Plumbing compliance certificates in Victoria
When a Victorian plumbing job needs a compliance certificate, who can issue it, the five day deadline, what it lists and why Warragul owners should keep it.
A plumbing compliance certificate is the licensed plumber’s written statement that the work meets Victoria’s plumbing standards. It is required once the total value of a job goes past a value set by the Building and Plumbing Commission (BPC), and for certain work whatever it costs, such as gas appliance installs and below-ground drains. The plumber must give it to you, and lodge it with the BPC, within five days of finishing.
This guide explains the rules for homeowners in Warragul and across Victoria. It is general information drawn from the regulator’s published pages. The plumbers who receive enquiries through this site run their own businesses, and each one issues certificates for its own work.
What law sets up compliance certificates?
Part 12A of the Building Act 1993 sets out the requirements. The BPC, which took over from the former Victorian Building Authority on 1 July 2025, runs the scheme. Its compliance certificates page says the certificate certifies that the work complies with prescribed plumbing standards. Older paperwork, and the plumbers’ lodgement system, may still carry the VBA name.
When does a job need a certificate?
There are two triggers. Either one is enough.
The value trigger. A certificate is needed when the total value of the plumbing work is above a set dollar amount published by the BPC. The total counts materials, appliances, labour and GST, and the BPC notes that materials and appliances count even when somebody else supplied them. So buying the tapware or the hot water unit yourself does not take the job under the limit. The current figure is on the BPC page linked above.
The type-of-work trigger. Some work needs a certificate at any price:
| Work | Certificate at any value |
|---|---|
| Installing, relocating or replacing a Type A gas appliance | Yes |
| Converting a gas appliance to run on a different gas | Yes |
| Installing, modifying or relocating consumer gas piping (other than for a gas company) | Yes |
| Constructing, installing or altering a below-ground sanitary drain or its gullies | Yes |
| Work on a cooling tower system | Yes |
For gas work, a separate certificate is needed for each separately metered premises. If you are unsure whether your appliance is Type A, ask the plumber to say so on the quote. If a blocked drain job turns into repairing or replacing a section of below-ground sanitary drain, ask whether that part of the work falls in the list above.
Who is allowed to issue one?
Only a licensed plumber. Victoria has two levels of plumbing practitioner:
- A licensed plumber can carry out work, supervise others and issue compliance certificates in the classes their licence covers.
- A registered plumber must either work under a licensed plumber’s supervision or stick to work that does not need a certificate.
A licensed plumber may issue a certificate only for work they did themselves, work they supervised by a registered plumber or apprentice, work they engaged another licensed plumber to do, or work started by another licensed plumber that they inspected, tested and completed. The BPC says it is an offence to certify work you did not complete or supervise, and that doing so could leave both the plumber and the customer without the mandatory plumbing insurance cover.
What counts as supervised work?
The Building Act 1993 limits what supervision means, so a licensed plumber cannot simply sign off on a stranger’s job. According to the BPC, supervised work is either done in the licensed plumber’s presence, at their direction and on their behalf, or done on their behalf where they specify the method and manner of the work and inspect it to make sure it is carried out safely and competently. How closely they inspect depends on the risk and on the worker’s knowledge and experience.
A licensed plumber must also not let anyone work on their behalf in a class the person is not licensed or registered for, and must not allow defective work or non-compliant materials. For a homeowner, the practical point is to know who will be on site and whose licence covers the job.
Licences are issued by class, so drainage, gasfitting, sanitary and water supply are separate. The gas fitting page explains why a gas job needs the right class on the licence.
How quickly should I receive the certificate?
The licensed plumber must give the certificate to the customer within five days of completing the work, or within five days of the plumbing contract ending if it stops early. The plumber must also lodge it with the BPC within the same five days. If the job is left unfinished, the plumber still has to issue a certificate that says the work was not completed, why, and how far it got.
If a week passes and nothing arrives, ask the plumber for it in writing, and keep a copy of that request. It helps to arrange the job through a licensed provider and ask at the quoting stage whether the certificate is included.
