How to check a builder or subcontractor licence in Tasmania

Before a builder or subcontractor starts regulated work in Tasmania, check that they hold the licence the work needs. Do this before you sign, not after the first progress claim.

Know who to ask

Tasmania's licensing and building regulators changed on 1 October 2026. The former Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (CBOS) was split into two bodies. Consumer Affairs Tasmania now publishes the builder licensing guidance and the licence search. Building Standards Tasmania looks after building standards and approvals. Older links and printed guides may still point to the CBOS address, so start from the Consumer Affairs Tasmania builder licence page.

Builder licensing sits under the Occupational Licensing Act 2005. The Building Act 2016 covers how building work is regulated, but it is the licence, not the Act, that you check for a builder.

Search the register

Use the official Tasmanian licence search and look the person or business up by name or licence number. Do not rely on a certificate, a business card or a website badge on its own.

Compare the result with the work you plan to give them:

• Whether the licence holder is the business you are contracting with, or an individual.
• The licence category and class, and whether it covers the type and size of work.
• The current status, and any conditions or restrictions on the licence.
• Whether other trades on the job, such as electrical or plumbing, need their own licences.

A current licence does not by itself mean every part of your scope is allowed. If the class and the work do not match, resolve it with the regulator before you rely on the result.

Keep a record

Write down the date, the licence number, the name you searched, the result and any conditions. Keep a copy or a screenshot of the result. Check again when the licence is due to expire, when the scope changes, or when a new subcontractor joins the job.

If you cannot find a record, do not treat that as proof the person is unlicensed. It may be a spelling difference or a different holder name. Ask for the exact name on the licence, and check directly with the regulator if it is still unclear.

Where Novato fits

Novato keeps Tasmanian licence checks as a manual review: it links you to the official search, and you record the result, the licence number, the date and any conditions against the subcontractor. The record then sits with the project and is easy to find at audit or handover.

See how Novato records licence checks and manual reviews.

Source and review

Reviewed 31/10/2026 against the Consumer Affairs Tasmania builder licence guidance and its building services work determination. The arrangements changed on 1 October 2026, so confirm the current register and requirements with the regulator for the actual work. This guide is not a full list of licence classes.