Which Trades need a building contractors licence?
Which Trades ?
A business that performs any work which contributes to the construction of a building will need to have a “building work contractor’s licence”, often referred to as a “builder’s licence” or “contractor’s licence”, issued by state governments in Australia.
“Building work”, including all work inside and on the outside of the building, including paving, fences, letterboxes.
Trades that perform the following work activities require a building work contractors licence:
ADDITIONS, ALTERATIONS & RENOVATIONS
AIR CONDITIONING INSTALLATION
ALUMINIUM WINDOW & DOOR INSTALLATION
BUILDING WORK
BATHROOM RENOVATIONS
BOARD FIXING & FLUSHING
BRICK PAVING
BRICKLAYING & BLOCKLAYING
CABINET MAKING
CARPENTRY
CARPORTS
CIVIL CONSTRUCTION
CONCRETING
COOL ROOMS
DECKS
DEMOLITION
EARTHWORKS SITE PREPARATION, EXCAVATION &TRENCHING
FENCING
FIXING OF CLADDING
FLOOR FINISHING
FOOTING CONSTRUCTION
GENERAL REPAIRS
GLAZING
INSTALLATION OF CEILING INSULATION
INSTALLATION OF METAL FABRICATEDPRODUCTS
INSTALLATION OF PV SOLAR PANELS
INSULATION
JOINERY
LIGHT STEEL FRAMING
PAINTING AND DECORATING
PAVING
PERGOLAS & VERANDAHS
POOL FENCING
RAINWATER TANK INSTALLATION
RENOVATIONS
RETAINING WALLS
ROLLER DOORS, ROLLER SHUTTERS AND PANEL LIFT DOOR INSTALLATION
ROOF PLUMBING
ROOF RESTORATION
SHADE SAILS
SHEDS & GARAGES
SHOWER SCREENS AND BATHROOM FITTINGS
SOLID PLASTERING
STAIRS & BALUSTRADES
STEELFIXING
STONEMASONRY
STORMWATER DRAINAGE
STRUCTURAL STEEL ERECTION
SWIMMING POOL CONSTRUCTION
TILT PANEL CONSTRUCTION
UNDERPINNING
TILING
WATER PROOFING
Exemptions
Exemptions include trades licenced under other regulations including:
- Asbestos Removal – are required to have an Asbestos removal licence
- Plumbers Gasfitters & Electricians (licenced under the Plumbers, Gas Fitters and Electricians Act 1995)
- Pest Controllers (licenced under the Controlled Substances (Pesticides) Regulations 2003 )
- Security Systems (licenced under the Security and Investigation Agents Act 1995)
- SA Housing Trust & Employees & the minister!
- Floor Coverings – Floating Floor Layer, Vinyl Floor Layer, Carpet Layers
Other exemptions include people who are involved with the construction, but not actually building, including:
- Scaffolding (post updated 13/05/2014 )
- Architects
- delivery drivers.
- Landscaping where no building is involved (i.e. not paving and not building things e.g. retaining walls)
Sole Traders
Builders and subcontractors who are sole traders need their own building contractors licence.
Partnerships
Each partner in a partnership needs their own building contractor’s licence.
Companies
A company can hold a building contractor’s licence which covers all the employees. (But is does not cover any subcontractors!)
Supervisors Licence
“Every building work contractor must have a registered building work supervisor to properly supervise their building work and ensure that it meets required standards” (from factsheet below).
A supervisor’s licence is recorded as an additional class on a building contractors licence
Non-Compliance penalties
Fines of up to $20,000 for performing building work without a licence
More information
An information sheet for SA is here:
Business and Trade Licences (SA Govt)
Building Work Contractors Regulations
