Frequently asked questions

The Building & Plumbing Commission (BPC) is Victoria’s new regulator for building and plumbing.

It brings together the Victorian Building Authority (VBA), Domestic Building Dispute Resolution Victoria (DBDRV), and the domestic building insurance function of the Victorian Managed Insurance Authority (VMIA) into one organisation.

These services are now part of the BPC and will be fully integrated over the next 12 months.

The BPC regulates building and plumbing in Victoria. We register and license practitioners, inspect works, and take action when standards aren’t met.
The VBA previously managed this function and is now part of the BPC.

• Find a registered or licensed builder or plumber
• Apply or renew your registration or licence
• Check the disciplinary register
• Login to BAMS, eToolbox or VBA 360

Domestic Building Insurance (DBI) helps protect homeowners when something goes wrong with their building project. This service was previously delivered by VMIA and is now part of the BPC. It applies to most residential work over $20,000.

• Learn about DBI cover
• Check if you're covered
• Make a DBI claim

The BPC offers a free service to help resolve domestic building disputes before they escalate.
This service was previously provided by DBDRV and is now part of the BPC.

• Start a dispute resolution request
• Check if we can help
• How dispute resolution works

The BPC prioritises and protects consumers to lift industry standards and meet community expectations.

We can:

• register and licence building and plumbing practitioners
• manage and investigate complaints about building and plumbing work
• assess a builder’s eligibility to access domestic building insurance (DBI) through the Victorian Government
• issue a DBI Certificate of Insurance for building projects undertaken that are valued at $20,000 or more
• provide independent and impartial dispute resolution services to help resolve domestic building disputes
• assess claims lodged by consumers where a building or renovation project has incomplete or defective works that meet the policy triggers
• undertake proactive inspections and audits to monitor compliance with building and plumbing standards
• hold building and plumbing practitioners to account for the work they are required to do and supervise
• act in the public interest to take proportionate, targeted and timely action to achieve maximum positive impact on consumers, practitioners and industry performance
• educate and share our technical knowledge and expertise to support consumers and practitioners achieve positive outcomes.

Sevices will remain the same and there will be no delay to the progress of your case.

The management of your case, including any history or relevant information, will transition to the new agency.

From 1 July, 2025 any correspondence we send to you will have the BPC’s new logo and contact details.

Go to find a Practitioner and enter their name or business name.

If you use an unregistered builder or tradesperson to carry out work valued at over $10,000, you are at risk of having no protection from poor quality work.

Domestic Building Insurance (DBI) is currently mandated for all residential building work over $20,000.

It is an offence for builders not to have DBI when required, with penalties up to $96,000 for an individual or $480,000 for a company.

Under the current DBI policy, the homeowner is covered for up to $300,000 if their builder dies, disappears or becomes insolvent.

Under the new legislation, DBI is being expanded to include all builders, not just those who become insolvent.

Expanded or first resort domestic building insurance will save consumers time and money by avoiding costly and time-consuming legal action.

We’ll provide further updates once the new DBI scheme is in effect and advise how it applies to building projects.

Your current registration will automatically transition to the BPC and will remain valid until it expires. There’s nothing you need to do until it’s time to renew.

• Your physical Practitioner ID card issued by the VBA will remain valid until its expiry date. When you renew, you’ll be issued a BPC-branded card.
• Your digital licence (Digital Accreditation via Service Victoria) will automatically update to display BPC branding from 1 July 2025. There’s no need to reapply or take any action.

Your access to online services at either the VBA, DBDRV, or VMIA will remain the same during the transition to BPC. We will contact you as these systems are upgraded.

Yes, all services will remain the same. There will be no delay to the progress of your case.

The management of your case, including any history or relevant information, will transition to BPC.

From 1 July 2025, any correspondence we send to you will have the BPC’s new logo and contact details.

You can call us on 1300 067 088 for assistance with building or plumbing regulations, disputes, or insurance.

Our customer service team is here to help you understand your rights and navigate the system.

If you have an existing lodged dispute, complaint or insurance claim, call us on 1300 067 088 press option 1, follow the prompts and you will be put through to your case manager.