Roof plumbing licensing in Victoria & what it means for you

In Victoria, roof drainage — the stormwater side of a roof, including gutters, downpipes, flashings and the way water is carried off the roof — falls under "roofing (stormwater)", which is a recognised class of plumbing work. That means it isn't unregulated odd-jobbing: it has to be done by someone licensed or registered to do it, and there are rules about how it's certified.

Who regulates it now: the BPC

Victoria's building and plumbing regulator is the Building and Plumbing Commission (BPC), which began operating on 1 July 2025. It brought the former Victorian Building Authority (VBA), the state's domestic building dispute resolution service and the domestic building insurance function together under one roof. During the transition, many services are still accessed through the existing VBA website — but the regulator overseeing plumbers and plumbing work is the BPC.

Licensed vs registered

To lawfully carry out plumbing work defined in the Victorian Plumbing Regulations, a tradesperson generally has to be either licensed or registered in the relevant class — or be an apprentice working under supervision. In simple terms:

• A registered plumber can carry out work in their class but must work under a licensed plumber's certification.
• A licensed plumber can certify their own work and issue compliance certificates.

Both are renewable, and working with an expired licence or registration is against the law. The point for you as a homeowner is simple: the person on your roof should hold current credentials in the right class for the job.

Anyone can own a ladder. Not everyone on a roof is licensed to certify the work — and that difference matters most when something goes wrong.

Why it protects your insurance

This is the part homeowners most often miss. If roof plumbing work is done by someone who isn't appropriately licensed, and that work later fails — or contributes to water damage you try to claim for — an insurer may question the claim. Using a properly licensed practitioner, and keeping the paperwork, helps make sure a future claim isn't undermined by who did the work. For larger plumbing jobs, a licensed plumber is required to issue a compliance certificate; keep any you're given.

How to check a tradesperson

• Ask for their licence or registration details and the class of work it covers.
• Use the regulator's online "Find a Practitioner" directory to confirm the credentials are current.
• Get the scope and the quote in writing.
• Keep any compliance certificate and invoices with your home records.

Regulations and thresholds do change, and the BPC's structure is still settling in, so it's always worth confirming the current requirements for your specific job directly with the regulator. If you're unsure what applies to your roof, we're happy to talk it through.