Compliance by state

When plumbers must lodge a QBCC Form 4 for notifiable work

In Queensland, notifiable plumbing and drainage work such as installing water heaters or relocating fixtures does not need a council permit, but the licensee must register a Form 4 with the QBCC within 10 business days of the work being finished, at a $36.88 online fee, and give the occupant a copy within 20 business days.

Last checked 25 Sep 2026 against the sources listed at the end of this page.

Official name

Notifiable work registration: Form 4 for private work, or Form 4A for public sector work

Regulator

Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC)

Who issues it

The relevant person for the work, usually the licensed plumber or drainer, or their nominated QBCC Portal representative, registers the Form 4/4A

When

Completing notifiable work: work listed in Schedule 1, Part 2 of the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019, such as installing or replacing water heaters, relocating fixtures, or extending, altering or replacing pipework

Deadline

Within 10 business days after the work is finished (invoice given, or the work becoming operational if no invoice applies)

Lodgement

Online through the QBCC Portal, or a manual Form 4/4A by post, email or in person at a QBCC office

Keep records for

Give the occupant, or the person who asked for the work, a copy within 20 business days of the work being finished. QBCC records the registration on its notifiable work register.

Penalty

It is an offence to carry out notifiable work without registering a Form 4/4A, or to fail to give the occupant a copy of it: maximum penalty 60 penalty units, a ceiling of $10,362 at the $172.70 penalty unit value that applies from 1 July 2026.

Homeowner? If you're a homeowner, ask your plumber or drainer for their Form 4 registration and, if the job involved drainage, the as constructed diagram. You don't lodge anything yourself, but QBCC's notifiable work register lets you check the work was recorded.

What the certificate must show

• Property address where the notifiable work was carried out
• The categories of notifiable work performed, for example Category 1 (extending, altering or replacing supply pipework)
• The licensee or licensees who carried out the work
• The relevant person registering the form: the contractor, licensee, or public sector entity
• An as constructed diagram, for drainage work in categories 4 and 11

Produce it from a ServiceM8 job

1. In Settings > Forms > Add Form, create a form called Notifiable work QLD.
2. Add a Multiple Choice question, Work type, with the options Notifiable / Permit / Minor, so the plumber flags which applies before the job is closed.
3. For notifiable jobs, add a Multiple Choice (allow multiple answers) question, Categories of work, listing the Schedule 1 categories you use most, for example Category 1 supply pipework, Category 4 sanitary drainage, and Category 6 water heaters.
4. Add a Date question for Date work finished, and, for drainage jobs in categories 4 or 11, a Photo or File question for the as constructed diagram.
5. Attach the form to a job badge, for example Plumbing job, and set the badge requirement so the form must be completed before the job can be checked out.
6. After checkout, use the categories and finish date recorded on the form to register the Form 4 through the QBCC Portal within 10 business days.
7. Save the QBCC registration confirmation into the ServiceM8 job diary, then email the occupant's copy of the Form 4/4A from there before the 20 business day deadline.