The quickest way to check builder registration in Victoria is the Building and Plumbing Commission’s online practitioner search. The BPC replaced the Victorian Building Authority (VBA) on 1 July 2025, so if you’re looking for the old “VBA builder check”, this is where it lives now. It only takes a few minutes, and it’s worth doing before you sign a contract or hand over a deposit.
Below we explain when a builder must be registered and insured, how to search the register step by step, how to check building surveyors, plumbers and electricians, and where your building surveyor fits in. For background on the name change, see what changed when the VBA became the BPC.
Why check builder registration before you sign?
In Victoria, a builder doing domestic building work that costs more than $10,000 must be a registered building practitioner and must use a written major domestic building contract, unless a single-trade exemption applies. Some work needs a registered or licensed practitioner whatever it costs, including demolition, structural work and electrical work.
Insurance is the other big reason. For eligible domestic building contracts signed on or after 1 July 2026, work valued at more than $20,000 must be covered by Home Warranty insurance, now provided by the BPC. The builder pays the premium and the BPC issues you a Notice of Cover. Contracts signed before that date stay under the old domestic building insurance (DBI) scheme, which applied to work over $16,000.
| Value of domestic building work | What the rules require |
|---|---|
| $10,000 or less | A registered builder and a major domestic building contract generally aren’t required, but demolition, structural and electrical work still need a registered or licensed practitioner |
| More than $10,000 | A registered builder and a written major domestic building contract, unless a single-trade exemption applies |
| More than $20,000 (contracts signed from 1 July 2026) | Home Warranty insurance, paid for by the builder, with a Notice of Cover issued to you |
A registration check is the simplest way to rule out anyone who shouldn’t be quoting on your job in the first place. Our guide to domestic building insurance in Victoria in 2026 explains how Home Warranty works.
How do you check builder registration on the BPC register?
Start at the BPC’s Find and check a practitioner page. Then:
- Choose the right search. Use Find a builder for builders and other building practitioners, or Find a plumber for plumbers. The search may open on an older vba.vic.gov.au address. That’s expected: legally, the BPC is the VBA trading under a new name, and some of its systems still carry the old address.
- Search using the details on your quote. You can search by a person’s name, business name, or registration or licence number, and filter by location and type of work. Try the registration number on the quote first, then the name, and make sure both lead to the same practitioner.
- Check the status. The registration or licence should be current, not suspended or cancelled.
- Check the type of work. The result shows what work the practitioner is allowed to do, so confirm their class or category covers your project.
- Look for conditions or limits. The register shows whether a registration or licence has conditions or limits attached. If one affects your job, ask the builder about it before you sign.
- Check the disciplinary history. Search the BPC’s Compliance and Enforcement Register for disciplinary action, prosecutions and court outcomes, suspensions, cancellations and conditions.
Entries on the Compliance and Enforcement Register stay listed for five years after they’re imposed or stop having effect, whichever is later. Records start in July 2018 for building companies, April 2019 for individual building practitioners and June 2019 for plumbers, so a clean result isn’t a full career history. Ask for recent references too.
Does the name on the contract match the register?
Many builders trade through a company. Because the register can be searched by business name as well as by a person’s name, search both the company on your contract and the person you’re dealing with. The name and registration number on your quote, contract and insurance documents should all match what the register shows.
This matters later, too. The BPC says that before issuing a permit, your building surveyor must check that the builder or building company named on the building permit is identical to the one on the contract and the insurance certificate. Be wary of anyone offering to work under someone else’s registration, a practice known as licence lending. Registered practitioners must show you their registration ID card if you ask.
How do you check a building surveyor, plumber or electrician?
Builders aren’t the only practitioners worth checking. Here’s where to look for the others you’re likely to deal with:
- Building surveyors and building inspectors are registered building practitioners, so use the same BPC practitioner search and Compliance and Enforcement Register. Some councils that no longer issue building permits send residents to this search to find a private building surveyor.
- Plumbers are licensed or registered by the BPC, so use the Find a plumber search. Only licensed plumbers can issue compliance certificates, which are needed for work such as below-ground sanitary drains and gas appliance or gas piping work, and for other plumbing jobs over $750.
