What is occupational licensing?
The Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP) Scheme is one of the changes introduced in the Building Act 2004 to encourage better building design and construction.
Licensing will help ensure that homes and buildings in New Zealand are designed and built right the first time.
The public will have greater confidence that the licensed building practitioners working on their homes and buildings are competent.
People in the building industry who are responsible for the work done have had their expertise formally recognised.
Occupational licensing promotes, recognises and supports professional skills and behaviour in the building industry. From 2015 it is proposed that licensing will be qualifications-based.
The Department of Building and Housing has worked closely with the building industry to develop the Licensed Building Practitioner Scheme.
Licensing began on 1 November 2007. The restricted work aspects of the Scheme will apply from 1 March 2012. They involve work critical to the integrity of a house or small-medium sized apartment building being restricted to licensed building practitioners.
An exemption from restricted building work requirements will be available to owner-builders (DIYers), so the New Zealand DIY tradition can continue. Fact sheets on restricted building work and the availability of the exemption are available.
A total of 13 licence classes are proposed for the Licensed Building Practitioner scheme. The Design 1, 2 and 3, Site 1, 2 and 3 and Carpentry licence classes came in on 1 November 2007. Licence classes for External Plastering, Roofing, Brick and Blocklaying became available in November 2008. Classes for Concrete Structure, Steel Structure and Foundations are now being developed.
It is anticipated that around 20,000 people will be licensed, once the Scheme is fully implemented. All licensed building practitioners are listed on an online register, along with details of their licensing classes.
Licensed building practitioners are accountable for their work via a complaints procedure, if their work is found to be substandard.