Key points at a glance
- Restricted Building Work (RBW) affects a home’s primary structure or weathertightness.
- RBW must be designed or carried out (or supervised) by a Licensed Building Practitioner.
- LBPs provide a Certificate of Design Work and a Record of Building Work.
- Homeowners can apply for an owner-builder exemption to do RBW on their own home.
What Restricted Building Work is
Restricted Building Work is residential building work that needs a building consent and involves a home’s primary structure, external weathertightness, or certain fire-safety design. Because this work is critical to safety and durability, the law limits who can do it.
Only Licensed Building Practitioners can design or carry out RBW. LBP licence classes include design, carpentry, roofing, brick and blocklaying, external plastering, foundations and site coordination. Registered architects and chartered professional engineers are automatically treated as design LBPs.
Supervision, certificates and records
An LBP does not have to do every task personally, but if others do the work the LBP must actively supervise it and remains legally responsible for compliance. Licensed or certified plumbers and gasfitters are recognised for relevant work such as pipework through exterior walls.
LBPs provide a Certificate of Design Work with the consent application, and a Record of Building Work on completion so the council can issue the Code Compliance Certificate. Homeowners must give the council the names of the LBPs engaged on the project.
Owner-builder exemption and penalties
Homeowners can apply for an owner-builder exemption to carry out Restricted Building Work on their own home or holiday home. The work must still comply with the Building Code and have the necessary building consents.
Using an unlicensed person for RBW is a serious offence. Consequences include Notice to Fix orders, delays to the Code Compliance Certificate, and fines — infringement fees for unlicensed work, and prosecutions that can reach up to $50,000 for an individual and $150,000 for an organisation.
For homeowners
- Ask for the LBP’s licence number and check it on the public LBP register.
- Make sure you receive the Record of Building Work for the CCC.
- If doing RBW yourself, apply for the owner-builder exemption first.
For tradespeople
- Only carry out or supervise RBW within your LBP licence class.
- Provide the Certificate of Design Work and Record of Building Work on time.
- Keep your licence current and complete required skills maintenance.
Official sources
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