Who can work on my roof in Victoria?
Who can legally repair a roof in Victoria under the Plumbing Regulations 2018: roof plumber classes, tile roofers, builders, asbestos removalists, checks.
In Victoria, metal roofs, flashings, gutters and downpipes must be worked on by a plumber registered or licensed in the roofing (stormwater) class with the Building and Plumbing Commission (BPC). Tile, slate and concrete roof coverings sit outside plumbing, but a tile roofer doing work over a set value needs building practitioner registration with the BPC. Asbestos cement roofing needs a licensed asbestos removalist.
So the right person depends on what your roof is made of and how big the job is. This guide explains each role and how to check someone before they start. The businesses this site refers enquiries to are independent and hold their own registrations, as noted on the about page, so check them yourself using the steps below.
What counts as roof plumbing in Victoria?
The BPC’s roofing stormwater class page quotes Part 4 of the Plumbing Regulations 2018. Roofing stormwater work covers building, installing, replacing, repairing, altering, maintaining, testing or commissioning any roof covering or roof flashing, and any part of a roof drainage system that collects or carries away stormwater. It also includes connecting stormwater pipes to a below-ground drain or an on-site retention tank.
The same regulation lists what is not roof plumbing:
- cleaning, painting or preparation work on stormwater items, unless it involves connecting, disconnecting or altering them
- roof coverings of slate, bitumen, glass, concrete, timber or tiles that are not metal
- any work on a membrane applied to a roof covering or flashing
- work on a freestanding Class 10a building of 10 square metres or less, unless it connects to a below-ground drain or retention tank
In practice, a Colorbond or corrugated iron roof, its flashings and the gutters are plumbing. A concrete or terracotta tile roof is not, although the gutters and any metal valleys or flashings on that roof still are.
What is the difference between a registered and a licensed roof plumber?
Both are on the BPC register, but they can do different things.
| Registered roof plumber | Licensed roof plumber | |
|---|---|---|
| Can carry out roofing (stormwater) work | Yes | Yes |
| Can issue a compliance certificate | No | Yes |
| Can supervise others | No | Yes, including apprentices |
| Must hold relevant insurance | Not listed as a licence duty | Yes |
| Extra requirements | Exam for the class | Registration plus 2 more years of practical experience, prescribed units and a BPC licence exam |
The BPC’s compliance certificate page draws the line clearly: a registered plumber either works under licensed supervision or limits themselves to jobs where no certificate is due. On any metal roofing job above the certificate value, someone licensed has to sign it off. When a roofer quotes you, ask whose name will go on the certificate.
What is the restricted Class 10a roofing class?
There is a narrower class for outbuildings. The restricted roofing class covers roofing stormwater work on Class 10a buildings only: private garages, carports, sheds and similar structures. Someone in this class may not do any roofing stormwater work on a house. Registration needs at least two years working in the required areas, and a licence needs a further 12 months.
That matters on rural blocks around Tyers, Glengarry and Yinnar, where a property may have a large machinery shed as well as the house. A shed specialist in the restricted class can do the shed but not the house roof. The shed and carport roofing page covers those jobs.
Who can work on a tile roof?
Because tile, concrete and slate roof coverings are outside the plumbing classes, there is no plumbing licence for them. Building practitioner registration still applies. Consumer Affairs Victoria’s building practitioners page says anyone doing domestic building work worth more than a set value must be registered with the BPC, with an exemption for single-trade jobs. Painting, plumbing and wall and floor tiling are on the exempt list; roof tiling is missing from it. So a large tile re-roof or a major restoration over the value needs a registered building practitioner. CAV also names roofing and roof cladding as small jobs where it is worth checking credentials.
The registration rule is tied to the value of the work, so a small tile repair may fall below it. Even then, the gutters and any metal flashings on the same roof are still plumbing. If the quote includes them, a roof plumber needs to be involved.
Who removes asbestos roof sheets?
