Updated November 2026·Independently researched·10 min read
Test and tag in Darwin runs $3.50–$9.50 per item
for a job of 1 to 50 items, as published by testers (most ex GST) - larger jobs, minimum charges, RCD and exit light tests below
A Mitchell Street bar with its glass washers, fridges, blenders and a microwave counts its items at $3.50–$9.50 each, $5.50 typical, and usually lands on the minimum site charge of $89–$250. A Winnellie hire yard with generators, pressure washers and reels in the hundreds is priced at $2.10–$4.95 per item instead.
+4.7%Test and Tag costs in Darwin are up around 4.7% over the past year, re-verified against 90+ sources in November 2026.Year on year
Typical per-item rate in Darwin, 1-50 items
$5.50
per item tested and tagged, Darwin 2026, as published
Test and tag, 1-50 items
$3.50-$9.50
Test and tag, 51-200 items
$3.20-$6
Test and tag, 200+ items
$2.10-$4.95
$3.50$5.50$9.50
Darwin test and tag quotes are built from a per-item rate that falls as the count rises: $3.50–$9.50 per item for 1 to 50 items, $3.20–$6 per item for 51 to 200 and $2.10–$4.95 per item for 200 or more, with a minimum site charge of $89–$250 that a Parap clinic or a Nightcliff shop pays when its count is short. Ask what number of items the minimum covers; that single figure decides whether the per-item rate ever applies to a small Darwin site.
Beyond the appliances, a Darwin quote lists the things that are tested differently. A fixed safety switch on the switchboard is $5–$20 per unit for the push-button and trip-time test, a portable one on a site reel $5.49–$12 per unit, emergency and exit lights $7–$20 per fitting, a microwave $5–$30 per unit and three-phase welders or pumps in a Berrimah workshop $4–$9.50 per item. Extension leads and power boards are their own items at $2–$8 each, and a Palmerston trade yard has a lot of them.
The remaining lines are the on-site fixes and the sites nobody has counted. A plug top replaced during the visit is $15–$55 per item, a fire extinguisher or blanket inspected on the same trip $10–$35 per unit, and an East Arm depot or a Casuarina campus with no register is quoted at an hourly rate of $60–$150 the first time. Travel to a Pinelands or East Arm site and after-hours access to a Casuarina Square tenancy belong on their own lines, not inside the per-item rate.
Quick answerTest and tag in Darwin runs $3.50–$9.50 per item for a job of 1 to 50 items in 2026, $3.20–$6 per item for 51 to 200 items and $2.10–$4.95 per item for 200 or more, with a minimum site charge of $89–$250 where the item count is small. Fixed RCD tests add $5–$20 per unit and emergency and exit light tests $7–$20 per fitting. Prices are as published by testers, most of them ex GST. Get free Darwin quotes →
Test and Tag Prices in Darwin 2026: Cost Table and Price List
Service
Low
Typical
High
Test and tag, 1-50 items
$3.50per item
$5.50
$9.50
Test and tag, 51-200 items
$3.20per item
$4.50
$6
Test and tag, 200+ items
$2.10per item
$3.50
$4.95
Minimum site charge or call-out
$89per visit
$125
$250
Fixed RCD test, push-button and trip time
$5per unit
$15
$20
Portable RCD test
$5.49per unit
$9.50
$12
Emergency and exit light test, six-monthly
$7per fitting
$12
$20
Microwave leakage test
$5per unit
$15
$30
Three-phase equipment test
$4per item
$8
$9.50
Fire extinguisher or fire blanket inspection, with a test-and-tag visit
$10per unit
$15
$35
Hourly rate, unknown item count or complex site
$60per hour
$90
$150
Extension lead or power board test
$2per item
$5
$8
Plug top replaced on site
$15per item
$25
$55
Scoping test and tag work in Darwin? Get a quote from a local commercial contractor - free, no obligation.
Prices are as published by testers, most of them ex GST. Darwin and Palmerston, November 2026.
What does test and tag cost per item in Darwin?$3.50–$9.50 per item for a small job of 1 to 50 items, $5.50 typical. The rate steps down with volume: $3.20–$6 per item for 51 to 200 items and $2.10–$4.95 per item for 200 or more, and most testers apply a minimum site charge of $89–$250.
What gets added to a Darwin test and tag quote?Fixed RCD push-button and trip-time tests at $5–$20 per unit, portable RCDs at $5.49–$12 per unit, emergency and exit lights at $7–$20 per fitting, microwave leakage tests at $5–$30 per unit, three-phase equipment at $4–$9.50 per item, and a plug top replaced on the spot at $15–$55 per item.
