Streamlined licensing for qualified people
12 February 2010: A streamlined application process for qualified people under the Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP) Scheme started on 15 February 2010.
Before you can be licensed, you need to prove your competence for the licence class you apply for. And recognised qualifications provide evidence of competence.
If you are qualified, applying for an LBP licence is now faster, easier and cheaper. Almost 30 qualifications are now recognised under the streamlined application process.
Qualified applicants will need to provide evidence of their qualifications, supply details of referees and proof of identity, and complete a short, easy form. The streamlined process removes duplication and lifts efficiency. Significant cost savings are being passed back to qualified applicants.
The existing application process is still available for competent people who do not hold recognised qualifications.
Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson launched the new process at a residential building site 
in Auckland on 12 February 2010. He said, “The streamlined assessment process means that qualified builders and trades people – with a good track record - can have the effort they put into their training formally acknowledged. It’s about recognising those people who have put in the hard yards to get their qualifications. That now counts for something when you apply to be licensed.”
Other streamlining measures start in April, including a single Site and a single Design licence, based on straightforward building categories. This change means practitioners, especially if self-employed, can over-time lift their skills and take on bigger work, without having to worry about working outside their licence or getting a new one.
“Being licensed is a wise choice with a definite marketing advantage,” Mr Williamson said.
“Consumers are already choosing formally recognised professionals to do work. And now that the LBP framework is complete, active promotion of the scheme gets underway. This promotion will give further momentum to the scheme. We expect increasing numbers of practitioners to apply and more consumers to actively seek an LBP for their building work.”
For more information about how to get licensed if you are a qualified building practitioner.