When must a Victorian plumber lodge a compliance certificate?

When one is required

Only a licensed plumber can issue a compliance certificate. Registration alone is not enough. The $750 threshold counts labour, materials, appliances and GST, even when others supply the materials or appliances.

Work in the second row of the table needs a certificate regardless of cost.

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Five days, not business days

The customer copy is due within five days of completion or of termination of the contract. The lodgement with the BPC through VBA360 is due within five days of completion. The BPC counts these as five days, not business days.

Where applicable, record the eleven-digit consent number and confirmation that the as-laid plan was lodged with the water authority. Include the appliance, fixture and scope details.

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Whose work you can certify

A licensed plumber can certify work they carried out or completed, supervised, or engaged another licensed plumber to do. When taking over earlier work, the issuing plumber must inspect or test that work, complete or supervise the remaining work and state compliance. Incomplete work still needs the required certificate, recording why it stopped and the stage reached.

Complex gas work such as Type B appliances is overseen by Energy Safe Victoria and is a separate process.

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Closeout checklist you can copy

This is our suggested checklist, not a BPC form. Date each step on the job.

PLUMBING CLOSEOUT: VICTORIA

Job and site: [address]
Total value: labour $[amount] + materials $[amount] + appliances $[amount] (including customer supplied) + GST = $[total]
Over $750 or a work type that needs one at any cost? [yes / no, which]
Completed or contract terminated on: [DD/MM/YYYY]
Customer copy due (5 days): [DD/MM/YYYY]; given on: [DD/MM/YYYY]
Lodged with BPC through VBA360 (5 days from completion): [DD/MM/YYYY]
Consent number AND confirmation as-laid plan lodged (if applicable): [reference]
Appliance, fixture and scope details: [list]
Taken over or partial work? [yes / no, stage and reason noted]
Type B or complex gas (Energy Safe Victoria process)? [yes / no]
Filed by: [name, date]

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Common questions

Do I need a plumbing compliance certificate?

In Victoria, if you are a licensed plumber, yes when the total work value exceeds $750 including labour, materials, appliances and GST. You also need one for listed work, such as below-ground sanitary drains and gas appliance installs, whatever the cost.[1]

How to get a CoC plumbing certificate?

As a customer, ask the licensed plumber who did the work, because they must give you the certificate within five days of completion. The plumber lodges the certificate with the BPC through VBA360.[1]