulator pages. Each range stays inside figures that at least two publishers' ranges share; GST basis is not confirmed by the sources. How we calculate our guides.

Compare quotes like for like.

Tell us the job and suburb. We'll bring the right electricians together. Free for customers.

Find an electrician

Keep reading

Find a local provider

Step 1 of 3

What do you need done, and where?

Reading