Do I need an owner builder permit in QLD?
In Queensland, you need an owner builder permit if you want to carry out or manage residential building work on your own land without a licensed builder, and the work is valued at more than $11,000 including GST. For genuine farm buildings, the limit is $27,500.
The catch is how the value is worked out. It’s not what you’ll actually spend, it’s what the work would cost at trade prices, labour and materials included. That’s why many projects people expect to be under the limit end up needing a permit.
The $11,000 rule
The QBCC requires an owner builder permit for residential building work valued over $11,000. You must have the permit before any work starts on site, including excavation and earthworks.
If your project is $11,000 or less, you can do it without an owner builder permit. You still need any building or plumbing approvals the work requires, and licensed trades for work like plumbing, gas and electrical.
How to calculate the value of your project
The QBCC is specific about this. To value your project:
- Add up all the labour and materials needed to finish the whole project.
- Price labour and materials at trade price, including GST, the price a licensed contractor would charge.
- Value free or discounted labour at full price. If a mate is helping for free, or a trade is giving you a discount, estimate what a licensed contractor would normally charge.
- Value materials at retail price including GST, even if they’re free, second-hand or salvaged.
- Include your own labour. If you’re doing work yourself, it still counts at what a contractor would charge.
If costs rise during the project, you must let the QBCC know by amending your permit.
Example: a deck that’s “only $8,000”
Say you’re building a deck. You’ve found the timber for $5,500 and a mate who’s a carpenter is helping for a slab of beer. Your out-of-pocket cost might be about $8,000 once you add fixings, footings and hire.
For the QBCC, though, you’d value the timber at retail price, then add what a licensed carpenter would charge for the labour, including GST. With a few days’ labour for two people, the value can easily pass $11,000. In that case you need an owner builder permit, even though you’ll spend less than the limit.
The figures here are just an illustration. Get quotes or use current trade rates for your area to value your own project.
Don’t split the project to stay under the limit
The value is for the whole project. Breaking one project into smaller jobs, or leaving parts out of the estimate, to get under $11,000 isn’t how the rule works. If in doubt, call the QBCC on 139 333 before you start.
Farm buildings: the $27,500 limit
A higher limit of $27,500 applies to farm buildings, which are buildings on farm land used for genuine farm work. A shed for personal items, household goods or the family car doesn’t count as a farm building, even on a rural property.
What work does an owner builder permit cover?
An owner builder permit is for residential building work on a single dwelling, such as:
- building a new house
- renovating, altering or extending your house
- building a garage, carport or residential shed
- building a residential swimming pool
- building a pergola, deck or entertainment area
- finishing a new house that a QBCC-licensed builder took to a particular stage
It doesn’t cover:
- commercial or industrial buildings, such as shops or industrial sheds
- multiple dwellings, such as duplexes, units, boarding houses or attached granny flats
- any work not described in your permit
What you can’t do yourself, even with a permit
An owner builder permit lets you manage the job and do general building work yourself, such as carpentry, framing and landscaping. It doesn’t replace the occupational licences needed for specialist work. Even with a permit, you can’t do:
- plumbing, drainage or gasfitting without the appropriate licence
- electrical work, which in Queensland must be done by a licensed electrician
- chemical termite management without the appropriate licence
- fire protection or mechanical services work valued over $1,100 without the appropriate licence
- removal of more than 10m² of asbestos without an asbestos removal licence
You must use licensed contractors for these jobs, and QBCC-licensed contractors for any other work that requires a licence.
When you don’t need an owner builder permit
You don’t need a permit when:
- The work is valued at $11,000 or less (or $27,500 or less for a genuine farm building).
- You hire a licensed builder to manage the whole job under a contract. In that case, the builder is responsible for the work, and you may be covered by the Queensland Home Warranty Scheme, which isn’t available to owner builders.
- You hold a QBCC builder licence that covers the work. Licensees working on their own property without a permit must still pay the QLeave portable long service levy where it applies. With a permit, they’re exempt from the levy on that work.
What if I’ve already done the work?
If you’ve already finished work that needed a permit, the QBCC has a work already completed process, so the work can be certified. Depending on your circumstances, the QBCC may approve the work after it’s completed, but you may be fined for doing the work without a permit.
Starting work without a permit can also lead to prosecution, enforcement orders and, if a permit is cancelled, a 6-year wait before you can apply again. Getting the permit first is much simpler.
Who can get an owner builder permit?
You can apply if you’re on the title, a director of the company that owns the land, or a lessee with the owner’s written permission. Most applicants must also complete a QBCC-approved owner builder course first. You can usually only hold one permit every 6 years.
Our guide to getting an owner builder permit in QLD covers eligibility, the course, the documents you need and the application fee step by step.
Frequently asked questions
Is the $11,000 limit including GST?
Yes. The value of the work must include GST, at trade price for labour and retail price for materials.
Do I need a permit to build a shed in QLD?
If it’s a residential shed valued at more than $11,000 and you’re not hiring a licensed builder, yes. A shed may also need a building approval from a certifier, whatever its value. A genuine farm building has a higher limit of $27,500.
Do I need a permit to renovate my bathroom?
If the work is valued at more than $11,000 at trade price and you’re managing it yourself, yes. Remember that the plumbing, waterproofing and electrical work in a bathroom must be done by appropriately licensed trades.
Can I build a pool as an owner builder?
Yes. A residential swimming pool can be built under an owner builder permit. You must still meet pool safety requirements and use licensed trades for work such as plumbing and electrical.
Do I need a permit to repair storm damage?
The same rules apply: if the work is valued at more than $11,000 and you’re managing it without a licensed builder, you need a permit. If your insurer is arranging repairs through a licensed builder, you don’t.
Thinking about doing some of the work yourself?
If you’ll be working on site, you’ll need to know how to stay safe around construction work. Our face-to-face Queensland White Card course takes 4.5 hours, costs $99 and you’ll leave with your White Card on the day. Read do owner builders need a White Card?