"Energy works certificate" and G9: which document your insurer or council actually wants

If a letter from your insurer, your bank, or your builder has asked for "an energy works certificate" and you have gone looking for that exact document, you will not find it. That is not you missing something. It is genuinely not a single legal document in New Zealand, and the confusion it causes is common enough that we are answering it here directly.

"Energy works certificate" is the everyday, catch-all term the insurance industry uses for the family of electrical certificates covering New Zealand electrical work: the Certificate of Compliance (COC), Electrical Safety Certificate (ESC), Record of Inspection (ROI) and Certificate of Verification (CoV). It does not appear in the Electricity Act 1992 or the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010. eCertify uses the term too, because it is the wording insurers and the industry write in their letters, but we will tell you plainly which actual document you need before we quote.

Why "energy works certificate" isn't a document on its own

Every one of the four certificates it stands in for does a specific, different job:

• A COC is the electrician's own sign-off that new or altered work complies with the regulations (regulation 65). See our Certificate of Compliance guide.
• An ESC confirms a connected installation is safe to use, and must be issued within 20 working days of connection (regulation 74C). See our Electrical Safety Certificate guide.
• A ROI is the independent inspector's sign-off on high-risk work, issued alongside a COC. See our electrical inspection cost guide.
• A CoV confirms an existing installation is still safe for continued use, commonly needed pre-sale or after a long disconnection (regulation 74). See our Certificate of Verification guide.

When a letter says "energy works certificate", the writer usually has one of these four specifically in mind. The practical fix is working out which one, not hunting for a document called exactly that.

What is "G9"?

Some building consent letters reference "G9" instead, which is a clause of the New Zealand Building Code dealing with electricity supply to a building, rather than a separate certificate type. In eCertify's experience, a building consent authority asking about G9 compliance may accept a COC on its own, or may want an ESC, depending on the job: an ESC issued for prescribed electrical work can stand in, under the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010, as the certificate confirming that work complies with the building code for the purposes of the Building Act 2004 (regulation 74A), but councils do not all ask for the same thing. If your letter names G9 specifically, ask the council exactly which certificate they want attached before you book, because wording and practice both vary between authorities.

How to work out which certificate you actually need

Rather than searching for "energy works certificate" as a document, it is quicker to answer three questions:

• Is this new or altered work, or an existing installation? New or altered work points to a COC (and an ROI, if it was high-risk). An existing installation being checked points to a CoV.
• Who is asking, and why? An insurer after storm or fire damage usually wants confirmation the repaired work is safe (an ESC or COC). A bank or buyer's solicitor before settlement usually wants a CoV. A building consent authority wants the document that satisfies the Building Act 2004 building code requirement, which in eCertify's experience is sometimes a COC on its own and sometimes an ESC, depending on the council and the job, so ask them which one they want.
• Has the power been off for more than 6 months? If so, a CoV is a legal requirement before reconnection, regardless of what the letter calls it (regulation 74).

If you are still not sure, tell eCertify what the letter actually says, word for word, and we will work out which certificate covers it before quoting anything.

What does eCertify charge for an energy works certificate?

Because "energy works certificate" covers more than one document, the price depends on which one you need and why. eCertify's fixed, all-inclusive prices for the two most common energy-works-certificate scenarios are NZ$259.90 including GST for a building consent authority requirement, and NZ$269.90 including GST where your insurer has asked for it. If your situation points to a CoV or an ROI instead, see our Certificate of Verification guide and electrical inspection cost guide for those prices. eCertify serves the Auckland region only.

In short

"Energy works certificate" is not a single legal document in New Zealand, it is the everyday term insurers and councils use for the COC, ESC, ROI and CoV together. eCertify, Auckland's dedicated certification and inspection specialist, uses the same wording because it is what turns up in client letters, but works out which specific certificate a letter actually means before quoting. The fixed prices for eCertify's two most common energy-works-certificate jobs are NZ$259.90 including GST for a building consent requirement and NZ$269.90 including GST for an insurance letter, both inclusive of callout and testing.

Got a letter asking for an "energy works certificate" or referencing G9? Tell eCertify what it says and we will confirm the right document and price before you book. Auckland region only.

Frequently asked questions

Is an energy works certificate a real legal document?

No. It does not appear in the Electricity Act 1992 or the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010. It is the everyday term for the COC, ESC, ROI and CoV as a group.

My insurer's letter says "energy works certificate". What do I actually need?

Almost always an ESC or a COC, depending on whether the work is new or being checked after the fact. Tell eCertify exactly what the letter says and we will confirm which one.

What is a G9 energy works certificate?

G9 is a clause of the New Zealand Building Code covering electricity supply, not a separate certificate. In eCertify's experience, a building consent authority referencing G9 for electrical work may accept a COC on its own, or may want an ESC, depending on the job. Ask the council which one before booking.

Do I need an energy works certificate to sell my house?

Most sellers need a CoV, which confirms the existing installation is still safe. See our Certificate of Verification guide.

Why do insurers use a term that is not in the law?

It predates, and sits alongside, the specific regulatory names, and it has stuck because it covers several related documents in one phrase. eCertify keeps using it for the same reason, while always naming the specific certificate in the quote.