If you want to work as a builder or tradesperson in Australia, you must have a licence or be registered (depending on your state or territory). You will need to gain a combination of experience, technical qualifications, skills, and knowledge before applying for your licence or registration.
The first step in this process is to complete the necessary training in your state or territory. In some states, you may also be required to attend ongoing training workshops in order to keep your licence or registration.
Builder’s Licence – A, B, C and D
In the ACT, the builder licence is classified into A, B, C and D. You must hold a relevant qualification, pass the written examination, and documented 2 years’ full time building work experience before receiving a builder’s licence (A, B or C). Class D requires 3 years’ of work experience without holding a qualification and undertaking the examination.
Experience
Class A, B and C requires 2 years’ of documented full time building work experience where 1 year full time experience was undertaken after the date the qualification was issued.
Class D requires 3 years’ of documented full time building work experience.
Technical qualification
Class A builder (Unlimited) requires a tertiary qualification in building that the Australian Qualifications Framework Advisory has determined is a Bachelor degree, Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, Masters Degree, or Doctoral Degree in Building (‘tertiary qualification in building’).
Class B builder (Medium Rise) requires, one of the following:
a) Diploma of Building and Construction (Building) with a course code of CPC50210, CPC50208 or BCG50206; or
b) a tertiary qualification in building.
Class C builder (Low rise / Residential up to 2 storeys) requires, one of the following:
a) Certificate IV in Building and Construction (Building) with a course code of CPC40110, CPC40108, or BCG40106; or
b) Diploma Building and Construction (Building) with a course code of CPC50210, CPC50208 or BCG50206; or
c) a tertiary qualification in building.
Class D builder (non-structural work) does not require a formal qualification.
Examination
Class A, B and C requires you to pass a written examination set by the Construction Occupations Registrar before your builder licence is issued. You may make two attempts before your licence is refused.
Class D is exempted from examination.
Contact Details
ACT Planning and Land Authority
Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate
GPO Box 158
Canberra City ACT, 2601
Telephone: +61 480 299 413
Email: info@skill-bit.com
Builder’s Licence
In NSW the licence category you need is a Builder’s Licence. You can get a Builder’s Licence with 2 years’ on the job experience plus the relevant technical qualifications.
Experience
To apply for your NSW Builder’s Licence you must show at least 2 years’ relevant industry experience (obtained within the last 10 years) across a wide range of building construction work.
“Experience” means that you gained the relevant experience as:
- an employee of; or
- a holder of a supervisor of certificate and as a nominated supervisor for the contractor licence held by; or
- a holder of an endorsed contractor licence contractor to; or
- a holder of supervisor certificate in the capacity of a nominated supervisor for a contractor licence held by an individual, partnership or corporation contracted to; or
- a holder of a supervisor certificate in the category of full general building work or an endorsed contractor licence in the category of full general building work, held continuously for a minimum period of 2 years within 10 years from the date the application is made; or
- a person engaged by the holder of a contractor licence authorising the holder to do the class of residential building work in which the experience was gained (‘the Work’), where during the relevant period, you were supervised and directed in the doing of the Work by the holder of an endorsed contractor licence or supervisor certificate authorising its holder to supervise the Work; and
- financially remunerated for the Work.
Technical Qualification
In addition to 2 years’ relevant industry experience in the construction industry you must have at least one of the following qualifications:
1. Certificate IV in Building and Construction
a) (BCG40106 or CPC40108 Building or CPC40110 Building); or
b) (BCG40206 or CPC40208 Contract Administration); or
c) (BCG40306 or CPC40308 Estimating); or
d) (BCG40506 or CPC40508 Site Management),
AND, including all the ‘listed units of competency’:
a) BCGBC4001A or CPCCBC4001A;
b) BCGBC4002A or CPCCBC4002A;
c) BCGBC4003A or CPCCBC4003A;
d) BCGBC4004A or CPCCBC4004A;
e) BCGBC4005A or CPCCBC4005A;
f) BCGBC4006A or CPCCBC4006A or CPCCBC4006B;
g) BCGBC4007A or CPCCBC4007A;
h) BCGBC4008A or CPCCBC4008A or CPCCBC4008B;
i) BCGBC4009A or CPCCBC4009A or CPCCBC4009B;
j) BCGBC4010A or CPCCBC4010A or CPCCBC4010B;
k) BCGBC4011A or CPCCBC4011A or CPCCBC4011B;
l) BSBSBM406A or BSBSMB406A or BSBSMB406;
m) BCGBC4012A or CPCCBC4012A or CPCCBC4012B;
n) BCGBC4018A or CPCCBC4018A; and
o) BCGBC4024A or CPCCBC4024A,
AND, one of the following:
A current Carpentry or Bricklaying contractor licence or supervisor certificate, or an approved qualification that would allow the issue of such a licence (for details of approved qualifications, see Carpentry or Bricklaying); or
Diploma of Building and Construction (Building) BCG50206 or CPC50208 or CPC50210. For CPC50210, you must complete units of competency for CPCCBC5004A, CPCCBC5005A, CPCCBC5007A or CPCCBC5007B, and CPCCBC5009A.
