Commercial building contractor registrations
The Northern Territory Government has introduced registration requirements for building contractors undertaking class 1b and classes 3 to 9 building work. This new category of registration is part of a reform program to increase confidence in the construction industry by ensuring commercial builders have appropriate qualifications and experience.
To support experienced and skilled building practitioners to continue to work as usual, a grandfathering initiative has been introduced to bring current Northern Territory builders into the registration scheme.
What is grandfathering
Grandfathering allows builders in the Northern Territory to obtain a building contractor commercial registration based on their commercial building work experience without needing to meet qualification requirements.
A builder wanting to grandfather into the commercial registration scheme must apply for grandfathering between 15 April 2024 and 14 April 2025. Full registration requirements will apply from 15 April 2025 to anyone wanting to become registered as a commercial building contractor.
Who can apply for the grandfathering
Any Northern Territory builder who can demonstrate at least 3 years’ recent experience building class 1b, class 3 to 9 buildings in the Northern Territory can apply under grandfathering provisions for either of the following types of registration:
- building contractor commercial (restricted) - for buildings up to 3 storeys
- building contractor commercial (unrestricted) - for buildings of any height.
Applicants will need to provide a net assets certificate, certified by a registered accountant, stating that you have net tangible assets of $50,000 or more. Refer to the building contractor commercial (restricted or unrestricted) registration form.
It's important to note that after this 12 month window, all individuals seeking commercial building contractor registration must satisfy the full requirements of qualification and experience, set out in the Ministerial Determination.
Scope of work for building contractor commercial
For more details of the scope of work for this category, view practitioners.
Commercial and residential registrations
You can hold both commercial and residential registrations. If you are a registered building contractor residential, with experience doing commercial building work, you will be able to apply for registration as a commercial builder. You will need to demonstrate 3 years’ experience doing commercial building work in the Northern Territory.
The 12 month grandfathering initiative is only applicable to new commercial registration applications.
