When it comes to testing and tagging and portable appliance testers in New Zealand, it can be quite overwhelming to know where to start. Short answer: buy a PAT tester if you will test often and have a competent person on staff. Hire one for an occasional job. Outsource to a test and tag service if you want it done, recorded and tagged without owning the kit or the know-how. Let’s break it down.
Which option fits you?
| Your situation | Best option | Why |
| One annual round, no one trained to test | Outsource | You get the testing, tags and records without owning kit or learning the standard |
| Several sites or a large item count | Outsource | Per-item rates drop as numbers go up, and you avoid tying up staff |
| A one-off job, or a few rounds a year, with a competent person on staff | Hire | You get a calibration-checked tester without buying or calibrating one |
| Frequent testing, such as 3 or 6-month cycles, with a trained person | Buy | Cost per test falls the more you use it, so the return on investment is there |
| You test for others as a business or third-party provider | Buy | You need your own gear, calibration plan and records system for record keeping and audits |
| Hire companies, building and construction | Outsource or buy | Short 3-month cycles add up fast, so do the sum below. Think about 3-phase testing as well |
Not sure? Call us on 0800 638 768 and we’ll talk it through, even if the answer is that you don’t need us.
Below is a very rough price gauge of what you may expect to pay. At the lower end, you are looking at cheaper options, at the cost of capabilities such as printing, higher earth current testing, PRCD testing or 3-phase testing.
| Cost | Amount |
| Portable appliance tester | $900 to $8,000 + GST |
| 3-phase testing | $3,000 to $6,000 + GST |
| Calibration checks | $90 to $390 + GST |
| Freight to and from calibration | $25 to $45 + GST |
On top of that you need tags or labels, a printer if you want printed tags, a records system, and a competent person’s time. Testers are normally calibrated annually. Again, these are really rough prices to give you a ballpark figure, and you will find many options online. However, just because it’s expensive doesn’t mean it will have all the features you want or be user-friendly.
Hiring a PAT tester
| Tester | 5 days | 10 days |
| EasiPAT 10 | $200 + GST | $350 + GST |
| EasiPAT 10 Pro Kit, single phase | $400 + GST | $750 + GST |
| EasiPAT 10 Pro Kit, 3 phase | $500 + GST | $900 + GST |
Every PAT tester hire unit is calibration-checked before it goes out, so you aren’t carrying calibration costs or risk and normally comes with tags to get you started. Note: if hiring a portable appliance tester, the person doing the testing does need to be deemed competent to test and tag portable appliances.
Outsourcing to a test and tag service
Our on-site service in Christchurch is quoted per item, with rates that fall as your item count rises. Every quote covers inspection, testing to AS/NZS 3760:2022, printed colour-coded tags with unique IDs and QR codes, test values on the tag, failed item labelling and a full digital report. Regular annual or biannual contracts lock in better rates. We don’t publish a price list because it depends on item count, equipment type and site, so contact us for a fixed quote.
The break-even sum
Add the tester’s price to a year of calibration, then divide by the cost of a hire. For example, a mid-range tester at $2,000 + GST with a yearly calibration of $290 + GST costs about $2290 + GST in year one, before tags, freight and time. That is the price of about 13 five-day EasiPAT 10 hires at $200 + GST.
After year one, calibration alone is about $290 + GST a year, or roughly one five-day hire. If you test once or twice a year, hiring costs less. If you run 3- or 6-month cycles with a trained person, owning starts to win. Outsourcing wins when you value your staff’s time more than the per-item rate.
What people forget before they buy or hire
The tester is the easy part. These are the costs people discover later.
- A competent person. AS/NZS 3760:2022 requires the person to be deemed competent to test and tag. You don’t need to be an electrician, but you do need to be competent through test and tag training or practical experience. If you have been deemed competent but need help with using a new portable appliance tester, our Tester Support Session could be of benefit to you.
- In NZ, a register is mandatory, and records are kept for 7 years. Outsourcing hands you a digital report. Owning means you build and protect the register yourself.
- Failed items. Someone has to tag it out, label the reason, and manage lockout. We provide a DANGER tag with the reason and a secondary label on every fail.
- A tester that isn’t verified can’t prove its results. Testers are normally calibrated annually, and our hire units are checked before they go out.
- The right tester. A cheap tester that only runs a 200mA earth check may not be enough. Look for 10A earth bond testing and, if you need them, PRCD testing, 3-phase testing and tag printing.
- Inspecting, testing, tagging and recording a site takes hours your team could spend on their own work.
Buy, hire or outsource FAQ
Is it cheaper to buy a PAT tester or pay for test and tag? It depends on how often you test. Owning means the tester price plus calibration every year, tags and your time. A mid-range tester costs about $2000 + GST in year one. If you test once or twice a year, hiring or outsourcing usually costs less.
How much does it cost to hire a PAT tester in NZ? From $200 + GST for 5 days, or $350 + GST for 10 days, for an EasiPAT 10. EasiPAT 10 Pro Kits run from $400 + GST. It may pay to check with other providers as well for pricing.
Can anyone test and tag in NZ? The standard requires a competent person, someone with the practical and theoretical skills gained through training, qualification, experience or a mix. It doesn’t require an electrical qualification.
Do I get records if I outsource? Yes. We provide a digital report with unique IDs, numerical test values, retest dates, and documented failures.
Can I hire a tester and tag the gear myself? Yes, if you have a competent person, tags, and a way to keep records.
What if I’m still not sure? Tell us your item count and equipment types, and we’ll say which option costs you least.
Get a quote, or hire a tester
Want it done for you? Call 0800 638 768 to book an on-site test and tag for a fixed quote. Prefer to do it yourself? Hire an EasiPAT 10 from $200 + GST for 5 days, or shop our EasiPAT 10 range online.
Safe testing everyone!
