How to Verify a Contractor Licence in Victoria
Victoria's building industry is regulated by the Victorian Building Authority (VBA), which administers a registration system for building practitioners under the Building Act 1993. Unlike most other Australian states that use the term "licence", Victoria registers building practitioners — but the practical effect is the same: a builder must hold current registration to legally carry out domestic building work.
With over 47,000 practitioner registrations on record, Victoria's register covers builders, building surveyors, engineers, draftspersons, and quantity surveyors. Checking a builder's registration is essential because it confirms they meet the qualification and insurance requirements set by the VBA, and it activates the consumer protections available under Victorian building law — including access to domestic building insurance and the building disputes tribunal.
Step-by-Step: How to Check a VBA Registration
Get the builder's registration details
To search the VBA register, you'll need the builder's name, registration number, or company name. Registered building practitioners in Victoria are required to display their registration number on contracts, advertising, and correspondence. If a builder can't provide their registration number, that's a significant red flag.
Search the VBA practitioner register
Visit the VBA Find a Practitioner page. Enter the practitioner's details and review the results. The register shows the practitioner's name, registration number, category and class of registration, current status, and any conditions or disciplinary history recorded by the VBA.
Use WorkClear for faster, combined results
WorkClear's Victorian register search provides instant access to the same VBA data, synchronised daily. The advantage of using WorkClear is that you can search Victorian registrations alongside licences from all other Australian states — useful if you're working with contractors who operate across borders or if you need to verify multiple practitioners in different jurisdictions quickly.
What to Look for in VBA Results
Victorian registration records contain several important fields:
- Registration status: Must be "Registered" or "Current". A status of "Suspended", "Cancelled", or "Expired" means the practitioner is not authorised to carry out building work.
- Category of registration: Victoria uses categories such as "Domestic Builder — Unlimited", "Domestic Builder — Limited", "Commercial Builder — Unlimited", and specialist categories for building surveyors, engineers, and draftspersons.
- Class: Within each category, there may be classes that restrict the scope — for example, a Limited Domestic Builder may only be registered for carpentry, demolition, or a specific trade rather than full building work.
- Expiry date: VBA registrations are renewed periodically. Confirm the registration is within its current period.
- Conditions and undertakings: The VBA can impose conditions on a registration — such as supervision requirements, restrictions on project types, or ongoing reporting obligations. Review any conditions listed.
Note: Victoria's system separates "domestic" builders from "commercial" builders. If you're having work done on a home, you specifically need a Domestic Builder (Unlimited or Limited). A practitioner registered only as a Commercial Builder is not necessarily authorised for residential work, and the domestic building insurance requirements may not apply.
Victoria's Licensing Framework
Governing legislation
Building practitioner registration in Victoria is governed by the Building Act 1993 and the Building Regulations 2018. The Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995 provides additional protections for residential building projects, including requirements for written contracts, cooling-off periods, and progress payment schedules. Together, these statutes establish who must be registered, the qualifications required, the insurance obligations, and the dispute resolution mechanisms available to consumers.
The regulatory body: VBA
The Victorian Building Authority is the state's building regulator. It registers building practitioners, audits compliance, investigates complaints, and takes disciplinary action against practitioners who breach building standards or professional conduct requirements. The VBA operates under the Department of Transport and Planning and maintains the public practitioner register. For plumbers and electricians, regulation is shared with the Plumbing Industry Commission and Energy Safe Victoria respectively.
Penalties for unregistered work
Under the Building Act 1993, carrying out domestic building work without holding the required registration is an offence. Penalties include fines of up to $93,000 for individuals and $466,000 for corporations. The consequences extend beyond fines:
- Work done by an unregistered builder may not receive a building permit or occupancy certificate
- Domestic building insurance may not be available or valid
- The statutory implied warranties under the Domestic Building Contracts Act may not apply
- VCAT (Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal) may not be able to provide the same remedies
Domestic building insurance (DBI)
Victoria requires builders to obtain domestic building insurance (sometimes called builder's warranty insurance) before starting domestic building work valued at $16,000 or more. DBI is underwritten by the Victorian Managed Insurance Authority (VMIA) and protects homeowners if the builder dies, disappears, or becomes insolvent and cannot complete the work or fix defects. Coverage applies for 6 years for structural defects and 2 years for non-structural defects.
