Are you QBCC licensed?

Yes. Plumbing and drainage work is carried out under QBCC occupational licence PD21658, held by Jamie Gary Moore in both the plumber and drainer classes and current to 1 September 2027. The number can be checked on the QBCC licence register before you engage us.

Do I need council approval for drainage work in Queensland?

Installing or altering sanitary drainage is generally compliance assessable work, which requires a plumbing permit from the local government before work starts, inspection at nominated stages and a final certificate at completion.

What is notifiable work in Queensland plumbing?

Notifiable work is a category a licensed plumber may carry out without prior approval, then notify to the QBCC after completion within the statutory period, supported by a certificate of compliance.

Who lodges the plumbing approval, me or the plumber?

The application is typically lodged by the licensed plumber or the property owner as applicant. The licensee remains responsible for compliance certification of the work performed.

How long do plumbing approvals take in Queensland?

Timeframes vary by local government and by the complexity of the application. Approval and inspection lead times are frequently longer than the construction itself, so applications should be lodged before plant and crews are booked.

Guide 02 · Approvals

Plumbing and drainage approvals in Queensland

Queensland divides plumbing and drainage work into three categories under the Plumbing and Drainage Act 2018: permit-exempt, notifiable and compliance assessable. New or altered sanitary drainage sits in the compliance assessable category, requiring a council plumbing permit before work starts, inspection at hold points and a certificate at completion.

Last reviewed September 2026 · General information, not legal advice

The three categories of plumbing work

Category	Typical examples	What is required
Permit-exempt	Minor maintenance and repair, clearing a blockage, replacing like with like	Performed by a licensed person, no application or notification
Notifiable work	Defined alterations and installations that do not require assessment before construction	No prior approval; the licensee notifies the QBCC after completion and issues a compliance certificate
Compliance assessable	New or altered sanitary drainage, new connections to authority infrastructure, larger commercial and multi-unit work	Plumbing permit from local government before work starts, inspections at nominated stages, final certificate at completion

Categories are set by the Plumbing and Drainage Act 2018 and the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019, with technical requirements in the Queensland Plumbing and Wastewater Code and AS/NZS 3500. Confirm the classification for a specific job with the local government or the QBCC.

The other approvals nobody mentions until they hold the job up

A plumbing permit covers the pipework. Touching an authority asset, a road or a kerb triggers separate processes with their own lead times, and each one can stop a crew from mobilising.

Water and sewer connection application

Lodged with the water service provider to create or alter a connection. The response sets the connection point, the size of the service and the conditions under which the tie-in happens, including planned shutdowns.

Road opening or works permit

Required by the local government for excavation in the road reserve, including kerb adaptors and verge trenching. Conditions cover reinstatement standards, working hours and approved traffic control.

Build-over consent

Needed where a structure sits over or near a sewer main. Consent carries conditions on footing design, cover and access to the asset, and building approval depends on it.

Stormwater and discharge conditions

Development approvals nominate the lawful point of discharge and any detention requirement. Dewatering a trench into the street drainage also needs the council's consent in most areas.

Backflow prevention registration

Testable backflow devices are registered with the local government and tested annually by an endorsed person, with results submitted. Commercial sites carry this obligation for the life of the device.

Trade waste approval

Commercial premises discharging anything beyond domestic sewage need a trade waste agreement with the water service provider, which dictates pre-treatment equipment such as grease arrestors.

Sequence that keeps a job moving

Work covered before inspection has to be uncovered. Certificates withheld at completion follow the property into its next sale.

Classify the work. Establish whether the scope is permit-exempt, notifiable or compliance assessable before quoting, because the category dictates the paperwork and the program.
Lodge early. Connection applications, plumbing permits and road opening permits go in before plant is booked. Approval lead time is the long pole in almost every job.
Confirm the hold points. The permit names the stages requiring inspection. Those stages become fixed dates in the construction sequence.
Build and test to the standard. Grades, bedding, materials and testing follow AS/NZS 3500 and the authority's standard drawings, with results recorded as the work proceeds.
Pass inspection before covering. Open trench, exposed pipework and visible levels are what an inspector needs to see.
Close out the file. Compliance certificate, test records and as-constructed detail complete the job and satisfy both the authority and the next owner's solicitor.

Questions

Do I need approval to move a sanitary drain for an extension?

Relocating or altering sanitary drainage is compliance assessable in most cases, which means a plumbing permit before the work and an inspection before the trench is covered. The building approval and the plumbing permit run as separate applications.

What happens if work was done without approval?

Unapproved plumbing work is assessed retrospectively, which can require excavation to expose the pipework for inspection. Discovery usually happens at sale, when a buyer's solicitor asks for certificates that do not exist.

Can a builder arrange the plumbing approval?

The application can be lodged by the owner, the builder or the licensed plumber. Responsibility for certifying the installed work stays with the licensee who performs it.

Who inspects the work?

The local government's plumbing inspector attends compliance assessable work. On subdivision and civil projects the water service provider's representative also witnesses connections and testing.

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