Fees for contractor licences, supervision and tradesperson certificates

Official information by: Building Commission NSW

Business and economyHousing and construction

Find fees for applying, renewing and varying licences and certificates issued under the Home Building Act 1989.

Fees for July 2024 - June 2025

  • Fees may be subject to an annual CPI increase at the start of each financial year. 
  • The fees for building work categories are different to the fees for trade and specialist work categories. Learn more about categories of work.
  • The processing fee shown in the tables below is not refundable if the application is refused or withdrawn.
  • We provide refunds by electronic funds transfer (EFT).
  • If your licence is cancelled, we will not refund any of the fees paid. 

See also design and building practitioner fees.

On this page

New application

Individual

Fees for applying for new licence, certificate or permit for an individual for 1, 3 or 5 years, listed by licence type and broken into fixed and processing components. Processing components are not refundable if the application is refused or withdrawn. If your licence is cancelled, we will not refund any of the fees paid. 
Licence type1 year fee ($)3 year fee ($)5 year fee ($)

Building contractor licence

830

1554

2716

  • processing component

359

359

359

  • fixed component

471

1195

2357 

Trade or specialist contractor licence

378

755

1160

  • processing component

183

183

183

  • fixed component

195

572

977 

Building qualified supervisor certificate

170

301

514

  • processing component

106

106

106

  • fixed component

64

195

408 

Trade or specialist work qualified supervisor certificate

162

273

471

  • processing component

106

106

106

  • fixed component

56

167

365 

Tradesperson certificate

133

179

309

  • processing component

111

111

111

  • fixed component

22

68

198

Owner-builder permit

219

 n/a

 n/a

  • processing component

84

 n/a

 n/a

  • fixed component

135

 n/a

  n/a

Corporation

Fees for applying for new licence, certificate or permit for a corporation for 1, 3 or 5 years, listed by licence type and broken into fixed and processing components. Processing component is not refundable if the application is refused or withdrawn. If your licence is cancelled, we will not refund any of the fees paid.
Corporation licences1 year fee ($)3 year fee ($)5 year fee ($)
Building contractor licence165726514631
  • processing component
913913913
  • fixed component
74417383718
Trade or specialist contractor licence60212732230
  • processing component
195195195
  • fixed component
40710782035

Partnership

Fees for applying for new licence, certificate or permit for a partnership for 1, 3 or 5 years, listed by licence type and broken into fixed and processing components. Processing component is not refundable if the application is refused or withdrawn. If your licence is cancelled, we will not refund any of the fees paid.
Partnership licences1 year fee ($)3 year fee ($)5 year fee ($)
Building contractor licence138021163558
  • processing component
836836836
  • fixed component
54412802722
Trade or specialist contractor licence52510881847
  • processing component
195195195
  • fixed component
3308931652 

Adding a building, trade or specialist work category

Individual

Fees for adding a building category to a licence or certificate for individuals, listed by licence type.
Adding a building category to a licence or certificateFee ($)
Building contractor licence359
Trade or specialist contractor licence359
Building qualified supervisor certificate106
Trade or specialist qualified work supervisor certificate106
Fees for adding a trade or specialist category to a licence or certificate for individuals, listed by licence type.
Adding a trade or specialist category to a licence or certificateFee ($)
Building contractor licence183
Trade or specialist contractor licence183
Building supervisor certificate106
Trade or specialist work supervisor certificate106
Tradesperson certificate106

Corporation or partnership

Fees for adding a building category to a licence or certificate for corporations and partnerships, listed by licence type.
Adding a building category to a licence or certificateFee ($)
Corporation building contractor licence359
Corporation trade or specialist contractor licence913
Partnership building contractor licence359
Partnership trade or specialist contractor licence836
Fees for adding a trade or specialist category to a licence or certificate for corporations and partnerships, listed by licence type.
Adding a trade or specialist category to a licence or certificateFee ($)
Corporation building contractor licence195
Corporation trade or specialist contractor licence195
Partnership building contractor licence195
Partnership trade or specialist contractor licence195 

Renewal or restoration

Renewal applications must be lodged on or before the expiry date of your current licence or certificate.

Restoration applications must be lodged within 3 months of the expiry date of your current licence or certificate. If the expiry exceeds 3 months, you will need to lodge a new application.

Learn more about renewals and restorations.

