Working interstate and mutual recognition

If you have an interstate or New Zealand licence, you can apply to work in NSW under mutual recognition. NSW licence holders can check eligibility for working interstate or in New Zealand.

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Key information

There are 4 different ways of working across borders for several building and trade work categories:

Mutual Recognition (MR) arrangements allow licensed workers to work in another state or territory by having their occupations recognised across jurisdictions.
The Automatic Mutual Recognition (AMR) scheme allows individuals who hold a valid licence in one state or territory (their “home” state) to work in another jurisdiction under that same licence, without the need for additional paperwork or delays.
Under the East Coast Electrician's scheme, electricians from Queensland, Victoria and the ACT can be automatically recognised in NSW without having to notify the regulator.
The Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement is a non-treaty arrangement between Australian governments and the Government of New Zealand that has similar principles to mutual recognition.

Mutual Recognition

Mutual Recognition (MR) arrangements allow licensed workers to work in another state or territory by having their occupations recognised across jurisdictions.

With MR, you can perform equivalent work in NSW as long as the activities you're authorised to carry out under your original licence are substantially the same as those permitted under the relevant licence in NSW.

Application forms

Application forms for MR are available online:

Professional engineers Mutual Recognition application form (Note: only available to professional engineers registered in Queensland and/or Victoria.)
Home Building Mutual Recognition application form.

Lodging your Mutual Recognition notification form

Lodge your completed notification form and the required fee at a Service NSW or Government Access Centre. Please make sure you take the following:

Original or certified copies of registration in any other Australian state or territory
Proof of identity
Certificate of eligibility for insurance under the Home Building Compensation fund (if applicable).

If you are having difficulty submitting this application, contact Building Commission NSW.

Note about deemed and substantive registration

There are 2 stages to registration under MR for licences or registration - ‘deemed’ registration and ‘substantive’ registration.

You are deemed as registered if you have lodged a completed notice for registration, which includes:

an application form
all documentation required under the MR legislation
the required fee.

If your application is accepted within 1 month, you then have ‘substantive’ registration under mutual recognition.

Show More about deemed and substantive registration

Under mutual recognition for licences or registrations, there are two stages: deemed registration and substantive registration.

Stage 1: deemed registration

You are considered "deemed" registered once you have submitted a completed notice for registration, which includes:

a fully completed application form.
all required documentation under the mutual recognition legislation.
the required fee.

If accepted, your deemed registration allows you to begin working while your application for substantive registration is being processed.

Deemed registration only applies within the state where you submitted your application. It cannot be used as a basis for registration in other states.

Deemed registration continues until it is:

cancelled or suspended, or
the Building Commission NSW grants or refuses your substantive registration.

You can continue to work even if substantive registration is delayed, provided your deemed registration remains valid.

During this period, you must comply with:

NSW licensing laws (for example, contracts, advertising, maximum deposits, insurance)
local NSW regulations and codes
requirements from local government authorities, water boards, and other entities.

Stage 2: substantive registration

You should receive substantive registration within one month of lodging your notice with Service NSW. Once granted, it takes effect from the date your notice was lodged.

However, the Building Commission NSW may delay or refuse substantive registration based on the following grounds:

any statements in your notice are materially false or misleading.
failure to provide correct documentation about your existing registration, or if that information is false or misleading.
not securing insurance under the Home Building Compensation Fund, or failing to seek an exemption (for building work only).
the occupation for which you seek registration is not considered an equivalent occupation.

You may be asked to provide additional details or correct information before a decision is made.

If no decision is made within one month, you will automatically be entitled to substantive registration at the end of that period.

If substantive registration is refused or postponed, you will receive a written notice that includes:

findings on any material questions of fact.
reference to the evidence supporting the findings.
reasons for the decision.

In cases of refusal or postponement, objections are only possible if fraud is involved.

Automatic Mutual Recognition

The Automatic Mutual Recognition (AMR) scheme makes it is easier and more affordable for many licensed or registered people to work in other states and territories.

The scheme allows individuals who hold a valid licence in one state or territory (their “home” state) to work in another jurisdiction under that same licence, without the need for additional paperwork or delays.

Queensland is not currently participating in the scheme. This means that workers from Queensland cannot work in NSW under AMR and vice versa.

The AMR scheme has been expanded in New South Wales (NSW) to include more occupations.

Licensees must notify Building Commission NSW of their intention to work in NSW before they start work.

The AMR scheme does not apply to New Zealand occupational registrations and licences. See below for information about Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangements.

How the AMR scheme works

Under the AMR scheme, there is no need to get a local licence in a second state or territory or pay any fees, as long as there is a home state licence in force.

