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Licences and rules

Roofers in Western AustraliaSwapping tiles for steel changes the rules.

WA has no single roofing licence. What matters is whether the job needs a building permit and what it's worth: permit work of $20,000 or more needs a registered building contractor in most of the state. Roof coating over $1,000 needs a registered painting contractor. Changing to a roof of a different weight or shape will likely need a permit.

When does a WA re-roof need a registered builder?

Registration applies to 'builder work': work that needs a building permit, is worth $20,000 or more, and sits inside the prescribed area, which covers 122 local governments.

Building and Energy enforces it. In a case finalised in July 2025, an unregistered company that replaced a tile roof with corrugated steel for $27,445 was fined $22,500 along with its director. Starting permit work before the permit is granted is an offence too.

Like-for-like or a different roof?

Same material and profileDifferent weight or shape
Building permitGenerally not, per 2015 guidance, if the structure isn't affectedLikely needed

Roof coating and patios

Building and Energy treats roof coating as a building service. Anyone painting or coating a roof for over $1,000 needs painter registration as a contractor, in Perth and most country areas.

From 1 July 2026, patios, carports and other Class 10a structures under $50,000 don't need a registered builder, though permit rules still apply.

Checking a WA licence

Search the WA Online Licence Search (ols.demirs.wa.gov.au/search), which covers builders, painters and plumbers. Check the name, number and licence type all match, because a contractor and a practitioner can share a number. Unsure? Call Building and Energy on 1300 489 099, or read our guide to checking a licence.

Home indemnity insurance and deposits

Home indemnity insurance (HII) is required for permit work over $20,000, with the certificate in your hands before work starts or any money is asked for. If the builder dies, disappears or goes insolvent, it covers completion up to $200,000 and a lost deposit up to $40,000.

The Home Building Contracts Act covers fixed-price contracts from $7,500 to $500,000, registered builder or not. The deposit can't exceed 6.5 per cent, rise and fall clauses aren't allowed, and defects you report must be fixed within 4 months after practical completion.

Before you sign in WA

  • Does the job need a building permit, and who's applying?
  • A written quote with the ABN, licence number, materials, labour and timeframe
  • Prices that include GST
  • The 'Notice for the homeowner' before you sign
  • Every variation in writing, dated and signed

Cyclones and wind in WA

The north-west coast is Australia's most cyclone-prone region, with a season that usually runs from November to April. Wind Region D, unique to WA, is a 50 km wide coastal band from about Port Hedland to Carnarvon.

The south gets hit too. Building and Energy found replacement roofs were over-represented in storm and cyclone damage: in Perth, about half the roofs lost in storms were lightweight metal that had replaced heavy tile or asbestos. When ex-tropical cyclone Alby hit in April 1978, most Albany homes had partial or complete roof failure.

Asbestos roofs in WA

Homes built before 1990 are likely to contain asbestos, including in roof sheeting, gutters, ridge capping and eaves. WA Health says old asbestos cement roofs can be unsafe to walk on, and WA law bans cleaning them with high-pressure water. Over 10 square metres of non-friable asbestos, or any friable asbestos, needs a licensed removalist, and your council may need to approve removal. Check the licence on WorkSafe's search and get a clearance certificate afterwards.

If a WA roof job goes wrong

Give the roofer a Notice of proposed complaint at least 14 days before lodging with Building and Energy, and keep a copy. The process covers paid home building work under a contract, even from an unregistered provider. Consumer law issues go to Consumer Protection on 1300 30 40 54.

Where we'd start in WA

If your quote swaps tiles or asbestos sheeting for steel, we'd ask two questions first: who's getting the building permit, and how will the roof be tied down? A good roofer will have answers ready. Then check their registration yourself, and run the quote past our guide to roofing quotes.

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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Pick your city

Cities in Western Australia

Roofers in PerthWhat Perth's heat, winter rain, coast and hills mean for your roof, and the jobs that come up most.Roofing help in BunburyTornadoes in 2005 and 2024, winter rain, coastal steel and bushfire maps: what Bunbury roofs deal with.Roofing help in AlbanyFrequent showers, Cyclone Alby, King George Sound salt and heritage homes: Albany roofs in brief.Roofing help in BusseltonBay or surf steel, winter storms, Cyclone Alby and fast-growing suburbs: Busselton roofs in brief.
Questions

Straight answers.

A roofer says my tiles need coating. Do they?
Not necessarily. Building and Energy and Consumer Protection say it isn't generally true that tiled roofs need painting or coating, unless you want a new look or colour.
Why do some documents mention DMIRS?
Since 1 July 2025, Building and Energy sits within the Department of Local Government, Industry Regulation and Safety (LGIRS). Older documents use the former name.
Can I cancel a deal from a door-knocker?
Yes. On a deal over $100, you have 10 business days to cancel without penalty, and the trader can't take payment or start work in that time.
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.Colorbond or tiles?Steel or tiles? Weight, pitch, coast, heat, noise and lifespan compared for your house.Asbestos roof replacementLicensed removal, testing, disposal and the new roof: how an asbestos re-roof works, step by step.Roofers in PerthWhat Perth's heat, winter rain, coast and hills mean for your roof, and the jobs that come up most.

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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