The laws behind Tasmanian plumbing licences
Plumbing licensing sits under the Occupational Licensing Act 2005 and the Occupational Licensing (Plumbing Work) Regulations 2021.
Tasmanian plumbing licences
| Who holds it | Classes | |
|---|---|---|
| Contractor licence | The business that contracts for the work | Plumbing contractor |
| Practitioner licence | The plumber doing the work | Standard, restricted, certifier, certifier restricted, provisional and provisional restricted |
The regulations sort plumbing into categories: sanitary, water, drainage, roof (stormwater), mechanical services and refrigerated air conditioning. Ask which category your job falls in.
What the law says about offering plumbing work
Section 21 of the Act says a person must not carry on business as a contractor unless licensed. Section 38 stops anyone holding themselves, or another person, out as a practitioner without a licence.
Section 38(2) goes further. Nobody may represent that they or anyone else is prepared to contract for prescribed work unless the intended contractor holds a contractor licence of the relevant occupation and class. A company can be fined up to 400 penalty units.
In practice, ask the business for its contractor licence number. Then ask who will do the work, and which practitioner licence they hold.
Gaps in what we could confirm
Tasmania's licensing website was closed to our research. So this page doesn't confirm the state's register, which jobs need a permit or certificate, or what homeowners may do themselves. Check those with the licensing authority before work begins.
Hot water in Tasmania
Replacing a hot water heater in Tasmania means fitting a temperature control device. Swapping one storage unit that sits in a range or bank of heaters is the only exception.
The 50°C cap for personal hygiene fixtures applies to new and replacement heated water installations. Our temperature guide explains why water is stored hotter than it is delivered.
Tasmanian cities
Hobart, Launceston, Devonport and Burnie each have a page below. Send us the job, and Tasmanian plumbers who do that work can see it. Your phone number and email go to the one who takes it, and nobody else.