Demolition licence class
Demolishing a loadbearing structure needs a demolition licence, and the class depends on the work. NSW has DE1 (unrestricted) and DE2 (restricted).
Ask Chalkline about this →A demolition licence is required to demolish (or partly demolish) most loadbearing structures in Australia, and the class of licence depends on the complexity of the work and the plant used. Licensing is state-based; NSW is the clearest example, with two classes (verified 2026-05-24, SafeWork NSW).
NSW demolition licence classes:
| Class | When you need it |
|---|---|
| DE1 (unrestricted) | Demolishing a loadbearing structure involving complex or high-risk work, for example load-shifting machinery on multi-storey car parks, or buildings 15 m or more high that need floor propping. |
| DE2 (restricted) | Demolishing a loadbearing structure using load-shifting machinery on a suspended floor (for example an excavator on a suspended floor of a home, warehouse, or concrete car park). |
To hold the licence, the nominated supervisor needs the demolition qualifications (in NSW, 10 units from the Certificate III / IV in Demolition) and the business needs the required experience.
When you generally do not need one (NSW): minor or non-loadbearing demolition (stripping out, removing a non-structural wall) usually falls outside the licensed classes, but check the threshold, and asbestos removal has its own separate licensing.
For a builder:
- If demolition on your job is loadbearing or uses machinery on a suspended floor, engage a licensed demolisher of the right class, do not do it under your builder’s licence alone.
- Demolition is high-risk construction work: a SWMS, the Demolition Work Code of Practice, asbestos clearance, and (for some demolition) notification to the regulator all apply.
- Other states license demolition under their own schemes, so confirm the class for the state.
Also known as: demolition licence (DE1 / DE2 in NSW).
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Last updated: 2026-05-24. Verified: 2026-05-24. Quarterly review for currency.