Do I need a licence to replace a roof in Australia?

Yes, in most cases. Roof plumbing (metal sheeting, gutters, downpipes and flashing) requires a plumbing-class licence in every Australian state and territory. Roof tiling falls under a separate building or trade-contractor licence with state-specific dollar thresholds, commonly $3,300 to $5,000. The exact licence class, threshold and issuing authority differ by state, and getting it wrong carries penalties up to $110,000 for a corporation in NSW.

Updated 25/09/2026

What is the difference between roof plumbing and roof tiling?

The distinction matters because the two sit under completely different licensing regimes.

Roof plumbing covers metal roof sheeting, guttering, downpipes, flashing, box gutters and roof stormwater drainage. It is licensed as a plumbing class in every state, meaning the person doing the work must hold a roof-plumbing registration or licence issued by the state plumbing authority.

Roof tiling and slating covers non-metallic tiles (terracotta, concrete) and slates. This work generally falls under a building or trade-contractor licence, not the plumbing regime. NSW Fair Trading explicitly states roof plumbing excludes non-metallic tiles and slates, glass, concrete, timber and thatching¹.

If a single re-roof job involves stripping old tiles and replacing with Colorbond, or installing both metal flashings and tile ridging, the work may span both licence classes. In that case, you need the correct licence for each type of work, or you subcontract the portion you are not licensed for to someone who holds the right class.

What are the roofing licence requirements in each state?

Each state sets its own licensing authority, licence class, and dollar threshold. The table below covers roof plumbing (the more strictly regulated class). Roof tiling thresholds mirror the general building-work thresholds in most states.

Roof plumbing covers guttering, downpipes, flashing and metallic roof coverings and requires a contractor licence or qualified supervisor certificate for work over $5,000 in labour and materials including GST¹. In Queensland, roofing work over $3,300 including GST requires an appropriate-category QBCC licence².

For roof tiling and general roofing (non-plumbing), the work typically falls under each state's building-work or trade-contractor licence. In most states, the threshold mirrors the general residential building threshold. In Queensland, that is also $3,300. In NSW, a trade-contractor licence is required for residential building work over $5,000.

Do I need home warranty insurance for a roof replacement?

Yes, in most states a full roof replacement will clear the home warranty insurance threshold. This is separate from your public liability and workers compensation insurance.

• NSW. In NSW, home building compensation cover is required for residential building work over $20,000³. A typical full re-roof sits between $8,000 and $30,000⁴, so most complete replacements trigger the requirement.
• Victoria. Domestic building insurance is required for residential work over $16,000⁵.
• Queensland. The Queensland Home Warranty Scheme premium is payable on most residential building work over $3,300 including GST. Almost every roof job clears this.

You must hold both the licence and the warranty insurance before you commence work or take a deposit. Starting without warranty cover where it is required is a separate offence to working unlicensed.

Treat the figures above as a directional industry estimate, not a promise. We will not invent numbers for your business, and we do not promise a capture or conversion rate.

What are the penalties for unlicensed roofing work?

Penalties are set by each state as statutory maxima. These are the maximum amounts a court may impose, not predictions for any individual case.

• NSW. Penalties for unlicensed building work in NSW reach statutory maxima of $22,000 for an individual and $110,000 for a corporation under the Home Building Act 1989³.
• Queensland. Penalties escalate: 250 penalty units for a first offence, 300 for a second, and 350 penalty units or up to one year imprisonment for a third or subsequent offence.
• Victoria. Up to 500 penalty units.

Beyond the licensing penalty, advertising as a licensed roofer without holding the correct class is a false or misleading representation under Australian Consumer Law s18 and s29. As the ACCC states: A business must not make false or misleading claims about goods or services. This includes representations about the standard, quality, value, grade, composition, style, model or history of goods or services. The ACL penalties for companies are the greater of $50 million, three times the benefit obtained, or 30 per cent of adjusted turnover (with the fixed limb rising to $100 million for conduct on or after 28/03/2026)⁶. These are statutory maxima for context. Any licensing question for your specific situation should be referred to the relevant state licensing authority or a qualified lawyer.

What about work health and safety on a roof?

Work at a height of more than 2 metres is classified as high-risk construction work and requires a Safe Work Method Statement before work begins⁷. Roofing work is above 2 metres in virtually every case.

The SWMS must identify the height hazards, describe the risk controls you will use (guardrails, scaffolding, edge protection, harness and fall-arrest systems) and be signed by the workers before they go on the roof. The control hierarchy applies: eliminate the fall risk first, then use passive fall prevention (guardrails, scaffold), then active fall prevention (travel restraint), then fall arrest (harness and lanyard) as the last resort.

Roof falls account for a significant share of construction fatalities in Australia. WHS penalties for serious height-safety breaches are among the highest in the construction sector, with category 1 offences carrying statutory maxima in the millions of dollars for a corporation. A missing or incomplete SWMS alone can trigger an infringement notice and on-the-spot fines.

NSW Fair Trading makes clear that advertising or contracting to do residential building work without holding the appropriate contractor licence is an offence under the Home Building Act 1989. The same principle applies to the safety documentation: you must be both licensed and safety-compliant before the work begins, not retrospectively.

How do I check which licence class I need?

Start with your state's licensing authority (listed in the table above) and search for "roof plumbing" or "roofing" in their licence categories. The key questions to resolve are:

1. Is the work roof plumbing (metal, gutters, downpipes, flashing, stormwater) or roof tiling/slating? This determines the licence class.
2. Does the job value exceed the state's licensing threshold? If yes, a licence is mandatory.
3. Does the job value exceed the home warranty insurance threshold? If yes, warranty cover is also required before you start.
4. Will the work be at a height above 2 metres? If yes, a Safe Work Method Statement is required before any worker goes on the roof.

If the answer to any of these is uncertain, contact the authority directly. Getting the licence class wrong, even in good faith, does not excuse unlicensed work. The licensing offence and the ACL false-representation offence are separate, and both carry their own penalties.

For a practical look at how to price and structure your roofing quotes once the licensing is sorted, see our guide to quoting a roofing job in Australia. If you are looking at growing your pipeline, our guide to getting more roofing leads covers the demand side.

What should I do if I am not sure whether my work is licensed?

Contact your state licensing authority directly. The phone numbers and websites are listed in the table above. Most authorities have a free online licence-check tool where you can verify your own licence class and confirm whether the work you plan to do falls within its scope.

If you hold a licence in one class (for example, roof plumbing) but the job also requires tiling work, you need either a second licence or a licensed subcontractor for that portion. Performing work outside your licence class carries the same penalties as working unlicensed.

A 15-minute discovery call with us can help you map the licensing, insurance and compliance documentation your business needs, so nothing falls through the cracks as you grow. Book a free discovery call and we will walk through it with you.