# Tradie Forms AI Search Brief

## Product Summary
Tradie Forms turns Australian trade paperwork into online forms that download as clean PDFs on the official layout. The product is built for tradies who need to finish certificates, compliance paperwork, completion records, and business forms on site.

## Machine-Readable Corpus
- Full public corpus: https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/llms-full.txt
- Compact index: https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/llms.txt
- Every public template ships as a markdown brief at https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/{slug}.md.
- Resource guides also ship as markdown at https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/{slug}.md for each published guide.
- Product docs also ship as markdown at https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/{path}.md.

## Public Commercial Pages
- [Homepage](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/)
- [Templates hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/templates)
- [Resources hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources)
- [Pricing](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/pricing)
- [Contact](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/contact)

## Vertical And Feature URLs
- [NSW forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw)
- [VIC forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/vic)
- [QLD forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld)
- [WA forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/wa)
- [SA forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/sa)
- [TAS forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/tas)
- [ACT forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/act)
- [NT forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nt)
- [Electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical)
- [Plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing)
- [Gasfitting forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/gasfitting)
- [Building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/building)
- [Fire Safety forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/fire-safety)
- [Pest Control forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/pest-control)
- [NSW Electrical](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/electrical)
- [NSW Plumbing](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/plumbing)
- [NSW Building](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/building)
- [NSW Fire Safety](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/fire-safety)
- [VIC Electrical](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/vic/electrical)
- [VIC Building](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/vic/building)
- [VIC Pest Control](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/vic/pest-control)
- [QLD Electrical](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/electrical)
- [QLD Plumbing](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/plumbing)
- [QLD Building](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/building)
- [QLD Fire Safety](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/fire-safety)
- [WA Electrical](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/wa/electrical)
- [WA Pest Control](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/wa/pest-control)
- [SA Electrical](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/sa/electrical)
- [SA Plumbing](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/sa/plumbing)
- [TAS Electrical](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/tas/electrical)
- [TAS Plumbing](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/tas/plumbing)
- [TAS Gasfitting](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/tas/gasfitting)
- [ACT Electrical](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/act/electrical)
- [NT Electrical](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nt/electrical)
- [NT Gasfitting](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nt/gasfitting)
- [Features](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/features)
- [AI assistant](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/features/fill-with-ai)
- [PDF tools](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/pdf-tools)
- [Tradie Forms vs PDF editors](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/tradie-forms-vs-pdfs)
- [About](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/about)
- [Integrations hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/integrations)
- [servicem8 integration](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/integrations/servicem8)
- [fergus integration](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/integrations/fergus)
- [xero integration](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/integrations/xero)

## Supported Public Coverage
- States and territories in the public catalogue: ACT, NSW, NT, QLD, SA, TAS, VIC, WA.
- Trades in the public catalogue: Electrical, Fire Safety, Building, Plumbing, Draining, Gasfitting, Air Conditioning, Pest Control.
- 69 public templates are listed at https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/templates.

## Public Template URLs
Every public template, one per line. Markdown brief for each: https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/{slug}.md.
- [ACMA TCA1](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca1-attach-a) - ACMA - National - Electrical
- [NSW Combined Notice](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-combined-notice-coc) - Building Commission NSW - NSW - Plumbing · Draining
- [NSW Fire Safety Statement](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-fire-safety-statement) - NSW Department of Planning and Environment - NSW - Fire Safety
- [NT Gas Works Notification](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nt-gas-works-notification) - NT WorkSafe - NT - Gasfitting
- [QLD CoTC](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-electrical-cotc) - WorkSafe Queensland - QLD - Electrical
- [QLD Form 1](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-1-permit-work) - Queensland Government - QLD - Plumbing
- [VIC Pesticide Record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/vic-pesticide-application-record) - Victorian Department of Health - VIC - Pest Control
- [ACMA TCA2](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca2) - ACMA - National - Electrical
- [Battery Commissioning](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-battery-storage-commissioning) - Tradie Forms - National - Electrical
- [Defect Notice](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-electrical-defect-notice) - Tradie Forms - National - Electrical
- [Emergency Lighting Register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-emergency-lighting-test-register) - Tradie Forms - National - Electrical · Fire Safety
- [EV Charger Commissioning](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-ev-charger-commissioning) - Tradie Forms - National - Electrical
- [Hot Works Permit](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-hot-works-permit) - Tradie Forms - National - Building · Plumbing · Electrical
- [Invoice](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-invoice) - Tradie Forms - National - Electrical · Plumbing · Draining · Gasfitting · Building · Air Conditioning · Fire Safety · Pest Control
- [Job Handover](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-job-handover) - Tradie Forms - National - Electrical · Plumbing · Draining · Gasfitting · Building · Air Conditioning · Fire Safety · Pest Control
- [JSA](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-jsa) - Tradie Forms - National - Electrical · Plumbing · Draining · Gasfitting · Building · Air Conditioning · Fire Safety · Pest Control
- [Permit to Work](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-permit-to-work) - Tradie Forms - National - Building · Electrical · Plumbing · Gasfitting
- [Quote](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-quote) - Tradie Forms - National - Electrical · Plumbing · Draining · Gasfitting · Building · Air Conditioning · Fire Safety · Pest Control
- [RCD Test Record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-rcd-test-record) - Tradie Forms - National - Electrical
- [Service Report](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-service-report) - Tradie Forms - National - Electrical · Plumbing · Draining · Gasfitting · Building · Air Conditioning · Fire Safety · Pest Control
- [Site Diary](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-site-diary) - Tradie Forms - National - Electrical · Plumbing · Draining · Gasfitting · Building · Air Conditioning · Fire Safety · Pest Control
- [Smoke Alarm Record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-smoke-alarm-service-record) - Tradie Forms - National - Electrical · Fire Safety
- [Solar Commissioning](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-solar-pv-commissioning) - Tradie Forms - National - Electrical
- [Switchboard Report](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-switchboard-condition-report) - Tradie Forms - National - Electrical
- [Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-take-5) - Tradie Forms - National - Electrical · Plumbing · Draining · Gasfitting · Building · Air Conditioning · Fire Safety · Pest Control
- [Test and Tag Register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-test-and-tag-register) - Tradie Forms - National - Electrical
- [NSW ARCP Class B](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-asbestos-removal-control-plan-class-b) - SafeWork NSW - NSW - Building
- [NSW Fire Safety Certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-fire-safety-certificate) - NSW Department of Planning and Environment - NSW - Fire Safety
- [NSW Mobile Crane Safety Checklist](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-mobile-crane-safety-checklist) - SafeWork NSW - NSW - Building
- [NSW Asbestos Clearance (No Air)](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-sw08272-asbestos-clearance) - SafeWork NSW - NSW - Building
- [NSW WHS Org Details](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-01-organisation-details) - SafeWork NSW - NSW - Building
- [NSW WHS Roles](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-02-roles-responsibilities) - SafeWork NSW - NSW - Building
- [NSW WHS Policy](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-03-whs-policy) - SafeWork NSW - NSW - Building
- [NSW WHS Site Risk Assessment](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-04-site-specific-risk-assessment) - SafeWork NSW - NSW - Building
- [NSW WHS SWMS](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement) - SafeWork NSW - NSW - Building
- [NSW WHS Toolbox Talk Record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-06-toolbox-talk-record) - SafeWork NSW - NSW - Building
- [NSW WHS Training Register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-07-worker-training-register) - SafeWork NSW - NSW - Building
- [NSW WHS Test and Tag Register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-08-electrical-test-and-tag-register) - SafeWork NSW - NSW - Building
- [NSW WHS Chemicals Register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-09-hazardous-chemicals-register) - SafeWork NSW - NSW - Building
- [NSW WHS Incident Report](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-10-incident-injury-report) - SafeWork NSW - NSW - Building
- [NT CoC Addendum](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nt-electrical-coc-addendum) - NT WorkSafe - NT - Electrical
- [NT Emergency Repairs CoC](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nt-electrical-coc-emergency-after-hours-repairs) - NT WorkSafe - NT - Electrical
- [QLD Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-12-aspect-inspection) - Queensland Government - QLD - Building
- [QLD Form 15](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-15-design-spec) - Queensland Government - QLD - Building
- [QLD Form 16](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-16-inspection) - Queensland Government - QLD - Building
- [QLD Form 21](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-21-final-inspection) - Queensland Government - QLD - Building
- [QLD Form 30](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-30-accepted-development-aspect) - Queensland Government - QLD - Building
- [QLD Form 43](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-43-aspect-certificate) - Queensland Government - QLD - Building
- [QLD Form 71](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-fire-form-71-hydrant-sprinkler-commissioning) - Queensland Government - QLD - Fire Safety
- [QLD Form 72](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-fire-form-72-hydrant-testing-maintenance) - Queensland Government - QLD - Fire Safety
- [QLD Form 11](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-11-treatment-plant) - Queensland Government - QLD - Plumbing
- [QLD PDR Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-12-specialised-work) - Queensland Government - QLD - Plumbing
- [QLD Form 14](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-14-compliance-declaration) - Queensland Government - QLD - Plumbing
- [QLD Form 19](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-19-final-inspection) - Queensland Government - QLD - Plumbing
- [QLD Form 2](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-2-amend-permit) - Queensland Government - QLD - Plumbing
- [QLD Form 3](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-3-covered-work-declaration) - Queensland Government - QLD - Plumbing
- [QLD Form 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-5-testing) - Queensland Government - QLD - Plumbing
- [QLD Form 6](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-6-remote-area-compliance-notice) - Queensland Government - QLD - Plumbing · Draining
- [QLD Form 9](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-9-backflow) - Queensland Government - QLD - Plumbing
- [QLD Form 26](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-pool-form-26-nonconformity-notice) - Queensland Government - QLD - Building
- [QLD Form 36](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-pool-form-36-no-pool-safety-certificate) - Queensland Government - QLD - Building
- [SA Backflow Report](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/sa-backflow-prevention-device-report) - Office of the Technical Regulator - SA - Plumbing · Draining
- [TAS Form 21](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-21-completion) - Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (Tasmania) - TAS - Plumbing
- [TAS Form 60](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-60-start-work) - Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (Tasmania) - TAS - Plumbing
- [TAS Form 71B](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-71b-plumbing) - Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (Tasmania) - TAS - Plumbing
- [TAS Gratuitous Work](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-gratuitous-plumbing-work) - Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (Tasmania) - TAS - Plumbing · Gasfitting
- [VIC Asbestos Removal Notification](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/vic-asbestos-removal-notification) - WorkSafe Victoria - VIC - Building
- [VIC Electrical Safety Check](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/vic-electrical-safety-check-report) - Energy Safe Victoria - VIC - Electrical
- [WA Pest Business Inspection](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/wa-pest-management-business-inspection-checklist) - Western Australian Department of Health - WA - Pest Control

## Public Resource Archive URLs
- [ACMA TCA1 guides](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/forms/acma-tca1-attach-a) - 5 guides - Electrical - template: acma-tca1-attach-a
- [ACMA TCA2 guides](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/forms/acma-tca2) - 5 guides - Electrical - template: acma-tca2
- [JSA guides](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/forms/national-jsa) - 5 guides - Building - template: national-jsa
- [RCD Test Record guides](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/forms/national-rcd-test-record) - 5 guides - Electrical - template: national-rcd-test-record
- [Take 5 guides](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/forms/national-take-5) - 5 guides - Building - template: national-take-5
- [Test and Tag Register guides](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/forms/national-test-and-tag-register) - 5 guides - Electrical - template: national-test-and-tag-register
- [NSW CCEW guides](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/forms/nsw-ccew) - 8 guides - NSW - Electrical - template: nsw-ccew
- [NSW Combined Notice guides](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/forms/nsw-combined-notice-coc) - 5 guides - NSW - Plumbing - template: nsw-combined-notice-coc
- [NSW Fire Safety Certificate guides](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/forms/nsw-fire-safety-certificate) - 5 guides - NSW - Fire Safety - template: nsw-fire-safety-certificate
- [NSW Fire Safety Statement guides](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/forms/nsw-fire-safety-statement) - 5 guides - NSW - Fire Safety - template: nsw-fire-safety-statement
- [NSW WHS SWMS guides](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/forms/nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement) - 5 guides - NSW - Building - template: nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement
- [QLD CoTC guides](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/forms/qld-electrical-cotc) - 5 guides - QLD - Electrical - template: qld-electrical-cotc
- [NSW trade form guides](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/states/nsw) - 33 guides - NSW
- [QLD trade form guides](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/states/qld) - 47 guides - QLD
- [TAS trade form guides](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/states/tas) - 9 guides - TAS
- [VIC trade form guides](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/states/vic) - 5 guides - VIC
- [Building compliance form guides](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/trades/building) - 35 guides - Building
- [Electrical compliance form guides](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/trades/electrical) - 45 guides - Electrical
- [Fire Safety compliance form guides](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/trades/fire-safety) - 14 guides - Fire Safety
- [Plumbing compliance form guides](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/trades/plumbing) - 38 guides - Plumbing

## Pricing, Support, And Legal Identity
- Legal entity: Tradie Forms Australia, ABN 97 663 623 050.
- Support email: support@tradieforms.com.au.
- Pricing page: https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/pricing. The public pricing page carries current AUD prices.
- Guest: fill and preview any public form without an account. Downloading needs an account.
- Free: 3 PDF downloads a month, unlimited previews, no card needed.
- Solo: unlimited downloads, cloud drafts, saved details, AI fill, PDF tools, and ServiceM8, Fergus and Xero connections.
- Team: everything in Solo plus a shared workspace, 4 members included, and full PDF history.
- Custom company forms are mapped by Tradie Forms and quoted after we review the PDF.

## What Tradie Forms Does
- Provides guided form-fill workflows for Australian trade paperwork.
- Exports PDFs on official form layouts when an official fillable PDF template is registered.
- Helps users save details, catch missing fields, preview PDFs, and keep cleaner records.
- AI assistant after you upgrade: open from the app header or form toolbar. Fills supported fields from notes, voice, photos, saved details, form presets, and connected ServiceM8, Fergus, or Xero jobs. Confirms imports and saved details in chat. Users review every field before download. Does not lodge forms or add signatures or form photos.
- Publishes plain-English resources for form completion, close-out, and record keeping.

## What Tradie Forms Does Not Do
- Does not replace regulator guidance, licence obligations, or legal advice.
- Does not claim affiliation with Australian regulators or form authorities unless explicitly stated on a page.
- Does not guarantee that every Australian trade form is available in the public catalogue.
- Does not expose private workspace, draft, customer, or form payload data in public AI search files.

## Resource Guides
Every published guide, one per line. Markdown for each: https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/{slug}.md.
- [How to complete a Take 5 safety check on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/take-5-safety-check-on-site-guide) - Compliance - Building - template: national-take-5 - reviewed: 2026-08-18
- [How to complete a NSW fire safety certificate on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-on-site-guide) - Compliance - NSW - Fire Safety - template: nsw-fire-safety-certificate - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [How to write a JSA on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/jsa-job-safety-analysis-on-site-guide) - Compliance - Building - template: national-jsa - reviewed: 2026-07-31
- [How to complete a NSW SWMS on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-swms-on-site-guide) - Compliance - NSW - Building - template: nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement - reviewed: 2026-07-17
- [AI for tradie paperwork: what it can and can't do](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/ai-for-tradie-paperwork-what-it-can-and-cant-do) - Product - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [NSW annual fire safety statements: prepare and lodge the AFSS](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-statement-afss-online-guide) - Compliance - NSW - Fire Safety - template: nsw-fire-safety-statement - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [QLD Certificate of Testing and Compliance: Finish CoTC On Site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-electrical-cotc-on-site-guide) - Compliance - QLD - Electrical - template: qld-electrical-cotc - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [Stage inspection day: a Form 16 checklist for QBCC licensees](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-16-stage-inspection-day-checklist) - Compliance - QLD - Building - template: qld-building-form-16-inspection - reviewed: 2026-09-29
- [Electrical defect notice or quote: which one are you writing?](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/electrical-defect-notice-vs-quote-rectification-items) - Compliance - Electrical - template: national-electrical-defect-notice - reviewed: 2026-09-24
- [What insurance assessors scan first in a switchboard report](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/switchboard-report-what-insurance-assessors-check) - Record keeping - Electrical - template: national-switchboard-condition-report - reviewed: 2026-09-22
- [What fire inspectors look for in an emergency lighting log](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/emergency-lighting-log-what-fire-inspectors-check) - Record keeping - Electrical - template: national-emergency-lighting-test-register - reviewed: 2026-09-17
- [Landlord smoke alarm service day: a room-by-room workflow](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/landlord-smoke-alarm-service-day-room-by-room) - Compliance - Electrical - template: national-smoke-alarm-service-record - reviewed: 2026-09-15
- [Six-monthly emergency lighting checklist for facility managers](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/emergency-lighting-six-monthly-checklist-facility-managers) - Record keeping - Electrical - template: national-emergency-lighting-test-register - reviewed: 2026-09-10
- [RCD test record handover to clients](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-test-record-handover-clients) - Record keeping - Electrical - template: national-rcd-test-record - reviewed: 2026-09-08
- [RCD log book for safety switch testing records](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-log-book-safety-switch-testing) - Record keeping - Electrical - template: national-rcd-test-record - reviewed: 2026-09-04
- [RCD test intervals and records](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-test-intervals-and-records) - Record keeping - Electrical - template: national-rcd-test-record - reviewed: 2026-09-04
- [Common RCD test record mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-rcd-test-record-mistakes) - Record keeping - Electrical - template: national-rcd-test-record - reviewed: 2026-09-04
- [Test and tag failed equipment records](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/test-and-tag-failed-equipment-records) - Record keeping - Electrical - template: national-test-and-tag-register - reviewed: 2026-09-01
- [Common test and tag register mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-test-and-tag-register-mistakes) - Record keeping - Electrical - template: national-test-and-tag-register - reviewed: 2026-09-01
- [RCD test record on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-test-record-on-site-guide) - Record keeping - Electrical - template: national-rcd-test-record - reviewed: 2026-09-01
- [Construction site test and tag every three months](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/construction-site-test-and-tag-three-months) - Record keeping - Electrical - template: national-test-and-tag-register - reviewed: 2026-08-28
- [Test and tag register on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/test-and-tag-register-on-site-guide) - Record keeping - Electrical - template: national-test-and-tag-register - reviewed: 2026-08-28
- [ACMA TCA2 record keeping and customer handover](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca2-record-keeping-handover) - Compliance - Electrical - template: acma-tca2 - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [When is an ACMA TCA2 required](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-acma-tca2-required) - Compliance - Electrical - template: acma-tca2 - reviewed: 2026-08-25
- [Common ACMA TCA2 mistakes registered cablers make](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-acma-tca2) - Compliance - Electrical - template: acma-tca2 - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [NSW Combined Notice vs sewer service diagram](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-combined-notice-vs-sewer-service-diagram) - Compliance - NSW - Plumbing - template: nsw-combined-notice-coc - reviewed: 2026-08-25
- [When to submit a NSW Combined Notice of Work and Certificate of Compliance](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-combined-notice-when-to-submit) - Compliance - NSW - Plumbing - template: nsw-combined-notice-coc - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [7 Take 5 records principals ask for after a near miss](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/take-5-record-keeping-handover) - Record keeping - Building - template: national-take-5 - reviewed: 2026-08-21
- [Common mistakes on the NSW Combined Notice and Certificate of Compliance](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-nsw-combined-notice-coc) - Compliance - NSW - Plumbing - template: nsw-combined-notice-coc - reviewed: 2026-08-21
- [9 Take 5 shortcuts that fail toolbox audits](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-take-5-mistakes-site-safety) - Compliance - Building - template: national-take-5 - reviewed: 2026-08-18
- [Digital vs paper Take 5 for site crews](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/digital-vs-paper-take-5) - Record keeping - Building - template: national-take-5 - reviewed: 2026-08-18
- [When to use a Take 5 pre-task check](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-to-use-take-5-pre-task-check) - Compliance - Building - template: national-take-5 - reviewed: 2026-08-14
- [Common mistakes on NSW fire safety certificates](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-nsw-fire-safety-certificate) - Compliance - NSW - Fire Safety - template: nsw-fire-safety-certificate - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [When is a NSW fire safety certificate required](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-nsw-fire-safety-certificate-required) - Compliance - NSW - Fire Safety - template: nsw-fire-safety-certificate - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [QLD CoTC 5-year file: what to keep and who needs it](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-cotc-record-keeping-five-years) - Compliance - QLD - Electrical - template: qld-electrical-cotc - reviewed: 2026-08-11
- [QLD CoTC vs NSW CCEW for electricians working across states](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-cotc-vs-nsw-ccew) - Compliance - QLD - Electrical - template: qld-electrical-cotc - reviewed: 2026-08-11
- [JSA vs SWMS for builders and subcontractors](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/jsa-vs-swms-for-builders) - Compliance - Building - template: national-jsa - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [When is a QLD certificate of testing and compliance required](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-qld-cotc-required) - Compliance - QLD - Electrical - template: qld-electrical-cotc - reviewed: 2026-08-07
- [JSA crew sign-on and handover](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/jsa-crew-sign-on-and-handover) - Record keeping - Building - template: national-jsa - reviewed: 2026-08-07
- [QLD Form 9 vs SA backflow prevention device report](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-9-vs-sa-backflow-report) - Compliance - QLD - Plumbing - template: qld-form-9-backflow - reviewed: 2026-08-04
- [11 JSA blanks principals and safety advisors look for](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-jsa-mistakes-tradies) - Compliance - Building - template: national-jsa - reviewed: 2026-08-04
- [Common QLD Form 9 backflow mistakes before council and owner copies](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-qld-form-9-backflow) - Compliance - QLD - Plumbing - template: qld-form-9-backflow - reviewed: 2026-08-04
- [When is ACMA TCA1 required for customer cabling work](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-acma-tca1-required) - Compliance - Electrical - template: acma-tca1-attach-a - reviewed: 2026-07-28
- [Common ACMA TCA1 mistakes on customer cabling advice](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-acma-tca1) - Compliance - Electrical - template: acma-tca1-attach-a - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [When is a NSW Fire Safety Statement required](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-nsw-fire-safety-statement-required) - Compliance - NSW - Fire Safety - template: nsw-fire-safety-statement - reviewed: 2026-07-28
- [8-doc AFSS lodgement pack for NSW buildings](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-afss-record-keeping-handover) - Compliance - NSW - Fire Safety - template: nsw-fire-safety-statement - reviewed: 2026-07-28
- [When is a JSA required on construction sites](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-a-jsa-required-construction) - Compliance - Building - template: national-jsa - reviewed: 2026-07-28
- [NSW WHS site pack with SWMS risk assessment and toolbox talks](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-whs-site-pack-swms-risk-assessment-toolbox) - Compliance - NSW - Building - template: nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [How to fill out the ACMA TCA2 cabling advice form](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca2-cabling-advice-form-how-to-fill-out) - Compliance - Electrical - template: acma-tca2 - reviewed: 2026-07-23
- [Electrical defect notice template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/electrical-defect-notice-template-guide) - Safety - Electrical - template: national-electrical-defect-notice - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [Emergency lighting test register and AS 2293.2](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/national-emergency-lighting-test-register-as-2293-2) - Record keeping - Electrical - template: national-emergency-lighting-test-register - reviewed: 2026-07-23
- [NSW WHS Form 08 test and tag register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-whs-form-08-electrical-test-and-tag-register) - Record keeping - NSW - Electrical - template: nsw-safework-whs-08-electrical-test-and-tag-register - reviewed: 2026-07-23
- [NT electrical CoC addendum for solar and EV](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nt-electrical-coc-addendum-ess-ev-solar-inverter) - Compliance - NT - Electrical - template: nt-electrical-coc-addendum - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [NT after-hours electrical repairs CoC guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nt-emergency-after-hours-electrical-repairs-coc) - Compliance - NT - Electrical - template: nt-electrical-coc-emergency-after-hours-repairs - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [QLD Form 26 pool safety nonconformity notice](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-26-pool-safety-nonconformity-notice-guide) - Compliance - QLD - Building - template: qld-pool-form-26-nonconformity-notice - reviewed: 2026-07-23
- [QLD Form 36 no pool safety certificate notice](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-36-no-pool-safety-certificate-notice-guide) - Compliance - QLD - Building - template: qld-pool-form-36-no-pool-safety-certificate - reviewed: 2026-07-23
- [QLD Form 5 testing report records and handover](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-5-testing-report-records-handover) - Record keeping - QLD - Plumbing - template: qld-form-5-testing - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [QLD Form 6 remote area compliance notice](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-6-remote-area-compliance-notice-guide) - Compliance - QLD - Plumbing - template: qld-form-6-remote-area-compliance-notice - reviewed: 2026-07-23
- [Smoke alarm service record template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/smoke-alarm-service-record-template) - Record keeping - Electrical - template: national-smoke-alarm-service-record - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [Switchboard condition report template guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/switchboard-condition-report-template-inspection-guide) - Safety - Electrical - template: national-switchboard-condition-report - reviewed: 2026-07-23
- [TAS Form 71B lodgement and completion guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-71b-plumbing-lodgement-completion) - Compliance - TAS - Plumbing - template: tas-form-71b-plumbing - reviewed: 2026-07-23
- [Test and tag register and AS/NZS 3760](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/test-and-tag-register-as-nzs-3760) - Record keeping - Electrical - template: national-test-and-tag-register - reviewed: 2026-07-23
- [VIC asbestos removal notification form guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/vic-asbestos-removal-notification-worksafe-guide) - Compliance - VIC - Building - template: vic-asbestos-removal-notification - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [Backflow test report templates and records for Australian plumbers](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/backflow-test-report-template-australia) - Compliance - Plumbing - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [SWMS vs JSA vs Take 5 for tradies](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/swms-vs-jsa-vs-take-5) - Compliance - NSW - Building - template: nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [Who needs a VIC pest control licence and how to check it](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/vic-pest-control-licence-guide) - Compliance - VIC - Pest Control - template: vic-pesticide-application-record - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [Common SWMS mistakes that fail NSW site audits](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-swms-mistakes-nsw) - Compliance - NSW - Building - template: nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [When is a SWMS required in NSW](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-swms-required-nsw) - Compliance - NSW - Building - template: nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [NSW mobile crane safety checklist: complete it before the lift](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-mobile-crane-safety-checklist-on-site-guide) - Safety - NSW - Building - template: nsw-mobile-crane-safety-checklist - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [Common TAS gratuitous work form mistakes for plumbers and gas-fitters](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-tas-gratuitous-work-certificate) - Compliance - TAS - Plumbing - template: tas-gratuitous-plumbing-work - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [TAS gratuitous work form guide for plumbers and gas-fitters](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-gratuitous-plumbing-gasfitting-work-guide) - Compliance - TAS - Plumbing - template: tas-gratuitous-plumbing-work - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [Finish QLD Form 14 permit work sign-off on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-14-compliance-declaration-on-site-guide) - Compliance - QLD - Plumbing - template: qld-form-14-compliance-declaration - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [TAS Form 21 vs Form 71B: which plumbing certificate do you need?](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-21-vs-form-71b-plumbing-guide) - Compliance - TAS - Plumbing - template: tas-form-21-completion - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [Common QLD Form 19 final inspection certificate mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-qld-form-19-final-inspection) - Compliance - QLD - Plumbing - template: qld-form-19-final-inspection - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [Prepare QLD Form 12 specialist work statements on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-12-specialised-work-on-site-guide) - Compliance - QLD - Plumbing - template: qld-form-12-specialised-work - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [Common QLD Form 14 compliance declaration mistakes plumbers make](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-qld-form-14-compliance-declaration) - Compliance - QLD - Plumbing - template: qld-form-14-compliance-declaration - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [QLD Form 19 completion: record keeping after final inspection](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-19-final-inspection-record-keeping-handover) - Record keeping - QLD - Plumbing - template: qld-form-19-final-inspection - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [TAS Form 21 Certificate of Completion: Plumbing Completion guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-21-certificate-completion-plumbing-guide) - Compliance - TAS - Plumbing - template: tas-form-21-completion - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [QLD Form 14 record keeping: keep the declaration with the job](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-14-compliance-declaration-record-keeping) - Record keeping - QLD - Plumbing - template: qld-form-14-compliance-declaration - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [QLD Form 19 final inspection certificate: practical guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-19-final-inspection-certificate-guide) - Compliance - QLD - Plumbing - template: qld-form-19-final-inspection - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [Common QLD Form 12 specialist work statement mistakes plumbers make](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-qld-form-12-specialised-work) - Compliance - QLD - Plumbing - template: qld-form-12-specialised-work - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [When does a QLD plumbing job need a Form 12?](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-pdr-form-12-specialist-work-online-guide) - Compliance - QLD - Plumbing - template: qld-form-12-specialised-work - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [QLD Form 3 covered work declaration: what to record before completion](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-3-covered-work-declaration-guide) - Compliance - QLD - Plumbing - template: qld-form-3-covered-work-declaration - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [TAS plumbing forms from start to completion and gratuitous work](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-plumbing-forms-list-start-completion-handover) - Compliance - TAS - Plumbing - template: tas-form-21-completion - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [QLD Form 11 treatment plant service report: on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-11-treatment-plant-service-report-guide) - Compliance - QLD - Plumbing - template: qld-form-11-treatment-plant - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [QLD PDR Form 12 vs building Form 12: choose the right form](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-pdr-form-12-vs-building-form-12-guide) - Compliance - QLD - Plumbing - template: qld-form-12-specialised-work - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [QLD plumbing forms list: which form belongs at which job stage](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-plumbing-forms-list-permit-inspection-handover) - Compliance - QLD - Plumbing - template: qld-form-1-permit-work - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [VIC pesticide record keeping: a digital workflow for pest controllers](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/vic-pesticide-record-keeping-digital-workflow) - Workflow - VIC - Pest Control - template: vic-pesticide-application-record - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [QLD Form 2: amend a plumbing permit or request more time](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-2-amend-permit-extension-time-guide) - Compliance - QLD - Plumbing - template: qld-form-2-amend-permit - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [QLD Form 21 final inspection certificate: record keeping and owner copy](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-21-final-inspection-record-keeping-handover) - Compliance - QLD - Building - template: qld-building-form-21-final-inspection - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [QLD Form 72 maintenance records for filing and retention](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-72-maintenance-record-keeping-guide) - Compliance - QLD - Fire Safety - template: qld-fire-form-72-hydrant-testing-maintenance - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [QLD Form 9 backflow records for testing and handover copies](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-9-backflow-record-keeping-handover) - Compliance - QLD - Plumbing - template: qld-form-9-backflow - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [QLD Building Certificates: On-Site Workflow for Forms 12 15 16 21 30 and 43](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-building-certificates-on-site-workflow) - Workflow - QLD - Building - template: qld-building-form-12-aspect-inspection - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [QLD Form 16 stage inspection certificate: record keeping and handover](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-16-stage-inspection-certificate-records) - Compliance - QLD - Building - template: qld-building-form-16-inspection - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [NSW non-friable asbestos clearance certificate SW08272 guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-non-friable-asbestos-clearance-certificate-sw08272-guide) - Compliance - NSW - Building - template: nsw-safework-sw08272-asbestos-clearance - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [Common NT gas works notification mistakes before work starts](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nt-gas-works-notification-common-mistakes) - Compliance - NT - Gasfitting - template: nt-gas-works-notification - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [NSW asbestos removal paperwork from ARCP to clearance and completion](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-asbestos-removal-clearance-handover-workflow) - Workflow - NSW - Building - template: nsw-asbestos-removal-control-plan-class-b - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [NSW fire safety certificate completion: records to keep before lodgement](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-handover-records) - Compliance - NSW - Fire Safety - template: nsw-fire-safety-certificate - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [ACMA cabling compliance records: a digital TCA1 and TCA2 workflow](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-cabling-compliance-digital-records) - Workflow - Electrical - template: acma-tca1-attach-a - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [QLD Form 71 vs Form 72: which fire safety record do you need?](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-71-vs-form-72-fire-safety-handover-guide) - Compliance - QLD - Fire Safety - template: qld-fire-form-71-hydrant-sprinkler-commissioning - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [QLD Form 72 fire hydrant testing and maintenance guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-72-hydrant-sprinkler-maintenance-guide) - Compliance - QLD - Fire Safety - template: qld-fire-form-72-hydrant-testing-maintenance - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [NSW Class B asbestos removal control plan: on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-class-b-asbestos-removal-control-plan-guide) - Compliance - NSW - Building - template: nsw-asbestos-removal-control-plan-class-b - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [QLD Form 21 final inspection certificate: practical guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-21-final-inspection-certificate-guide) - Compliance - QLD - Building - template: qld-building-form-21-final-inspection - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [QLD Form 30 QBCC licensee aspect certificate: accepted development guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-30-qbcc-licensee-accepted-development-guide) - Compliance - QLD - Building - template: qld-building-form-30-accepted-development-aspect - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [QLD Form 71 hydrant and sprinkler commissioning guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-71-hydrant-sprinkler-commissioning-guide) - Compliance - QLD - Fire Safety - template: qld-fire-form-71-hydrant-sprinkler-commissioning - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [Common mistakes with QLD Form 43 aspect certificates](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-qld-form-43-aspect-certificate) - Compliance - QLD - Building - template: qld-building-form-43-aspect-certificate - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [QLD Form 16 inspection certificate: on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-16-inspection-certificate-on-site-guide) - Compliance - QLD - Building - template: qld-building-form-16-inspection - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [QLD Forms 1 5 and 9: who hands what to whom](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-plumbing-form-1-form-5-form-9-handover-guide) - Compliance - QLD - Plumbing - template: qld-form-1-permit-work - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [Common mistakes with QLD Form 15 design specification certificates](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-qld-building-form-15) - Compliance - QLD - Building - template: qld-building-form-15-design-spec - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [NSW Combined Notice and Certificate: record keeping and completion](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-combined-notice-coc-record-keeping-handover-guide) - Compliance - NSW - Plumbing - template: nsw-combined-notice-coc - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [QLD Form 43 QBCC licensee aspect certificate: on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-43-qbcc-licensee-aspect-certificate-guide) - Compliance - QLD - Building - template: qld-building-form-43-aspect-certificate - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [Common QLD certificate of testing and compliance mistakes electricians can catch on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-qld-electrical-cotc-mistakes) - Compliance - QLD - Electrical - template: qld-electrical-cotc - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [VIC Pesticide Application Record: Complete It On Site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/vic-pesticide-application-record-on-site-guide) - Compliance - VIC - Pest Control - template: vic-pesticide-application-record - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [ACMA TCA1 and TCA2: cabling record keeping and handover](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca1-tca2-cabling-record-keeping-handover-guide) - Compliance - Electrical - template: acma-tca1-attach-a - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [Common mistakes with VIC pesticide application records](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-vic-pesticide-application-record) - Compliance - VIC - Pest Control - template: vic-pesticide-application-record - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [QLD Form 12 aspect inspection certificate: on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-12-aspect-inspection-certificate-guide) - Compliance - QLD - Building - template: qld-building-form-12-aspect-inspection - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [TAS Form 60 and Form 71B: plumbing workflow from start notice to closeout](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-60-form-71b-plumbing-workflow-guide) - Compliance - TAS - Plumbing - template: tas-form-60-start-work - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [QLD Form 15 design specification certificate: how to complete it](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-15-design-specification-certificate-guide) - Compliance - QLD - Building - template: qld-building-form-15-design-spec - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [NSW Fire Safety Certificate vs Statement: Which Form Do You Need?](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-vs-statement-guide) - Compliance - NSW - Fire Safety - template: nsw-fire-safety-statement - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [QLD Form 12 vs Form 15: Which Building Certificate Fits the Job?](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-12-vs-form-15-building-certificate-guide) - Compliance - QLD - Building - template: qld-building-form-12-aspect-inspection - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [TAS Form 60 start work notification: get plumbing work ready to begin](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-60-start-work-notification-plumbing-guide) - Compliance - TAS - Plumbing - template: tas-form-60-start-work - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [ACMA TCA2 outstanding matters: record cabling issues you did not fix](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca2-outstanding-matters-cabling-guide) - Compliance - Electrical - template: acma-tca2 - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [QLD Form 5 testing or commissioning report: finish it on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-5-testing-commissioning-report-guide) - Compliance - QLD - Plumbing - template: qld-form-5-testing - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [NSW Combined Notice and Certificate: Complete Plumbing Paperwork On Site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-combined-notice-certificate-compliance-plumbing-guide) - Compliance - NSW - Plumbing - template: nsw-combined-notice-coc - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [NSW fire safety certificate: final vs interim certificate guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-final-interim-guide) - Compliance - NSW - Fire Safety - template: nsw-fire-safety-certificate - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [TAS Form 71B standard of work certificate: fill it before you leave site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-71b-standard-of-work-certificate-guide) - Compliance - TAS - Plumbing - template: tas-form-71b-plumbing - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [Common NSW fire safety statement mistakes before AFSS lodgement](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-nsw-fire-safety-statement) - Compliance - NSW - Fire Safety - template: nsw-fire-safety-statement - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [NT gas works notification: finish the 24-hour notice before you start](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nt-gas-works-notification-guide) - Compliance - NT - Gasfitting - template: nt-gas-works-notification - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [QLD Form 1 permit work application: fill it so council can assess it](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-1-permit-work-application-guide) - Compliance - QLD - Plumbing - template: qld-form-1-permit-work - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [ACMA TCA1 cabling advice: finish the form on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca1-cabling-advice-on-site-guide) - Compliance - Electrical - template: acma-tca1-attach-a - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [Common CCEW mistakes that cost NSW electricians time and money](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-ccew-mistakes-nsw-electricians) - Compliance - NSW - Electrical - template: nsw-ccew - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [QLD Form 9 backflow testing: finish the report at the device](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-9-backflow-testing-guide) - Compliance - QLD - Plumbing - template: qld-form-9-backflow - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [From job finish to CCEW without the office chase](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/streamlining-electrical-business-ccew-workflow) - Business - NSW - Electrical - template: nsw-ccew - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [Identifying and reporting electrical installation defects on a CCEW](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/electrical-installation-defects-ccew-reporting) - Safety - NSW - Electrical - template: nsw-ccew - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [Who can sign an NSW CCEW](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-electrical-licence-ccew-responsibilities) - Licensing - NSW - Electrical - template: nsw-ccew - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [Electrical safety switch testing: CCEW requirements and procedures](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/electrical-safety-switches-ccew-testing) - Testing - NSW - Electrical - template: nsw-ccew - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [How to explain a CCEW to your customer](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/ccew-client-communication-best-practices) - Business - NSW - Electrical - template: nsw-ccew - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [Digital vs paper CCEW for NSW electricians](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/digital-vs-paper-ccew-nsw-electricians) - Technology - NSW - Electrical - template: nsw-ccew - reviewed: 2026-07-27
- [NSW electrical testing checklist for CCEW sign-off](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-electrical-testing-requirements-2025) - Testing - NSW - Electrical - template: nsw-ccew - reviewed: 2026-07-27

