Become an LBP

The LBP scheme is one of the changes in the Building Act 2004 to encourage better building design and construction.

The public can have confidence that licensed building practitioners (LBPs) working on their homes and buildings are competent, and that homes and buildings are designed and built right the first time.

Licensing promotes, recognises and supports professional skills and behaviour in the building industry. Over time, the emphasis on education and training, along with better career pathways, will increase.

The scheme is competency based. Competent builders and tradespeople with a good track record can have their skills and knowledge formally recognised, whether they are trade-qualified or not. A number of people without formal trade qualifications have already been assessed as competent and have their licences.

In this section

  • Why get licensed?

    The New Zealand Government licence building practitioners so that the New Zealand public can have confidence that LBPs working on their homes and buildings are competent, and that homes and buildings are designed and built right.

  • Licensing classes

    The licensed building practitioner (LBP) scheme includes 7 licensing classes based on specific roles or occupations that are crucial to a building's performance.

  • Building categories

    The scheme uses 3 building categories to identify how applicants should be assessed and to provide a scope for the licence classes.

  • Application cost

    When you apply to become an LBP you will need to pay these fees.

  • Apply for licensing

    Before applying to become licensed, you should read the licensing competencies within the LBP Rules. These will identify the type of residential building work you will need to show to become licensed.

  • Declined application

    If you don’t agree with a licensing decision from the Registrar, then you can appeal to the Building Practitioners Board (the Board).

  • Past appeal decisions

    Summaries of past appeal decisions by the Board.