Get a Builder's Licence

Builder’s Licence

In NSW the license category you need is a Builder’s Licence. You can get a Builder’s Licence with 2 years on job experience plus the relevant technical qualifications.

Experience

To apply for your NSW Builder’s Licence you must show at least 2 years of 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), or 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.

Building Contractor Residential Licence

In the Northern Territory, the licence category you need is a Building Contractor Residential Licence.

Experience

You will need a minimum 3 years of practical experience in carrying out relevant building work.

Technical qualifications

To be eligible for this registration as an individual you must:

• hold a Certificate IV in Building and Construction or equivalent;
• provide a resume and project list detailing three years of practical experience in carrying out relevant building work;
• have at least three written references from registered building practitioners who can verify your experience;
• be a fit and proper person to hold the registration; and
• provide a Net Assets Certificate from your accountant showing you have net tangible assets of at least $50,000.

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 for new business ventures; or

BSBSMB401 Establish legal and risk management requirements for small businesses.

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 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.

Domestic Builder (unlimited) Registration

In Victoria, the licence category you need is a Domestic Builder (unlimited) Registration. You can get a Domestic Builder Registration with 3 years of practical experience to the satisfaction of the Victorian Building Authority.

ATR offers our Victorian members a comprehensive assistance program called Builder Registration Mentoring Workshops. These provide you with the information and knowledge you need to successfully apply for your Domestic Builder Registration.

Technical qualifications

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.

In practice, many applicants for builder registration have a CPC40110 Certificate IV in Building and Construction (Building) and demonstrate by exams and assessments that they have the equivalent skills and experience to the prescribed qualifications. It is for this reason that many potential builders undertake the CPC40110 Certificate IV in Building and Construction (Building) course and do not necessarily obtain a degree or diploma.

The prescribed qualifications listed in the Building Regulations 2018 (Regulations) for the DB-U class are:

• the successful completion of:
  • a Bachelor of Construction Management and Economics from Holmesglen Institute; or
  • a Bachelor of Construction Management (Honours) from Deakin University; or
  • a Diploma of Building and Construction (Building) (CPC50210) from an RTO; and
• at least 3 years of practical experience.

Building Practitioner Registration

In Western Australia, the licence category you need is a Building Practitioner Registration.

Experience

You are eligible to apply for registration as a builder if you have completed the Board’s prescribed course of training and accumulated at least 7 years of practical experience in the work of a builder, or as a supervisor of building work.

The Board may want to interview you to verify your claimed experience and, under some categories of registration, want you to do written assessments showing your competency in the areas of building construction, quantities/estimating, financial, contractual, and legislative aspects of building.

Technical qualifications

As well as 7 years practical experience in the construction industry you will need to have the following qualifications:

• C50210 Diploma of Building and Construction (Building) as described in the CPC08
• Construction, Plumbing, and Services Training Package published by training.gov.au including the following units:
• CPCCBC4005A
• CPCCBC4018A
• CPCCBC5005A
• CPCCBC5007A
• CPCSUS5001A
• CPCCBC4014A
• CPCCOHS1001A