From 2 November 2026, Queensland has scrapped the provisional year for newly qualified plumbers. Graduates can now apply straight for a full QBCC plumbing licence, and anyone who held a plumbing licence in the past 10 years can come back without being reassessed. The rules for contractor licences, which cover the businesses you actually hire, have not changed. Here is what the reform means, whether it will shorten wait times, and how to make sure the plumber at your door is properly licensed.
What Changed
Before 2 November 2026, most newly qualified plumbers in Queensland started on a provisional licence that lasted 12 months. During that year, all their work had to be supervised by a plumber holding a full licence. Time spent as an apprentice did not count toward the 12 months.
Under the new rules, announced by the Queensland Government and administered by the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC):
- New graduates can skip the provisional year. Anyone who has completed an Australian plumbing apprenticeship and a Certificate III in Plumbing, and who meets the QBCC’s technical requirements, can apply directly for a full occupational plumber licence.
- Current provisional licence holders can upgrade early. Eligible provisional licensees can request an upgrade. Their provisional licence is cancelled once the full licence is approved. This upgrade route is not available for provisional licences obtained through mutual recognition from another state.
- Former licence holders can return without reassessment. Anyone who held a QBCC occupational plumber, drainer or restricted licence in the past 10 years can reapply for the same licence class without reassessment or gap training. This does not apply to anyone whose licence was cancelled through disciplinary action, and any conditions on the old licence carry over.
- Drainers are handled differently. An occupational drainer licence still needs 12 months of drainage experience, but apprenticeship experience can now count toward it.
Provisional licences still exist for some applicants, such as those with interstate or overseas qualifications, or those who cannot yet prove their qualifications or experience.
The Government says the changes are designed to cut red tape and get more plumbers working, while keeping supervision, practical experience and contractor licensing requirements in place. The Master Plumbers’ Association of Queensland has said it pushed for the changes.
The Difference Between a Plumber’s Licence and a Business’s Licence
This is the most important part of the reform for homeowners to understand. Queensland has two main types of plumbing licence:
| Occupational plumber licence | Plumbing and drainage contractor licence | |
|---|---|---|
| Who holds it | The individual plumber | The plumber or business you contract with |
| What it allows | Carrying out plumbing work | Quoting, contracting and taking payment for plumbing work |
| Affected by the new rules? | Yes, graduates can now apply directly | No, requirements are unchanged |
| Key requirements | Apprenticeship, Certificate III in Plumbing and technical competencies | At least 12 months of plumbing experience after the apprenticeship, a managerial qualification, and minimum financial requirements |
In simple terms, the occupational licence lets a person do the work. The contractor licence lets a person or business sell that work to you.
A newly licensed graduate can now work on your property without supervision, but they cannot contract with you directly until they have at least another year of experience and meet the contractor requirements. The waiting period has moved from the tools to the business side.
When you hire a plumbing business, you want both: a business with a current contractor licence, and plumbers on site who each hold a current occupational licence.
Will This Shorten Wait Times?
Possibly, but probably not overnight.
The reform could help in a few ways:
- Returning plumbers. Licensed plumbers who left the trade in the past 10 years can now come back faster. This is likely to have the quickest effect on available labour.
- More plumbers working unsupervised. Graduates no longer need a supervisor for their first year, so experienced plumbers who were supervising can take on their own jobs.
- Faster progression for apprentices. Businesses can send newly qualified plumbers to jobs sooner.
There are limits:
- Contractor numbers are unchanged. The number of businesses you can contract with will not grow for at least a year, because contractor licence rules have not changed.
- No published figures. Neither the Government nor the QBCC has said how many extra plumbers the change will add or by how much wait times might fall.
- Demand stays high. Building activity, renovations and emergency call-outs keep pressure on plumbers across South East Queensland.
Overall, the change should help over time, but it is not a quick fix for busy periods.
How to Check a Plumber’s Licence With the QBCC
In Queensland, plumbing, drainage and gas work must be done by a licensed person, regardless of the job’s value. Checking a licence takes a couple of minutes, and the QBCC says it is the homeowner’s responsibility to check.
Here is how to check a plumber’s licence:
- Ask for the licence number. A licensed plumber or plumbing business should give you this without hesitation. It should also appear in their advertising.
- Search the QBCC licensee register. Go to the QBCC licensee register and search by licence number, or by the person’s or company’s name.
- Check the licence details. Confirm the name matches the person or business you are dealing with, that the licence is current, and that the licence class covers your job. For example, gas work needs a gas licence, not just a plumbing licence.
- Review the full history. Select the licensee’s full history report. It shows licence classes, any conditions or endorsements, and whether there is any disciplinary history.
- Check the business as well as the person. If you are hiring a company, search both the company and the individuals behind it.
- Ask to see the licence on site. Physical and digital licences are both valid.
- Call the QBCC if unsure. If you cannot find the licence, phone the QBCC on 139 333.
If a plumber does not appear in the register after a second search, do not hire them.
Red Flags When Hiring a Plumber
Watch out for these warning signs:
- They cannot or will not show a licence. As the QBCC puts it, if they can’t show you their licence, show them the door.
- No licence number in their advertising. Licensed contractors must include their name and QBCC licence number in their advertising.
- The name does not match. The business name on the quote or invoice should match the name on the QBCC licence.
- A price that seems too good to be true. An unusually low quote can be a sign of unlicensed work or corners being cut.
- A large deposit or full payment upfront. Avoid paying the full price or a large deposit before work begins, and never pay ahead of work completed.
- No written quote or contract. Get the scope, price and terms in writing, and get at least three quotes for larger jobs.
- Reluctance to lodge paperwork. Notifiable plumbing work, such as replacing a hot water system or installing a backflow device, must be lodged with the QBCC on a Form 4. A plumber who avoids this paperwork is a concern.
- Calling themselves a “handyman” for plumbing jobs. Handyman licences do not cover plumbing, drainage or gas work.
Hiring an unlicensed plumber puts your property at risk and can leave you without access to the QBCC’s protections, including home warranty insurance on eligible work.
What It Means for Our Team
At Plumb Professor, every plumber who works on your property holds a current QBCC licence, and the business holds the contractor licence needed to quote and contract for your job. The new rules do not change that.
What the reform does is give the industry more ways to bring skilled plumbers into the workforce, whether that means newly qualified graduates working on their own sooner or experienced plumbers returning to the trade. We welcome changes that help Queensland meet demand, as long as quality and licensing standards stay high. Supervision, training and accountability remain central to how we work, whatever the licensing rules allow.
For our customers, the message is simple. Licensing still matters, and checking it is still worth the two minutes it takes.
Book a Licensed Plumber on the Gold Coast
All our plumbers are QBCC-licensed, and you are welcome to check our licence on the QBCC register before we arrive. Book a same-week appointment for plumbing, drainage, gas fitting or backflow work across the Gold Coast.
Call 07 5551 5954 or get in touch online to book.
This article is general information based on the Queensland Government’s plumbing licensing changes effective 2 November 2026. For the latest requirements, check with the QBCC.
