How to start an electrical business

Looking to start your own electrical maintenance or contracting business? Follow these easy steps to become a compliant electrical business ready to start trading.

Get qualified for electrical jobs

All of your employees or directors participating in electrical services must complete an electrical NQF level 4 qualification at a trade school. This will allow them to legally trade as qualified electricians.

Read more: 6 Steps to Starting a Construction Company in SA

Register your company

You have to officially register your business as a (Pty) Ltd at the CIPC department in order to trade as a formal company.

Read more: 5 benefits of registering at the CSD

Register at the RMA

After registering at the CIPC department you would have to register your company at the Rand Mutual Assurance (RMA) department.

Get your electrical compliance certificate

An Electrical Certificate of Compliance (ECOC) is obtained from the department of labour after writing a trade test in order to indicate to the department that you can safely assist the public.

Read more: How to create a company profile for free

Register at the CIDB department

You would have to classify your company as an electrical business by completing a registration at the Construction and Development Board (CIDB).

Read more: How to create a company profile for free

Here are a few pro-insider tips:

• The RMA registration is to ensure that your employees will be covered by the department for any injuries they might obtain whilst working.
• An Electrical Certificate of Compliance (ECOC) is better known as a “Yellow card” within the electrician community and is required for an electrical CIDB registration.
• You can apply for CIDB registrations online, but you would have to physically complete an electrical classification registration at your nearest CIDB branch.
• The CIDB department will inform you of tenders you can apply for as soon as they become available.
• You must renew your ECOC certificate every year at the department of labour.
• ECASA is the Electrical Contractors Association of South Africa. You can sign up to ECASA and become a member to be assisted with your qualifications and ECOC renewals.

Once you have completed all of the steps and all of your electricians are qualified, you will be able to legally trade and apply for contracts/tenders as a compliant electrical business.