Notifiable, Minor & Unregulated Work

Notifiable Work

On 1 November 2012 new amendments to the Plumbing & Drainage Act were passed to create a new category of plumbing and drainage work called 'notifiable work'.

Notifiable work requires plumbers and drainers to lodge a Form 4 (Notifiable Work) direct with the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) within 10 business days of completing the work. These new laws have increased the amount of work a plumber or drainer can perform without local government approval or mandatory inspections. The vast majority of work undertaken in existing buildings will be notifiable work, for example:

  • Installing or replacing hot water systems
  • Kitchen additions or renovations
  • Bathroom renovations
  • Installing additional fixtures in an existing dwelling or shed (where plumbing work is already present)

The QBCC and local governments will work together to audit licensees to help ensure that plumbers and drainers are complying with their obligations.

For more information or a full list of notifiable works please refer to the QBCC website. The website also gives licensees and property owners further information and access to a suite of Notifiable Work Resources.

Minor Work

Minor work is similar to notifiable work in that the work must be completed by a licenced plumber or drainer but it does not need to be registered with Council or the Plumbing Industry Council.

Minor work includes such things as:

  • Replacing, maintaining, repairing or removing a fitting or fixture
  • Repairing a broken or damaged pipe
  • Installing, replacing, maintaining, repairing or removing an apparatus

Minor work does not include:

  • Work necessary for installing, replacing or removing the following:
    • A temperature control device
    • A water heater
    • A testable backflow prevention device
    • A dual check valve with an atmospheric port
    • Replacing a domestic water filter cartridge

For more information or a full list of minor works please refer to the Department of Housing and Public Works website:
Department of Housing & Public Works: Plumbing

Unregulated Work

Unregulated work is plumbing and drainage work that does not require Council approval or notification. No licence is required to perform this work.

Unregulated work includes such things as:

  • Cleaning or maintaining ground level grates or traps on sanitary drains
  • Replacing caps to ground level inspection openings on sanitary drains
  • Maintaining an above or below ground irrigation system for the disposal of effluent from an on-site sewerage facility
  • Installing or maintaining an irrigation or lawn watering system downstream from an isolating valve, tap or backflow prevention device on the supply pipe for the irrigation or lawn watering system
  • Replacing a jumper valve or washer in a tap
  • Changing a shower head
  • Replacing, in a water closet (WC) cistern, a drop valve washer, float valve washer or suction cup rubber.

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