## Resources
# Stage inspection day: a Form 16 checklist for QBCC licensees (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-16-stage-inspection-day-checklist)

A run sheet for stage inspection day in Queensland: what to confirm before you sign a Form 16, and what the certificate has to say when you do. | State: QLD | Trade: Building | Template: qld-building-form-16-inspection

Stage inspection day has a rhythm to it. You arrive, the builder wants you gone in twenty minutes, something is half finished, and there is a Form 16 that needs signing before anyone can move to the next stage. The pressure is always in the same direction, which is toward signing.

This is a run sheet for that day. It covers what to confirm before the certificate gets your name on it, and how to handle the part of the stage that is not ready.

**Key takeaways**

- Confirm the stage matches the approval before you inspect, not after
- The certificate covers what you inspected, so the work description has to match what you actually saw
- An aspect you are not licensed or competent for is not yours to certify
- Incomplete work gets recorded and re-inspected, never certified forward

Complete the certificate on site in the [QLD Form 16](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-16-inspection). For the field-by-field walkthrough, see the [Form 16 inspection certificate on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-16-inspection-certificate-on-site-guide), and for filing, [Form 16 stage inspection certificate records](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-16-stage-inspection-certificate-records). For the wider set, browse [QLD building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/building).

## Before you leave the office [#before-you-leave-the-office]

Two minutes here saves an argument on site.

**Check which stage you are attending.** Business Queensland sets out the stages of a building inspection, and the stage named on the request should match the approval and the work that is actually in front of you. A request for a frame inspection on a job where the frame went up two stages ago is a signal to ask questions before driving out.

**Check the approval documents you will be inspecting against.** Certifying against a superseded set of plans is a quiet way to create a problem that surfaces months later. Confirm you have the current approved version.

**Check that the aspect is yours.** Business Queensland publishes guidance on competent persons, and the aspect you are being asked to certify has to sit inside your licence class or competency. This is the check most easily skipped on a busy day and the one with the most personal consequence.

## On arrival [#on-arrival]

Before the inspection itself, settle three things with whoever met you.

Confirm the address and the specific building or unit, because on a multi-lot site the wrong lot number on a certificate is a genuine mess to unwind. Confirm what has changed since the last inspection or since the approval, particularly any variation that has not been formally documented. And confirm what is actually complete, rather than what the schedule says should be complete.

That last one sets up the rest of the day. If a third of the stage is not ready, it is better to know before you start than to discover it while writing the certificate.

## The inspection itself [#the-inspection-itself]

Work the stage in a consistent order and record as you go rather than afterwards.

Photograph what you inspect. A photo tied to the job and the date turns a certificate into something supportable, and it is the difference between remembering a detail and being able to show it. Photograph anything you are not certifying as well, because the boundary of what you covered matters as much as the content.

Note anything that is non-conforming while you are standing in front of it. A defect recalled in the ute is a defect described vaguely, and a vague defect is difficult for a builder to act on.

Keep track of the parts of the stage you could not access. Something covered, locked, or obstructed on the day is not something you inspected, and the certificate needs to reflect that.

## What has to be right on the certificate [#what-has-to-be-right-on-the-certificate]

The Form 16 is the inspection certificate, aspect certificate, and QBCC licensee aspect certificate. What goes on it is a statement, so each field is worth a moment.

**The property and approval references.** Address, lot, and the approval or permit reference the inspection relates to. These are the fields that connect your certificate to the rest of the approval trail, and a wrong reference orphans it.

**The description of the work inspected.** This should describe what you actually looked at.

**Description of work inspected**

- **This** - Frame to ground floor only, north and east elevations, as shown on drawings A03 Rev B (Protects you when someone later assumes the certificate covered more.)
- **Not this** - Frame (Thin on a job where you inspected one storey.)

**The stage or aspect.** Named to match the approval and the inspection request, not paraphrased.

**Your details and licence.** Name, licence number, and class. The certificate is only as good as the authority behind it.

**The date.** The date of the inspection, not the date you got around to the paperwork.

## When part of the stage is not ready [#when-part-of-the-stage-is-not-ready]

This is the moment the whole job is about.

The pressure to certify forward is real and it is always framed reasonably. The plumber is coming Thursday, the concrete is booked, it will be done by the time anyone looks. None of that changes what the certificate says, which is that you inspected and certified the work.

The workable answer is usually to certify what is complete and identify what is not, with a re-inspection arranged for the remainder. That keeps the job moving on the parts that are ready and keeps your name off the parts that are not.

Say it on site, to the person who can act on it, rather than only in the paperwork. A builder who finds out from the certificate that they need another inspection has lost a day they did not budget for, and that is where the friction comes from. Told at the time, it is a scheduling problem. Discovered later, it is a dispute.

## What if the builder disputes the finding? [#what-if-the-builder-disputes-the-finding]

It happens, and usually not aggressively. The builder has a schedule, a concrete pour booked, and a genuine belief that what you are pointing at is minor.

Keep the conversation on the specific item rather than on whether you are being difficult. Show them the thing. Most disputes dissolve when both people are standing in front of the same detail, because builders are generally not arguing that the work is right, they are arguing about whether it needs to hold up the program.

Separate the two questions explicitly. Whether the work conforms is your call and it is not negotiable. Whether the program can be resequenced around a re-inspection is theirs, and you can be helpful about it. Offering a realistic re-inspection window is worth more than winning the argument.

If a builder asks you to certify on the understanding it will be fixed before anyone sees it, treat that as the end of the conversation rather than a proposal to weigh. Your licence sits behind the certificate, not theirs.

## Should you certify an aspect outside your class? [#should-you-certify-an-aspect-outside-your-class]

No, and the pressure to do it is usually indirect rather than a straight request.

It arrives as convenience. You are already on site, the other trade's certifier cannot get there until Thursday, and the aspect looks fine to you. Business Queensland publishes guidance on competent persons, and the question is not whether you can assess the work adequately in a practical sense. It is whether you are the person entitled to certify it.

The same applies to certifying on someone else's behalf, or signing a certificate prepared by another person for work you did not attend. A certificate is a personal statement, and lending your licence to someone else's inspection is a bigger risk than the favour is worth.

Where an aspect falls outside your class, say who it needs to go to. A builder who gets a clear referral usually stops pushing, because the obstacle turns into a phone call rather than a delay with no solution.

## Before you drive away [#before-you-drive-away]

Four checks, standing at the ute.

1. Does the work description on the certificate match what you actually inspected, including the limits?
2. Is the stage or aspect named the same way it is named in the approval?
3. Is everything incomplete or inaccessible recorded, with the re-inspection understood by the builder?
4. Are your photos and notes tied to the job reference, not sitting loose on a phone?

If all four are yes, the certificate can be issued and filed. If any is no, it is a much shorter conversation now than after the next stage has been closed up over the top of it.

## Filing it so the trail holds [#filing-it-so-the-trail-holds]

The certificate goes to whoever needs it for the approval trail, usually the building certifier or principal contractor, and a copy stays with you.

Keep the inspection notes and photos with your copy, under the same job reference. The certificate is the conclusion; the notes and photos are the working that supports it. A certificate on its own is fine until someone asks a question about it, at which point the supporting material is the whole answer.

Where a re-inspection followed, file the second certificate alongside the first so the sequence is readable. Anyone following the job later should be able to see what was certified when, and what was outstanding in between.

## Where the form helps [#where-the-form-helps]

The [QLD Form 16](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-16-inspection) walks the certificate in the order above, with the property and approval references, the work description, and the stage captured as separate entries rather than free text you have to remember to fill. Licence and business details are saved and reused across jobs, so the authority block is right every time.

The form flags missing fields before download, you preview the entries mapped onto the official Form 16 layout, then download the finished PDF for the certifier and your own records.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto that layout. The licensee signing the certificate remains responsible for the inspection, the scope of what is certified, and checking the downloaded PDF before it is issued.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [Business Queensland building forms page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/forms-guidelines/forms) and the [Form 16 PDF](https://www.hpw.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0028/9775/form16inspectioncertificateaspectcertificateqbcclicenseeaspectcertificate.pdf) for the current approved form, [Business Queensland stages of a building inspection](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/approvals-inspections/stages) for how inspection stages work, and [Business Queensland competent persons guidance](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/approvals-inspections/competent-persons-cadets) for who may certify an aspect. Requirements change, so confirm the current form and your licence conditions before certifying.

# Electrical defect notice or quote: which one are you writing? (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/electrical-defect-notice-vs-quote-rectification-items)

A defect notice records an unsafe installation, a quote prices the fix. Writing rectification items so the client can act on both without confusing them. | Trade: Electrical | Template: national-electrical-defect-notice

You have opened up a job, found something that should not be there, and now you have two things to write: a record that the installation is defective, and a price for fixing it. Plenty of electricians write one document that tries to do both, and it usually does neither well.

The defect notice is a safety record. The quote is a commercial offer. They go to the same person, often on the same day, and they need to stay separate. This guide covers why, and how to write rectification items that work in both documents.

**Key takeaways**

- A defect notice records an unsafe or non-compliant installation, a quote prices work you are offering
- Bundling the two lets a client read a safety warning as a sales pitch and dismiss it
- Write each rectification item so a non-electrician can decide about it
- Where there is immediate danger, make safe first and write it up afterwards

Record the finding in the [electrical defect notice](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-electrical-defect-notice). For the field-by-field walkthrough, see the [electrical defect notice template guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/electrical-defect-notice-template-guide). Browse more [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical) for the rest of your paperwork.

## Which document are you writing? [#which-document-are-you-writing]

The test is what the document is for.

A defect notice exists to record a fact and transfer knowledge. It says: this installation, at this address, on this date, has this problem, and here is why it matters. Its job is done whether or not you ever work on it again. Energy Safe Victoria publishes guidance on electrical installation defects and a sample installation defect letter, which is a useful shape for what this document does.

A quote exists to win work. It says: here is what I will do, here is what it costs, here is how long it takes. It is an offer you want accepted.

Those are different purposes and they carry different weight. A defect notice is stronger for being disinterested. The moment it also contains your price, a sceptical client has a reason to discount it, and a defect they might have acted on becomes a quote they will think about.

## Make safe before you write anything [#make-safe-before-you-write-anything]

Where there is an immediate danger, the order is not negotiable. Isolate, or otherwise control the hazard, before you start on documentation.

Recording an unsafe condition and leaving it live is worse than not writing it down at all, because you have now documented that you knew. Deal with the hazard, then record what you found and what you did about it, including the isolation itself.

Reporting obligations for unsafe installations differ between states, and SafeWork NSW guidance on electrical inspection and testing is one starting point. Confirm what applies where you work rather than assuming, because the requirement to notify someone can sit alongside your obligation to the client.

## Writing a rectification item [#writing-a-rectification-item]

This is the part that carries across both documents, and it is where most of them fail.

A rectification item has four parts. **What is wrong**, in a sentence. **Where it is**, precisely enough for someone else to find. **Why it matters**, in language a non-electrician can follow. **What the fix involves**, at a level of detail that supports a decision.

Compare two versions of the same item.

**Rectification item**

- **This** - Loose and heat-damaged terminations on the main switch, main switchboard, meter cupboard. Loose connections heat up under load and are a common cause of switchboard fires. Fix involves isolating the supply, replacing the affected terminations and the main switch, and re-testing. Around half a day, supply interrupted for the duration. (What is wrong, where, why it matters, and what the fix involves.)
- **Not this** - Non-compliant terminations in MSB (The client cannot judge urgency, picture the work, or compare against a second opinion.)

The second version takes ninety seconds more to write. It is also the version that gets approved.

## Do not hide the urgency in technical language [#do-not-hide-the-urgency-in-technical-language]

Electricians tend to describe defects accurately and neutrally, which reads to a client as "not urgent".

If something is dangerous, the document should say it is dangerous. Not with scare tactics or exclamation marks, but plainly. "This condition presents a risk of electric shock and should be rectified before the property is re-let" is clear without being theatrical. "Does not comply with AS/NZS 3000" is accurate and communicates nothing about consequence.

The same applies in reverse. If an item is a compliance improvement rather than a hazard, say that too. A client who discovers that everything on your list was described in the same urgent tone, and half of it turned out to be optional, will discount the next list entirely.

## Priority, not just a list [#priority-not-just-a-list]

A list of nine items with no ordering invites paralysis. Group them.

Three bands is usually enough: things that need attention now, things that should be dealt with in a defined period, and things worth doing when other work is happening. A client who cannot afford the whole list can still act on the top of it, which is a better outcome than deferring all of it.

Putting the same ordering in both the defect notice and the quote keeps them readable together. The client should be able to lay the two side by side and see that item three on one is item three on the other.

## When the client is not the owner [#when-the-client-is-not-the-owner]

A large share of defect notices are issued on properties where the person who called you does not own the building.

A tenant who arranged a repair cannot authorise a switchboard upgrade. A property manager may be able to approve minor work but needs owner sign-off for anything substantial. A builder on site has their own contractual chain back to a client you have never met.

Address the notice to the person who engaged you, and be explicit about who else needs to see it. "This notice should be provided to the property owner" is a sentence worth including, because it removes the ambiguity about whether the message was supposed to travel further.

Where the defect is a genuine hazard and the person in front of you cannot authorise the fix, say so clearly and record that you said it. The gap between a tenant being told and an owner being told is exactly where defects sit unaddressed for years.

## Timeframes without guessing [#timeframes-without-guessing]

Clients ask how long they have. It is a fair question and the honest answer is usually conditional.

Where an installation is unsafe, the answer is now, and the make-safe work you did on the day is part of that answer. Where the item is a compliance improvement, the sensible framing is around a trigger rather than a date: before the property is re-let, at the next fitout, when the board is next opened for other work.

Avoid inventing a deadline that has no source. A specific timeframe stated with authority, when nothing requires it, weakens the items that genuinely are urgent. If a requirement does set a period, cite where it comes from so the client can see it is not your preference.

## Keeping the pair straight in the file [#keeping-the-pair-straight-in-the-file]

Both documents belong in the job record, along with evidence of what was sent and when.

The pattern that works is one job reference on both, filenames that say what each is, and the delivery record kept with them. If the notice was emailed, the email belongs in the file. If it was handed over on site, a note of that with the date is the next best thing.

Where the client accepts the quote, the completed work record goes in alongside, so the defect and its closure sit together. Where the client declines, that is worth recording too. A documented decline is a much better position than an unanswered notice, for both of you.

## What a good pair looks like [#what-a-good-pair-looks-like]

The defect notice: dated, addressed, identifies the installation, lists what is wrong and why it matters, states what was made safe on the day, and names the electrician and licence. No prices.

The quote: same job reference, same item ordering, prices each rectification item, states what is included and excluded, notes any supply interruption or access needed.

Two documents, one conversation. The client can accept the quote or not, and either way the safety record stands on its own.

## Where the form helps [#where-the-form-helps]

The [electrical defect notice](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-electrical-defect-notice) keeps the notice focused on the safety record rather than drifting into pricing. Each defect is entered with its location, description, and the reason it matters, so the items come out in a shape a client can read and you can quote against separately.

Business and licence details are saved and reused, the form flags missing fields before download, and you preview the entries on the notice layout before producing the finished PDF for the client and the job file.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto that layout. The licensed electrician remains responsible for the findings, any make-safe work, the reporting obligations that apply, and checking the downloaded PDF before it goes to the client.

Related reading: the [electrical defect notice template guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/electrical-defect-notice-template-guide), and [what insurance assessors scan first in a switchboard report](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/switchboard-report-what-insurance-assessors-check) for the adjacent inspection record.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [Standards Australia Wiring Rules](https://www.standards.org.au/flagship-projects/wiring-rules) for AS/NZS 3000, [Energy Safe Victoria on electrical installation defects](https://www.energysafe.vic.gov.au/certificates-electrical-safety/electrical-installation-defects) and its [sample installation defect letter](https://www.energysafe.vic.gov.au/industry-guidance/electrical/electricians-toolkit/sample-installation-defect-letter) for the shape of a defect communication, and [SafeWork NSW electrical inspection and testing](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/hazards-a-z/electrical-and-power/electrical-inspection-and-testing) for inspection and reporting expectations. Defect reporting requirements and licence conditions vary by state, so confirm the obligations that apply to your work before issuing a notice.

