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Licences and rules

Roofers in New South WalesTwo numbers decide most of your rights.

In NSW, residential roof work worth more than $5,000, counting labour, materials and GST, needs a contractor licence in the right category. Roof plumbing, roof tiling and roof slating are separate licences. Over $20,000 you also get compulsory HBCF insurance, a large job contract and a cooling-off period.

What changes at $5,000 and $20,000?

$5,000 to $20,000Over $20,000
LicenceContractor licence in the right categoryThe same, and its name must match the insurance certificate
ContractSmall jobs contract: dated, signed, licence name and number, scope, price if knownLarge job contract: price on page one, progress payment schedule, HBC certificate note
HBCF insuranceNot requiredRequired for most work, before any money is paid
DepositUp to 10 percentUp to 10 percent, and only after the certificate

Under $5,000, roof tile, slate and roof plumbing work needs no contractor licence or written contract. Plenty of small repairs sit there, so ask for the price and scope in writing anyway.

Which licence should your roofer hold?

Roof plumbing covers gutters, downpipes, flashings and roof coverings, including skylights, vents and protective coatings, but not tile, slate, concrete or membrane roofs. Roof tiling covers concrete, clay or metal tiles, with bedding, pointing, valleys, sarking and battens. Roof slating covers slates, shingles and shakes.

If a company signs your contract, it needs a licence in its own name. Unlicensed work can mean fines of $22,000 for a person or $110,000 for a company.

How do you check a licence in NSW?

Search Verify NSW (verify.licence.nsw.gov.au) by name, licence number, ABN or suburb. It lists the categories they can do, the expiry date, and any suspension, conditions, public warnings or penalty notices. Ads must show the licensee's name and number. Our guide on checking a roofer's licence has more.

HBCF cover on a re-roof

The Home Building Compensation Fund is a last resort. It pays if the builder becomes insolvent, dies, disappears or is suspended for ignoring an NCAT or court order to pay you. It won't help with delays or disputes while they're still trading.

Cover lasts up to 6 years for major defects and 2 years for others, capped at $340,000 per property. Check the contract, licence and certificate names match, then search the HBC Check.

Before you sign in NSW

  • Licence category matches your roof: plumbing, tiling or slating
  • Consumer Building Guide in hand before any contract over $5,000
  • Signed copy of the contract back within five business days
  • Progress payments tied to work done, not weeks on site
  • A public liability insurance certificate
  • Your home insurer told in writing before work starts

Asbestos rules for NSW homes

A house built before 1990 probably has asbestos somewhere. You or a tradesperson can legally remove less than 10 square metres of non-friable asbestos, but the NSW Government strongly recommends a licensed removalist because no exposure is safe. More than that, or any friable asbestos, needs a licensed removalist. You're responsible for lawful disposal even when you pay someone, so ask for the tip receipt. Carting more than 100 kilograms yourself means telling the EPA within 24 hours of delivery.

Where to complain in NSW

Give the roofer a chance to fix it, then call Building Commission NSW on 13 27 00 or lodge online. It's free. If both sides agree to dispute resolution, an inspector can issue a Rectification Order. Still stuck? Apply to NCAT, which usually wants the complaints process tried first, except for unlicensed contractors, insolvent businesses and claims close to their time limit.

Approvals, hail and bushfire

A July 2023 planning fact sheet says repairing or replacing roof tiling and sheeting can be exempt development, but not for heritage items or conservation areas. Confirm with your council or a certifier.

Hail does the most damage. The April 1999 Sydney hailstorm significantly damaged about 24,000 houses. On bush fire prone land, the NSW RFS says 85% of houses are lost from ember attack, and wants roofing non-combustible and properly sealed.

Our take for NSW

On a job over $20,000, we wouldn't pay a cent until the HBCF certificate is in your hand and the names match. It's illegal to ask for money before then, so a roofer who pushes is telling you something.

