Licensing update
Issue 18 - November 2011
Licensed Building Practitioners (LBP) scheme newsletter
In this issue we cover:
If you have any questions about the scheme, please email licensing@dbh.govt.nz
Licensing scheme update
Over 13,000 licenses have now been issued. It is currently taking between 4-6 weeks for a completed application to be processed and assessed – this timeframe may change depending on application volumes.
Building practitioners are being asked to check the licensing status of their specialised subcontractors such as brick and block layers; external plasterers and specialised roofers.
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Restricted Building Work
Restricted Building Work (RBW) is coming, making it even more essential to be a Licensed Building Practitioner and to keep up to date with information relevant to your sector.
From 1 March 2012, any structural and/or weathertight renovations to residential houses or new builds can only be carried out or supervised by a Licensed Building Practitioner.
RBW only relates to residential construction, alterations and design of houses and small-to-medium sized apartment buildings. It doesn’t apply to any ancillary buildings such garages or garden sheds or to commercial property.
The type of work which will be restricted includes the design and construction of: Foundation and sub-floor framing, floors, walls, roof, columns and beams, bracing, damp-proofing, roof and wall cladding, water proofing as well as the design of fire safety systems for small to medium apartments.
The Department is currently developing information detailing how RBW will affect each licence class, and we will let you know through further licensing updates when this is available.
RBW is part of a number of changes to the Building Act 2004 following a review of the legislation which governs the building and construction sector in New Zealand.
The changes aimed at lifting productivity, improving quality standards and offering better protection to both consumers and tradespeople.
Read more about the Building Act Review
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Licence Renewal
The Licensed Building Practitioner Registrar is required to contact all Licensed Building Practitioners each year to ensure they wish to remain licensed under the scheme and the information the department has is correct.
It is easy to renew your licence online by going to www.dbh.govt.nz/lbp-login. Just follow the step-by-step process to register your details with us.
Once you have complete online registration, you can renew you licence, update your skills maintenance diary and change in personal details at any time.
If you have any questions or comments about how to use online services, please email licensing@dbh.govt.nz
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Skills maintenance
Whether you have just taken the step of getting your LBP licence or have been licensed for a while, you need to be on the look out for opportunities to improve your skills and knowledge. Your licence brings many business and marketing advantages but it also means staying on top of your game by keeping up-to-date with new and improved ways of working. This is called skills maintenance.
LBPs must earn skills maintenance points and submit a record to the Registrar at least every two years. And if you submit your points yearly, you get a bonus point. You will need between 24 and 36 points over two years, depending on your licence class.
One hour of skills maintenance equals one point
You can choose the activities that best suit your needs and the requirements of your licence class. Your activities need to inform you about things such as changes to the Building Code, building materials, design technologies and good design and building practices. You will probably find you do many of these activities anyway.
Some examples of this are:
Seminars; workshops; conferences; trade events, reading publications, newsletters, magazines, journals; site training and inductions.
Activities approved by the Registrar
To help with getting points, some activities, such as some courses and workshops, are pre-approved by the Registrar. Approved activities are not capped - meaning there’s no limit to the points you can claim, as long as the activities are relevant to your licence class.
We do recommend attending courses and workshops that have been approved by the Registrar and remind you to ensure that you retain evidence of your attendance.
Keep a record of your points
You can update your skill maintenance online via www.dbh.govt.nz/lbp-login or you can keep a diary or electronic spreadsheet to record your points. Update it as you accumulate points. We can ask to see evidence of your skills maintenance, so keep your records, diary, receipts and other evidence that shows what you did.
If you use your personal records or diary to record your skill maintenance points you will also need to update your Record of skills maintenance form. It is a good idea to keep this form as up-to-date as possible, as not only do you get an extra point for doing so, it will save you time later on when you Skills Maintenance diary is due.
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More about the LBP scheme
More information about the LBP scheme is available online or contact us on 0800 60 60 50 or info@dbh.govt.nz
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