You have just paid a concreter $8,000 to pour a new driveway. Six months later, cracks are running the full length of it. Water pools against the garage. You call the concreter but the number is disconnected. You check the QBCC register and find no record of his licence. Without a licence, you have no formal complaints pathway, no insurance backing, and no regulator to step in. The only option is to jackhammer the lot out and start again at your own cost.
This is exactly why concreting licence requirements exist. With over 5,970 licensed concreters listed on TradieVerify across Queensland and New South Wales, checking credentials takes less than a minute. Understanding the concreting licence rules in your state is what protects you from paying twice for the same job.
This guide breaks down concreting licence requirements across all eight Australian states and territories, explains the structural versus decorative distinction, covers the QBCC concreting licence classes in detail, and shows you how to verify any concreter before signing a contract.
Do Concreters Need a Licence in Australia?
The short answer: yes. In every state and territory, concreting work above a certain dollar threshold requires the concreter to hold a licence or registration. The threshold varies by state, and so does the regulator who issues the licence.
Concreting falls under the broader category of building work in Australian law. Each state’s building legislation defines concreting as regulated work and sets a minimum value above which only licensed practitioners can perform it. Below that threshold, the work is technically unregulated, but Australian Consumer Law guarantees still apply to any paid service.
The distinction between structural concrete work and decorative or non-structural work matters for licensing. Structural work includes house slabs, footings, retaining walls, and load-bearing elements. Decorative work covers things like garden paths, feature walls, and decorative overlays on existing surfaces. In most states, structural concrete work falls under a builder’s licence regardless of value, while general concreting licences cover the non-structural scope.
The qualification that underpins concreting licences across Australia is the Certificate III in Concreting (CPC30320). This nationally recognised trade qualification covers formwork construction, reinforcement placement, concrete pouring and finishing, and curing. It takes three to four years to complete through an apprenticeship. Some states also accept the Certificate III in Construction Carpentry or Formwork/Falsework as pathways to a concreting licence.
State-by-State Concreting Licence Requirements
Every state has different rules, different thresholds, and different regulators. Here is a complete breakdown.
| State | Regulator | Licence Threshold | Structural Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| QLD | QBCC | $3,300 (incl. GST) | Builder licence required |
| NSW | Building Commission NSW | $5,000 (incl. GST) | Builder licence required |
| VIC | VBA / BPC | $5,000 (incl. GST) | Registered building practitioner |
| SA | CBS | All residential building work | Builder licence required |
| WA | DEMIRS | $20,000 (incl. GST) | Builder registration required |
| TAS | CBOS | $5,000 (incl. GST) | Builder licence required |
| ACT | Access Canberra | $5,000 (incl. GST) | Construction occupation licence |
| NT | NT Building Practitioners Board | $12,000 (incl. GST) | Building practitioner registration |
The difference between Queensland’s $3,300 threshold and Western Australia’s $20,000 threshold is significant. A standard driveway costing $6,000 requires a licensed concreter in QLD, NSW, VIC, TAS, ACT, and SA but not in WA. A garden path costing $2,500 requires no concreting licence anywhere except SA, where all residential building work is regulated regardless of value.
You can verify any concreter’s licence on TradieVerify’s search page or through the state regulator directly.
Queensland: QBCC Concreting Licence
Queensland has the most detailed concreting licence framework in Australia and one of the lowest thresholds at $3,300 (including GST). The Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) manages all concreting licences under the QBCC Act 1991.
Licence Scope
The QBCC Concreting licence class permits the holder to install formwork, reinforcement, and concrete. This covers:
- Concrete driveways, paths, and patios
- Garage and shed slabs (non-structural)
- Pool surrounds and outdoor entertaining areas
- Exposed aggregate, coloured, stamped, and stencilled concrete
- Concrete repairs and resurfacing
- Formwork construction and reinforcement fixing
The licence also allows incidental work from other licence classes valued under $3,300.
Licence Types
The QBCC offers three concreting licence types:
- Contractor licence — allows you to advertise concreting services, enter into contracts with homeowners, and manage jobs. Requires both trade qualifications and a business management unit (BSBESB402).
- Nominee supervisor licence — for professionals who oversee concreting work within a company. Does not allow independent contracting.
- Site supervisor licence — for supervising concreting work on site. Cannot contract directly with homeowners.
Fees
Individual contractor licence fees range from $424 to $911 depending on your maximum revenue category. Company licences cost $709 to $1,518. Processing typically takes eight weeks.
