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Building practitioner registration

The Victorian Building Authority (VBA) regulates the building industry in Victoria and registers building practitioners in seven categories.

Each category and class has specific requirements for when a practitioner must register with the VBA, and the work that registered building practitioners can lawfully undertake.

For more information and how to apply, click the relevant registration class below where you will find links and information relating scope of work, prescribed qualifications, and experience.

There are three classes of Building Designer:

  • Building Design (Architectural)
  • Building Design (Interior)
  • Building Design (Services).

All three classes produce a range of plans, drawings, specifications, and other documentation for different building work. They may also help with relevant permits, tenders, contracts, etc.

For more information see, What is a Building Designer?

To apply for registration as a Building Designer, you will need to complete:

  1. Application form (PDF)
  2. Technical Referee Report
  3. Your evidence portfolio

Submit your completed application, technical references, and evidence portfolio to the address on the application form.

Application form

Please follow the instructions carefully. Our application process changes from time to time.

To apply for registration as a Building Designer, you'll need to download and complete the PDF application, then print, and sign it.

Technical references

To apply for registration as a Building Designer you will need to provide a technical reference confirming your experience – you may need to provide more than one technical reference. Your referees must be Building Designers registered in the same class or a practitioner registered one of the classes listed on the Technical Referee form.

All referees will each need to complete and sign a Technical Referee Form for the class you're applying for:

Building inspectors perform an important role in monitoring building standards in Victoria. They carry out inspections of building work on behalf of the relevant building surveyor.

This category of building practitioner has three classes in which you can apply to register:

  • Building Inspector (Unlimited)
  • Building Inspector (Limited to all classes of buildings (including buildings with basements), up to 3 storeys in height, with a maximum floor area of 2000 m2)
  • Building Inspector (Limited to all classes of buildings (excluding buildings with basements), up to 3 storeys in height, with a maximum floor area of 500 m2)

We will also consider applications for Building Inspector (Limited) from applicants with practical experience restricted to class 1 and 10 buildings.

  • Building Inspector (Limited to buildings (excluding buildings with basements), up to 3 storeys in height, with a maximum floor area of 500 m2 – with the condition of Class 1 and 10 buildings)

For more information see What is building inspection work?

To apply for registration as a Building Inspector, you will need to complete:

  1. Online application form
  2. Technical Referee Report
  3. Experience Statement
  4. Experience Logbook
  5. Your evidence portfolio

Application forms

Please follow the instructions carefully. Our application process changes from time to time.

To apply for registration as a Building Inspector, you'll need to complete an online application form.

  • To start a new application, log in to VBA and start a new application from the “Registration and licensing” page.
  • To continue an application, log in to VBA and find your draft application on the “Registration and licensing” page.

Technical references

To register as a Building Inspector, you will need to provide a technical reference confirming your experience – you may need to provide more than one technical reference. Your referees must be Building Inspectors or Building Surveyors registered in the same class or a class higher than the one you're applying for.

All referees will each need to complete and sign a Technical Referee Form for the class you are applying for:

Experience Statement

To register as a Building Inspector, you will need to complete and submit an Experience Statement. The Experience Statement has detailed instructions on how to complete an Experience Logbook and compile a Portfolio of Evidence to support your application.

Make sure you use the correct form – as using the incorrect form will result in delays to your application:

Experience Logbook

To register as a Building Inspector, you will need to complete and submit an Experience Logbook. Use the logbook's drop-down fields to record your inspection work. Keep filling out your logbook as you are gaining your experience to save time when preparing  your application:

You can generate a summary report to track your progress and target areas for more supervised experience.

Please do not edit the format, as it will become inoperable and VBA will not be able to fix your logbook when that happens.

Building inspectors perform an important role in monitoring building standards in Victoria. Building Inspector’s (pool safety) are responsible for:

  • Inspecting swimming pool and spa barriers to determine compliance.
  • Issuing certificates of pool and spa barrier compliance.
  • Issuing certificates of pool and spa barrier non-compliance.
  • Lodging certificates of pool and spa barrier non-compliance with the relevant council.

For more information see, What is building inspection (pool safety) work?

To apply for registration as a Building Inspector (pool safety), you will need to complete:

  1. Online application form
  2. Technical Referee Report
  3. Experience Logbook
  4. Your evidence portfolio

Application forms

Please follow the instructions carefully. Our application process changes from time to time.

To apply for registration as a Building Inspector (pool safety), you'll need to complete an online application form:.