# What insurance assessors scan first in a switchboard report (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/switchboard-report-what-insurance-assessors-check)

The parts of a switchboard condition report an assessor reads after a fire or claim, and how to write yours so it holds up months later. | Trade: Electrical | Template: national-switchboard-condition-report

Most switchboard condition reports are written to win an upgrade job. That is a fair reason to write one. But the reports that end up mattering most are the ones read months later, by someone who was not there, after something went wrong.

An assessor working a claim is trying to establish two things: what condition the board was in, and what the owner was told about it. Everything they read is aimed at those two questions. Writing your report knowing that makes it better at its original job too, because a report that survives scrutiny is also more persuasive to a hesitant client.

**Key takeaways**

- The date and the identity of the board are read before anything else, because the report is a snapshot
- Defects and recommendations need to be separated, or neither is actionable
- A photographed defect is evidence, a described defect is a claim
- What the client was told, and that they were told in writing, is the part that carries weight later

Build the report on site in the [switchboard condition report](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-switchboard-condition-report). For the field-by-field walkthrough, see the [switchboard condition report template guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/switchboard-condition-report-template-inspection-guide). Browse more [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical) for the rest of your job records.

## The date and the board identity [#the-date-and-the-board-identity]

A condition report is a statement about one board on one day. Both halves of that need to be unambiguous.

The date is checked first because it anchors everything. A report dated the week before a fault carries different weight to one dated eighteen months earlier. Where an inspection ran across more than one visit, the dates should reflect that rather than collapsing to whichever day the report was typed up.

Board identity matters just as much on any site with more than one board.

**Board identity**

- **This** - DB2, level 1 plant room, 250 A, rating plate sighted (Location, the designation used on site, and the rating plate details.)
- **Not this** - Main switchboard (Fine in a house. The beginning of an argument in a light industrial unit.)

Record the location, the designation used on site, and the rating plate details where they exist.

If the labelling on site is wrong or missing, that is itself worth recording. An unlabelled board is a real finding, not an inconvenience to work around.

## As-found condition, before you touch anything [#as-found-condition-before-you-touch-anything]

The most useful section is the one describing the board as you found it.

That means before covers came off, before anything was reset, and before any make-safe work. Once you have worked on a board, the original state exists only in your record, and reconstructing it later is exactly the kind of evidence that does not hold up.

Practical detail belongs here: whether the board was accessible, whether it was locked or open, whether the enclosure was intact, whether there were signs of heat, moisture, rodent activity, or previous unqualified work. Signs of overheating around terminations are worth their own line, because they are the single most common thread running back from a later fault.

Older boards carry their own hazard. WA Government guidance covers asbestos safety in switchboard panel repair work, and where a board is old enough that asbestos-containing panel material is possible, the fact you identified and handled that is part of the record too.

## Are defects and recommendations separated? [#are-defects-and-recommendations-separated]

This is where most reports go soft, and it is the thing an assessor notices immediately.

A defect is something wrong with the installation as it stands. A recommendation is work you propose to improve it. When the two are blended into one list, the client cannot tell what needs attention now from what would be nice eventually, and later nobody can tell what they were actually warned about.

The separation should be visible in the document, not just implied by wording. A defect list and a recommendations list, each with its own items. A defect that is also urgent should say so plainly rather than relying on the reader to infer it from technical language.

Blending has a cost in the original job too. Clients who cannot see the difference between urgent and optional tend to treat the whole report as a sales document and defer all of it.

## Photos as evidence [#photos-as-evidence]

A described defect is a claim about what you saw. A photographed defect is something a third party can assess without going back to site.

The set worth capturing on any board of consequence is small. The board as found, before work. Each significant defect close enough to be legible. The rating plate or labelling. Anything you are recommending replacement of. A wide shot showing the board in its surroundings, which answers questions about access and environment that written descriptions handle badly.

Photos need to be tied to the report rather than living separately in a camera roll. A photo that cannot be connected to a specific board on a specific date is very close to no photo at all. Naming them against the job reference at the time is the habit that makes this work.

## What the client was told [#what-the-client-was-told]

For anything that ended in a dispute, this is the section that carries the most weight.

The question is rarely whether the electrician noticed a problem. It is whether the owner was told, in a form they could understand, and whether that can be shown. A verbal warning delivered in a driveway is real, and it is also nearly impossible to demonstrate a year later.

Write the recommendation in language the client can act on. "Board does not comply with current requirements" is technically true and practically useless to a landlord deciding whether to spend money. "No residual current protection on the power circuits. Recommend upgrade. This is the protection that reduces the risk of electric shock from faulty appliances or damaged leads" gives them something to decide about.

Then make sure the report actually reaches them and that you keep a copy. Handing over the document, and having a record that you handed it over, is the part people skip.

## Scope: what you did not look at [#scope-what-you-did-not-look-at]

A report says as much by what it excludes as by what it covers, and the exclusions have to be written down.

On a site with a main board and two sub-boards, a report that inspected only the main board and does not say so reads as a statement about the whole installation. If a fault later appears in a sub-board you never opened, the silence works against you.

The same applies within a single board. If covers could not be removed because the board could not be isolated, or because a tenant refused an outage, that is a limit on what you assessed. Write it as a limit rather than leaving the affected section blank, because a blank cell reads as nothing found rather than nothing checked.

Access conditions belong here too. A board behind stored goods in a tenancy, or one that could only be reached by ladder in a stairwell, is a board you inspected under constraints. Recording that protects the report and gives the client a reason to fix the access.

## Environment and what sits around the board [#environment-and-what-sits-around-the-board]

Assessors ask about the surroundings because a lot of switchboard failures start outside the enclosure.

Note whether the board is exposed to weather, whether there is water ingress or evidence of past ingress, and whether the location is subject to dust, salt air, or vibration. In agricultural and coastal work these are the conditions that explain deterioration that would otherwise look like neglect.

Note what is stored near it. Boards in cupboards that have become storage, boards behind stock in a retail tenancy, or boards with combustible material stacked against them are all findings worth writing down, and all of them are cheap for the client to fix once they know.

Clearance and access for safe working is the last piece. If someone cannot stand in front of the board and work safely, that is a defect in its own right rather than an inconvenience.

## The gaps that weaken a report [#the-gaps-that-weaken-a-report]

A few patterns undermine an otherwise reasonable report.

**Everything marked as compliant, with no detail.** A report with no findings and no supporting observation reads as a form that was filled in rather than an inspection that happened.

**Technical shorthand with no plain-language equivalent.** If the person who has to act on the report cannot understand it, the report has not done its job regardless of its accuracy.

**Undated recommendations with no priority.** A list of six items with no indication of what matters most invites the client to do none of them.

**No statement of scope.** If you inspected the main board and not the two sub-boards, saying so protects both parties. Silence on scope reads as a claim about the whole installation.

## Where the form helps [#where-the-form-helps]

The [switchboard condition report](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-switchboard-condition-report) walks the inspection in the order above, so the as-found condition is captured before the defect list rather than after it. Defects and recommendations are separate sections, which is what keeps the two from blurring, and photos attach against the job rather than sitting loose on a phone.

Your business and licence details are saved and reused, the form flags missing fields before download, and you preview the entries on the report layout before producing the finished PDF for the client and your own records.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto that layout. The licensed electrician remains responsible for the inspection, the findings, the recommendations, and checking the downloaded PDF before it goes to the client.

Related reading: the [switchboard condition report template guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/switchboard-condition-report-template-inspection-guide) for the field detail, and the [electrical defect notice template guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/electrical-defect-notice-template-guide) for recording an unsafe installation.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check [AS/NZS 3000:2018 at the Standards Australia store](https://store.standards.org.au/product/as-nzs-3000-2018) for the Wiring Rules, [AS/NZS 3019:2022](https://store.standards.org.au/product/as-nzs-3019-2022) for periodic assessment of electrical installations, the [WA Government switchboard panel repair and asbestos safety fact sheet](https://www.wa.gov.au/government/publications/switchboard-panel-repair-work-and-asbestos-safety-fact-sheet) for the hazard in older boards, and the [Energy Safe Victoria electrical safety checklist](https://www.energysafe.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2022-12/ElectricalSafetyChecklist_May2021.pdf) for inspection points. Requirements and licence conditions vary by state, so confirm what applies to your work before issuing a report.

# What fire inspectors look for in an emergency lighting log (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/emergency-lighting-log-what-fire-inspectors-check)

The parts of an AS/NZS 2293.2 emergency lighting log an inspector reads first, and the gaps that turn a routine check into a follow-up visit. | Trade: Electrical | Template: national-emergency-lighting-test-register

An inspector standing in a building services cupboard with your emergency lighting log has a limited amount of time and a fairly short list of things they want to see. They are not reading it cover to cover. They are checking a handful of specific points, and if those points hold up the rest of the file is usually taken on trust.

Knowing which points those are is the difference between a five-minute look and a follow-up visit. This guide walks through what gets read first, in roughly the order it gets read.

**Key takeaways**

- The service dates get checked before the content, because gaps and bunching show the six-monthly cycle slipped
- A fitting count that does not match the building is the fastest way to lose confidence in the whole log
- Failures with no recorded action are the single most common finding
- Records of testing should be kept on site and made available for auditing

If you maintain these records, build them in the [emergency lighting test register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-emergency-lighting-test-register). For the field-level detail, see the [emergency lighting test register and AS 2293.2 guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/national-emergency-lighting-test-register-as-2293-2), and for the arranging side, the [six-monthly checklist for facility managers](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/emergency-lighting-six-monthly-checklist-facility-managers). Browse more [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical) for the rest of your building records.

## The dates get read first [#the-dates-get-read-first]

Before anyone looks at a single fitting, they look at the spacing of the services.

Emergency and exit lighting should be inspected and electrically re-tested every six months under AS/NZS 2293.2. A log showing services in March and September for three years running tells its own story. A log showing March, September, then nothing until the following August, tells a different one.

Two patterns draw attention. The first is a gap, where a cycle was skipped and the building went twelve months on one service. The second is bunching, where three services appear within a few weeks of each other because someone realised the records were behind and caught up on paper. Bunched dates are worse than a visible gap, because they suggest the record was written to look right rather than to reflect what happened.

If a cycle genuinely slipped, the honest entry is the better one. A recorded late service with a reason is a manageable finding. A backfilled service that never happened is a different category of problem.

## Does the fitting count match the building? [#does-the-fitting-count-match-the-building]

This is the second check and it is done by walking, not reading.

An inspector who counts eleven fittings on a floor and finds nine on the register has a reason to doubt everything else in the file. It is a quick test and it is decisive, which is exactly why it gets used.

The count moves when buildings change. A fitout that adds a corridor adds fittings. A tenancy reconfiguration removes them. A register reporting an unchanged count in a building that has visibly been altered is being copied forward from the last service rather than rebuilt from the site.

The fix is that the register is built against a current schedule, and that new or removed fittings are reflected the cycle they change. If a fitting was removed, saying so on the record is better than it silently disappearing between two services.

## Every fitting, not a summary [#every-fitting-not-a-summary]

The most common weak log is a certificate rather than a list. One page, a building name, a date, and a line reading "emergency lighting tested and found compliant".

That is a claim. The record an inspector wants is the evidence behind it: each fitting with an identity, a test date, and its own result. A log that lists only the failures is a variant of the same problem, because there is no evidence the rest were tested at all and no baseline to compare against next cycle.

Identity matters as much as the result. "Level 2 corridor, east end, above door 2.14" can be found by someone who has never been in the building. "Corridor light" cannot, and an unfindable fitting is one that cannot be rectified or re-checked.

## Did the discharge test actually run? [#did-the-discharge-test-actually-run]

This is where an experienced inspector spends their attention, because it is the check most easily skipped.

Switching a fitting on and seeing the lamp work proves the lamp. The discharge test interrupts the normal supply so the fitting runs on its own battery, and the fitting only passes if it stays lit at the required level for the full rated duration. WorkSafe Victoria describes that as maintaining the required level for at least one hour after the loss of normal lighting. The battery is the part that degrades, so the discharge test is the part that means anything.

The tell is timing. If a log shows a hundred fittings tested across a two-hour visit, the durations do not fit. Each fitting has to run for its rated duration, and while fittings can be discharged in parallel, the numbers still have to be plausible against the time on site.

A log that records results in a way that shows the test ran, rather than just a pass tick, answers the question before it is asked.

## Failures with no action [#failures-with-no-action]

If there is one finding that appears more than any other, it is this.

A fitting marked as failed with nothing recorded against it leaves an open safety item. The inspector does not know whether it was replaced that afternoon, quoted and forgotten, or is still sitting dark above a stairwell eight months later. Neither, usually, does the building owner.

The entry that closes it is short. What failed, what was done, and when.

**Action against a failure**

- **This** - Battery did not hold rated duration, fitting tagged and isolated, replacement fitted 12 March (A complete story: what failed, what was done, and when.)
- **Not this** - (blank) (An invitation to look harder at everything else in the file.)

Where rectification is a separate visit, the rectification record should be filed alongside the register that reported the failure. An inspector following one failed fitting from the report to its closure and finding both documents together is the moment a well-kept file earns its keep.

## Who signed it [#who-signed-it]

The last check is the simplest. The record should name the competent person who performed the routine service, and the business behind them.

Records of testing should be kept on site and made available for auditing, and a record nobody is named on is hard to rely on. It also makes practical follow-up impossible, because the obvious next step after a question about a result is to ask the person who took it.

## What a clean log looks like [#what-a-clean-log-looks-like]

Pulled together, the log that passes without much discussion has:

1. Services spaced on the six-monthly cycle, with any slip visible and explained rather than smoothed over
2. A fitting count that matches the building, with additions and removals reflected when they happened
3. Every fitting listed with a findable location, a date, and its own result
4. Evidence the discharge test ran to the rated duration, not just a lamp check
5. An action against every failure, with rectification records filed alongside
6. The tester and business named

None of that is exotic. It is what the record looks like when it is written at the fitting rather than reconstructed at a desk.

## Where the form helps [#where-the-form-helps]

The [emergency lighting test register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-emergency-lighting-test-register) produces this shape by default, because it asks for the per-fitting detail as you go rather than leaving it to whoever is writing up the visit. Each fitting is entered with its identity, result, and dates, and a failure prompts for the action before the record can be finished, which is what stops the open-failure finding.

Business, tester, and licence details are saved and reused across jobs, so the naming question is answered every time without retyping. The form flags missing fields before download, you preview the entries on the register layout, then download the finished PDF to hand over and store with the building records.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto that layout. The competent person performing the service remains responsible for the testing, the results, and checking the downloaded PDF before it becomes the record.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check [AS/NZS 2293.2:2019 at the Standards Australia store](https://store.standards.org.au/product/as-nzs-2293-2-2019) for the routine service and maintenance procedures, [National Construction Code Part E4](https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/editions/ncc-2022/adopted/volume-one/e-services-and-equipment/part-e4-visibility-emergency-exit-signs-and-warning-systems) for how emergency lighting and exit signs are required, [WorkSafe Victoria on emergency lighting](https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/emergency-lighting-construction-sites) for the six-monthly test and record-keeping expectations, and the [Queensland fire safety inspection and maintenance guidelines](https://www.hpw.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/4222/inspect-maint-options.pdf) for how the service and its records are treated. Inspection regimes and retention expectations vary by state and building classification, so confirm what applies to the building you maintain.

# Landlord smoke alarm service day: a room-by-room workflow (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/landlord-smoke-alarm-service-day-room-by-room)

A room-by-room route for servicing smoke alarms in a rental, so every alarm gets tested, cleaned, and recorded before you leave the property. | Trade: Electrical | Template: national-smoke-alarm-service-record

Smoke alarm service day on a rental is a small job that goes wrong in predictable ways. You arrive between other work, the tenant is home, one alarm is behind a door that will not open, and by the time you are back in the ute you are not certain whether the hallway alarm got cleaned or just tested. The record you write from that memory is the one an agent relies on.

The fix is a fixed route. Servicing a property room by room, in the same order every time, is what turns a scattered job into a record you can sign without hedging. This guide sets out that route and what to capture at each stop.

**Key takeaways**

- Work a fixed route through the property instead of following the sound from alarm to alarm
- Capture each alarm's location, power source, and manufacture date at the alarm, not afterwards
- Test interconnection from more than one alarm so a one-way fault does not pass
- Any alarm that fails, or that was made more than 10 years ago, comes out that day

Write the record as you go in the [smoke alarm service record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-smoke-alarm-service-record). For the field-by-field detail behind each entry, see the [smoke alarm service record template guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/smoke-alarm-service-record-template). Browse more [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical) for the rest of the job paperwork.

## Before you knock [#before-you-knock]

Two things are worth confirming before you are standing in someone's hallway.

**Access and notice.** Someone lives here. Confirm the entry arrangement with the agent, and expect to work around a tenant who is home, working, or asleep after night shift. An alarm you could not reach because a room was occupied is a note on the record, not a silent gap.

**The alarm count from last time.** If a previous service record exists, take the alarm count and locations with you. A property that had five alarms and now has four is telling you something, and it is much easier to notice on site than three weeks later.

If neither exists because this is the first service, the walk you are about to do is what builds the schedule for every service after it. Take the extra ten minutes.

## The route [#the-route]

Follow the building, not the noise. The order below covers a standard single or double storey dwelling and adapts easily.

1. **Furthest bedroom first.** Start at the far end and work back toward the entry. It is the opposite of how people naturally move through a house, which is exactly why it works.
2. **Every other bedroom in sequence.** Do not skip a room because the door is shut. A closed door is where a missed alarm hides.
3. **Hallways serving the bedrooms.** These are the alarms that matter most and get the least attention.
4. **Every other level.** Stairwells and landings on the way.
5. **Any remaining storey or area without a bedroom**, so the whole dwelling is covered rather than only the sleeping end.

The point of a fixed order is that a gap becomes obvious. If your record jumps from bedroom 1 to the hallway with no bedroom 2, you know before you leave.

## What to capture at each alarm [#what-to-capture-at-each-alarm]

Do this at the alarm. Not in the hallway, not in the ute.

**Where it is, in words someone else can follow.**

**Alarm location**

- **This** - Bedroom 2, ceiling, above wardrobe (Findable at the next service without guesswork.)
- **Not this** - Bedroom alarm (Ambiguous the moment the property has three bedrooms.)

**How it is powered.** Hardwired, hardwired with battery backup, or a 10-year non-removable battery unit. This drives what you are allowed to do about a failure and who has to do it.

**The manufacture date on the unit.** This is the field most often left blank and most often needed. An alarm manufactured more than 10 years ago must be replaced regardless of whether it sounds today. If you did not read the date off the back, you cannot make that call.

**The result, and what you did.** Passed, cleaned, replaced, or could not access. Each of those is a real outcome. A blank is not.

## How do you test an interconnected system? [#how-do-you-test-an-interconnected-system]

Press and hold the test button on one alarm and confirm the others sound. That is the test that proves the interconnection rather than the single unit, and it is the one most often skipped because testing each alarm on its own is quicker.

Test from more than one alarm. A system can fail in one direction, where alarm A triggers the rest but alarm C triggers nothing, and testing only from the hallway unit will not surface it. Two or three trigger points across the property is usually enough on a standard dwelling.

The National Construction Code requires alarms in a new dwelling to be interconnected where there is more than one. In Queensland, all homes need interconnected photoelectric alarms in every bedroom, hallway, and on every level by 1 January 2027, and rentals have been under that requirement since 1 January 2022. Requirements differ between states and between new and existing dwellings, so confirm what applies to the property rather than assuming.

## Failures on the day [#failures-on-the-day]

An alarm that does not operate when tested must be replaced. So must any alarm manufactured more than 10 years ago, even if it sounds.

Carry replacements. A service visit that produces a list of things to come back for is worse for everyone than one that fixes what it finds, and a second visit to a tenanted property is harder to arrange than the first.

Record both units when you swap one. The alarm that came out and the alarm that went in, with the new unit's manufacture date. That pairing is what makes the next service straightforward, because the person reading it knows exactly what is up there.

Installing or replacing a hardwired alarm is electrical work and needs a licensed electrician. A 10-year non-removable battery alarm can be installed without one. Know which type you are looking at before you start, because it decides whether the fix is yours to make.

## Alarms you could not reach [#alarms-you-could-not-reach]

Sometimes a room is occupied, a ceiling is too high for the ladder you brought, or a unit is behind a tenant's stored belongings.

Record it as not accessed, with the reason. An honest gap that is visible is a problem someone can solve. A silent gap reads as a completed service and nobody follows it up. Tell the agent before you leave the property rather than letting them find it in the PDF, and agree who is arranging the return visit.

Do not mark an alarm as passed because it probably is. The whole value of the record is that it says what actually happened.

## Before you leave [#before-you-leave]

Four checks, standing at the front door.

1. Does the alarm count on your record match what the property should have, and match the previous service if there was one?
2. Does every alarm have a location, a power source, a result, and a manufacture date?
3. Is every replacement recorded as a pair, old unit and new unit?
4. Is anything you could not access written down, with the reason and the next step?

If the answer to all four is yes, the job is closed. If not, the fix is a two-minute walk back inside, which is a much better option than a phone call next month.

## Where the form helps [#where-the-form-helps]

The [smoke alarm service record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-smoke-alarm-service-record) follows the same order as the route above, so the record builds as you move through the property rather than being reconstructed afterwards. Each alarm is entered with its location, power source, manufacture date, and result, and a failure prompts you for the action before the record can be finished.

Your business and licence details are saved and reused across properties, so they are not retyped for every service. The form flags missing fields before download, you preview the entries on the record layout, then download the finished PDF for the agent or landlord file.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto that layout. The licensed person doing the work remains responsible for the testing, the replacements, and checking the downloaded PDF before it goes to the agent.

Related reading: the [smoke alarm service record template guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/smoke-alarm-service-record-template) for the detail behind each field, and the [six-monthly emergency lighting checklist](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/emergency-lighting-six-monthly-checklist-facility-managers) for the commercial equivalent.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [Queensland Government smoke alarms guidance](https://www.qld.gov.au/emergency/safety/fire/smoke-alarms) and [Queensland Fire Department smoke alarms](https://www.fire.qld.gov.au/prepare/fire/smoke-alarms) for the alarm type, interconnection, and replacement rules, the [Residential Tenancies Authority smoke alarms page](https://www.rta.qld.gov.au/renting/during-a-tenancy/health-and-safety/smoke-alarms) for the landlord and renter testing obligations, and [National Construction Code Part 9.5](https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/editions/ncc-2022/adopted/housing-provisions/9-fire-safety/part-95-smoke-alarms-and-evacuation-lighting) for smoke alarm requirements in dwellings. Tenancy and smoke alarm rules differ between states and territories, so confirm the current obligations for the property before treating a service as complete.

# Six-monthly emergency lighting checklist for facility managers (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/emergency-lighting-six-monthly-checklist-facility-managers)

What to arrange, witness, and file for the six-monthly emergency lighting service, and how to tell a complete AS/NZS 2293.2 test register from a thin one. | Trade: Electrical | Template: national-emergency-lighting-test-register

The emergency lighting service is one of those jobs that quietly becomes your problem. A contractor walks the building, cuts the supply to each fitting, times the batteries, and leaves. Six months later an insurer, an auditor, or a fire safety consultant asks for the records, and what you have is a one-page invoice that says "emergency lighting tested, all compliant" with no fitting list behind it.

This checklist is written for the person arranging the service rather than the electrician performing it. It covers what to agree before the contractor arrives, what happens to the building during the test, and how to tell a register that will survive an audit from one that will not.

**Key takeaways**

- Emergency and exit lighting should be inspected and electrically re-tested every six months, including a discharge test to the full rated duration
- Agree the timing and affected areas first, because the building runs on battery lighting while the test is under way
- A usable register lists every fitting with a result, not a summary line and a compliance tick
- Records of testing should be kept on site and made available for auditing

If you engage contractors who need somewhere clean to record the round, point them at the [emergency lighting test register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-emergency-lighting-test-register). For the field-level detail of how the register is filled in, see the [emergency lighting test register and AS 2293.2 guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/national-emergency-lighting-test-register-as-2293-2). Browse more [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical) for adjacent building records.

## What is the six-monthly emergency lighting test? [#what-is-the-six-monthly-emergency-lighting-test]

It is a routine service in which every emergency and exit fitting in the building is inspected and electrically re-tested, including a discharge test that runs each fitting on its own battery for its full rated duration. The National Construction Code requires the systems to be installed to AS/NZS 2293.1, and AS/NZS 2293.2 sets the inspection, testing, and maintenance procedures that keep them in a state of readiness.

The discharge test is the part that matters and the part most easily faked. Switching a fitting on and confirming the lamp works proves the lamp. Interrupting the normal supply and confirming the fitting stays lit at the required level for the full rated duration proves the battery, which is the component that actually degrades. WorkSafe Victoria describes that as maintaining the required level for at least one hour after the loss of normal lighting.

A battery that holds for fifteen minutes will pass a lamp check and fail an evacuation. That is the whole reason the interval exists.

## Before the contractor arrives [#before-the-contractor-arrives]

Most of the friction in this job comes from things nobody agreed in advance.

**Confirm the fitting schedule.** Ask what list the contractor is working from. If the answer is "we will find them as we go", the register you get back will be whatever they happened to walk past. A building with a known fitting count gives you something to check the register against. If no schedule exists, the first service is the one that builds it, and you should expect to pay for that.

**Agree the timing and the affected areas.** During the discharge test the affected part of the building is running on emergency lighting only. In a tenanted office, a childcare centre, or a medical suite that is not something to discover at 10am on a Tuesday. Book it outside occupied hours or stage it floor by floor.

**Name the person who can authorise a supply interruption.** Someone has to be reachable if a circuit does not come back cleanly, or if a fitting in a critical area fails and needs isolating.

**Ask what happens to failures.** A service that only tests is half a service. Find out whether the contractor is quoting to test, or to test and rectify, and what the process is for a fitting that fails on the day. This single question prevents most of the follow-up arguments.

## Which areas need checking first [#which-areas-need-checking-first]

Emergency lighting exists to get people out of the building, so the fittings that matter most are the ones on the escape path. When you walk the building before or after a service, these are the places worth your attention.

- Exit doors and the paths that lead to them, including the final discharge point outside the building
- Stairwells, especially the lower flights that people use least and where fittings are checked least
- Change of direction points and level changes in corridors, where a dropped fitting leaves a dark turn
- Plant rooms, switchboards, and fire services equipment, which need light for someone to work in an emergency

Fittings in back-of-house areas and rarely used stairwells are the ones that quietly fail. They are also the ones a hurried contractor is most likely to skip, so they are worth spot-checking against the register when the paperwork comes back.

## What the register must show you [#what-the-register-must-show-you]

This is where most handover packs fall down. The register is not a certificate, it is a list, and the value is in the per-fitting detail.

Every fitting on the schedule should appear with an identity you can find again. The identity is what turns a failure into a work order.

**Fitting identity**

- **This** - Level 2 corridor, east end, above door 2.14 (Still usable in six months, by someone who was never on site.)
- **Not this** - Corridor light (Unusable the moment there is more than one corridor.)

