CERTLOC Certification for Utility Locators in Australia

Before booking a utility investigation, identify who will carry out the work and which assets they may need to access. A training record, an individual certification and an organisation’s network access arrangement answer different questions. Check each against the proposed task.

NULCA training and CERTLOC assessment are separate

NULCA Australia is an industry association representing utility locating and related services. Its underground asset location training can help develop relevant skills. NULCA explicitly states that completing the course does not automatically make someone a Certified Locator.

CERTLOC’s certification route includes candidate preparation, self-assessment, a theory assessment and a practical assessment. Use its current candidate information when checking entry requirements. Do not infer that every certified locator must have attended one named provider’s course.

Ask for the training and practical experience relevant to your scope. A person conducting electromagnetic locating, a GPR operator and a person surveying observations may need different skills. Confirm which people will perform each part of the work rather than relying on a general company statement.

Check current certification and access conditions

CERTLOC states that successful candidates receive certification valid for two years. Its renewal guidance describes the requirements for maintaining status. Request current certification details and check the expiry and the identity of the person assigned to the work.

Individual certification and Certified Locating Organisation (CLO) status are different. CERTLOC states that Certified Locators employed by a CLO can access Telstra network assets under that arrangement. An individual card alone should not be treated as blanket permission to open pits or access every owner’s infrastructure.

Confirm the relevant owner’s current access conditions, the organisation’s applicable status, and site permissions before access. Where a task also needs electrical, confined-space or other specialist controls, establish who is competent and authorised to perform it. A locating credential does not replace those controls.

AS5488 describes utility information

AS5488 concerns subsurface utility information and its classification. A quality-level label and a personnel credential serve different purposes. A certified person can still report an unresolved service, limited access or an area that was not investigated.

Ask the investigator to explain the evidence behind each reported position and the limitations that affect its use. An exposed and surveyed point does not prove the whole route between observations. A detection-derived depth is not the same evidence as measuring an exposed asset.

Our AS5488 quality-level guide discusses the information categories. Agree the required deliverable and project reference system before field work, using the applicable standard and client specifications.

Plans remain an input to investigation

BYDA’s duty-of-care guidance explains that asset-owner plans indicate infrastructure presence rather than its exact location. Review all responses and owner instructions, and check for private-service information with the site owner. A plan response is not certification of the locator, their equipment or the work area.

For practical service scope, see our utility locating services and Melbourne utility locating pages.

A useful pre-engagement check

Before agreeing the work, ask for:

• The names and responsibilities of the personnel assigned to locating, interpretation and survey.
• Relevant training records and current certification where required for those tasks.
• The asset-owner access arrangements and site permissions needed for the work.
• The area and assets to be investigated, access constraints and any exclusions.
• The proposed methods, required outputs and how uncertainty will be recorded.
• A process for reporting unresolved findings and agreeing further investigation.

An equipment list required for a certification assessment is not a guarantee that every instrument suits every site. Ask why the proposed methods are appropriate for the material, access and conditions at your project.

When more evidence is needed

If records and field results disagree, keep that question visible in the report. Further locating, owner direction or non-destructive digging at selected points may be required. The responsible project team must determine the next step and the controls for the proposed activity.

Contact HR Utilities with the work area, asset information and required outputs to discuss investigation scope and the credentials relevant to your project. Confirm the assigned personnel’s current credentials and permissions before engagement.

Credential questions

The questions below are general checks; confirm current requirements with the scheme and asset owner before engagement.

What is CERTLOC certification?

CERTLOC independently assesses locating competence through theory and practical assessments. Successful candidates receive certification valid for two years. Check the current certificate and the requirements for the proposed work.

Does completing NULCA training make someone a Certified Locator?

No. NULCA states that completing its underground asset location course does not automatically make a person a Certified Locator. CERTLOC certification is a separate assessment process.

Must every locator have completed a NULCA course?

Do not assume a particular course is a universal prerequisite. CERTLOC publishes its own candidate requirements and assessment route. Check the current program information and the training and competencies needed for your project.

How long does CERTLOC certification last?

CERTLOC states that successful candidates receive certification valid for two years. Renewal has separate requirements. Check the current certificate, expiry and renewal status before the work.

Does a Certified Locator card authorise access to every network?

No. Access depends on the asset owner and the work. CERTLOC states that access to Telstra assets is through Certified Locators employed by a Certified Locating Organisation. Confirm the current owner conditions and site permissions separately.

Does certification guarantee that every utility will be found?

No. A credential records an assessed competency; it is not proof of every buried asset or a clearance to excavate. Review the investigation extent, methods, evidence and unresolved areas as well as personnel credentials.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CERTLOC certification? +

CERTLOC independently assesses locating competence through theory and practical assessments. Successful candidates receive certification valid for two years. Check the current certificate and the requirements for the proposed work.

Does completing NULCA training make someone a Certified Locator? +

No. NULCA states that completing its underground asset location course does not automatically make a person a Certified Locator. CERTLOC certification is a separate assessment process.

Must every locator have completed a NULCA course? +

Do not assume a particular course is a universal prerequisite. CERTLOC publishes its own candidate requirements and assessment route. Check the current program information and the training and competencies needed for your project.

How long does CERTLOC certification last? +

CERTLOC states that successful candidates receive certification valid for two years. Renewal has separate requirements. Check the current certificate, expiry and renewal status before the work.

Does a Certified Locator card authorise access to every network? +

No. Access depends on the asset owner and the work. CERTLOC states that access to Telstra assets is through Certified Locators employed by a Certified Locating Organisation. Confirm the current owner conditions and site permissions separately.

Does certification guarantee that every utility will be found? +

No. A credential records an assessed competency; it is not proof of every buried asset or a clearance to excavate. Review the investigation extent, methods, evidence and unresolved areas as well as personnel credentials.