What happens if an LBP does bad work?

You can complain to the Building Practitioners Board, which investigates complaints about LBP conduct and competence. Possible outcomes include disciplinary action (fines up to $10,000, licence suspension or cancellation), orders to pay costs, and mandatory training. The Board's decisions are published publicly. You may also have rights under the Consumer Guarantees Act and the Building Act.

What is a Record of Work?

A Record of Work is a statement provided by the LBP on completion of restricted building work. It describes the work done and confirms it was done in accordance with the building consent. The LBP must provide copies to the homeowner and the council within 5 working days of completing the work. Keep your Records of Work — they are important documentation for your property.

NZ Regulations

What is a Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP) in NZ?

Everything you need to know about Licensed Building Practitioners in New Zealand. What they do, when you need one, how to verify their licence, and what their obligations are.

If you are doing any building work in New Zealand, you will hear the term LBP. Licensed Building Practitioners are at the heart of the NZ building system — they are the people who are legally authorised to carry out or supervise restricted building work. Understanding what an LBP is and when you need one protects you as a homeowner.

What is an LBP?

A Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP) is a building professional who has been assessed and licensed by the Building Practitioners Board under the Building Act 2004. The LBP scheme was introduced in 2007 as part of reforms following the leaky building crisis, to ensure that people doing critical building work have the skills and knowledge to do it correctly. LBPs include builders, designers, carpenters, roofers, bricklayers, and site managers.

LBP Licence Classes

LBPs are licensed in specific classes: Carpentry — structural and non-structural carpentry. Roofing — roof installation and repair. External Plastering — exterior plaster cladding. Bricklaying and Blocklaying — brick and block construction. Foundations — concrete and foundation work. Site — project and site management (Site 1 for any building, Site 2 for residential up to 3 storeys). Design — building design (Design 1 for any building, Design 2 for residential up to 3 storeys, Design 3 for simple residential). Each LBP can only do restricted work within their licensed class.

What is Restricted Building Work?

Restricted building work (RBW) is building work that is critical to the structural integrity or weathertightness of a house or small-to-medium apartment building. This includes: structural work (foundations, framing, structural connections), weathertightness work (roofing, cladding, external joinery, decks over living spaces), and fire safety systems (passive fire protection). RBW must be carried out or supervised by an LBP in the relevant licence class.

How to Verify an LBP

You can verify any LBP for free on the Building Performance website (building.govt.nz). The public register shows: the practitioner's name, their licence class(es), licence number, licence status (active, suspended, cancelled), and any disciplinary history. Always verify before hiring — it takes less than a minute and protects your investment.

LBP Obligations

LBPs have legal obligations including: carrying out or supervising restricted building work competently, providing a Record of Work to the homeowner and the council on completion (documenting what was built and confirming it matches the consent), maintaining their competence through ongoing learning, notifying the Building Practitioners Board of any changes to their details, and carrying appropriate insurance. If an LBP does substandard work, they can be disciplined by the Board.

Key Takeaways

An LBP is a licensed building professional authorised to do restricted building work
Restricted building work covers structural, weathertightness, and fire safety work
LBPs are licensed in specific classes — check their class matches your project
Verify any LBP for free on building.govt.nz before hiring
LBPs must provide a Record of Work documenting what was built

Frequently Asked Questions

Not all building work is restricted building work. Builders doing non-restricted work (cosmetic renovations, landscaping, minor repairs) do not need to be LBPs. However, any work involving structure, weathertightness, or fire safety must be done by an LBP. In practice, most professional builders doing residential work should hold an LBP licence.