Want one team for the whole job? Text us your suburb, the room and the size of split system you’re thinking of. Our automated quote assistant replies straight away, at any hour.
Yes. In Queensland you need a licensed electrician to install air conditioning, and you also need a refrigerant licence holder. A split system has an electrical part and a refrigeration part, and each one needs its own licence. Our team holds both: QLD Electrical Contractor Licence 90552 and ARCtick licence L181564. So one booking covers the whole installation.
The quick answer
- The wiring of a split system is electrical installation work, so a licensed electrician has to do it.
- The pipework, the refrigerant and the commissioning need a refrigerant handling licence from the Australian Refrigeration Council.
- The Electrical Safety Office says DIY electrical work is illegal, with penalties of up to $40,000 for individuals.
- Our split systems are supplied and installed from $1,814.51 including GST, with the dedicated circuit run by our own electricians.
Do I need an electrician to install air conditioning?
Yes. The Electrical Safety Office says a person who does electrical work in Queensland must hold an electrical work licence. A business that does electrical work for other people must hold an electrical contractor licence.
It’s not illegal to buy an appliance that has to be hard wired. But the Electrical Safety Office says a licensed electrician must connect it. The source is its page Don’t do your own electrical work.
DIY electrical work is illegal in Queensland. The Electrical Safety Office lists penalties of up to $40,000 for individuals, and it warns that an insurer may refuse a claim for a fire caused by illegal electrical work.
The two parts of a split system installation
A split system has an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. Pipes carry the refrigerant between them, and cables carry the power. That gives every installation two separate parts.
| Part | What the work covers |
|---|---|
| Refrigeration | Mounting the units, running the pipework between them, handling the refrigerant and commissioning the system. |
| Electrical | The dedicated circuit from the switchboard, the isolator at the outdoor unit and the interconnect cable between the two units, then testing. |
Neither part is optional. A split system with perfect pipework still can’t run until the circuit is in, and the circuit is no use until the refrigeration side is commissioned.
Which licence covers which part
The two parts are covered by two different licences, issued by two different bodies.
| Work | Licence it needs | Ours |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerant work | A refrigerant handling licence from the Australian Refrigeration Council (ARCtick) | L181564 |
| Electrical work | A Queensland electrical licence, and an electrical contractor licence for the business | QLD Electrical Contractor Licence 90552 |
The Australian Government says only licensed technicians can handle refrigerants, and that it’s an offence for anyone else to handle fluorocarbon refrigerants. The source is the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water page on refrigeration and air conditioning for consumers.
The Australian Refrigeration Council’s fact sheet, Who can do what, with Split System Air Conditioners, adds that its licence covers the refrigerant only. For electrical licensing, it sends installers to their state regulator.
A refrigerant licence doesn’t cover the wiring
Some refrigeration mechanics hold a restricted electrical work licence for air conditioning equipment. WorkSafe Queensland says that licence doesn’t allow electrical installation work, and that the interconnect wiring on a split system is installation wiring. The source is its page on the scope of work for restricted electrical work licence holders.
So an installer with only the refrigerant licence needs a licensed electrician for the circuit and the interconnect cable. We hold both licences, so our air conditioning electricians run the circuit and the same team does the refrigeration work.
Text for a quote Call 07 4428 2766
What you can do yourself, and what you can’t
You can choose the unit, buy it and decide where you’d like it to go. The rest belongs to the licence holders.
- You can buy a split system yourself. Our install only price, where you supply the unit, starts from $1,217.81 including GST.
- You can’t wire it in, run a circuit or plug it into a lead. That’s electrical work.
- You can’t run the pipework, charge the system with refrigerant or top it up. That needs the refrigerant licence.
The Electrical Safety Office says cutting openings for air conditioning units isn’t electrical work in itself. It also warns that cutting into a wall can damage or expose the wiring inside it, so leave the cutting to the installer.
What our installed price includes
Our supplied and installed prices cover both parts of the job, done by one team. Each price is for one split system installed back to back on a single storey home, and each one includes GST.
| Split system | Price including GST |
|---|---|
| 2.5 kW | from $1,814.51 |
| 3.5 kW | from $2,014.50 |
| 5.0 kW | from $2,414.50 |
| 7.1 kW | from $2,814.50 |
| 8 to 9.5 kW | from $3,761.25 |
| Install only, you supply the unit | from $1,217.81 |
A supplied and installed price covers these things.
- The split system itself, from Haier, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries or Daikin.
- A standard back to back pipe run.
- The dedicated electrical circuit, run by our own electricians.
- Commissioning, which is the testing and first run of the system.
- A 5 year workmanship warranty on the installation.
A wall bracket is an extra, at $104.50 including GST. A switchboard with no room for a new circuit needs work first, and we quote that before anything starts. The full list is on our aircon prices Brisbane page, and our guide to air conditioner installation cost explains each extra.
How to check an installer’s licences
Ask for both licence numbers before you book, then look them up. It takes a few minutes.
- Check the refrigerant licence on the ARC licence check.
- Check the electrical contractor licence on the Electrical Safety Office licence search.
- Ask who will run the circuit. If it’s another business, ask for that business’s licence number too.
When the electrical work is finished, WorkSafe Queensland says the electrical contractor must give you a certificate of testing and compliance. It shows the contractor’s licence number. The source is its page on issuing certificates of compliance.
Common questions about aircon and electricians
Can an electrician install a split system on their own?
Not the refrigeration side. An electrician can do the wiring, but the pipework and the refrigerant still need a refrigerant handling licence from the Australian Refrigeration Council.
Can I plug a split system into an existing power point?
Not one of ours. Every split system we supply and install gets its own dedicated circuit from the switchboard, run by our electricians, and the price includes it. Running a lead to a power point isn’t a substitute.
Do you install split systems outside Brisbane?
Yes. We cover Logan, Brisbane southside, Ipswich, Springfield Lakes and the northern Gold Coast. Our pages on air conditioning installation Brisbane and air conditioning installation Logan cover each area.
What size split system do I need?
It depends on the room, its insulation and how much sun it gets. Our guide to what size air conditioner you need has a room size chart, and we confirm the size on site before we install.
Our advice
Book an installer who holds both licences, or make sure a licensed electrician is booked for the circuit before the job starts. Ask for both licence numbers and check them, and keep the certificate of testing and compliance with your house papers.
Get a fixed price for your split system
Text us your suburb, the room and the size you’re after. Our automated quote assistant replies straight away, at any hour.
Text for a quote Call 07 4428 2766
Calls are answered Monday to Friday, 7am to 3:30pm. Or send the details online.
Prices current as of 5 October 2026 and include GST. Sources: Electrical Safety Office, “Don’t do your own electrical work”; WorkSafe Queensland, restricted licence scope of work and “Issuing certificates of compliance”; DCCEEW, “Refrigeration and airconditioning, consumers”; Australian Refrigeration Council, Fact Sheet 13. This article is general information for Queensland homes. It is not advice about your property.
Related guides
How to Prevent Air Conditioner Short Cycling
Air Conditioner Replacement Cost Brisbane: 7 Key Factors
Air Conditioner Zoning Guide for Queensland HomesAll guides: electrical and air conditioning guides.
Licensed electricians and ARCtick refrigeration technicians, Queensland Electrical Contractor Licence 90552 and ARCtick L181564. We install and service split systems and do the electrical across Logan, Brisbane southside, Ipswich and the northern Gold Coast.
About Faze | Call 07 4428 2766 | Text 0489 275 747