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Licences, insurance and warranties to check before hiring
Roofing in Australia is licensed at the state level, and a roofer who's licensed in NSW isn't automatically licensed to work in Queensland or Victoria. Before signing a contract, verify three things: licence, insurance, and the written warranty terms. Each takes about five minutes; skipping any one of them can cost tens of thousands.
Licence — and which authority issued it
Each state has its own licensing body and rules:
- NSW — NSW Fair Trading. Search the public register at nsw.gov.au/fair-trading. Roofing-specific work falls under the "Roofing (metal, tile or slate)" category.
- QLD — Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC). Search qbcc.qld.gov.au for the licence number. Work over $3,300 must be done by a QBCC-licensed contractor.
- VIC — Victorian Building Authority (VBA). Roof plumbing requires a registered plumber's licence, not just a builder's.
- SA, WA, TAS, ACT, NT — each has its own authority; ask the roofer which one issued their licence and verify on the relevant state register.
"Owner-builder" or "handyman" credentials don't count for roof work. Don't accept a licence number you can't independently verify.
Insurance — get the certificate of currency
Three types of cover matter:
- Public liability — minimum $20M is industry standard. This protects you if a tile drops and cracks the neighbour's car or hits someone.
- Workers' compensation — required if the roofer has any employees on site. Without it, an injury on your property can become your liability.
- Working at heights / fall arrest — most public liability policies have an explicit working-at-heights exclusion above 2m or 4m. For a tile-roof job, confirm the policy covers the height range.
Ask for a current "certificate of currency" — a one-page PDF from the insurer showing policy number, cover amounts, named insured, and expiry date. Don't accept a verbal "yes I'm covered" or a screenshot of the policy login page.
Workmanship warranty vs materials warranty
These are two different things and you need both in writing.
Workmanship warranty covers the labour — if a tile is laid wrong and slips out of position in three years, the roofer comes back and re-fixes it at no charge. Industry standard is 7–10 years. A 3-year workmanship warranty is on the low side; 10 years is a strong signal.
Materials warranty comes from the manufacturer (BlueScope for Colorbond, Boral or Monier for concrete tile, etc.) and covers the material itself. Lifetimes: 25–50 years on Colorbond, 50 years on concrete tile, lifetime on terracotta. Confirm whether the warranty is transferable if you sell the house — a transferable warranty is a small but real value-add when listing.
Five-minute check
Before signing:
- Get the licence number, look it up on the state register.
- Get the current certificate of currency for public liability.
- Read the workmanship warranty clause in the written quote.
- Read the materials warranty terms (the manufacturer's PDF).
- Confirm in writing whether council permit is needed and who's responsible for getting it.
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