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Licences and rules

Roofers in the ACTFewer automatic protections, so the contract does the work.

The ACT doesn't license roofers as a trade, but replacing a roof needs building approval, and that means a licensed builder. There's no compulsory written contract, no cooling-off period and no deposit cap, so what you agree in writing carries real weight. Asbestos rules have no small-job exception.

Who needs a licence in the ACT?

Builders, plumbers, drainers, gasfitters and electricians are licensed under the Construction Occupations (Licensing) Act 2004. ACT Planning lists roofing contractors among professionals who aren't all required to hold a licence.

Building approval is the trigger. Replacing a roof needs it, and approved work needs a builder licensed in the right class; Class C covers houses of 2 storeys or lower. Replacing one tile doesn't need approval. If you hire a company, ask who its licensed nominee is, because that person supervises your job.

The ACT is considering licensing more trades, not before 2027, and roofing isn't among the examples.

What ACT law sets, and what we'd do about it

What the law saysWhat we'd do
Written contractNot requiredAlways get one, signed
Cooling-offNoneTake the contract home and read it first
Stage paymentsNo set schedulePay for each stage once it's done
Building certifierYou appoint them, not the builderChoose your own

Insurance changed on 1 January 2025

For work over $12,000 on some residential buildings, the builder needs residential building work insurance or a fidelity fund certificate before work starts. QBE is currently the only authorised insurer.

From 1 January 2025, minimum cover rose from $85,000 to $200,000, and the time to claim rose from 90 days to 180 days after you learn the builder is insolvent, has died or disappeared. Insurance claims currently top out at $10,000 for a deposit and $200,000 for completed work.

Approved work of $12,000 or more also carries a statutory warranty: 6 years for structural elements, including weatherproofing, and 2 years for the rest. A contract can't cut it back.

Checking an ACT licence

Open the Access Canberra public registers (services.accesscanberra.act.gov.au) and pick the register for the trade, such as licensed builders. It shows current, expired, suspended and cancelled licences, with disciplinary action under the Details tab. Ads must show the licensed name and number, plus the ACN for a company. See our guide to checking a licence.

Asbestos: no 10 square metre exception here

In the ACT, only a licensed asbestos removalist may remove asbestos from a home, whatever the amount. The ACT removed the national exception that elsewhere allows up to 10 square metres of non-friable asbestos without a licence. The only carve-out is minor routine maintenance, such as clearing leaf litter from the gutters of an asbestos cement roof. Cleaning with high pressure air or water isn't minor work. Only a licensed asbestos assessor can issue clearance certificates.

Mr Fluffy homes

Loose-fill asbestos was blown into the roof spaces of more than 1,000 Canberra homes between 1968 and 1978-79. Owners of an affected property must give WorkSafe ACT at least five business days' notice of work that may disturb the roof space. If you suspect loose-fill, don't touch it; call a licensed asbestos assessor.

Before you sign in the ACT

  • A builder licensed in the right class for a re-roof
  • Contract covering scope, price, dates, variations, payment stages and disputes
  • Public liability certificate of currency and the roofer's ABN
  • Disciplinary register checked for the builder and its directors

Where to complain in the ACT

Raise problems with your builder in writing as soon as you notice them, and talk to your certifier about compliance during the build. For contract issues, try the Conflict Resolution Service, Access Canberra Fair Trading or ACAT, which hears claims of $25,000 or less.

What Canberra roofs face

Hail. On 20 January 2020, stones four to six centimetres across punched through roofs from Belconnen to the inner south, and the ACT lodged 74,660 insurance claims.

What we'd do before signing in Canberra

Because so little is automatic, we'd put everything in the contract: scope, price, stage payments and how disputes get settled. Our guide to reading roofing quotes is a good list of what the contract should spell out.

Want a roofer to take a look?

Tell us the job and your postcode. We match it with a Find My Roofer certified roofer who specialises in that kind of work, and they call you to quote. Your number goes to them alone.

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Roofers in CanberraWhat's different about Canberra roofs, the jobs that come up most, and the ACT rules worth knowing first.
Questions

Straight answers.

Can I remove a few asbestos sheets myself?
No. The ACT needs a licensed removalist for any amount, apart from minor routine maintenance. Small, properly wrapped household amounts are accepted free at Mugga Lane or Mitchell Resource Management Centres.
Does changing from metal to tile need approval?
ACT Planning says refinishing a roof, such as metal sheet to tile, doesn't need development approval. Building approval is separate, and replacing a roof needs it.
Is there any cooling-off period at all?
Not for building contracts. If a roofer knocked uninvited, consumer law gives you 10 business days to cancel deals over $100.
Related help

Helpful next

How to check a roofer's licenceWho licenses roofers in each state, the dollar thresholds, and the register to search.Roofing quotes explainedWhat a roofing quote should say, how to compare two, and each state's deposit and contract rules.Is my roof asbestos?Build date, Super Six, cement slates and eaves: how to tell if your roof could be asbestos.Hail damage roof claimsHail just hit? What to photograph, when to claim, cash or repairs, and the door-knockers to avoid.Roof replacementStrip-off, new battens and sarking, new roof. How to know it's time, and what happens on a re-roof.

Where this information comes from

Every fact and rule on this page comes from the sources above, checked on the dates shown. How we write and check these pages.

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