National Police Certificates for new home building licence applications to support industry integrity
To help support integrity and raise standards in the state’s home building and construction sector, National Police Check (NPCs) certificates will soon be required for the majority of new licensing applications.
NPCs outline an individual’s criminal history from all Australian jurisdictions, including outstanding charges and disclosable court outcomes from other states and territories.
From 23 June 2026, all new applications for Individual Contractor Licences, Qualified Supervisor Certificates and Tradesperson Certificates will require the provision of a NPC.
These licence types account for the majority of home building licence applications each year and form a cornerstone of the regulator’s oversight, with Building Commission NSW receiving around 18,000 individual new applications last financial year.
Requiring NPCs as part of the licensing process will help Building Commission NSW identify high-risk individuals before they enter the industry, especially those with serious criminal convictions.
In addition, the requirements will provide access to criminal histories recorded across all Australian jurisdictions, helping ensure those with interstate convictions cannot hide their criminal histories.
Replacing manual criminal history checks, which can significantly prolong the application process, will also help streamline licensing assessments and improve turnaround times for applicants.
The changes to applications for these licence categories align with existing requirements for registrations issued under the Design and Building Practitioner (DBP) Registration Scheme.
NPCs will be required at the time of application, must be no older than four months old from the date of application and must be issued by an Australian law enforcement agency.
The cost of an NPC for applicants will range from about $30 to $80 and is tax deductible.
Building Commission NSW is currently investigating the implementation of NPC requirements for company licences, with a view to implementing it across all licensing categories.
The current staggered approach has been adopted to maintain service delivery standards and avoid unnecessary disruption.
For more information please visit the National Police Check web page.
Quotes attributable to NSW Building Commissioner, James Sherrard:
“This change to Building Commission NSW’s licensing system will strengthen integrity across the State’s home building sector and protect homeowners from wrongdoing before it occurs.”
“Mandatory National Police Checks will give us the full picture of an applicant’s background, allowing us to identify high-risk individuals and prevent them from entering the industry.”
“It will also streamline the process for many applicants who may have previously needed us to undertake manual checks into their background, which in many cases can prolong the assessment process.”