Your builder has finished the bathroom renovation and handed over the keys. But somewhere in the pile of invoices and receipts, there should be a compliance certificate. If it is missing, you could be looking at voided insurance cover, problems selling your home down the track, and no way to prove the work met Victorian building standards.
Compliance certificates are one of the most misunderstood documents in home building and renovation. Most Victorian homeowners do not know they exist until something goes wrong. A compliance certificate is your proof that the plumbing, gas, or building work on your property was completed by a registered practitioner and meets the requirements of the Building Act 1993.
With over 12,000 registered building practitioners and thousands of licensed plumbers operating in Victoria, the system generates hundreds of thousands of these certificates every year. This guide explains what VBA compliance certificates are, when you need one, how to check if yours has been lodged, and what has changed since the Building and Plumbing Commission (BPC) took over from the Victorian Building Authority.
What Is a VBA Compliance Certificate?
A VBA compliance certificate is an official document issued by a registered practitioner after completing plumbing, gas, or building work in Victoria. It certifies that the work complies with the Building Act 1993, the Plumbing Regulations 2018, and all relevant Australian Standards.
There are two main types:
- Plumbing compliance certificates cover plumbing, gasfitting, and drainage work. These are governed by Section 221ZH of the Building Act.
- Building compliance certificates cover structural and building work. These fall under Section 238 and Regulation 126 of the Building Act.
Both types serve the same basic purpose: they create a permanent record that links specific work to a specific registered practitioner, making that person legally accountable for the quality and safety of the job.
Think of a compliance certificate as the building equivalent of a roadworthy certificate for your car. Without one, the work might be perfectly fine, but you have no official proof that anyone qualified actually checked it.
Plumbing Compliance Certificates
A plumbing compliance certificate must be issued after any plumbing, drainage, gasfitting, or mechanical services work that costs more than $750 including GST. This threshold includes materials and labour combined.
Some categories of work require a certificate regardless of cost:
- Gas appliance installation or alteration (any value)
- Below-ground drainage work (any value)
- Fire protection plumbing (any value, added in 2025)
- Mechanical services work (any value, added in 2025)
- Cooling tower work (any value)
- Backflow prevention device installation (any value)
The certificate must include the practitioner’s licence number, a description of the work, the property address, the date the work was completed, and a declaration that the work complies with the Plumbing Regulations 2018. Your plumber or gasfitter is legally required to give you a copy within 5 business days of finishing the work and lodge another copy with the regulator within the same timeframe.
If you have had plumbing work done recently in Victoria, you can search for licensed plumbers on TradieVerify to confirm your tradesperson’s credentials.
Building Compliance Certificates (Section 238)
Building compliance certificates work differently from plumbing certificates. Under Section 238 of the Building Act 1993, certain registered building practitioners must issue compliance certificates for their work.
There are two distinct types:
Design compliance certificates are issued by the practitioner who designed the building work. The certificate confirms that the design complies with the Building Code of Australia and any relevant Australian Standards. An architect, building designer, or endorsed building engineer can issue these.
Inspection compliance certificates are issued after the practitioner has inspected the completed work and confirmed it matches the approved plans and meets code requirements. These are typically issued by structural engineers, building surveyors, or other relevant registered practitioners.
Under Regulation 126 of the Building Regulations 2018, a compliance certificate for building work must be in the approved form and include the practitioner’s registration number, the building permit number, the address of the building, and a description of the work that has been inspected or designed.
These certificates feed into the broader building permit and occupancy permit process. A Relevant Building Surveyor (RBS) relies on compliance certificates from individual trades and disciplines to confirm that the overall project meets all requirements before issuing an occupancy permit.
You can check a builder’s Victorian registration on TradieVerify to verify they are authorised to issue compliance certificates.
When Is a Compliance Certificate Required?
Here is a quick reference for when you should expect to receive a compliance certificate:
| Work Type | Certificate Required? | Threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Plumbing (general) | Yes | Over $750 (incl. GST) |
| Gas appliance install | Yes | Any value |
| Below-ground drainage | Yes | Any value |
| Fire protection plumbing | Yes | Any value |
| Mechanical services | Yes | Any value |
| Roof plumbing | Yes | Over $750 (incl. GST) |
| Hot water system replacement | Yes | Over $750 (incl. GST) |
| Building structural work | Yes | Per building permit |
| Kitchen/bathroom renovation | Usually yes | Plumbing + building components |
A standard bathroom renovation will typically generate multiple compliance certificates: one from the plumber (for water supply, drainage, and any gas work), and potentially one or more from building practitioners if structural changes, waterproofing, or design work was involved.
The most common mistake homeowners make is assuming one certificate covers everything. Ask each trade working on your project whether they need to issue a compliance certificate for their portion of the work.
