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How to check a builder's QBCC licence in Queensland
Before you pour labour or materials into a job, it pays to confirm the builder actually holds the QBCC licence the work requires. Here's how to check, what the details mean, and how to keep an eye on it after the job starts.
Why the licence matters to you
In Queensland, most building work valued over $3,300 must be carried out by the holder of an appropriate licence from the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC). If the head contractor you're working for isn't properly licensed for the work, it can affect your own contractual position and your ability to recover money if things go wrong. Checking the licence is a two-minute habit that's worth building.
Where to check
The QBCC publishes a free online licence search on its website (qbcc.qld.gov.au → "Find a local contractor" / licence search). You can look a contractor up by licence number, individual name or company name. Subbie Watch also lets you search the same underlying QBCC licence dataset by name, licence number or ACN on our free builder lookup page.
What to look at
- Licence status. Is the licence current, and does it cover the class of work being done (for example carpentry, concreting, or a builder's open licence)?
- Licence class and grade. The class describes the type of work permitted; the grade (for a contractor licence) relates to the financial limits the licensee is approved to work within under QBCC's Minimum Financial Requirements.
- The licensed entity. Make sure the licence is held by the same legal entity (person or company/ACN) that is actually contracting with you and signing your paperwork — not a similarly named related company.
Match the ACN, not just the name
Builders often trade through a company, and company names can look almost identical across a corporate group. The Australian Company Number (ACN) is the reliable identifier. When you check a licence, note the ACN and confirm it matches the ACN on your contract, quotes and invoices. This also matters later: if a formal insolvency notice is ever published, it will be published against the ACN.
Checking once isn't enough
A licence that's current today can change. Licences can be suspended, surrendered or cancelled, and a solvent-looking company can have an administrator or liquidator appointed within days. That's the gap Subbie Watch is built to close: instead of remembering to re-check every builder by hand, you add them once and we monitor the public registers — ASIC Published Notices and QBCC licence data — and alert you when a formal event is published.
Look up a builder's licence now Or have us watch your builders
Frequently asked questions
Is checking a QBCC licence free?
Yes. The QBCC online licence search is free, and Subbie Watch's builder lookup, which searches the same QBCC licence data, is also free to use.
What licence do I need to check for?
Check that the entity contracting with you holds a current licence of the class appropriate to the work, and that the ACN matches the entity on your contract and invoices.
Does a valid licence mean the builder is financially safe?
No. A licence confirms the holder is permitted to do the work; it is not a guarantee of solvency. That's why it's worth monitoring for formal insolvency notices, not just checking the licence once.