Under AMR:

as a licensee working interstate, you are subject to all relevant laws in the second state or territory
your home state licence is considered a local licence in the second state or territory
the second state or territory cannot impose specific conditions on you if they are not conditions that would be imposed on a local licensee
any conditions on your home state licence still apply while working in the second state or territory
your licence details may appear on the second state’s public register - this depends on the state or territory.

How to check if your occupation is included in AMR

For working in NSW

As an interstate worker, you can check:

if your occupation is included in the AMR scheme for NSW
whether you are required to notify the regulator
what to do next.

Check which occupations are included in the AMR scheme.

For working in other states and territories

If you are licensed or registered in NSW and want to work in another state or territory, you will need to check:

if AMR is available for your occupation
that you are eligible for AMR.

Find out more about how the AMR scheme operates in the following states and territories:

Eligibility to work in NSW under AMR

To be eligible to work in NSW under the AMR scheme, you must hold a current licence or registration in your home state or territory for the work that you intend to do in NSW.

The AMR scheme only applies to individual licences and certificates. It does not cover licences or certificates issued to companies or partnerships.

Depending on your occupation, you may need to meet additional requirements before working in NSW. You may need to:

notify the regulator in NSW of your intent to work in NSW
meet public protection requirements (PPR)
satisfy and maintain a vulnerable person character test.

A PPR is a requirement relating to insurance, fidelity funds, trust accounts, minimum financial requirements or similar. PPRs are designed to protect the public, clients, customers, and licensees.

Design and building practitioners and engineers – eligibility for AMR

Design and building practitioners

NSW design and building practitioners are not eligible for Automatic Mutual Recognition (AMR). There is no comparable scheme in other states or territories.

Interstate practitioners will need to register under the Design and Building Practitioners (DBP) scheme in NSW to lodge designs and make a compliance declaration in the NSW Planning Portal.

Get more information about design practitioner or building practitioner registrations.

Professional engineers and practising architects

Professional engineers are included in the AMR scheme. However, to lodge designs and submit compliance declarations in the NSW Planning Portal for Class 2, 3, and 9c buildings (or buildings containing Class 2, 3, or 9c parts), registration under the Design and Building Practitioners (DBP) Scheme in NSW is required.

Professional engineers with current interstate registration who have notified for AMR can proceed to apply for registration in the DBP scheme.

Refer to the AMR occupations listings for professional engineers or architects or for more information, including how to apply for AMR for professional engineers and architects, please contact:

Email DBPregistration@customerservice.nsw.gov.au or call 13 27 00.

Companies and partnerships - nominated qualified supervisors under AMR

Your company or partnership can nominate a supervisor who holds a local licence under the Mutual Recognition (Automatic Licensed Occupations Recognition) Act 2014.

Your nominated supervisor must:

hold an endorsed contractor licence and/or a qualified supervisor certificate, and
be registered against a company or partnership contractor licence as the individual supervising home building work or specialist work.

Under the Act, NSW recognises certain interstate licences, allowing individuals to operate without needing a separate NSW licence or certificate.

However, this recognition only applies to specific occupations.

If accepted, your nominated supervisor is required to comply with all laws and requirements as if they were fully licensed under the Home Building Act 1989 in NSW.

You must provide evidence each time you renew your company or partnership licence to confirm that your nominated supervisor’s interstate licence remains current.

If the nominated supervisor relocates to NSW, they will need to apply for an equivalent NSW licence or certificate.

Your company or partnership must also submit a new nomination form to update your licence details.

Failure to notify us within 7 days of any changes that affect your contractor licence may result in significant penalties for both the nominated supervisor and the company or partnership.

Learn more about company and partnership licences.

More information about AMR

How we manage information about people who have notified to work under Automatic Mutual Recognition (AMR)

How you can check the licence and insurance details of interstate licensees working in NSW under Automatic Mutual Recognition (AMR)

East Coast Electrician's scheme

Building Commission NSW offers automatic recognition for electrical wiring work (contractor licence and qualified supervisor certificate) under the East Coast Electrician's scheme.

Under this scheme, electricians from Queensland, Victoria and the ACT can be automatically recognised in NSW without having to notify the regulator.

Find out more about the East Coast Electrician's scheme

Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition

The Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement is a non-treaty arrangement between Australian governments and the Government of New Zealand. It operates under similar principles to mutual recognition, where New Zealand licence holders can apply for recognition of their existing licence in Australia. The arrangement also allows Australian licence holders to have their licence recognised for regulated work in New Zealand.

Application form

Use the Home Building Mutual Recognition application form.

Lodging your mutual recognition notification form