Can a Queensland Owner-Builder Do $11,000 or Less on Their Own Property Without a QBCC Licence?

Yes—the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC), “When you need a licence” includes an owner carrying out work on their own property as a no-licence circumstance when the work is valued at no more than $11,000. It lists that entry separately from an Owner-builder carrying out building work under a permit. Figures checked 1 October 2026.

Does the $11,000 limit apply to a trade business working for clients?

No. The $11,000 figure belongs to the entry for an owner working on their own property. It does not replace the ordinary licensing threshold that applies when a sole trader, partner, trustee or company carries out or contracts for building work.

The QBCC also says its subcontractor guidance must be read alongside the exemptions in the legislation. Schedule 1 of the QBCC Regulation contains 53 exemptions under which specified work is not defined as building work, while Schedule 1A of the QBCC Act contains situation-specific exemptions, including provisions for owner-builders and consumers.

Which parts of the project need a separate licensing check?

The owner-and-own-property entry does not remove work-specific licensing rules. Under the same QBCC guidance:

• A licence is required for building work involving Hydraulic Services Design valued at over $1,100.
• The licensing requirement applies regardless of value to work involving:
  • drainage;
  • plumbing and drainage;
  • gas fitting;
  • chemical termite management;
  • fire protection;
  • completed residential building inspection;
  • building design in the low-rise, medium-rise and open-site classifications; and
  • mechanical services.

If a licence is required, it must be the relevant class for the scope of work and the person’s industry role. More than one class may be needed to cover the proposed work.

How is the owner-builder-permit entry different?

The owner-builder entry is separate from the entry for an owner doing work on their own property for no more than $11,000. The QBCC lists an Owner-builder carrying out building work under a permit in the no-licence circumstances, but it does not attach the $11,000 value figure to that entry.

In practical terms, the permit entry should not be treated as a larger version of the owner-and-own-property allowance. Check the current QBCC guidance for the proposed work rather than assuming that either entry covers every owner-builder arrangement.

What should be checked before work starts?

• Confirm whether the work is being carried out as an owner on their own property, under the owner-builder-permit entry, or as a business carrying out or contracting for client work.
• Check the scope for plumbing, gas, drainage, fire protection, mechanical services, termite management, building design, inspections or Hydraulic Services Design.
• Read section 5 of the Queensland Building and Construction Commission Regulation 2018 and section 42 of the Queensland Building and Construction Commission Act 1991 for additional no-licence circumstances.
• Contact the QBCC if the classification remains unclear.
• Check your insurance policy’s PDS. The no-licence circumstance concerns QBCC licensing and does not by itself establish that insurance or permit requirements are satisfied.

This is general information, not legal or financial advice. Check the regulator page for current requirements and your policy’s PDS before starting work.

Sources

• Queensland Building and Construction Commission — When you need a licence

FAQ

Is $11,000 the QBCC licensing threshold for every trade?

No. The $11,000 figure applies to the listed entry for an owner carrying out work on their own property. A sole trader, partner, trustee or company carrying out or contracting for building work over $3,300 generally falls under the separate contractor-licensing rule.

Does the owner-and-own-property entry cover regulated work?

Not as a blanket answer. Work-specific rules still need checking, including licensing requirements that apply regardless of value. Hydraulic Services Design also has its own value threshold.

Does the owner-builder-permit entry have an $11,000 limit?

The QBCC presents the owner-builder-permit entry separately and does not attach the $11,000 figure to it. Check the regulator’s current guidance for that route rather than combining it with the owner-and-own-property entry.

Does not needing a QBCC licence mean the work is insured?

The two questions are different. QBCC licensing does not confirm insurance cover. Review the relevant policy’s PDS and confirm any insurance requirements with the insurer.