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Owner-builders

An owner-builder is defined as a person who constructs or renovates a domestic building on their own land, who is not in the business of building.

Apply for a building permit through the City Owner builders When you need a permit

If you become an owner-builder, you will be responsible for:

  • ensuring a building permit is obtained and paying the building permit levy
  • supervising or undertaking the building work
  • ensuring the work meets building regulations and standards
  • notifying the Building & Plumbing Commission if the estimated cost of works has increased at the end of the project.

If the value of the domestic building work you'll be doing is over $16,000, you'll need to have a certificate of consent from the Building & Plumbing Commission to be an owner-builder. The value of the building work includes labour costs and materials. It's the estimated cost if you were to engage a registered builder to do the work. Your building surveyor or architect can help with calculating the cost of the work.

A Certificate of Consent is issued by the Practitioners Board of the Building & Plumbing Commission and is an individual's written approval to act as an owner-builder on their own land in the State of Victoria.

You do not need an owner-builder certificate of consent if:

  • the total cost of work is $16,000 or less
  • the building work does not relate to domestic building work
  • a registered building practitioner has been engaged and will be nominated on the building permit as responsible for the building work
  • you are carrying out the work in accordance with an emergency order, a building notice or a building order made under Part 8 of the Building Act 1993.

An owner-builder certificate of consent is also not necessary if the owner of the property is:

  • a builder whose registration authorises the carrying out of that type of work
  • a registered architect
  • the Director of Housing.
If you sell your owner-built home within six and a half years after the domestic building work has been completed (ie. from the date of issue of your occupancy permit or certificate of final inspection), you must:
  • Obtain a defects report by a prescribed practitioner regarding the domestic building work. The report must not be older than six months and a copy must also be provided to the homebuyer.
  • Obtain owner-builder domestic building insurance covering the domestic building work and provide the homebuyer with a certificate of the insurance. Please note that the insurance may only come into effect if you die, disappear or are insolvent.

To find out more see Selling an owner built home.

The Building & Plumbing Commission administer the Owner Builder process in Victoria.  To assist they have developed the Owner Builder information and study guide. The guide outlines essential information includes your duties and responsibilities. 

The application process includes:

  • Checking eligibility
  • Completing an E Learning module
  • Obtain a Construction Induction (also known as White Card)
  • Complete your application with the Building & Plumbing Commission

 

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