Who Can Issue a Compliance Certificate?
Not every tradesperson can issue a compliance certificate. In Victoria, only practitioners with the correct registration category are authorised.
For plumbing compliance certificates:
- Licensed plumbers (not registered plumbers)
- Licensed gasfitters
- Licensed drainers
The distinction between “licensed” and “registered” trips up a lot of homeowners. A registered plumber works under the supervision of a licensed plumber. They can do the physical work, but they cannot issue a compliance certificate. Only a licensed plumber, who holds a higher qualification and has completed additional assessment, can sign off on the work and issue the certificate.
Before hiring a plumber for work over $750, confirm they hold a licence (not just a registration) so they can issue your compliance certificate directly. You can verify this using TradieVerify’s licence search tool.
For building compliance certificates:
- Registered building practitioners in the relevant category
- Endorsed building engineers
- Registered building surveyors
Each practitioner can only issue certificates for work within their registration category. A structural engineer can certify structural work, but not fire safety systems. A building surveyor can issue an occupancy permit, but relies on individual compliance certificates from each discipline.
How to Look Up and Verify a Compliance Certificate
Victoria has an online lookup tool that lets you check whether a compliance certificate has been lodged for your property.
Step 1: Go to the VBA360 portal at vba360.vba.vic.gov.au.
Step 2: Enter your property address. The system will show all compliance certificates that have been lodged against that address.
Step 3: Check the details. Each record shows the certificate number, the date it was lodged, the type of work, and the practitioner who issued it.
If you cannot find a certificate that should exist, it may mean your plumber or gasfitter has not lodged it yet. Contact them first. If they do not respond or refuse to lodge, you can escalate the matter through the regulator (see below).
You can also verify the practitioner’s credentials separately. Search for them on TradieVerify to confirm their licence status, or check the VBA’s practitioner register directly.
For building compliance certificates, these are typically held as part of the building permit file. Contact your local council or the Relevant Building Surveyor who issued the building permit to access these records.
The 6-Year Plumbing Insurance Warranty
Here is something most homeowners do not know: every plumbing compliance certificate in Victoria automatically activates a 6-year insurance warranty on the work.
Under the Plumbing Fund managed by the regulator, domestic plumbing work valued over $750 is covered for up to $50,000 in insurance for 6 years from the date the compliance certificate was issued. Non-domestic work is covered for up to $100,000.
This insurance covers:
- Defective workmanship discovered after the job is finished
- Non-compliant work that does not meet the Plumbing Regulations
- Damage caused by faulty plumbing (water damage, gas leaks)
Key features that make this different from typical building warranty insurance:
- You do not need to pay an excess to make a claim
- Your plumber does not need to be insolvent for you to claim (unlike domestic building insurance, which only kicks in when the builder cannot be contacted)
- Subsequent property owners can claim, so the cover transfers if you sell your home
- The cover applies even if the compliance certificate was never issued, running from the date the plumber stopped working on the job
To make a claim, contact the Building and Plumbing Commission on 1300 067 088. You will need to describe the defect, provide the property address, and ideally have the compliance certificate number.
Compliance Certificates and Property Sales
If you are selling a property in Victoria, compliance certificates matter more than you might expect.
During a property transaction, the buyer’s conveyancer or building inspector will often check whether plumbing and building work has been properly certified. Missing compliance certificates raise red flags because they suggest:
- The work may not have been done by a licensed practitioner
- The work may not comply with current regulations
- The 6-year insurance warranty may not apply
- There could be hidden defects
For sellers: Before listing your property, check the VBA360 portal for any outstanding compliance certificates. If you had plumbing or gas work done in the last 6 years and there is no certificate on record, contact the tradesperson who did the work and ask them to lodge it. Getting this sorted before listing is far less stressful than negotiating it during settlement.
For buyers: Ask for copies of all compliance certificates for recent work during due diligence. If certificates are missing, you can still purchase the property, but factor in the cost of having the work inspected and potentially redone if it does not meet code.
Browse licensed builders in Victoria or search for licensed plumbers on TradieVerify to find qualified professionals who can inspect and certify existing work.
What Happens If Your Tradie Won’t Issue a Certificate?
This is more common than it should be. Around 40% of complaints received by the regulator about plumbing involve missing or withheld compliance certificates.
Here is what the law says:
Plumbers cannot withhold a compliance certificate because you have not paid them. This is a common misconception. The VBA issued a specific ruling on this: the obligation to issue a compliance certificate is a legal requirement under the Building Act, and it cannot be used as leverage in a payment dispute. If your plumber tells you they will not give you the certificate until you pay the full invoice, they are breaking the law.
The 5-day rule is not optional. Your plumber has 5 business days from the date of completing the work to give you a copy of the certificate and lodge a copy with the regulator. Failure to do so can result in disciplinary action.
