The VBA (Victorian Building Authority) is the regulator for Builder Registration and Builder Licences throughout Victoria. Its main roles are to oversee the compliance of Building Practitioners and offers different options of Registration under 2 main classes:
Domestic Builder – Unlimited (DB-U) – The registered builder may carry out the domestic work or employ or appoint subcontractors to perform the work.
Domestic Builder – Limited (DB-L) – The licenced building practitioner may arrange, manage or perform building work in their specific trade or licence class. There are many different Limited Licences that are available.
About Trade Registration and licensing scheme for Carpenters
For many years there has been an on-going discussion in the industry that trades should be licenced whether they work for themselves and operate their own business or if they work as subcontractors or employees to builders.
The system of Registering or Licensing of trades has been happening in other States for many years but in Victoria not all tradies involved in a build project require Registration to do the building work. In fact only the “Registered Builder” needs to be Registered person or “Licenced Builder” for the project.
The VBA currently requires that you have a licence to carry out any building or general trade work exceeding $10,000 including materials and labour or for various other building activities to the same value.
In 2019 the Victorian State Government announced that Carpentry was the first of the trades up for Licencing and then into 2020 there has been more and more discussion into Carpentry being the first trade in line for mandatory registration and licensing of tradespeople.
Carpentry – Registration and Licencing
There is a lot of confusion about how this is going to be rolled out and many dates that have been thrown around about when this will all happen. Of course, COVID-19 and 2020 had thrown many of the measures that the Government had earmarked into turmoil and this meant the licensing conversation was significantly disrupted but the talk is that mid 2021 seems to be when the implementation of the mandatory Licence for Carpenters is likely to happen!
One thing we do know is the Government will start the legislation to enable the registration and licensing of building trades and Carpentry will be first trade of the rank.
The effect of this restructuring on carpenters is not known at this stage but as we know carpentry work involves such a large scope of work including framing, lock-up and fix, gates and fencing, cabinet making, stairs, window replacement and external wall cladding. Other areas such as decks and pergola construction and other landscaping work involving carpentry means that there are many varied applications to a carpentry trade and it will be up to the Victorian Government to announce how the Builders Licence Vic Licencing will work.
The VBA states on their website that mid 2021 is expected timeframe to commence and The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) is now in the process of structuring a way to implement the new registration and licensing scheme for Victorian Carpenters.
If you are a Chippy you have 2 options that you’ll need to consider:
If you answered yes to either of these then you should be “a Registered Trade” and you should be applying for Domestic Builder Limited in Carpentry (DB-LC) with the VBA….. you should get Registered!
Registration and Licensing of Carpenters – get yours now!
The information going around that these changes will be about “Licencing Carpenters” where you may not be Registered as a Carpenter but simply have a Licence so you can work on a site as an employee. This means that carpentry work can only be performed by a “Registered person” if you are working for yourself or as a sub-contractor.
This is happening! To bury your head in the sand and pretend that it’s not is going to create all sorts of issues to keep working and to keep your business going or keep your job in the future.
Broadly speaking, self-employed carpenters, sub-contractors or employees or those that would like to perform prescribed carpentry work will need to obtain a registration or licence. Our advice to anyone who is doing Carpentry work …… get your registration now. Get yourself Registered before the mad rush!
If you want the most direct, efficient and NO BS way of getting your DB-L in Carpentry then we can get you ready and confident to go to the VBA and pass.
Since 2013 we’ve worked with thousands of trades and industry professionals to get the Registration they want …. WHY NOT YOU?
Give us a call on 0488 27 88 99 for honest, knowledgeable and experienced advice OR click on the link for more information https://builderslicencemadeeasy.com.au/db-l-carpentry/
Cheers Michael