  • To start a new application, log in to VBA and start a new application from the “Registration and licensing” page.
  • To continue an application, log in to VBA and find your draft application on the “Registration and licensing” page.

Technical references

To register as a Building Inspector (pool safety), you will need to provide a technical reference confirming your experience – you may need to provide more than one technical reference. Your referees must be registered Building Surveyors, Building Inspectors or Building Inspectors (pool safety).

All referees will each need to complete and sign a Technical Referee Form for the class you are applying for:

Experience Logbook

To register as a Building Inspector (pool safety), you will need to complete and submit an Experience Logbook. Use the logbook's drop-down fields to record your inspection work. Keep filling out your logbook as you are gaining your experience to save time when preparing  your application:

You can generate a summary report to track your progress and target areas for more supervised experience.

Please do not edit the format, as it will become inoperable and VBA will not be able to fix your logbook when that happens.

Building surveyors provide independent oversight of buildings and building work throughout the construction process and upon completion of construction to ensure that buildings are safe for use, accessible and energy efficient.

There are two classes in which you can apply to register:

  • Building Surveyor (Unlimited)
  • Building Surveyor (Limited to all classes of buildings (including buildings with basements), up to 3 storeys in height, with a maximum floor area of 2,000 m2)

We will also consider applications for Building Surveyor (Limited) from applicants with practical experience restricted to class 1 and 10 buildings.

  • Building Surveyor (Limited to buildings up to 3 storeys in height – with the condition of Class 1 and 10 buildings (excluding buildings with basements), with a maximum floor area of 500 m2)

For more information see, What is building surveyor work?

To apply for registration as a Building Surveyor, you will need to complete:

  1. Online application form
  2. Technical Referee Report
  3. Experience Statement
  4. Experience Logbook
  5. Your evidence portfolio

Application form

Please follow the instructions carefully. Our application process changes from time to time.

To apply for registration as a Building Surveyor, you'll need to complete an online application form:

  • To start a new application, log in to VBA and start a new application from the “Registration and licensing” page.
  • To continue an application, log in to VBA and find your draft application on the “Registration and licensing” page.

Technical references

To register as a Building Surveyor, you will need to provide a technical reference confirming your experience – you may need to provide more than one technical reference. Your referees must be Building Surveyors registered in the class or a class higher than the one you're applying for.

All referees will each need to complete and sign a Technical Referee Form for the class you're applying for:

Experience Statement

To register as a Building Surveyor, you will need to complete and submit an Experience Statement. The Experience Statement has detailed instructions on how to complete an Experience Logbook and compile a Portfolio of Evidence to support your application.

Make sure you use the correct form – as using the incorrect form will result in delays to your application:

Experience Logbook

To register as a Building Surveyor, you will need to complete and submit an Experience Logbook. Use the logbook's drop–down fields to record your inspection work. Keep filling out your logbook as you are gaining your experience to save time when preparing  your application:

You can generate a summary report to track your progress and target areas for more supervised experience.

Please do not edit the format, as it will become inoperable and VBA will not be able to fix your logbook when that happens.

Mutual Recognition for building surveyors from other jurisdictions

Building Surveyors entering Victoria from another Australian state or territory or in New Zealand are entitled to apply for registration via the Mutual Recognition Act 1992 (Cth). In most instances building surveying is considered an equivalent occupation across all Australian jurisdictions.

If you are already registered as a building surveyor in another jurisdiction and would like to become registered in Victoria, see Mutual recognition for building practitioners.

Commercial Builders are responsible for managing and arranging the carrying out of all components of building work for the construction of commercial buildings and structures. These include class 2–9 buildings and structures, and class 10b buildings not associated with a domestic building.

For more information see, What is commercial building work?

To apply for registration as a Commercial Builder, you will need to complete:

  1. Online application form
  2. Technical Referee Report
  3. Your evidence portfolio

Application forms

Please follow the instructions carefully. Our application process changes from time to time.

To apply for registration as a Commercial Builder, you'll need to complete an online application form:.

  • To start a new application, log in to VBA and start a new application from the “Registration and licensing” page.
  • To continue an application, log in to VBA and find your draft application on the “Registration and licensing” page.

Technical references

To apply for registration as a Commercial Builder you will need to provide a technical reference confirming your experience – you may need to provide more than one technical reference. Your referees must be Commercial Builders registered in the same class or a class higher than the one you're applying for.

