Who can do roofing?

The $3,300 rule

In Queensland, building work valued at more than $3,300 (labour and materials, including GST) must be done by a business holding a QBCC licence of the right class (QBCC: when you need a licence). Roofing is building work.

The roofing licence classes

• Roof and wall cladding: selecting and installing roof cladding other than terracotta and concrete tiles, fabricating and installing rainwater goods, flashing penetrations (for example skylights and ventilators), external flashings, fascias and soffits, and refurbishing and maintaining roofs (excluding painting).
• Roof tiling: cutting and fixing roof tiles (concrete, clay, metal tiles, shingles), battens, bedding and pointing, sarking and safety mesh, skylights, and refurbishing and maintaining roofs.
• Metal fascias and gutters is a separate trade class covering rainwater goods, metal fascias, gutters and external flashings (QBCC licence list).

Gutters, downpipes and stormwater

Gutters, downpipes and other rainwater goods sit within the Roof and wall cladding and Metal fascias and gutters licence scopes. Plumbing and drainage are different: anyone personally doing or supervising regulated plumbing or drainage work needs an occupational licence, whatever the job is worth (QBCC: when you need a licence). If your job includes new or altered underground stormwater pipes, ask who will do that part and which licence they hold. QBCC treats stormwater drainage work such as repairing a downpipe or gutter as insurable residential work over $3,300 (QBCC: what work requires home warranty insurance).

What a builder's licence covers

A Builder – Low Rise licence covers building work on class 1 buildings (houses) and class 10 buildings (sheds, garages, carports), and on classes 2 to 9 with a gross floor area up to 2,000 m², not including Type A or B construction. It doesn't let the licensee personally do work that needs an occupational licence (such as plumbing) unless they also hold it. Builders commonly subcontract roofing to licensed roofing trades. A subcontractor working for a licensed builder needs an appropriate contractor licence for the subcontracted work (QBCC: when you need a licence).

How this site works: Taylor Made Media Pty Ltd runs this site and is not a builder or roofer. We pass each quote request to one local roofer whose QBCC licence class covers the job (for example Roof and wall cladding or Roof tiling), and email you their business name and licence number so you can check it on the register. Any asbestos removal must be done by a business holding the right asbestos removal licence.

Asbestos roofs and eaves

Asbestos cement sheeting ("fibro") was used in many Queensland buildings before 1990, including roofs and eaves. A business removing more than 10 m² of bonded asbestos must hold a Class B (or Class A) asbestos removal licence; friable asbestos needs a Class A licence (WorkSafe Queensland). Homeowners need an approved certificate to remove more than 10 m² themselves (asbestos.qld.gov.au).

Other things to check

• Home warranty: restoring or repairing a home's roof is insurable work under the Queensland Home Warranty Scheme when the job is worth more than $3,300 (labour, materials and GST). The licensed contractor must take out the cover and build the premium into the price (QBCC: what work requires home warranty insurance).
• Written contract and deposit: home building work over $3,300 needs a written contract. The maximum deposit is 10% for jobs of $3,301–$19,999 and 5% for $20,000 or more (20% for $3,300 or less), with limited exceptions for work mostly made off-site (QBCC: domestic building contracts; QBCC: deposits and progress payments).
• Wind rating: South East Queensland is a non-cyclonic wind region, so houses are given an N class under AS 4055. Sheltered suburban lots are commonly N2 and exposed, elevated or open lots N3 or higher. The class is worked out for each site. Sheet roofing must be fixed to suit it under the National Construction Code, and a lighter metal roof replacing tiles can need new tie-downs (Lysaght PAB10 wind classification guide; NCC 2025 Housing Provisions Part 7.2).
• Building approval: small repairs that don't affect the structure can be accepted development under Schedule 1 of the Building Regulation 2021. A full or substantial re-roof usually needs building approval from a private certifier. For example, City of Gold Coast says approval is needed when more than 20% of the roof area is replaced, including after storm damage. Ask who arranges the certifier before work starts.
• Character overlays: Brisbane City Plan's Traditional building character overlay protects pre-1947 streetscapes, and character buildings are mostly homes built before the end of 1946. Most homes in these suburbs are newer and not affected, but if yours is older, check City Plan online and ask Brisbane City Council before changing roof form or material.

Before you sign, look the business up on the QBCC licensee register and check the licence class matches the work.

Sources on this page were checked on 18 October 2026. Rules change, so check the linked pages for the current position.