Get your waterproofing licence.
Showers, laundries and balconies rely on your membrane holding. In NSW, a waterproofing licence lets you contract that work under your own name. We help you get the qualification recognised and the paperwork right.
- What NSW asks for
- A Certificate III in Construction Waterproofing (CPC31420), or an earlier version on Building Commission NSW’s list, such as CPC31411
What the licence lets you do.
On someone else’s licence, you do the membrane and they set the price. With your own, builders and homeowners can hire you directly, and the margin on every wet area is yours.
- Contract residential waterproofing over $5,000 in labour and materials, under your own name.
- Seal showers, bathrooms and laundries so water stays in the wet area.
- Treat the outside of a home to keep water and damp from getting in.
- Lay sheet membranes, or apply liquid ones by brush or roller.
Your name on the sign.
It stays on your screen. Nothing is sent or saved.
Who qualifies.
In NSW, waterproofing licences come from Building Commission NSW. You qualify with the right Certificate III and a recent police check, not a count of years.
A Certificate III in Construction Waterproofing (CPC31420), or an older version on the list, such as CPC31411.
Waterproofing work an RTO can assess: wet areas and exteriors you’ve done, with photos and references to back them up.
A National Police Check no more than four months old.
A finished apprenticeship, if you’re doing one. No licence is issued while you’re still an apprentice.
Worth knowing: Licensed tilers may waterproof before they tile. You can take it on as its own job.
Other states and territories set their own rules. Tell us where you work, and we’ll check them for you.
Ask about your stateYour documents.
Tick off what you already have. We’ll help you with the rest.
0 of 10 ready
From your first call to your licence.
How it usually goes. Your case may skip a step, or need one we’ll explain at the start.
Free eligibility check
Tell us about the waterproofing you’ve done. We’ll tell you if the licence is realistic now, what’s missing, and what it would cost.
Your evidence pack
We help you gather photos, references and pay records, and fill gaps before anything goes to the RTO.
Assessment by an RTO
A registered training organisation assesses you for the Certificate III in Construction Waterproofing. Some units may involve a practical task or a short interview.
Your licence application
We prepare your application to Building Commission NSW, police check included, ready for you to lodge in person.
Licensed
Once it’s approved, waterproofing contracts can go out in your own name. You renew the licence after one, three or five years, depending on the term you choose.
Questions people ask us.
Something else on your mind?
Ask us on WhatsAppDo I need a licence for one shower?
In NSW, residential waterproofing needs a licence above $5,000 in labour and materials, including GST. The limit counts the membrane and primer as well as your time, so price the whole job before you decide.
Can I tile the shower after I waterproof it?
Not on a waterproofing licence alone. Laying tiles needs a wall and floor tiling licence. If you do both, you can hold both, and we can help with each.
How much experience do I need?
NSW asks for the Certificate III, not a set number of years. The RTO will want to see real waterproofing work, so the more jobs you can show, the stronger your evidence.
I learned waterproofing overseas. Does it count?
Your overseas jobs can count as evidence for the Australian Certificate III. NSW won’t accept the overseas qualification itself for the licence. Bring what you have and we’ll sort it with you.
How long does it take, and how much is it?
We can’t say until we know what you already hold. The free check ends with the full cost and a realistic timeframe, before you agree to anything.
I’m not in NSW. Can you help?
Yes. Waterproofing is licensed differently in each state. Tell us where you work, and we’ll find out what applies there.
Check your waterproofing experience for free.
Tell us what you’ve built and for how long. We’ll tell you where you stand, what’s missing, and what it costs.