© Queensland Building and Construction Commission 2014. ABN 88 568 500 260 Queensland Government
Selecting a contractor
Who's doing your plumbing?
It is important to ensure the right people with the right qualifications and practical experience are performing your plumbing work. By engaging a licensed plumber and/or drainer you minimise unnecessary risks to your family's health and safety.
What licence should a plumber hold?
In some instances, it may be necessary for a plumber to hold both an occupational and contractor licence to carry out work, regardless of the value. An occupational licence enables the person to physically carry out the work, a contractor licence allows the person to engage in a contract for the work. To find out more about a licensee you can use our online licensee search, or search for an occupational licence.
Work that can be done by an unlicensed person
Below is a list of the unregulated work that can be performed by an unlicensed person, all other plumbing and drainage work must be done by an appropriately licensed person.
- Replacing a shower head or domestic water filter cartridge
- Replacing a jumper valve or washer in a tap
- Repairing or replacing a drop valve washer, float valve washer or suction cup rubber in a toilet cistern
- Replacing caps to ground level inspection openings on a sanitary drain
- Cleaning or maintaining a ground level grate for a trap on a sanitary drain
- Installing or maintaining an irrigation or lawn watering system downstream from a tap, isolating valve or backflow prevention device on the supply pipe for the watering system
- Repairing or maintaining an irrigation system for the disposal or effluent from a greywater use facility or on-site sewage facility
- Fire protection work for testing plumbing carried out by a holder of a fire protection occupational licence or another QBCC licence
- Incidental unskilled tasks (e.g. excavating or backfilling a trench).