Permits, licensing & documents
Licensing assistance
Guidance on licensing and registration pathways for people working in building and property, and practical help preparing your application material and evidence. The relevant licensing or registration authority makes every decision.
Illustration. Not an actual property or real inspection work.
- People starting out in building inspection or related property work.
- Tradespeople and building professionals considering a licence or registration.
- Practitioners looking to add a new class or category to an existing registration.
- Applicants who have been asked for more information by the authority.
- A plain overview of the licensing and registration pathways that may be relevant to your work.
- Understanding what the relevant authority asks applicants to provide.
- Organising evidence of your qualifications and experience into a clear structure.
- Reviewing your application material for clarity and gaps before you submit it.
- Explaining correspondence or requests from the authority.
- A summary of the pathways that may suit your situation.
- A checklist of material to gather.
- Feedback on the organisation and clarity of your application material.
- Practical next steps.
Gather your qualifications, certificates and transcripts.
Prepare a summary of your work history, with dates, roles and the kinds of work you did.
Note the type of licence or registration you're considering, if you know it.
Bring any correspondence from the authority.
Can’t see your question? Send an enquiry and we’ll come back to you.
More detail
More about licensing assistance
How it works
Tell us about your background and the work you do or want to do. We'll talk through the licensing and registration pathways that may be relevant, what the authority commonly asks applicants to provide, and how to organise your evidence. Where it helps, we can review your application material for clarity and gaps before you submit it.
Where decisions sit
Every decision about a licence or registration is made by the relevant licensing or registration authority. Requirements are set by that authority and can change, so always check the current requirements before you apply. VicWide can help you prepare well; it can't promise an outcome or a timeframe.
Honest applications
An application must be accurate and your own. The focus is on understanding the requirements and presenting your genuine qualifications and experience clearly, so the authority has what it needs to assess your application.
Learn with VicWide
Showing 2 topics
Inspections
How do I read an inspection report?
An inspection report records what was observed at the time of the inspection, where it was observed, and what couldn't be inspected. This topic walks through a typical report structure and how to use it when you talk with builders, agents or other advisers.
Key points 5
- A report describes observations at the time of the inspection. Conditions can change afterwards.
- Read the scope and limitations first, so you know what was and wasn't inspected.
- Observations are grouped by area, so you can find what matters to your decision.
- A report is not a certificate of compliance, a warranty or an insurance policy.
- If something isn't clear, ask us to explain it in plain language.
Related service: Compliance & reporting
Permits & documentation
Which permits and documents might my project need?
Planning permits and building permits deal with different things, and a project may need one, both or neither. This topic explains the difference in plain terms, the kinds of documents authorities commonly ask for, and why the decision always sits with the relevant authority.
Key points 5
- A planning permit generally relates to how land is used and developed. Your council administers planning.
- A building permit relates to the building work itself and is issued by a building surveyor.
- Whether a permit is needed depends on the project and the property, so check before work starts.
- Authorities commonly ask for plans, specifications and supporting reports. Exact requirements vary.
- Decisions and timeframes sit with your council, the relevant building surveyor or the relevant authority.
Related service: Permits & approvals
Ready when you are
Enquire about licensing assistance
Tell us about the property. We confirm the scope and a quote with you before anything is arranged.