Mutual recognition

In Western Australia, if you want to work as a builder, painter, building surveyor, or building engineer, you need to be registered under the Building Services (Registration) Act 2011.

There are two types of registration for each profession:

Building Services Practitioner

• Allows you to be a nominated supervisor for a contractor.
• You cannot enter into contracts to perform building services on your own.
• You can supervise work for your own contractor registration or for a company/partnership.

Building Services Contractor

• Allows you to contract with others to carry out building services. You’ll need to be eligible for both practitioner and contractor registration if you want to contract work.
• You must have a registered practitioner nominated as your supervisor.
• You can’t do any work unless a practitioner is supervising.
• You’ll need to pay two registration fees (one for practitioners & one for contractors), but only one application fee.

Any conditions on your interstate licence will also apply in WA. If your licence isn’t considered equivalent, the registration fee will be refunded, but the application fee is non-refundable.

Motor Vehicle Dealer Licence

• You must provide the address of all premises you’ll operate from.
• Once approved, you’ll receive your licence and certificates for each authorised location.

Motor Vehicle Repairer’s Certificate

• You must submit two certified passport photos and a certified copy of your photo ID.

Motor Vehicle Repair Business Licence

• You must provide the address of all premises, including mobile setups.
• Once authorised, you’ll receive your licence and certificates for each location.

Motor Vehicle Salesperson or Yard Manager Licence

If you work for a dealer selling vehicles you need a Salesperson Licence.
If you manage the yard, you’ll need a Yard Manager Licence.

Real Estate & Business Agents

If you want to operate as a real estate or business agent in WA, you’ll need:

• A licence and a triennial certificate.
• To meet requirements under the Real Estate and Business Agents Act 1978

If you handle trust money, you must:

• Open a trust account.
• Nominate an auditor.
• Your licence will be issued once these details are confirmed.

Important: If you're licensed to auction property in another state, that doesn’t automatically apply in WA. Auctioneer licensing here is handled by the Magistrates Court, not through the real estate agent licence.

Sales Representatives (Including Property Managers)

To work as a real estate or business sales representative, you'll need:

• Be registered.
• Work under the supervision of a licensed agent.
• Complete a Sales Representative Registration course.

Settlement Agents (Conveyancers)

If you want to work as a settlement agent (handling property transfers), you’ll need:

• A Settlement Agent Licence and triennial certificate.
• Professional indemnity and fidelity insurance.
• A trust account and auditor if you handle trust money.

Land Valuers

To become a licensed land valuer, you'll need:

• Provide your employment details for the public register.
• Your licence certificate will be issued once this is received.

Security Requirement

Before your debt collector licence can be issued in Western Australia, you’ll need to provide a security in the form of either:

• A bank guarantee, or
• A fidelity bond (a type of insurance)

This must be the original document and must be for the following amount:

• $6,000 if you're applying as an individual
• $10,000 if you're applying as a company

Accepted Bond Providers

You can get a fidelity bond from:

• Institute of Mercantile Agents Limited
• White Group (VIC) Pty Ltd t/as White Insurance Brokers
• any entity that is the holder of an Australian Financial Services Licence which confers the authorisation to provide general insurance products.
• Bonds underwritten by Lloyds of London are also accepted.

Important

If your bond is cancelled or ends during your licence period, your licence will be suspended until a new bond is submitted and approved.

Gasfitters are encouraged to complete the Gas Standards Legislation module, which covers WA-specific regulations.

Demolition

Within demolition there are two different types of registration:

• Demolition Licence (Class 1); or
• Demolition Licence (Class 2).

Class 1 demolition work is work: 

•  work comprising the total demolition or dismantling of a structure that is 10 metres or more in height when measured from the lowest ground level of the structure to the highest part of the structure; 
• comprising the partial demolition or dismantling of a structure that is 10 metres or more in height when measured from the lowest ground level of the structure to the highest part of the structure; 
• comprising demolition work on a structure; and involving the use of load shifting equipment on a suspended floor;
• work comprising demolition work on pre-tensioned or post-tensioned structural components of a structure; 
• work comprising demolition work on a structure containing precast concrete elements erected by the tilt-up method of construction; 
• work involving the removal of key structural members of a structure so that the whole or a part of the structure collapses; 
• work done to a structure involving explosives; 
• work comprising demolition work on a structure that involves the use of a tower crane or any crane with a safe working load greater than 100 tonnes;
• work involving the removal of an area of brittle or fragile roofing material in excess of 200 m2 from a structure if any part of the area to be removed is 10 metres or more above the lowest ground level of the structure. 

Class 2 demolition work is work comprising demolition work involving a structure that is less than 10 metres in height when measured from the lowest ground level of the structure to the highest part of the structure, excluding: 

• demolition work involving a single storey dwelling; 
• demolition work on a structure; and involving the use of load shifting equipment on a suspended floor; 
• demolition work on pre-tensioned or post-tensioned structural components of a structure; 
• demolition work on a structure containing precast concrete elements erected by the tilt-up method of construction; 
• work involving the removal of key structural members of a structure so that the whole or a part of the structure collapses; 
• work done to a structure involving explosives; 
• work comprising demolition work on a structure that involves the use of a tower crane or any crane with a safe working load greater than 100 tonnes. 

 A licence is not required for demolition work on: 

•  A fence or wall less than 1.8 metres in height; or 
•  A structure less than 2 metres in height; or 
•  A structure by a person in the metal fabrication or engineering industry in the course of maintaining, refurbishing, upgrading, modifying or decommissioning plant.

For fee amounts, visit Demolition licensing fees.

For fee amounts, visit High risk work licensing fees. 

Holders of the following mining certificates of competency issued in another Australian State or Territory or New Zealand may be eligible to apply for mutual recognition of those certificates in Western Australia.

• Certificate of competency to manage a quarry (coal and non-coal operations)
• Certificate of competency to manage an underground mine (non-coal operations)
• Certificate of competency to be appointed as an underground supervisor
• Certificate of competency to be appointed a mine surveyor (surface and/or underground mine).

Interstate applicants

If you hold a current licence from another Australian state or territory, you are not required to apply for mutual recognition upon becoming a resident of Western Australia. However, you may choose to apply for a WA licence through mutual recognition if you wish to do so.

New Zealand applicants

Individuals are required to apply for mutual recognition to obtain a WA licence.

Required information

Applications must include (documents must be no older than 6 months):

Interstate applicants:

• Application: Complete and signed application form
  • Application form - Dangerous goods
• Interstate licence: Colour image of both sides of the licence.
• Photograph: Digital photo (passport quality; JPEG format; a photo taken on a smartphone is acceptable).

New Zealand applicants:

• Application: Complete and signed application form
  • Application Form - Trans-Tasman mutual recognition - Dangerous goods
• Motor driver licence (MDL): Colour image of both sides of the MDL showing the D Endorsement.
• Controlled Substance Licence: Colour image of both sides of the Controlled Substance Licence.
• Approved Handlers Test Certificate: Colour image of the certificate.
• Photo: Digital photo (passport quality; JPEG format; a photo taken on a smartphone is acceptable).

Lodging the application

For dangerous goods and explosives drivers and shotfirer applications

Applications must be made online through the Safety Regulation System(SRS).

For fireworks operators and pyrotechnics applications

The completed application form, together with supporting documents and payment can be sent to the Department via:

Emailed to: cso@dmirs.wa.gov.au