Mistakes, Disputes and Official Sources
How to check a builder's licence in Australia before you sign
Step-by-step licence and registration checks for builders and trades in NSW, Victoria, Queensland and other states, what the register tells you and the red flags to look for.
Check a builder's licence on the official state register, not on a business card or website. Search by licence number and by name, and confirm three things: the licence is current, it is held in the name of the person or company that will sign your contract, and its class covers the work you are paying for. In NSW use the Service NSW licence check, in Victoria the Building and Plumbing Commission's practitioner search, and in Queensland the QBCC licensee register. Check specialist trades too: plumbing, gasfitting and electrical work need licensed trades in every state, regardless of value.
This guide is part of mistakes, disputes and official sources.
When a licence or registration is required
| State | Threshold for builders (overview) | Trades licensed at any value (examples) |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | Residential building work over $5,000 including GST needs a contractor licence | Plumbing, drainage, gasfitting, electrical wiring, air-conditioning and refrigeration |
| Victoria | Registration to enter a major domestic building contract (most work over $10,000) | Plumbing and gasfitting (Commission), electrical (Energy Safe Victoria) |
| Queensland | QBCC licence for building work over $3,300 (over $1,100 for hydraulic services design) | Plumbing, drainage, gasfitting, chemical termite management, fire protection, building design, site classification, mechanical services |
Other states and territories have their own thresholds. Check the regulator listed in renovation rules by state.
Step-by-step check
- Get the details in writing. Ask for the licence or registration number, the full legal name of the contracting entity and its ABN.
- Search the register. Use the number and the name. If the contract will be with a company, the company must hold the licence or registration; a director's personal licence may not be enough.
- Check the class. A licence for carpentry does not allow a builder to contract for a whole bathroom with waterproofing and tiling unless the class covers it. Registers show classes and any conditions.
- Check status and history. Look for suspensions, cancellations, conditions and, where published, disciplinary action.
- Check insurance. Confirm that home warranty or domestic building insurance will be issued for your job if it is above the threshold. See home warranty insurance by state.
- Check the ABN on the Australian Business Register, including GST registration.
- Match everything. The names and numbers on the quote, contract, register, ABN and insurance certificate should line up.
What the register can and cannot tell you
| The register shows | It does not show |
|---|---|
| Whether the licence is current | Whether the builder is good value |
| Licence class and conditions | Whether the builder is busy or financially stable |
| Licensee name (person or company) | Quality of finished work |
| Some disciplinary history | Disputes that never reached the regulator |
For quality, look at recent completed jobs from the street, ask how the builder handles defects and variations, and read the contract carefully.
Red flags
- The licence number belongs to someone else, or the name does not match the contracting entity.
- The builder offers to "use a mate's licence" or to have you sign as an owner-builder so they do not need one.
- The class on the register is narrower than the work quoted.
- The builder avoids giving a number, or the number does not appear on the register.
- Insurance "isn't needed" on a job clearly above the threshold.
Subcontractors and trades
Your builder engages most trades as subcontractors. You are not usually required to check each one, but you should know that plumbers and electricians are licensed and that they provide compliance certificates for their work, usually lodged with the state regulator. If you hire a trade directly, for example an electrician for a switchboard upgrade, check their licence yourself.
Worked example (illustrative)
You receive a $38,000 quote for a bathroom in NSW from a company we will call Company A, listing licence number 123456C. On the Service NSW register, licence 123456C belongs to an individual, not the company, and its class is "carpentry". This does not match: the contract would be with a company, and the class may not cover the whole bathroom. Ask the company for its own contractor licence number and class. If it cannot provide one that covers the work, do not sign. (Names and numbers in this example are invented for illustration.)
FAQ
Is an ABN the same as a licence?
No. An ABN identifies a business for tax purposes. It says nothing about whether the business may do building work.
Do kitchen and bathroom companies need a licence?
If they contract for residential building work above the threshold, yes, in the same way as any builder.
What if the builder's licence expires during the job?
Raise it with the builder and the regulator. It can affect insurance and your contract.
Can I check a licence by phone?
Most regulators provide phone enquiry lines as well as online registers.
Sources
- Service NSW — check a builder or tradesperson licence in NSW
- Building and Plumbing Commission (Victoria) — find a registered practitioner
- Queensland Building and Construction Commission — licensee register and who needs a licence
- Energy Safe Victoria — electrical licensing in Victoria
- Australian Business Register — ABN and GST lookup