- Electricians are licensed by Energy Safe Victoria, not the BPC. Search its public register for registered electrical contractors, and ask to see the electrician’s licence. Whenever a licensed electrician completes electrical installation work, they must give you a Certificate of Electrical Safety.
- Architects are regulated by the Architects Registration Board of Victoria (ARBV). Its Search for an architect tool lists registered architects and approved companies and partnerships.
What else should you check before signing a building contract?
A clean register search is step one. Before you sign or pay anything, also:
- Get proof of insurance before paying a deposit. Consumer Affairs Victoria advises not paying a deposit until the builder gives you proof of insurance for your property. The BPC now calls this document a Notice of Cover (formerly a certificate of insurance). Check it shows your address and the same builder as your contract.
- Keep the deposit within the legal limit. Consumer Affairs Victoria says a deposit can’t be more than 10% of the price for contracts under $20,000, or 5% for contracts of $20,000 or more. On a $300,000 extension, that’s a maximum deposit of $15,000. Parliament passed changes to domestic building contract laws in September 2025, so check the current guidance before you sign.
- Get it in writing. Work over $10,000 needs a major domestic building contract. Read it in full, and put any later changes in writing.
- Compare itemised quotes. The BPC suggests getting at least three quotes, itemised so you know exactly what’s covered.
- Say no to the owner-builder shortcut. The BPC warns owners not to pose as owner-builders for unregistered builders. If you genuinely plan to run the job yourself, read our owner-builder permits guide: you’ll need a certificate of consent from the BPC for work valued at more than $20,000.
Where does your building surveyor fit in?
For domestic building work, the BPC says you, not your builder, must appoint the building surveyor. The building surveyor issues your building permit, carries out the mandatory inspections and issues the occupancy permit or certificate of final inspection at the end, so their independence matters.
Before issuing a permit for domestic building work by a builder, the building surveyor must check that the builder or building company named on the permit is identical to the one on your contract and insurance certificate. So expect to be asked for the builder’s details, the signed contract and the Notice of Cover where Home Warranty applies. It’s much easier to fix a mismatch at this stage than halfway through the job.
Planning a renovation? Our guides to home extension permits and building permits explain the process. Once you’ve chosen your builder, get a building permit quote and we’ll tell you what your project needs.
Frequently asked questions
What if my builder isn’t on the register?
Don’t sign or pay anything until it’s sorted out. Check the spelling, try the business name and registration number, and ask to see their registration ID card. If you still can’t find them, choose another builder. If work has already started, talk to the builder, report it to the BPC, which may investigate whether the law has been broken, and let your building surveyor know.
Can an unregistered person do small jobs?
Sometimes. Registration generally applies once domestic building work costs more than $10,000, and a single task such as painting, plastering or tiling may not need it. But demolition, structural work and electrical work need a registered or licensed practitioner whatever the price, and plumbing should always go to a licensed plumber. A small job can still need a building permit, so check before work starts.
How do I check a building surveyor?
Search their name or registration number on the BPC practitioner search and check the Compliance and Enforcement Register, just as you would for a builder. Do it before you appoint them: once a private building surveyor is appointed, you generally can’t end the appointment without the BPC’s consent.
What if a registration is suspended partway through my build?
If it’s your builder, contact the BPC and your building surveyor straight away, and get advice before making further payments. Your options depend on your contract and insurance, so keep your Notice of Cover handy. If it’s your building surveyor, the BPC can direct that their functions transfer to another surveyor, and your building permit number stays the same. You can also appoint a new surveyor using the BPC’s notice of intention to appoint, with a letter from the new surveyor accepting the job.
Does the VBA builder check still work?
The VBA’s registers now sit with the BPC, which took over on 1 July 2025. Old VBA web links redirect to the BPC website, and the Find and check a practitioner page is the place to search today.
This article is general information current as of September 2026, not legal advice. Every project is different – ask us to confirm what applies to yours.
Found a registered builder and ready to go? Call JLN on 0422 234 951 or request a free quote for your building permit. Our building surveyors will give you fast, practical advice on what your project needs before work starts.