Which edition of AS/NZS 3003 applies to my room?

The edition in force when the room was wired. AS/NZS 3003:2018 was published on 26 March 2018 and reissued with Amendment 1 in July 2019; it replaced the 2011 edition, which replaced the 2003 and 1999 editions before it. A room signed off under the 2011 edition stays compliant with the 2011 edition: the standard is not retrospective, and nothing forces an older room to be rebuilt because a new edition came out. Melbourne inspectors apply the 2011 edition to work that started before 26 March 2018.

The current edition applies the moment the room is altered. Any alteration, addition or repair is done to the 2018 edition, an area never signed as a patient area is brought up to it before alterations, fixed equipment of 2.0 kW or more brings the whole area up to it, and adding more than 10% to the outlet count brings every outlet to the current colour coding.

New Zealand has fixed dates: the 2018 edition with Amendment 1 could be used for new work from 13 November 2025 and must be used from 12 November 2026. Older guides and some contractor websites still quote 2011 clause numbers, which is why numbers do not always match. This site uses the 2018 edition throughout.