Important: The builder must provide you with a copy of the DBI certificate of currency before commencing work. It is an offence for a registered builder to start domestic building work without DBI in place. If you do not receive this certificate, do not allow work to start.
Common VBA Registration Types
| Registration Category | Scope |
|---|---|
| Domestic Builder — Unlimited | All domestic building work with no restrictions on scope or value |
| Domestic Builder — Limited (Carpentry) | Structural and finishing carpentry for domestic buildings |
| Domestic Builder — Limited (Demolition) | Demolition of domestic buildings |
| Domestic Builder — Limited (Painting & Decorating) | Painting and decorating work on domestic buildings |
| Commercial Builder — Unlimited | All commercial building work |
| Building Surveyor — Unlimited | Issue building permits and occupancy certificates for all building types |
| Building Surveyor — Limited | Issue building permits for specified classes of buildings |
| Building Engineer — Civil | Engineering design for civil/structural elements of buildings |
| Draftsperson — Domestic | Preparation of plans and specifications for domestic buildings |
| Quantity Surveyor | Cost estimation and financial management of building projects |
Victoria's registration system is notable for its inclusion of building surveyors, engineers, draftspersons, and quantity surveyors alongside builders. This means you can verify not just the builder but also the surveyor issuing your building permit and the engineer who designed your footings — all through the same register. The "Unlimited" vs. "Limited" distinction within each category is important: a Limited registration restricts the practitioner to specific trade work, while Unlimited covers the full scope of that category.
Why Verification Matters in Victoria
Victoria has experienced significant building industry issues in recent years, including high-profile cases of builders entering insolvency mid-project. The VBA has responded by tightening registration requirements, increasing compliance auditing, and improving the public register. For consumers, this makes licence verification more important than ever — a current VBA registration is your assurance that the builder has met the authority's financial, qualification, and insurance requirements.
The Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995 provides strong protections for Victorian homeowners, but these protections are fundamentally linked to using a registered builder. Implied warranties covering quality of work, fitness for purpose, compliance with plans, and timely completion all flow from the builder's registration. Without it, you're on your own.
For businesses and platforms operating in the Victorian building industry, WorkClear's API provides a programmatic way to verify VBA registrations as part of contractor onboarding, periodic compliance checks, or real-time verification at the point of engagement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it free to check a builder's registration in Victoria?
Yes. The VBA's practitioner register is free to search online. WorkClear also offers unlimited web lookups for Victorian registrations with a free account. API and bulk verification access are available through WorkClear's paid plans.
How often is VBA registration data updated on WorkClear?
WorkClear synchronises data from the VBA register daily. Any changes to registration status, conditions, or categories are typically reflected within 24 hours.
What if a Victorian builder's registration has expired?
A building practitioner whose registration has expired cannot legally carry out domestic building work or issue building permits. If you discover your builder's registration has lapsed mid-project, they must renew before continuing work. You should not make further payments until their registration is confirmed current.
Can I check licences from Victoria and other states together?
Yes. WorkClear lets you search Victoria's VBA register alongside all other Australian states and territories from a single interface. This is particularly useful for businesses operating across state borders or managing contractors in multiple locations.
What is the difference between registration and a licence in Victoria?
Victoria uses the term "registration" rather than "licence" for building practitioners. The VBA issues registrations to builders, building surveyors, engineers, draftspersons, and quantity surveyors. Plumbers and electricians have separate licensing arrangements under Energy Safe Victoria and the Plumbing Industry Commission. The practical effect is similar — a practitioner must be registered to carry out work.
Verify any Australian contractor licence instantly
Search across VIC and all other states in one place. Unlimited web lookups with a free account, plus API access for teams.