The Victorian Building Authority (VBA) says that it has received a growing number of enquiries about trades registration over the past few weeks.
Rumours circulating in the industry claim that the registration and licensing of carpenters will start on 1 September 2020, with other trades to follow. The VBA says this is incorrect.
“The VBA advises that no date has been set specifying when full or provisional registration and licensing of carpenters is to begin.”
Regulations for carpentry work are expected to be in place by 1 September 2020 but are not expected to commence until 2021. Other trades will then enter the registration and licensing scheme over a five-year period.
In late 2018, the Victorian Government made amendments to the Building Act 1993 to introduce a new registration and licensing scheme for tradespeople. The scheme aims to reduce non-compliant building work, enhance industry accountability and ensure tradespersons have adequate qualifications, skills and experience.
In November 2019, the government announced that carpentry would be the first trade to become subject to the new registration and licensing scheme.
Options for implementing the new scheme were proposed in March 2020, with feedback sought from industry and the community via an Options Paper.
It is expected that draft regulations indicating a preferred approach to registering and licensing carpenters will be released later this year, alongside a regulatory impact statement seeking further public comment.
VBA and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning will provide industry with plenty of notice before any registration and licensing changes come into effect.
To keep up to date with key changes relating to the registration and licensing of building trades, please visit the Engage Victoria website.