The best electrician in Johannesburg is not the one with the most reviews. It is a registered one who will tell you in writing who will sign the certificate of compliance, what the work costs and when it starts. Check that before you let anyone touch your wiring.
That sounds strict, but the law makes it the baseline. The Electrical Installation Regulations, 2009, made under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, say who may certify electrical work, and it is a narrow group.
Who is allowed to certify electrical work?
Only a "registered person" may issue a certificate of compliance, or CoC. The Regulations define a registered person as an electrical tester for single phase work, an installation electrician or a master installation electrician. An electrical contractor must also be registered, and must be, or employ full time, a registered person.
For new work, or an extension or alteration to an existing installation, the registered person may only certify after inspecting and testing the work. They must also be satisfied it was done under their general control, which the Regulations define as instruction, guidance and supervision.
In plain terms, anyone can say they are an electrician, but only a registered person can lawfully issue the certificate, and contractors must be registered to do the work at all. If nobody registered signs, you do not have a certified installation.
What should I ask before I hire?
Ask four things, and write the answers on the quote.
- Which registered person will sign the CoC, and what is their registration type and number?
- Is the CoC included in the price?
- Will that person inspect and test the work, or only sign what someone else did?
- What is the call-out fee, and how is the labour charged?
A genuine electrician answers these without hesitation. If the answer is "I know a guy who signs", you have found the gap the Regulations are written to close.
What are the warning signs?
Four things should make you stop and ask again. First, a price that is only given verbally. Second, a refusal to say who is registered. Third, a quote far below the others with no reason offered. Fourth, pressure to pay the full amount before any work is done.
Cheap is not the problem in itself. The problem is that electrical faults are quiet until they are not, and a poorly done installation can sit behind a wall for years. Comparing three written quotes that name the same registered person and the same scope is the simplest way to see who is pricing honestly.
Does a training certificate count as registration?
No. The Electrical Contractors' Association (South Africa), ECA(SA), said so in a technical notice dated 10 August 2026. It was talking about solar installers, where credentials such as the PV GreenCard are common in quotes. The association's position is that these are supplementary industry credentials and carry no statutory authority to certify electrical work.
The same logic applies to any proud-looking logo on a van. Training is good to have. Registration is what the law asks for. Our guide to who may issue an electrical certificate of compliance goes through the difference in detail.
When do I need the certificate?
More often than most homeowners expect. Under the Regulations, every user or lessor of an installation must hold a valid CoC. A narrow exemption covers very old, unaltered installations. An addition or alteration needs a certificate for at least that work.
Under regulation 7(5), the owner may not let ownership change hands if the certificate is older than two years. A CoC does not otherwise expire, though an inspector can require a new one if a fault is found. That is covered in how long an electrical CoC is valid.
If you are selling, renovating or adding a solar system, ask for the certificate before the electrician leaves. Chasing one a month later, from someone who has stopped answering, is the usual way this goes wrong.
What if the power keeps tripping tonight?
If you smell burning, see sparks or scorching, or the board is hot or wet, do not touch it. Get everyone out and call the emergency services. Otherwise, with dry hands, switch off the main breaker, do not reset a tripping breaker repeatedly, and phone a registered electrician who can attend. Ask the same four questions.
Arabella Infrastructure Solutions is a Johannesburg-based building maintenance and construction company, open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, public holidays included. One call or WhatsApp to 078 497 3616 gets a registered electrician to your door, with a call-out from R450 and the certificate where the work needs one. The homeowners page has the detail.
This week, find your last electrical invoice or CoC. If you cannot find either, you now know what to ask for before the next job.
