Interstate or overseas applicants
Mutual recognition is a process whereby an individual who holds a licence in one state, territory or New Zealand is entitled to be licensed in another state, territory or New Zealand to perform the same work.
Mutual recognition for interstate or New Zealand applicants
If you are applying for a licence in Queensland under mutual recognition please be aware that special rules apply:
- we may only issue a licence that is equivalent to the licence you already hold
- if your interstate or New Zealand licence is subject to a condition or restriction, we must impose the same condition on your Queensland licence
- where there is no QBCC licence equivalent to your interstate or New Zealand licence, the QBCC will not be able to issue you a licence.
Who can apply?
We accept applications from interstate and New Zealand:
- Australian Capital Territory
- New South Wales
- Northern Territory
- South Australia
- Tasmania
- Victoria
- Western Australia
- New Zealand
NSW, SA and NZ applicants
Contractor or qualified supervisor licence
If you hold a contractor or qualified supervisor licence in NSW, the equivalent Queensland licence type would be either a contractor licence or nominee supervisor licence.
Unqualified supervisor licence
If you hold an unqualified supervisor licence in NSW, the equivalent Queensland licence type may be a site supervisor licence or an occupational licence. This will depend on the licence class. A site supervisor licence would entitle you to supervise building work as an employee only. An occupational licence would entitle you to supervise and personally perform the work as an employee only.
Builder licence
Builder licences issued by NSW Fair Trading only apply to Domestic Building Construction Work.
There is no requirement for a builder to hold a builder licence in NSW if they are performing commercial work. As the NSW licence only applies to domestic construction work, QBCC will restrict your equivalent Queensland builder licence class to BCA Class 1a, 2, 4 and 10.
If you are a builder and wish to perform commercial work in Queensland or if you hold a NSW supervisor licence, you need to consider your options. It may be more appropriate and easier for you to apply for the full licence class under Queensland requirements.
As an alternative, if your builder licence is not limited to any work other than being restricted to BCA Class 1a, 2, 4 and 10 and you wish to apply for an unrestricted licence when you submit your mutual recognition application, you must provide:
- the appropriate technical qualification for the licence class
- relevant details of your experience in the commercial sector
- written references to verify your experience.
Contractor plus supervisor licence
If you hold a contractor and supervisor licence in SA, the equivalent Queensland licence would be either a contractor licence or nominee supervisor licence.
Contractor-only licence
If you only hold a contractor licence in SA, you are not able to apply under mutual recognition as Queensland does not have an equivalent licence.
Site Licensed Building Practitioner licence
If you hold a Site Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP) licence in NZ, you are not able to apply under mutual recognition as Queensland does not have an equivalent licence. In NZ, a Site LBP cannot supervise Restricted Building Work, such as the structural elements or external moisture management systems of a building.
Mutual recognition of nominee for a company
If you intend to trade through a company in Queensland, the company must hold a licence in its own right. To obtain a Queensland licence, a company must have a QBCC licensed contractor or nominee supervisor licensee as its nominee. The nominee must hold the same QBCC licence class as the company.
If you intend to be the nominee for your company, you may be able to get mutual recognition as an individual for an equivalent Nominee Supervisor licence. Submit a Queensland company application at the same time you lodge your individual mutual recognition application.
Keep your interstate/NZ licence active
Your interstate lor New Zealand licence must remain active to qualify for a QBCC licence. Be sure to renew your licence on time and pay any outstanding fines. If your interstate licence is cancelled or suspended prior to approval of a Queensland licence, you will not be entitled to a Queensland licence under mutual recognition.
To apply you can submit the Mutual Recognition application form:
- in person at a QBCC service centre
- by mail.
Already licensed with us?
Report changes to your interstate or NZ licences
All licensees must immediately (within 14 days) notify QBCC of any licence events interstate or New Zealand, such as:
- new licences granted
- licences cancelled or suspended.
Notify us either:
- online through myQBCC
- by completing a
You can submit the form to us:
- in person at a QBCC service centre
- by mail.
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- Available licences
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- Mechanical services licences
- Mechanical services—plumbing
- Mechanical services—plumbing occupational
- Mechanical services—air-conditioning & refrigeration (unlimited design)
- Mechanical services—air-conditioning & refrigeration (limited design)
- Mechanical services—air-conditioning & refrigeration occupational
- Mechanical services—medical gas
- Mechanical services—medical gas occupational
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- Fire protection licences
- Passive—certify
- Passive—install & maintain—doors
- Passive—install & maintain—collars
- Passive—install & maintain—walls
- Passive—inspect & test
- Special hazard fire system—certify
- Special hazard fire system—install & maintain
- Water-based fire system—design
- Water-based fire system—certify
- Water-based fire system—install & maintain
- Portable—certify
- Water-based fire system—install & maintain—commercial
- Water-based fire system—install & maintain—domestic
- Portable—install & maintain
- Electrical—design—fire alarm systems
- Electrical—certify—fire alarm systems
- Electrical—certify—emergency lighting
- Electrical—install & maintain—fire alarm systems
- Electrical—inspect and test—emergency lighting
- Fire safety professional
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- All other trade licences
- Air handling duct installation
- Brick & segmental paving
- Bricklaying and blocklaying
- Cabinet making
- Concreting
- Carpentry
- Floor finishing and covering (hard sector)
- Foundation work (piling & anchors)
- Gasfitting
- Glass, glazing & aluminium
- Irrigation
- Joinery
- Metal fascias and gutters
- Metal fabrication and erection—structural
- Metal fabrication and installation—non-structural
- Painting & decorating
- Plastering drywall
- Plastering solid
- Roof and wall cladding
- Roof tiling
- Site classifier
- Sheds, carports and garages
- Shopfitting (trade)
- Steel fixing
- Stonemasonry
- Structural landscaping (trade)
- Swimming pool construction, installation and maintenance
- Termite management—chemical
- Termite management—physical
- Wall and floor tiling
- Waterproofing
- Company, partnership, trust
- Interstate, overseas applicants
- Photo-ID requirements
Overseas applicants
If you are from a country other than Australia or New Zealand, and you wish to work in the building and construction industry in Queensland, you need to meet all the usual eligibility requirements of the licence class and licence type you are applying for. Most significantly you will need to:
- demonstrate you have permission to work in Queensland
- get your qualifications recognised or assessed to see if it is equivalent to the one listed for the licence you wish to apply for.
Permission to work in Queensland
You must have one of the following:
- be an Australian citizen or permanent resident or
- have a current visa or ImmiCard issued under the Migration Act 1958, entitling you to work in Australia.
Recognition of qualifications
The QBCC can only accept the qualifications prescribed within the Technical Requirements set by the Department of Housing, Local Government, Planning and Public Works. For Builder Project Management Services licences, overseas qualifications can be acceptable where they are the same as those within the prescribed technical qualifications. Additionally, some overseas apprenticeships may be recognised if they meet the same criteria as the prescribed technical qualifications. In most cases, the QBCC needs to consider if a course delivered overseas aligns with the Australian Qualification Framework and Australian building standards.
Sometimes, a different qualification can be relied upon where it is at least equivalent to what is prescribed. You can find more information about comparable courses on the Australian Government's search facility.
Depending on your work experience and/or held qualifications, some Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) may also be able to issue a qualification through recognition of prior learning.
Occupational plumbers and drainers
If applying as an occupational plumber or drainer, you should include in your application either your:
- if completed—Certificate III in Plumbing CPC32413 in Australia and overseas apprenticeship
- overseas plumbing and drainage:
- apprenticeship
- qualifications
- resume
- other documents demonstrating experience.
Related resources
