Licensed Building Practitioner NZ: How to Check the LBP Register

What a licensed building practitioner (LBP) is, the seven licence classes, restricted building work, and how to search the LBP register before you hire.

By the GetListed team · Updated 28 October 2026 · 9 min read

A licensed building practitioner (LBP) is a builder, designer or other tradesperson who has been assessed as competent to do the building work that keeps a home structurally sound and weathertight. In New Zealand that work, called restricted building work, must be done or supervised by an LBP. The main exception is the owner-builder exemption, which building.govt.nz says applies to an individual doing the work on a home they live in or intend to live in, who has not used the exemption on another home in the previous 3 years. You can check anyone's licence for free on the LBP public register run by MBIE (the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment).

This guide explains the licence classes, what counts as restricted building work, how to search the register, how an LBP differs from a certified builder or master builder, and what to do if something goes wrong.

When you are ready to talk to someone, you can find local builders on GetListed and contact them directly, with no lead fees.

What is a licensed building practitioner?

According to the LBP scheme, an LBP is someone assessed as competent to carry out building work essential to the structure or weathertightness of residential buildings. The licence belongs to the individual person, not the company they work for, so it is the person on your site who needs to hold it.

The scheme is run by MBIE. It is separate from the licensing of plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers (the PGDB) and electricians, who have their own registers.

LBP licence classes

The scheme has seven licence classes. A practitioner can hold more than one, but must show competence in each class they apply for.

Class	Typical work
Design	Drawings and specifications for buildings to be built or altered
Site	Coordinating and overseeing building work on site
Carpentry	Framing, structure and general building work
Foundations	Foundations and piles
Roofing	Roof cladding and weathertightness of the roof
External plastering	Plaster-based exterior cladding systems
Bricklaying and blocklaying	Brick and block construction

Within a class, practitioners are licensed in one or more "areas of practice". For example, the Site class is split by building complexity, with Site 1 covering coordination and oversight of the simplest category of buildings.

The point for homeowners is simple: the class should match the job. The LBP scheme tells you to make sure the person you hire is registered in the correct class for the work. A carpentry LBP framing your extension is fine; a design-only LBP should not be building it. If you need plans drawn, look for architects and designers; for a new roof, look for roofers who hold the roofing class.

What is restricted building work?

The LBP scheme defines restricted building work (RBW) as work that is essential to make a home structurally sound and weathertight. It covers work on a home's:

primary structure
weathertightness
certain fire safety design

RBW normally applies to work that needs a building consent. Unless you qualify as an owner-builder (an individual working on a home you live in or intend to live in, who has not used the exemption on another home in the previous 3 years, according to building.govt.nz), RBW must be done or supervised by an LBP. There is one important exception to the consent rule: granny flats built under the building consent exemption still contain RBW, and the LBP scheme says that work must be done by an LBP. See our granny flat guide for how that exemption works.

Getting this wrong has consequences. The LBP scheme warns that if you or your LBP do not meet your obligations, you could face an instant fine or a court fine of up to $50,000, a delayed code compliance certificate (CCC, the council's formal sign-off that finished work complies with the building consent), or a notice to fix (a formal council notice requiring you to put right a breach of the Building Act 2004). It can also cause problems with insurance or when you sell.

If you are unsure whether your project involves RBW, the scheme suggests asking a licensed designer or your council.

How to search the LBP register

Checking a licence is free and quick.

Go to the LBP public register (the advanced building practitioner search on MBIE's site).
Search by the person's name, or search your area to find practitioners near you.
Check that the licence is current and that the licence class matches the work you need.
Ask the practitioner to show their licence. The LBP scheme says this is a digital licence, or a printout of one, with a QR code you can scan to view their credentials.

The register also shows discipline. Building Practitioners Board decisions commonly state that the disciplinary record will be recorded on the public register for three years, so a recent entry is worth asking about.

You need the person's own name, not their trading name, because licences are held by individuals.

LBP vs certified builder vs master builder

These three labels are often used together but mean different things.

Licensed building practitioner is the government licence. It is the only one of the three that the law requires for restricted building work, unless the owner-builder exemption applies.
Certified builder means a member of New Zealand Certified Builders (NZCB), an industry association. NZCB says its minimum entry requirement for all members is a recognised trade qualification in carpentry. Members can offer the Halo guarantee, which NZCB says protects you for 10 years following completion.
Master builder means a member of the Registered Master Builders Association, another industry association. Members can offer the Master Build 10-Year Guarantee.