Individual - renewal

Fees for renewing a licence, certificate or permit for an individual for 1, 3 or 5 years, listed by licence type and broken into fixed and processing components. Processing component is not refundable if the application is refused or withdrawn. If your licence is cancelled, we will not refund any of the fees paid. 
Licence type1 year fee ($)3 year fee ($)5 year fee ($)
Building contractor licence55713362326
  • processing component
626262
  • fixed component
49512742264
Trade or specialist contractor licence2816721157
  • processing component
626262
  • fixed component
2196101095
Building qualified supervisor certificate3162106
  • processing component
3162106
  • fixed component
---
Trade or specialist work qualified supervisor certificate3162106
  • processing component
3162106
  • fixed component
---
Tradesperson certificate3162106
  • processing component
3162106
  • fixed component
---

Individual - restoration

Fees for restoring a licence, certificate or permit for an individual for 1, 3 or 5 years, listed by licence type and broken into fixed and processing components. Processing component is not refundable if the application is refused or withdrawn. If your licence is cancelled, we will not refund any of the fees paid. 
Restoration1 year fee ($)3 year fee ($)5 year fee ($)
Building contractor licence62114022498
  • processing component
172172172
  • fixed component
44912302326
Trade or specialist contractor licence3457371304
  • processing component
172172172
  • fixed component
1735651132
Building supervisor certificate3771114
  • processing component
3771114
  • fixed component
---
Trade or specialist work supervisor certificate3771114
  • processing component
3771114
  • fixed component
---
Tradesperson certificate3771114
  • processing component
3771114
  • fixed component
--- 

Corporations and partnerships - renewal

Fees for renewing a licence, certificate or permit for corporation or partnership for 1, 3 or 5 years, listed by licence type and broken into fixed and processing components. Processing component is not refundable if the application is refused or withdrawn. If your licence is cancelled, we will not refund any of the fees paid. 
Licence type1 year fee ($)3 year fee ($)5 year fee($)
Corporation building contractor licence82819883431
  • processing component
848484
  • fixed component
74419043347
Corporation trade or specialist contractor licence49111832119
  • processing component
848484
  • fixed component
40710992035
Partnership building contractor licence62815122558
  • processing component
848484
  • fixed component
54414282474
Partnership trade or specialist contractor licence41410021736
  • processing component
848484
  • fixed component
3309181652

Corporations and partnerships - restoration

Fees for restoring a licence, certificate or permit for corporation or partnership for 1, 3 or 5 years, listed by licence type and broken into fixed and processing components. Processing component is not refundable if the application is refused or withdrawn. If your licence is cancelled, we will not refund any of the fees paid.
Licence type1 year fee ($)3 year fee ($)5 year fee ($)
Corporation building contractor licence89320543519
  • processing component
172172172
  • fixed component
72118823347
Corporation trade or specialist contractor licence55812502207
  • processing component
172172172
  • fixed component
38610782035
Partnership building contractor licence69515792894
  • processing component
172172172
  • fixed component
52314072722
Partnership trade or specialist contractor licence48310651824
  • processing component
172172172
  • fixed component
3118931652

Replacement

Fee for replacing a licence, certificate or permit. There is only a processing component. Processing component is not refundable if the application is refused or withdrawn.
 Licence typeFee ($)
Contractor licence, certificate or owner-builder permit57
  • processing component
57
  • fixed component
-

Issue of a certificate under section 131 of the Home Building Act 1989

Section 131 of the Home Building Act 1989 provides for the issue of a certificate of evidence certifying various facts about:

  • a contractor licence

  • a supervisor or tradesperson certificate

  • an owner-builder permit, or

  • an insurance status.

The certificate can show things such as whether a person:

  • had a licence on a certain date,

  • had a licence that had any conditions applied, or

  • had a licence that was suspended or cancelled.

It can also confirm if insurance was in place for building work.

These certificates can be used as evidence in court or legal proceedings. This means they are accepted as proof of the facts stated unless someone can show they are wrong. This makes it easier to confirm legal details about licences, certificates and permits. 

 ItemFee ($)
Issue of a certificate under section 131 of the Home Building Act23

More information about fees

Get in touch with Building Commission NSW

Need help with an application or want to know more about training and accreditation? Get in touch with Building Commission NSW. 

Call:13 27 00Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm (excluding public holidays)
From overseas, call:+612 3814 0545

Legislation supporting this page

Related rules and guidance

Rule
Conditions placed on a licence
You may have conditions put on your licence to limit the scope of work you are able to do or place other requirements on you as the licence holder.
Rule
Reasons why an application may be refused
Licence, certificate or registration applications may be refused for severaI reasons. It is an offence to provide a false statement or leave out information.
Rule
Fees for design and building practitioner registrations
Find fees for applying for, renewing and varying registrations issued under the Design and Building Practitioner scheme.

Related information

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