Statement of Regulatory Intent: Supervision of plumbing apprentices
Information about the legislative requirements for the supervision of plumbing apprentices and how Building Commission NSW approaches compliance and enforcement.
Purpose
This Statement of Regulatory Intent sets out the compliance and enforcement approach of Building Commission NSW to the supervision of plumbing apprentices under the Home Building Act 1989 and Plumbing and Drainage Act 2011. It clarifies the legislative responsibilities of those supervising apprentices and unlicensed and unqualified people in the plumbing industry.
This statement was approved by the NSW Building Commissioner on 11 November 2025.
Background
Effective supervision in plumbing is critical for safety, quality workmanship, and regulatory compliance. Whether in residential, commercial, or industrial settings, apprentices need proper guidance to develop skills and grow professionally.
The legislative requirements
The Home Building Act 1989 and Plumbing and Drainage Act 2011 impose supervision duties on endorsed contractor licensees and qualified supervisor certificate holders for plumbing and drainage work. In particular, section 6 of the Plumbing and Drainage Act 2011 states:
‘(1) A person must not do any kind of plumbing and drainage work unless the person -
- holds an endorsed contractor licence or a supervisor certificate in force under the Home Building Act 1989 authorising the holder to do that kind of work, or
- does the work under the immediate supervision of the holder of such a licence or certificate, or
- holds a tradesperson certificate in force under the Home Building Act 1989 authorising the holder to do that work under supervision and does that work under the general supervision of the holder of a licence or certificate referred to in paragraph a.
Maximum penalty - 100 penalty units.’
Scope of the Statement of Regulatory Intent
Any person, company or organisation acting as an employer of plumbing apprentices or other unlicensed persons must follow this Statement of Regulatory Intent. This includes licensed plumbers and those who hold a supervisor certificate or tradesperson certificate.
Proposed approach to enforcement of apprentice supervision requirements
To temporarily address the current shortage of qualified people to supervise apprentices, Building Commission NSW will adopt the following approach to the enforcement of supervision of plumbing apprentices.
Immediate supervision
Building Commission NSW considers 'immediate supervision' to mean that the supervisor is:
- always physically present
- readily available to provide specific instructions and guidance to enable the work to be undertaken correctly by the individual doing it
- overseeing and reviewing the work
- ensuring the completed work is compliant and meets all regulatory requirements.
In addition, for first and second-year apprentices, the supervisor must have clear line of sight of the work being done.
General supervision
Under general supervision, there is intermittent supervision to provide guidance and monitoring.
While the supervisor may not always be physically present on site, they must remain readily accessible, to provide necessary support and ensure the work is carried out safely and in compliance with relevant standards.
Enforcement approach to supervision for different types of workers
Supervision type
Immediate supervision
Who is eligible to supervise?
Supervisor must be a licensed contractor or hold a supervisor certificate. A supervisor may have the holder of a tradesperson certificate provide immediate supervision to no more than one apprentice at a time.
Permitted scope of work
Only a licensed contractor or a qualified supervisor certificate holder is permitted to sign off on the plumbing and drainage work completed by the tradesperson certificate holder and apprentice.
Sign off on plumbing and drainage work
Only a licensed contractor or a qualified supervisor certificate holder is permitted to sign off on the plumbing and drainage work completed by the tradesperson certificate holder and apprentice.
Supervision type
Immediate supervision
Who is eligible to supervise?
A supervisor must be either a licensed contractor or hold a supervisor certificate. A supervisor may have the holder of a tradesperson certificate provide supervision to no more than one apprentice at a time.
Permitted scope of work
The apprentice may carry out plumbing and drainage work under their supervisor’s direction, provided they have sufficient prior training and experience. They may work independently while the supervisor remains onsite and available to assist, with all completed work to be reviewed for compliance by the supervisor.
Sign off on plumbing and drainage work
Only a licensed contractor or a qualified supervisor certificate holder is permitted to sign off on the work by the tradesperson certificate holder and apprentice.
Supervision type
General supervision
Who is eligible to supervise?
A supervisor must be either a licensed contractor or hold a supervisor certificate.
Permitted scope of work
Apprentices may only work under general supervision if they have completed a Certificate III in Plumbing. The apprentice may perform plumbing, drainage work as directed by their reporting supervisor provided they have gained adequate exposure to these tasks during their previous years of training.
Sign off on plumbing and drainage work
Only a licensed contractor or qualified supervisor certificate holder is permitted to sign off on the apprentice's work.
Supervision type
Immediate supervision
Who is eligible to supervise?
Supervisor must be a licensed contractor or hold a supervisor certificate. A supervisor may have the holder of a tradesperson certificate provide immediate supervision to no more than one unlicensed or unqualified person at a time throughout the work.
Permitted scope of work
The scope of work that can be undertaken is limited to plumbing and drainage tasks.
Sign off on plumbing and drainage work
Only a licensed contractor or a qualified supervisor certificate holder is permitted to sign off on the work by the tradesperson certificate holder and unlicensed or unqualified person.
* 'Unlicensed' may include people who have obtained a Certificate III qualification but who have not obtained a tradesperson certificate.
Period of enforcement
This Statement of Regulatory Intent will be enforced from 1 February 2026 to 31 January 2028.
The enforcement approach remains subject to potential legislative amendments and should not be interpreted as a guarantee that the current supervisory framework will remain in effect throughout this period.
During the enforcement period, Building Commission NSW will adopt a supportive and educative approach to compliance. However, it reserves the right to exercise the full range of enforcement powers available under the legislation, with non-compliance to be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
For further information please contact the Building Commission NSW Building Inspections team at: PCA@customerservice.nsw.gov.au