Licence classes and qualifications
NSW Fair Trading licenses all builders and tradespeople that carry out work in the residential building industry in NSW.
Types of licences and certificates
Contractor Licence authorises that holder to contract and advertise to carry out the work described on their licence card. Individuals may have their contractor licence endorsed with a Q and this indicates that the licence is also equivalent to a Qualified Supervisor Certificate. As an endorsed contractor licence holder is qualified they do not require a nominated supervisor.
Qualified Supervisor Certificate allows the holder to supervise and carry out the work as described on their certificate.
Nominated Supervisor is an individual who holds an endorsed contractor licence or a qualified supervisor certificate, and who is registered against a contractor licence as the person supervising the residential building work or specialist work. All companies and partnerships and unqualified individuals holding a contractor licence must nominate a supervisor.
Tradesperson Certificate is only issued in the classes of plumbing, draining and gasfitting and allows a person to undertake work with minimum supervision. Any work undertaken by the holder of a tradesperson certificate cannot sign off on work and work must be signed off by the holder of a contractor licence or qualified supervisor certificate. Tradesperson certificates used to be known as a ‘journeyman’.
Top of pageLicence and certificate classes
For information about the scope of work covered and the qualifications required for each class of residential building, follow the links below:
Specialist trades
For information about the scope of work covered and the qualifications required for each class of specialist trade work, follow the links below:
Air conditioning and refrigeration
Electrical
Disconnection and reconnection of fixed electrical equipment
Plumbing, draining and gasfitting
Home Warranty Insurance Eligibility - licence condition
Some licences on the public register may show the condition 'Only For Contracts Not Requiring Home Warranty Insurance'.
What does Home Warranty Insurance Eligibility mean?
'Eligibility' is the term used to describe the entitlement that a builder has to apply for a Certificate of Insurance (project certificate) and the conditions under which the certificate may be granted.
Applicants applying for building contractor licence
When an applicant for a Building Contractor Licence does not provide evidence of holding current Eligibility for Home Warranty Insurance with the Home Warranty Insurance Fund (HWIF), the licence will be issued with the condition 'Only For Contracts Not Requiring Home Warranty Insurance'. This condition on the licence will remain on the public register until Fair Trading receives advice from the HWIF that the licence holder has Home Warranty Insurance Eligibility, at which time the condition will be removed and the public register updated to reflect the new status of the licence.
Existing building contractor licences
When the Home Warranty Insurance Fund (HWIF) advises Fair Trading that the Building Contractor Licence holder ceased to have Home Warranty Insurance with the HWIF the licence will be conditioned 'Only For Contracts Not Requiring Home Warranty Insurance'. This condition will remain on the public register until Fair Trading receives advice from the HWIF that the licence holder has obtained Home Warranty Insurance Eligibility, at which time the condition will be removed and the public register updated to reflect the new status of the licence
Apprentices and trainees
To apply for a contractor licence, qualified supervisor certificate or tradesperson certificate an individual must satisfy that they are not in a contract of training either as an apprentice or trainee. An applicant signs a declaration to this effect when they complete their application for a licence or certificate.
A contract of training is completed when the Commissioner for Vocational Training approves the completion. The Commissioner will consider a request to complete lodged by either the employer or trainee, or both, once the apprentice or trainee has obtained their qualification from a registered training organisation.
For information on how to complete a contract of training, go to the State Training Services website (www.training.nsw.gov.au) or call 13 28 11.
Reduction of red tape
Effective 29 April 2008, a previously held licence meets the qualification requirements for certain classes of licence or certificate issued under the Home Building Act 1989.
This change removes a major cost to former licence holders who would otherwise need to pay to have their former licence and experience recognised as being equivalent to the current qualification through the recognition of prior learning process.
This creates a quick and simple pathway for former licence holders to obtain a new licence and return to the industry.
From 16 September 2009, licensing ceased for building consultancy, non-structural flooring, kit home supply and mechanical services. Demolisher licensing ceased on 2 May 2008.