What It Does Not Cover
A QBCC concreting licence does not cover structural concrete work such as house slabs, footings, or retaining walls over 1 metre. That work requires a builder’s licence. It also does not cover plumbing, drainage, gasfitting, or fire protection work, even if those services are incidental to a concreting job.
With 4,632 licensed concreters in Queensland listed on TradieVerify, finding a QBCC-licensed professional for your project is straightforward.
New South Wales: General Concreting Work Licence
NSW requires a licence for concreting work valued at more than $5,000 (including GST) in labour and materials. The licence is managed by Building Commission NSW under the Home Building Act 1989.
Licence Types
NSW offers several concreting licence options:
- Individual contractor licence — allows you to contract directly with homeowners for general concreting work
- Company or partnership contractor licence — for businesses performing concreting work
- Qualified supervisor certificate — for supervising concreting work under someone else’s contractor licence
All licence types can be issued for one, three, or five-year terms.
Work Covered
The NSW general concreting work licence covers concrete laying and placement, formwork, reinforcement fixing, concrete stencilling, stamped patterns, exposed aggregate work, repairs, and resurfacing. It specifically covers work on dwellings, garages, and pools.
The definition excludes major site preparation that could compromise the structural stability of neighbouring properties. For structural concrete work such as house slabs and footings, a separate builder licence is required.
Qualifications
Acceptable qualifications for an NSW concreting licence include:
- CPC30320 Certificate III in Concreting
- CPC31511 Certificate III in Formwork/Falsework
- Certificate III in Construction Carpentry (various TAFE courses)
Penalties
Performing unlicensed concreting work in NSW carries penalties of up to $22,000 for individuals and $110,000 for companies. These penalties apply to both the person doing the work and anyone who knowingly contracts with an unlicensed operator.
NSW has 1,338 licensed concreters listed on TradieVerify. You can also verify licences at verify.licence.nsw.gov.au.
Victoria: BPC Registration for Concreting
Victoria requires registration for concreting work valued at more than $5,000 (including GST) in labour and materials. Since 1 July 2025, the Building and Plumbing Commission (BPC) manages registrations, taking over from the Victorian Building Authority (VBA).
Concreters in Victoria must register as a building practitioner to carry out domestic building work. The registration covers general concreting including driveways, paths, patios, and slabs. Structural concrete work falls under the builder registration category.
Victoria uses a two-tier system: registered practitioners work under supervision, while licensed practitioners can work independently and supervise others. For concreting, most residential work requires at minimum a registered building practitioner.
The Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995 applies to concreting jobs over $10,000, providing additional consumer protections including a 5% deposit cap, a five-day cooling-off period, and implied warranties. Disputes go through the Domestic Building Dispute Resolution Victoria (DBDRV) before reaching VCAT.
Western Australia: DEMIRS Builder Registration
Western Australia has the highest concreting threshold in the country at $20,000 (including GST). Below that amount, no licence is required to perform concreting work. Above it, the concreter must hold a builder registration from the Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DEMIRS).
WA does not have a specific concreting licence category. Instead, concreters who contract for work valued at $20,000 or more must hold a building contractor registration. Concreters employed by a registered builder do not need their own registration, regardless of job value.
This means most standalone residential concreting jobs in WA, including standard driveways ($5,000-$12,000) and patios ($3,000-$8,000), fall below the threshold and do not require a licensed concreter. Only large-scale jobs such as multiple concrete areas, commercial work, or jobs bundled with other building work are likely to exceed $20,000.
For structural concrete work such as house slabs and footings, a registered builder is required regardless of value.
South Australia: CBS Builder Licence
South Australia takes a different approach. Consumer and Business Services (CBS) requires a building work contractor licence for all residential building work, with no minimum dollar threshold for concreting specifically.
In practice, this means any concreter performing residential work in SA should hold a valid CBS building work contractor licence or be employed by someone who does. The regulator does not issue a standalone concreting licence. Instead, concreting falls under the general building work licence category.
SA has one of the stricter licensing regimes in the country. Even a small garden path job technically requires a licensed practitioner if it constitutes building work. The Building Work Contractors Act 1995 governs the licensing requirements.
Tasmania: CBOS Builder Licence
Tasmania requires a licence for building work valued at more than $5,000 (including GST). Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (CBOS) manages the licensing framework under the Building Act 2016.
Tasmania does not issue a specific concreting licence. Concreting falls under the general building practitioner accreditation system. To perform concreting work above the threshold, the concreter must hold an appropriate building practitioner accreditation.