Fibre cement roofing, cappings, eaves and old gutters on houses from before 1990 are common places for asbestos, according to the state’s asbestos information service. Its homeowner page says builders, electricians and plumbers generally are not licensed to remove asbestos and points owners to a licensed asbestos removalist. Only a lab test of a sample confirms whether a material contains it.
On a typical re-roof of old fibre cement sheets, a licensed removalist takes the old roof off and a roof plumber fits the new one. The asbestos roof replacement page explains how those two trades are sequenced.
What about painters and roof coating businesses?
Cleaning and painting a roof is not plumbing under the regulation above, so roof painters do not need a plumbing licence for the coating itself. If the job grows to include replacing sheets or fixings in bulk, flashings or gutters, that part becomes plumbing. If the job is building work over the value, building registration applies. Ask any coating business what else is in the quote and who will do it.
What safety rules apply to people working on roofs?
WorkSafe Victoria’s compliance code on preventing falls in housing construction, published on 19 December 2019, gives practical guidance under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 and the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017. It is aimed at employers, self-employed people and principal contractors in housing construction, and it covers controls for falls from more than 2 metres and from 2 metres or less separately. In plain terms, the roofer you hire is responsible for deciding how to work safely at height on your house and for supplying the gear. Ask how they plan to do it before they start.
How do I check a roofer on the BPC register?
- Go to the BPC’s find and check a practitioner page.
- Search by the person’s name, business name, registration or licence number, or location.
- Check that the status is current, and read the class names listed.
- Match the class to the job: roofing (stormwater) for a house, the restricted class for outbuildings only, or building practitioner registration for large tile work.
- Read any conditions attached to the registration.
- Search the BPC’s Compliance and Enforcement Register for disciplinary records.
Plumbers registered or licensed with the BPC also carry an identification card, which you can ask to see on site.
| Your job | Who to look for |
|---|---|
| Colorbond or corrugated iron re-roof on a house | Licensed roofing (stormwater) plumber |
| New gutters, downpipes or box gutters | Licensed roofing (stormwater) plumber |
| Re-sheeting a shed or carport | Roofing (stormwater) plumber, or the restricted Class 10a class |
| Tile re-roof or major restoration over the value | Registered building practitioner, plus a roof plumber for gutters and flashings |
| A few broken tiles | A tile roofer; registration depends on value |
| Asbestos cement sheets | Licensed asbestos removalist first |
If you need the permit and contract side explained, read the Victorian roof permits and contracts guide. If you already know the trade you need, you can ask for a roofer in the right class.
Next step: describe the roof so the enquiry reaches the right trade
In your enquiry, name the roof material (concrete tile, terracotta, corrugated iron, Colorbond or fibre cement), whether the job is on the house or a shed, and roughly when the building went up. Say whether the gutters or flashings are part of the job. That tells the roofer straight away which class of work is involved. Send an enquiry to find a roof plumber or tiler.
Frequently asked questions
- Can a handyman fix my gutters in Victoria?
Gutters and downpipes are roofing stormwater plumbing, so the work needs a plumber registered or licensed in that class. Cleaning gutters is excluded from the class, so anyone can clear leaves, but repairing, replacing or altering the gutter system is plumbing.
- Can I do my own roof repairs?
Plumbing rules limit what an unregistered person can do on a metal roof or gutters, and working at height is risky for anyone without the right equipment. Watching from the ground and taking photos for a roofer is the safer job for most owners.
- Does a licensed roof plumber hold insurance?
The BPC lists holding relevant insurance as one of the extra duties of licensed practitioners in the roofing class. Ask the business for a current certificate of currency for its public liability cover before work starts, whatever its licence status.
- Is a roofer from interstate allowed to work in Victoria?
Plumbers from other states can apply for Victorian registration through mutual recognition, which the BPC mentions as a pathway. They still need to appear on the BPC register before doing roofing stormwater work here, so search for them like any local roofer.
- What is a provisional registration on the register?
The BPC lets some graduates hold provisional registration while they wait to sit their registration exam, for up to 12 months. If you see this status, ask who will supervise the work and who will issue any compliance certificate.