How to check a Tasmanian builder or contractor licence

Use the official find-a-licensed-tradesperson guidance to match the holder and relevant occupation. Confirm the permitted class, subclass, conditions, and competence for the work; check insurance and approvals separately.

This guide was reviewed against the linked official sources on 13 October 2026. It provides general information, not legal advice.

Current agencies and the former CBOS name

From 1 October 2026, Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (CBOS) transitioned to Consumer Affairs Tasmania and Building Standards Tasmania. The official builder licensing page is published by Consumer Affairs Tasmania and explains how former CBOS references should be interpreted.

Occupational licensing is governed by the Occupational Licensing Act 2005 and relevant determinations. Building standards and approval requirements are separate; use Building Standards Tasmania for the applicable Building Act 2016 guidance.

Step-by-step: check the holder and occupation

1. Collect the licence number and legal name. Match the individual or business to the entity offering and contracting for the work. A trading name alone can be ambiguous.
2. Select the appropriate licensed occupation. A builder, plumber, gasfitter, electrical worker, and other building services provider have different functions and licensing requirements.
3. Review the licensed scope. Confirm class, subclass, and conditions. Ask the authority to clarify a missing or uncertain match rather than inferring a reason from absence.
4. Check the project separately. Confirm the contract, applicable approvals, and insurance evidence; retain the details and date of the check.

The official search guidance describes a register of current licence holders. Do not assume it provides every expired or cancelled record or a complete historical-status explanation.

Builder classes and subclasses

The current builder licensing guidance distinguishes:

• Builder — General Construction: the permitted building work, subject to subclass, conditions, and competence.
• Fire Protection Services Builder: the relevant fire protection services building scope.
• Demolisher: demolition work within scope; this does not authorise new building work.

Subclasses determine the type and size of work, including Domestic, Low Rise, Medium Rise, and Open where applicable. Check the specific NCC building classes and restrictions. A class label alone does not establish competence or permission for every project. Specialist plumbing, gas, and electrical authority must be checked separately.

Insurance and building approvals

The official builder licensing guidance requires public liability and contract works insurance. Check the applicable policies, dates, insured entity, project details, and exclusions directly. These policies have different purposes from professional indemnity or any project warranty cover; registration alone does not prove the job is insured.

Building approval categories and exemptions depend on the proposed work. Refer to current Building Standards Tasmania guidance and the relevant building professional or permit authority rather than treating a licence class as approval to start work.

Unclear status or problems with work

Confirm an expired, suspended, cancelled, or uncertain record with the licensing authority before relying on it. A licensing problem does not establish that every complaint, warranty, or insurance right is lost.

For an existing project, seek regulator and qualified advice before changing contractual payments or terminating work. This guide does not recommend withholding payments based solely on a search result or publish fixed penalty estimates.

Using WorkClear for repeat reviews

WorkClear's TAS verification page leads to the existing account/search workflow for supported source coverage. Check Sources and Status for availability and limitations. Stored results and source refresh dates do not prove an individual live check. A missing or unavailable result does not establish that a person is unlicensed.

The contractor API can support recurring reviews across available families. Retain manual review for unresolved holder, scope, or coverage questions and keep project approval and insurance decisions separate.