QLD Builder Licence Check: QBCC Register Guide

If you are planning a new build, renovation, duplex or major residential project in Queensland, the first practical step is a QLD builder licence check. The public pathway for checking a builder licence in Queensland runs through the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) Licensee Register. The register is free to search and takes a few minutes before you sign anything.

Here is the direct answer: you can check whether a builder holds a current QBCC licence, and which class of licence they hold, through the QBCC Licensee Register. A current licence tells you the licence is current. The class, conditions and scope of the licence determine whether it actually covers the type and scale of your project.

In Queensland, building work generally requires a QBCC contractor licence, and the licence is issued in a specific class tied to the size, height and classification of the building. Unlike a single, general building licence, the class itself is part of what you need to check.

It is the right first step. It is not the last one.

A licence check through the QBCC Licensee Register can help you confirm whether a builder is licensed and for what scope of work. But before you sign, you should also check whether the builder, company and directors show wider risk signals, such as insurance status, company strength, director history, insolvency indicators, court or tribunal matters, and credit-risk signals.

Before you sign or pay a deposit, make sure the licence, the licence class, the contract name, the company details and the insurance all match.

Want to check more than the licence? Run a TrustSignal Builder Report before you sign.

How to check a builder licence in Queensland (QBCC licence check)

The official QLD licence check is available through the QBCC Licensee Register, part of the broader myQBCC portal. Here is how to use it:

Go to the QBCC Licensee Register. You can search by licence number, business name, individual name, or ABN/ACN.
Check the licence holder details. Confirm the name shown on the register, whether that is an individual or a company, and for company licences, the nominee supervisor's name.
Confirm the licence status. Look for a Current status. Treat suspended or cancelled records as a reason to stop and ask questions before going further. QBCC also publishes separate Suspended Licences and Cancelled Licences registers, worth checking directly if anything looks unclear.
Confirm the licence class. QBCC issues several distinct builder licence classes, Builder - Low Rise, Builder - Medium Rise, Builder - Open, Builder - Project Management Services, and several restricted classes. The class held must actually cover the scale and type of your project, not just building work in general.
Check for conditions. Some licences carry conditions that limit the scope of work the holder can take on.
Check the compliance history. Look for any recorded Directions to Rectify and whether they are shown as "complied" or "not complied".
Check whether the name matches who you are contracting with. The name on the licence should line up with the name on your quote and contract.

If you are unsure which licence class your project actually requires, QBCC's Licence Information Tool can help, and QBCC's contact centre (139 333) can confirm requirements directly. Where a search result shows less than you expect, treat that as a prompt to ask the builder directly or call QBCC, rather than assume the information does not exist.

What to confirm on the Queensland builder licence record

When you run a QBCC licence check, work through this list:

Licence number: the unique identifier for the licence
Licence holder name: the individual or company the licence is issued to
Licence class: which builder class the licence covers (see below), and whether it matches your project's scale and building classification
Current status: Current, suspended or cancelled
Conditions: any limits on what the licence holder can do
Nominee, for company licences: the qualified individual responsible for supervising the licensed work on the company's behalf. Confirm this person is still a current employee, secretary or director of the company shown
Directions to Rectify: recorded on the public licence record as either "complied" or "not complied", one of the clearest disciplinary signals available
Whether the licence matches the work you need done: a Builder - Low Rise licence is not the same as Builder - Open, and a restricted licence (kitchen, bathroom and laundry, for example) does not cover a full renovation or new build

QBCC builder licence classes, in plain English

Builder - Low Rise: Covers houses, duplexes, townhouses, garages and sheds (Class 1 and 10 buildings), plus Classes 2-9 buildings up to 2,000m² gross floor area, excluding Type A or Type B construction. This is QBCC's most commonly held builder licence and is generally sufficient for a standard new house build or a major home renovation, including a full kitchen, bathroom or laundry renovation.
Builder - Medium Rise: Covers Class 1 and 10 buildings and building work to a maximum of three storeys, excluding Type A construction on Classes 4-9. Do not assume the number of storeys alone determines the licence class. The relevant building class, construction type, gross floor area and project scope all matter. Use QBCC's Licence Information Tool or call QBCC (139 333) if the project is a townhouse, unit, mixed-use or multi-storey development.
Builder - Open: The unrestricted class. Covers all classes of buildings with no stated limit on size or height, excluding occupational or fire-protection work unless the holder is separately licensed for those trades.
Builder - Project Management Services: A specialist class for administration, advisory and management services in relation to building work. It is not the same as a general builder licence and should be checked carefully against the exact role being performed.
Restricted classes (kitchen, bathroom and laundry; shopfitting; structural landscaping; special structures): Each covers only the specific work named. A licensee holding only a kitchen, bathroom and laundry licence cannot lawfully manage a broader renovation or new build that goes beyond those rooms. Even on a restricted-class job, plumbing, drainage, electrical, fire-protection and structural work will require appropriately licensed trades, regardless of which builder licence class the principal contractor holds.