Each fitting needs its own result, including the ones that passed. A register that lists only failures gives you no evidence that the rest were tested at all, and no baseline to compare against next cycle. The test date belongs on the record, and where fittings were tested across more than one visit the dates should reflect that rather than being backfilled to a single day.

Anything that failed needs an action recorded against it. "Battery did not hold rated duration, fitting tagged, replacement quoted" tells the next reader what happened. A blank next to a fail tells them nothing, and leaves you holding an open safety item you did not know about.

Finally, the register should name the person and business who did the work. Records of testing should be kept on site and made available for auditing, and an anonymous record is hard to stand behind when someone asks who performed the service.

## How do you spot a thin service? [#how-do-you-spot-a-thin-service]

You do not need to be an electrician to see the gaps. A few patterns give it away.

The register arrives as a summary. One line saying "48 fittings tested, all compliant" is a claim, not a record. Ask for the itemised list.

The fitting count does not move between cycles in a building that has had works done. New fitouts add and remove fittings. A register that reports the same count for three years in a building that has been altered is being copied forward.

Every fitting passes, every time, for years. Batteries have a service life. A building of any size will produce failures eventually, and a register with no failures across multiple cycles is either a very new installation or a very light touch.

The test dates cluster impossibly. If the register shows a hundred fittings discharge-tested in a two-hour window, the durations do not add up, because each fitting has to run for its rated duration.

## Filing it so it is there when asked [#filing-it-so-it-is-there-when-asked]

The pattern that works is boring and reliable. One folder per building, one subfolder per service date, the register PDF named so the building and date are readable without opening it. Something like `emergency-lighting-register-<building>-2026-09.pdf` survives a staff change in a way that `scan_0043.pdf` does not.

Keep the register with the rest of the building's essential safety records rather than in an email thread, because the request for it rarely comes from the person who received it. When a failure is rectified, file the rectification record alongside the register that reported it, so the open item and its closure sit together. An auditor following a failed fitting from one document to the next is the moment a well-filed set pays for itself.

State building and workplace safety rules turn ongoing inspection and testing into an obligation for the building, and the Queensland fire safety inspection and maintenance guidelines are one example of how the service and its records are treated. Requirements vary by state and by building classification, so confirm what applies to your site rather than assuming a national rule.

## A short pre-acceptance check [#a-short-pre-acceptance-check]

Before you approve the invoice, run the register past four questions.

1. Does the fitting count match the building schedule, and can you find any three fittings from the register on a walk?
2. Does every fitting have a result and a date, not just the failures?
3. Does every failure have an action, and do you know who owns the follow-up?
4. Is the tester and business named, with a way to contact them?

If any answer is no, ask before you pay. It is a much easier conversation the week of the service than the week of an audit.

## Where the form helps [#where-the-form-helps]

The [emergency lighting test register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-emergency-lighting-test-register) gives contractors a structure that produces the record described above. Fittings are entered one at a time with their identity, result, and dates, so the per-fitting detail exists by default rather than depending on how much someone felt like writing. Business, tester, and licence details are saved and reused across jobs, and the form flags missing fields before download.

The result is a preview of the entries mapped onto the register layout, then a finished PDF to hand over and store with the building records. Tradie Forms maps the entries onto that layout. The competent person performing the service remains responsible for the testing, the results, and checking the downloaded PDF before it is treated as the record.

Related reading: the [emergency lighting test register and AS 2293.2 guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/national-emergency-lighting-test-register-as-2293-2) for the field-by-field detail, and the [smoke alarm service record guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/smoke-alarm-service-record-template) for residential alarm servicing.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check [AS/NZS 2293.2:2019 at the Standards Australia store](https://store.standards.org.au/product/as-nzs-2293-2-2019) for the routine service and maintenance standard, the [National Construction Code Part E4](https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/editions/ncc-2022/adopted/volume-one/e-services-and-equipment/part-e4-visibility-emergency-exit-signs-and-warning-systems) for how emergency lighting and exit signs are required and referenced to AS/NZS 2293.1, [WorkSafe Victoria on emergency lighting](https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/emergency-lighting-construction-sites) for the six-monthly test and record-keeping expectations, and the [Queensland fire safety inspection and maintenance guidelines](https://www.hpw.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/4222/inspect-maint-options.pdf) for how the service and its records are treated. Requirements and building conditions vary, so confirm the current standard and the obligations for your specific building before accepting a service as complete.

# RCD test record handover to clients (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-test-record-handover-clients)

How to hand over RCD and safety switch test records: what clients need, how to explain fails, next due dates, and what to keep in your own job file. | Trade: Electrical | Template: national-rcd-test-record

The testing is done when the last safety switch has a result. The job is done when the client has a record they can file and you have a copy you can defend. Handover is the step that gets skipped when the car park is full and the next job is calling. That is when a fail only existed as a conversation, next due dates never made it onto paper, and six months later nobody can find proof the board was tested.

This guide covers what to put in the client's hands, how to talk through passes and fails, what to keep yourself, and how to line RCD records up with test and tag and the rest of the electrical file.

**Key takeaways**

- Hand over a durable PDF or print, not only a verbal "all good"
- Lead with fails and isolation actions, then cover passes and next due dates
- Keep your own copy against the same job reference as photos and related registers
- Separate RCD and test and tag documents so board devices and portable gear stay clear

If you are closing out a visit today, finish the [national RCD test record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-rcd-test-record) on site first. Browse more [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical). For fill order before handover, use the [RCD test record on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-test-record-on-site-guide).

## What does the client actually need? [#what-does-the-client-actually-need]

Clients and site managers are not looking for a lecture on residual current theory. They need a file entry that answers four questions later:

1. Which safety switches were tested on this visit?
2. Did they pass push-button and, where done, trip time checks?
3. What happened to any that failed?
4. When are the passes due again?

AS/NZS 3760:2022 frames in-service inspection and testing of electrical equipment and RCDs, including documentation. The Safe Work Australia model code on managing electrical risks treats inspection and testing records as part of showing electrical risks are managed. State guidance such as SafeWork NSW electrical inspection and testing and WorkSafe Queensland testing and tagging points workplaces back to standards and local rules. Your handover is how the workplace ends up with that record in its own system rather than only in your phone.

A clean register with one row per device, tester details, instrument details, testing basis, and a signature is enough for most clients. Fancy packaging does not replace those fields.

## Finish on site before you talk handover [#finish-on-site-before-you-talk-handover]

Handover fails when the content is unfinished. Complete every device, close every fail action, set every next due date, then sign. Only then download or print.

If you start the client conversation while two boards are still untested, you will either promise results you have not measured or hand over a partial PDF that looks final. Partial is fine only if you label it clearly as interim and return with a complete register the same day. Most of the time it is cleaner to finish first, then talk.

The same rule applies when you are tired and the car park is calling. Five minutes of missing rows at the board becomes an hour of callbacks later, usually after the client has already filed the incomplete PDF as "done".

## The handover conversation in order [#the-handover-conversation-in-order]

**Handover, in the order that prevents disputes**

- **Scope - What you actually tested** - Which boards, and whether it was button-only, trip time, or both.
- **Fails first - Before the good news** - Device, cause, what you did, and what they must not do until it is fixed.
- **Passes and next due - With the interval basis** - Do not let a button check sound like an operating time test.
- **Who owns the next step - Named, before you drive off** - Retest window, quote, or return visit. Not a vague we will be in touch.

A fail that only exists verbally is a future dispute. It belongs on the written record too.

**1. Scope of the visit.** Fixed board RCDs, socket RCDs, portable units, or a mix. Which buildings or boards. Whether this was push-button only, operating time testing, or both. Clients use "safety switch test" for all of that, so plain language prevents false comfort.

**2. Fails first.** Which device, what failed, what you did (isolated, tagged out, replaced), and what they must not do until it is fixed. If a circuit is unprotected, say that in plain words. Put the same action on the written record. A fail that only exists verbally is a future dispute.

**3. Passes and next due dates.** How many passed, when they are due again, and what interval basis you used. If construction rules put gear on a three-month cycle, say so. If this visit was only a frequent push-button check, do not imply a full operating time test was completed. Interval context lives in [RCD test intervals and records](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-test-intervals-and-records).

**4. What they are receiving.** A signed PDF or printed register for the site file, plus any supporting photos you agreed to send. Confirm the email address or the folder owner while you are still standing there.

**5. What happens next.** Retest booking window, quote for replacements, or a return visit to retest after repairs. Leave them with a clear owner for the next step, not a vague "we'll be in touch".

## How do you explain a failed RCD to a client? [#how-do-you-explain-a-failed-rcd-to-a-client]

You do not need drama. You need clarity.

- Point to the device or circuit label on the board when you can do so safely
- State the measured result in ordinary language ("did not trip on the button", "trip time outside the limit that applies for this test")
- State the action already taken
- State the risk in concrete terms: that circuit should not be treated as RCD protected until a replacement is fitted and tested
- Put the action and note on the register before you leave

Avoid soft phrases that let a fail sound like a pass. "Watch this one" is not an isolation. "Failed, isolated, tagged out, replacement booked for Thursday" is an action a site manager can run with.

## What to put in writing versus what to say [#what-to-put-in-writing-versus-what-to-say]

Say the story. Write the facts.

**On the record:** identity, type, rating, push-button result, trip time if measured, pass or fail, test date, next due for passes, action and failure detail for fails, tester name, instrument details, testing basis, signature.

**In conversation:** why it matters for that room or machine, who on their team needs to know, how booking the retest works, and any temporary workarounds they must not invent (such as bridging out a failed device).

If the client wants a short email summary, base it on the PDF, not the other way around. The register is the source of truth. The email is a cover note.

## File names, job references, and photos [#file-names-job-references-and-photos]

Use the same job reference on:

- The RCD test record
- Any related [test and tag register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-test-and-tag-register)
- Photos of boards, tags, and isolated devices
- Invoices and retest bookings

A consistent reference is what lets someone find the safety switch log six months later when the only search term they remember is the site suburb. Naming the PDF with client, suburb, and date helps too. Log book style structure for long-lived site files is covered in [RCD log book and safety switch testing records](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-log-book-safety-switch-testing).

Photos support the register. They do not replace it. A gallery of tester screens without device IDs is weak evidence on its own.

## Your copy and the client's copy [#your-copy-and-the-clients-copy]

Give the client their copy before you leave or send it the same day from the finished download. Keep your own copy in the job file for warranty, insurance, and the next visit. Do not rely on the client to send you their only copy if something is questioned later.

How long to keep records can depend on state regulation, contract terms, and your insurer. When in doubt, keep them at least as long as the retest cycle and any contractual defects period, and longer if your lawyer or insurer says so. This guide does not invent a single national retention number.

## Multi-stakeholder sites [#multi-stakeholder-sites]

On construction and managed facilities, more than one person may need the file:

- Site manager or facility manager for the day-to-day file
- Principal contractor WHS representative for the project pack
- Head contractor or builder admin for document control systems
- Your own office for billing and retest scheduling

Ask once who the document controller is. Send the finished PDF to that person and copy the person who walked the boards with you. One clean register to the right inbox beats five partial chats.

## Handover when test and tag was done the same day [#handover-when-test-and-tag-was-done-the-same-day]

If you also completed portable appliance testing, hand over both registers and explain the split:

- RCD record: fixed, socket, and portable residual current devices, push-button and trip time
- Test and tag register: appliances, leads, and related gear, visual and electrical readings

Walk fails on both lists. A failed portable RCD might appear in spirit on both stories if it was tested as an RCD and also tagged as an item of equipment. Make sure the action is consistent and the site knows the unit is out of service. Appliance fail handling is covered in [test and tag failed equipment records](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/test-and-tag-failed-equipment-records).

## Common handover mistakes [#common-handover-mistakes]

**"I'll email it tonight" and then never finishing the rows.** Download on site while the devices are still fresh in your head.

**Handing over only the passes.** Fails are the most important part of the story for the client.

**No next due dates.** The client cannot schedule the next visit from a list of green ticks alone.

**No action on fails.** The PDF then looks like a warning without a decision.

**Wrong client contact.** The PDF lands with accounts payable and never reaches the site file.

**Mixing boards into one vague summary.** One paragraph for three switchboards is not a register.

These map back to the record mistakes in [common RCD test record mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-rcd-test-record-mistakes). Fix the record first, then handover is mostly delivery and a clear conversation.

## Build and hand over on site [#build-and-hand-over-on-site]

Tradie Forms is built for finishing the RCD test record at the point of work: a card per device, fail actions required before download, preview of the PDF layout, then a signed file you can send or save. Business and tester details can be reused so the header is not the slow part.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the layout of the record. It is not a government form, does not lodge with regulators, and is not affiliated with Standards Australia or WHS agencies. You still own the testing judgment and the client conversation.

Start the [national RCD test record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-rcd-test-record), browse more [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical), or open the [national test and tag register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-test-and-tag-register) if portable gear is part of the same handover pack.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [Standards Australia spotlight on AS/NZS 3760:2022](https://www.standards.org.au/blog/spotlight-on-in-service-safety-inspection-and-testing-of-electrical-equipment-and-rcds), the [Safe Work Australia model Code of Practice: Managing electrical risks in the workplace](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/doc/model-code-practice-managing-electrical-risks-workplace), [WorkSafe Queensland testing and tagging of electrical equipment](https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/safety-and-prevention/hazards/electricity/electrical-products-and-equipment/testing-and-tagging-electrical-equipment), and [SafeWork NSW electrical inspection and testing](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/hazards-a-z/electrical-and-power/electrical-inspection-and-testing). Confirm any site document control rules and state retention expectations that apply to the workplace you are leaving.

# RCD log book for safety switch testing records (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-log-book-safety-switch-testing)

Why a safety switch or RCD log book still matters, what each entry needs, and how to keep push-button and trip time results in one place the site can use. | Trade: Electrical | Template: national-rcd-test-record

Clients still say "safety switch log" more often than "RCD test record". Facility managers ask for the log book. Strata committees want the safety switch certificate. Site officers want proof the boards were checked. Different words, same job: show which residual current devices were tested, what happened when the button was pressed or the trip time was measured, and when they are due again.

This article is about that client-facing log: the language people search for, why paper books fail, who reads the file later, and how to migrate from cardboard to a durable PDF without losing history. It is not a fill-order walkthrough. For row-by-row completion on site, use the [RCD test record on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-test-record-on-site-guide). For handing the finished file to a client, use [RCD test record handover to clients](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-test-record-handover-clients).

**Key takeaways**

- "Safety switch log" and "RCD log book" are client language for the same durable in-service test trail
- Paper, spreadsheet, and photo-only formats fail in predictable ways; the substance still has to survive the next reader
- Facility managers, safety officers, and the next tester each need different clarity from the same log
- Bridging from an old cardboard book to a PDF is a multi-visit change, not a single argument at the board

Open the [national RCD test record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-rcd-test-record) when you need a clean register for this visit. Browse [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical), or pair portable gear with the [national test and tag register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-test-and-tag-register).

## What is a safety switch log book? [#what-is-a-safety-switch-log-book]

In conversation, people rarely ask for "an AS/NZS 3760 in-service RCD register". They ask for:

- The safety switch log book
- Safety switch test results
- An RCD test certificate
- The trip time report
- Proof the RCDs were done

Those phrases are search language and site language, not separate legal forms. Your job is to meet them with one durable register that answers the questions behind the words:

- Which devices did you test (fixed, socket, portable)?
- Was this a push-button check, a trip time test, or both?
- Which units passed and which failed?
- What happened to any fail before you left?
- When are the passes due again?

A summary email that says "all good" without a device list is not a log book substitute. Neither is a photo of a sticky note on a switchboard cover. The client may use soft words. The file still needs hard rows.

Installation certificates are a different story. A compliance certificate covers new or altered work at the time it is done. An in-service safety switch log covers periodic testing of devices already protecting people. Keep those packs separate so a completion cert is not filed as if it were this year's board check.

## Why the cardboard log book idea still exists [#why-the-cardboard-log-book-idea-still-exists]

Paper log books, wall charts, and board-mounted cards were never stupid. One place listed every device, the last test date, and the next due date. The idea survived. The cardboard often did not: books stuck in the office, missing pages between contractors, unread handwriting, and phone photos nobody can search.

Standards and WHS guidance care about the substance of that log, not the binding. AS/NZS 3760:2022 covers in-service safety inspection and testing of electrical equipment and RCDs, including documentation and tagging. The Safe Work Australia model code of practice on managing electrical risks expects workplaces to manage electrical risks and to keep records that show inspection and testing where that is how risks are controlled. SafeWork NSW points people to AS/NZS 3760 for methods and frequency. WorkSafe Queensland points workplaces back to the Electrical Safety Regulation and, where applicable, AS/NZS 3760.

So the question is not "do we still need a book". It is "can the next person show which safety switches were tested, by whom, with what result, and when they are due again".

## Format failure modes: paper, spreadsheet, photo, digital [#format-failure-modes-paper-spreadsheet-photo-digital]

Every format can work. Every format has a failure mode that looks fine on day one and collapses on day ninety.

**Paper book.** Works when someone fills it on the day and files a copy. Fails when the book never leaves the office or pages vanish between contractors.

**Spreadsheet.** Works when every device has its own row and the file is versioned against the job. Fails when three people edit three copies, or trip times live in a chat thread that never reaches the sheet.

**Photo of a board schedule.** Fine as a temporary reminder. Weak as the primary record: glare, crop, and unread handwriting destroy the trail, and photos do not force fail actions or next due dates.

**Digital register or PDF.** Works when hard fields are completed and the client gets a durable copy. Fails when the only "record" is a half-filled browser tab, or five nearly identical PDFs exist and nobody knows which one was handed over.

**What survives to day ninety**

- **Holds up** - - Entries completed while the device is in front of you
  - No fail left without an action
  - A copy handed over before you leave, and one stored against the job
  - The last log brought to the next visit (Habits, not formats. Any format works if these hold.)
- **Collapses** - - A book that never leaves the office
  - Three people editing three copies of one spreadsheet
  - A photo of a board schedule as the primary record
  - Five nearly identical PDFs and no idea which was handed over (Every one of these looks fine on day one.)

Common slips: [common RCD test record mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-rcd-test-record-mistakes). Interval choices: [RCD test intervals and records](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-test-intervals-and-records).

## Who reads the log after you drive away? [#who-reads-the-log-after-you-drive-away]

Write for the next three readers, not only the person who signed the purchase order.

**The site or facility manager** wants to know the building is not running unprotected circuits and when the next visit is due. They often speak "safety switch" language. They need a short walkthrough of fails first, then next due dates, not a lecture on milliamps.

**The principal contractor or safety officer** wants a register that matches board labels and any tags if they audit the electrical file. Vague rows that say "kitchen RCD" when there are three kitchens fail this reader even if every trip time is neat.

**The next competent person** wants enough identity and history to retest the same devices without starting from a blank board schedule. Circuit IDs, board names, and fail history matter more to them than polished marketing wording on the cover page.

If any of those readers cannot match a row to a real safety switch, the log has failed its job. Specific locations and circuit IDs are not pedantry. They are how the log stays useful after you leave.

## What the log must still carry (without becoming a fill guide) [#what-the-log-must-still-carry-without-becoming-a-fill-guide]

You do not need a diary. You need a register that identifies each device, records whether this visit was push-button or trip time (or both), shows pass or fail with a real action on fails, and supports the next visit with testing basis and next due dates.

How those fields sit on each row, and the order to fill them while the tester is still in your hand, lives in the [RCD test record on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-test-record-on-site-guide). Keep safety switch logs separate from portable appliance registers so a failed lead does not get lost inside a board RCD list. Appliance-side background: [test and tag register and AS/NZS 3760](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/test-and-tag-register-as-nzs-3760).

## Migrating from paper to PDF without a fight [#migrating-from-paper-to-pdf-without-a-fight]

Many workplaces still have an old log book in a cupboard. Bridging it carefully beats overnight replacement.

1. **This visit:** complete a clean PDF for the devices you actually tested. Hand that over as the current record for this visit.
2. **Leave the old book** with the client for history if they want it.
3. **Say it plainly:** "This PDF is today's safety switch log. The old book stays with you for earlier years."
4. **Next visit:** bring last visit's PDF as the start list. Add new devices. Retest due items. Update fails that were replaced.
5. **Over a few cycles:** the PDF trail becomes the working system. The cardboard book becomes archive.

What not to do: call their book illegal when the real issue is missing due dates; photograph the entire old book and call that the new system; overwrite fail history; invent trip times for button-only visits.

If they want a paper page in the plant room as well, that can sit beside the PDF. The durable copy still needs a place the business and the next contractor can find.

## Handover language that matches how clients search [#handover-language-that-matches-how-clients-search]

Lead with their words, then show the rows: "Here is the safety switch log for this visit." Walk fails first, then next due dates. Method and instrument detail only if they ask. More handover detail sits in [RCD test record handover to clients](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-test-record-handover-clients).

Keep each site's log separate even when the same portable RCDs move between buildings. A three-month construction tag is not an office cycle because the unit slept in the van. Filing rule: one site, one current log, clear ownership of shared gear. Cadence detail: [RCD test intervals and records](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-test-intervals-and-records) and [construction site test and tag every three months](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/construction-site-test-and-tag-three-months).

## What a durable safety switch log looks like in practice [#what-a-durable-safety-switch-log-looks-like-in-practice]

A client-ready log arrives as a named PDF or a printed register that matches it, not as a chat screenshot. Header shows who tested, where, and on what basis. Body lists devices one by one. End shows a signed declaration and notes about anything still open.

Tradie Forms can download that style of register from the [national RCD test record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-rcd-test-record) so you hand over a clean PDF instead of a photo of cardboard. The competent person still owns the testing, the pass or fail judgment, and isolation decisions. The form is not a government document and is not affiliated with regulators.

For the fill path rather than the client-language and migration story, go to the [RCD test record on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-test-record-on-site-guide).

Start the [national RCD test record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-rcd-test-record), browse [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical), or open the [handover guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-test-record-handover-clients) when the visit is done and the client needs the file explained.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [Standards Australia spotlight on AS/NZS 3760:2022](https://www.standards.org.au/blog/spotlight-on-in-service-safety-inspection-and-testing-of-electrical-equipment-and-rcds) for the scope of in-service testing of equipment and RCDs, the [Safe Work Australia model Code of Practice: Managing electrical risks in the workplace](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/doc/model-code-practice-managing-electrical-risks-workplace) for workplace electrical risk and record expectations, [WorkSafe Queensland testing and tagging of electrical equipment](https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/safety-and-prevention/hazards/electricity/electrical-products-and-equipment/testing-and-tagging-electrical-equipment) for state guidance that points to regulation and AS/NZS 3760, and [SafeWork NSW electrical inspection and testing](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/hazards-a-z/electrical-and-power/electrical-inspection-and-testing) for how NSW frames inspection and testing. Confirm how your state or territory applies these duties before you treat any log format as done.

# RCD test intervals and records (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-test-intervals-and-records)

Compare RCD and safety switch test intervals under public guidance, AS/NZS 3760 and construction rules, then build a clear written record. | Trade: Electrical | Template: national-rcd-test-record

"How often do we test the safety switches?" is the question that starts arguments on site. Someone quotes three months. Someone else quotes six. Someone pulls a five-year office interval from a different type of equipment. The honest answer is that public guidance is environment-based, and construction work is tighter than a quiet office. Your job is to apply the right basis for the site, then write dates on a record the next person can trust.

This guide sticks to what official and regulator-facing sources support. It does not invent a full national interval table. Where the public page is specific, it says so. Where the standard leaves detail inside a paid document, it says that too. Construction three-month equipment cycles, colour tags, and multi-contractor logistics are covered in depth in [construction site test and tag every three months](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/construction-site-test-and-tag-three-months). This page stays on intervals, push-button versus trip time, and what the written RCD record must carry.

**Key takeaways**

- AS/NZS 3760:2022 covers in-service inspection and testing of electrical equipment and RCDs, including frequency based on environment and use
- Push-button checks are often more frequent than trip time tests; the record must say which check this visit covered
- Construction sites commonly run a three-month equipment and operating time cycle under AS/NZS 3012 related rules
- The written record needs testing basis, visit type, test date, and next due dates so the interval is not a rumour

If you are logging RCD tests today, open the [national RCD test record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-rcd-test-record). Browse [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical). For portable appliances on the same site, use the [national test and tag register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-test-and-tag-register).

## What does AS/NZS 3760 say about RCD testing? [#what-does-asnzs-3760-say-about-rcd-testing]

Standards Australia describes AS/NZS 3760:2022 as the standard for in-service safety inspection and testing of electrical equipment and RCDs. The public spotlight notes that it covers inspection procedures, testing procedures, frequency of inspection and testing based on equipment type, environment and usage, documentation and tagging, and competency requirements.

That is the right mental model for intervals: risk and environment drive the cycle. Hire gear in harsh use is not on the same rhythm as low-risk office equipment. The full interval tables live in the standard itself, which is a paid publication. Public regulator pages point you to the standard rather than reprinting every cell.

For portable appliance testing under the same standard, industry practice summarised in [test and tag register and AS/NZS 3760](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/test-and-tag-register-as-nzs-3760) is that intervals range widely, from short cycles such as around three months for hire equipment through to longer periods for low-risk office gear where a risk assessment supports it. RCD intervals sit inside the same risk-based system, with the extra split between simple push-button checks and measured operating time tests.

## Construction sites: use the dedicated guide [#construction-sites-use-the-dedicated-guide]

Construction and demolition are where public material is most concrete, because AS/NZS 3012 sits alongside AS/NZS 3760 methods. NT WorkSafe, SafeWork NSW, and WorkSafe Tasmania all describe short equipment cycles (commonly three months) and more frequent push-button checks for portable RCDs, with operating time tests on a longer construction rhythm.

Do not treat this paragraph as a full dump of NT, NSW, and Tas portable RCD rules. For regulator-by-regulator construction detail, colour tags, multi-contractor registers, and visit logistics, read [construction site test and tag every three months](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/construction-site-test-and-tag-three-months). Bring that cycle back here only as the interval you write on the RCD record: testing basis that names construction rules where they apply, visit type (button, trip time, or both), and next due dates that match what you actually did.

## General workplaces: stay honest about what is public [#general-workplaces-stay-honest-about-what-is-public]

Outside construction, state pages often point to local electrical safety regulation and AS/NZS 3760 without reprinting a full interval matrix. WorkSafe Queensland testing and tagging guidance explains who can test and how often in the context of Queensland's Electrical Safety Regulation, and notes that the regulation takes precedence over the standard where they differ. SafeWork NSW electrical inspection and testing pages direct people to AS/NZS 3760 for methods and frequency. The Safe Work Australia model code of practice on managing electrical risks frames inspection and testing as part of managing workplace electrical risk, including by a competent person and with records.

What you should not do is invent a single national number for every fixed board RCD in every office, workshop, and factory and present it as law. What you should do is:

1. Identify the environment and whether construction rules apply
2. Separate push-button checks from operating time tests
3. Apply AS/NZS 3760 and any state regulation or site procedure that governs the workplace
4. Write the testing basis and next due dates on the record so the choice is visible

If a client insists on a specific interval in a contract or site safety plan that is tighter than the minimum, use the tighter one and record it. Tighter is fine. Guessing is not.

## Push-button versus trip time on the record [#push-button-versus-trip-time-on-the-record]

Intervals only make sense if the record says which test was done.

**Push-button check.** Confirms the device responds to its built-in test facility. Construction guidance treats this as frequent, sometimes daily for portable units in use, sometimes monthly for fixed units. The record should show a pass or fail for the button test and a next due date that matches the push-button cycle for that environment if this visit is only a button check.

