Consumer Affairs Tasmania’s Builder licence guidance says choose Builder Domestic when your evidence is mainly houses, townhouses, garages, sheds or similar domestic work, with NCC Classes 1 and 10 as the minimum; choose Builder Low Rise only when your evidence shows commercial or similar non-domestic experience, such as relevant work in NCC Classes 2 to 9 or other non-domestic work within the Low Rise scope. The page, dated 5 August 2026, lists Certificate IV in Building and Construction (Building) for both classes, together with 2 years of supervised experience with a building trade qualification or 4 years without one (figures checked 1 October 2026). From 1 October 2026, CBOS transitioned to Consumer Affairs Tasmania and Building Standards Tasmania; references to CBOS should be read as referring to the relevant regulatory function within those agencies.
What work scope should each licence class cover?
Your licence subclass must match the work shown in your experience evidence, rather than the total number of years you have worked.
| Evidence point | Builder Domestic | Builder Low Rise |
|---|---|---|
| Main work evidence | Mainly houses, townhouses, garages, sheds or similar domestic work | Low-rise commercial or other non-domestic work, as well as NCC Class 1 and Class 10 work |
| NCC class evidence | NCC Classes 1 and 10 as a minimum. Suitable Class 2 evidence is needed if Class 2 work is to be included | Relevant NCC Classes 2 to 9, or other non-domestic work within the Low Rise scope |
| If the evidence does not match | Without Class 2 evidence, the licence will likely be restricted to NCC Classes 1 and 10 | A Low Rise application supported only by domestic work will be refused |
A Builder Domestic licence can include NCC Classes 1, 2 and 10, but Class 2 is not included automatically. Statements of Experience and Referee Statements must clearly demonstrate suitable Class 2 experience. At least one referee should have observed the applicant, preferably a licensed builder or another building professional.
Builder Low Rise also covers Class 1 and Class 10 work, but domestic-only evidence is not enough to support that application. Licence subclasses determine the type and size of work a holder may undertake, and all licensed building service providers must remain within their competence.
Does the 2-year or 4-year experience path differ between the classes?
No. Builder Domestic and Builder Low Rise use the same published qualification and minimum-experience thresholds. The subclass is determined by the scope of evidence; the 2-year or 4-year experience path is determined by the qualification evidence available for the supervised experience.
| Requirement | Builder Domestic and Builder Low Rise |
|---|---|
| Listed minimum mandatory qualification | Certificate IV in Building and Construction (Building) |
| Experience with a building trade qualification | 2 years |
| Experience without a building trade qualification | 4 years |
| Examples of a building trade qualification | Certificate III in carpentry, brick laying, cabinet making or similar |
| Timing after qualification | At least half of the minimum required experience—either 1 or 2 years, depending on the applicable minimum—must be gained after receiving the minimum mandatory qualification |
| Recency | Experience must be relevant and recent. Experience more than 5 years old will not be accepted without recent experience |
| Gaps after qualification | A gap of 2 or more years after obtaining the minimum qualification will cause refusal unless more verifiable experience can be provided |
The Certificate IV qualification and the supervised-experience requirement are separate parts of the application. Holding the qualification does not remove the need to document the required experience.
How should the experience evidence be prepared?
Use the Consumer Affairs Tasmania approved forms rather than a template designed for another state or territory regulator. Formats intended for other regulators may be rejected, and ordinary letters rarely provide enough information for a complete assessment.
For a new application, prepare:
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One digital Statement of Experience. Summarise the projects, dates, size in square metres, number of storeys, your role, level of responsibility and a third party’s contact details for verification.
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Two digital Referee Statements. Each referee must be an industry professional, licensed at the same or a higher level than the licence being applied for, and must have overseen the work supporting the application.
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Clear scope evidence. Identify the relevant NCC class, project details, stages of work, project management duties and stakeholder liaison. Examples include supervising trades, communicating with owners, designers, building certifiers, surveyors and councils, and paying subcontractors.
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Signed and dated referee details. Each referee form must state the period supervised, using dates such as a month-to-month range rather than only a total number of years.
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Complete records. Gaps in the information may prevent CAT from counting the relevant experience. The approved forms should allow it to verify your role, responsibility and building-class experience.
What insurance and supporting documents are required?
The regulator lists $5 million public liability insurance for builder licences. Builders must also provide evidence of Contract Works insurance for new applications and renewals.
Include a digital certificate of currency for the insurance. Tax invoices are not accepted as proof of cover. Insurance documents sit alongside the qualification evidence, supervised experience in the same work scope, identity documents and other required supporting material.
A builder licence and an insurance policy answer different questions: the regulator determines licensing scope, while the policy’s Product Disclosure Statement sets the cover, exclusions, conditions and endorsements. Check the current regulator page and your policy’s PDS before relying on a licence scope or insurance cover.
This is general information, not financial or legal advice.
Sources
FAQ
Is Builder Low Rise just Builder Domestic with extra experience?
No. Both classes list the same Certificate IV qualification and 2-year-with-qualification or 4-year-without experience thresholds. The difference is scope: Low Rise requires commercial or other non-domestic evidence, while domestic-only evidence will not support that application.
Can I apply for Builder Low Rise with domestic work experience alone?
No. Consumer Affairs Tasmania says a Low Rise application will be refused if the evidence shows only domestic work. Relevant evidence may include NCC Classes 2 to 9 or other non-domestic work within the Low Rise scope.
Can Class 2 work be included in a Builder Domestic licence?
Yes, but the statements must clearly show suitable Class 2 experience. At least one referee should have observed the applicant, preferably a licensed builder or other building professional. Without suitable Class 2 evidence, the licence will likely be restricted to NCC Classes 1 and 10.
Does Certificate IV remove the experience requirement?
No. Certificate IV in Building and Construction (Building) is the listed qualification for both classes, but applicants must still document 2 years of supervised experience with a building trade qualification or 4 years without one.
What happens if my experience is old or contains gaps?
Experience must be relevant and recent. Experience more than 5 years old will not be accepted without recent experience, while a post-qualification gap of 2 or more years will cause refusal unless more verifiable experience can be provided.