About licences and registration
An individual or entity that provides a service relating to the design and construction of a home typically needs to be licensed, registered or accredited. This includes architects, builders, owner-builders, certifiers, electricians, energy assessors, gasfitters, gas workers, plumbers, drainers, corporations and partnerships.
Important new information about industry occupational licence fees
On 1 July 2011 new prices for occupational licences were introduced to remove the disparity in fees between different occupations and to consolidate a large number of charges into a smaller, more straight forward and understandable package. One-off modest increases and decreases in fees will occur as they are aligned across industry for the first time. The new fee structure, which takes as its starting point an annual occupational licensing fee of $200, will ensure that fees reflect the costs of providing regulation, are consistent across comparable occupational groups and are in line with nation-wide averages.
To honour an ongoing agreement with industry groups, occupations which will see their annual fees increase under the new structure will be given a two month transition period effective as of today, before the revised increased fees are charged. For those occupations which see their annual fees decrease, the decrease was effective as of 1 July 2011.
To further assist with the transition to the new structure, reduced annual rates have been introduced for groups such as first time registering journey persons and first time licensed drainers, electricians, gasfitters and plumbers.
A full list of the revised occupational licensing fees can be found in the Fees and Charges booklet.
Occupations with fees below $200 which will continue at the lower rate until 5 September 2011 include:
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Electrician
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Plumber
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Drainer
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Gasfitter
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Building surveyor
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Asbestos assessor
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Works assessor
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Plumbing plan certifier
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Architect
To apply for a construction occupation licence
Ensure that you provide all supporting documentation and provide the associated fees or authorisation to debit fees. The completed application can be lodged in person at one of our customer service counters, via facsimile, post or as a scanned whole .pdf document sent to constructionoccupationsregulation@act.gov.au. Contact details are on the application form. Applications not lodged in person must include certified copies of qualifications, identification documents etc. Please do not supply your original documents with an application as we cannot guarantee their return.
Typical requirements
To be licensed, registered or accredited, most individuals or entities require certain qualifications, training or work experience. Restrictions may apply to work that can be done and conditions may be placed on the individual or entity.
People applying to ACTPLA for a construction occupation licence need to provide evidence of financial resources, or access to financial resources adequate for the type of licence being applied for. Following legal advice a recent update of the licence application forms incorporated a more stringent requirement for this question where applicants are now required to provide a letter from their bank, finance provider or accountant regarding their financial resources.
This financial probity requirement is common in most jurisdictions that licence occupations who can trade directly to the public and is about establishing that the applicant has sufficient financial resources to operate a business. The need to provide evidence does not apply to those construction occupation classes that can't trade directly to the public such as journeyperson, employee, permit or owner-builder. Evidence is also not required for renewals.
Specific requirements
Find out how to apply for or renew the relevant licence, registration or accreditation:
Builders, certifiers, plumbers, drainers, electricians, gasfitters, gasworkers, corporations and partnerships should also read general information about construction services’ licensing.
