Understanding Building Classes: How Your Project Experience Really Counts
One of the most common points of confusion coming from our clients, is how their experience aligns with the QBCC Builder Licence classes. There are many factors that determine what level of Builder Licence is the best fit for you, including the class, height and type of projects that your experience comes from.
What we hear from our clients includes things like:
- “I’ve done a lot of house renovations, so I should be able to get my Low Rise licence.”
- “My employee does warehouses, so I think Medium Rise is the right one for me.”
- “Commercial is Medium or Open, right?”
Based on our experience, the QBCC assesses many aspects of your experience. It isn’t just about your role and responsibilities on a project, but also the building class, storeys, construction type (A, B or C) and scope of work for the projects you put in your licence application.
When nominating projects, understanding the difference between Builder Low Rise, Builder Medium Rise and Builder Open is essential — the wrong project can weaken an otherwise strong application.
The Starting Point: Building Class Matters
The QBCC adopts the NCC (Building Code of Australia) building classification system, which categorises buildings into Class 1 through Class 10.
Some common examples include:
- Class 1a – houses, townhouses, villas
- Class 2 – apartments
- Class 3 – residential accommodation (boarding houses, hostels)
- Class 5 – offices
- Class 6 – retail, cafés, restaurants
- Class 7 & 8 – warehouses, factories
- Class 9 – health care, education, aged care
- Class 10 – garages, sheds, carports, pools
Each class also interacts with:
- number of storeys
- gross floor area
- Type of construction (A, B or C) and FRL
These variables directly determine which builder licence class your experience can support.
Builder Low Rise: Where Most Builders Start
A Builder Low Rise licence allows you to carry out:
- All Class 1 buildings (houses, duplexes, townhouses)
- Class 10 buildings (sheds, garages, carports)
- Classes 2–9, only if:
- Gross floor area is not more than 2,000m², and
- Construction is Type C only (not Type A or B)
This is where many applicants get caught out.
Common Pitfalls We See
- Apartment projects exceeding 2,000m²
- Commercial buildings constructed as Type B
- Mixed-use developments where only part of the project fits Low Rise
- Low Rise projects where the scope was non-structural or fit-out based
If the goal of your licence application is to showcase your skill and experience at that level of building work, then be careful about having too many projects in your application that don’t fit the Low Rise category.
Builder Medium Rise: Storeys and Construction Type Are Key
A Builder Medium Rise licence expands your scope, but it is still tightly defined. With modern building technologies, Medium Rise is not a common class of building, so it can be a narrow target to hit if you want to base all your experience in this area.
A Medium Rise builder licence allows:
- Class 1 and Class 10 buildings, and
- Classes 4–9 buildings up to a maximum of 3 storeys, excluding Type A construction
In practice, this generally means:
- Low-rise apartment buildings or walk ups (3 storeys)
- Small/medium commercial and mixed-use buildings
- Projects constructed as Type C, within height limits
Where Applicants Often Struggle
- Assuming any apartment project qualifies
- Using projects that are technically Type A or C
- Claiming storeys incorrectly (mezzanines and atriums matter)
Having an accurate understanding of the building in relation to the scope of work is critical. It’s very easy for the majority of your experience to fall into either Open or Low, instead of hitting Medium. Careful review of project characteristics is essential in this area.
Builder Open: No Class or Height Limits (But Higher Scrutiny)
A Builder Open licence is the highest QBCC builder licence class, not only in Queensland but nationally. It permits:
- All classes of buildings
- All heights and construction types (A, B and C)
However, Builder Open does not mean “any experience will do”.
In our experience, the QBCC expects:
- Demonstrated exposure to complex construction
- Type A Construction in the vast majority of your licence application
- Clear evidence of management, coordination, and contractual responsibility
QBCC scrutiny increases substantially at this level — and poorly chosen projects can delay or derail an application.
Project Selection Is the Real Risk Area
Most challenges that a licence application will face don’t come from a lack of experience, but because:
- Projects were misclassified
- Construction type was incorrectly assumed
- Referees did not align with the claimed scope of experience
QBCC strictly assess what is submitted against their internal policies. Providing the correct type of projects is critical for the licence class that you are applying for.
How We Assist: Mapping Experience to the Correct Licence Class
This is where our work differs from generic “application help”. Through discussions focused on your personal experience and industry background, we:
- Identify which projects strengthen your application – and which to exclude
- Cross-check projects against QBCC scope definitions
- Structure your licence application to allow for further progress later (Low Rise → Medium Rise → Open)
- Prepare documentation so it clearly aligns your experience to the QBCC criteria
Our role is to help our clients:
- Avoid submitting licence applications too early
- Identify the best projects to show experience
- Protect future eligibility by getting the licence class right the first time
Bigger Projects Don’t Always Mean Better Applications
A larger or more complex project does not automatically strengthen a licence application. What matters is:
- Correct building classification
- Correct construction type
- Correct licence alignment
Understanding this distinction — and applying it properly — is the difference between a clean approval and weeks or months of delays working through QBCC correspondence.
If you are unsure which licence class your experience supports, or how to progress to the next level, professional assessment before lodgement is key.
There’s More Licences Out There
We work with clients across the whole spectrum of QBCC Builder Licences, including:
- Builder – Project Management Services
- Builder Restricted to Shopfitting
- Builder Restricted to Kitchen, Bathroom and Laundry
- Builder Restricted to Structural Landscaping
Our methods are focused on careful selection of appropriate projects that meet the necessary criteria.
Move Forward With Confidence
Understanding where your experience fits is the first step — structuring it correctly is what gets your licence approved.
If you are unsure whether your projects align with Builder Low Rise, Medium Rise or Open, we can help you assess your position and map a clear pathway forward.
📞 Initial Licensing Consultation
Start with a structured health check of your experience, qualifications and project history. We will identify gaps, risks and the most appropriate licence class before you commit to an application.
📝 Lodge-Ready Review
Already prepared your documents? Our Lodge-Ready Review provides a final technical assessment of your application to ensure your projects, referees and evidence align with QBCC requirements before submission.
💼 Need help navigating your pathway?
Contact our team to discuss your next steps and ensure your application is positioned correctly from the outset.