All referees will each need to complete and sign a Technical Referee Form for the class you're applying for. Make sure you use the correct form – as using the incorrect form will result in delays to your application:

Demolishers completely or partly dismantle buildings and other structures using pre-planned and controlled methods. Their work often combines the structural demolition of load-bearing elements with the stripping of internal fixtures and fittings, services and non-load-bearing elements.

There are three classes of Demolisher in which you can apply to register:

  • Demolisher (Low rise)
  • Demolisher (Medium rise)
  • Demolisher (Unlimited).

For more information see, What is demolition work?

To apply for registration as a Demolisher, you will need to complete:

  1. Online application form
  2. Technical Referee Report
  3. Your evidence portfolio

Application forms

Please follow the instructions carefully. Our application process changes from time to time.

To apply for registration as a Demolisher, you'll need to complete an online application form:.

  • To start a new application, log in to VBA and start a new application from the “Registration and licensing” page.
  • To continue an application, log in to VBA and find your draft application on the “Registration and licensing” page.

Technical references

To apply for registration as a Demolisher you will need to provide a technical reference confirming your experience – you may need to provide more than one technical reference. Your referees must be Demolishers registered in the same class or a class higher than the one you're applying for.

All referees will each need to complete and sign a Technical Referee Form for the class you're applying for.

Domestic building work is work associated with the construction, renovation, improvement, or maintenance of a home. There are 30 classes of domestic building work.

A person registered as Domestic Builder Unlimited is responsible for carrying out, managing and arranging all components of domestic building work.

A person registered in a Domestic Builder Limited class can only do certain types of domestic building work, like carpentry or glazing.

For more information see, What is domestic building work?

To apply for registration as a Domestic Builder, you will need to complete:

  1. Online application form
  2. Technical Referee Report
  3. Your evidence portfolio

Application forms

Please follow the instructions carefully. Our application process changes from time to time.

To apply for registration as a Domestic Builder, you'll need to complete an online application form:.

  • To start a new application, log in to VBA and start a new application from the “Registration and licensing” page.
  • To continue an application, log in to VBA and find your draft application on the “Registration and licensing” page.

Technical references

To apply for registration as a Domestic Builder you will need to provide a technical reference confirming your experience – you may need to provide more than one technical reference. Your referees must be Domestic Builders registered in the same class or a class higher than the one you’re applying for.

All referees will each need to complete and sign a Technical Referee Form for the class you’re applying for. Make sure you use the correct form – as using the incorrect form will result in delays to your application:

Erectors and supervisors of temporary structures  are responsible for undertaking or supervising the erection, maintenance and dismantling of particular types of temporary structures, including prescribed temporary structures that fall within both classes.

There are two classes in which you can apply to register:

  • Temporary Structures (limited to scaffolding stages and towers)
  • Temporary Structures – (limited to tents and marquees)

For more information see, What is erection or supervisor of temporary structures work?

To apply for registration as an Erector or Supervisor of Temporary Structures, you will need to complete:

  1. Application form (PDF)
  2. Technical Referee Report
  3. Your evidence portfolio

Submit your completed application and technical references to the address on the application form.

Application form

Please follow the instructions carefully. Our application process changes from time to time.

Download and complete the PDF application form, then sign it.

Technical references

To apply for registration as an Erector or Supervisor of Temporary Structures, you will need to provide a technical reference confirming your experience – you may need to provide more than one technical reference. Your referees must be Erectors or Supervisors of Temporary Structures, registered in the same class or a class higher than the one you're applying for.

All referees will each need to complete and sign a Technical Referee Form for the class you're applying for:

Project Managers are responsible for managing or arranging the carrying out of domestic building work by registered domestic builders. They cannot carry out the domestic building work themselves or arrange for unregistered builders to carry out the work.

For more information see, What is domestic building work?

To apply for registration as a Project Manager, you will need to complete:

  1. Application form (PDF)
  2. Experience Statement
  3. Technical Referee Report
  4. Your evidence portfolio

Submit your completed application, experience statement and technical references to the address on the application form.

Application form

Please follow the instructions carefully. Our application process changes from time to time.

Download and complete the PDF application form, then sign it.

Experience Statement

In addition to your application form, you’ll need to complete an Experience Statement.

Technical references

To apply for registration as a Project Manager you will need to provide a technical reference confirming your experience – you may need to provide more than one technical reference. Your referees must be registered Domestic Builders (Unlimited).

All referees will each need to complete and sign a Technical Referee Form.

