Skip to content
Find your next step

New South Wales · BCNSW

Apply for your own NSW building or trade licence .

If you want to contract in your own name, supervise licensed work or licence a company, BLS helps you choose the NSW application and prepare the qualifications, experience and supporting documents.

Find your next step Other states

What you need to know

How builder licensing works in New South Wales.

Building Commission NSW oversees the building and contractor licensing that previously sat with NSW Fair Trading. A contractor licence lets a business or individual advertise and contract for the work shown on the licence. A qualified supervisor certificate covers supervision but does not let the holder contract or advertise in their own name. The required qualification and experience depend on the category being applied for.

Licences we can help with

What are you applying for in New South Wales?

Choose the option closest to your situation. You do not need to know the exact licence class before speaking with BLS.

NSW

Builder / contractor licence

Moving from trade or supervision into your own building work? BLS checks the likely NSW category and helps prepare the qualification, project and referee information.

View this service

NSW

Contractor licence for a trade

Ready to quote and advertise your own regulated trade work? BLS checks the relevant NSW category and what you need to provide with the application.

View this service

NSW

Company contractor licence

Setting up or expanding a building company? BLS checks the company application, work categories and nominated supervisor details together.

View this service

NSW

Interstate mutual recognition

Already licensed interstate? Your licence may be recognised in NSW. Check the equivalent work and notification requirements before relying on it.

Find your next step

Who does what

Your experience. BLS preparation. Regulator assessment.

01Your contribution
Accurate project, qualification and work-history details that support the application you are making.
02BLS preparation
Check the likely application, identify gaps and help prepare the forms and supporting documents included in your service.
03BCNSW assessment
The regulator assesses the application and makes the licence or registration decision.
An overview of responsibilities. Your required evidence depends on the application. An RTO decides qualification outcomes where RPL or training is involved.

What BLS does for you

Get the application sorted before you lodge.

We check what you can apply for, show you what is missing and help prepare the forms and supporting documents.

Two people reviewing building plans inside a timber-framed project.

Your projects, roles and records

Illustrative scene: a builder talks on a phone beside a timber-framed residential renovation.

  1. Know what to apply for

    Tell us what you do now and what you are trying to move into. We check the licence or registration that fits.

  2. Find out what is missing

    We review the qualifications, projects, licences and referees you already have, then tell you what else is needed.

  3. Get the application ready to lodge

    We help complete the forms, prepare the supporting documents and check the details before you submit them.

Your next step

Start with where
you are.

Get clear on your likely licence, gaps and next step before you pay for training or start pulling the paperwork together.

Find your next step