Membership of an association is optional and is not a licence. A builder can be an LBP without belonging to either group, and an association member still needs to hold the right LBP class for restricted building work.

If you are relying on a Master Build guarantee, check it has been accepted. Consumer NZ reported in 2022 that 27 landowners found their guarantees had never been registered after their builder went into liquidation. Consumer NZ explained that the guarantee is not in force until Master Builders sends the landowner a notification of acceptance, and suggested confirming acceptance before work starts. Separately, building.govt.nz says all residential building work is covered by implied warranties under the Building Act, whether or not you have a written contract, and that they apply for up to 10 years.

Record of work

When an LBP finishes the restricted building work they did or supervised, they must give a record of work to both the homeowner and the council. Your council needs these records before it can issue a CCC.

According to Rainey Collins Lawyers, the record is due on completion of the practitioner's own part of the job, not the whole build, and that includes when they stop work early, for example after a contract ends. Giving it to only one party is not enough, and a payment or quality dispute does not justify holding it back. The same article counted 30 Building Practitioners Board decisions finding a breach between 5 August and 10 October 2025, and 22 of them involved failing to supply a record of work.

Keep your copies with your consent documents. You will want them when you sell, make an insurance claim, or alter the house later.

Complaints and the Building Practitioners Board

If an LBP does poor work or behaves badly, you can complain to the Building Practitioners Board. Anyone can make a complaint, but it must be about someone who was an LBP at the time, fall within the grounds for discipline in section 317 of the Building Act, come with enough evidence, and use the approved form. Anonymous complaints are not accepted.

Grounds include negligent or incompetent work, work that does not comply with a building consent, failing to provide records of work, and misrepresenting a licence or competence.

The Board cannot hear payment disputes or other contractual disputes. For those, look at the dispute clauses in your contract or the other resolution options the LBP scheme lists.

After a hearing, the Board's possible penalties under section 318 include cancelling or suspending a licence, restricting work, censure, retraining, a fine, an order to pay costs, and public notification. The maximum fine the Board can impose is currently $10,000, according to MBIE. The government has announced plans to raise it to $20,000, so check the current limit if it matters to your complaint.

You can also report someone who is not an LBP but is doing restricted building work.

What to ask a builder before you hire

A few questions will tell you most of what you need:

Are you an LBP, and in which class? Ask to see the digital licence and scan the QR code.
Who will actually do or supervise the restricted work? The licence is personal, so get names.
Will you provide records of work to me and the council? The answer should be yes.
Do you belong to NZCB or Master Builders, and which guarantee will you offer? If a guarantee is part of the deal, ask when it will be lodged and get acceptance in writing.
Can I see recent similar jobs? Ask for references or addresses you can drive past.
Is the quote itemised? Get two or three written quotes so you can compare scope as well as price.

For existing homes, a pre-purchase or pre-renovation report can flag structural or weathertightness problems before you start. Our building inspection cost guide covers what that costs, or browse building inspectors.

You can find builders in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton, Tauranga and Dunedin, then check each one on the register before you sign.

Frequently asked questions

How do I check if a builder is licensed in NZ?

Search their name on the LBP public register at kete-lbp.mbie.govt.nz, check the licence is current and in the right class for your job, and ask to scan the QR code on their digital licence.

What does LBP stand for?

LBP stands for licensed building practitioner. It is the government licence for people who carry out or supervise restricted building work on homes.

What is the difference between an LBP and a registered builder?

There is no general "registered builder" licence in New Zealand. The LBP licence is the legal requirement for restricted building work. Certified builder and master builder refer to membership of industry associations, which is optional.

Do I need an LBP for a deck or fence?

Only if the work is restricted building work, which normally means work that needs a building consent and affects the home's structure or weathertightness. Many small decks and fences do not need consent, but ask your council or a licensed designer if you are unsure.

What happens if an LBP does not give me a record of work?

Ask for it in writing first. Failing to provide a record of work is a ground for discipline, and you can complain to the Building Practitioners Board, which regularly fines practitioners for this.

Can I complain to the Building Practitioners Board about a payment dispute?

No. The Board says it cannot hear payment disputes or other contractual disputes. It deals with the quality of building work and the practitioner's conduct.