trade licensing guide queensland€¦ · trade licences in queensland 2 . what trade or job licence...

Trade Licensing Guide – Queensland

Use this guide to verify which licensed trade

you need for your home improvement job

Is Your Tradesperson Licensed?

Have you ever asked a tradesperson for their licence? If the

answer is no, then you could have been using an unqualified,

unregistered and unskilled contractor.

As the home owner you may become liable for any unlicensed

work that is carried out, any damage they cause or any

accident or injury that occurs during works. You also have no

legal recourse with unlicensed trades, if for example they carry

out sub-standard work.

In Queensland a licence is required when an individual or

company wants to carry out or supervise building work valued

over $3,300 (including labour and materials).

Licensing proves that the contractor has passed the relevant

state exams for their trade. Licensing of trades was introduced

to protect you from unskilled and unqualified trades. To qualify

for a licence a contractor will typically have to be in possession

of one or more qualification/s.

These are designed to establish, maintain and improve

standards in the relevant trade. Possession of a licence also

allows a contractor to advertise their services to the public,

and they are legally obliged to display their licence number on

any form of advertisement.

What is a Trade Licence?

A trade licence is typically a credit card sized and will display

the contractor or business name, registered address, licence

number and expiry date. It will also detail any restrictions or

denote the class of licence issued. This indicates what scope

of work the licence holder is allowed to carry out.

Australia has state-specific licensing governed by regulatory

authorities who administer licences for trades in their

jurisdiction. Most have a facility that enables you to run an

online licence check or you can just as easily give them a call.

Visit hipages.com.au for more information on licensing

authorities in your state or territory.

Checking a Licence

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http://www.homeimprovementpages.com.au/content/all_licensing&title=Licensing

http://www.homeimprovementpages.com.au/content/all_licensing&title=Licensing

Licence Scope

Licence holders are only authorised to carry out the work

detailed on their licence – so an electrician cannot carry out

refrigeration work, for example. The range of work that is able

to be carried out by the licence holder is called ‘scopes of

work’ – a description of the conditions and restrictions that

apply to a licence.

Trades subcontracting to builders or working for an owner

builder are still required to hold a licence. Uncertificated or

unqualified trainees also need to be under the supervision of a

certificated or qualified person, who has been authorised by

the employer to act as supervisor.

In Queensland there are three types of licences issued,

namely:

• Trade Contractors - full licence class

• Nominee Supervisor - supervising work on behalf of a

company

• Site Supervisor - supervising work as an employee of an

appropriately licensed person

A range of bodies register and license trades and building

professionals, including:

• Queensland Building & Construction Commission (QBCC)

• Board of Architects of Queensland

• Department of Justice and Attorney-General

• Office of Fair Trading

• Plumbing Industry Council

• Queensland Health

Trade Licences in Queensland

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What Trade or Job Licence Required Licensing Authority Job Scope

Air-conditioning Refrigeration, Air

Conditioning and

Mechanical Services

QBCC Install, commission, service or repair refrigeration, air-

conditioning, mechanical ventilation and air handling

systems for a building.

Architects Registered architect QBCC Designing, constructing, procuring or using buildings.

Asbestos Asbestos removal. Class A

(friable) or Class B (non-

friable)

Workplace Health & Safety

Queensland

Removal of friable and non friable asbestos.

Bricklaying Bricklaying and blocklaying QBCC Erection of pre-fabricated metal-framed home additions and

similar structures.

Building Builder Low Rise (BLR),

Builder Medium Rise

(BMR), Builder (Open)

QBCC A licence is required when an individual or company wants

to carry out, undertake to carry out or supervise building

work valued over $3,300 (including labour and materials).

Building Designer Building design

(low/medium/open rise)

QBCC Prepare plans and specifications for certain classes of

buildings.

Cabinetmaking Cabinetmaking QBCC Install, refurbish, restore or repair kitchen, bathroom,

laundry and other fitted cabinets and fitments on-site.

Carpentry Carpentry

QBCC

Construct, erect, fit a range of timber elements in the home.

Carports Sheds, Carports and

Garages

QBCC

Class 10a buildings with a maximum floor area of 100 m2.

Licences by Trade or Job

3


Cladding (roof and wall) Roof & Wall Cladding QBCC Design and install.

Concreting Concreting QBCC

Concreting including install formwork, reinforcement and

concrete.

Decking Builder (Restricted to

Structural Landscaping)

QBCC

Prepare, fabricate and erect decking.

Doors Glass, Glazing and

Aluminium or Carpentry

QBCC Fabricate and install doors in buildings.

Drafting Building design

(low/medium/open rise)

QBCC

Prepare plans and specifications for certain classes of

buildings.

Drainage Plumbing and Drainage Plumbing Industry Council Drainage work below ground level.

Electrical Electrical contractor or

worker (6 classes of

licence)

Department of Justice and

Attorney-General

Install, test, repair and service.

4


Fencing Builder. Carpenter,

Concreting,

Glass/Glazing/Aluminium,

Landscaping, Structural

Metal Fabrication and

Erection, Non-Structural


Installation, Bricklaying

QBCC Installation, erection or construction.

Fire Detection (alarm

and warning systems)

Fire Detection, Alarm and

Warning Systems (3

classes)

QBCC Certify, install and maintain.

Fire Protection

(inspections)

Fire Safety Professional QBCC

Certify, inspect and test a fire protection system.

Fire Protection (fire and

smoke walls and

ceilings)

Passive Fire Protection -

Fire and Smoke Walls and

Ceilings

QBCC

Certify.