If you are renovating a kitchen or bathroom, the builder you engage does not need to hold the narrow restricted licence; a standard Builder - Low Rise licence already covers that work, and most builders renovating these spaces hold the broader licence rather than the restricted one. The restricted classes exist mainly for smaller operators who deliberately limit their scope. The thing to check is the reverse case: a builder who holds only a restricted licence cannot then take on work outside it, so if your project grows beyond the kitchen, bathroom or laundry, confirm the licence still covers it.

A "Current" status on its own is not enough. The licence class held by the builder must actually cover the scope, scale and building classification of your project.

Demerit points: Queensland's compliance threshold

QBCC also tracks proven offences against a licensee using a three-year rolling demerit point system. Points range from 2 for minor documentation failures up to 10 for serious breaches, including unlicensed contracting or failing to comply with a Direction to Rectify.

Reach 30 points within three years and the licence is automatically excluded for three years. A second exclusion within ten years of the first results in lifetime disqualification. Check the licence record for any demerit, disciplinary or compliance information shown. If the public record is unclear or you want to confirm whether there are current demerit-point or disciplinary consequences relevant to a specific licensee, ask QBCC directly on 139 333.

Why the name on the licence must match your contract

This is one of the most overlooked steps in a QLD builder licence check, and one of the most important.

A QBCC licence is held by a specific legal entity, either an individual, a company, or a partner in a partnership. QBCC is direct about this distinction in its own consumer guidance: an ABN or trading name shows that a business is registered for tax and trading purposes, but it does not confirm the person is licensed to perform building work. A QBCC licence number and a business's ABN or registered trading name are entirely separate identifiers from separate systems.

Here is what to check:

The trading name may be different from the legal entity on the licence. A builder may legitimately trade under a brand name that looks nothing like the entity shown on the QBCC register. This is not automatically a problem, but it must be reconciled.
Search by the name on the signage or quote first, then by licence number if that doesn't return a clear match. Ask the builder directly for their QBCC licence number if needed.
A licence can be held by an individual, a company, or a licensed partner in a partnership. A partnership itself cannot hold a QBCC licence; at least one partner must hold it individually, and that licensed partner is responsible for compliance.
For company licences, check the nominee. Every company licence requires a nominee, a qualified individual who shares responsibility for ensuring the work is properly supervised. A nominee who has left the business can effectively undermine the company's ability to rely on that licence. The nominee's name is shown on the register.
Cross-check the ABN/ACN on your contract and any insurance certificate against the entity on the licence. The QBCC register supports ABN/ACN as a direct search field.
A QBCC licence number should appear on the builder's marketing material and at active sites. A mismatch or reluctance to provide it is itself worth raising.

If the licence, ABN, company name and contract name do not line up, ask questions before signing. There may be a simple explanation, but get that explanation in writing before paying anything.

What a QLD licence check covers, and what it leaves unchecked

A standard QBCC licence check covers:

Licence status (Current, Suspended or Cancelled)
Licence class (Low Rise, Medium Rise, Open, Project Management Services, or a restricted class)
Conditions attached to the licence
The nominee supervisor's name, for company licences
Directions to Rectify and whether they are recorded as complied or not complied
The consequences of serious non-compliance, such as suspension or cancellation, where these have occurred

What a QLD licence check leaves unchecked:

The licensee's exact approved Maximum Revenue figure under QBCC's Minimum Financial Requirements (MFR) framework. QBCC's public register may show the licensee's financial category, but it does not publish the exact approved Maximum Revenue dollar figure. Maximum Revenue is an annual turnover limit, not a project-by-project capacity approval: homeowners cannot independently confirm from the free public register the exact remaining capacity available for their specific job. Ask the builder directly to confirm their financial category supports your contract value, or raise a specific concern with QBCC (139 333)
Any demerit or disciplinary information beyond what is shown directly on the public register (see the demerit points section above for how to follow up with QBCC if the public record is unclear)
Financial stability and liquidity beyond the MFR category system
Insolvency and bankruptcy indicators
Director history, including links to companies that have previously failed
QCAT disputes and ongoing court matters
Payment disputes, credit-risk signals and PPSR indicators
Whether Queensland Home Warranty Scheme cover has actually been issued for your specific project

A current licence and a financially sound business are two different things. The licence check answers "does this builder currently hold a QBCC licence in the relevant class", not "can this builder see my project through, and is there anything in their background worth knowing first".

