Building licences (general building work)

When you need a licence or certificate to do general building work, including eligibility requirements, and how to apply.

On this page

Key information

• In NSW, you need a licence or certificate to do any residential building work valued at more than $5000 in labour and materials (including GST).
• There are different types of licences available depending on the work you need to do.
• You must have the right qualifications and experience before you can apply for a licence or certificate.
• You can apply for a 1, 3 or 5 year licence or certificate.

When you need a building licence

You must have a building licence before you can do any residential building work in NSW that is valued at more than $5000 in labour and materials (including GST).

A general builder can do any work that is residential building work.

What is residential building work?

Residential building work means any work involved in constructing a dwelling, or altering or adding to a dwelling. It also includes repairing, renovating, decorating, or applying protective treatment to a dwelling.

A dwelling is a building or part of a building for people to live in, such as a house, terrace, townhouse, duplex or flat.

To learn more about what is considered residential building work, what is a dwelling, and what is excluded from the definition of residential building work, see schedule 1 of the Home Building Act 1989.

Work that you need to have a building licence for includes (but is not limited) to:

• constructing or erecting a garage, carport or shed (including kits)
• bathroom, kitchen or laundry renovations
• swimming pool building and structural landscaping
• screened, glass or pool enclosures
• atriums and conservatories
• house lifting (eg permanently raising the height of an existing structure)
• removing and resitting dwellings
• saunas and steam rooms.

Contracts for general building work can include any specialist work that needs to be done as part of the overall job, and any specialist work can be appropriately subcontracted.

However, this work must be carried out by the holder of an endorsed contractor licence or qualified supervisor certificate in that specialist category.

Licence types

There are different types of licences available in NSW depending on whether you want to contract for another party, supervise work, do the work, or a combination of these roles.

Contractor licence

A contractor licence allows you to contract and advertise to do work. You can only do the types of work described on your licence card. Contractor licences can be issued to individuals and to companies and partnerships.

You can apply for a 1, 3 or 5 year licence.

Qualified supervisor certificate

A qualified supervisor certificate allows you to supervise and do the work described on your certificate. Qualified supervisor certificates are only issued to individuals. A qualified supervisor certificate does not allow you to contract for work.

You can apply to have a Qualified Supervisor Certificate issued for 1, 3 or 5 years.

Endorsed contractor licence

An endorsed contractor licence is issued to individuals who apply for a contractor licence and who also have the qualifications and experience needed to be a qualified supervisor. Endorsed contractor licence cards have ‘contractor licence (Q)’ printed on them to show they are also equivalent to a Qualified Supervisor Certificate.

Qualifications and experience needed

The qualifications and experience you need for a licence or certificate are listed below.

To find organisations that deliver nationally recognised training go to training.gov.au and search for the course code or name.

If you hold a licence from interstate or New Zealand, and want to work in NSW, see working interstate and mutual recognition.

Practical experience requirements

When Fair Trading assesses your experience, we will look to see if you have the ability or capacity to competently supervise the construction of residential building work on site in line with the Building Code of Australia. This includes dealing effectively with sub-contractors, consumers and others.

When calculating if you have the equivalent of two years’ site based full-time work experience, we will be checking that:

• you have done work on sites under the supervision of a fully licensed builder,
• you have worked on the majority of the sites within 10 years of lodging your application,
• if you worked on two or more sites at the same time, we will count them as one period of time only when we are calculating your equivalent full-time work experience.

We will assess individual sites and see if the work you performed is relevant and meets our requirements.

What to include in your application

You should include complete information about your relevant industry experience in a wide range of building construction work. This includes referring to as many job sites and using as many referee’s statements and residential building experience forms as you need to give us full information.

You should show you have experience across all stages of construction, and in a wide range of work, to satisfy us that you have the capacity to do, coordinate and supervise general building work in the construction of a residential dwelling. Trade work often done during building construction includes but is not limited to things such as carpentry, brick laying and plastering. If you only have experience in one kind of work, your experience is not enough to apply for a full building licence.

Note: If you fail to show you have relevant site-based experience in a wide range of building construction work, we cannot approve your application.