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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From roofers we pass jobs to

What Sydney homeowners say about roofers we pass jobs to

Real Google reviews of roofers in our network, written by their own customers before Find My Roofer existed. We hide the business names, which is what the [square brackets] are. Every other word is theirs.

Roof restoration

We are so happy with the roof restoration work by [the roofer]. [The owner] and the team were so attentive and committed to service and quality. It’s been an absolute pleasure to work with them and we are more than happy to recommend them.

Rumain, Aug 2026

Google review of a roofer in Sydney's inner west we pass jobs to. This roofer: 4.5 from 26 Google reviews, checked 28 Oct 2026. Not a review of Find My Roofer.

Leaking gutters

[The owner] and hes dad done a great job fixing our leaking gutters would highly recommend them we book them in for summer to change our color bond roof great run family business

Tiffany, Aug 2026

Google review of a roofer in Sydney's inner west we pass jobs to. This roofer: 4.5 from 26 Google reviews, checked 28 Oct 2026. Not a review of Find My Roofer.

How we chose these reviews · More job photos

Pick your city

Cities in New South Wales

Roofers in SydneyWhat's different about Sydney roofs, the jobs that come up most, and how to find a local roofer.Roofers in NewcastleWhat's different about Newcastle roofs, the jobs that come up most, and the NSW rules to know.Roofers on the Central CoastEast Coast Lows, beachfront salt and bush edges: what matters for a Central Coast roof.Roofers in WollongongEscarpment rain, winter westerlies, surf beaches and northern bushfires: what matters for a Wollongong roof.Roofers in Coffs HarbourToormina's 2021 hail, heavy summer rain, salt near the surf and fire in the hills: what a Coffs Harbour roof faces.Roofers in Port MacquarieRain most weeks, southerly busters, the Hastings floods and salt air: what Port Macquarie roofs deal with.Roofers in NowraEmber protection, coastal steel and storm repairs: what matters for a roof in Nowra and the Shoalhaven.Roofers in BallinaSummer rain, cyclone remnants, a tornado at Lennox Head and salt at the river mouth: Ballina roofs explained.Roofers in LismoreRecord floods, torrential rain and high-set timber homes with big verandahs: what Lismore roofs need.Roofers in TamworthGolf ball hail, gutters that block and ceilings that sag: what Tamworth roofs face and the repairs that follow.Roofers in DubboGolf ball hail, sudden gusts and long sunny stretches: what Dubbo roofs face and the jobs that follow.Roofers in AlburyWinter rain, summer storms, ageing 1970s suburbs and NSW rules on a border city: what Albury roofs need.Roofers in Byron BayCouncil heritage rules on iron roofs, salt from the surf beaches and cyclone gusts: Byron Bay roofs explained.Roofers in GoulburnHeritage roof rules, hard frosts and post-war fibro: what to know before work on a Goulburn roof.Roofers in TareeRecord floods, rain by the hundreds of millimetres and the 2019 Hillville fire: what Taree roofs have to handle.Roofers in Wagga WaggaStrong sun, hard frosts, record downpours and 1960s suburbs: what a Wagga Wagga roof deals with.
Questions

Straight answers.

Is a roof plumber the same as a plumber in NSW?
No. For licensing, plumbing doesn't include roof plumbing, so check the licence lists roof plumbing itself.
Is there a cooling-off period?
Contracts over $20,000 must state one: five clear business days after you get a copy. If the roofer knocked on your door uninvited, consumer law gives you 10 business days on deals over $100.
What if my roofer wasn't licensed?
HBCF won't cover unlicensed work, but you can take the claim to NCAT without going through the complaints process first.
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.Roof replacementStrip-off, new battens and sarking, new roof. How to know it's time, and what happens on a re-roof.Hail damage roof claimsHail just hit? What to photograph, when to claim, cash or repairs, and the door-knockers to avoid.Asbestos roof replacementLicensed removal, testing, disposal and the new roof: how an asbestos re-roof works, step by step.

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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