In Western Australia, the following building trades are required to be licensed by the organisations listed:

• Builders are required to be registered with the Building Services Board.
• Building surveyors are required to be registered with the Building Services Board.
• Painters are required to be registered with the Building Services Board.
• Plumbers are required to be licensed with the Plumbers Licensing Board.
• Electrical workers are required to be licensed with Building and Energy.
• Gas fitters are required to be licensed with Building and Energy.
• Demolition work (high risk) requires a licence issued by WorkSafe.
• Pest controllers are required to be licensed with the Department of Health.

In most circumstances, only a registered building services contractor can contract for or carry out builder work as described in the Building Services (Registration) Act 2011 where the total fee or charge payable exceeds $20,000, within the prescribed area of jurisdiction.

Most building work requires the issue of a building permit prior to commencement. A building permit for builder work where the value of the work exceeds $20,000 can only be issued to a registered building services contractor or an approved owner-builder. 

Builder work does not include the following types of building work:

• Construction of a farm building.
• Production of a prefabricated or transportable building in a manufacturing yard.
• Formation of a parking area.
• Formation of outdoor sporting surfaces including associated fencing and lighting.
• Construction of walkways, viewing and gathering platforms that do not form part of another building.
• Construction of a water tank that is not incorporated into the structure of another building.
• Construction of an incidental structure as defined in the Building Act 2011 section 3.
• Installation of fire sprinklers, free standing partitioning, safety systems, timber decking or glazing.
• Cabinet making and installation.
• Joinery (2nd fixing) work.

Tradespeople should be aware of their rights and responsibilities (refer to Labour Relations) when working for another person or being subcontracted by a registered building services contractor.

When entering into a contract with consumers for home building work, trades should ensure that the contract complies with the provisions of the Home Building Contracts Act 1991.

Unregistered builders

It is an offence for a person who is not registered under the Building Services (Registration) Act 2011 to obtain a building permit to construct or contract to construct any building, unless the total fee or charge payable does not exceed $20,000. An exception to this is an owner-builder who intends to build their own home.

An unregistered builder who obtains or attempts to obtain a building licence from a local government for building work valued over $20,000, where they falsely state their registration status or the total value of the building work, also commits an offence.