2. Degree in Building, Construction, Construction Management, Construction Economics, Applied Science (Building), or Quantity Surveying – from an Australian University. You are required to undertake the equivalent of 4 years’ full time study and a mandatory work placement.
3. Bachelor of Housing from an Australian University or a Degree in Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Architecture, Housing, Construction, Construction Management, Construction Economics, Applied Science (Building), Quantity Surveying from an Australian University.
AND
Certificate IV in Building and Construction
a) (BCG40106 or CPC4010 or CPC40110 Building); or
b) (BCG40206 or CPC40208 Contract Administration); or
c) (BCG40306 or CPC40308 Estimating); or
d) (BCG40506 or CPC40508 Site Management) –
AND, including all the ‘listed units of competency’ above.
4. If you have previously held a licence in the prescribed class of ‘building’ (Clause 46 of Home Building Regulation 2004) and you apply for a new licence within 5 years of the former licence’s expiry, your previous licence will be considered in lieu of the current qualification requirements. Read for more information.
Contact details
SkillBit Education
Email: info@skill-bit.com
Phone: +61 480 299 413
Building Works Supervisor Registration
In South Australia the licence category you need is a Building Works Supervisor Registration.
Experience
You will need to provide a detailed work history of practical experience at the level of registration the applicant is applying for.
Technical qualifications
Applicants for building work contractor licences that include one or more of the following standard conditions will be required to undertake additional study:
Any building work
Additions
Additions limited to residential National Construction Code Class 1 and 10
Alterations
Alterations and renovations
Residential building work limited to National Construction Code Class 1 and 10
Transportable building construction and installation.
An applicant must show their successful completion of six of the following units of competency issued by a Registered Training Organisation:
1. BSBESB407 Manage finances for new business ventures; or
BSBSMB421 Manage small business finances; or
BSBESB403 Plan finances for new business ventures; or
BSBSMB402 Plan small business finances; or
BSBESB401 Research and develop business plans; or
BSBSMB404 Undertake small business planning.
and
2. CPCCBC4009 Apply legal requirements to building and construction projects; or
CPCCBC4009B Apply legal requirements to building and construction projects; or
BSBESB402 Establish legal and risk management requirements of new business ventures; or
BSBSMB401 Establish legal and risk management requirements of small business.
and
3. CPCCBC4007 Plan building and construction work; or
CPCCBC4007A Plan building or construction work.
4. CPCCBC4004 Identify and produce estimated costs for building and construction projects; or
CPCCBC4004A Identify and produce estimated costs for building and construction projects.
5. CPCCBC4003A Select and prepare a construction contract.
6. CPCCBC4024 Resolve business disputes; or
CPCCBC4024A Resolve Business Disputes.
If the builder currently holds a building work contractor licence or plumbing, gas fitting or electrical contractor licence and has successfully completed the following units of competency, they only need to show they have completed four of the following units of competency:
1. CPCCBC4007 Plan building and construction work; or
CPCCBC4007A Plan building or construction work.
2. CPCCBC4004 Identify and produce estimated costs for building and construction projects; or
CPCCBC4004A Identify and produce estimated costs for building and construction projects.
3. CPCCBC4003A Select and prepare a construction contract.
4. CPCCBC4024 Resolve business disputes; or
CPCCBC4024A Resolve Business Disputes.
Contact Details
South Australia Consumer and Business Services
Phone: +61 480 299 413
Email: info@skill-bit.com
Domestic Builder Registration
In Victoria a building licence for residential builders is called Domestic Builder Registration. To build a complete home or carry out significant residential building work you need a Domestic Builder (Unlimited) Registration. To carry out a single trade and work for consumers you usually need a Domestic Builder (Limited) Registration. A Domestic Builder (Limited) Registration may also be used by builders who install kitchens, bathrooms and laundries or build non-habitable structures such as sheds.
Experience
To be registered as a Domestic Builder in Victoria you need to prove that you have sufficient practical experience within the seven years before applying for registration to the satisfaction of the VBA. An applicant for registration as a Domestic Builder (Unlimited) needs to prove they have at least 3 years practical experience and an applicant for registration as a Domestic Builder (Limited) needs to prove at least 2 years practical experience. This practical experience usually needs to be well-rounded and include experience with quotes and contracts, obtaining building approvals, engaging workers, resolving problems, and having work completed and handed over.
Qualifications
There is often confusion about the rules for getting Domestic Builder Registration in Victoria. When applying for builder registration in Victoria it is important to understand that while there are prescribed qualifications an applicant may show they have equivalent skills and qualifications without necessarily having the exact prescribed qualifications. Also, a qualification, even a degree or diploma, is not by itself sufficient to obtain registration.
In practice, many applicants for builder registration, including as a Domestic Builder (Unlimited), have a CPC40120 Certificate IV in Building and Construction and demonstrate to the VBA by exams and assessments that they have the equivalent skills and experience to the prescribed qualifications. It for this reason that many potential builders seeking registration undertake the CPC40120 Certificate IV in Building and Constructioncourse and do not necessarily obtain a degree of diploma that at first glance seems to be required to be registered as a Domestic Builder (Unlimited).
Contact Details
The regulator in Victoria that registers builders is the Victorian Building Authority (VBA). Its website has more information about the requirements for registration.
Email: info@skill-bit.com