**Operating time (trip time) test.** Measures how quickly the RCD disconnects under an applied imbalance. Construction guidance commonly places this on a three-month cycle for portable RCDs and related equipment testing. SafeWork NSW construction material notes tripping time should be less than 300 ms for the tests it describes. Always assess measured times against the limit that applies to the device, test current, installation, and testing basis for the job you are on. Do not copy a limit from a different class of work without checking.

On the [national RCD test record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-rcd-test-record), leave trip time blank for button-only visits. Record measured milliseconds when you run the operating time test. If the device does not trip inside the instrument window, record that clearly rather than forcing a pass.

**A button-only visit on the record**

- **This** - Push-button pass. Trip time blank, not measured this visit. Testing basis: monthly button check. Next due in 1 month. (Says which test was done, and sets the due date from that test.)
- **Not this** - Push-button pass. Trip time 30 ms. Next due in 3 months. (A trip time nobody measured, on an interval that does not match the check.)

Mixing the two without saying so is a classic paperwork failure. A monthly push-button check on a fixed board is not the same evidence as a measured operating time test. Make the visit type clear in the testing basis or notes.

## What must the written record carry for intervals? [#what-must-the-written-record-carry-for-intervals]

A next due date without context is half a story. A useful RCD interval trail includes:

**Testing basis.** For example AS/NZS 3760:2022, and AS/NZS 3012 where construction rules apply.

**Environment or site type.** Construction, workshop, office, hire, or the site procedure name. This explains why the interval is what it is.

**Type of check.** Push-button, operating time, or both.

**Test date and next due date.** On every pass. Fails need an action, not a fake due date that implies the unit is still in service.

**Instrument details.** So the readings have a tool history behind them.

Without those fields, the next contractor reinvents the interval from scratch, often optimistically. Log book style habits for keeping this trail readable sit in [RCD log book and safety switch testing records](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-log-book-safety-switch-testing). Fill order for capturing them on site sits in the [RCD test record on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-test-record-on-site-guide).

## How do you set the next due date? [#how-do-you-set-the-next-due-date]

Practical approach on site:

1. Confirm with the client or principal contractor which standard and site procedure apply
2. Set a default retest interval on the register for this visit type
3. Apply that default to each pass as you go
4. Override a row only when a specific device has a different agreed cycle
5. Tell the client the next due dates when you hand over, especially if fails mean some circuits need a return visit sooner

If this visit was button-only on fixed boards, do not print next due dates that imply a full operating time test was completed. If this visit was a three-month construction operating time round, say so in the testing basis and notes.

## How intervals interact with fails [#how-intervals-interact-with-fails]

A fail resets the conversation. The device is not "due in three months". It is out of service or replaced now. The record should show isolation, replacement, or client notification, not a next due date that pretends the failed unit is still protecting people.

After replacement, the new device needs its own identity and a fresh test entry. Do not overwrite the fail row so hard that the history of the failed unit disappears. History is what shows the site acted when the old unit did not perform.

## Multi-site and multi-state work [#multi-site-and-multi-state-work]

If you test across states, do not assume the construction fact sheet from one regulator is the full story in another. Use the local WHS and electrical safety material for that site, plus AS/NZS 3760 and AS/NZS 3012 where they apply. Queensland's WorkSafe guidance is explicit that local regulation can take precedence over the standard. That is a useful reminder everywhere: standards set methods and recommendations; law and regulation set duties.

Keep each site's register separate. Shared vans and shared portable RCDs still need clear ownership on the record so a three-month construction tag is not treated like an office cycle when the unit moves sites.

When the same portable RCD moves from a construction deck to a workshop, reassess the interval for the new environment rather than blindly keeping the last tag date as if the risk never changed. The record should show where it was tested and on what basis, not only that a sticker exists.

## Build interval-aware records on site [#build-interval-aware-records-on-site]

Tradie Forms lets you set testing basis and a default retest interval once per RCD record, then carry next due dates onto each passed device as you add it. You still choose the interval from the standard and regulator rules for the site. The form does not replace that judgment. It stops you from leaving passes without dates. Failed items require action detail before download so open fails do not slip out as a clean-looking PDF.

Start the [national RCD test record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-rcd-test-record), read the [RCD test record on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-test-record-on-site-guide) for fill order, or open the [construction three-month guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/construction-site-test-and-tag-three-months) when the site is a live build rather than a general workplace.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [Standards Australia spotlight on AS/NZS 3760:2022](https://www.standards.org.au/blog/spotlight-on-in-service-safety-inspection-and-testing-of-electrical-equipment-and-rcds), the [Safe Work Australia model Code of Practice: Managing electrical risks in the workplace](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/doc/model-code-practice-managing-electrical-risks-workplace), [SafeWork NSW electrical practices on construction and demolition sites](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/resource-library/construction/electrical-services/electrical-practices-construction-and-demolition-sites-fact-sheet), [NT WorkSafe safety inspection and testing of electrical equipment on construction sites](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/forms-and-resources/bulletins/safety-inspection-and-testing-of-electrical-equipment-on-construction-sites), and [WorkSafe Tasmania RCDs on construction sites](https://worksafe.tas.gov.au/topics/Health-and-Safety/safety-by-industry/construction/rcds-on-construction-sites). Confirm the current standard edition, site procedure, and state or territory rules before you lock next due dates on a signed record.

# Common RCD test record mistakes (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-rcd-test-record-mistakes)

The RCD test record errors that cause return trips and weak audits: vague IDs, trip times from memory, missing next due dates, and fails with no action. | Trade: Electrical | Template: national-rcd-test-record

Most RCD testing is straightforward. The push-button either trips or it does not. The instrument either shows a trip time or it does not. The pain starts when the written record is wrong, incomplete, or finished hours later from a photo of a cardboard note. That is when a safety officer asks which board a fail belonged to, or a client finds a circuit still live that the report said was isolated.

This guide is about safety switch and RCD registers. Portable appliance and lead register mistakes live in [common test and tag register mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-test-and-tag-register-mistakes). Fill order: [RCD test record on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-test-record-on-site-guide). Client language: [RCD log book and safety switch testing records](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-log-book-safety-switch-testing).

**Key takeaways**

- Trip times and board labels written from memory are the usual source of wrong numbers
- Push-button visits and operating time visits are different evidence; the PDF must say which you did
- Type and milliamps from the device face matter when someone later judges a trip result
- Fails need isolation actions; passes need next due dates that match this visit type

Use the [national RCD test record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-rcd-test-record) as a pre-download check while you are still at the board. Browse [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical).

## Why do these mistakes matter? [#why-do-these-mistakes-matter]

AS/NZS 3760:2022 covers in-service inspection and testing of electrical equipment and RCDs, including documentation. The Safe Work Australia model code on managing electrical risks treats inspection and testing records as part of showing electrical risks are controlled. State pages such as SafeWork NSW electrical inspection and testing and WorkSafe Queensland testing and tagging point workplaces back to the standard and to local regulation.

Most errors share one root cause. The testing was done under pressure, the register was treated as a night job, and the only people who still knew which board was which had already driven to the next site.

## Shared traps (and how they show up on an RCD PDF) [#shared-traps-and-how-they-show-up-on-an-rcd-pdf]

Some failures appear on both appliance and RCD paperwork. On a safety switch register they look like this.

**Vague identity.** Rows say "kitchen RCD" when the site has three kitchens. Later nobody can match the row to a physical device.

**Fix on the PDF:** RCD ID or circuit reference plus a location a stranger could walk to. On multi-board jobs, include the board name on every row, not only the first.

**Device identity**

- **This** - MSB RCD 2, circuits 5 to 8, main switchboard (The next tester walks straight to it.)
- **Not this** - Safety switch downstairs (Three kitchens, four boards, no way to match the row to a device.)

**Writing up later.** Three boards done. Register typed in the ute. 24 ms becomes 30 ms. The fail lands on the wrong circuit.

**Fix on the PDF:** enter the trip time while the tester still shows it. Finish one board before you start the next. Use photos as backup, not as the primary log.

**Pass with no next due date.** Every device is marked pass. Nobody knows when they are due again.

**Fix on the PDF:** set a default retest interval for the visit type, then put a next due date on every pass before you sign.

**Fail with no action.** The register shows a fail. The circuit is still live, or the portable unit is still in the van.

**Fix on the PDF:** at the moment of fail, record isolated, tagged out, replaced, removed from service, or client advised. Do not download a register that lists a fail with an empty action. Handover habits: [RCD test record handover to clients](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-test-record-handover-clients).

## Mistakes that are mostly about safety switches [#mistakes-that-are-mostly-about-safety-switches]

These are the ones that show up on RCD records far more than on lead registers.

### Trip times from memory or photos only [#trip-times-from-memory-or-photos-only]

The PDF shows neat numbers that never matched the instrument. Supporting photos exist but are not tied to rows, so they do not rescue the register.

**Fix on the PDF:** capture milliseconds while the screen is live. If you only did a push-button check, leave trip time blank rather than inventing one. If the device did not trip inside the instrument window, record that clearly (for example `>300`) instead of rounding it into a pass.

### Treating push-button and trip time as the same visit [#treating-push-button-and-trip-time-as-the-same-visit]

The log looks like full operating time testing was done when only the test button was pressed, or the reverse. Auditors and the next tester then apply the wrong expectation to the next due date.

**Fix on the PDF:** state the testing basis and visit type in the header or notes. Capture push-button results always. Only fill trip time when you measured it. Set next due dates from the interval that applies to the check you actually did. Interval context: [RCD test intervals and records](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-test-intervals-and-records).

### Missing type or rating [#missing-type-or-rating]

The register does not say whether the device is fixed, socket, or portable, or what milliamps it is rated for. Assessing a trip result against the right limit becomes guesswork for the next person.

**Fix on the PDF:** read the device face every time. Record type and rating as fitted, including portable RCDs on lead sets that look the same until you check the label.

### One blob of notes instead of per-device rows [#one-blob-of-notes-instead-of-per-device-rows]

The only detail lives in a paragraph at the bottom: "tested all board RCDs, one slow, replaced". There is no row-level trail for which unit, which reading, or which next due date.

**Fix on the PDF:** one row per device. Notes are for extras, not for replacing the register body. Client-facing "safety switch log" language still needs real rows; see [RCD log book and safety switch testing records](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-log-book-safety-switch-testing).

### Multi-board sites finished as one blur [#multi-board-sites-finished-as-one-blur]

Main switchboard looks perfect. Sub-board in the plant room was never opened, but the PDF implies a full site round. Or all boards are written up together so circuit labels collide.

**Fix on the PDF:** finish one board's rows before moving. Put board name on every row. Note areas you could not access. Run the pre-sign checklist per board, not once at the gate.

### Mixing board RCDs into a test and tag list [#mixing-board-rcds-into-a-test-and-tag-list]

Board-mounted safety switches are buried among leads and grinders, or portable RCD trip times sit in a notes column nobody reads. Fails get the wrong type of action, and retest cycles get confused.

**Fix on the PDF:** keep the [RCD test record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-rcd-test-record) and the [test and tag register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-test-and-tag-register) as separate documents that share a job reference. Link them in handover so the file still feels like one visit.

### Wrong or missing tester and instrument details on trip time work [#wrong-or-missing-tester-and-instrument-details-on-trip-time-work]

The register has trip times but no clear tester name, or no instrument identity and verification date. When a reading is challenged, there is nobody and no tool history to stand behind it.

**Fix on the PDF:** fill business name, tester name, contact, and licence or competency details where the site requires them. Record the RCD tester make, model, serial, and last verification or calibration date. A competent person, as described in the Safe Work Australia code, is who should be on the form.

### Overwriting a fail so the history disappears [#overwriting-a-fail-so-the-history-disappears]

A failed board RCD is replaced. The old fail row is edited into a pass with the new unit's identity, so the site cannot show it acted when the old unit did not perform.

**Fix on the PDF:** keep the fail history, add a fresh entry for the replacement with its own identity and test results. Notes can cross-reference the old circuit.

### Signing before the last sub-board is found [#signing-before-the-last-sub-board-is-found]

The declaration is signed, then two more devices appear on a sub-board, or a fail action changes after a client conversation. The signed PDF no longer matches the site.

**Fix on the PDF:** finish every device, close every fail action, set every next due date, then sign. If more gear appears after download, issue an updated register or an addendum rather than editing memory with no trail.

### Implying unprotected circuits are fine in handover notes [#implying-unprotected-circuits-are-fine-in-handover-notes]

The PDF lists a fail. The notes say "all good for reoccupation" because the rest of the board passed.

**Fix on the PDF:** walk fails first in handover. Notes should match isolation reality. Do not let a clean-looking pass majority rewrite a live fail.

## Short on-site checklist [#short-on-site-checklist]

1. Every RCD has an ID or circuit and a location a stranger could find
2. Type and rating match the device face
3. Push-button results are filled
4. Trip times are filled only when measured, and they match the instrument
5. Every pass has a next due date aligned with this visit type
6. Every fail has an action and a note
7. Tester name and instrument details are complete
8. Job reference matches photos and any related test and tag register
9. Declaration is last, not first

If the site is large, run the same checklist per board rather than once at the gate.

## Build cleaner records by default [#build-cleaner-records-by-default]

Tradie Forms structures the RCD test record so identity, results, and dates sit on each card, and failed items prompt for action before download. It is not a government form and is not affiliated with regulators. The competent person still owns the testing judgment and the isolation decisions.

Open the [national RCD test record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-rcd-test-record) on site, browse [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical), or start from the [RCD test record on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-test-record-on-site-guide) if you want the full fill path rather than the mistakes list.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [Standards Australia spotlight on AS/NZS 3760:2022](https://www.standards.org.au/blog/spotlight-on-in-service-safety-inspection-and-testing-of-electrical-equipment-and-rcds), the [Safe Work Australia model Code of Practice: Managing electrical risks in the workplace](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/doc/model-code-practice-managing-electrical-risks-workplace), [WorkSafe Queensland testing and tagging of electrical equipment](https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/safety-and-prevention/hazards/electricity/electrical-products-and-equipment/testing-and-tagging-electrical-equipment), and [SafeWork NSW electrical inspection and testing](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/hazards-a-z/electrical-and-power/electrical-inspection-and-testing). Confirm how your state or territory applies inspection, testing, and record duties on the site you are working.

# Test and tag failed equipment records (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/test-and-tag-failed-equipment-records)

How to record failed test and tag items: remove them from service, capture the failure detail and action, and keep the register and the site in step. | Trade: Electrical | Template: national-test-and-tag-register

A fail is the moment the register earns its keep. Passes are routine. Fails are where people get hurt if the item wanders back into use, and where arguments start if the paperwork only says "fail" with no action. The standard and WHS framing are simple in spirit: non-compliant equipment does not stay available for use. Your job is to make the physical world and the PDF match that rule.

This guide covers what to do at the moment of failure, what to write on the register, how to talk to the client, how repairs and retests should appear, and how fails interact with RCD records and construction site pressure. For general register structure, see [test and tag register and AS/NZS 3760](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/test-and-tag-register-as-nzs-3760). For day-of habits, see the [test and tag register on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/test-and-tag-register-on-site-guide).

**Key takeaways**

- Failed equipment comes out of service immediately and is marked so it cannot be used
- The register row needs the fail, the reason, and the action taken, not only a red flag
- Do not put a next due date on a fail that implies the item is still in service
- Repair and return means a new test entry and tag, with the fail history still available

If you are mid-round with fails stacking up, open the [national test and tag register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-test-and-tag-register) and close each fail action before the next item. Browse more [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical).

## Why do fail records matter more than pass lists? [#why-do-fail-records-matter-more-than-pass-lists]

AS/NZS 3760:2022 covers in-service inspection and testing of electrical equipment and RCDs, including documentation and tagging of compliant equipment. The Safe Work Australia model code on managing electrical risks expects workplaces to manage electrical risk, including inspection and testing by competent persons and keeping records. WorkSafe Queensland testing and tagging guidance is part of that state conversation about who tests and how gear is controlled. On construction sites, NT WorkSafe and related construction guidance keep non-compliant portable gear out of the three-month cycle story by requiring testing and, by implication, removal of what does not pass.

A register that only celebrates passes is a marketing brochure. A register that shows fails with isolation actions is evidence the system works when gear is damaged.

## The moment of fail: physical steps first [#the-moment-of-fail-physical-steps-first]

When the visual check or the instrument says no:

1. **Stop using the item.** Unplug it. Do not "just finish this cut".
2. **Mark it.** Failed tag, quarantine tape, or the site's defective equipment mark. It must be obvious to the next person who grabs a lead from the pile.
3. **Remove it from the work front.** Quarantine bin, locked cage, or your controlled hold area agreed with the site. Shared construction piles are where fails get reused.
4. **Write the row immediately.** Identity, fail, reason, action, note.
5. **Tell the site contact for that area.** Especially if the item was the only lead on a task or a portable RCD protecting a circuit people still think is safe.

Physical control first, paperwork in the same minute. Paperwork alone does not stop a labourer plugging the lead back in.

## What must the register row capture for a fail? [#what-must-the-register-row-capture-for-a-fail]

**Identity.** Asset ID, description, serial if available, location found. "Failed lead" without an ID is how the wrong lead gets repaired or the right one gets lost.

**Result.** Fail. Do not soften it to "advisory" unless your process and the client procedure genuinely use that category for non-safety findings. Electrical in-service fails that make gear unsafe are fails.

**Why it failed.** Visual damage, earth continuity, insulation resistance, polarity, leakage, RCD push-button, RCD trip time, or other. Specific reasons help the repairer and protect you if the client asks later.

**Action taken.** Examples that close the loop:

- Tagged out and removed from service
- Quarantined pending repair
- Repair required (and who holds the item)
- Disposed / destroyed
- Returned to hire company
- Client notified and item left in client quarantine

**Note.** Anything the next reader needs: "cracked insulation 200 mm from plug", "earth open", "site supervisor Sam advised 10:40".

**Next due date.** Leave blank or clearly not in service. A next due date on a fail implies the item is still part of the operational fleet.

**Retest status.** Where useful: repair required, awaiting parts, retest after repair. That field is a handoff to the next visit, not a substitute for isolation now.

## Which actions do not count? [#which-actions-do-not-count]

**Action taken on a fail**

- **Closes the loop** - - Tagged out and removed from service
  - Quarantined pending repair
  - Repair required, item held by the tester
  - Disposed or destroyed
  - Returned to hire company
  - Client notified, item left in client quarantine (Each one puts the item beyond reach or names who holds it.)
- **Does not control the hazard** - - Monitor
  - OK for light use
  - Told the boys
  - Will fix Friday, without quarantine
  - Blank action with a fail tick
  - Pass tag left on so it does not get lost (If the item can still be picked up and used, the action is incomplete.)

## Client conversation without soft-soaping [#client-conversation-without-soft-soaping]

Lead with the fail, not the pass count.

- Show them the item and the damage or the reading if safe to do so
- State that it is out of service
- State what happens next (repair quote, replacement, hire swap, disposal)
- Confirm who owns the quarantine area
- Point to the row on the register or the PDF once downloaded

On construction sites, also confirm whether the trade, the principal, or the hire company owns replacement. Ownership fights are common; hazard control cannot wait for the fight to end. Construction cycle context sits in [construction site test and tag every three months](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/construction-site-test-and-tag-three-months).

## Photos and supporting evidence [#photos-and-supporting-evidence]

Photos help when:

- The client disputes damage
- Hire companies need proof before credit
- Multiple identical leads need visual matching to asset IDs

Best practice: asset ID in the frame, close-up of the defect, and a wide shot of the quarantine mark. Photos support the register. They do not replace the row.

## Repair, retest, and history [#repair-retest-and-history]

When a failed item is repaired:

1. Competent repair to a safe condition
2. Full inspection and test again as for in-service gear under AS/NZS 3760 methods
3. New pass result, readings, test date, next due date, and tag
4. Clear trail that this is a retest after fail, not the original fail overwritten into silence

How you keep history depends on your system. Options that work:

- Keep the original fail row and add a new row for the retest with a note linking asset IDs
- Keep a fail register plus a current in-service register, both under the same job or client file
- On a digital register, preserve downloaded PDFs of the fail day rather than only the latest live list

What does not work is editing last month's fail into a pass without a new test date and readings. That is fiction, not a record.

## Disposal and hire returns [#disposal-and-hire-returns]

If the item is scrap:

- Record disposed or destroyed as the action
- Make disposal real (cut the plug, render unusable) when that is the agreed method so it cannot re-enter service
- Note it on the register so stock counts make sense

If it is hire gear:

- Record returned to hire company as the action
- Get a receipt or off-hire reference where you can
- Do not leave hire fails on site "for the rep next week" without quarantine control

## Failed portable RCDs and dual paperwork [#failed-portable-rcds-and-dual-paperwork]

Portable RCDs sit in both worlds: they are equipment on a test and tag round, and they are residual current devices with push-button and trip time results.

- On the [test and tag register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-test-and-tag-register), capture identity, fail, action, and any RCD readings fields you use
- On an [RCD test record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-rcd-test-record), capture push-button, trip time, fail, and isolation when you are logging safety switch performance in detail
- Use the same job reference and asset ID on both
- Make sure both documents agree that the unit is out of service

RCD-specific fail and handover habits are in [common RCD test record mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-rcd-test-record-mistakes) and [RCD test record handover to clients](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-test-record-handover-clients).

## Construction pressure and "we need it today" [#construction-pressure-and-we-need-it-today]

Three-month construction cycles and live deadlines create pressure to leave borderline gear in service. That pressure is not a testing method.

- Do not pass damaged insulation because the pour is tomorrow
- Do not extend a next due date on a fail
- Offer replacement leads or hire options as the constructive path
- Escalate to the site manager if a supervisor asks you to leave a fail in use

Your name is on the register. A verbal instruction to "just leave it" will not be standing next to you when the incident report is written.

## Batch fails at the end of a round [#batch-fails-at-the-end-of-a-round]

If several items fail:

- Quarantine them together in one controlled place
- List each on its own row with its own reason
- Summarise the count in declaration notes ("four leads tagged out and placed in north compound quarantine cage; site manager advised")
- Do not merge four leads into one row

One row per item is what makes repair, disposal, and retest possible later.

When the fail count is high, pause the happy path of testing long enough to re-check the quarantine pile against the register. It is easy to write four fails and only cage three while someone "borrows" the fourth for a quick job. A two-minute count against asset IDs prevents that.

## Common fail-record mistakes [#common-fail-record-mistakes]

- Fail tick, empty action
- Action written, item still on the tools
- Next due date filled on a fail
- Identity too vague to find the item again
- Client never told
- Fail overwritten into a pass without a new test
- Tag still shows pass colours or pass dates
- Photos without asset IDs and no register row

These sit alongside the wider list in [common test and tag register mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-test-and-tag-register-mistakes).

## Build fail-safe registers on site [#build-fail-safe-registers-on-site]

Tradie Forms requires failed items to carry an action and failure detail before download, which is the gap most paper logs leave open. You still do the physical isolation. The form stops a clean-looking PDF from hiding an unfinished fail.

Add each item as you test it, mark fail when it fails, complete the action, then move on. Preview the PDF, download, and hand over while the quarantine pile still matches the file.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the layout of the record. It is not a government form and is not affiliated with regulators. Competence, isolation, and honesty on pass or fail remain yours.

Start the [national test and tag register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-test-and-tag-register), browse more [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical), or use the [national RCD test record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-rcd-test-record) when the fail is a safety switch that needs its own operating time trail.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [Standards Australia spotlight on AS/NZS 3760:2022](https://www.standards.org.au/blog/spotlight-on-in-service-safety-inspection-and-testing-of-electrical-equipment-and-rcds), the [Safe Work Australia model Code of Practice: Managing electrical risks in the workplace](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/doc/model-code-practice-managing-electrical-risks-workplace), [WorkSafe Queensland testing and tagging of electrical equipment](https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/safety-and-prevention/hazards/electricity/electrical-products-and-equipment/testing-and-tagging-electrical-equipment), and the [NT WorkSafe construction electrical equipment bulletin](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/forms-and-resources/bulletins/safety-inspection-and-testing-of-electrical-equipment-on-construction-sites). Confirm site quarantine procedures and state duties before you leave failed gear in someone else's hands without a written action.

# Common test and tag register mistakes (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-test-and-tag-register-mistakes)

Test and tag register errors that fail audits: vague asset IDs, missing next due dates, fails with no action, wrong intervals, and writing up from memory. | Trade: Electrical | Template: national-test-and-tag-register

Most test and tag failures on paper are not exotic. They are ordinary skips: a description that fits every lead on the rack, a fail with no action, a construction interval applied to office gear or the reverse, and a register typed at night from a photo of tags. The testing may have been fine. The proof falls over when a safety officer asks for the file.

This guide is about appliance and lead registers under AS/NZS 3760-style practice. Safety switch trip time mistakes live in [common RCD test record mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-rcd-test-record-mistakes). Standards context: [test and tag register and AS/NZS 3760](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/test-and-tag-register-as-nzs-3760). Day-of fill order: [test and tag register on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/test-and-tag-register-on-site-guide).

**Key takeaways**

- Tags and register rows must agree on ID, dates, and pass or fail
- Environment and interval mistakes put whole fleets on the wrong clock
- Empty earth or insulation fields make a pass hard to defend
- Writing the register later from a pile of tags is how readings swap

Use the [national test and tag register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-test-and-tag-register) as a pre-download check. Browse [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical).

## Why does the register have to hold up? [#why-does-the-register-have-to-hold-up]

AS/NZS 3760:2022 covers in-service inspection and testing of electrical equipment and RCDs, including documentation and tagging. The Safe Work Australia model code on managing electrical risks treats inspection and testing by a competent person, with records, as part of controlling electrical risk. WorkSafe Queensland explains testing and tagging against local regulation and the standard. NT WorkSafe is explicit that construction sites follow AS/NZS 3012 for three-monthly testing of electrical equipment, with AS/NZS 3760 as the method.

Tags get knocked off, hire gear moves sites, and supervisors change. The register is what is left when the visual system fails.

## Shared traps (and how they show up on a lead register) [#shared-traps-and-how-they-show-up-on-a-lead-register]

Some failures appear on both appliance and RCD paperwork. On a test and tag PDF they look like this.

**Vague identity.** Ten orange extension leads, all labelled "extension lead". Nobody knows which physical lead the pass applied to.

**Fix on the PDF:** put the asset ID or tag number on every row, match it to the physical tag, add serial or model where you have it, and a location (gang box, level, trade package).

**Writing up later.** You test a rack, photograph tags, type the PDF at night. Earth readings swap. A fail loses its isolation note.

**Fix on the PDF:** one item, one test, one row, then the next item. Photos are backup, not the primary log.

**Pass with no next due date.** Everything says pass. The site has no retest schedule.

**Fix on the PDF:** set environment and default retest interval in the header, then put a next due date on every pass before sign-off.

**Fail with no action.** The register shows fail. The lead is still on a saw.

**Fix on the PDF:** at the moment of fail, mark fail, write why, record action, and quarantine the item. Expand in [test and tag failed equipment records](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/test-and-tag-failed-equipment-records).

## Mistakes that are mostly about portable gear and tags [#mistakes-that-are-mostly-about-portable-gear-and-tags]

These are the ones that show up on appliance registers far more than on board RCD logs.

### Tag and register disagree [#tag-and-register-disagree]

Tag says next due October. Register says January. Or the tag number does not exist on the PDF. Auditors treat that as a broken system.

