Owner-builder permits

An owner-builder is someone who takes responsibility for domestic building work carried out on their own land. If you wish to become an owner-builder, you will be responsible for:

• ensuring a building permit is obtained and paying the building permit levy
• supervising or undertaking the building work
• ensuring the work meets building regulations and standards
• notifying the Victorian Building Authority (VBA) if the estimated cost of works has increased at the end of the project.

Step 1

Determine your eligibility to become an owner-builder on the VBA's owner-builder eligibility page.

Step 2

If eligible to become an owner-builder and the works you'll be doing are over $16,000, you need to obtain a certificate of consent to be an owner-builder from the VBA.

Step 3

Engage a building practitioner, contractor or tradesperson for domestic works over $10,000.

Step 4

As the owner-builder, you’ll need to enter into a contract with a building practitioner, contractor or tradesperson for domestic building work costing more than $10,000.

If you intend to engage a single builder to do all the building work, you do not need to submit an owner-builder application, as you will not qualify as an owner-builder. Instead, you’ll need to enter into a domestic building contract with a registered building practitioner.

The VBA warns against situations where a builder or tradesperson asks you to sign a building permit as an owner-builder, even though they will be doing the work.

View the VBA's owner-builder page for the latest information on owner-builder requirements.