What office tenants should know about electrical installation licences in Singapore
An office renovation that adds circuits, distribution boards or equipment does not exempt you from electrical licensing obligations. Singapore's Energy Market Authority (EMA) distinguishes the installation licence held by the consumer or owner from the individual Licensed Electrical Worker (LEW) who carries out or supervises the work. This guide explains which questions to settle with your LEW and landlord before agreeing the electrical scope.
Installation licence and LEW licence are different things
EMA describes an electrical installation licence as applying to the installation itself, held by or on behalf of the consumer or owner. A separate Licensed Electrical Worker licence is held by the individual who carries out or supervises electrical works on the installation.
The installation licence concerns use, operation and maintenance of an installation that falls within the licensing scheme. The LEW licence identifies the individual authorised for work within that licence class and its conditions. Check both the installation coverage and the person responsible; a contractor company name does not identify the appointed LEW.
EMA: electrical installation licences
Non-domestic approved load exceeding 45 kVA
EMA's installation licence page describes the licensing requirement for non-domestic electrical installations with an approved load exceeding 45 kVA. The threshold is exceeding, not equal to or greater than. An office with an approved load at or below 45 kVA has a different position from one that exceeds it.
Approved load describes the load the installation is designed to handle. It is not your energy consumption, bill total or a simple sum of appliance ratings; kW and kVA are not interchangeable labels. Ask the appointed LEW to verify the approved load from the installation records and the actual supply arrangement. Do not open a distribution board or calculate an approved capacity yourself.
Below 45 kVA is not permission to do your own wiring
A non-domestic installation with an approved load at or below 45 kVA may not require an installation licence in its own right, but that does not mean anyone can carry out electrical works on it. EMA describes electrical works as needing to be carried out or supervised by an appropriately licensed LEW. The distinction is about the installation registration, not about whether the work itself needs a qualified person.
Adding circuits, replacing a distribution board, extending wiring for partitions or installing new lighting in an office requires a person who holds the relevant LEW class for the voltage and scope. Do not design, build or inspect your own distribution board layout based on an online calculator or a general guide.
EMA: engaging licensed workers
LEW worker classes: design and operation limits differ
EMA's class table separates an electrician, electrical technician and electrical engineer. In the technician row, the approved-load limits for design and operation differ; this is not a distinction between design and operating voltage limits. The table also states voltage limits and licence conditions.
Ask the proposed LEW to confirm the class, current licence and whether it covers your actual installation and work. Refer to EMA's engaging-licensed-workers table rather than choosing a worker class from floor area or a room count.
EMA: worker classes, approved loads and voltage limits
Hazardous-trade and temporary-work provisions
The exceeding-45-kVA threshold is not the whole installation-licensing scheme. EMA also lists installations used in hazardous trades, including construction work activities, regardless of approved load, and supply installations using a consumer's own generators for non-domestic purposes regardless of load. Ask the appointed LEW which category covers the actual arrangement.
For temporary power during renovation, identify the installation, licence coverage and responsible LEW with building management before work starts. Do not assume the normal office supply automatically covers the worksite arrangement. The applicable inspections and arrangements depend on the installation; this guide gives no temporary-wiring design.
Consumer and owner responsibilities
EMA identifies the consumer or owner of the installation as the party responsible for maintaining a valid installation licence where one is required, appointing an LEW for the required testing and maintenance, and keeping the installation records current. In an office lease, the tenant and landlord should establish which party holds these responsibilities for the tenanted space.
Ask the landlord or building management for the existing installation details before scoping the electrical work. If the office renovation changes the load, the number of circuits or the distribution arrangement, the installation records may need updating. This is a responsibility to assign, not something a renovation quotation settles by itself.
Do not assume every tenant must hold a separate licence. EMA's application guidance distinguishes a unit without a separate SP Services account and the specific en-bloc electricity-purchase arrangement covered by the landlord or MCST's building installation licence. Ask which licence actually covers your space and who holds the installation responsibilities; a landlord invoice alone does not settle every arrangement. If a different LEW performs modifications, EMA says that person must coordinate with the appointed LEW and hand the work over for operation and maintenance.
EMA: licence application and multi-tenant arrangements
EMA: modification works and appointed LEW
EMA: licensee and LEW responsibilities
Landlord and LEW document checklist
Before agreeing the electrical scope of an office renovation, prepare the following information and discuss it with your LEW and landlord. This is a planning checklist, not a DIY design tool.
| Item | Who provides it | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Existing approved load and installation licence status | Landlord or building management | Establishes the licensing position and whether any change affects the installation licence |
| Current single-line diagram of the tenanted space | Appointed LEW, with landlord records where applicable | Shows what circuits exist and where the supply originates |
| Proposed additional circuits, outlets and equipment | Tenant and project designer | Defines the scope that the LEW needs to assess |
| LEW class and licence number | The LEW engaged for the work | Confirms the person is licensed for the proposed voltage and scope |
| Building or landlord fit-out rules for electrical works | Building management | May restrict the type of work, working hours or require separate approval |
| Temporary power supply arrangements during renovation | LEW and building management | Prevents unplanned site loads on the existing supply |
How this relates to an office renovation with Omni Contractors
Include the proposed electrical work in the office-renovation brief, then confirm the electrical contractor, the appropriately licensed LEW, who appoints that person and who keeps the installation records. Ask for those responsibilities and any separate costs in writing; a general renovation quotation does not establish a licence or professional appointment.
Send Omni Contractors the proposed room layout, intended equipment locations and building information to discuss the construction scope and its interfaces with the electrical work. The LEW must assess electrical design, licensing and testing; this guide does not establish an in-house LEW or licensing service for Omni.
Office renovation power and data checklist
Office lighting renovation planning
Cooling and ventilation coordination
Commercial renovation approvals
Discuss an office-renovation scope
Sources and scope
Prepared on 18 October 2026. This guide is a planning aid for office tenants, not a licensed electrical design, a load calculation or a substitute for professional LEW advice.
EMA: Electrical Supply/Installation Licences, read 18 October 2026. Describes the installation licence requirement, the non-domestic exceeding-45-kVA threshold and consumer responsibilities.
EMA: Worker Licences, read 18 October 2026. Describes LEW classes, voltage and scope limits, and the requirement for licensed persons to carry out or supervise electrical works.
EMA: Engaging Licensed Workers, read 18 October 2026. Consumer guidance on engaging an LEW.
Does every office need its own electrical installation licence?
Not necessarily. EMA lists non-domestic installations exceeding 45 kVA, hazardous-trade installations regardless of load, and non-domestic supply installations regardless of load. The licence coverage can also depend on the building's supply arrangement. Ask the appointed LEW and landlord which licence covers your space; the 45 kVA figure alone does not settle every case.
Can I install new circuits or a distribution board in my office without an LEW?
No. EMA describes electrical works as needing to be carried out or supervised by an appropriately licensed LEW regardless of the installation's approved load. A lower load does not exempt the work from requiring a qualified person.
Is the approved load the same as my electricity bill total?
No. Approved load concerns the load the installation is designed to handle; an electricity bill records consumption and charges. Do not infer approved kVA by adding appliance ratings. Ask the appointed LEW to verify the installation records and supply arrangement.
Who should appoint the LEW during an office renovation?
Identify the installation licensee and existing appointed LEW with the landlord or building management, then put the construction and electrical appointments in writing. If a different LEW carries out modifications, EMA says that person must coordinate with the appointed LEW and hand over the work for operation and maintenance.
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