Protect yourself and your investment by making sure you hire the right people for the job. Use our online tool to check your contractor and tradesperson is qualified and/or licensed to do the job.
The licence check will tell you the licence holder’s name, licence number/s, categories (or types) and expiry dates as well as (but not limited to):
- details of what type of licence or certificate is held, and its current status
- details of any cancellation or suspension under the Home Building Act 1989 (the Act) or the Fair Trading Act 1987
- details of any conditions endorsed on the licence, details of public warnings issued regarding the holder under section 23 of the Act, formal cautions, penalty infringement notices and any instances of non-compliance with a related tribunal order
- the results of any prosecution against the holder under the Act (other than any prosecution that does not result in the holder being found guilty of an offence under the Act)
Full details of what information can be found on the licence check is specified in clause 69 of the Home Building Regulation 2014.
Building or renovating your home is one of the largest investments you will ever make.
Who needs to be licenced?
A licence is required for:
- residential building work valued at more than $5,000 (incl GST) in labour and materials
- ALL specialist work regardless of its cost.
Specialist work includes electrical wiring, plumbing, drainage and gasfitting work and air conditioning and refrigeration work (except plug-in appliances).
Go to our licence classes and qualifications page to find out about the different types of home building licences in NSW.
Tips when choosing a tradesperson or contractor
- get more than one written quote
- ask for references and examples of past work
- don’t pay any money without a written contract
Go to our licence classes and qualifications page to find out about the different types of home building licences in NSW.
Owner-Builder Permit check
The owner-builder permit check will show you if a property had an owner-builder permit issued for residential building work in the last 10 years. It will also provide you with the name and address of the holder and a description of work the permit authorised the holder to do.
Don’t forget to read about your rights and responsibilities when you do home building and renovation work, including advice on selecting a tradesperson or builder, contracts, home building compensation fund and resolving home building disputes.