What should the certificate show?
The BPC lists the details a certificate must contain:
- Where it applies, the eleven-digit consent number, with confirmation that the plumber has lodged an as-laid plan with the water authority. This mostly matters for drain work.
- Details of the appliances and fixtures installed, with any comments the plumber needs to describe the extent of the work.
- If the work was not finished, a note saying so, why, and to what stage it was completed.
Read it when it arrives. Check the address, the description of the work and the plumber’s name and licence number against the quote and invoice.
Are there jobs the scheme does not cover?
Yes. Complex gas installations and Type B gas appliances sit outside the BPC certificate scheme. Energy Safe Victoria oversees that work, and installations that need a Start Work and Compliance Notice lodged with Energy Safe Victoria cannot be self-certified with a compliance certificate. Your gasfitter can tell you if a job falls into that group.
Septic systems involve a separate approval as well. Baw Baw Shire Council issues the Permit to Install and the Permit to Use for onsite wastewater systems, and that permit process sits alongside the plumbing paperwork. The septic systems page covers the council side.
Why keep the certificate with the property records?
The certificate is your evidence that certifiable work was done by a licensed plumber and met the standards. Reasons to keep it safe:
- Selling the house. A buyer’s inspector or conveyancer may ask about recent gas or drain work.
- Insurance claims. If a gas appliance or drain fails later, the certificate shows who did the work and when.
- Warranty claims. Manufacturers may want proof of a licensed installation.
- Future plumbing. The next plumber can see what was installed, and the as-laid plan helps locate drains.
Store a scan of the certificate with the invoice, the warranty card and photos of the work.
How do I check the plumber before the job?
Use the BPC’s find and check a practitioner tool. You can search by practitioner name, business name, licence or registration number, location or type of work, and see the licence status, the classes held and any conditions. The BPC advises against relying on advertising, business cards or what someone tells you. Its separate Compliance and Enforcement Register lists disciplinary action. The about page sets out the same checks in a short list.
What is a sensible set of questions to ask?
Before agreeing to the job, ask the plumber:
- Will this work need a compliance certificate, and is it included in the price?
- Which licence class covers the work, and who will be on site?
- If someone else does part of the work, who supervises it?
- When will I receive the certificate, and in what form?
A plumber who says a certificate is unnecessary for a gas appliance swap, or offers a lower price to skip it, is telling you something about how they work.
Next step
When you ask for quotes on certifiable work, say what is being installed or altered (for example a gas hot water unit, a cooktop or a section of sewer drain), the address, and that you expect a compliance certificate within five days. Then send a plumbing enquiry that asks for a certified job, and the independent licensed provider can confirm the licence class and the paperwork in its quote.
Frequently asked questions
- Does every plumbing job in Victoria need a compliance certificate?
No. A certificate is required when the total value of the job, counting materials, appliances, labour and GST, goes past a value set by the Building and Plumbing Commission, and for some types of work at any price, such as Type A gas appliance installs, consumer gas piping and below-ground sanitary drains.
- How long does a plumber have to give me the compliance certificate?
Five days. The licensed plumber must give the certificate to the customer within five days of completing the work, or of the contract ending early, and lodge it with the Building and Plumbing Commission within the same five days.
- Can a registered plumber issue a compliance certificate?
No. Only a licensed plumber can issue one. A registered plumber has to work under a licensed plumber's supervision for certifiable work, or limit themselves to work that does not need a certificate.
- I supplied the tapware myself. Does that lower the job value?
No. The Building and Plumbing Commission says materials and appliances count toward the total value of the work even when someone other than the plumber supplied them. Buying parts yourself does not take a job under the certificate threshold.
- Who handles complex gas installations if the BPC does not?
Energy Safe Victoria oversees complex gas installations and Type B gas appliances. Work that needs a Start Work and Compliance Notice lodged with Energy Safe Victoria cannot be self-certified using a plumbing compliance certificate.