Worked Test and Tag Cost Scenarios — Darwin
Darwin examples priced from this page's rows: a Mitchell Street bar, a Parap medical suite and a Winnellie hire yard. Each line names the row it draws on; the quote you receive prices your own item count, travel and access.
Mitchell Street bar. A bar on Mitchell Street with glass washers, under-bench fridges, blenders, a microwave and the leads behind the stage comes in under the minimum site charge, so the visit is $89–$250, typically $125, with the microwave leakage test at $5–$30 per unit, the exit lights at $7–$20 per fitting, the fixed safety switches at $5–$20 per unit and the extinguishers behind the bar inspected at $10–$35 per unit, booked for a weekday morning before the doors open.
Parap medical suite. A medical suite in Parap counts its examination lamps, sterilisers, computers, printers, bar fridges and kitchen appliances into the 51 to 200 band at $3.20–$6 per item ($4.50 typical), with each power board under the reception desks at $2–$8 per item, the portable safety switch on the cleaner's gear at $5.49–$12 per unit, and one frayed lead's plug top replaced on the spot at $15–$55 per item so the equipment stays in service.
Winnellie hire yard. A hire yard in Winnellie with generators, pressure washers, chargers, reels and three-phase pumps runs well past 200 items and is priced at $2.10–$4.95 per item, typically $3.50, with the three-phase plant on its own line at $4–$9.50 per item and the yard quoted hourly at $60–$150 for the first pass because the register from the last owner never turned up.
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Prices are as published by testers, most of them ex GST. Darwin and Palmerston, November 2026.
Test and Tag Costs by Sector in Darwin
Darwin's test and tag work covers the offices of the CBD, Casuarina and Palmerston, the venues of Mitchell Street, the waterfront and Cullen Bay, the centres at Casuarina Square, Gateway Palmerston and the Darwin Waterfront, the strips at Smith Street Mall, Parap and Nightcliff, and the yards and workshops of Winnellie, Berrimah, East Arm and Pinelands.
Offices and clinics: the CBD, Casuarina, Palmerston - A floor of computers, monitors, printers and tearoom gear sits in the $3.20–$6 band, power boards are counted at $2–$8 per item, the exit and emergency lights at $7–$20 per fitting and the switchboard's safety switch at $5–$20 per unit, with an after-hours visit priced as a line rather than hidden in the rate.
Bars, restaurants and hotels: Mitchell Street, the waterfront, Cullen Bay - Venues pay the minimum site charge of $89–$250 where the kitchen count is short, a microwave leakage test at $5–$30 per unit and an extinguisher or blanket inspection at $10–$35 per unit on the same visit; a waterfront hotel with rooms of kettles, irons and hairdryers climbs into the $2.10–$4.95 band.
Yards and workshops: Winnellie, Berrimah, East Arm, Pinelands - Three-phase welders, pumps and compressors at $4–$9.50 per item, portable safety switches on the reels at $5.49–$12 per unit and plug tops replaced on the spot at $15–$55 each, with the hand tools and chargers counted into the $2.10–$4.95 per-item band once the yard passes 200 items.
Centres and strips: Casuarina Square, Gateway Palmerston, Smith Street Mall, Nightcliff - A single tenancy's tills, lighting and back-room appliances sit in the $3.50–$9.50 band or on the minimum charge, and a centre's trading hours push the visit to before opening or after close, which the quote should price in words rather than fold into the per-item rate.
Schools, childcare and remote depots: Palmerston, the rural area, East Arm - Spread-out sites with no register are quoted at $60–$150 per hour for the first visit, with travel to the site on its own line; the register left behind lets the next visit be priced per item at $3.20–$6 or $2.10–$4.95 depending on the count.
What a Compliant Test and Tag Quote Includes — Cost in Darwin
Before comparing Darwin quotes, check each one prices the same item count in the same band, says whether the minimum site charge covers a stated number of items, and lists RCDs, exit lights, microwaves and three-phase equipment on their own lines with the GST basis stated.
