Building inspectors – skills, qualifications and experience
Find out what's required to become a building inspector in NSW.
Building inspectors
You must demonstrate that you have the knowledge and skill required to be granted registration in the class of building inspector in NSW.
To be granted registration you must:
- demonstrate specific knowledge and skills; and
- meet qualifications and experience critieria
Your application must address all the criteria listed below.
If you are applying for more than one class of registration, your application must address all the criteria for each class for which you're applying.
You will need to attach documentation to your application which contains your responses to the knowledge and skills criteria.
Your responses must demonstrate:
- your understanding of the criteria
- how you meet the criteria, and
- the depth and breadth of your knowledge and skills, using specific examples.
For more information about how to apply for registration, see Applying to become a certifier.
Knowledge and skills criteria for building inspectors
Refer to Schedule 3, clause 3 (1) of the Building and Development Certifiers Regulation 2020.
As stated in the legislation, you must know and understand:
(a) the Planning legislation
(b) the Building Code of Australia (volumes 1 and 2), including documents adopted by reference in the Building Code of Australia, to the extent they are relevant to this class of registration
(c) building fire safety, including fire engineering
(d) the legislative requirements relating to swimming pool safety
(e) the role and responsibilities of a registered certifier, including a principal certifier
(f) building surveying practices and procedures
(g) building construction, including methods, materials, planning and design.
Refer to Schedule 3, clause 3 (2) of the Building and Development Certifiers Regulation 2020.
As stated in the legislation, you must be able to:
(a) identify, interpret and determine compliance with all provisions of the planning legislation relevant to the processing of applications for complying development certificates, construction certificates, compliance certificates and occupation certificates
(b) interpret, apply and assess compliance with the relevant requirements of the Building Code of Australia
(c) interpret and review relevant documents used as evidence to demonstrate compliance, including reports in relation to performance solutions
(d) repealed - N/A
(e) repealed - N/A
(f) interpret, apply and assess compliance with the legislative requirements relating to swimming pool safety
(g) evaluate building construction including methods, materials, planning and design.
How to address the criteria in your application
Your responses must show your understanding of each criteria and your ability to carry out building inspections as a building inspector.
This means you must:
- write your responses in your own words.
- use a separate heading for each criteria, for example '(a) the Planning Legislation' followed by your response or example
- make sure any references to the Building Code of Australia, legislation or Australian Standards are current.
- demonstrate that you know and understand the criteria (this is defined as 'knowledge')
- demonstrate that you are able to do the task (defined as skills)
- use specific examples of your own work, rather than general statements. General statement might include:
- 'I understand the planning legislation …'
- 'As a licensed builder I have extensive knowledge of …'
- 'I have completed these courses…'
Example response
This example response about the planning legislation should assist you with preparing your report.
Understand the criteria
Describe your understanding of the specified knowledge or skill relevant to the role of a building inspector.
For example, the planning legislation is defined under clause 1 of Schedule 3 of the Building and Development Certifiers Regulation as: Planning legislation means the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 and includes the regulations made under that Act.
As a registered certifier in the class of building inspector you are expected to:
- understand the critical stage inspections for building work as required under Section 61 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment (Development Certification and Fire Safety) Regulation 2021.
- demonstrate your understanding of the criteria within the authority of a registered building inspector carrying out a critical stage inspection for class 1 and 10 buildings.
- inspect the building work to ensure it is progressing in accordance with the requirements of the development consent and construction certificate or complying development consent in addition to ensuring compliance with the relevant provisions of the Building Code of Australia (BCA) and Australian Standards.
Explain how you meet the criteria
Describe how you obtained this knowledge.
For example, provide details of the training or reading you've completed in relation to the specific legislation.
Demonstrate the depth and breadth of your knowledge
Provide examples for your knowledge (or skills) to demonstrate the extent of your knowledge in relation to the planning legislation.
This might include details on:
- what you would look for when carrying out a footing inspection or other critical stage inspections
- your approach to assessing an application, for example for a compliance certificate or complying development certificate
- your understanding of the purpose of an inspection. For example, you could write that an inspection is just not just to ensure the even bearing of the foundation material is in accordance with the engineers’ detail, but also to ensure the footing are compliant in the layout as approved under the development consent and construction certificate, and to ensure the building work is progressing in accordance with the development consent and construction certificate.
