LBP Consumer Information
All restricted building work must be carried out or supervised by a Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP).
When you use an LBP to do or supervise restricted building work, they must provide a Certificate of Design Work (which forms part of the building consent application) or a Record of Building Work (which forms part of the application for code compliance certificate).
Before starting a project that involves restricted building work, you need to engage an LBP designer to carry out or supervise the restricted building work aspects of your design. The LBP designer will provide you with a Certificate of Design Work which you will need, to apply for a building consent.
You can apply for the building consent yourself, or engage someone to do this on your behalf (e.g., the LBP designer).
In addition to providing the certificate of design work, the building consent application will also need to identify the trade LBPs who will carry out the construction of your home.
After you receive consent and construction starts, ensure your LBPs (carpenter, foundation layer, roofer and other tradespeople), each provide a Record of Building Work (RoW) when they finish. Records of Work are required for your application for a code compliance certificate at the end of the project.
Licensing does not preclude DIYers building or renovating their home, but they will need to claim an exemption from restricted building work requirements if this is declared to the local council and they meet certain conditions. Declaration will be kept on council files so that future purchasers of the house will know it has been built by a DIY person.
Public Register of Licensed Building Practitioners
Building Practitioner Licensing is a programme run by the government (through MBIE - Ministry of Building, Innovation and Employment).
Information on the scheme, along with a public register of licensed building practitioners (LBPs), can be found here:
LBP Skills Maintenance Points Scheme and RANZ
Licences are renewal annually. Under the government's licensing requirements, all licensed building practitioners are required to maintain a high level of competency and provide proof of continued professional development - referred to as SKILLS MAINTENANCE. This works on a points system with proof of "skills maintenance points earned" required to be submitted to the MBIE at the time of applying for renewal of your licence.
For the roofing specialist trade group, LBPs must earn a minimum of 12 skills maintenance points over a two year period. Points can be earned by completing a mixture of compulsory and elective activities.
Skills maintenance points can be earned by LBPs through the following activities:
- Subscribing to Rooflink
- Conference attendance
- Attending trade events
- Service to industry
- Attending safety seminars
- On site records of work
- Codewords knowledge articles (compulsory)