One notable difference in Tasmania: accreditation focuses on demonstrated capability rather than formal qualifications alone. This means experienced concreters without a Certificate III may still obtain accreditation by proving their competence through other means, such as a portfolio of work and industry references.
ACT: Access Canberra Construction Occupation Licence
The ACT requires a construction occupation licence for building work valued at more than $5,000 (including GST). Access Canberra manages the licensing under the Construction Occupations (Licensing) Act 2004.
There is no standalone concreting licence in the ACT. Concreters must hold a builder licence to perform regulated concreting work. The licence covers both structural and non-structural concrete work above the threshold.
The ACT has a relatively small market, but licensing requirements are enforced. Penalties for unlicensed building work include fines and potential criminal prosecution.
Northern Territory: Building Practitioner Registration
The Northern Territory requires registration for building work valued at more than $12,000 (including GST) in labour and materials. The NT Building Practitioners Board manages registrations under the Building Act 1993.
Like WA, the NT’s higher threshold means many standard concreting jobs fall below the regulatory line. A driveway costing $8,000 does not require a registered concreter in the NT. However, structural concrete work and larger jobs exceeding $12,000 do require registration.
Structural vs Decorative Concreting: Why It Matters
The distinction between structural and decorative concreting is one of the most misunderstood aspects of concreting licences in Australia. Getting it wrong can leave you exposed.
Structural concrete work includes:
- House slabs and footings
- Retaining walls (especially those over 1 metre)
- Load-bearing columns and beams
- Suspended concrete floors
- Swimming pool shells
- Foundation piers
This type of work requires engineering specifications, specific concrete grades (typically 25-40 MPa), precise reinforcement placement, and compliance with the National Construction Code. In every state, structural concreting requires either a builder’s licence or a specific structural category licence. A standard concreting licence is not enough.
Decorative and general concreting includes:
- Driveways, paths, and patios
- Exposed aggregate, stamped, and coloured concrete
- Garage and shed floor slabs (non-structural)
- Concrete repairs and resurfacing
- Garden edging and kerbing
- Concrete overlays
This is the work covered by a concreting licence. It still requires proper formwork, reinforcement (typically SL72 or SL82 mesh), and correct concrete grades, but it does not carry the same engineering and structural requirements.
The grey area. Some jobs sit between the two categories. A retaining wall under 1 metre might fall under a concreting licence, while one over 1 metre needs a builder and an engineer. A shed slab on flat ground is general concreting, but a shed slab on a slope with cut-and-fill earthworks could be structural. If you are unsure, ask your concreter whether the job needs engineering sign-off. If it does, you probably need a licensed builder rather than just a concreter.
Penalties for Unlicensed Concreting Work
Every state imposes penalties for performing building work without a licence. Here is what you face if you hire an unlicensed concreter or if a concreter works outside their licence scope.
| State | Individual Penalty | Company Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| QLD | Up to $71,610 | Up to $358,050 |
| NSW | Up to $22,000 | Up to $110,000 |
| VIC | Up to $46,530 | Up to $232,650 |
| SA | Up to $50,000 | Varies |
| WA | Up to $50,000 | Up to $250,000 |
| TAS | Up to $39,000 | Varies |
| ACT | Up to $48,000 | Varies |
| NT | Up to $37,900 | Varies |
Beyond fines, hiring an unlicensed concreter means you lose access to:
- State regulator complaints processes — the QBCC, Building Commission NSW, and other bodies can only investigate licensed operators
- Home warranty insurance — in states where it applies, warranty insurance is void if the work was done by an unlicensed person
- Statutory warranties — consumer guarantees under building legislation only apply to licensed work
Read more about the risks in our guide on what happens if you hire an unlicensed tradie.
How to Verify a Concreter’s Licence
Before signing any contract, verify the concreter’s licence through these steps:
-
Ask for the licence number. A licensed concreter will have no issue providing their licence or registration number. If they dodge the question, walk away.
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Search on TradieVerify. Enter the concreter’s name or licence number on TradieVerify’s search page. Check that the licence is current, active, and covers concreting work.
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Check the state regulator directly. Each state has an online verification portal:
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Confirm the licence class. Make sure the licence covers concreting specifically, not just general building work. A builder’s licence covers concreting, but a painting or tiling licence does not.
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Check for disciplinary history. Most state regulators publish enforcement actions. If a concreter has been fined or had conditions placed on their licence, you want to know about it before hiring them.
For a step-by-step walkthrough, see our guide on how to check a tradesperson’s licence in Australia.
