Building and Energy (WA)

Building and Energy is the WA state regulator for the building, plumbing, gasfitting, and electrical industries, operating as a division of the Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS). It administers the Building Act 2011 (WA) and the Building Services (Registration) Act 2011 (WA), registers builders and building surveyors, oversees the WA Home Indemnity Insurance scheme, and enforces consumer protection under the Home Building Contracts Act 1991 (WA). Builder-facing: this is the regulator a WA builder reports to for registration, dispute handling, and Home Indemnity cover. Verified per DMIRS WA (2026-05-23).

What Building and Energy does

Function	Detail
Builder and trade registration	Issues registrations for builders, painters, building surveyors, plumbers, gasfitters, and electricians
Building permit oversight	Administers the Building Act 2011 (WA) framework councils and private certifiers operate under
WA Home Indemnity scheme	Regulates the mandatory insurance for residential work over the threshold
Consumer dispute resolution	First-stop complaint pathway for owners against registered builders
Disciplinary action	Investigates conduct complaints; can suspend or cancel registration
Owner-builder approvals	Issues owner-builder approvals for work over the threshold
Plumbing and gasfitting licensing	Separate licences for plumbers and gasfitters across WA
Electrical licensing	Electrical contractor and worker licensing

Builder registration in WA

Building and Energy administers the three WA builder classes:

Class	Scope
Registered builder (practitioner)	Full residential and commercial work
Registered building contractor	A company holding a contractor registration with a nominated practitioner
Owner-builder	One-off approval for the owner to act as builder on their own home

Practitioner registration requires:

Demonstrated experience (typically 5 years supervised) and qualifications (Cert IV or higher).
Financial requirements (positive net assets, no recent insolvency).
Reputation (fit and proper person test).
Application fee and ongoing annual renewal.

WA Home Indemnity Insurance

Mandatory for residential work over a threshold ($20,000 ex-GST at time of writing; check current value). Covers:

Builder death, disappearance, or insolvency mid-project.
Major structural defects post-handover (statutory warranty period).
Refund of deposit if work doesn’t start.

Building and Energy approves the insurers offering the scheme; builders apply through approved insurers, not Building and Energy directly. Failure to take out Home Indemnity before work begins is a Building Act offence.

Dispute resolution pathway

Stage	Mechanism
Negotiation	Owner and builder talk it through
Complaint to Building and Energy	Owner lodges; B&E investigates
Conciliation	B&E facilitates a resolution
State Administrative Tribunal (SAT)	If conciliation fails, formal hearing
Disciplinary action against registration	Separate B&E process against the builder personally

Most disputes are resolved at conciliation. SAT is the appeal forum.

How Building and Energy fits with other WA bodies

Body	Role
Building and Energy (this)	State regulator; registration, dispute resolution, scheme oversight
Local council building department	Building permit lodgement (some councils); building surveyor for state matters
Private building surveyors	Permit certification; report directly to B&E for registration
Energy and Water Ombudsman WA	Utility-related complaints (separate from B&E)
WorkSafe WA	Workplace safety oversight

Building and Energy is the registration and scheme regulator; councils and private surveyors handle the actual permit work.

Builder reporting obligations

Builders must notify Building and Energy of:

Insolvency events (within set timeframes).
Major incidents on site (deaths, serious injuries, concurrent with WorkSafe).
Specific events under the Building Act and Code of Conduct.
Annual registration renewal with current insurance evidence.

Failure to report can lead to disciplinary action.

Cross-state equivalents

State	Equivalent regulator
WA	Building and Energy (DMIRS) (this)
NSW	NSW Fair Trading + iCare for HBCF
VIC	Victorian Building Authority (VBA)
QLD	Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC)
SA	Consumer and Business Services (CBS)
TAS	Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (CBOS)
NT	Building Practitioners Board NT
ACT	Access Canberra (ACT Planning and Land Authority for surveyors)

Builder takeaway

For a WA-based builder, Building and Energy is the regulator you renew with each year and the body you answer to in disputes.
Home Indemnity Insurance is mandatory on residential work over the threshold; take it out before starting work, not after.
Plumber, gasfitter, and electrician on your team need their own B&E (or related) licence; check before they start.
Annual renewal lapses suspend the registration; work continued under a lapsed registration is unlawful.

Also known as

Building and Energy; B&E; Building Commission (former name); DMIRS Building and Energy.

Category: Regulation & licensing.