Regulated plumbing work
There are three categories of regulated plumbing and drainage work, all of which must be performed by a QBCC licensed plumber or drainer. These categories are:
- permit work – work that requires a permit from the local government before the work commences (Form 1)
- notifiable work – work that requires registering with the QBCC when the work is finished (Form 4/4a)
- minor work – can be undertaken without prior approvals or registering the work.
Categories of regulated plumbing work
Permit work is generally assessed and inspected by the local government. Before a plumber or drainer can start permit work, an application must be made to the local government by submitting a Form 1-Permit work application.
Examples of permit work include:
- work associated with the construction of a new building or structure
- installing additional appliances or fixtures for a building connected to a combined drain
- installing additional appliances or fixtures for a building connected to a dual reticulated water supply provided by a water service provider
- work that uses a performance solution - under the National Construction Code Volume Three (Plumbing Code of Australia) or the Queensland Plumbing and Wastewater Code
Public sector entities
Public sector entities carrying out, or arranging to carry out, permit work are required to apply for a permit to either the relevant public sector entity or, the local government. The application is to be made by submitting a Form 1-Permit work application.
Notifiable work is a category of regulated plumbing and drainage work that allows a plumber or drainer to perform the work without a local government permit or mandatory inspections. Notifiable work must be registered with the QBCC. Local governments access the notifiable work register for their program of audit inspections to monitor compliance of this work.
Notifiable work includes most work performed in existing buildings. Read more about what is notifiable work and use tools to identify which plumbing work falls into this category.
Learn more about notifiable work.
Minor work must be performed by a QBCC licensee but doesn't need to be approved by the local government or reported to QBCC.
Minor work includes:
- unblocking sanitary plumbing or sanitary drainage
- repairing a broken or damaged pipe
- maintaining or repairing an apparatus
- maintaining, repairing, replacing or removing a fitting or fixture
- maintaining or repairing a greywater use facility or an on-site sewage facility, other than repairing or maintaining an irrigation system for the disposal of effluent from the facility
- installing a greywater diversion device
- sealing a supply pipe downstream from the water meter for a class 1 or 10 building or structure
- installing, removing or replacing an automatic switching device for a rainwater tank.
