Information and obligations for licensed plumbers

This page provides general information and guidance for licensed plumbers.

Licensing

Western Australia’s system for regulating plumbing work ensures that only suitably qualified people who hold plumbers licenses granted by the Plumbers Licensing Board are legally entitled to carry out plumbing work. 

More information on licensing and renewals please see the link below. 

Plumbers licensing


Self-certification

In keeping with the national trend to place greater accountability on industry members, self-certification forms the basis of Western Australia's regulatory framework. This means that licensed plumbing contractors are responsible for all plumbing work they perform for a period of six years from the time the work is completed. They must certify that the work is complete and complies with all the relevant regulations and standards.


Minor plumbing work

Minor plumbing work is the alteration, repair, or maintenance of existing water supply, sanitary and/or drainage plumbing systems, including:

  • maintenance, repair, or replacement of water supply plumbing
  • clearing of blocked drains
  • cold water valve replacement, maintenance, or repair
  • hot water valve replacement, maintenance, or repair
  • sanitary and waste fixture maintenance, repair, or replacement
  • repair and maintenance of backflow prevention devices
  • replacement or repair of drainage plumbing

For information on recording minor plumbing work, please see the factsheet below. 

Reporting minor plumbing work fact sheet

Other inspections

Site inspections can occur proactively without notice, because of a drainage inspection notification submitted by a licensed plumbing contractor or in response to information from other sources such as local government building approvals and Water Corporation applications.

Recording minor plumbing work completed

Licensed plumbing contractors are required to maintain a record of all minor plumbing work they complete.

It is the responsibility of the licensed plumbing contractor to maintain this record in a format approved by the Plumbers Licensing Board. The record must be retained for at least six years from the date the work is completed.

The Board has developed a policy setting out the prescribed format for recording minor plumbing work. This includes the minimum information that must be recorded. Penalties may apply if the correct procedures are not followed.

Building and Energy has developed an optional template to assist with recording minor plumbing work, please see the link below. 

Recording minor plumbing work template 


Major plumbing work

Major plumbing work, when it is not classed as minor work, includes the installation, alteration, extension and/or replacement of:

  • water supply plumbing; and
  • sanitary and/or drainage plumbing.

This includes such work as:

  • installation, alteration, or extension of drainage plumbing
  • sewer conversions
  • new or replacement water heaters
  • new and additional sanitary fixtures
  • new or replacement testable backflow prevention devices

Plumbing eNotice

There are four types of notices:

  • Notice of Intention (NOI)
  • Notify Drainage Work Completed
  • Certificate of Compliance (COC)
  • Emergency NOI/COC

All major plumbing work requires the submission of:

  • a notice of intention at least 24 hours before the commencement of the work (except for emergency work); and
  • a corresponding certificate of compliance within five working days of completing the work.

For emergency work the notice of intention and the certificate of compliance can be submitted at the same time within five working days of completing work.

For more information on using and registering for eNotice please see the button below. 

Using plumbing eNotice


Drainage Plumbing Diagrams

A drainage plumbing diagram, otherwise known as a constructed diagram, is a diagrammatic representation of a property’s drainage plumbing.

A licensed plumbing contractor who installs, alters, or extends drainage plumbing is required to submit a drainage plumbing diagram with the relevant certificate of compliance.

Search for a drainage plumbing diagram

Drainage plumbing diagrams are regularly used by homeowners, licensed plumbing contractors and others to determine the layout of drainage plumbing on a property. Knowing the layout of drainage plumbing can assist in:

  • identifying where additional connections to existing drainage plumbing may be made
  • ensuring that new buildings or extensions do not interfere with existing drainage plumbing
  • ensuring that any excavation works do not disturb the drainage plumbing
  • the repair of drainage pipework; and
  • clearing blocked drains.

Where the property is not connected to main sewerage

Up until 14 December 2016, it was not a requirement for licensed plumbing contractors to submit drainage plumbing diagrams to sewerage service provider(s) for drainage plumbing work that occurred on a property not connected to main sewerage (e.g. where the property is connected to a septic tank or aerobic treatment unit).

In this scenario, the relevant local government authority is best placed to provide you with information on the possible existence of a drainage plumbing diagram for that property.

Where the property is connected to a main sewer operated by a sewerage service provider other than the Water Corporation

Building and Energy has only obtained historical drainage plumbing diagrams from the Water Corporation. In areas serviced by other sewerage service providers, such as the City of

Kalgoorlie-Boulder, any drainage plumbing diagrams relating to work completed prior to 14 December 2016 remains the ownership of the relevant sewerage service provider who should be contacted for further assistance. Information about sewerage service providers is available at 

For further information please see:

If you have any further queries, please contact Building and Energy on 08 6251 1301. 

Plumbing performance solutions

Where a licensed plumbing contractor is choosing to include a performance solution, there are additional steps to follow. These steps are outlined in the below guidance note. 

Click on the button below to download appendix A guidance note for installing plumbing and drainage performance solutions in WA.

Appendix A – Guidance note
 

Appendices to the guidance note:

Alternative solutions

An alternative solution is a plumbing or drainage solution that complies with the performance requirements of the Plumbing Code of Australia by means other than satisfying a deemed-to-satisfy provision. The notice of intention for any plumbing work that includes an alternative solution should be lodged at least five working days prior to any work commencing.

An additional fee is payable when lodging a notice of intention for plumbing work including an alternative solution. A certificate of compliance is also required within five working days of the work being completed. 


Application to modify or set aside plumbing standards

Under Regulation 54 of the Plumbers Licensing and Plumbing Standards Regulations 2000, the Plumbers’ Licensing Board may:

  1. declare that a specified plumbing standard does not apply to specified plumbing work or specified plumbing; or
  2. modify in a specified way a plumbing standard that applies to specified plumbing work or specified plumbing.

The Board can only consider making such a declaration after it has received a written application from another person using the modification or set aside plumbing standards application form. 

A declaration to modify or set aside plumbing standards can only be made to the Board if it is satisfied that the declaration would not result in an increased risk to people, property, or the environment. The declaration must also be in the public interest or be consistent with the purpose of any other written law or Commonwealth law.

For further information please click on the link to the guidance note below:

To lodge an application to to modify or set aside plumbing standards please click on the link below to download the application form:

The application form and information required to obtain payment of the scheduled fee, should be emailed to:
  plumberscompliance@demirs.wa.gov.au

Last updated:
Was this page useful?