Experience as an Owner Builder, or as the holder of an Owner Builder Permit, is not acceptable to meet the practical experience requirements to get a licence or certificate as a builder.

Your referee/s must have held a qualified supervisor certificate or individual contractor licence (Q) in the category of general building work issued by Fair Trading during the time you gained your experience.

Assessing your experience

‘Experience’ means you have done the work that matches any of the four options below.

Option

Type of experience

You meet this description

You are an employee

You are employed by a building contractor

You are a subcontractor

You hold an endorsed contractor licence and have contracted to a building contractor.

You are the holder of a qualified supervisor certificate and working as a nominated supervisor

The contractor licence you are nominated for includes the category of full general building. There is also another nominated supervisor to cover the category of building.

The contractor licence you are nominated supervisor for has been subcontracting to a general building contractor.

For all options 1-4:

• the building contractor must have a contractor licence in full general building work, and
• when getting your experience, you must be supervised and directed in your work by someone who holds an endorsed contractor licence or qualified supervisor certificate in the residential building work in which you gained your experience. They must confirm your experience on the referee's statement form, and
• you must be paid with money in line with the law for the work you did.

Current qualifications

To find organisations that deliver nationally recognised training, go to training.gov.au and search for the course code or name.

You must satisfy one of the two qualification criteria below.

1. VET qualifications and units of competencies

• CPC40120 (current) Certificate IV in Building and Construction, or
• CPC40320 (current) Certificate IV in Building Project Support, or
• CPC40110 / CPC40108 / BCG40106 Certificate IV in Building and Construction (Building), or
• CPC40208 / BCG40206 Certificate IV in Building and Construction (Contract Administration), or
• CPC40308 / BCG40306 Certificate IV in Building and Construction (Estimating), or
• CPC40508 / BCG40506 Certificate IV in Building and Construction (Site Management),

and including all of the following units:

• CPCCBC4001 (current) Apply building codes and standards to the construction process for Class 1 and 10 buildings, plus CPCCBC4053 (current) Apply building codes and standards to the construction process for Class 2 to 9 Type C buildings; or CPCCBC4001A / BCGBC4001A Apply building codes and standards to the construction process for low rise building projects, and
• CPCCBC4002 (current) Manage work health and safety in the building and construction workplace, or CPCCBC4002A / BCGBC4002A Manage occupational health and safety in the building and construction workplace, and
• CPCCBC4003 (current) Select, prepare and administer a construction contract, or CPCCBC4003A / BCGBC4003A Select and prepare a construction contract, and
• CPCCBC4004 (current) / CPCCBC4004A / BCGBC4004A Identify and produce estimated costs for building and construction projects, and
• CPCCBC4005(current) / CPCCBC4005A / BCGBC4005A Produce labour and material schedules for ordering, and
• CPCCBC4006 (current) / CPCCBC4006A / CPCCBC4006B or BCGBC4006A Select, procure and store construction materials for low rise projects, and
• CPCCBC4007 (current) / CGBC4007A / CPCCBC4007A Plan building or construction work, and
• CPCCBC4008 (current) Supervise site communication and administration processes for building and construction projects, or CPCCBC4008A / CPCCBC4008B / BCGBC4008A Conduct on-site supervision of building and construction projects, and
• CPCCBC4009 (current) / CPCCBC4009A / CPCCBC4009B / BCGBC4009A Apply legal requirements to building and construction projects, and
• CPCCBC4010 (current) Apply structural principles to residential and commercial constructions, or CPCCBC4010A / CPCCBC4010B / BCGBC4010A Apply structural principles to residential low-rise constructions, and CPCCBC4011A / CPCCBC4011B / BCGBC4011A Apply structural principles to commercial low-rise constructions, and
• BSBESB407 (current) Manage finances for new business ventures, or BSBSMB421/ BSBSBM406/ BSBSMB406A Manage small business finances, and
• CPCCBC4012 (current) / CPCCBC4012B / BCGBC4012A / CPCCBC4012A Read and interpret plans and specifications, and
• CPCCBC4018 (current) / BCGBC4018A / CPCCBC4018A Apply site surveys and set out procedures to building and construction projects, and
• CPCCBC4024 (current) / BCGBC4024A / CPCCBC4024A Resolve business disputes