Quantity surveyors are responsible for estimating and monitoring construction costs for all classes of building and types of construction.

For more information see, What is quantity surveyor work?

To apply for registration as a Quantity Surveyor, you will need to complete:

  1. Application form (PDF)
  2. Experience Statement
  3. Technical Referee Report
  4. Your evidence portfolio

Submit your completed application, experience statement and technical references to the address on the application form.

Application form

Please follow the instructions carefully. Our application process changes from time to time.

Download and complete the PDF application form, then sign it.

Experience Statement

In addition to your application form, you will need to complete an Experience Statement.

Technical references

To apply for registration as a Quantity Surveyor you will need to provide a technical reference confirming your experience – you may need to provide more than one technical reference. Your referees must be Quantity Surveyors registered in the same class or a class higher than the one you're applying for.

All referees will each need to complete and sign a Technical Referee Form for the class you're applying for:

Am I eligible for registration?

There are specific qualification and experience requirements that you must meet to be registered as a building practitioner. You must also demonstrate you are a ‘fit and proper’ person, and for some classes, that you hold the correct insurance.

'Fit and proper' person

When assessing an application, we need to be satisfied that the applicant is fit and proper to become a registered building practitioner. This includes any partners the applicant may have as part of their business structure.

We establish if someone is fit and proper by:

  • asking you to complete a declaration as part of your application process;
  • requiring a police check;
  • asking you to complete an External Administration Declaration form if you were a director, secretary or influential person for a company that was in external administration at any time within two years before the company went into external administration.

To find out more go to Fit and proper person – external administration.

Qualification and experience requirements

When you apply for registration, the VBA will review your qualifications and experience to determine whether you have the knowledge and skills to carry out the work in the class of registration you are applying for.

The VBA can also consider other qualifications if they help to demonstrate your knowledge and skills.

What kind of experience do I need?

Your experience must show that you can carry out work competently and to a professional standard. Your experience should be:

  • Supervised by a registered building practitioner
  • Gained in an official paid capacity such employment or as a contractor
  • Across all aspects of work including technical, supervision, contractual
  • For at least the minimum number of required years
  • Gained in the last seven years

Not all experience can be counted toward the minimum number of years of experience.

You should not rely on:

  • Experience gained as an owner builder
  • Experience gained as part of a training course
  • Experience that is unpaid.

This experience does not carry a sufficient level of responsibility for the quality and compliance of the work you carried out. The VBA may disregard this experience.

You may be asked to provide evidence that your experience was gained under a paid arrangement. Keep records of your employment and/or contract work and provide these if requested.

FAQs and reference links

The VBA runs registration information webinars on becoming a registered building practitioner. We recommend that you attend one before submitting your application. You can find upcoming webinars and book into one via our Events page.

When we receive your application we complete initial checks and let you know if we need anything further.

Once all required information is provided, your application is reviewed in depth by an Assessor. You may be required to complete an exam and or an interview with an Assessor. The Assessor may also ask you to provide further information about your qualifications or experience. Your application may be refused if you do not provide additional information as requested.

If you demonstrate you have the knowledge and experience for registration, you will be asked to provide proof that you are covered by the relevant insurance, if it is required for the class of registration you have applied for.

Application outcome

If you provide us with all required information in your application for registration, you can expect a decision about your application to be made within 8 to 12 weeks. If you need to provide us with further information, it will take longer for us to process your application.

Once the decision regarding the application is made, we will notify you of the outcome in writing.

If your application is successful

You will be registered for up to five years and your details will be added to the VBA's Find a practitioner building register.

We will send you a registration card. If you already hold registration in another building class, you will be issued with an updated card.

If you are unsuccessful

We will notify you in writing and outline the reasons why your application was unsuccessful.

You may reapply at a later date. In your subsequent application, you will need to demonstrate that you have addressed the gaps that caused your previous application to be refused.

Dispute the outcome of your application

You have the right to appeal the decision by requesting an internal review.

If you are dissatisfied with the VBA's decision on your registration application, you may apply to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) for a review of the decision. For more information, visit the VCAT website or call VCAT on (03) 9628 9755.

When assessing an application, we need to be satisfied that the applicant is fit and proper to become a registered building practitioner. This includes any partners the applicant may have as part of their business structure.

We establish if someone is fit and proper by;

  • asking you to complete a declaration as part of your application process,
  • requiring a police check,
  • asking you to complete an External Administration Declaration form if you were a director, secretary or influential person for a company that was in external administration at any time within two years before the company went into external administration.