A licence check is only one part of builder due diligence. TrustSignal helps you check the broader risk picture before you sign.

For a state-by-state look at how licence checks work across Australia, see our guide to How to Check a Builder Licence in Australia Before You Sign. Building in another state? See our equivalent guides for NSW, VIC, WA, SA, TAS, ACT and NT.

Beyond the licence: what else to check before you sign

A licence check is the starting point. Here is a short summary of the other checks worth doing before you sign or pay a deposit in Queensland.

Insurance, even on a small job. The Queensland Home Warranty Scheme (QHWS), administered by QBCC, is generally required for residential building work valued at more than $3,300, including labour, materials and GST. That is a much lower threshold than many homeowners expect, low enough that most kitchen and bathroom renovations are covered by the requirement, not just full new builds. If your renovation is "only" $15,000 or $20,000, do not assume it falls outside the scheme. Confirm a valid Certificate of Insurance has actually been issued naming your project, not just that the builder is generally registered for the scheme.

Your deposit, against the legal cap. Queensland caps deposits on a sliding scale tied to contract value: up to 20% for work valued at $3,300 or less, up to 10% for contracts between $3,301 and $19,999, and only up to 5% once the contract reaches $20,000 or more (with a narrow exception, up to 20%, where more than half the contract value is genuine off-site prefabrication work). This is materially lower than NSW's flat 10% cap on contracts of any value. A 10% deposit request on a $40,000 Queensland renovation is double the legal maximum, a concrete, checkable red flag worth raising before you pay anything.

Company, ABN and directors. Confirm the ABN, and ACN if it is a company, check the company's status with ASIC, and look at who the directors are and what other entities they are linked to. This matters more in Queensland than it might first appear: because QBCC's MFR figures aren't public, an ASIC company search is one of the few free ways to spot insolvency-linked risk that the licence register itself won't show you.

QCAT and court signals. A licence check does not show Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) disputes, court matters, or insolvency history. Many disputes are resolved through QBCC's own facilitation process before they ever reach QCAT. Published QCAT reasons are searchable via the Supreme Court Library Queensland, but not every dispute or complaint produces a publicly searchable written decision: oral reasons are generally not published. A clean licence record means no formal enforcement action has been recorded, not necessarily no complaints history.

Credit-risk signals. Indicators of how a business manages its financial obligations with trade suppliers, which sit outside the QBCC register entirely.

Red flags before signing with a QLD builder

None of the following automatically means a builder is a poor choice. Each one is a prompt to ask a question and get a clear answer before you sign or pay a deposit:

The licence name does not match the contract entity
The licence class does not cover the scale or building classification of your project. Do not assume storeys alone determine this: building class, construction type and gross floor area all matter. Use QBCC's Licence Information Tool or call 139 333 if the project is a townhouse, unit, mixed-use or multi-storey development
A Direction to Rectify is recorded as "not complied" on the public licence record
The licence is shown as suspended or cancelled on QBCC's registers
The individual is listed on QBCC's separate Excluded Individuals Register. This is the most serious public disciplinary indicator in the Queensland system. A person who held a director, secretary or "influential person" role in a construction company in the two years before it became insolvent, or who has personally become bankrupt, becomes an excluded individual. The standard exclusion period is three years; a second occurrence within ten years results in lifetime disqualification. QBCC's own register description states plainly: "Individuals on this list are excluded from holding a QBCC trade licence and should not be undertaking building work." This register is searched separately from the main Licensee Register, and a thorough check should cover both
No QHWS certificate provided for work over $3,300, or a certificate naming a different entity to the contract
A deposit request exceeding the statutory cap, more than 5% on a contract of $20,000 or more, unless a genuine off-site prefabrication exception applies
A nominee shown on a company licence who no longer appears to work for that company
Trading name on signage or marketing differs from the legal entity on the licence, with no clear explanation
Reluctance to confirm a QBCC licence number, which QBCC requires to be displayed prominently and legibly on advertising and at active sites. Where a trading name is used in advertising, it must be accompanied by the QBCC licence name
Pressure to sign quickly or pay a deposit before licence, class and QHWS status have been checked

How TrustSignal helps

Checking a licence, insurance status, company details, directors, court records, QCAT history, insolvency indicators and credit-risk signals separately means searching multiple government systems that are not linked to each other.

TrustSignal's Builder Report brings these signals together in plain English so Queensland homeowners can make a more informed decision before signing, whether you are checking a single builder before you commit or comparing a shortlist of quotes side by side. You can see what this looks like in our sample report, check pricing, or run a check now. For a structured checklist that walks through every step before signing, see The Builder Licence Check Checklist.