Plus any of the following:

• a current carpentry or bricklaying contractor licence or qualified 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) - CPC50220 (current) / BCG50206 / CPC50208, or
• Diploma of Building and Construction (Building) CPC50210, and including the following units:
  • CPCCBC5004 (current) / CPCCBC5004A Supervise and apply quality standards to the selection of building and construction materials, and
  • CPCCBC5005 (current) / CPCCBC5005A Select and manage building and construction contractors, and
  • CPCCBC5007 (current) / CPCCBC5007A or CPCCBC5007B Administer the legal obligations of a building and construction contractor, and
  • CPCCBC5009 (current) / CPCCBC5009A Identify services layout and connection methods in medium rise construction projects.

  2. University degrees

  A degree in building, construction, construction management, construction project management, construction economics, applied science (building), or quantity surveying from an Australian university which requires the applicant to undertake the equivalent of four years’ full time study and a mandatory work placement.

  A “degree” excludes an associate degree or an honorary degree.

  The Bachelor of Construction Management and Property (3 year course) in conjunction with Certificate IV in Building does not meet the qualification requirements for a General Building licence.

  3. University degrees

  The completion of a Bachelor of Housing from an Australian University or a Degree in any of the following: Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Architecture, Housing, Construction, Construction Management, Construction Project Management, Construction Economics, Applied Science (Building) or Quantity Surveying, from an Australian University.

  Completion of Certificate IV in Building and Construction

  • BCG40106 / CPC40108 / CPC40110 (Building);
  • BCG40206 / CPC40208 (Contract Administration); or
  • BCG40306 / CPC40308 (Estimating); or
  • BCG40506 / CPC40508 (Site Management), or

  Including the following units must be achieved and indicated in the applicant’s transcript of the Certificate IV in Building and Construction qualification:

  • CPCCBC4001 (current) Apply building codes and standards to the construction process for Class 1 and 10 buildings, plus CPCCBC4053 (current) Apply building codes and standards to the construction process for Class 2 to 9 Type C buildings; or CPCCBC4001A / BCGBC4001A Apply building codes and standards to the construction process for low rise building projects, and
  • CPCCBC4002 (current) Manage work health and safety in the building and construction workplace, or CPCCBC4002A / BCGBC4002A Manage occupational health and safety in the building and construction workplace, and
  • CPCCBC4003 (current) Select, prepare and administer a construction contract, or CPCCBC4003A / BCGBC4003A Select and prepare a construction contract, and
  • CPCCBC4004 (current) / CPCCBC4004A / BCGBC4004A Identify and produce estimated costs for building and construction projects, and
  • CPCCBC4005(current) / CPCCBC4005A / BCGBC4005A Produce labour and material schedules for ordering, and
  • CPCCBC4006 (current) / CPCCBC4006A / CPCCBC4006B or BCGBC4006A Select, procure and store construction materials for low rise projects, and
  • CPCCBC4007 (current) / CGBC4007A / CPCCBC4007A Plan building or construction work, and
  • CPCCBC4008 (current) Supervise site communication and administration processes for building and construction projects, or CPCCBC4008A / CPCCBC4008B / BCGBC4008A Conduct on-site supervision of building and construction projects, and
  • CPCCBC4009 (current) / CPCCBC4009A / CPCCBC4009B / BCGBC4009A Apply legal requirements to building and construction projects, and
  • CPCCBC4010 (current) Apply structural principles to residential and commercial constructions, or CPCCBC4010A / CPCCBC4010B / BCGBC4010A Apply structural principles to residential low-rise constructions, and CPCCBC4011A / CPCCBC4011B / BCGBC4011A Apply structural principles to commercial low-rise constructions, and
  • BSBESB407 (current) Manage finances for new business ventures, or BSBSMB421/ BSBSBM406/ BSBSMB406A Manage small business finances, and
  • CPCCBC4012 (current) / CPCCBC4012B / BCGBC4012A / CPCCBC4012A Read and interpret plans and specifications, and
  • CPCCBC4018 (current) / BCGBC4018A / CPCCBC4018A Apply site surveys and set out procedures to building and construction projects, and
  • CPCCBC4024 (current) / BCGBC4024A / CPCCBC4024A Resolve business disputes

  Superseded qualifications

  We will accept the following courses or qualifications in applications for an endorsed contractor licence or qualified supervisor certificate for general building work if you either started or completed the course prior to 18 August 2008.