DIY Concreting: What You Can Legally Do Yourself
You can do your own concreting without a licence in every state, subject to some important limitations.
What you can legally DIY:
- Garden paths and edging
- Small patio slabs (non-structural)
- Concrete repairs and patching
- Decorative overlays on existing concrete
What you should not DIY:
- House slabs and footings (requires engineering and building permit)
- Retaining walls over 1 metre (requires engineering and often a building permit)
- Anything that connects to drainage or plumbing (requires licensed plumber)
- Work that needs a building permit in your council area
In Queensland, owner-builders can do their own concreting work but must obtain an owner-builder permit for jobs over $11,000. In NSW, the owner-builder permit threshold is $10,000. Other states have similar provisions. See our guide on building permits and approvals for details.
The biggest risk with DIY concreting is not the legal side but the practical side. Concrete is unforgiving. If your formwork shifts during the pour, if the mix is too wet, if you do not vibrate out air pockets, or if you fail to cure it properly, you end up with a slab that cracks, crumbles, or sinks. And you cannot patch it. You jackhammer it out and start again. For anything larger than a small path, hiring a licensed concreter is almost always the better option.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a licensed concreter for a driveway?
In most states, yes. A standard residential driveway costs $5,000 to $12,000, which exceeds the licensing threshold in QLD ($3,300), NSW ($5,000), VIC ($5,000), SA (all work), TAS ($5,000), and ACT ($5,000). In WA and NT, a driveway job under $20,000 or $12,000 respectively does not require a licensed concreter, though hiring one is still recommended. See our concrete driveway cost guide for detailed pricing.
What is the difference between a concreting licence and a builder’s licence?
A concreting licence covers general concrete work: driveways, paths, patios, garage slabs, and decorative finishes. A builder’s licence covers structural work including house slabs, footings, retaining walls, and load-bearing elements. In states like WA, SA, and the NT, there is no standalone concreting licence at all, and concrete work falls under the builder’s licence category. In QLD and NSW, the concreting licence is a separate, trade-specific licence class.
Can a concreter do structural work like house slabs?
Not with a standard concreting licence. House slabs, footings, and structural retaining walls require a builder’s licence in every state. If a concreter tells you they can pour your house slab on their concreting licence alone, that is a red flag. Structural concrete work also requires engineering specifications and building approval. Always check that the person pouring structural concrete holds the right licence class.
What happens if I hire an unlicensed concreter?
You lose access to state regulator complaint processes, home warranty insurance (where applicable), and statutory warranties under building legislation. If the work is defective, your only option is civil court action, which is slow and expensive. In some states, the homeowner can also face penalties for knowingly engaging an unlicensed tradesperson. Read our full guide on what happens if you hire an unlicensed tradie.
Is decorative concreting (exposed aggregate, stamped) regulated?
Yes. Decorative concreting is still concreting, and it is regulated above the same dollar thresholds as plain concrete work. An exposed aggregate driveway costing $8,000 requires a licensed concreter in QLD, NSW, VIC, TAS, ACT, and SA. The decorative finish does not change the licensing requirement. The concreter needs the same concreting licence or builder registration as they would for a standard plain concrete pour.
How do I check if my concreter is licensed?
The fastest way is to search on TradieVerify. Enter the concreter’s name, licence number, or business name and check that the licence is current and covers concreting work. You can also check directly with your state regulator: QBCC in Queensland, Building Commission NSW, BPC in Victoria, DEMIRS in WA, or CBS in South Australia. Our guide on how to check a tradesperson’s licence walks through the process step by step.
Key Takeaways
- Every Australian state requires a licence for concreting work above a dollar threshold, ranging from $3,300 in QLD to $20,000 in WA. SA regulates all residential building work regardless of value.
- QLD and NSW have specific concreting licence classes. Other states bundle concreting under general builder licences.
- Structural concrete work (slabs, footings, retaining walls) requires a builder’s licence in every state, not just a concreting licence.
- Penalties for unlicensed concreting range from $22,000 to over $71,000 for individuals.
- Always verify your concreter’s licence before signing a contract. Search on TradieVerify or check with your state regulator.
- For a full guide on finding and vetting concreters, read our how to hire a licensed concreter guide.
Sources
- QBCC — Concreting Licence Class
- NSW Government — General Concreting Work
- VBA / BPC — Find a Building Practitioner
- DEMIRS WA — Building and Energy Licensing
- CBS SA — Building Work Contractors
- CBOS TAS — Building Practitioner Accreditation
- Access Canberra — Construction Licences
- Home Building Act 1989 (NSW)