There is a wealth of career opportunities in the construction industry, but the nature of the job does require stringent adherence to state rules and regulations. When it comes to being a building professional in Victoria, one must first apply for and successfully receive a building license from the Victorian Building Authority (VBA). This blog will go over the basics about why this license is vital to your career and how you can go about getting one.
Who needs a building license?
A license is required when performing any of the following construction duties…- Domestic building construction where the total cost – including materials and labour – exceeds $5000.
- If you are performing tasks such as demolishing, re-stumping, re-blocking or removing a home entirely.
- If your work requires any permit, regardless of the project’s overall cost.
- If you are providing more than one type of service – for example, painting or plastering – where the cost including materials and labour exceeds $5000.
When do I need to apply for it?
You must apply for and successfully receive your license before you begin work on a project. It is an offence to enter into a contract without appropriate registration and a range of penalties apply to those who do.What are the different builder classifications?
There are three types of domestic builders in Victoria. You must choose the appropriate classification in your application in order to successfully obtain a license. They are…- Domestic Builder – Unlimited – can personally perform, manage or arrange for sub-contractors to do domestic construction.
- Domestic Builder – Manager can manage or arrange for domestic builders who are registered in another class to carry out work.
- Domestic Builder – Limited can perform, manage or arrange for domestic building work to be performed as specific by the Building Practitioners Board.
How do I register for a license with the VBA?
The registration process is fairly straight forward. Simply follow the below steps to apply…- Find the relevant application from the VBA website, complete it and submit it to the relevant address.
- Nominate the appropriate registration class that you wish to be licensed in.
- Pay the required fee and submit proof that you have any mandatory insurance needed.
What else do I need to know?
- Your relevant experience and qualifications will provide the basis for whether or not you are issued a license. Skills Certified can help you obtain these qualifications with our range of building and construction courses.
- The VBA only provides licenses to individual builders, not building companies, which has its own set of rules and regulations.
