How to Check a Builder's Licence in Australia
Checking a builder’s licence takes about ten minutes and it is free. Find the licensing body for the state or territory where the work will happen (Service NSW, the QBCC, the Building and Plumbing Commission in Victoria and so on), search the builder’s name, licence number or ABN, then confirm the licence is current and covers the type of work you want done. If you can’t find them, don’t sign anything until you know why.
We build, extend and renovate homes in Melbourne, so we see this from both sides of the table. Homeowners who check early tend to have calmer projects. This guide walks you through the process, state by state, and explains what to look for once the register is open in front of you.
TL;DR
Licensing is run by each state and territory, so you search the register for the place where the work is happening.
Search by licensee name, licence number or ABN, and make sure the name, number and licence type all match the person quoting.
A licence only helps if it is current and covers your type of work, such as a major extension rather than minor repairs.
Not finding a builder on the register is a reason to stop and call the licensing body, not a reason to assume it is a typo.
A licence check is the first step. Insurance, a written contract and references come next.
Table of Contents
Why a licence check comes before the quote
A builder’s licence is the regulator’s confirmation that someone is allowed to carry out building work of a certain type and value. It is not a quality guarantee, but it is the baseline. Without it, you may find yourself with limited protection if the work goes wrong, and in some states you can have trouble with insurance or later selling the home.
The Queensland regulator makes a point worth remembering wherever you live: checking is your job as the homeowner. Just because a friend, a real estate agent or a neighbour recommends someone, that doesn’t mean the builder is licensed for the work you are asking for. A builder can be perfectly licensed for small jobs and still not be permitted to take on a double-storey extension.
That is why we suggest checking before you collect quotes rather than after you have fallen for one. It is much easier to walk away from a quote than from a deposit.
Step by step: how to check a builder’s licence
The process is almost identical in every jurisdiction, even though the websites look different.
Get the details from the builder. Ask for their full business name, licence or registration number and ABN. A genuine builder will give these without hesitation, and they should already appear on their quote, contract and advertising.
Find the right register. Use the regulator for the state or territory where the property is. The table below lists them.
Search more than one way. Start with the licence number if you have it. If not, search by name or ABN. Registers can list individuals and companies separately, so try both the person and the trading name.
Read the record, not just the headline. Confirm the status is current, the licence class matches your project, and the holder is who you think it is.
Check the people behind the company. If the builder is a company, look up the directors, partners or nominated supervisors too, since the licence may sit with an individual.
Keep a record. Take a screenshot or print the page with the date. If a dispute ever arises, you will be glad you did.
Which register to use in each state and territory
There is no single national builder licence in Australia. Each jurisdiction keeps its own register, and the names change from time to time, so always start from the government website rather than a search result that looks like a directory.
State or territory | Who runs the register | What you can usually search by |
New South Wales | Service NSW (licence check), with NSW Fair Trading’s public register for extra detail | Licensee name, licence number, licence type, ABN, ACN or location |
Victoria | Building and Plumbing Commission (previously the Victorian Building Authority) | Practitioner or company name, registration details |
Queensland | Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) | Contractor name, licence number, business details |
Western Australia | Building and Energy (Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety) | Builder’s name, company name or registration number |
Australian Capital Territory | Access Canberra | Licensee name or licence number |
South Australia | Consumer and Business Services | Licence holder name or number |
Tasmania | Consumer, Building and Occupational Services | Builder’s name or accreditation details |
Northern Territory | Building Practitioners Board | Practitioner name or registration number |
A few notes that matter in practice.
New South Wales. The Service NSW search covers builders and many other tradespeople. The NSW public register also shows whether a licence is current, expired or cancelled, and whether it is held by an individual, a partnership or a company.
Queensland. The QBCC has a quick find-a-contractor search, but its full licensee register gives a complete licence history. If you are about to commit to a large job, use the detailed one.
Western Australia. Building and Energy updates its public registers daily, and you can search builders as well as building surveyors, painters and building engineers. One quirk: registered practitioners and contractors can share the same registration number, so check the name, number and licence type together, not just the number.
ACT. The ACT government advises you to search the licence and confirm the builder holds the correct class for the work.
Northern Territory. Building practitioners, including building contractors, must be registered, and a practitioners board keeps the register. Confirm the current search process with the board directly.
A note on working across borders
Some licensed individuals can work in other states under Automatic Mutual Recognition. It generally applies to individuals rather than partnerships or companies, and it has conditions. If a builder says they are licensed interstate and can work in your state, ask which licence they are relying on and check with your local regulator that they are entitled to do the job.
Checking a builder in Victoria
Since we work across Melbourne, here is how it plays out in Victoria, where the regulator now operates as the Building and Plumbing Commission and was previously known as the Victorian Building Authority.
Search the practitioner directory. Look up the builder or building company and confirm the registration is current.
Check the registration category. Builders are registered in categories that reflect the kind of work they can do. A registration suited to one type of project may not suit a multi-storey build.
Ask to see the photo ID card. Registered practitioners carry a card showing their name and the work category they are registered for. It’s a simple way to confirm the person standing in your kitchen is the person on the register.
Look at the disciplinary records. The regulator maintains a register of disciplinary action, which is worth reading for any builder you are seriously considering.
If your project is a larger domestic job, Victorian law also expects a written contract and domestic building insurance. We cover that in more detail in our guide to domestic building insurance in Victoria, and the contract side in six building contract types in Australia.
What to verify once you have found the record
Finding a name is only half the check. Here is what we would look at, in order.
Is the licence current?