The per-item rate and the band it sits in - 1 to 50, 51 to 200 or 200 or more items - at $3.50–$9.50, $3.20–$6 or $2.10–$4.95 per item
The minimum site charge at $89–$250 and exactly how many items it covers before the per-item rate starts
Fixed RCD push-button and trip-time tests at $5–$20 per unit and portable RCDs at $5.49–$12 per unit, counted separately from appliances
Emergency and exit light tests at $7–$20 per fitting, with the six-monthly discharge test named
Microwave leakage tests at $5–$30 per unit and three-phase equipment at $4–$9.50 per item as their own lines
Fire extinguisher and fire blanket inspections at $10–$35 per unit where bundled with the visit, and who services them otherwise
Extension leads and power boards at $2–$8 per item, and the on-site repair basis - a plug top replaced at $15–$55 per item
The tester's competency - a nationally accredited portable appliance testing course or an electrical licence - and the register and report included
A single GST basis across every line, with the retest interval the quote assumes and the tester's ABN and insurance
Test and tag cost in Darwin: bars, clinics, yards and the trip out to them
Test and tag cost in Darwin is set by the item count first: $3.50–$9.50 per item for 1 to 50 items (typically $5.50), $3.20–$6 per item for 51 to 200 and $2.10–$4.95 per item for 200 or more, on top of a minimum site charge of $89–$250 that most small CBD and Nightcliff sites end up paying. The per-item line covers the inspection, the test, the tag and the register; a Casuarina office and a Berrimah workshop with the same count pay close to the same per-item figure.
The difference between those two quotes is in the other lines. Fixed safety switches at $5–$20 per unit and portable ones at $5.49–$12, emergency and exit lights at $7–$20 per fitting, microwaves at $5–$30 per unit, three-phase plant at $4–$9.50 per item and extension leads or power boards at $2–$8 each are all counted separately. A plug top replaced on site is $15–$55 per item, a fire extinguisher or blanket inspected while the tester is there $10–$35 per unit, and a Pinelands depot or an East Arm wharf shed with no count is priced at $60–$150 per hour plus the drive out, until its first register exists.
SafeWork SA reproduces the model Code of Practice interval table: equipment in factories, workshops, manufacturing, assembly, maintenance and fabrication is tested every 6 months, with a portable RCD push-button tested daily or before every use, a fixed RCD push-button every 6 months and RCD operating-time tests every 12 months; equipment that is flexed in normal use or sits in a hostile environment every 12 months; equipment that is not flexed, not open to abuse and not in a hostile environment every 5 years; residential-type areas such as hotels, motels, boarding houses, halls and hostels every 2 years; commercial cleaning equipment every 6 months; and hire equipment inspected before each hire and tested and tagged every 3 months. Only a competent person may inspect and test: someone who has completed a nationally accredited portable appliance testing course through a registered training organisation, or a licensed electrical worker. The standards it cites are AS/NZS 3760:2022, AS/NZS 3012:2010 for construction and demolition sites and AS/NZS 5762 after a repair. AS/NZS 3760:2022, In-service safety inspection and testing of electrical equipment and RCDs, was published on 29 June 2022 as a complete revision superseding AS/NZS 3760:2010, and Standards Australia describes its interval recommendations as based on equipment type, environment and usage; AS/NZS 2293.2:2019 is the routine service and maintenance part of the emergency lighting and exit sign standard. On a Darwin quote, ask the tester to state the course or licence they test under and to describe the register and report they will leave on site, since that register is what every later quote is priced from.
Test and tag cost by item count and site type in Darwin
Quick answerDarwin pricing steps by count: a Mitchell Street or Cullen Bay venue sits on the $89–$250 minimum charge, a CBD or Casuarina office floor in the $3.20–$6 band, and a Winnellie or Berrimah yard past 200 items at $2.10–$4.95 per item with three-phase plant added at $4–$9.50.
Count moves a Darwin price first. A Smith Street Mall shop with a till, a fridge and a few leads is priced at $3.50–$9.50 per item but pays the minimum site charge of $89–$250; a Palmerston office with every power board counted at $2–$8 per item reaches the 51 to 200 band at $3.20–$6; an East Arm depot or a waterfront hotel with rooms of appliances passes 200 items and steps down to $2.10–$4.95 per item.
Site type moves it second, and in Darwin so does distance. Workshops in Winnellie and Berrimah add three-phase equipment at $4–$9.50 per item, portable safety switches at $5.49–$12 per unit and plug tops replaced on the spot at $15–$55 each; offices in the CBD add exit lights at $7–$20 per fitting and the board's fixed safety switch at $5–$20; kitchens on Mitchell Street add a microwave at $5–$30 per unit and extinguishers at $10–$35 per unit; and a Pinelands or rural-area site with no register is quoted at $60–$150 per hour with the travel shown on its own line.
Frequently Asked Questions — Test and Tag Cost in Darwin
What is the price of test and tag in Darwin?
From our Darwin table: $3.50–$9.50 per item for 1 to 50 items (typically $5.50); $3.20–$6 per item for 51 to 200 items (typically $4.50); $2.10–$4.95 per item for 200 or more (typically $3.50); minimum site charge $89–$250.