  • Certificate IV in Building (3477) conducted by a registered training organisation or TAFE and:
    • a carpentry, carpentry & joinery or bricklaying trade course from TAFE or a registered training organisation or
    • a current carpentry or bricklaying endorsed contractor licence or qualified supervisor certificate, or an approved qualification that would allow the issue of such a licence (for details of approved qualifications, see carpentry or bricklaying).
    • a carpentry, carpentry & joinery or bricklaying trade course from TAFE or a registered training organisation or
    • a current carpentry or bricklaying endorsed contractor licence or qualified supervisor certificate, or an approved qualification that would allow the issue of such a licence (for details of approved qualifications, see carpentry or bricklaying).
    • Certificate IV in Building (3477 or TAFE Course 1261).
    • a carpentry, carpentry & joinery, or bricklaying trade course from TAFE or a registered training organisation.

    Previous licence or certificate holders

    You might be able to have your previous contractor licence or qualified supervisor certificate in general building work reissued to you if you meet one of the following 3 situations:

    Time since your licence expired

    Did you have conditions or restrictions on your licence?

    What you need to meet the qualification criteria for a new licence/certificate

    Less than 5 years

    Give us you previous licence or certificate number

    Less than 5 years

    and

    Your licence was originally issued under mutual recognition because you had a licence from interstate or New Zealand ( Mutual recognition Act 1992)

    Give us you previous licence or certificate number

    Your new licence or certificate will have the same restrictions and conditions applied

    Less than 10 years but more than 5 years

    and

    You had the licence or certificate for at least 2 years within that 10 year period

    You must still meet the current qualification requirements for a new licence or certificate, but you do not need to give us referee statements

    If your application is approved, you will be issued the same licence or qualified supervisor number you had before.

    If none of these three situations apply to you, you must meet the qualification and experience requirements in full.

    Apply for a licence or certificate

    This information is for individual applications. See information for company and partnership licences.

    Once you know what type of licence you want, and you have checked you have the right qualifications, you can apply for a licence or certificate.

    Note: if you’re an apprentice or trainee, you can’t apply for a licence or certificate.

    What you need

    Before you begin your application make sure you have:

    • an application form - individual
    • an application checklist - individual
    • a referee’s statement and on site building experience form (if applicable)
    • an additional details form/s as indicated on your application form (if applicable)

    You can also ask for these forms at your nearest Service NSW centre.

    You will also need:

    • proof of identity (such as driver’s licence or passport)
    • an original copy of your qualifications
    • details of any licence or certificate you currently hold (or previously held)
    • details of your employment and experience
    • details of any past compliance issues, insolvency matters, or criminal offences (if applicable)
    • certificate of eligibility to obtain insurance (if applicable)
    • one passport sized photo
    • payment for the fee.

    How to apply

    Licence applications are lodged with Service NSW. If needed for the type of licence you’re applying for, you can book an appointment online to complete your application at a Service NSW centre.

    • Apply for a contractor licence
    • Apply for a qualified supervisor certificate

    This is for new applicants only. Find out how to renew your licence below.

    What happens next?

    Review application

    Your application will be reviewed and assessed to check it meets eligibility requirements.

    We might contact you (by email or SMS) if we need more information.

    Note: If we need to request additional information, the processing time will increase, so it’s important that you submit all the required information and documents with your original application.

    Outcome advised

    If your application is successful, we will contact you via SMS and send you a licence card in the post. Your approved licence details will be added to the public register.

    If your application is unsuccessful, you’ll be advised of the reasons in writing and be provided with your options. For more information about the internal review process see Reviews of Fair Trading decisions.

    Detailed information about application reviews and current processing timeframes can be found on Our assessment process page.

    Renew or restore a licence

    You need to renew your licence or certificate before it expires.