Make sure you include an accurate and complete reference to sections or clauses from the relevant legislation and provisions of the Buliding Code of Australia and adopted documents.
Qualifications and experience for building inspectors
There are 3 qualification and experience pathways to become a building inspector in NSW.
Note: Some of the courses that are still recognised are no longer on offer.
Pathway 1
You have completed any of the following:
- Bachelor of Building Surveying and Certification (Honours) from Central Queensland University
- Bachelor of Construction Management (Building) (Honours) from the University of Newcastle (begun on or after 1 January 2011)
- Bachelor of Construction Management (building surveying option) from the University of South Australia
- Graduate Diploma in Building Surveying from Western Sydney University, Bond University or the University of South Australia
- Graduate Diploma of Building Surveying from Holmesglen Institute (Awarded before 31 December 2018)
- Master of Building Surveying from Bond University or Western Sydney University
- Masters degree, bachelor degree or graduate diploma in building surveying from a university or higher education provider identified on the TEQSA National Register as a self-accrediting authority
- Masters degree, bachelor degree or graduate diploma in building surveying listed as an approved course on the TEQSA National Register
- Bachelor of Applied Science (Construction Management) from Curtin University
- Bachelor of Construction Management from the University of South Australia
- Bachelor of Construction Management (Honours) with a major in Building Surveying from Western Sydney University
- NVR approved Advanced Diploma of Building Surveying (CPC60115)
- Graduate diploma or graduate certificate in building surveying from a university or higher education provider identified on the TEQSA National Register as a self-accrediting authority
- Graduate diploma or graduate certificate in building surveying listed as an approved course on the TEQSA National Register
- NVR approved skillset CPCSS00004 of the Advanced Diploma in Building Surveying
- Associate degree, graduate diploma or graduate certificate in building surveying from a university or higher education provider identified on the TEQSA National Register as a self-accrediting authority
- Associate degree, graduate diploma or graduate certificate in building surveying listed as an approved course on the TEQSA National Register
- Degree or post-graduate qualification in building surveying, building, construction, construction management or civil engineering from an Australian university
- Degree in architecture from an Australian university
- Bachelor of Science (Environmental Health) from Western Sydney University
- Post-graduate qualification in building, construction or construction management from an Australian university
- Diploma of Local Government (Environmental Health and Building Assessment) including successful completion of the CPCCSV5011A (Apply building codes and standards to residential buildings) competency or the CPCCSV5001A (Assess the construction of domestic scale buildings) competency from the Local Government Training Institute.
None required.
Pathway 2
You are enrolled in a course leading to one of the following qualifications:
- Bachelor of Building Surveying and Certification (Honours) from Central Queensland University
- Bachelor of Construction Management (Building) (Honours) from the University of Newcastle (begun on or after 1 January 2011)
- Bachelor of Construction Management (building surveying option) from the University of South Australia
- Graduate Diploma in Building Surveying from Western Sydney University, Bond University or the University of South Australia
- Master of Building Surveying from Bond University or Western Sydney University
- Masters degree, bachelor degree or graduate diploma in building surveying from a university or higher education provider identified on the TEQSA National Register as a self-accrediting authority
- Masters degree, bachelor degree or graduate diploma in building surveying listed as an approved course on the TEQSA National Register
- Bachelor of Applied Science (Construction Management) from Curtin University
- Bachelor of Construction Management from the University of South Australia
- Bachelor of Construction Management (Honours) with a major in Building Surveying from Western Sydney University
- NVR approved Advanced Diploma of Building Surveying (CPC60115)
- Graduate diploma or graduate certificate in building surveying from a university or higher education provider identified on the TEQSA National Register as a self-accrediting authority
- Graduate diploma or graduate certificate in building surveying listed as an approved course on the TEQSA National Register
- NVR approved skillset CPCSS00004 of the Advanced Diploma in Building Surveying
- Associate degree, graduate diploma or graduate certificate in building surveying from a university or higher education provider identified on the TEQSA National Register as a self-accrediting authority
- Associate degree, graduate diploma or graduate certificate in building surveying listed as an approved course on the TEQSA National Register.
None required.
Pathway 3
You have satisfactorily completed an NVR approved Certificate IV in building and construction (building).
You have 6 months' recent relevant practical experience.