Check the builder, the company and the wider risk signals before you commit. Run a TrustSignal Builder Report before you sign.

QLD builder licence check FAQs

What is a QBCC licence check?

A QBCC licence check is a search of the Queensland Building and Construction Commission's public Licensee Register to confirm whether a builder or tradesperson is currently licensed, what licence class they hold, and whether any conditions or compliance issues are recorded against them. It is free, takes a few minutes, and is the right first step before signing a building contract or paying a deposit in Queensland.

How do I check a builder licence in Queensland?

Use the QBCC Licensee Register. Search by licence number, business name, individual name, or ABN/ACN, then confirm the licence status, licence class and any conditions or compliance history.

Is it free to check a builder's QBCC licence?

Yes. The QBCC Licensee Register, Suspended Licences Register, Cancelled Licences Register and Excluded Individuals Register are all free to search. A QHWS property insurance search costs $53.05, but is free if you currently own the property being searched.

What does "Builder - Open" mean, and do I need a builder with this licence class?

Builder - Open is QBCC's unrestricted builder licence, covering all building classes with no stated limit on project size or type. Most standalone houses, duplexes and townhouses only require a Builder - Low Rise licence. Builder - Open is generally only necessary for larger, taller or more complex developments. Ask your builder which class they hold and check it against your project's scale using QBCC's Licence Information Tool if you're unsure.

Can I check a builder's financial capacity for my project on the QBCC register?

Not fully, and it is worth being clear-eyed about this. QBCC's Minimum Financial Requirements framework assigns every licensee a financial category and an approved Maximum Revenue figure. The financial category determines both the level of financial information the licensee must provide to QBCC and the approved annual turnover cap, but the specific dollar figure is not published on the free public register. Maximum Revenue is an annual turnover limit, not a project-by-project capacity approval: a $40,000 renovation does not "exceed" a category on its own, but it contributes to the builder's annual revenue against that cap. Homeowners cannot independently confirm from the free public register whether a builder's remaining annual capacity supports their specific contract. Ask the builder directly to confirm their financial category supports your contract value, or raise a specific concern with QBCC (139 333).

What is the Queensland Home Warranty Scheme and when is it required?

The Queensland Home Warranty Scheme (QHWS), administered by QBCC, is a statutory, not-for-profit insurance scheme required for most residential building work valued at more than $3,300, including labour, materials and GST. QHWS is not general dispute insurance. It may respond to non-completion, defects or subsidence where the scheme's conditions, claim triggers and time limits are met. It does not automatically cover ordinary commercial disagreements, cost overruns or delays while a builder remains solvent and trading.

What is the maximum QHWS payout?

$200,000 standard cover per category of loss, or $300,000 if the homeowner has purchased optional additional cover. Ancillary costs, such as alternative accommodation, removal and storage, are capped within this at $5,000 (standard) or $10,000 (with optional cover).

What is the maximum deposit a QLD builder can ask for?

It depends on the contract value. Up to 20% for work valued at $3,300 or less, up to 10% for contracts between $3,301 and $19,999, and only up to 5% for contracts of $20,000 or more. There is a 20% exception where more than half the contract value is genuine off-site prefabrication work, such as made-to-measure kitchens or sheds. This is lower than NSW's flat 10% cap on contracts of any value.

Can I check if a builder has had complaints in Queensland?

Partially. QBCC's public registers show formal disciplinary outcomes: Directions to Rectify and whether they were complied with, licence suspensions, cancellations, and exclusions. Many disputes are resolved through QBCC's own facilitation process or proceed to QCAT, and only some QCAT decisions are published and searchable. A clean public licence record means no formal enforcement action has been recorded, not necessarily no complaints history.

What is an "excluded individual" in Queensland building?

A person who was a director, secretary, or influential person of a construction company in the two years before it became insolvent, or who has personally become bankrupt, becomes an excluded individual under the QBCC Act. They are barred from holding a QBCC licence, or from being a director, secretary or influential person in a licensed company, for three years, or for life if it happens a second time within ten years. This status is searchable on QBCC's separate Excluded Individuals Register.

What is the difference between a licence check and a full builder check in Queensland?

A licence check confirms whether a builder currently holds a QBCC licence in the correct class for your project. A full builder check goes further, looking at insurance, company and ABN details, directors, court and QCAT history, insolvency indicators and credit-risk signals. TrustSignal's Builder Report brings these together in one plain-English view.

This article is a decision aid, not legal or financial advice. Register coverage and the information shown can vary by licence type and may change over time. Always verify current status directly with the relevant Queensland regulator before signing a contract.