What to do if your tradie refuses:
- Put your request in writing (email or text message)
- Reference the Building Act 1993 requirement
- Give them 7 days to respond
- If they still refuse, lodge a complaint with the Building and Plumbing Commission at bpc.vic.gov.au or call 1300 067 088
- The regulator can compel the practitioner to issue the certificate and impose penalties for non-compliance
Penalties for failing to issue compliance certificates can include fines, conditions on the practitioner’s licence, suspension, or cancellation of registration.
The VBA to BPC Transition: What Has Changed
On 1 July 2025, the Victorian Building Authority (VBA) was replaced by the Building and Plumbing Commission (BPC) as the state’s building and plumbing regulator. This was a significant structural change, but for homeowners the practical impact on compliance certificates has been minimal.
What has changed:
- The regulator’s name (VBA is now BPC)
- The BPC has enhanced enforcement powers, including higher penalties for non-compliance
- A new developer bond scheme has been introduced for apartment buildings
- Contact details have been updated (website: bpc.vic.gov.au)
What has not changed:
- The compliance certificate framework remains the same
- The same Building Act 1993 provisions apply
- The VBA360 portal still operates for certificate lookups
- The 6-year insurance warranty continues unchanged
- Existing licences and registrations remain valid
If you see references to “VBA compliance certificates” in older documents, they are the same thing as BPC compliance certificates. The legal requirements and processes are identical.
The BPC has also introduced new compliance certificate requirements for fire protection work and mechanical services work from 2025, expanding the range of trades that must issue certificates. If you are having fire sprinklers installed, air conditioning ducting modified, or any mechanical plant work done, your contractor should now be issuing a compliance certificate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a compliance certificate and an occupancy permit?
A compliance certificate covers a specific piece of work by a specific practitioner (such as plumbing by a plumber, or structural design by an engineer). An occupancy permit is the final sign-off for an entire building project, issued by a Relevant Building Surveyor after all individual compliance certificates have been received and the building is deemed safe to occupy. You need the individual certificates before you can get the occupancy permit.
How long does a plumber have to give me a compliance certificate?
Your plumber must provide you with a copy of the compliance certificate within 5 business days of completing the work. They must also lodge a copy with the Building and Plumbing Commission within the same timeframe. If you have not received your certificate within a week of the job being finished, contact your plumber directly.
Can I check online whether a compliance certificate has been lodged for my property?
Yes. The VBA360 portal at vba360.vba.vic.gov.au lets you search by property address to see all plumbing compliance certificates lodged against your home. For building compliance certificates, contact your local council or the building surveyor listed on the building permit.
Do I need a compliance certificate for minor plumbing work?
If the total cost of the plumbing work (materials and labour) is $750 or less (including GST), a compliance certificate is generally not required for standard plumbing work. However, gas appliance installations, below-ground drainage, fire protection work, and mechanical services work require a certificate regardless of cost. When in doubt, ask your plumber.
What happens to compliance certificates that were issued by the VBA before the BPC took over?
All compliance certificates issued under the VBA remain valid. The transition from VBA to BPC on 1 July 2025 did not affect existing certificates, insurance coverage, or registration status. The VBA360 lookup tool continues to function, and all historical records have been transferred to the BPC.
My plumber says they will not give me the certificate until I pay. Is that legal?
No. The VBA (now BPC) has explicitly stated that compliance certificates cannot be withheld as leverage for payment disputes. Your plumber is legally obligated to issue the certificate within 5 business days of completing the work, regardless of payment status. If they refuse, lodge a complaint with the BPC on 1300 067 088.
Sources
- Victorian Building Authority — Plumbing Compliance Certificates (Consumer Guide): vba.vic.gov.au/consumers/home-renovation-essentials/plumbing-compliance-certificates
- Victorian Building Authority — Compliance Certificates Cannot Be Withheld for Non-Payment: vba.vic.gov.au/news/news/2024/compliance-certificates-cannot-be-withheld-for-non-payment
- Victorian Building Authority — Building Practice Note BP-15 (Section 238 Certificates): vba.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/136162/Building-Practice-Note-BP-15
- Victorian Building Authority — Insurance for Building and Plumbing Work: vba.vic.gov.au/consumers/home-renovation-essentials/insurance-building-plumbing-work
- Building and Plumbing Commission — New Regulator with New Powers: vba.vic.gov.au/consumers/a-new-regulator-with-new-powers
- Victorian Building Authority — Compliance Certificates and Fire Protection Work (2025): vba.vic.gov.au/news/news/2025/compliance-certificates-and-fire-protection-work
- Building Act 1993 (Victoria) — Section 238: austlii.edu.au/au/legis/vic/consol_act/ba199391/s238.html