    If your licence or certificate isn't renewed by the due date it will expire, and you will no longer be authorised to work in NSW.

    We will send you a renewal form 6weeks before the expiry date with details of how to renew. We may also send you an SMS reminder.

    If your licence is going to expire soon and you have not received your renewal form, contact us on 13 32 20. It is your responsibility to renew your licence on time.

    If eligible, you can renew your licence or certificate online.

    • Renew a contractor licence
    • Renew a qualified supervisor certificate

    You're not able to renew online, if:

    • you want to seek an exemption from continuing professional development (CPD) obligations, or
    • you need to make changes to your licence other than your contact details and address.

    If you don’t meet the eligibility requirements, you can also renew in person at your nearest Service NSW centre.

    If we approve your application, we will post your new licence to you. Learn why an application may not be approved.

    Restoring your licence after expiry

    If your licence or certificate expired less than three months ago, you can restore it for a fee at a Service NSW Centre.

    You can use the details on your renewal form to apply to restore your licence or certificate.

    If your licence is renewed or restored, you’ll keep your existing licence number. In this instance, your licence is considered to have been renewed from the day the licence expired.

    If your licence has been expired for more than 3 months, restoration may not be an option and you will need to reapply. You cannot trade until your new licence is issued.

    To check the status of your licence, you can search the public register.

    Replace your licence

    If your licence or certificate has been damaged, lost or stolen, you can apply for a replacement at a Service NSW Centre.

    To replace your licence you will need:

    • an Application for duplicate licence, certificate or permit form
    • your personal details and certificate number
    • payment for the fee.

    Change the details on a licence

    As a licence holder, it is your responsibility to tell us within 7 days if your name, address or other details change.

    Change of address and contact details

    If you hold a current licence or certificate and your address or contact details have changed, you can update them online, as long as your current email address or mobile phone number is recorded with NSW Fair Trading.

    You can also update your details in person at a Service NSW centre by completing the notification of change of address form.

    Note: Only your address and contact details can be changed online.

    Update your name

    If you want to change the name on your licence, you'll need to visit a Service NSW Centre with:

    • an original copy of the name change document, such as a marriage certificate, and
    • a completed change of name and use of other names or aliases form.

    Change of licence class

    If you gain further qualifications that allow you to work in additional classes, you can add or change a class on your contractor licence or qualified supervisor certificate at a Service NSW Centre.

    Before you begin your application, make sure you have:

    • an Application Form - Individual
    • a relevant Checklist for Individuals (if applicable)
      • General Building Work
      • Specialist Work
      • Other Building Work and Trade Work

      Change the conditions on a licence

      Your licence or certificate allows you to do and/or supervise the work described on your licence card, subject to any specified conditions.

      These conditions may be imposed for a number reasons to limit the scope of work you are able to do, or place other requirements on the licence or certificate holder.

      They may be as a result mutual recognition processes, disciplinary action, bankruptcy, external administration or other factors.

      If your circumstances change (such as your qualifications), and this affects the conditions under which your licence or certificate has been issued, you must let us know within 7 days and you'll need to amend your details. You can do this at a Service NSW Centre.

      Before you begin your application, make sure you have:

      • an Application Form - Individual, or a letter explaining the details of the condition change
      • proof of identity
      • one passport size photograph (if applicable)
      • evidence of qualifications or documentation to validate the change of condition
      • payment for the fee.

      Working interstate and mutual recognition

      There are different ways that make it easier for many licensed or registered professionals to work interstate.

      If you trained overseas see Overseas Trained Applicants. Qualifications from overseas are not approved for licensing in NSW.

      Automatic mutual recognition

      Automatic Mutual Recognition (AMR) allows individuals who hold some specified licences issued in other Australian States and Territories to work in NSW under that licence without the need for a local licence or paying additional fees (please note: Queensland is not a participating state).

      The AMR scheme does not apply to New Zealand occupational registrations and licences. However, existing processes under the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangements continue to apply.

      Recognised interstate licensees will not need a NSW licence unless they relocate their primary place of residence to NSW. This is similar to someone with a driver’s licence issued by another state being able to legally drive on NSW roads; only if they move to NSW do they need a NSW driver’s licence.