Fire Protection (fire

collars, penetrations and

joint sealing)


Fire Collars, Penetrations

and Joint Sealing Licence

QBCC

Certify, install and maintain.

Fire Protection (fire

doors and shutters)


Fire Doors and Shutters

QBCC

Certify, inspect and test.

Flooring Floor Finishing and

Covering (Hard Sector)

QBCC

Prepare, install and finish floor coverings.

5


Garages Sheds, Carports and

Garages Licence

QBCC Class 10a buildings with a maximum floor area of 100 m2.

Gasfitting Gasfitter QBCC Install, commission, maintain, test, alter, repair and service

a gas system in any building.

Glass & Glazing Glass & Glazing and

Aluminium

QBCC Installing glass or similair materials in windows, door panels

or screens.

Guttering Metal Fascias and Gutters QBCC Fabricate and install rainwater goods including, and

associated with, metal fascias and gutters.

Irrigation Irrigation QBCC Assess, select and install irrigation equipment for various

landscaping situations.

Joinery Joinery QBCC Manufacture, assemble and install joinery unit components.

Landscaping Structural Landscaping

(Trade)

QBCC

Prepare, fabricate and erect carports, decking, fences,

gazebos, pergolas, retaining walls of a height that does not

require an engineering certification under a local law and

ornamental structures.

Painting Painting and Decorating QBCC

Apply paint or other substance for protective, decorative or

technical purposes, including colour matching.

Paving Brick and Segmental

Paving

QBCC

Lay segmental or unit paving, including surface preparation.

6


Pest Management Pest Management

Technician

Queensland Health Physical and chemical management of pests.

Plastering Plastering (Solid or

Drywall)

QBCC Apply solid or dry plasterboard and sheeting.

Plumbing Plumbing and Drainage Plumbing Industry Council Install, maintain and repair.

Rainwater Tanks Builder, Irrigation,

Carpentry, Plumbing and

Drainage, Non structural


Installation, Metal Fascias

and Gutters, Roof and Wall

Cladding, Sheds Carports

and Garages, Structural

Landscaping (trade)

QBCC, Plumbing Industry

Council

The installation of a rainwater tank and an on-site

domestic waste water tank constitutes ‘building work’.

Refrigeration Refrigeration, Air

Conditioning and

Mechanical Services

(Limited/Unlimited)

QBCC

Install, commission, service or repair refrigeration systems

for a building.

Renovation (kitchen,

bathroom, laundry)

Builder – restricted to

kitchen, bathroom &

laundry

QBCC

Install, refurbish, restore and repair a kitchen, bathroom or

laundry on-site.

Retaining Walls All Builder licence classes,

Builder (Restricted to

Structural Landscaping),

Structural Landscaping

(Trade), Stonemasonry,

Concreting, Foundation

work

QBCC

The construction of a retaining wall, greater than $3,300 in

value, constitutes ‘building work’ and requires a licence.

7


Roofing (repair &

restoration)

Roof and wall cladding,

Roof tiling, Plumbing and

drainage, Carpentry,

Builder (Low rise,

Medium rise or Open),

Structural metal fabrication

and erection, Non-

structural metal

fabrication and installation,

Painting and decorating

QBCC Repair and restoration.

Roof (tiling) Roof Tiling QBCC Cut, install and fix.

Security Equipment Security Provider (Class 2) Office of Fair Trading Security equipment installation and advice.

Sheds Sheds, Carports and

Garages

QBCC Prepare, fabricate and erect.

Shower Screens Glass, Glazing and

Aluminium

QBCC

Fabricate and install shower screens.

Solar (hot water) Builder, Plumber, Electrical

contractor (electrical work)

QBCC, Department of

Justice and Attorney-

General (electrician)

Installation of a solar hot water system.

8


Solar (power) Builder, Carpentry, Roof

and Wall Cladding, Roof

Tiling, Plumbing and

Drainage, Structural Metal

Fabrication and Erection,

Electrical contractor

QBCC/Department of

Justice and Attorney-

General (electrician)

A BSA licence is required to install photovoltaic solar panels

situated on roofs or attached to a building, where the value1

of the work exceeds $3,300.

Stonemasonry Stonemasonry QBCC Work and construct with stone, including, for example,

finish, lay, machine, renovate and shape.

Swimming Pool

(construction)

Swimming pool

construction, installation

and maintenance

(construction)

QBCC

Construction.

Swimming Pool

(installation)

Swimming pool


and maintenance

(installation)

QBCC

Installation.

Swimming Pool

(maintenance)

Swimming pool


and maintenance

(maintenance and

accessories)

QBCC

Maintenance and accessories.

Termite Control

(chemical)

Termite Management -

Chemical

QBCC

Pre-slab and perimeter chemical treatment of new building

work for termite management. Inspections.

9


Termite Management

(physical)

Termite Management

Physical

QBCC Install a particular material or system designed for the

prevention of termite infestation. Inspections.

Tiling (wall and floor) Wall and Floor Tiling QBCC Cut and fix a variety of tiles. Waterproofing.

Ventilation Air Duct Handling QBCC

Install ductwork and enclosures for air-conditioning, air

handling and mechanical ventilation systems.

Waterproofing Waterproofing. Tiling (wall

and floor)

QBCC

Apply, install and repair waterproofing including surface

preparation and apply or install material or systems for

preventing moisture penetration.

10

This document has been prepared

using the best information available

to hipages.com.au.

It does not extend any warranty as

to the suitability of this information

for your specific circumstances.

You should always check that any

work carried out in your home

complies with the relevant laws that

apply in your state or territory.

© 2013 hipages.com.au

trade licensing guide queensland€¦ · trade licences in queensland 2 . what trade or job licence...

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