Get licensed
The LBP scheme is one of the changes in the Building Act 2004 to encourage better building design and construction.
The public can have confidence that licensed building practitioners working on their homes and buildings are competent, and that homes and buildings are designed and built right the first time.
Licensing promotes, recognises and supports professional skills and behaviour in the building industry. Over time, the emphasis on education and training, along with better career pathways, will increase. From 2015 it is proposed that licensing will be qualifications-based.
In the meantime, the scheme is competency based. Competent builders and tradespeople with a good track record can have their skills and knowledge formally recognised, whether they are trade-qualified or not. A number of people without formal trade qualifications have already been assessed as competent and have their licences
In this section we will be covering:
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Why get licensed
The Licensed Building Practitioner scheme has been established to recognised competent, skilled building practitioners which is a key component for the success of many initiatives being investigated as part of the Building Act Review.
Read more information on Building Act Review »
From 1 March 2012 it will be an offence with a fine of up to $20,000 for a building practitioner to carry out Restricted Building Work unless they or someone supervising their work is appropriately licensed.
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Restricted Building Work
From 1 March 2012 critical building work that is known as Restricted Building Work, must be done by an LBP. Registered Architects and professional chartered engineers are deemed to be LBPs.
Read about Restricted Building Work in the Build It Right section »
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What are the licenses
There are seven licenses in the scheme and you can apply for more than one licence. The licenses are:
- Design
- Site
- Bricklaying and Blocklaying (includes concrete foundation walls)
- Carpentry (includes Foundations and lightweight profile metal roofing)
- External Plastering
- Foundations
- Roofing
Read Is licensing for me? booklet for details about the licenses, the areas of practices, and the competencies that you will be tested for.
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How do I apply
For most licenses there are two ways to apply to become an LBP:
- Qualified Practitioner application
- Standard application
You do not need to be qualified to be licensed. However overtime, the emphasis on education and training, along with better career pathways, will increase. From 2015 it is proposed that licensing will be qualifications-based.
You can apply using a qualified practitioner application pack if you:
- hold a recognised qualification in the licence that you are applying for; or
- have an NZQA report stating that your overseas qualification is specifically equivalent to one recognised under the LBP scheme (the report will costs around $750).
If you cannot find your original certificate of your qualification you can contact:
- TEC (Tertiary Education Commission) for apprenticeships on 0800 601 301. You may need to complete this form from their website.
- NZQA (New Zealand Qualification Authority) for trade and national certificates on 0800 697 296.
You will need a standard application pack if you:
- do not hold a recognised qualification
- are applying for a Design licence
- have an overseas qualification and you do not have a NZQA report confirming that your overseas qualification is specifically equivalent to one recognised under the LBP scheme.
A copy of our Understanding the Regulatory Environment booklet also comes in these packs and forms the basis of part of the practitioner assessment.
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How do I get an application form?
- Downloading both the Application form and Understanding the Regulatory Environment booklet (s
- Calling 0800 60 60 50 during office hours
- Emailing info@dbh.govt.nz , be sure to include full mailing details and the specific application pack/s you need.
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How will I be Assessed?
A team of experienced assessors with design and building industry backgrounds assess applications. Your application will be assessed by someone with extensive knowledge of your licence class.
An assessor will:
- Review your application
- Call your referees to confirm your technical competence on projects you have worked on
- Call you and discuss your application and work history
- ask questions about the Understanding the Regulatory Environment booklet.
After considering all the information, the assessor will make a recommendation to the Registrar about whether you meet the minimum standard of competence.
Based on the assessors’ recommendation and any further information that may be provided, the Registrar makes a decision about granting the licence.
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Appeals
If the Registrar decides to decline a licence or offer a lower class of licence an applicant can appeal that decision to the Building Practitioners Board.
Read about the LBP appeals process »
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Withdrawing an application
If you have submitted an application and wish to withdraw your application you will need to complete an application to withdraw licence application form.
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