How much does test and tag cost per item in Darwin?
A small job of 1 to 50 items costs $3.50–$9.50 per item in Darwin, with $5.50 typical, and the rate steps down to $3.20–$6 for 51 to 200 items and $2.10–$4.95 for 200 or more. A Berrimah workshop that counts its reels and power boards at $2–$8 per item often reaches the 51 to 200 band without noticing, so ask the Darwin tester to write the band on the quote, not just the per-item rate, and to show travel to a Pinelands or East Arm site as its own line.
What is the minimum charge for test and tag in Darwin?
Going by our Darwin table, the minimum site charge or call-out is $89–$250, typically $125, and it usually covers a stated number of items before the per-item rate applies. Mitchell Street, Cullen Bay and Nightcliff venues are the usual Darwin buyers at the minimum; ask whether the microwave at $5–$30 per unit and the extinguishers at $10–$35 per unit sit inside it or on top, and whether the drive from the CBD is included.
How much does RCD testing cost in Darwin?
A fixed RCD push-button and trip-time test is $5–$20 per unit on our Darwin table, with $15 typical, and a portable RCD test $5.49–$12 per unit; both are counted separately from the appliances plugged into them.
How often does equipment need to be tested and tagged in Darwin?
SafeWork SA reproduces the model Code of Practice interval table: equipment in factories, workshops, manufacturing, assembly, maintenance and fabrication is tested every 6 months, with a portable RCD push-button tested daily or before every use, a fixed RCD push-button every 6 months and RCD operating-time tests every 12 months; equipment that is flexed in normal use or sits in a hostile environment every 12 months; equipment that is not flexed, not open to abuse and not in a hostile environment every 5 years; residential-type areas such as hotels, motels, boarding houses, halls and hostels every 2 years; commercial cleaning equipment every 6 months; and hire equipment inspected before each hire and tested and tagged every 3 months. Only a competent person may inspect and test: someone who has completed a nationally accredited portable appliance testing course through a registered training organisation, or a licensed electrical worker. The standards it cites are AS/NZS 3760:2022, AS/NZS 3012:2010 for construction and demolition sites and AS/NZS 5762 after a repair. A Darwin tester should put the retest cycle the quote assumes for your type of site on the quote and in the register, because a Winnellie hire yard, a Casuarina office and a waterfront kitchen are not on the same one; without that register the next visit starts again at $60–$150 per hour.
Who is allowed to test and tag in Darwin?
AS/NZS 3760:2022, In-service safety inspection and testing of electrical equipment and RCDs, was published on 29 June 2022 as a complete revision superseding AS/NZS 3760:2010, and Standards Australia describes its interval recommendations as based on equipment type, environment and usage; AS/NZS 2293.2:2019 is the routine service and maintenance part of the emergency lighting and exit sign standard. On our Darwin table an hourly rate of $60–$150 applies where the item count is unknown or the site is complex, with $90 typical.
What do emergency and exit light tests cost in Darwin?
Emergency and exit light tests cost $7–$20 per fitting in Darwin on a six-monthly cycle, with $12 typical, and most testers quote them alongside the appliance visit. CBD office floors, Casuarina Square tenancies and the hotels along the waterfront are the usual Darwin buyers; ask for the fitting count the price is built on and whether a fitting that fails is reported or replaced on the day.
Does test and tag cover microwaves, three-phase equipment and fire extinguishers in Darwin?
A microwave leakage test is $5–$30 per unit, three-phase equipment $4–$9.50 per item and a fire extinguisher or fire blanket inspection bundled with the visit $10–$35 per unit on our Darwin table. Winnellie, Berrimah and East Arm yards carry the three-phase lines and Mitchell Street kitchens the microwaves; for a venue with one or two extinguishers, the bundled inspection at $10–$35 per unit avoids a separate fire contractor driving out for two units.
What does a failed item cost to fix during a Darwin test and tag visit?
A plug top replaced on site costs $15–$55 per item on our Darwin table, with $25 typical, and an extension lead or power board test $2–$8 per item. AS/NZS 3760:2022, In-service safety inspection and testing of electrical equipment and RCDs, was published on 29 June 2022 as a complete revision superseding AS/NZS 3760:2010, and Standards Australia describes its interval recommendations as based on equipment type, environment and usage; AS/NZS 2293.2:2019 is the routine service and maintenance part of the emergency lighting and exit sign standard. Before a Darwin tester starts, agree whether a failed item is repaired at $15–$55 per item, retested at the per-item rate or tagged out, and ask for the failed items to be listed in the report with the reason.