How do you become a registered builder in Victoria?

You apply to the Building and Plumbing Commission and show three things: the qualification and experience set for your class, that you are a fit and proper person, and, for some classes, the right insurance. The Commission then tells you if you must sit an exam. Source: Commission: Builder registration requirements and eligibility, Am I eligible for registration?; Commission: Building exams, Changes to exams for 2026.

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

Who has to be registered

A person must not carry out domestic building work under a major domestic building contract unless they are a registered builder or a licensed building employee. Source: Building Act 1993, section 169F(1).
An owner-builder needs a major domestic building contract when a registered building practitioner does work on the project costing more than $10,000, unless a single trade exemption applies. Source: Commission: Owner-builders, during the build, Contracts with other tradespeople.
The Commission registers building practitioners in 10 categories. Domestic builder is one of them. Source: Commission: Builder registration requirements and eligibility, opening paragraph.

The experience that counts

Your experience should be supervised by a registered building practitioner, gained in paid work as an employee or a contractor, spread across the technical, supervision and contract sides of the job, for at least the minimum number of years, and gained in the last seven years. Source: Commission: Builder registration requirements and eligibility, What kind of experience do I need?
Do not rely on experience gained as an owner-builder or as part of a training course. The Commission says it may disregard it. Source: Commission: Builder registration requirements and eligibility, What kind of experience do I need?
Keep records of your employment and contract work. You may be asked to prove the experience was paid. Source: Commission: Builder registration requirements and eligibility, What kind of experience do I need?

The qualification

For Domestic Builder (Unlimited) the prescribed qualification is a diploma of building and construction (building) from a registered training organisation, or one of two named construction management degrees, with at least 3 years of practical experience. Source: Building Regulations 2018, Schedule 9, clause 31.
The Commission says it can also consider other qualifications if they help to show your knowledge and skills. Source: Commission: Builder registration requirements and eligibility, Qualification and experience requirements.

Fit and proper person

You complete a declaration and a criminal history check. If you were a director, secretary or influential person of a company that went into external administration, there is a further declaration. Source: Commission: Builder registration requirements and eligibility, 'Fit and proper' person.

The steps

Log in to the Commission's online portal, open Registration and Licensing, start a new application and work through each section. It saves as you go, and it can only be submitted when every section shows as complete. Source: Commission: How to complete your builder application, Apply for your registration online, steps 1 to 3.
Provide a technical reference from a domestic builder registered in the same class or a higher one. Source: Commission: Domestic builder (builder classes), Technical references.
The Commission says applicants for Domestic Builder (Unlimited) now attach 7 documents instead of 40. Source: Commission: Licensing and registration reforms, Reduced paperwork for applicants.
Pay the application fee. For an individual in 2026 to 2027 it is $1,039.00 for Domestic Builder (Unlimited). Source: Commission: Registration fees, Building practitioner fees, individuals: Registration fees.
Sit the exam if you are told to. The Commission emails you with a timeframe. Source: Commission: Building exams, Instructions, Step 1.
The exam is the part you can practise for. The free questions here each name the clause the answer comes from.

Try the free practice questions

25 questions on the Acts, the Regulations and the code. Every answer names the clause it comes from. No sign-up.

Start the free practice questions

More on the exam and registration

Sources for this page

Building and Plumbing Commission: Builder registration requirements and eligibility page last updated 30 June 2026, read 11 October 2026. https://www.bpc.vic.gov.au/builders/registration/registration-requirements-and-eligibiity
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 Act 1993 (Vic), authorised version 152, as at 16 September 2026 read 11 October 2026. https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/acts/building-act-1993/152
Building and Plumbing Commission: Owner-builders, during the build read 11 October 2026. https://www.bpc.vic.gov.au/owner-builders/during-the-build
Building Regulations 2018 (Vic), authorised version 031, as at 1 September 2026 read 11 October 2026. https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/statutory-rules/building-regulations-2018/031
Building and Plumbing Commission: How to complete your builder application page last updated 28 August 2026, read 11 October 2026. https://www.bpc.vic.gov.au/builders/registration/how-to-complete-your-builder-application
Building and Plumbing Commission: Domestic builder (builder classes) page last updated 28 September 2026, read 11 October 2026. https://www.bpc.vic.gov.au/builders/builder-classes/domestic-builder
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
Building and Plumbing Commission: Registration fees page last updated 25 August 2026, read 11 October 2026. https://www.bpc.vic.gov.au/builders/registration/registration-fees