Test and Tag Regulations SA: Complete Guide
Test and Tag requirements in South Australia follow the national AS/NZS 3760:2022 Standard - just like the rest of Australia. That means whether you're working in Adelaide or the regional south, the same test and tag rules apply when it comes to safety, testing intervals, and equipment tagging.
If you’re operating in high-risk industries like construction or mining, there are some additional things to know - especially around test tag colours and frequency of retesting.
Let’s break it down.
Do You Need a Licence to Test & Tag in SA?
No additional licence is required in South Australia. You don’t need to be an electrician either. However, you must be considered a ‘Competent Person’ under the AS/NZS 3760 Standard.
The easiest and most common way to become a Competent Person is by completing a Nationally Recognised Test & Tag Course through a Registered Training Organisation (RTO).
Our Test & Tag course in Regency Park and Morphett Vale is the highest qualification available in South Australia.
AS/NZS 3760 & 3012 Standards (SA)
South Australian workplaces must comply with the AS 3760 Standard for most electrical appliance testing. For high-risk sectors like construction, demolition, and mining, you’ll also need to follow the AS/NZS 3012 Standard which introduces stricter testing rules and colour-coded tags.
The 3760 Standard covers all general testing and tagging. The 3012 Standard is specific to construction and high-risk worksites. If you work in mining or construction sites, check out our in-depth guides for these environments, read our full guide on test and tag in construction and test and tag in mining.
The current version of the Standard was updated in 2022, replacing the previous 2010 edition. If you’re testing and tagging in SA, make sure you’re working to the latest version. See a full list of the AS/NZS 3760:2022 update.
Test and Tag Colours South Australia
If you are working in the Construction or Demolition industry you will need to adhere to the AS/NZS 3012 Standard and test and tag every three months. It uses specified test and tag colour coding to show which quarter that item was tested.
- Red – December to February
- Green – March to May
- Blue – June to August
- Yellow – September to November
Even though this isn’t required for all industries, many businesses in SA adopt the same system internally for consistency and safety.
Read the full guide to Test & Tag Colours.
Test and Tag Frequencies SA
Interval lengths (how often an electrical appliance is tested) is mostly dependant on how (and where) it's used. Here are some of the most common ones:
- Building, Construction and Demolition: 3 months
- Factories, Warehouses and Production: 6 months
- An environment where the equipment/supply cord is prone to flexing or open to abuse: 12 months
- An environment where the equipment/supply cord is not prone to flexing or open to abuse: 5 years
Keep in mind, some businesses in South Australia test more frequently than required, especially in high-risk sectors. Always follow your internal OHS policies and site requirements.
Check our full Test and Tag Intervals guide.
Where to Get Started in SA
We run Test & Tag Training right here in South Australia at our Regency Park and Morphett Vale training facilities. Our team has helped thousands become test and tag certified and confident in testing and tagging.
Looking to get started, upskill a team member, or refresh your knowledge?
Explore our course:
View the SA Test & Tag Course
Or get in touch and we’ll help you get sorted.