      While working in NSW, a recognised interstate licensee must follow the same laws as NSW licence holders. Fair Trading can take disciplinary and enforcement action if these obligations are not met.

      AMR only applies to specific occupations. If your occupation is included in the AMR scheme, you may need to notify NSW Fair Trading of your intention to work in NSW.

      You can check if your occupation is included in the AMR scheme , and if necessary, how to meet notification requirements.

      If not eligible, other licence holders may still be able to apply under mutual recognition to have their licence recognised in NSW.

      Mutual recognition

      Mutual Recognition (MR) arrangements enable a licensed tradesperson or registered professional to work in another state or territory by having their qualifications recognised in NSW, and vice versa.

      Under MR you can practise an equivalent occupation in NSW if the activities you're authorised to carry out under your original licence are substantially the same as those under the occupational licence in NSW.

      To apply for recognition of your existing licence, you need to:

      • complete a Registration of equivalent occupation form , and
      • pay any applicable fee.

      Applications, payment and supporting documents must be lodged at a Service NSW Centre.

      Builders continuing professional development (CPD)

      If you are an individual who holds a building or pool building licence or certificate, you need to complete continuing professional development (CPD) each year as a condition of your licence renewal.

      You must keep a diary record of your CPD participation, including documentary proof where possible. You are not required to send these records to Fair Trading, however, you must be able to prove that you complied with CPD requirements, or face the possibility of losing your licence.

      Details of the current CPD program are explained on our Commissioners guidelines for continuing professional development page, or the information booklet CPD Keeping you up to date .

      Subscribe to Foundations, the e-newsletter for the home building industry, for news and information on CPD, legislative reform and other topics to help you keep up-to-date.

      Insurance requirements

      If you are a licensed builder or tradesperson in NSW, you need to get home building compensation (HBC) cover for each home building project over $20,000 including GST.

      HBC cover, which used to be called ‘home warranty insurance’, protects homeowners as a last resort if you cannot complete building work or fix defects.

      Insolvency matters

      Current bankruptcy

      A contractor’s licence in the categories of building or swimming pool building cannot be issued if you are currently bankrupt.

      Current external administration

      If you are applying for a licence in the categories of building or swimming pool building and are currently the director of a company that is under external administration (other than external administration resulting from a member's voluntary winding up of the body corporate), and if we grant you a contractor licence, it may come with certain conditions.

      Bankruptcy or external administration within three years

      If you are applying for a licence and have been discharged from bankruptcy or were previously a director of a company in external administration (other than external administration resulting from a member's voluntary winding up of the body corporate), and if we grant you a contractor licence, it may come with the condition:

      • contracts not to exceed $20,000 in value, or
      • contracts not to exceed $20,000 in value, except for subcontract to licensed contractor.

      Cancelled or suspended licences

      Your licence or certificate can be cancelled or suspended if you:

      • become involved in unlawful activity
      • get a licence by misrepresentation or fraudulent means
      • become bankrupt or subject to a winding up order.

      Also, if the holder of a company or partnership licence goes more than 30 days without an acceptable nominated supervisor, without prior consent from Fair Trading, the licence will be cancelled.

      If your licence is cancelled, we will not refund any of the fees paid.

      Immediate action required

      If your licence or certificate has been cancelled or suspended you must immediately:

      • stop all business activity that relates to the licence or certificate
      • remove any sign or advertisement which indicates the conduct of business activity that relates to the licence or certificate
      • return the licence or certificate to NSW Fair Trading by mail or at a Service NSW centre.

      You should also let your clients know, either verbally or in writing, that your licence has been cancelled or suspended and you are unable to complete any unfinished work.

      Automatic licence suspension

      Your licence will be automatically suspended if you do not comply with an order by a court or the NSW Civil or Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) to pay money for a building claim.

      Contact us

      Need help applying?

      If you need help with your application or have a question, please call 13 32 20.

      Unsuccessful applications

      If your application is unsuccessful, you can ask for a review.

      A review involves another officer from Fair Trading, who was not involved in the original decision, reviewing the decision on your application.

      For more information about the process see reviews of Fair Trading decisions.