The Building Practitioners Board is a statutory body established by the Building Act 1993 and is responsible for:

• Registering building practitioners;
• Establishing and maintaining a system of performance reporting to ensure that information on practitioners' past performance is available and can be taken into account when assessing their competence;
• Monitoring practitioners' compliance with registration requirements;
• Monitoring practitioners' competence and professional conduct;
• Conducting inquiries into practitioners' work & conduct and, if necessary, disciplining them;
• Developing and publishing codes of practice for reference by building practitioners and for use by the Board and the Director in assessing practitioners' work and conduct.

Application lodgement

Licensing / registration applications can be lodged at the Territory Business Centre (TBC) in Darwin, Katherine, Tennant Creek or Alice Springs. TBC staff will accept your form and payment and take photographs if required.

If you wish to speak to a licensing officer please call the number given on the application form.

In addition to lodging in person at a TBC, licensing / registration applications and renewals can be scanned and emailed or sent by mail to GPO Box 9800, Darwin, NT, 0801. Full lodgement details are recorded on application forms.

Builders registration

If you intend to carry out the following residential building work in the Northern Territory, you must be registered with the Building Practitioners Board as a Building Contractor.

Work that requires a registered building contractor:

• new single houses, townhouses, duplexes, and new residential units to any height;
• verandas, garages and carports built as part of new single dwellings and residential units;
• extensions such as livings areas, bedrooms and enclosed attached garages to existing single houses and residential units; and
• retaining walls associated with the actual structure of a single house or residential unit;
• where the cost is above $12,000.

Search the Register of Building Practitioners.

Work that does not require a registered builder:

• renovations or alterations to existing buildings, including renovations to bathrooms and kitchens where there is no increase in the floor area;
• free standing sheds or fences;
• retaining walls not associated with the actual single house or residential unit;
• verandas or open carports being added to existing single houses or residential units;
• commercial or industrial buildings.

There is no requirement to be registered as a building contractor in the NT if you are undertaking any other sort of work (eg commercial or industrial).

Scope of works for all registration categories

Visit the practitioners page of this site for details of the scope of work which can be undertaken by each category and to see a complete list of registered building practitioners.

(Note: the above exclusions do not alter the requirements for building permits)

Complaints about building practitioners

If you are not satisfied with the performance, work or conduct of a registered building practitioner, there are different avenues available, depending on the outcome you are seeking.

If you are seeking a rectification order, for example, if you would like defective building work rectified, please contact the Commissioner of Residential Building Disputes, through Consumer Affairs for more information on (08) 8999 1999 or visit the Consumer Affairs website at www.consumeraffairs.nt.gov.au.

From 1 January 2013, certain building work such as new houses, duplexes, townhouses, units (up to three residential storeys), and extensions to those buildings, are covered by consumer guarantees. The Commissioner of Residential Building Disputes may hear an application for the rectification of building work if there has been a breach of a consumer guarantee in certain circumstances.

If you are seeking professional disciplinary action against a building practitioner, for example, you allege the practitioner is guilty of professional misconduct, or has breached the Building Act or Regulations, you may lodge a written complaint with the Director of Building Control. The Director of Building Control may investigate allegations of professional misconduct and allegations of offences under the Building Act and Regulations. Outcomes of those investigations include possible referral to the Building Practitioners Board for inquiry, or prosecution.

If the practitioner is found guilty, the practitioner may be subject to penalties including fines and suspension or loss of registration. For further information on the professional disciplinary complaints process, visit building complaints and disputes or call the Audit and Investigations Manager on (08) 8936 4082.

For a list of upcoming public inquiries please visit upcoming public inquiries.