Registers show whether a licence is current, expired, suspended or cancelled. An expired licence is the same as no licence for the purposes of taking on new work. If the status is anything other than current, ask the builder to explain and then confirm with the regulator.
Does it cover your type of work?
Licence classes differ between states, but the principle is the same everywhere. A builder licensed for one class of work isn’t automatically licensed for another. Compare the class on the register with what you are asking for: a home extension, structural alterations, a loft conversion, a knockdown rebuild, or a complete new home. If you are unsure which class applies, ask the regulator. It is a common question and they answer it routinely.
Is the licence held by the right entity?
A licence can belong to an individual, a partnership or a company. The business on your contract should line up with the record. If the quote comes from “Smith Constructions Pty Ltd” and the register lists only a Mr Smith trading under a different name, you need to understand why before you proceed.
What does the compliance history say?
Many registers show disciplinary action, conditions on the licence, or financial category and limits. Read these. A condition on a licence isn’t always a deal-breaker, but you should know about it and hear the builder’s explanation.
Are the people behind the company licensed too?
If the builder is a company, search separately for directors, partners and nominated supervisors. It tells you who is actually responsible for the work on site and whether they hold the licences they should.
Red flags that call for a second look
Most builders are straightforward and a quick search confirms it. These signs call for a pause.
They can’t be found on the register. Phone the regulator before assuming anything. In Queensland, the QBCC says that if a contractor isn’t on its register, there’s a chance they are not licensed, and it recommends calling to confirm.
The advertising is incomplete. Licensed contractors in Queensland must include their name and licence number in advertisements. A missing number on a flyer, website or social page is a prompt to ask for it, and that expectation is sensible in any state.
The price is far below the others. A quote that is dramatically lower than two or three comparable ones can mean corners are being cut, or that the person isn’t licensed and carrying the costs a licensed builder does.
They want a large deposit in cash, or pressure you to start straight away. Deposit limits are set by state law, so check what applies where you live and be wary of anything that exceeds it.
The details don’t match. A different business name, an ABN that doesn’t line up, or a licence number belonging to someone else.
They avoid a written contract. Any serious job needs one, with a scope, price, schedule and payment terms.
If a check raises a concern, talk to the regulator. Most have a phone line and an online complaints process, and they would rather hear from you before the work starts than after.
A licence check is step one, not the whole decision
The register tells you a builder is allowed to do the work. It doesn’t tell you whether they communicate well, finish on time or leave a site tidy. Once the licence checks out, the next questions are about fit.
Here is how we suggest sequencing it:
Check the licence (this guide).
Confirm insurance. Ask for certificates of currency, and for domestic building insurance where your state requires it.
Ask the right questions. Our list of questions to ask your home builder covers experience, who is on site, how variations are handled and what happens when things don’t go to plan.
Speak to past clients and look at finished work. Visit a project if you can. Ask about communication as much as craftsmanship.
Work through a short checklist. Our 15-minute checklist for choosing a builder in Melbourne puts these steps in one place.
Understand the payment schedule. Progress payments should line up with completed stages. See how progress payment schedules work before you sign.
Know what comes after. Read what to expect after you sign a building contract, and how the defects liability period protects you once the keys are in your hand.
If permits are part of your project, it also helps to know who applies for them and when. Our overview of building permits in Melbourne explains the process in plain terms.
Licence check for owner-builders
Some people take on a project as an owner-builder instead of hiring a licensed builder. This is a different path with its own permit and responsibilities, and the rules vary by state. If a builder tells you that you should hold a permit yourself so they can work under it, stop and check with your state regulator what is and isn’t allowed. In New South Wales, for example, owner-builder permits can be looked up through Service NSW. Other states have their own equivalents, so use the regulator for your location.
How we handle this at Yorcon
We are a Melbourne residential builder, and we manage the whole process from design and permits through to construction and handover, so you have one team and one line of communication. Whether you are planning a home extension, a major renovation, a heritage restoration or a knockdown rebuild, we are happy for you to ask the tough questions about registration, insurance and contracts up front. That is how a good project starts.
If you are early in the process and aren’t sure what is feasible on your block, or what it might involve, we offer a free project feasibility call.
Book your free project feasibility call and we will talk through your site, your ideas and the approvals involved. If you are still at the design stage, our architectural house designs service starts from $15,000 and goes up to $35,000, depending on the project.
FAQ
Is there one national register for builders in Australia?
No. Licensing is handled by each state and territory, so you search the register for the place where the work will be done. A licence from one state doesn’t automatically apply in another, although some individuals can work interstate under Automatic Mutual Recognition, subject to conditions.
What details do I need to search for a builder?
The builder’s full name or business name, their licence or registration number, and their ABN will get you there in most states. NSW also lets you search by ACN, licence type or location. Check that the name, number and licence type all match, because some registers show the same number for different kinds of practitioner.
What if I can’t find my builder on the register?
Don’t assume it is a spelling issue. Try the company name, the individual’s name and the ABN, then phone the licensing body for your state to confirm. Hold off on signing or paying a deposit until you have a clear answer.
Does a valid licence mean the builder is right for my project?
Not on its own. It confirms they are permitted to do the work, but you still need to confirm the licence covers your type of project, check insurance, read the contract carefully and speak to past clients. Our builder checklist is a good place to start.
How often should I re-check a licence?
Check before you sign, and again if the project runs for many months or a new subcontractor or supervisor is introduced. Licences can expire, be suspended or have conditions added, and registers are updated regularly, so a quick re-check costs you very little.
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