To find out more go to Fit and proper person – external administration.

Your company must be registered as a building practitioner if you want to do any of the following using your company name instead of your individual name:

  • enter into major domestic building contracts
  • be named as a builder on a building permit for major domestic building work, or any other work costing more than (in most cases) $10,000.
  • be appointed as the relevant building surveyor.

If your company is not registered, you will not be able to the above activities using your company's name.

Serious penalties apply for saying, or implying, that you or your company are registered, if this is not true.

If you enter into a major domestic building contract using your individual name, a building permit cannot be issued unless the name on the contract matches the name on the certificate of insurance.

You can register your company in one or more categories or classes of registered practitioner, but a company can only be registered in a particular category or class if at least one of its directors is registered in that category or class.

To find out about registering a company with the VBA, go to Building companies.

No. The Certificate IV in Building and Construction (Building) is not a prescribed course for any class of registration under the Victorian Building Regulations 2018.

This course meet parts of the knowledge requirements for Domestic Builder classes, but not all of the knowledge requirements.  Therefore, it is not considered an equivalent course for registration purposes.

If you hold this qualification, you may include this in your application.  The VBA will consider this course as part of the broader assessment of your knowledge and experience.

If you do not hold the prescribed course for the class you are applying for, you may be asked to sit an additional VBA exam.

For more information about the prescribed registration qualifications and equivalent qualifications, please see the guide 'What is domestic building work?' or call the VBA on 1300 815 127.

Yes - if you require an interpreter, please let us know.

From 1 July 2018, if an applicant for registration carriers out business, or intends to carry out business, as a building practitioner or as a member of a partnership, then each member of the partnership (whether registered as a building practitioner or not) is required to satisfy the personal and financial probity required of registration.

Each member of the partnership must complete and submit a partner's declaration. In addition, each partner must submit a national police check via our online service provider and if they have been insolvent under administration or an officer of a company that was in external administration, they will be required to complete an External Administration Declaration form.

For the VBA to grant registration to a company or natural person carrying out business as a partnership, we must be satisfied that each partner is a fit and proper person in regard to the personal and financial probity requirements set out in section 171D and section 171E of the Building Act 1993.

To find out more, go to Partnerships.

The VBA can issue you with a real replacement building practitioner certificate, provided you pay the appropriate fee and we are satisfied that your original certificate has been damaged, destroyed or lost.

Please complete a 'Request for a Duplicate Building Practitioner Certificate (PDF, 270.83 KB)' form and submit it to the VBA.

If you want your company to be issued a replacement building practitioner certificate, please complete and submit to the VBA a 'Request for a Duplicate Building Practitioner Certificate for Company Registration' (PDF, 373.54 KB) form.

On 1 July 2021, the registration of engineers engaged in the building industry transferred from the Victorian Building Authority (VBA) under the Building Act 1993 (the BA Act) to the Business Licensing Authority (BLA) under the Professional Engineers Registration Act 2019 (PER Act).

The PER Act introduced a new engineering registration scheme that is co-regulatory, led by the BLA, supported by Consumers Affairs Victoria (CAV) and the VBA.

Practitioners registered as an individual building practitioner in the category of building engineer under the BA Act, were automatically transferred to a registration and endorsement under the PER Act.

Please head to Consumer Affairs Victoria for more information on engineer registration.

Every supporting document that you submit with your application must be certified as a true photocopy of an original.

A certified copy means a document that has been verified as a true copy of an original document. This is done by a person who is authorised to certify photocopies of original documents. Find out who can certify a document for you.

To have a document correctly certified:

  • Photocopy the original document.
  • Take both the original and the photocopy to an authorised person. Find out who can certify documents.

The certifier will:

  • Examine the original to ensure it is not a copy or forged
  • Examine the photocopy to ensure it is identical to original

The certifier will then write or stamp the copy with the words "Certified to be a true copy of the original seen by me.” They will sign and date the copy, and write or stamp their:

  • Name
  • Personal or professional address, and
  • Qualification as an authorised certifier

For multiple pages to the copy, the certifier will sign or initial and number all pages.

Further information on document certification can be found on the Department of Justice and Community Safety’s website.

As part of the assessment of the skills and knowledge of registration applicants, the VBA may require an applicant to complete an exam and/or participate in an interview.

You may use permitted reference materials during an exam or interview.

Find out more about  permitted reference materials.