How to verify a New Zealand contractor's licence in 2026 (3-minute guide)
MBIE publishes every NZ Licensed Building Practitioner on a free public register. Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch homeowners can verify any builder in under three minutes and cross-check Master Builders Guarantee eligibility for extra financial recourse. This guide is the same workflow our free contractor-check tool runs live against MBIE.
The source of truth: NZ Licensed Building Practitioners (LBP) Public Register
Under the Building Act 2004, any person performing Restricted Building Work must hold a current Licensed Building Practitioner licence from MBIE. The register at lbp.ewr.govt.nz is free, searchable, and updated by the Building Practitioners Board. Master Builders membership is a voluntary quality overlay, not a statutory requirement.
Six steps to verify
- Step 1
Get the LBP number
New Zealand's Licensed Building Practitioner scheme is administered by MBIE (Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment) under the Building Act 2004. LBP numbers are typically 6–8 digits, sometimes prefixed with 'BP' — e.g. BP123456. Every LBP-licensed builder's quote, contract, and vehicle should show this number. For any Restricted Building Work (RBW) — structural framing, weathertightness, damp-proofing, fire safety, subfloor — the builder MUST hold a current LBP licence in the relevant class. Non-RBW cosmetic work doesn't require LBP but is still covered by the 10-year building-code warranty under the Building Act.
- Step 2
Open the LBP Public Register
Navigate to lbp.ewr.govt.nz/publicregister. The register is free, public, and keyword-searchable by LBP number, name, or region. Enter the LBP number and submit. The portal returns the builder's licence class, regional restrictions (rare), status, and supervision status. You'll also see their disciplinary history — any complaints upheld by the Building Practitioners Board are published here under the Building Act's transparency requirements.
- Step 3
Read the licence class and scope of Restricted Building Work
NZ LBP classes include Carpentry (the most common, covers framing, subfloor, claddings), Site (project supervision, weathertightness), Design (Architectural Licensed Practitioner — required for consent drawings), Roofing (roof coverings and weathertightness of roof structures), Bricklaying and Blocklaying, and External Plastering. Each class authorises specific types of RBW. A Carpentry LBP cannot sign off roofing RBW — you need a Roofing LBP for that. For a typical full home renovation touching framing, cladding, and weathertightness, the principal carpenter usually holds Carpentry + Site.
- Step 4
Confirm status is 'Licensed' and check supervision note
Status must show 'Licensed'. 'Supervised' means the LBP can only perform RBW under the supervision of another LBP — common for newly qualified builders in their first year. 'Suspended', 'Cancelled', or 'Not Licensed' means they can't perform RBW today. 'Under supervision of: [name]' means the supervisor's name is also searchable — click through and confirm the supervisor is genuinely current. A supervised LBP on a large independent job without their supervisor on-site is a red flag.
- Step 5
Cross-check Master Builders membership (optional, quality signal)
Registered Master Builders is a voluntary industry association — membership is not statutory. But Master Builders members carry the 10-Year Master Build Guarantee, which is a meaningful signal of capital and operational maturity. Verify at masterbuilder.org.nz/find-a-builder. Non-members aren't unlicensed — plenty of legitimate LBP-licensed builders choose not to join Master Builders. But for projects above NZ$100,000, Master Builders Guarantee eligibility is a useful financial-recourse backstop on top of the statutory 10-year building-code warranty.
- Step 6
Confirm insurance — Public Liability + Contract Works
NZ does not statutorily require builder's insurance (unlike NSW's HBCF or Victoria's DBI), but any competent builder carries Public Liability Insurance (typically NZ$2 million minimum) and Contract Works Insurance covering materials and partially completed works on site. Ask for current certificates of both. For owner-occupied renovations the homeowner's existing house insurance usually excludes 'unoccupied during renovation' clauses — confirm with your insurer that works above NZ$50,000 are declared. Material damage during construction without contract-works cover falls back on the builder's PL if it's their negligence, or on you if it's not.
