Change, replace or surrender your owner builder permit | Queensland Building and Construction Commission

Change permit details

If you have forgotten to include work in the original permit or your plan changes before or during the construction, you can change some details on your permit.

Before work has started

To change details of your owner builder permit before starting additional work you must complete an:

Owner builder—amend existing permit form (PDF, 74.91KB)

On the form you will need to:

  • detail the changes
  • update the project price
  • tell us why you are making the changes
  • give us an accurate email address so we can send you a letter with the amended details.

You can only do this if you have not started the additional work. 

We don't charge a fee to amend your owner builder permit before starting work.

After work has started

If you have already done the work and need the work certified you will need to fill out an:

Owner builder—work already completed application (PDF, 74.91KB) 

How to lodge the form

When complete, lodge your application:

Processing time

Allow 10 working days for us to process your permit amendment. This does not include postage time. You must wait until you receive the amended permit before you do the work.

Replace your permit

If you misplace or damage your owner builder permit, you can ask us to replace it. You will need to:

  • pay the fee
  • lodge the form:

 Replace owner builder permit (PDF, 76.65KB)

How to lodge the form and pay the fee

Lodge your application and pay the fee:

  • in person at a QBCC service centre – you can pay fees via Eftpos
  • by mail – include your credit card or debit card details on the form (Mastercard and Visa only).

Processing time

Allow 10 working days for your new permit to be issued.

Surrender your permit

You can surrender your owner builder permit at any time. Once you do this you can't perform any more owner builder work on the property.

There are different requirements for surrendering your licence depending on the stage of the building work.

Before work has started

If you change your mind and want to hire a licenced contractor to do the whole job you must surrender your permit before you sign a contract. Depending on whether you have obtained building approval for the project you will have to provide us with different evidence before we can cancel your permit.

What can't be amended

  • The permit can't be transferred to a different site.
  • The expiry date can't be extended.
  • A permit holder can't be removed.
  • The notification of the permit on the title can’t be removed until 7 years have expired.

You must show us that building approval has been cancelled. Supply written confirmation from the building certifier that the building approval has been cancelled.

The owner builder administrative advice will remain on your land title for 7 years regardless of whether the permit is surrendered.

You must supply a current council search or letter from your solicitor confirming 'Vacant Land Status'.

The owner builder administrative advice will remain on your land title for 7 years regardless of whether the permit is surrendered.

The owner builder administrative advice will remain on your land title and your owner builder permit cannot be cancelled.

However, you must still surrender your owner builder permit if you are intending to engage a QBCC-licenced contractor to take over the project. This will allow the builder to get insurance through the Home Warranty Scheme for the portion of work they do.

You will need to provide a copy of your contract with the builder as evidence.

After work has started

You need to be aware that the work that you did under your owner builder permit won't be covered by insurance through the Queensland Home Warranty Scheme.

However, if you engage a QBCC-licenced contractor to take over the project any applicable home warranty insurance will cover the portion of work they do.

Even if you surrender your owner builder permit and get a licenced contractor to finish the work under contract the owner builder notification will remain on your property title for 7 years.

How to surrender your permit

To surrender your owner builder permit you must:

You can lodge the form and hand in your permit:


Last reviewed: 25 Sep 2021 Last published: 25 Sep 2021
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