The class describes the work. The licence type describes whether you can contract, act as a nominee or supervise as an employee. Check both before preparing an application.
Builder Low Rise
The Low Rise scope includes:
- building work on Class 1 and Class 10 buildings
- work on Class 2 to 9 buildings with a gross floor area of no more than 2,000 square metres, excluding Type A and Type B construction
- non-structural work regardless of building class or gross floor area.
A small floor area does not make every commercial or apartment project Low Rise work. The building classification and construction type still matter.
Builder Medium Rise
The Medium Rise scope includes:
- building work on Class 1 and Class 10 buildings
- work up to three storeys, excluding Type A construction on Class 4 to 9 buildings
- non-structural work regardless of class or gross floor area.
Do not choose Medium Rise from the storey count alone. Read the construction-type limit with the building classification.
Builder Open
The Open scope includes building work on all classes of buildings. Its qualification and experience requirements are separate from those for Low Rise and Medium Rise.
Open is a broad builder class. It does not remove requirements for specialist occupational or fire-protection work.
Limits that apply across the builder classes
The class pages allow preparation of plans and specifications for the licensee’s own use or building work they perform personally. This is different from a separate building design service.
The scopes exclude completed building inspections for interested parties and restrict specialist occupational and fire-protection work. They also contain a temporary inclusion for specified fire-rated work until 2 May 2030. Check the complete current class page before treating any specialist work as authorised by a builder licence.
Where trade and restricted classes fit
Carpentry, waterproofing, painting and decorating, roof tiling and other trade classes sit separately on the QBCC available licences list. Restricted builder classes also cover particular kinds of building work.
If your business will quote only a carpentry package, investigate the carpentry class. If it will contract for the whole build, investigate the appropriate builder class. Neither choice automatically establishes eligibility.
Bring project details, not just a class name
For the jobs you plan to quote, gather:
- the building classification, construction type, floor area and storey count
- whether the proposed work is structural or non-structural
- any specialist work included in the contract
- your qualification and the projects you have supervised
- the entity that will sign contracts and the person who will supervise.
Ask the project designer or building certifier for classifications you cannot confirm. Describe your experience accurately rather than choosing the broadest title first.
Builders Licence Success compares your intended projects and background with the likely class, identifies missing material and helps prepare the application. QBCC decides whether it meets the requirements. Read what BLS checks before a Queensland builder application for the next stage.
Moving into larger projects or quoting whole builds? Start the next-step check. Tell BLS which buildings you plan to contract and which projects you have already supervised.