What is in the Victorian builder registration exam, and how is it sat?

It is one open-book exam, taken on a computer and supervised through a webcam. You are tested on whether you can find and read the right clause, not on what you have memorised. Source: Commission: Building exams, Online exams; Commission: Permitted assessment reference materials, What are permitted assessment reference materials?

On this page, "the Commission" is the Building and Plumbing Commission. Read on 11 October 2026.

How it is sat today

• The Commission's exams are run online by its exam provider, Janison-Proctortrack. The session is recorded, including your screen and the room. Source: Commission: Building exams, Online exams.
• When this page was read, a notice at the top of the Commission's exam page said online exams were being held in person at its head office while it fixed technical problems, and that affected applicants would be contacted directly. Check that page for the current position. Source: Commission: Building exams, notice at the top of the page.
• You do not book it yourself. The Commission emails you if you need to sit an exam and gives you a timeframe. Inside that timeframe an online exam can be started at any hour of any day. Source: Commission: Building exams, Instructions, Step 1; Commission: Building exams, frequently asked questions, How will I be notified.
• Before you can start you install the supervision software, pass a system check and verify your identity. The Commission says to allow up to 3 days for the identity check to be approved. Source: Commission: Building exams, frequently asked questions, Do I need to do anything to prepare for the exam?
• You need a laptop or desktop with a keyboard, a mouse, a working webcam and a microphone. Tablets, Chromebooks and phones do not meet the requirements. Source: Commission: Building exams, frequently asked questions, How do I know if my computer meets the requirements.

What the questions look like

• The exams mix question styles: multiple choice, drag and drop, reorder, true or false, and image select. Source: Commission: Building exams, Online exams.
• You are scheduled for either a 1 hour or a 2 hour exam, and your notification letter says which. The length depends on the class you applied for and on your qualifications, experience, work history and referees. Source: Commission: Building exams, frequently asked questions, How long is the exam?
• A countdown timer stays on screen. You can flag a question and come back to it while time remains. When time runs out, your answers are submitted automatically. Source: Commission: Building exams, frequently asked questions, Sitting the exam; Ending the exam.
• The Commission says questions are randomised and changed frequently. Source: Commission: Licensing and registration reforms, Protecting exam integrity.

What it tests

• You have to show you can correctly locate and interpret information in the permitted references: Acts and regulations, the National Construction Code, Australian Standards and the guide to standards and tolerances. Source: Commission: Permitted assessment reference materials, What are permitted assessment reference materials?
• For Domestic Builder (Unlimited), the new single exam replaced both the face-to-face interview and the plan-based exam. The roll-out started in January 2026. Source: Commission: Building exams, Changes to exams for 2026; Commission: Licensing and registration reforms, Rolling out the new exam process.
• There is no single fixed pass mark. The Commission says every version of an exam is set to the same standard, and the pass mark moves with the difficulty of the questions in that version. Source: Commission: Building exams, frequently asked questions, How will the exam be scored?

The rules on the day

• Stay seated and in view of the webcam, alone in the room, with one browser and one screen, on mains power and a stable connection. Source: Commission: Building exams, Exam rules.
• Your desk may hold a drink, reading glasses and medicine. Phones, headphones, watches, tablets and separate calculators are not allowed. The exam has its own calculator, notes and resources buttons. Source: Commission: Building exams, Permitted items during exam; Not permitted.
• You must keep every exam question confidential, during the exam and afterwards. Copying, photographing or describing the questions to anyone is a breach. Source: Commission: Building exams, Online exams; Not permitted.
• That is why no honest practice site has the real questions. The practice questions here are written from the legislation and the code, not from the exam.

More on the exam and registration

• Which reference materials can you use in the Victorian builder exam?
• Domestic Builder Unlimited vs Limited: what is the difference?
• How do you become a registered builder in Victoria?
• How much does builder registration cost in Victoria?
• What happens if you fail the Victorian builder registration exam?
• Free practice questions for the Victorian builder registration exam

Sources for this page

• Building and Plumbing Commission: Building exams page last updated 28 August 2026, read 11 October 2026. https://www.bpc.vic.gov.au/builders/building-exams
• Building and Plumbing Commission: Permitted assessment reference materials page last updated 1 October 2026, read 11 October 2026. https://www.bpc.vic.gov.au/builders/building-exams/permitted-assessment-reference-materials
• Building and Plumbing Commission: Building exams, frequently asked questions page last updated 30 June 2026, read 11 October 2026. https://www.bpc.vic.gov.au/builders/building-exams/building-exams-frequently-asked-questions
• Building and Plumbing Commission: Licensing and registration reforms read 11 October 2026. https://www.bpc.vic.gov.au/resource-hub/industry-updates/licensing-and-registration-reforms