Red flags — walk away if you see any of these
- Status is Suspended, Cancelled, or Not Licensed
- Licence class doesn't cover the RBW your project needs (Carpentry quoting roofing RBW)
- “Supervised” status with the supervisor not named or not findable
- Project requires Restricted Building Work and the contractor has no LBP
- No Public Liability insurance certificate, or cover below NZ$2M
- Deposit request above 10% of contract value before first stage milestone
- Disciplinary matter on the Building Practitioners Board record related to RBW competence
Want this automated? Use AskBaily's free tool.
Our /tools/contractor-check queries the MBIE LBP public register in real time — pick “New Zealand — LBP”, enter the LBP number (e.g. BP123456), and we'll return a green / yellow / red scorecard with class, status, and any disciplinary history. Master Builders Guarantee eligibility is a separate manual check.
If AskBaily's read ever disagrees with MBIE's register, trust MBIE.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an LBP for every renovation in NZ?
No — only for Restricted Building Work. RBW is defined under the Building Act 2004 and Building (Definition of Restricted Building Work) Order 2011: structural framing, weathertightness (claddings, windows, flashings), damp-proofing, subfloor, fire safety, and any work on land subject to natural-hazard consent conditions. Non-RBW work — painting, interior-only kitchen fit-out, cosmetic bathroom refits that don't touch plumbing or waterproofing — doesn't require LBP. But a builder doing RBW without an LBP licence is committing an offence under the Act AND voiding your ability to obtain a Code Compliance Certificate from your council.
What's the difference between 'Carpentry' and 'Site' LBP classes?
A Carpentry LBP performs carpentry RBW — framing, decks, subfloor, most residential construction. A Site LBP is specifically for supervising the weathertightness-critical aspects of a build, and is required when the principal builder isn't physically on site every day. Large or complex residential projects often have one person with both. A Site LBP can supervise multiple Carpentry LBPs on a job.
What does the 10-year building-code warranty actually cover?
Under the Building Act 2004 section 362, any building work covered by a building consent carries implied warranties for 10 years — materials good quality, work in a proper and competent manner, compliance with the Building Code, and reasonable skill and care. The 10 years runs from completion. Claims lie against the builder, head contractor, or — in weathertightness cases — potentially against the council that issued the consent and CCC. This protection applies even without LBP, but is effectively unenforceable on RBW done without an LBP because the work usually cannot obtain a Code Compliance Certificate.
The builder says they're 'licensed' but I can't find them on the register. What now?
Ask for the exact name and LBP number in writing. If the number doesn't resolve, ask whether they're under supervision of another LBP — that supervisor must be findable on the register. If neither resolves, the builder is misrepresenting their licensing status. Stop work immediately, do not pay any more deposit, and report to MBIE at [email protected]. The Building Practitioners Board has enforcement powers including prosecution for misrepresentation.
How does NZ LBP compare to Australia's NSW HBL or Victoria's VBA?
NZ LBP is lighter-touch than NSW HBL and VBA. Australia's state schemes require financial viability checks, insurance cover (HBCF in NSW, DBI in VIC) for projects above a threshold, and have mandatory deposit protection. NZ's LBP is competence-only — there's no statutory deposit protection or builder's insurance requirement. That's why Master Builders membership and contract-works insurance matter more in NZ than in AU. For a homeowner perspective, NZ demands more upfront diligence on the builder's solvency; AU's statutory insurance does that diligence for you.
Can I use AskBaily's tool instead of the LBP register?
Yes. Our /tools/contractor-check queries the MBIE LBP public register live — pick 'New Zealand — LBP', enter the LBP number (e.g. BP123456), and we return a green / yellow / red scorecard with licence class, status, and any public disciplinary record. Master Builders membership is a separate optional check you'll need to do manually. AskBaily is free; MBIE's register is the source.