The short answer
Not if you are unlicensed. Replacing a power point or light switch, or installing a hardwired ceiling fan, is electrical work requiring the appropriate licence in Queensland. Being able to buy the product, follow a video or switch off the power does not make the installation a permitted DIY task.
Sources: Electrical Safety Office — don't DIY electrical work · Electrical Safety Act 2002 — section 18
Which common jobs need an electrician?
The Electrical Safety Office identifies everyday-looking tasks that are still electrical work. A like-for-like replacement is not automatically an exception.
- Installing or moving a power point, or replacing a light switch.
- Replacing a light fitting with a ceiling fan.
- Making an extension lead or replacing a plug on a lead.
- Connecting an appliance or accessory that needs hardwiring.
Sources: Electrical Safety Office — don't DIY electrical work
Is changing a light bulb the same as changing the fitting?
No. Queensland's Electrical Safety Act distinguishes certain tasks safely performed without electrical expertise and gives replacing a light bulb as an example. Replacing the fitting or altering its wiring is different.
Follow the product's user instructions and only undertake ordinary user maintenance when it is safe to do so. If a lamp is stuck, the fitting is damaged, access is unsafe or wiring would be exposed, stop and arrange help. This guide is not a wiring procedure.
Can I buy the fan or light fitting myself?
Yes, purchasing a product is different from installing it. ESO says consumers can buy accessories that require hardwiring, but the connection must be made by a licensed electrician.
Before ordering, ask your electrician about the intended room, existing fitting and controls, access and product suitability. Agree who supplies the product and what the installation quote includes. Buying first can leave you with a product that does not suit the planned work.
Sources: Electrical Safety Office — don't DIY electrical work
How do I check the person I am booking?
Use the Queensland electrical licence search and check the contractor's current status. A business offering electrical work needs the appropriate contractor licence; a general handyman description is not a substitute.
Ask for the licence number and identify the business actually quoting the job. Keep the quote and the paperwork provided after the work. If someone suggests you complete the wiring and they will simply sign it off later, do not treat that as permission to do unlicensed work.
Sources: Electrical Safety Office — electrical licence search · WorkSafe Queensland — electrical contractor licences
Sources & further reading
Information checked on 5 September 2026. General Queensland guidance does not replace an assessment of your property, its approvals or equipment.