Quoting carpentry, waterproofing or painting under your own business is different from signing the contract for a full renovation or new build. The first situation will usually point towards a trade contractor licence. The second will usually point towards a builder licence.
Most people comparing the two are already working in construction. You might be a carpenter ready to quote your own packages, a supervisor preparing to run complete projects or an experienced tradie who has outgrown an employee role.
You do not need to choose the exact QBCC class before asking for help. Tell Builders Licence Success what you do now, who you plan to contract with and whether you will deliver one trade or the whole building job. We can then check the likely licence, the qualifications you already hold and what the application is still missing.
Both are contractor-type licences. A trade contractor generally works within one or more defined trade classes. A builder class covers broader, larger or more complex building work. The final fit depends on the work, your qualifications, your experience and how you will operate.
Which situation sounds like you?
Swipe across to compare the starting points.
| How you plan to operate | Likely starting point | A simple example |
|---|---|---|
| Quote and carry out work in your own trade | Trade contractor licence | A carpenter wants to quote carpentry jobs under their own business or subcontract to builders. |
| Sign the contract for the complete building project | Builder licence | An experienced carpenter or foreman wants to contract a full renovation or new build and coordinate the other trades. |
| Supervise building work as an employee | Site supervisor licence | A supervisor works for a licensed contractor and does not contract for building work in their own right. |
| Act as the technical nominee for a licensed company | Nominee supervisor licence | A director, secretary or employee supervises the work covered by the company’s licence. |
| Use an equivalent licence you already hold interstate | Mutual recognition may apply | An individual with a current equivalent interstate or New Zealand licence wants the corresponding Queensland licence. |
| Use years of experience towards a required qualification | RPL may help after the licence is confirmed | An experienced tradie can do the work but does not hold all the formal paperwork required for the application. |
Use the table to narrow down the likely route. Your exact class still depends on the work, your experience and your business setup. QBCC makes the final decision.
Trade contractor: stay in your trade and work for yourself
A trade contractor licence is generally the path for someone who wants to quote, contract and get paid for a defined trade. That could be carpentry, painting, waterproofing, tiling, roofing or another QBCC trade class.
Some trades also require an occupational licence to personally perform or supervise the work. BLS checks this separately rather than assuming a contractor licence covers everything.
For example, if you are a carpenter planning to take on carpentry packages for builders or quote carpentry work directly to clients, a carpentry trade contractor licence may fit. It does not automatically let you contract an entire building project or manage unrelated trades.
See how BLS helps with a Queensland trade contractor licence.
Builder: contract the whole building job
A builder licence is generally for someone who plans to sign the contract for a broader building project. That can involve planning the work, coordinating different trades, managing the site and answering for the project covered by the builder class.
For example, you may have come up through carpentry but now want to contract full renovations or new homes rather than only the carpentry component. Your trade experience is valuable, but QBCC will look for evidence that supports the broader builder role as well.
See how BLS helps with a Queensland builder licence.
Already experienced but missing the qualification?
You may not need to repeat training for skills you can already prove.
Once the likely licence class is clear, an RTO can assess whether Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) applies. The RTO compares evidence of your skills and knowledge with the relevant training product. You may receive full or partial credit. If gaps remain, the RTO may require additional training or assessment rather than making you repeat learning you can already prove.
RPL is not automatic and it is not the licence itself. The RTO decides the qualification outcome, and QBCC decides the licence application. BLS checks which qualification the likely licence requires before you pay for RPL or a course.
Read how RPL can fit before a QBCC licence application.
Tell BLS how you plan to operate
You do not need to arrive with the licence class worked out. Start with three things:
- What you do now. Your trade, current role and the kinds of projects you work on.
- How you plan to earn the work. Will you quote one trade, sign for the full project, supervise as an employee or support a licensed company as nominee?
- What you already have. Qualifications, licences, work history, project records and people who can confirm your experience.
We use that information to check the likely licence, compare your qualifications with its requirements and show you which project records and referees may support the application. If you decide to proceed, we prepare the paperwork with you so the details are clear and consistent.
Once the likely licence is clear
- We check whether a builder, trade contractor, site supervisor, nominee supervisor or mutual recognition application is the likely fit.
- We check what your experience and qualifications already cover.
- If there is a real qualification gap, we help you explore the relevant RPL or training route with an RTO.
- We help prepare your work history, project records, referees and application documents for that licence type.
- You submit the checked application to QBCC, which makes the final decision.
Still deciding between quoting your own trade packages and contracting complete building projects? Compare your QBCC licence options. Tell BLS how you plan to operate and we will help identify which application to investigate first.
FAQ
I am a carpenter. Do I need a builder licence or trade contractor licence?
It depends on what you plan to put on the quote and contract. If you will quote carpentry work, a carpentry trade contractor licence may fit. If you will contract the whole building project and coordinate several trades, a builder licence may be more appropriate.
Can a trade contractor work for a builder?
Yes, when the contractor holds the appropriate QBCC licence class for the subcontracted work.
What if I only supervise for someone else?
If you supervise building work as an employee and cannot contract in your own right, a site supervisor licence may fit. If you will also act as the technical nominee for a licensed company, a nominee supervisor licence may apply. BLS can help distinguish the two from your actual role.
Should I organise RPL before choosing the licence?
No. First work out the likely licence and qualification requirement. Then an RTO can assess whether your existing skills and evidence may count through RPL.