Find and check a practitioner

Different types of registration and regulatory information are available by searching the separate public registers below. 

In Victoria, an owner-builder generally needs a BPC Certificate of Consent before starting domestic building work valued at more than $20,000.

Check a practitioner before you engage them

Before you appoint a builder, plumber or building practitioner, check they are registered or licensed for the work you need.

Use the BPC’s public search tools to:

• find a registered or licensed practitioner
• check their registration or licence status
• check what type of work they are allowed to do
• see whether their registration or licence has any conditions or limits.

Do not rely only on advertising, business cards, quotes or what someone tells you. Check their details before signing a contract or allowing work to start.

Use the practitioner search tool to search by:

• practitioner name
• business name
• registration or licence number
• location
• type of work.

Check if work was done by an owner-builder

Check whether relevant owner-builder information is recorded on the public register.

The public register includes the following information:

• the date of issue of the certificate
• the identification number of the certificate
• a description of the domestic building work to which the certificate relates
• the address of the land on which the domestic building work will be carried out.

Check compliance and enforcement information

Use the Compliance and Enforcement Register to check whether a builder, plumber, building company or other registered practitioner has had certain disciplinary or prosecution action taken against them.

The register may include information about:

• disciplinary action
• prosecutions and court outcomes
• suspensions, cancellations or conditions on a registration or licence
• other outcomes the BPC is allowed to publish.

Not every complaint, enquiry, inspection or compliance activity appears on the register.

Before appointing a practitioner, you should also check that:

• they are registered or licensed for the type of work
• their registration or licence is current
• any conditions or limits on their registration or licence
• whether the work requires insurance.