SA Contractor Licence Verification
Verify South Australian building work contractor licences against the official Consumer and Business Services (CBS) register. Check that your contractor is licensed to work in SA.
About Consumer and Business Services SA
Consumer and Business Services (CBS) is a division of the South Australian Attorney-General's Department responsible for licensing and regulating building work contractors in the state. CBS administers the Building Work Contractors Act 1995, which establishes the licensing framework for building work in South Australia.
In South Australia, a building work contractor's licence is required for anyone who contracts to perform building work (including renovations, extensions, and new builds). Unlike some states that use registration systems, SA issues specific licences with defined work categories.
Our SA licence data includes:
- Licensed building work contractors across all categories
- Building work supervisors — individuals who supervise licensed work
- Licence conditions and categories defining scope of permitted work
- Current licence status — active, suspended, or cancelled
SA Building Licence Categories
South Australia issues building work licences across these main categories:
General building and construction work
Supervision of building work on-site
Plumbing, gasfitting, and drainage work
Electrical installation and maintenance
Gas appliance installation and servicing
Structural demolition work
South Australia Building Regulations
Building Indemnity Insurance
South Australia requires Building Indemnity Insurance (BII) for all domestic building work valued over $12,000. This protects homeowners if the builder dies, disappears, or becomes insolvent during or after the project. BII is provided through approved insurers and must be arranged before work commences.
Development Approvals
SA uses an integrated planning and development system under the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016. Most building work requires development approval, which may include planning consent, building rules consent, or both. Applications are managed through the PlanSA online portal.
Consumer Protection
CBS provides a conciliation service for building disputes between homeowners and builders. Issues involving defective work, contract disputes, or unlicensed building activity can be reported to CBS for investigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check a contractor licence in South Australia?
Use our SA licence search to verify any CBS-licensed building work contractor. You can search by name, licence number, or ABN. CBS also maintains a public licence search at cbs.sa.gov.au.
What information is available for SA licences?
Our SA data includes the licensee's name, licence number, licence category, current status (active, suspended, cancelled), and business information. This allows you to confirm a contractor is authorised to perform building work in South Australia.
How current is the SA data?
South Australian licence data is updated regularly from CBS public records. Check our Status page for the latest data refresh date. SA data coverage may be partial for some licence categories.
What's the minimum value requiring a licence in SA?
In South Australia, a building work contractor's licence is required for anyone who contracts to perform building work of any value. This is stricter than some states — for example, Queensland only requires licensing for work over $3,300. However, minor maintenance and repairs may be exempt.
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