If you are applying for your first licence or a different licence (as an individual), you will need to prove your identity as well as have the necessary qualifications and experience. Go to the Proof of identity requirement page and the Licence classes and qualifications page for more information.

Proof of identity requirement
Licence classes and qualifications

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No overseas qualifications are approved for licensing in NSW. Overseas applicants are required to demonstrate they have the skills and knowledge necessary to be granted a licence or certificate. In NSW, the standard applied to assess the skills and knowledge of the applicant is an Australian training package qualification.

Skills assessment

Applicants from overseas who have already migrated to Australia, for example a person sponsored by an employer, should approach a Registered Training Organisation for an assessment of their skills and knowledge for the licence class relevant to their trade. For a list of licence classes and their qualification requirements as well as a list of Registered Training Organisations who will assess your skills and knowledge, follow the links below.

List of licence classes and qualifications
List of Registered Training Organisations (in PDF format size: 62k)

The General Skilled Migration Program

Some applicants may have come to Australia through the Commonwealth Government’s General Skilled Migration Program for selected countries and trade occupations. The five countries currently under the program are:

• United Kingdom
• India
• South Africa
• Sri Lanka
• Philippines.

The current trade occupations are:

• electrician
• plumber
• refrigeration and air-conditioning mechanic
• carpenter
• joiner
• bricklayer.

Under the Migration Program, applicants may apply to VETASSESS for assessment of their skills and knowledge before coming to Australia. For information about how to have an assessment done contact VETASSESS.

Any applicant under the Migration Program who is issued with an Off-Shore Technical Skills Record from VETASSESS, is eligible to be granted:

• a provisional tradesperson certificate for electricians and air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics and roof plumbers or
• a provisional tradesperson certificate for plumbers, drainers and gasfitters.

Any applicant issued with a qualification through VETASSESS is eligible to be granted a contractor licence or supervisor’s certificate for carpentry, bricklaying and/or joinery.

Visit the VETASSESS website.

Provisional certificate conditions

The holder of a provisional certificate must:

• work under the supervision of a current holder of the full licence or qualified supervisor’s certificate for the same trade
• be enrolled in an approved training course towards the full licence or certificate.

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Before your licence expires, check that you have received a Renewal application form from Fair Trading.  If you haven’t, call 13 32 20 and let us know. It is your responsibility to renew your licence on time.

If you don’t renew your licence on time, you will have to make an extra payment called a ‘restoration charge’ (refer to Home building licence fees and charges). You can only restore your licence within three months of its expiry. After that, you will have to apply for a new licence resulting in a new licence number.

Caution: A new licence number means all your business documentation will need to be updated and you cannot trade until your new licence is issued.

Renewing your licence online

Fair Trading has introduced a new online facility for renewing licences where there are no changes on the licence. You will need to choose an alternative renewal method if there are changes to your details. Online renewal has been available to all licence holders since the end of April 2008.

For those licences and certificates where a fee is payable on renewal, a discount of $6.00 applies to online renewals.

To renew online, have your renewal application form on hand and go to the Government Licensing Service website. To start the process, you will need to enter your licence number and your renewal number. Remember, if you want to make any changes to your licence details such as your address, you will not be able to renew online. If you need any help using the online renewal service, call Fair Trading on 13 32 20. 

Renew your licence online through the Government Licensing website

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From 29 April 2005, the grounds on which we can refuse to renew or issue you with a licence have been extended to include, where:

• you have been previously disqualified from holding a licence
• your application is made using false information
• a close associate (who is not a fit and proper person to hold a licence) exercises a significant influence over you or the operation and management of your business.

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If you have an existing licence or certificate and wish to change the kind of work you are authorised to do, you need to lodge another licence application form. This change is called a variation. The fee will be different depending on the variation you want.

To change your licence from an individual contractor licence to a partnership/company licence, you will need to lodge a new application form in the name of the partnership or company. It may save you time to call us on 13 32 20 first and check that you have all the necessary documents.

Also in this section you will find information about proof of identity requirements, your responsibillities as a licensee and the end to the 20 year rule.

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