Three steps in any state
Ask for the number and the name
Get the licence number and the exact name it's under: a person, a company or both. In NSW, Queensland and WA, plumbers have to show their number in ads, so it may already be on their website or van.
Look it up yourself
Use the register for your state in the table below. Don't rely on a screenshot or a number printed on a card: search for it.
Read the record
Check the name, the status, the expiry date and the type of work it covers. Look for conditions, suspensions or disciplinary notes.
Where to check, by state
| Who regulates plumbing licences | Where to check | |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | Building Commission NSW, with NSW Fair Trading | The NSW Public Register of licences. The NSW Government's page on checking your contractor explains how (see Sources) |
| Victoria | Building and Plumbing Commission (BPC) | We haven't confirmed the BPC's register yet. Check with the BPC |
| Queensland | Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) | The QBCC licensee register and the Occupational plumber and drainer register, both searched through myQBCC (see Sources) |
| Western Australia | Building and Energy, part of the Department of Local Government, Industry Regulation and Safety | WA Online Licence Search, at ols.demirs.wa.gov.au/search, which covers plumbing and gas fitting |
| South Australia | Not yet confirmed by us | Check with the South Australian plumbing licensing regulator |
| Tasmania | Licences are issued under the Occupational Licensing Act 2005 | Check with the Tasmanian plumbing licensing regulator |
| ACT | Access Canberra | Access Canberra's public register. Its page on choosing a tradesperson explains the check (see Sources) |
| Northern Territory | Not yet confirmed by us | Check with the NT plumbing licensing regulator |
What the record tells you, state by state
NSW. The register shows the name, licence numbers, categories and expiry dates. It also lists "details of any conditions endorsed on the licence", any cancellation or suspension under the Home Building Act 1989 or the Fair Trading Act 1987, public warnings, formal cautions, penalty notices and prosecution results. NSW requires a contractor licence for specialist work of any value, and plumbing, drainage and gasfitting are all specialist work.
Queensland. The QBCC keeps two registers: the "QBCC licensee register" for licensed businesses and an "Occupational plumber and drainer register" to "run a check on your plumber or drainer". A plumbing contractor also needs an occupational licence to do the work itself, so it's worth checking both.
Western Australia. Regulation 11 sets out the licence types: a plumbing contractor's licence, a tradesperson's licence, a tradesperson's licence for drainage plumbing, provisional licences, and a restricted plumbing permit. That permit only covers water heater replacement where no pipe changes are needed.
ACT. Access Canberra's register lets you "view detailed licence statuses, including expired, suspended, surrendered and cancelled licences", with any disciplinary action under the "Details" tab. Plumbers, drainers and gasfitters hold separate classes, such as "Sanitary plumber", "Water supply plumber", "Advanced sanitary drainer" and "General gasfitter".
Victoria. Plumbers are either "registered" or "licensed" for each class of plumbing work, and the classes are "main", "restricted" and "specialised". Only licensed plumbers can issue compliance certificates, so if your job needs one, check the plumber holds a licence for that class, not just a registration.
Tasmania. The 2021 plumbing regulations provide a plumbing contractor licence and practitioner licences: standard, restricted, certifier, certifier restricted, provisional and provisional restricted. Under the Act, nobody may carry on business as a contractor without a licence.
South Australia and the Northern Territory. We haven't confirmed the register details. Ask the plumber for their licence number and check it with the regulator before work starts.
Check these on the record
- The name matches the person or business you're dealing with.
- The licence is current: not expired, suspended, surrendered or cancelled.
- It covers your job. Plumbing, drainage and gas fitting can be separate classes.
- There are no conditions that rule out your kind of work.
- If they're quoting and invoicing you, the business holds a contractor licence where your state has one.
If it doesn't check out
Don't let work start. Ask for the exact name the licence is held under and search again. If the number belongs to a different business, ask whose licence covers your job and who you're actually contracting with. If you still can't match it, find another plumber. In Western Australia, knowingly engaging an unlicensed person for plumbing work is itself an offence, with a $5,000 penalty.
What we would do
Look the licence up before the plumber arrives, not after the work is done. On most registers it's a quick search, and it's the one check that tells you the person is allowed to do the job. If you can't find them, ask for the exact licensed name and try again. A plumber who does your kind of job every week will have the number ready.