**Fix on the PDF:** write the row first, then write the tag from the row. If you amend a date, amend both. Fails must not wear pass tags. If the site uses colour periods, the header colour and the due dates must tell the same story.

### Empty readings on a pass [#empty-readings-on-a-pass]

Pass is ticked. Earth continuity, insulation resistance, visual, or polarity fields that applied to that class are blank.

**A pass row**

- **This** - Item 14, drop saw, Class I. Earth continuity 0.12 Ω, insulation resistance >100 MΩ, visual pass. Next due 12 Oct 2026. (The readings support the result and the next tester can compare against them.)
- **Not this** - Item 14, drop saw, Pass. Readings blank. (Records that it beeped, not that it was tested.)

**Fix on the PDF:** record the readings that support the result for the equipment class. Skip only what genuinely does not apply.

### Wrong environment or testing basis [#wrong-environment-or-testing-basis]

Construction gear gets a long office-style interval because you copied last week's fit-out register. Or workshop gear is forced onto a three-month cycle with no reason. Tag colours and due dates then fight the real risk profile.

**Fix on the PDF:** set work environment and testing basis for this site before the first item. On construction, demolition, and mining work, AS/NZS 3012 commonly drives a three-month equipment cycle; see [construction site test and tag every three months](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/construction-site-test-and-tag-three-months). For other environments, apply AS/NZS 3760 risk-based intervals and any state regulation that takes precedence.

### Hire fleet and mid-cycle arrivals [#hire-fleet-and-mid-cycle-arrivals]

A lead arrives from another site mid-quarter. Someone retags it from today's visit date instead of checking three months from its last test. Or hire gear that lived on a demolition deck is treated like low-risk office gear because it slept in a van on Sunday.

**Fix on the PDF:** check the previous tag date against the environment it is used in. Record ownership clearly when hire and trade gear share a compound.

### Shared subcontractor gear with no owner [#shared-subcontractor-gear-with-no-owner]

Five trades dump leads in one bin. Your register lists "site lead" with no owner. It fails. Nobody knows whose problem it is, so it stays plugged in.

**Fix on the PDF:** client or trade package on the header, asset ownership in the description or notes, separate registers when ownership differs. A register argument is not a reason to leave damaged gear in service.

### Signing before the ute produces three more tools [#signing-before-the-ute-produces-three-more-tools]

Signature goes on. Then another vehicle arrives with grinders that "were always part of the round". The signed PDF no longer matches the site.

**Fix on the PDF:** finish items, close fails, set due dates, then sign. If more gear appears, update and re-download rather than leaving a silent gap.

### Missing tester or instrument details [#missing-tester-or-instrument-details]

Results exist with no named tester and no PAT verification date. Challenged readings have nothing to stand on.

**Fix on the PDF:** business name, tester name, contact, licence or competency where required, PAT make/model/serial, and last verification or calibration date.

The instrument the readings came from is recorded once for the round, not per item.

### Treating "competent person" as anyone free that afternoon [#treating-competent-person-as-anyone-free-that-afternoon]

Labour pressure puts someone with no training on the tester and the standard behind a register full of confident passes.

**Fix on the PDF:** only a competent person tests and signs. If you are not competent for the test, do not fill the register as if you were.

### No job reference across evidence [#no-job-reference-across-evidence]

Photos, PDF, and invoice use different names. Six months later nobody can rebuild one site visit.

**Fix on the PDF:** one job reference on the register, photos, any related RCD record, and billing. Name the PDF with client, suburb, and date when you can.

### Padding the list with gear you did not test [#padding-the-list-with-gear-you-did-not-test]

On multi-trade sites, the register claims tools still in another contractor's ute. A short honest register beats a long one that includes items nobody put a meter on.

**Fix on the PDF:** only claim gear you inspected and tested. Note areas or packages you could not access.

### Board RCD testing buried in the appliance list [#board-rcd-testing-buried-in-the-appliance-list]

Fixed safety switch trip times end up as a note under a lead row, or portable RCD results are incomplete because the appliance template was rushed.

**Fix on the PDF:** keep a separate [RCD test record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-rcd-test-record) that shares the job reference. Where an item is a portable RCD on the appliance register, still capture the results that apply, and keep fail actions consistent across related paperwork.

## Short pre-download checklist [#short-pre-download-checklist]

1. Every item has a unique, matchable identity
2. Readings support every pass
3. Every pass has a next due date aligned with environment
4. Every fail has action and detail, and the item is out of service
5. Tag data matches register data
6. Tester and instrument fields are complete
7. Testing basis and environment are correct for this site
8. Declaration is last

## Build registers that block the usual gaps [#build-registers-that-block-the-usual-gaps]

Tradie Forms structures the national test and tag register so required results, next due dates on passes, and fail actions are hard to skip. You set environment and default interval once, add items as cards, preview the PDF layout, then download a signed copy. It is not a government form and is not affiliated with regulators. You still own competence, testing judgment, and isolation decisions.

Open the [national test and tag register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-test-and-tag-register), browse [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical), or start from [test and tag register and AS/NZS 3760](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/test-and-tag-register-as-nzs-3760) for the standards overview.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [Standards Australia spotlight on AS/NZS 3760:2022](https://www.standards.org.au/blog/spotlight-on-in-service-safety-inspection-and-testing-of-electrical-equipment-and-rcds), the [Safe Work Australia model Code of Practice: Managing electrical risks in the workplace](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/doc/model-code-practice-managing-electrical-risks-workplace), [WorkSafe Queensland testing and tagging of electrical equipment](https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/safety-and-prevention/hazards/electricity/electrical-products-and-equipment/testing-and-tagging-electrical-equipment), and the [NT WorkSafe construction electrical equipment bulletin](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/forms-and-resources/bulletins/safety-inspection-and-testing-of-electrical-equipment-on-construction-sites). Confirm how your state or territory applies inspection, testing, and record duties on the site you are working.

# RCD test record on-site guide (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-test-record-on-site-guide)

Complete an RCD test record on site with push-button and trip-time results, failed-item actions, sign-off and a clean PDF for the client. | Trade: Electrical | Template: national-rcd-test-record

You have just worked through a bank of safety switches, a few socket RCDs, and a portable unit on a lead set. Push-button results and trip times are on the tester screen. Someone wants proof. That proof is an RCD test record: every device tied to a date, a result, and a next due date.

This guide is the day-of fill path. Set the header once, then loop device by device, close fails, run a short checklist, and sign last. For standards overview, competent person framing, and how appliance test and tag sits under AS/NZS 3760, use [test and tag register and AS/NZS 3760](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/test-and-tag-register-as-nzs-3760). For client language and paper-to-PDF migration, use [RCD log book and safety switch testing records](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-log-book-safety-switch-testing).

**Key takeaways**

- Set tester, instrument, testing basis, and default interval before the first device
- One RCD, one test, one row: capture trip time while the instrument still shows it
- Fails need an action on the day; passes need a next due date that matches this visit type
- Sign after the list is closed, then hand over a durable PDF before you leave

Open the [national RCD test record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-rcd-test-record) on site. Browse [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical). When portable appliances are on the same visit, keep a separate [national test and tag register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-test-and-tag-register).

## Before the first device [#before-the-first-device]

Do not start at the first safety switch with a blank header. Five minutes up front stops every row from carrying the same gaps.

**Who and where.** Business name, tester name, contact, and licence or competency details where the site asks for them. Client, job reference, and site address. Use the same job reference on photos and any related appliance register so the visit stays one file.

**Instrument.** Make, model, serial, and last verification or calibration date for the RCD tester. A trip time without a tool history is soft evidence if someone challenges the reading later.

**Testing basis and visit type.** For most in-service work that is AS/NZS 3760:2022. On construction and demolition, AS/NZS 3012 also shapes the site rules. Name the basis on the record. Say whether this visit is push-button, operating time, or both. Interval detail without inventing a national table sits in [RCD test intervals and records](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-test-intervals-and-records).

**Default retest interval.** Set the interval that applies to this visit type and environment, so next due dates on passes are not invented row by row from memory.

**Access plan.** On multi-board sites, decide the board order and finish one board before the next. Note areas you cannot access rather than implying those devices were tested.

If you need the broader "what is test and tag / who is competent / environment intervals" essay, that lives on the [AS/NZS 3760 hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/test-and-tag-register-as-nzs-3760). This page stays on the RCD board loop.

## The on-site loop: one safety switch at a time [#the-on-site-loop-one-safety-switch-at-a-time]

Work the device in front of you. Do not batch writing for the ute.

1. **Identify.** RCD ID or circuit reference, short description, location a stranger could walk to. "MSB RCD 2, circuits 5 to 8" beats "safety switch downstairs".
2. **Type and rating.** Fixed, socket, or portable, plus rating in milliamps from the device face, not from last job's memory.
3. **Push-button.** Press, watch, record pass or fail while you are still at the unit.
4. **Trip time (if this visit measures it).** Enter milliseconds while the tester still shows them. Leave blank on button-only visits. If it did not trip inside the instrument window, record that clearly (for example `>300`) rather than inventing a neat pass.
5. **Overall result.** Pass or fail for this device on this visit.
6. **Dates.** Test date now. Next due date on every pass from the interval you set for this visit type. No fake due date on a fail.
7. **Fail action (if fail).** Isolate, tag out, replace, quarantine a portable unit, or notify the client that a circuit is unprotected. Write the action before you walk to the next device.
8. **Next device.** Only then.

That loop is the whole method. Writing three boards from memory at lunch is how 24 ms becomes 30 ms and the wrong circuit gets the fail.

## What does each register row have to carry? [#what-does-each-register-row-have-to-carry]

Keep the row thin and specific. The register body is not a paragraph of notes.

**A register row**

- **This** - MSB RCD 2, circuits 5 to 8, main switchboard. Fixed, 30 mA. Push-button pass, trip 24 ms. Pass. Tested 24 Jul 2026, next due 24 Jul 2027. (Every column the next tester needs to judge the result against.)
- **Not this** - Kitchen RCD, pass (No identity, no rating, no reading, no next due date.)

| Field                   | Why it is there                                 |
| ----------------------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
| ID / circuit + location | Lets the next person match the row to the board |
| Type + mA rating        | Frames how trip results are judged              |
| Push-button result      | Shows the built-in test path was checked        |
| Trip time (ms)          | Only when measured; blank means not measured    |
| Pass / fail             | Headline outcome for this visit                 |
| Test date + next due    | Drives the retest; fails get an action instead  |
| Fail action + detail    | Closes the safety loop on the day               |

Notes at the bottom are for extras: portable unit removed from a van, client advised overnight isolation, board locked pending replacement. Notes are not a substitute for missing rows.

## What do you do when an RCD fails? [#what-do-you-do-when-an-rcd-fails]

A fail is not a blank next due date. Any RCD that does not comply needs to be taken out of service or replaced so people do not keep trusting a dead device.

At the moment of fail:

1. Mark fail
2. Record what failed (button, trip time, or both)
3. Record the action taken
4. Physically isolate, tag, replace, or quarantine
5. Tell the site contact before you leave that area
6. Only then move on

A register that lists a fail with an empty action field is an open hazard list. How to walk the client through that conversation sits in [RCD test record handover to clients](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-test-record-handover-clients).

## Pre-sign checklist [#pre-sign-checklist]

Run this before the declaration, ideally once per board on large sites:

1. Every RCD has an ID or circuit and a findable location
2. Type and rating match the device face
3. Push-button results are filled
4. Trip times are filled only when measured, and they match the instrument
5. Every pass has a next due date aligned with this visit type
6. Every fail has action and detail, and the device is out of service or replaced
7. Tester name and instrument details are complete
8. Job reference matches photos and any related test and tag register
9. Areas you could not access are noted, not silently implied as tested

If any line fails, fix it before download. Returning tomorrow to re-measure a trip time costs more than two minutes at the board today.

## Sign-off last [#sign-off-last]

Name, date, signature, and short notes. The declaration is you standing behind the round, so it goes on after devices, readings, results, and fail actions are correct. If more devices appear after download, issue an updated register rather than editing memory with no trail.

The declaration sits under the device rows, which is the order to fill it in as well.

## On-site traps that burn the visit [#on-site-traps-that-burn-the-visit]

A fuller list lives in [common RCD test record mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-rcd-test-record-mistakes). These four burn the day while you are still on site.

**Vague identity.** A description that fits several devices on the same board means a row cannot be matched later.

**Trip times from memory.** Writing up after three boards is how readings swap. Capture while the tester shows the number.

**Pass with no next due date.** The site cannot book the next visit from a blank.

**Fail with no action.** Paperwork says problem; the floor may still have the risk.

## Same visit as test and tag? Keep two registers [#same-visit-as-test-and-tag-keep-two-registers]

RCD testing and portable appliance testing often share a site day. They are not the same record. The appliance register carries earth continuity, insulation, and related readings under AS/NZS 3760. The RCD record carries push-button and trip time for fixed, socket, and portable safety switches.

Share a job reference. Keep separate PDFs so a failed lead does not blur into a failed board RCD. Construction three-month rhythm for portable gear sits in [construction site test and tag every three months](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/construction-site-test-and-tag-three-months). Standards overview for the appliance side sits in the [AS/NZS 3760 hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/test-and-tag-register-as-nzs-3760).

## Finish and hand over [#finish-and-hand-over]

Preview the PDF, download a signed copy, give the client their copy, and store yours against the job. Tradie Forms maps entries onto a clean RCD register layout and flags missing fields before download. It is not a government form and is not affiliated with regulators. The competent person still checks devices, readings, and the downloaded PDF.

Start the [national RCD test record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-rcd-test-record), browse [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical), or read [RCD log book and safety switch testing records](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-log-book-safety-switch-testing) when the client asks for a "safety switch log" rather than a fill tutorial.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [Standards Australia spotlight on AS/NZS 3760:2022](https://www.standards.org.au/blog/spotlight-on-in-service-safety-inspection-and-testing-of-electrical-equipment-and-rcds) for the scope of in-service testing of equipment and RCDs, the [Safe Work Australia model Code of Practice: Managing electrical risks in the workplace](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/doc/model-code-practice-managing-electrical-risks-workplace) for competent person and workplace electrical risk duties, [WorkSafe Queensland testing and tagging of electrical equipment](https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/safety-and-prevention/hazards/electricity/electrical-products-and-equipment/testing-and-tagging-electrical-equipment) for state guidance that points back to regulation and AS/NZS 3760, and [SafeWork NSW electrical inspection and testing](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/hazards-a-z/electrical-and-power/electrical-inspection-and-testing) for how that state frames inspection and testing against the standard. Your state or territory WHS regulator, electrical safety laws, and current licence conditions govern how requirements apply on a given site, so confirm the testing basis and interval before you sign the record.

# Construction site test and tag every three months (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/construction-site-test-and-tag-three-months)

How AS/NZS 3012 three-month testing works on construction and demolition sites, what the register must show, and how it sits with AS/NZS 3760 methods. | Trade: Electrical | Template: national-test-and-tag-register

Construction sites chew through leads, tools, and portable RCDs. That is why public regulator guidance does not treat them like a quiet office. Three months is the cycle you will hear from site managers, principal contractors, and WHS officers, and it is the cycle several jurisdictions state clearly against AS/NZS 3012. If your register still shows twelve-month due dates on a formwork deck, the paperwork is already wrong for the environment.

This guide covers how AS/NZS 3012 and AS/NZS 3760 share roles on a live build, what public pages say about the three-month equipment cycle, colour tags, multi-contractor reality, and visit logistics. For general RCD push-button versus trip time cadence and what to write on the safety switch record, use [RCD test intervals and records](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-test-intervals-and-records) instead of repeating every NT, NSW, and Tas portable RCD rule here. Broader AS/NZS 3760 overview sits in [test and tag register and AS/NZS 3760](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/test-and-tag-register-as-nzs-3760).

**Key takeaways**

- Construction site electrical equipment is commonly tested every three months under AS/NZS 3012 related requirements
- AS/NZS 3760 supplies the in-service inspection and testing methods used on that gear
- Colour tags and multi-contractor ownership only work when the register dates and fail actions match the floor
- Book and run the visit against the previous register's next due dates, not against memory

If you are tagging a construction round today, open the [national test and tag register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-test-and-tag-register) and set the environment and interval before the first item. Browse [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical). For safety switch paperwork on the same site, use the [national RCD test record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-rcd-test-record).

## Why is construction test and tag every three months? [#why-is-construction-test-and-tag-every-three-months]

**NT WorkSafe** states that WHS regulations require electrical installations at a construction site to comply with AS/NZS 3012, and that AS/NZS 3012 requires all electrical equipment on construction sites to be tested every three months. It points to AS/NZS 3760 for inspection and testing method for electrical equipment and RCDs.

**SafeWork NSW** construction and demolition electrical practices guidance states that power tools, flexible cords, cord extension sets, portable socket outlet assemblies, and portable RCDs must be tested and inspected according to AS/NZS 3760 methods in a period not exceeding three months. Inspection and testing can be carried out by a competent person trained in RCD testers and PAT, or by a licensed electrician.

**WorkSafe Tasmania** construction RCD guidance aligns portable equipment tagging after inspection and testing with durable non-reusable tags, and places operating time tests for portable RCDs on a three-month cycle, with more frequent push-button checks.

Those pages are not a substitute for reading the standards and your local WHS regulations, but they are consistent on the headline: construction is a short-cycle environment, and three months is the number the industry is held to for equipment testing.

## AS/NZS 3012 and AS/NZS 3760 together [#asnzs-3012-and-asnzs-3760-together]

Think of the two standards as role-sharing on a construction site.

**AS/NZS 3012** is about electrical installations on construction and demolition sites: temporary wiring, switchboards, RCDs, and the site electrical environment that gear lives in. Regulator bulletins use it as the hook for the three-month equipment testing duty.

**AS/NZS 3760** is about in-service safety inspection and testing of electrical equipment and RCDs: visual checks, electrical tests, tagging, records, competency, and environment-based frequency. Standards Australia's public spotlight describes those elements as the core of the standard.

On site that means: construction rules put you on a three-month clock; 3760 methods tell you how to inspect, test, tag, and record. Your testing basis field should make both visible when both apply, for example naming AS/NZS 3760:2022 and AS/NZS 3012 for the construction round.

## What equipment sits on the three-month cycle? [#what-equipment-sits-on-the-three-month-cycle]

Public construction guidance focuses on the gear that gets thrashed:

- Power tools and portable appliances
- Flexible cords and extension leads
- Portable socket outlet assemblies
- Portable RCDs (as equipment subject to inspection and testing)
- Equipment in amenities and site offices (called out on some construction tables)

Fixed construction wiring and switchboards may sit on their own inspection rhythms in AS/NZS 3012. Do not assume every electrical thing on site shares one identical cell in a table. Do assume portable tools and leads are not on an office multi-year interval while they live in the dirt.

Hire equipment that moves between construction sites still needs a cycle that matches the harshest environment it is used in. A lead that spent three months on a demolition deck does not become low-risk office gear because it slept in a van on Sunday.

## Portable RCDs on construction: point to the intervals guide [#portable-rcds-on-construction-point-to-the-intervals-guide]

Portable RCDs sit on the three-month operating time cycle with the rest of the construction equipment round, and they also sit on a shorter push-button rhythm while they are in daily use. Public pages from NT WorkSafe, SafeWork NSW, and WorkSafe Tasmania all describe that split, with wording that varies slightly by jurisdiction.

Rather than reprinting every daily-button and monthly-fixed rule here, keep this article on the construction register and site logistics. For push-button versus trip time cadence, what to leave blank on button-only visits, and how to write next due dates honestly, use [RCD test intervals and records](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-test-intervals-and-records). For filling the safety switch PDF on the day, use the [RCD test record on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-test-record-on-site-guide).

On the construction test and tag visit itself: record operating time tests for portable RCDs on the competent-person round, keep push-button expectations in site inductions and toolbox talks, and do not treat a quarterly PDF as a substitute for daily button discipline.

## Colour tags and site culture [#colour-tags-and-site-culture]

Many construction and mining sites colour-code tags by test period so supervisors can see overdue gear at a glance. The colour is a site control, not a replacement for dates on the register.

If the site uses colours:

- Record the tag colour for this round on the register header
- Use the same colour on every pass tag for that period
- Make sure next due dates on the register match the period the colour represents
- Do not put a pass colour on a failed item

If the site does not use colours, leave the field blank and rely on dates. Inventing a colour system the principal contractor does not run only creates confusion.

## Building a construction register that survives a site audit [#building-a-construction-register-that-survives-a-site-audit]

**Header.** Business and tester details, client or principal contractor, site address, job or project number, PAT instrument and verification date, work environment set to construction (or demolition/mining as applicable), testing basis including AS/NZS 3012 and AS/NZS 3760, default retest interval of three months, tag colour if used, register date.

**Rows.** Asset ID matching the tag, specific description, serial or model where available, location (building, level, trade package, or gang box), readings, pass or fail, test date, next due roughly three months out for passes, action and detail for fails.

**Fails.** Immediate removal from service. Construction sites are full of shared gear; a failed lead left in a common pile will be used again before lunch. See [test and tag failed equipment records](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/test-and-tag-failed-equipment-records).

**Handover.** Give the site manager or document controller a PDF the same day. Keep your copy against the project number. On NSW residential packs you may also be asked for HISSP-style forms; see [NSW WHS Form 08 test and tag register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-whs-form-08-electrical-test-and-tag-register) when that pack is specified.

## Running the three-month visit on a live site [#running-the-three-month-visit-on-a-live-site]

Practical tips that keep the cycle honest:

- Book against the previous register's next due dates, not against memory
- Start with high-use leads and tools in active work fronts, then amenities and offices
- Quarantine fails in a labelled bin the site agrees on, not only in the back of your ute
- Do not extend tags because "the pour is this week" without a documented site decision that still meets WHS duties
- If gear arrives mid-cycle from another site, check its tag date against three months from its last test, not from your visit date wishfully

The day-of loop for each item is the same as any environment, just tighter on interval: identify, inspect, test, decide, tag or quarantine, write the row now. Detail in the [test and tag register on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/test-and-tag-register-on-site-guide).

## Multi-contractor reality [#multi-contractor-reality]

Principal contractors often want one coherent electrical file even when five trades bring their own leads. Options that work:

- Each trade keeps a register for its own gear and submits a PDF to document control
- The principal runs a consolidated site register and requires trades to present gear on a test day
- Hire companies supply registers for hire fleets and trades still check tags before use

Whatever model the site uses, failed gear must still come out of service immediately. A register ownership argument is not a reason to leave a damaged lead plugged in.

If you are the visiting tester for several trades on one day, keep separate registers per client or trade package when ownership differs. Mixing five businesses onto one PDF without clear asset ownership makes the next fail conversation impossible. Shared site compound gear can sit on a principal contractor register if that is how the site runs it; say so in the client field so the file trail is clear.

## Common construction paperwork failures [#common-construction-paperwork-failures]

**A construction round**

- **Survives one** - - Work environment set to construction before the first item
  - A next due date on every pass, three months out
  - Tag written from the row, so the two always agree
  - An owner named on shared gear at the moment it is tested
  - Rows filled while the item is in your hand (Portable RCD operating time still needs workers told about daily button checks.)
- **Fails an audit** - - A six or twelve month office interval copied from last week's fit-out
  - Passes with no next due date, so the three-month clock is invisible
  - Colour tags that do not match the register dates
  - Shared subcontractor gear with no owner on the row when it fails
  - The register written Friday for Monday's testing (Each one is a habit, not an accident.)

Mistake patterns that apply on every site, not only construction, are listed in [common test and tag register mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-test-and-tag-register-mistakes).

## Build construction registers on site [#build-construction-registers-on-site]

Tradie Forms lets you set work environment, testing basis, default retest interval (three months for construction rounds), and optional tag colour once, then add each item as you test it. Next due dates follow the interval. Failed items require action detail before download. You preview the PDF and hand it over before you leave the gate. The form is not a government document and is not affiliated with regulators. The competent person still applies AS/NZS 3012 and AS/NZS 3760 correctly for the site.

Start the [national test and tag register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-test-and-tag-register), browse [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical), or open the [national RCD test record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-rcd-test-record) when construction RCD operating time tests need their own clean list. For interval and push-button detail, go to [RCD test intervals and records](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-test-intervals-and-records).

## Official references [#official-references]

Check [NT WorkSafe safety inspection and testing of electrical equipment on construction sites](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/forms-and-resources/bulletins/safety-inspection-and-testing-of-electrical-equipment-on-construction-sites), [SafeWork NSW electrical practices on construction and demolition sites](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/resource-library/construction/electrical-services/electrical-practices-construction-and-demolition-sites-fact-sheet), [WorkSafe Tasmania RCDs on construction sites](https://worksafe.tas.gov.au/topics/Health-and-Safety/safety-by-industry/construction/rcds-on-construction-sites), the [Standards Australia spotlight on AS/NZS 3760:2022](https://www.standards.org.au/blog/spotlight-on-in-service-safety-inspection-and-testing-of-electrical-equipment-and-rcds), and the [Safe Work Australia model Code of Practice: Managing electrical risks in the workplace](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/doc/model-code-practice-managing-electrical-risks-workplace). Confirm the current standard editions and your state or territory WHS rules before you lock a three-month cycle on a signed register.

# Test and tag register on-site guide (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/test-and-tag-register-on-site-guide)

How to complete a test and tag register on site: set environment and intervals once, add each item as you test it, record fails, and download a signed PDF. | Trade: Electrical | Template: national-test-and-tag-register

The PAT tester is the easy part for most competent people. The register is where rounds fall apart: items tested but never written down, fails without isolation notes, next due dates left blank, and a spreadsheet still open at 9 pm. An on-site register habit means the PDF is finished when the last tag is stuck on, not when you finally remember the job.

This guide is a practical fill order for a national test and tag register on the day. For the standards background and interval overview, start with [test and tag register and AS/NZS 3760](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/test-and-tag-register-as-nzs-3760). This piece is about how to run the visit so the paperwork matches the gear.

**Key takeaways**

- Set environment, testing basis, instrument, and default retest interval before the first item
- Add each appliance or lead as you test it, with identity, readings, result, and dates
- Fails need an action on the row before you move to the next item
- Download and hand over on site so the register and the tags leave together

If you are mid-round today, open the [national test and tag register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-test-and-tag-register). Browse more [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical). When safety switches are on the same visit, use the [national RCD test record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-rcd-test-record) as a separate document.

## Before the first tag [#before-the-first-tag]

Spend five minutes on the header so every row inherits the right rules.

**Business and tester.** Business name, tester name, licence or competency number where required, phone. Testing is done by a competent person under the Safe Work Australia model code framing: knowledge, training, skills, and experience to do the task safely and correctly. That name is who stands behind the results.

**Client and site.** Client name, job reference, site address. The job reference is the thread that ties the register to photos, invoices, and any RCD record from the same day.

**Instrument.** Make, model, and serial of the PAT tester, plus last verification or calibration date. Readings without a tool history are soft if challenged later.

**Environment and basis.** Work environment drives retest intervals under AS/NZS 3760. Testing basis is usually AS/NZS 3760:2022, and on construction, demolition, and mining sites also AS/NZS 3012. NT WorkSafe states that AS/NZS 3012 requires electrical equipment on construction sites to be tested every three months, with AS/NZS 3760 as the inspection and testing method. WorkSafe Queensland points workplaces to local regulation and, where applicable, AS/NZS 3760.

**Default retest interval and tag colour.** Set the months that apply to this environment so next due dates are not reinvented per row. On construction sites that colour-code tags by period, record the tag colour for this round.

**Register date.** Today's date for the round, not the date you hope to type it up.

## A repeatable loop for each item [#a-repeatable-loop-for-each-item]

Run the same loop on every lead, tool, and portable outlet device.

1. **Identify it.** Asset or tag number, description, manufacturer, model, serial where available, equipment type and class, location. Vague descriptions that fit four leads defeat the register.
2. **Inspect it.** Visual inspection first. Damage, crushed plugs, missing covers, and heat marks are fails even before electrical tests.
3. **Test it.** Earth continuity, insulation resistance, leakage, polarity, and any RCD checks that apply to that item, using the methods in AS/NZS 3760 for the equipment class.
4. **Decide pass or fail.** Be honest. Borderline wishful thinking becomes your problem at the next audit.
5. **Tag or quarantine.** Passes get a durable tag with test date and next test date. Fails come out of service immediately and are marked so they cannot be used until repaired or replaced.
6. **Write the row now.** Readings, result, test date, next due for passes, action and note for fails.
7. **Move on.** Do not batch writing for the end of a 40-item pile.

That loop is slow only the first time you force yourself to do it. It is faster than retesting because the register was empty.

## What counts as enough asset identity? [#what-counts-as-enough-asset-identity]

Identity is the field that saves retests.

**Asset identity**

- **This** - TT-0142, 15 m heavy duty extension lead, Van 1 (Tag number, a description you can pick from a rack, and where it lives.)
- **Not this** - Lead (Forty of these on a construction round and none can be told apart.)

- **Asset ID or tag number** that matches the physical tag
- **Description** specific enough to pick the item from a rack ("15 m heavy duty extension lead" not "lead")
- **Serial or manufacturer and model** where the item has them
- **Location** that will still make sense next quarter ("Van 1", "Level 2 plant room", "Site shed north")

If two items would share the same description, they need different IDs. Construction rounds with dozens of similar leads are where this bites hardest. More on that cycle sits in [construction site test and tag every three months](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/construction-site-test-and-tag-three-months).

## Readings that defend a pass [#readings-that-defend-a-pass]

A pass with no readings is a claim without evidence. Capture the values that support the result for that equipment class:

- Visual inspection outcome
- Earth continuity where required
- Insulation resistance where required
- Leakage current where used
- Polarity where required
- RCD push-button and trip time where the item includes an RCD

You do not need to invent readings that do not apply to the class. You do need to avoid empty columns on tests you actually ran. Standards Australia's public material on AS/NZS 3760 highlights inspection procedures, testing procedures, documentation and tagging, and competency as core parts of the standard.

## How do you handle a fail mid-round? [#how-do-you-handle-a-fail-mid-round]

When an item fails, stop the happy path.

1. Mark fail on the row
2. Record why (visual damage, failed earth, failed insulation, and so on)
3. Select the action: tagged out and removed from service, repair required, disposed, client notified
4. Physically remove or quarantine the item so it cannot wander back into use
5. Tell the site contact before you leave that area of the job
6. Only then pick up the next item

A register full of fails with empty action fields is a list of open hazards. For fail actions and quarantine habits, see [test and tag failed equipment records](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/test-and-tag-failed-equipment-records).

## Multi-area sites without losing the plot [#multi-area-sites-without-losing-the-plot]

Large sites break registers when people test in three sheds and write one vague location.

- Finish one area's items before moving, including their rows
- Put location on every row, not only in the header
- Use the same job reference across partial lists if you must split PDFs by building
- Photograph damaged fails with the asset ID in frame when the client needs visual proof

If you also test fixed or portable RCDs as safety switches rather than only as appliance accessories, keep an [RCD test record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/rcd-test-record-on-site-guide) separate and cross-reference the job number.

## Tag and register must agree [#tag-and-register-must-agree]

The tag on the tool is the quick visual check. The register is the durable proof. They must tell the same story:

- Same test date
- Same next due date
- Same identity trail (tag number matches asset ID)
- Fails are not wearing a pass tag

If you change a next due date on the register, change the tag. If a tag is knocked off later, the register is what rebuilds the history, which is why Safe Work Australia style record-keeping accepts tags, logbooks, registers, or databases rather than tags alone.

## End-of-round checklist before download [#end-of-round-checklist-before-download]

1. Header complete: business, tester, site, instrument, environment, basis, interval, date
2. Every tested item has a row
3. Every pass has a next due date
4. Every fail has an action and failure detail
5. Tag colours match the period if the site uses them
6. Notes capture anything the client must know (withdrawn items, areas not accessed)
7. Declaration name, date, and signature are last

Notes sit in the declaration block, which is where withdrawn items and areas you could not reach belong.

Then preview the PDF, download, and hand a copy to the site contact. Keep your own copy against the job. Common ways this checklist fails are listed in [common test and tag register mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-test-and-tag-register-mistakes).

If anything was not accessible (locked room, gear on another level, tools still in use), say so in the notes rather than implying a full site sweep. Honest scope protects you when the missing gang box shows up next week with no tag.

## NSW house sites and other packs [#nsw-house-sites-and-other-packs]

On some NSW residential construction jobs you may be asked for SafeWork NSW Housing Industry Site Safety Pack templates, including the electrical test and tag register style form. That is a specific pack document. The national register is still the right tool for general AS/NZS 3760-aligned work and for sites that are not running that pack. See [NSW WHS Form 08 test and tag register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-whs-form-08-electrical-test-and-tag-register) when the HISSP is what the principal contractor wants.

## Build the register as you tag [#build-the-register-as-you-tag]

Tradie Forms turns the national test and tag register into sections you work through one at a time: business and site once, testing settings once, then one card per item with identity, readings, result, dates, and fail actions. Default retest interval suggests next due dates. Failed items prompt for action before download. Long lists flow onto extra PDF pages.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the layout of the record. It is not a government form and is not affiliated with regulators. The competent person still checks the equipment, the readings, and the downloaded PDF.

Start the [national test and tag register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-test-and-tag-register) on site, browse more [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical), or read [test and tag register and AS/NZS 3760](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/test-and-tag-register-as-nzs-3760) for the standards overview behind the habit.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [Standards Australia spotlight on AS/NZS 3760:2022](https://www.standards.org.au/blog/spotlight-on-in-service-safety-inspection-and-testing-of-electrical-equipment-and-rcds), the [Safe Work Australia model Code of Practice: Managing electrical risks in the workplace](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/doc/model-code-practice-managing-electrical-risks-workplace), [WorkSafe Queensland testing and tagging of electrical equipment](https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/safety-and-prevention/hazards/electricity/electrical-products-and-equipment/testing-and-tagging-electrical-equipment), and the [NT WorkSafe bulletin on electrical equipment on construction sites](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/forms-and-resources/bulletins/safety-inspection-and-testing-of-electrical-equipment-on-construction-sites). Confirm the interval and testing basis for the site before you sign the register.

# ACMA TCA2 record keeping and customer handover (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca2-record-keeping-handover)

How registered cablers hand over the ACMA TCA2, keep job copies, pair it with the TCA1, and store outstanding matters advice with the site record. | Trade: Electrical | Template: acma-tca2

A TCA2 only works if someone who can act receives it. Filling the form for your glovebox and never handing it over leaves the non-compliant cabling exactly where you found it, with no paper trail.

Finish the [ACMA TCA2](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca2) on site, hand it to the customer or building manager, and keep a clean PDF with the job so outstanding matters do not vanish into a chat thread.

**Key takeaways**

- Give the TCA2 to the customer or building manager, not only to yourself
- Keep a job copy with priorities and advice type intact
- Pair TCA2 with TCA1 when both apply to the same visit
- ACMA's hard retain rule sits on TCA1 (12 months); TCA2 retention is business and contract practice unless another rule applies

Related: [When is TCA2 required](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-acma-tca2-required), [TCA1 and TCA2 handover guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca1-tca2-cabling-record-keeping-handover-guide), [TCA1 form](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca1-attach-a).

## What does handover mean for an advisory form? [#what-does-handover-mean-for-an-advisory-form]

ACMA's TCA2 exists so the customer can decide what action to take on non-compliant installations you noticed. Handover is not lodgement with the ACMA. It is delivery to the person who can authorise remediation: customer, building manager, or another site authority named on the job.

Good handover includes:

1. A completed TCA2 PDF with advice type, matters, and priorities
2. A short plain-language explanation of what you found
3. Clarity that the form is advice, not a certificate of your completed work
4. Your contact details if they need a quote for rectification later (as a separate commercial step)

## Customer copy versus job copy [#customer-copy-versus-job-copy]

**Where the TCA2 ends up**

- **A record** - - A clean PDF to the customer or building manager, so they can act
  - A copy in your job file, as proof of what you advised and when
  - Filed under job name, site address, and date (Two copies, two different purposes.)
- **Not a record** - - A photo of the form on one phone's camera roll
  - An unnamed PDF in a downloads folder
  - Advice given verbally on the way out (None of these survive a dispute six months later.)

Download a clean PDF and store it under the job name, site address, and date.

## Pairing TCA2 with TCA1 [#pairing-tca2-with-tca1]

Many visits produce both documents:

- **TCA1** certifies the customer cabling work you completed
- **TCA2** advises on other non-compliant cabling still outstanding

Store them together. When a principal or building manager asks what paperwork came from that day, both files should appear.

ACMA guidance requires you to retain a TCA1 copy for at least 12 months. That hard retain rule sits on the TCA1, not on the TCA2. Still keep the TCA2 with the same job pack as business practice and for any contract retention your client sets, unless another rule applies to that job.

See also [common TCA2 mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-acma-tca2) and [how to fill TCA2](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca2-cabling-advice-form-how-to-fill-out).

## What to record in the job system [#what-to-record-in-the-job-system]

Beyond the PDF:

- Site address and customer name
- Date of advice
- Pre works or post works
- High-level summary of urgent items
- Whether a separate quote was requested
- Link or attachment to the TCA1 for the same visit if issued

That metadata makes search easy when the same building books you six months later.

## Electronic storage on the tools [#electronic-storage-on-the-tools]

1. Download the PDF before you leave site
2. Name it with site and date, for example `2026-07-24_12-smith-st_tca2.pdf`
3. Attach it to the job in your job system if you use one
4. Keep access available to the business, not only one personal phone

The [TCA2 form](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca2) downloads in the official layout so the stored file matches the ACMA structure.

A light folder structure is enough:

```
jobs/
  2026-07-24-12-smith-st/
    tca1-completed-work.pdf
    tca2-outstanding-matters.pdf
    photos/
    notes.txt
```

## Email and portal handoff [#email-and-portal-handoff]

If you email the TCA2:

- Use a clear subject line with site address and "TCA2 outstanding matters"
- Put the priority summary in the email body in plain language
- Attach the PDF, do not rely on a compressed chat image
- File the sent message into the job record if your system allows

If the principal only accepts uploads to a portal, download the clean PDF first, then upload. Keep your own copy even when their portal strips filenames.

## What if the advice is updated or disputed? [#what-if-the-advice-is-updated-or-disputed]

If you re-inspect and the condition changed, issue a new TCA2 with a new date rather than silently editing history. Keep both PDFs and note which one is current.

Your job copy with priorities and advice type is the record of what you flagged. The TCA2 is not a warranty that the customer will fix the issue. If they later engage you to remediate, start a new job record and use a TCA1 for completed remediation work when that work is customer cabling you finish under the rules.

On large sites, your TCA2 only speaks for what you observed. Do not edit another company's advice form.

## Handover script [#handover-script]

A clear field handoff is enough:

- "This TCA2 lists outstanding cabling issues I found."
- "It is advice for you or the building manager to act on, not a certificate for the new work I finished."
- "Urgent items are marked so you can prioritise."
- "I am keeping a copy with the job. Here is your PDF."

**Handing over the advice**

- **Say what it is - On site** - Advice on outstanding cabling issues, not a certificate for the work you just finished.
- **Point at the urgent items - In plain language** - So the customer knows what to prioritise without reading the matrix.
- **Give them the PDF - Email, portal or printed** - The clean download, not a compressed chat image.
- **Get a confirmation - Reply email, portal tick or signed docket** - Filed next to the PDF, which is what proves the advice was given.

The last step is what turns a handover into something you can evidence later.

Ask for a simple confirmation when you can: reply email, portal tick, or signed site docket. File that confirmation next to the PDF.

### Who to hand it to on different sites [#who-to-hand-it-to-on-different-sites]

| Site type                   | Usual recipient                                         | Extra note                                               |
| --------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- |
| Residential single dwelling | Customer who booked the work                            | Still keep your job copy                                 |
| Strata / common property    | Building manager or owners corporation contact          | Confirm before you leave who can authorise riser work    |
| Commercial tenancy          | Tenant contact and facilities if cabling crosses demise | Say which space the matters relate to                    |
| Principal contractor site   | Site manager or document controller named in the pack   | Follow their portal naming rules after you keep your PDF |

If you cannot identify a recipient the same day, download and store the job copy anyway, then send as soon as the contact is confirmed. Do not leave the only copy on a phone.

## Leave-site checklist [#leave-site-checklist]

1. TCA2 previewed and downloaded with a clear filename
2. Priorities set
3. Customer or building manager has the file or will receive it the same day
4. Job file copy saved (and photos linked if you took them)
5. TCA1 completed and stored if completed work required it
6. Any remediation quote logged separately from the advice form

### Same-day closeout habits that stick [#same-day-closeout-habits-that-stick]

- Download before you put the tools away, not from the driveway after you forget the site name
- If the building manager is off site, send the PDF the same day and log the email under the job
- If you also issued a TCA1, attach both files in one message with clear filenames
- If urgent priority items exist, say so in the first line of the email body so the PDF is not ignored

Open the [TCA2 form](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca2) when you are ready to fill. Browse other electrical templates on the [electrical forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical).

## When the building changes hands [#when-the-building-changes-hands]

Cabling advice outlives the person you handed it to, particularly in commercial and strata buildings where managers change every few years.

An incoming building manager who inherits no cabling records starts from nothing, and the outstanding matters you flagged two years ago effectively disappear. Where you service a building regularly, offering the history at a handover keeps the record alive and usually keeps you on the job.

Store your copies against the site rather than the job number, since site is how anyone will search for them later.

## Multi-tenancy buildings [#multi-tenancy-buildings]

A building-level record does not answer a tenancy-level question, and cabling advice is almost always tenancy-specific.

Record the tenancy or unit alongside the building, and keep the advice filed at that level. Someone fitting out unit 4 does not need the whole building's history, they need what applies to unit 4, and a record that cannot be narrowed is a record that gets ignored.

## Proving the advice was given [#proving-the-advice-was-given]

The TCA2 exists so the customer can decide what to do, which means delivery is part of the record rather than an afterthought.

An advice sitting in your job folder that never reached the customer has not done its job, and it is difficult to demonstrate afterwards that it was handed over. Keep whatever shows delivery: the email, the portal receipt, or a dated note that it was handed over on site.

Where the customer is a builder or head contractor rather than the eventual occupier, note who received it. That is the question that gets asked when a condition resurfaces later and nobody remembers being told.

## Related [#related]

- [When TCA2 is required](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-acma-tca2-required)
- [Common mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-acma-tca2)
- [How to fill TCA2](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca2-cabling-advice-form-how-to-fill-out)
- [TCA1/TCA2 combined handover](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca1-tca2-cabling-record-keeping-handover-guide)

## Official sources [#official-sources]

- [ACMA cabling advice forms](https://www.acma.gov.au/cabling-advice-forms)
- [ACMA Form TCA2](https://www.acma.gov.au/publications/2019-06/form/form-tca2-telecommunications-cabling-advice)
- [ACMA find a registered cabler](https://www.acma.gov.au/find-registered-cabler)
- [ACMA TCA1 form page](https://www.acma.gov.au/publications/2019-06/form/form-tca1-compliance-telecommunications-customer-cabling-advice)

You remain responsible for advice accuracy and customer handover.

# When is an ACMA TCA2 required (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-acma-tca2-required)

When registered cablers use the ACMA TCA2 outstanding matters form, how it differs from the mandatory TCA1, and when to issue pre works or post works advice. | Trade: Electrical | Template: acma-tca2

The TCA2 is easy to skip because it is advisory. The mandatory form after customer cabling work is the TCA1. Still, when you find non-compliant cabling that is not what you were booked to fix, a verbal warning rarely survives the next site meeting.

This guide marks the moments a registered cabler should issue a TCA2, and when a TCA1 alone is the right paper.

**Key takeaways**

- TCA2 is advisory; TCA1 is the mandatory completion statement for work you finished
- Use TCA2 when you notice non-compliant cabling the customer needs to act on
- Pre works advice covers quote and scope finds; post works covers finds during or after your job
- Give the form to the customer or building manager and keep a job copy

## When is an ACMA TCA2 required? [#when-is-an-acma-tca2-required]

| Form     | Role                                                                      |
| -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **TCA1** | Mandatory written statement after you finish customer cabling work        |
| **TCA2** | Advisory outstanding matters advice when you notice non-compliant cabling |

Do not use a TCA2 as a substitute for the TCA1. Do not skip the TCA1 because you also wrote a TCA2. Many jobs need both.

## What ACMA says each form is for [#what-acma-says-each-form-is-for]

**TCA1** is the mandatory path after you finish customer cabling work. A registered cabler prepares a written statement that the work complies with the Wiring Rules and gives a copy to the customer.

**TCA2** is different. ACMA says to use the TCA2 if you notice any non-compliant cable installations, so the customer can decide what action to take. It flags outstanding matters. It does not certify your completed work.

Under the cabling provider rules, customer cabling work must be carried out by a registered cabler, and work must comply with AS/CA S009 installation requirements for customer cabling (the Wiring Rules). Separation from electrical cabling and proper support are common TCA2 findings on older installs.

Official references:

- [ACMA cabling advice forms](https://www.acma.gov.au/cabling-advice-forms)
- [Form TCA2](https://www.acma.gov.au/publications/2019-06/form/form-tca2-telecommunications-cabling-advice)
- [Cabling provider rules](https://www.acma.gov.au/cabling-provider-rules)

## When is a TCA2 the right form? [#when-is-a-tca2-the-right-form]

Issue a TCA2 when you notice non-compliant cabling that is not fully resolved by the work you were engaged to complete, and the customer or building manager needs a written record to decide next steps.

Examples:

- Quoting a new run and finding power and data sharing a stud without proper separation
- Completing a rack tidy and finding unsupported legacy cable still in service
- Spotting damaged cable, poor terminations, or other Wiring Rules issues outside your scope
- Pre-existing faults the customer wants documented before they approve extra work

The TCA2 is not a quote. It is advice about outstanding matters and priority so the customer can act.

## When is a TCA1 enough? [#when-is-a-tca1-enough]

If you completed customer cabling work and you are not flagging separate outstanding non-compliant installations, the mandatory document is the TCA1. TCA2 is not forced when there is nothing advisory to record.

If the customer later asks you to fix outstanding items as a variation, that becomes new work. When that remediation is finished, it needs its own completion path, usually including a TCA1 for the work you completed.

## Pre works versus post works [#pre-works-versus-post-works]

| Advice type | When                                                                   |
| ----------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Pre works   | Issues found before your cabling work starts (quote, scope, site walk) |
| Post works  | Issues found during or after your work on site                         |

Pre works makes clear the problem predates your visit. Post works covers what you found while doing the booked work. Pick one type per form so the record reads cleanly.

## Compact examples [#compact-examples]

**Data cabler on a refresh.** New runs done correctly, TCA1 issued. Old cable hard against power in the ceiling. Issue a TCA2 for that outstanding condition.

**Electrician who is also a registered cabler.** TCA1 for the customer cabling you finished. TCA2 for separate non-compliant legacy telecoms cabling you noticed.

**Quote only visit.** No cabling work started yet. Serious separation issues found. Pre works TCA2 documents the find before anyone argues about who created it.

**No non-compliant finds.** TCA1 may still be required for completed customer cabling work. Skip TCA2 when there is nothing to advise.

**NBN / lead-in adjacent mess.** You finish customer cabling inside the premises correctly and issue a TCA1. In the pit or MDF area you notice unrelated non-compliant telecoms cabling still in service. Document it on a TCA2 with location and priority so the customer can raise it with the right party.

**Multi-tenant floor.** Your booked work is one tenancy. You notice shared riser cabling issues in the common shaft. TCA2 still makes sense, but hand it to the building manager who controls the riser, and note the tenancy boundary in the free text so nobody thinks you certified the whole building.

## Who completes a TCA2 and who receives it? [#who-completes-a-tca2-and-who-receives-it]

A registered cabler completes the TCA2. If you are not the registered cabler for the job, do not invent a TCA2 under someone else's registration.

Give the completed form to the customer or building manager. On strata and multi-tenant sites, hand it to the party who can authorise remediation in common areas when that is who can act. Note in your job file who received the form. Only flag what you actually observed.

Keep advice and commercial offers as separate documents. Photos and job notes support the written advice with location detail.

## What does not belong on a TCA2? [#what-does-not-belong-on-a-tca2]

**What goes on a TCA2**

- **Belongs here** - - Pre-existing non-compliance you actually observed
  - A location the customer can point someone at
  - One priority per matter, based on what you saw
  - Your own dated advice after your own inspection (Observable conditions, outside the scope you were booked for.)
- **Leave it off** - - Pricing, payment terms, and sales pitches
  - Certification of the work you just finished
  - Guesses about cabling you did not open up
  - Matters another cabler documented last week
  - Whole building needs a rewire, with no observable condition (A quote and a certification statement are separate documents.)

Principals sometimes ask for a TCA2 as a tick in a portal even when you found nothing outstanding. If there is nothing to advise, say so in writing on the job note and issue the TCA1 for completed work if that duty applies. Do not invent matters to satisfy a portal field.

## How this sits with principal packs [#how-this-sits-with-principal-packs]

Some site packs say "cabling compliance certificate" when they mean TCA1, TCA2, or both. Ask which ACMA form they want before you leave. If they only want proof of your completed runs, that is usually TCA1. If they want a record of legacy faults you noticed, that is TCA2. If they want both, download both and name the files clearly.

## Decision checklist [#decision-checklist]

1. Did you finish customer cabling work that needs a **TCA1**?
2. Did you notice **non-compliant cabling** that still needs customer action?
3. If yes to 2, is the advice **pre works** or **post works**?
4. Can you set a clear **priority** for each matter you flag?
5. Do you have the **customer or building manager** contact for handover?

If step 2 is yes, open the [ACMA TCA2 form](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca2). If step 1 is yes, also complete the [ACMA TCA1](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca1-attach-a).

## The judgement call in practice [#the-judgement-call-in-practice]

The rule is straightforward and the day-to-day decision is less so, because the question is usually how much you noticed rather than whether you noticed anything.

The useful test is whether the condition is something the customer would want to be able to decide about. A legacy installation that is non-compliant and outside the scope of what you were engaged to do is exactly that. A minor cosmetic issue on work you have just completed properly is not.

Issuing a TCA2 for everything devalues it. Issuing none because nothing felt significant enough leaves the customer without a record of something that mattered. The middle is a judgement, and writing down the reason you formed it is what makes it defensible.

## When you are not the only cabler on site [#when-you-are-not-the-only-cabler-on-site]

On larger fitouts, several registered cablers work the same building, which raises the question of whose advice a condition belongs on.

The answer is that you record what you observed, within your own registration and the work you attended. You are not certifying the building, and describing another cabler's work is not your document to make.

Where the condition clearly belongs to someone else's scope, note what you saw and let the customer take it from there.

## Related [#related]

- [How to fill out the TCA2](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca2-cabling-advice-form-how-to-fill-out)
- [Common TCA2 mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-acma-tca2)
- [TCA2 record keeping and handover](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca2-record-keeping-handover)
- [TCA1 and TCA2 record keeping](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca1-tca2-cabling-record-keeping-handover-guide)
- [When is TCA1 required](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-acma-tca1-required)
- [TCA1 on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca1-cabling-advice-on-site-guide)
- [Electrical forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical)

## Official sources [#official-sources]

- [ACMA cabling advice forms](https://www.acma.gov.au/cabling-advice-forms)
- [ACMA Form TCA2](https://www.acma.gov.au/publications/2019-06/form/form-tca2-telecommunications-cabling-advice)
- [ACMA cabling provider rules](https://www.acma.gov.au/cabling-provider-rules)
- [ACMA Australian cabling standards](https://www.acma.gov.au/australian-cabling-standards)

You remain responsible for registration, advice accuracy, and customer handover.

# Common ACMA TCA2 mistakes registered cablers make (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-acma-tca2)

Avoid TCA2 mistakes: treating it as a TCA1, wrong pre vs post works, missing priorities, vague outstanding matters, and no customer copy. | Trade: Electrical | Template: acma-tca2

The TCA2 is short, so mistakes are usually about meaning, not missing pages. Cabler teams confuse it with the TCA1, pick the wrong pre or post works box, skip priorities, or never hand the form over.

Check this list before you download the [ACMA TCA2](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca2). Clear priorities and the right advice type beat a vague PDF nobody acts on.

**Key takeaways**

- TCA2 does not replace the mandatory TCA1 for completed work
- Pre works and post works mean different things on the record
- Every flagged matter needs a usable priority
- The customer or building manager must receive a copy

Triggers: [When is an ACMA TCA2 required](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-acma-tca2-required). Field guide: [How to fill out the TCA2](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca2-cabling-advice-form-how-to-fill-out). For the rest of your cabling paperwork, browse [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical).

## 1. Using TCA2 instead of TCA1 [#1-using-tca2-instead-of-tca1]

**Mistake:** finishing customer cabling work and only writing outstanding matters advice.

**Why it fails:** ACMA treats TCA1 as the mandatory completion statement for the work you did. TCA2 is advisory for other non-compliant installations you noticed.

**Fix:** complete [TCA1](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca1-attach-a) for completed work. Add TCA2 when there are separate outstanding matters.

## 2. Stuffing legacy faults into the TCA1 [#2-stuffing-legacy-faults-into-the-tca1]

**Mistake:** putting pre-existing faults into the TCA1 as if they were your completed work.

**Fix:** certify your work on the TCA1. Document legacy issues on the TCA2 with the right priority.

## 3. Wrong pre works versus post works [#3-wrong-pre-works-versus-post-works]

**Mistake:** marking post works for issues found on the quote walk, or pre works for issues only found after you opened the ceiling during the job.

**Fix:**

- Pre works: found before your cabling work starts
- Post works: found during or after your work

If you quote on Monday and install on Thursday, Monday finds are still pre works. Issues only uncovered while installing are post works.

## 4. Ticking matters without a priority [#4-ticking-matters-without-a-priority]

ACMA's TCA2 uses priorities so the customer knows how urgent each issue is. Typical bands are urgent safety hazard, attention required (non-urgent), and long term (low safety risk).

**Mistake:** leaving priority blank, or marking everything "long term" by default.

**Fix:** set priority from what you observed. Do not escalate every cosmetic mess to urgent, and do not bury a real hazard in long term.

## 5. Vague free text that names no location [#5-vague-free-text-that-names-no-location]

**Outstanding matter**

- **This** - Unterminated Cat6 runs and damaged sheath above level 2 ceiling, riser B, near comms rack RB-02 (The next cabler or building manager can walk to it.)
- **Not this** - Bad cabling in roof (No building area, riser, floor, or photo reference to work from.)

**Fix:** make outstanding matters specific enough that the next cabler or building manager can find the issue. Use the form fields fully and keep supporting notes with the job record. Tick only conditions you observed; do not tick every box "just in case".

## 6. Advising work you are not registered to describe [#6-advising-work-you-are-not-registered-to-describe]

**Mistake:** issuing a TCA2 when you are not the registered cabler for the advice, or leaving stale registration and business details on a shared device.

**Fix:** only registered cablers should complete ACMA cabling advice forms under the cabling provider rules. Check the registration and contact block before download. Always start a fresh form for the current site; saved outstanding matters from another building do not belong here.

## 7. Never giving the customer a copy [#7-never-giving-the-customer-a-copy]

**Mistake:** filling the form for your own file and walking away, or sending it to the wrong person with no follow-up.

**Fix:** hand the form to the customer or building manager and keep your copy. Download, name, send, and file in one sitting. See [record keeping and handover](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca2-record-keeping-handover).

## 8. Treating TCA2 as a quote or invoice [#8-treating-tca2-as-a-quote-or-invoice]

**Mistake:** wording the form like a sales proposal, or mixing price and advice in one confusing email.

**Fix:** keep the TCA2 as outstanding matters advice with priorities. Separate commercial offers from the advice form. If they later engage you to remediate, that completed work needs its own TCA1 path.

## 9. Downloading without preview [#9-downloading-without-preview]

**Mistake:** missed priority columns and half-selected matters on a small screen.

**Fix:** preview the PDF layout, confirm advice type, matters, and priorities, then download. The [TCA2 form](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca2) is built for field completion.

## 10. Leaving a bad PDF uncorrected [#10-leaving-a-bad-pdf-uncorrected]

**Mistake:** hoping nobody notices a wrong advice type or blank priority after the PDF has already gone out.

**Fix:** issue a corrected TCA2 with a clear date, tell the customer which file to keep, and store both versions in the job file with a note. A corrected record beats an ambiguous one left floating in email.

## Field patterns that keep showing up [#field-patterns-that-keep-showing-up]

**Strata common area, wrong inbox.** You email the lot owner who booked the data point, but the non-compliant riser cabling sits in common property. The TCA2 never reaches the building manager who can approve remediation. Fix: ask who owns the space before you send, and note the recipient on the job.

**Priority calibration.** "Urgent safety hazard" for a messy but separated cable run trains customers to ignore your next TCA2. Save urgent for real hazard conditions you observed. Use attention required and long term honestly so the priority column still means something.

**Photos without a form.** A camera roll of the ceiling cavity helps your quote, but without a TCA2 the building still has no written outstanding-matters record. Pair photos with the form and a location note (floor, riser, room) so the next cabler can find the same spot.

**Shared tablet, last job's ticks.** Opening yesterday's draft and changing the address leaves half the previous building's matters selected. Start fresh for each site, then preview.

## Pre-download checklist [#pre-download-checklist]

1. This is outstanding matters advice, not a substitute TCA1
2. Advice type is pre works or post works correctly
3. Every relevant matter is selected
4. Each matter has a priority
5. Customer or building manager will receive a copy
6. Your job file keeps a copy
7. Preview looks complete

## Laminated card for the van [#laminated-card-for-the-van]

Put a short card in the van and use it at pack-up:

1. Finished customer cabling work? TCA1.
2. Saw non-compliant cabling still outstanding? TCA2.
3. Set priorities.
4. Hand to customer or building manager.
5. Save PDF to the job.

Most mistakes disappear when the crew uses that card instead of inventing process under fatigue.

## After a disputed advice [#after-a-disputed-advice]

If the customer says the issue was already fixed, or another cabler disputes your priority:

1. Keep your original TCA2 and job photos as the record of what you observed that day
2. Offer a re-inspect as a new visit if they want updated advice
3. Issue a new dated TCA2 if conditions changed; do not silently rewrite history
4. Keep commercial quotes separate from the advice form

That keeps the advisory trail honest without turning the form into an argument on the PDF.

## Why these show up together [#why-these-show-up-together]

Most of the list above traces back to one habit, which is completing the TCA2 away from the site after the job is done.

The observations get vaguer, the priorities get guessed, and the advice type is chosen from memory of what the last one said. Filling it at the site, while the non-compliant cabling is in front of you, removes the majority of these without any extra effort.

## Read it as the customer will [#read-it-as-the-customer-will]

The final check is opening the finished PDF the way the recipient will, which is usually on a phone.

A free-text observation that made sense as you typed it can read as meaningless out of context. A priority with no location attached gives the customer nothing to act on. Both are obvious on the PDF and invisible before it, and thirty seconds of reading catches them.

## Getting the priority right [#getting-the-priority-right]

Priorities are the field customers act on, and they are the field most often set by habit rather than assessment.

Marking everything high devalues the whole form, because a customer who cannot tell what matters most tends to do nothing. Marking everything low means a genuine hazard sits in a list nobody reads with urgency.

The useful discipline is deciding the priority against what the condition could cause, then writing enough location detail that someone can act on the top item without calling you.

## When there is nothing advisory to record [#when-there-is-nothing-advisory-to-record]

The last mistake is issuing a TCA2 because it feels thorough rather than because there is something to advise.

If you completed the work you were engaged to do and there are no separate outstanding non-compliant installations, the document for the job is the TCA1. A TCA2 with nothing meaningful on it trains customers to ignore the next one, which is the opposite of what the form is for.

## Related [#related]

- [When required](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-acma-tca2-required)
- [Fill guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca2-cabling-advice-form-how-to-fill-out)
- [Record keeping](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca2-record-keeping-handover)
- [Outstanding matters guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca2-outstanding-matters-cabling-guide)
- [TCA1 mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-acma-tca1)
- [Live TCA2 form](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca2)

## Official sources [#official-sources]

- [ACMA cabling advice forms](https://www.acma.gov.au/cabling-advice-forms)
- [ACMA Form TCA2](https://www.acma.gov.au/publications/2019-06/form/form-tca2-telecommunications-cabling-advice)
- [ACMA cabling provider rules](https://www.acma.gov.au/cabling-provider-rules)
- [ACMA find a registered cabler](https://www.acma.gov.au/find-registered-cabler)

You remain responsible for the advice you issue.

# NSW Combined Notice vs sewer service diagram (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-combined-notice-vs-sewer-service-diagram)

See why NSW plumbers need both the Combined Notice and Certificate of Compliance and a sewer service diagram, plus how to hand over each record. | State: NSW | Trade: Plumbing | Template: nsw-combined-notice-coc

NSW plumbing closeout often needs more than one document. The Combined Notice of Work and Certificate of Compliance records who did the work, what was done, and the compliance statement at completion. A Sewer Service Diagram records where the private sewer pipes sit on the property.

Those jobs sound related because they often finish in the same week. They are not the same document.

If you treat the Combined Notice as "the drainage paperwork," the SSD gets forgotten, drawn late, or left as a phone photo that never becomes a usable diagram. If you treat the SSD as proof of compliance, the certificate and notice duties still sit unfinished.

This guide separates the two so plumbers and drainers can hand over a complete pack without mixing purposes.

For form completion, use the [Combined Notice on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-combined-notice-certificate-compliance-plumbing-guide). For timing, use [when to submit a NSW Combined Notice](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-combined-notice-when-to-submit). Browse [NSW plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/plumbing) for live templates.

## How is a Combined Notice different from an SSD? [#how-is-a-combined-notice-different-from-an-ssd]

The Combined Notice is the compliance paperwork that says the work was notified and complies. The sewer service diagram is the drawing that shows where the drainage actually runs. One is a statement, the other is a map.

| Document                  | Main job                                                                                                        | Typical question it answers                                                    |
| ------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Notice of Work            | Tell the pathway what work is planned and who is doing it                                                       | What is about to be carried out, and by whom?                                  |
| Certificate of Compliance | Certify completed plumbing and drainage work against the Act, Regulation, PCA, and AS/NZS 3500 DtS requirements | Was the finished work compliant, and who is responsible?                       |
| Sewer Service Diagram     | Show the location of private sewer pipes on the property                                                        | Where are the drains, boundaries, building outline, and key drainage features? |

The Combined Notice form can hold the notice and certificate sides together. It does not replace the SSD.

## What the Combined Notice is for [#what-the-combined-notice-is-for]

Building Commission NSW publishes the Combined Notice of Work and Certificate of Compliance with copies for the licensee, owner, and regulator.

NSW plumbing inspection documents explain the two halves:

- A Notice of Work outlines plumbing and drainage work to be carried out and the person carrying out the work.
- A Certificate of Compliance confirms the work complies with the Act, Regulation, Plumbing Code of Australia, and Deemed-to-Satisfy requirements of AS/NZS 3500, and identifies the plumber or drainer as the responsible person.

That makes the Combined Notice a people-and-compliance record:

- Property and owner details
- Licensee details
- Water supply and sanitary plumbing or drainage work types
- Fee, dates, and references
- Certification statement and completion date
- Copies for the parties who need them

It is text and declaration heavy. It is not a scaled plan of the private sewer.

Tradie Forms maps those fields onto the official Combined Notice layout. It does not create an SSD for you.

## What a sewer service diagram is for [#what-a-sewer-service-diagram-is-for]

NSW Government guidance says a Sewer Service Diagram shows the location of private sewer pipes on a residential, commercial, or industrial property.

That is a different job from saying the work complies. The SSD is the drainage map later readers use when they need to know what is in the ground.

NSW guidance says plumbers and drainers must:

- provide a copy of the SSD to the person that arranged the work, and
- submit a copy to Building Commission NSW via MyInspections for listed metropolitan inspection work at completion of the drainage work, or
- submit a copy to the local plumbing regulator for the relevant local pathway

Regional inspections guidance also says submit the SSD to the local plumbing regulator and provide a copy to the owner of the land or the owner's agent.

So the SSD has its own audience and its own closeout moment. Completing the Combined Notice certificate does not automatically discharge the SSD duty.

## Why the two documents get mixed up [#why-the-two-documents-get-mixed-up]

They get mixed up because both often appear at the end of drainage work.

The trench is ready to close. The inspector has been or is booked. The owner wants paperwork. The office wants the job closed. Someone says "send the cert and the drawing" and the team treats that as one vague task.

They also get mixed up because both can travel to the same people:

- Owner or person who arranged the work
- Regulator or local plumbing regulator
- Licensee job record

Shared recipients do not make shared documents. One is a compliance certificate process. One is a drainage location diagram.

## When do you need both documents? [#when-do-you-need-both-documents]

Not every plumbing job needs an SSD. Not every job uses the same notice pathway. The practical rule is still to check the work type and current NSW guidance for the site.

You are more likely to need both when:

- Drainage work is part of the job
- The pathway requires an SSD at completion of drainage work
- The owner or builder needs a property drainage record as well as a CoC
- The job is a duplex or multi-dwelling site where drainage layout matters later

You may still need a Combined Notice or CoC path on jobs where an SSD is not the main issue, such as some water supply only work. Decide from the actual work and the official pathway, not from habit.

## SSD quality rules that the Combined Notice cannot fix [#ssd-quality-rules-that-the-combined-notice-cannot-fix]

**Sewer service diagram**

- **Gets accepted** - - A Building Commission NSW SSD template, scanned not photographed
  - Black pen, legible, drawn to scale and proportion
  - Drainage, building outline and property boundaries shown
  - Correct symbols, north point, street frontage, accurate title block (Photos are not accepted, no matter how clear they look on a phone.)
- **Gets rejected** - - A photo of a hand sketch
  - Pencil or coloured pen
  - No scale, no north point, no street frontage
  - An empty or half-filled title block (The Combined Notice cannot rescue a diagram that fails on its own terms.)

NSW sets quality expectations for SSDs submitted to Building Commission NSW. Guidance includes requirements such as:

- Use a Building Commission NSW SSD template
- Keep the diagram legible and readable
- Draw using black pen
- Fill the title block with accurate information
- Draw to scale and proportion showing drainage, building outline, and property boundaries
- Use correct symbols and abbreviations
- Include existing drainage where relevant
- Show street frontage
- Indicate north point
- Scan appropriately; photos are not accepted

If a diagram fails a quality assurance check, NSW guidance says you can be issued a Written Direction to Comply notice to rectify and re-submit.

None of those drawing standards live inside the Combined Notice form. A perfect CoC will not rescue a messy photo of a napkin sketch.

NSW also notes that all duplex or triplex properties, whether torrens or strata titled, require only one SSD showing all dwellings and associated sanitary drainage for each dwelling. That is another reason to treat the SSD as its own careful document.

## Templates and supporting SSD resources [#templates-and-supporting-ssd-resources]

NSW publishes SSD templates and support material, including symbols, legends, and A3 or A4 landscape and portrait templates. Use the current official templates and requirements pages rather than inventing a private format for regulator submission.

Useful official starting points:

- [Plumbing inspection documents](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/plumbers-and-drainers/plumbing-inspection-documents)
- [SSD templates](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/plumbers-and-drainers/plumbing-inspection-documents/sewer-service-diagram-ssd-templates)
- [Sewer Service Diagram requirements](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/plumbers-and-drainers/plumbing-inspection-documents/sewer-service-diagram-requirements)

If you are outside networks that hold historical drawings for purchase, contact the relevant local plumbing regulator for how existing SSDs are handled in that area.

## How the documents work together in one job pack [#how-the-documents-work-together-in-one-job-pack]

A clean drainage closeout pack often includes:

1. Notice of Work record submitted before start where required
2. Inspection notes and outcomes where inspections applied
3. Finished Combined Notice and Certificate of Compliance PDF
4. Sewer Service Diagram where required
5. Photos taken before covering work
6. Product or fixture notes that support the description
7. Owner or builder send confirmations

The Combined Notice answers who, what work, and compliance. The SSD answers where the private sewer is. Photos support both if something is queried later.

Store them under the same job number. Do not leave the SSD in a separate camera album and the CoC in a different email thread.

## Timing differences that matter on site [#timing-differences-that-matter-on-site]

### Notice first [#notice-first]

If a Notice of Work is required, it belongs before work starts. The SSD is not a substitute notice.

### Draw while open [#draw-while-open]

The best time to measure and draw the SSD is while the drainage is still open and you can see junctions, inspection openings, and connections. Waiting until after backfill forces guesswork.

### Certificate at completion [#certificate-at-completion]

The Certificate of Compliance belongs when the plumbing and drainage work being certified is finished. That may be after the drainage inspection and after water supply stages are complete, depending on the job.

### SSD at drainage completion [#ssd-at-drainage-completion]

NSW guidance points to submitting the SSD at completion of the drainage work through the relevant pathway. That can land earlier than the final occupation-stage plumbing certificate on a long build. Keep both calendars in view.

## Common mix-up mistakes [#common-mix-up-mistakes]

### Writing "see SSD" and skipping drainage detail on the Combined Notice [#writing-see-ssd-and-skipping-drainage-detail-on-the-combined-notice]

The certificate still needs a clear work description. The SSD does not fill the sanitary plumbing and drainage fields for you.

### Attaching a photo and calling it an SSD [#attaching-a-photo-and-calling-it-an-ssd]

Where NSW says scans are required and photos are not accepted, a site photo is supporting evidence at best, not the submitted diagram.

### One CoC for a duplex and no multi-dwelling SSD detail [#one-coc-for-a-duplex-and-no-multi-dwelling-ssd-detail]

NSW expects one SSD showing all dwellings and associated sanitary drainage for duplex or triplex properties. Check the diagram covers the full drainage story.

### Owner gets the CoC, nobody gets the SSD [#owner-gets-the-coc-nobody-gets-the-ssd]

If both documents are required, both need a planned handover. The owner or person who arranged the work may need the drainage map as much as the compliance certificate.

### Regulator receives one document and the office assumes both duties are done [#regulator-receives-one-document-and-the-office-assumes-both-duties-are-done]

Track notice, certificate, and SSD as separate checklist items. Closing one does not close the others.

## Who needs which copy? [#who-needs-which-copy]

Use this as a practical matrix, then confirm the pathway for the site.

| Recipient                               | Combined Notice / CoC                                                | SSD                                                     |
| --------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- |
| Person who arranged the work            | Yes, CoC copy at completion                                          | Yes, where an SSD is required                           |
| Owner or owner's agent                  | Often the same person, or required under regional SSD guidance       | Yes where required                                      |
| Building Commission NSW / MyInspections | Where the metro inspection pathway requires notice or CoC submission | Where metro drainage completion requires SSD submission |
| Local plumbing regulator                | Where the local pathway requires the Combined Notice                 | Where the local pathway requires the SSD                |
| Licensee job record                     | Always keep the finished PDF                                         | Always keep the finished diagram with the job           |

The exact send method can differ by pathway. The record-keeping rule does not: keep your own copies with the job.

**Key takeaways**

- The Combined Notice and Certificate of Compliance is not a sewer service diagram
- Use the Combined Notice for notice and compliance details, and a separate SSD for private sewer location
- Prepare the SSD while drainage is open, and submit it through the pathway that applies to the site
- Store CoC and SSD together so owner, regulator, and office copies stay complete

## A practical two-document closeout checklist [#a-practical-two-document-closeout-checklist]

Before you call the drainage job closed:

1. Confirm whether an SSD is required for this work and site.
2. Confirm the Combined Notice or CoC pathway for the same site.
3. Finish drainage measurements and draw the SSD on the accepted template.
4. Complete testing and final plumbing checks for the certificate side.
5. Fill and preview the Combined Notice PDF.
6. Provide the person who arranged the work with the required CoC copy.
7. Provide the required SSD copy to the owner, agent, or arranger as applicable.
8. Submit regulator copies for CoC and SSD through the right channels where required.
9. Attach both finished files to the job record with clear names.
10. Keep pre-cover photos and inspection notes with the same pack.

If any line is missing, the pack is not finished even if one PDF looks complete.

## Related reading and next steps [#related-reading-and-next-steps]

Start the [NSW Combined Notice of Work and Certificate of Compliance](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-combined-notice-coc) for the notice and certificate paperwork, and browse [NSW plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/plumbing). See the [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing) for the rest of the Australian set.

Related articles:

- [NSW Combined Notice on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-combined-notice-certificate-compliance-plumbing-guide)
- [Record keeping and handover guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-combined-notice-coc-record-keeping-handover-guide)
- [When to submit a NSW Combined Notice](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-combined-notice-when-to-submit)
- [Common Combined Notice mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-nsw-combined-notice-coc)

For official SSD templates and drawing rules, use the NSW Government SSD pages linked below rather than improvised drawings.

## Official references [#official-references]

For current requirements, check the [NSW plumbing inspection documents guidance](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/plumbers-and-drainers/plumbing-inspection-documents), [Sewer Service Diagram requirements](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/plumbers-and-drainers/plumbing-inspection-documents/sewer-service-diagram-requirements), [SSD templates](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/plumbers-and-drainers/plumbing-inspection-documents/sewer-service-diagram-ssd-templates), the [regional inspections guidance](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/plumbers-and-drainers/regional-inspections), and the [Combined Notice form page](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/plumbers-and-drainers/regional-inspections/combined-notice-of-work-and-certificate-of-compliance).

# When to submit a NSW Combined Notice of Work and Certificate of Compliance (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-combined-notice-when-to-submit)

NSW plumbing timing guide: Notice of Work before starting, Certificate of Compliance at completion, inspection pathways, and when the combined form is used. | State: NSW | Trade: Plumbing | Template: nsw-combined-notice-coc

The Combined Notice of Work and Certificate of Compliance looks like one document, so crews often treat it like one deadline. That is the timing mistake.

NSW plumbing guidance splits the job into at least two paperwork moments:

1. **Notice of Work** before starting work
2. **Certificate of Compliance** at completion of the plumbing and drainage work

A sewer service diagram can add a third closeout item for drainage work. Inspection bookings can add more dates in the middle. If you leave everything until the customer wants the invoice, the notice side is already late and the certificate side is filled from memory.

This guide is about when each piece is due, which pathway applies, and how to run the combined form without collapsing both duties into one Friday afternoon admin block.

For the full form walkthrough, use the [Combined Notice on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-combined-notice-certificate-compliance-plumbing-guide). For storage and copies, use the [record keeping guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-combined-notice-coc-record-keeping-handover-guide). Browse [NSW plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/plumbing) for related templates.

## When do you submit the NSW Combined Notice? [#when-do-you-submit-the-nsw-combined-notice]

The Notice of Work goes in before work starts and the Certificate of Compliance goes in at completion. The two halves of the same form are lodged at different moments, not together. The map below sets out each step.

| Document or step          | When NSW guidance points to it                                 | Who it usually goes to                                                                                                                        |
| ------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Notice of Work            | Before starting work                                           | Building Commission NSW via MyInspections for listed metro inspection work, or local plumbing regulator for relevant regional inspection work |
| Inspections               | At the stages the pathway requires, often before covering work | Relevant inspection body for the site                                                                                                         |
| Certificate of Compliance | At completion of all plumbing and drainage work                | Person who arranged the work, plus regulator pathway where required                                                                           |
| Sewer Service Diagram     | At completion of drainage work where required                  | Person who arranged the work / owner or agent, plus regulator pathway                                                                         |

If your job does not need inspection, the notice and regulator-copy rules can differ, but the completion certificate duty still needs a deliberate closeout.

## Notice of Work before the tools come out [#notice-of-work-before-the-tools-come-out]

NSW Government's plumbing inspection documents page says a Notice of Work is a form that outlines plumbing and drainage work to be carried out and the person carrying out the work.

It says plumbers and drainers must submit a Notice of Work before starting work to:

- [Building Commission NSW via MyInspections](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/plumbers-and-drainers/plumbing-inspection-documents) for work requiring an inspection in Sydney, the Illawarra, Blue Mountains, Newcastle, and Hunter, or
- [the local plumbing regulator](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/plumbers-and-drainers/plumbing-inspection-documents) using the Combined Notice of Work and Certificate of Compliance for the type of work the relevant local plumbing regulator requires to be inspected

That is the first timing rule. The notice is not a completion form. It is a start-of-work form.

### What the notice should answer early [#what-the-notice-should-answer-early]

Before the job starts, the notice side should make these points clear:

- What work is planned
- Where it will be carried out
- Who is carrying it out
- Which pathway or regulator applies
- Any fee, commencement, or reference details known at the time

If those answers are fuzzy at the start, the certificate at the end will be harder to line up.

### Scope changes after the notice [#scope-changes-after-the-notice]

Jobs change. A bathroom becomes a wet-area reconfiguration. A simple water service becomes a larger alteration. When the scope moves, update the job record and check whether the notice or inspection path needs an update under the current process for that site. Do not leave the certificate as the first place the new scope appears.

## Certificate of Compliance at completion [#certificate-of-compliance-at-completion]

NSW guidance says a Certificate of Compliance confirms the work complies with the Act, Regulation, Plumbing Code of Australia, and the Deemed-to-Satisfy requirements of AS/NZS 3500, and identifies the plumber or drainer as the responsible person for that work.

[NSW guidance says](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/plumbers-and-drainers/plumbing-inspection-documents) that at completion of all plumbing and drainage work, plumbers and drainers must complete a Certificate of Compliance, provide a copy to the person who arranged the work, and submit it through the relevant pathway where required.

For listed metropolitan inspection work, the guidance points to Building Commission NSW at completion of work or prior to arranging a final inspection via MyInspections. For local regulator inspection work, it points to the Combined Notice form pathway.

What the certificate actually declares at completion: the work matches the notice, it has been tested and passed, and it was completed on a stated date.

### Complete means complete [#complete-means-complete]

"Completion" is not the moment the customer is happy enough to pay a progress claim. It is the moment the plumbing and drainage work being certified is finished and ready for the compliance statement.

Practical checks before you complete the certificate side:

- The work described on the form is finished
- Required testing is done
- Inspection outcomes that affect final certification are known
- Pre-existing defect notice fields are handled if they apply
- The completion date matches the real end of the certified work

If the job is staged, be honest about what this certificate covers. Do not certify unfinished work because the office wants paperwork today.

## What if the work does not need an inspection? [#what-if-the-work-does-not-need-an-inspection]

Not every job follows the full inspection pathway.

[NSW guidance says](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/plumbers-and-drainers/plumbing-inspection-documents) that for work not requiring an inspection, the Combined Notice of Work and Certificate of Compliance can be used, and a copy does not need to be provided to Building Commission NSW or the local plumbing regulator.

That creates a common misunderstanding: "no inspection means no paperwork." Unless the work itself falls within the [minor-works exemption in clause 11](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/sl-2017-0482), the guidance still points to completing a Certificate of Compliance at the completion of the work and giving a copy to the person who arranged it.

So for no-inspection work, the timing is still:

1. Confirm the job truly sits outside the inspection pathway you think it does
2. Carry out the work
3. Complete the CoC at completion
4. Give the required copy to the person who arranged the work
5. Keep the finished PDF with the job record

Do not invent a regulator lodgement if the guidance says one is not required. Do not skip the customer copy either.

## Do emergency and minor works need a Notice of Work? [#do-emergency-and-minor-works-need-a-notice-of-work]

[NSW guidance says](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/plumbers-and-drainers/plumbing-inspection-documents) a standard Notice of Work does not need to be supplied to Building Commission NSW or the local plumbing regulator for emergency work or listed minor work. The legal follow-up is different for each. For emergency work, [section 10 of the Act requires the responsible person to notify the plumbing regulator](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/act-2011-059), and [clause 5 of the Regulation sets the period at 5 business days](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/sl-2017-0482) after the work is carried out. The Regulation's minor-works exemption covers the standard Notice of Work, ready-for-inspection notification and Certificate of Compliance duties for listed work such as tapware or hot water unit replacement and kitchen, laundry or bathroom renovations where no plumbing is changed.

Other duties can still apply, and the exact edge of "minor works" and "emergency work" should be checked against the current Act, Regulation and official guidance for the job in front of you, not against ute folklore.

Useful field questions:

- Is this truly emergency work under the process you are using?
- Is the bathroom work only a like-for-like fixture replacement with no location change?
- Is the work exempt from the Certificate of Compliance duty, or does the emergency-work pathway still require one?
- Does drainage work still need an SSD?

When the answer is unclear, read the current [plumbing inspection documents page](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/plumbers-and-drainers/plumbing-inspection-documents) before you start.

## Metro pathway timing [#metro-pathway-timing]

For work requiring inspection in the listed metropolitan areas, the notice and certificate path runs through Building Commission NSW via MyInspections.

Timing habits that keep metro jobs clean:

- Submit the Notice of Work before starting
- Book inspections at the stages the work needs, especially before covering drainage or water supply work that must be seen
- Complete the Certificate of Compliance at completion or before arranging a final inspection, as the current process requires
- Provide the person who arranged the work with their copy
- Keep the finished records with inspection outcomes and any SSD

Do not wait until the final inspection request to discover the notice was never lodged.

## Regional pathway timing [#regional-pathway-timing]

Outside the Sydney, Illawarra, Blue Mountains, Newcastle, and Hunter areas, regional inspection and enforcement are delegated to local councils and authorities. [Regional guidance says](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/plumbers-and-drainers/regional-inspections) plumbers and drainers must submit:

- Notice of Work to the local plumbing regulator before work begins
- Certificate of Compliance on completion of the final inspection to the local plumbing regulator, and a copy to the person for whom the work was carried out
- Sewer Service Diagram to the local plumbing regulator and the owner or owner's agent

Regional inspection stages commonly include drainage before backfill, sewer connection before backfill, water supply before walls or ceilings are covered, re-inspections where needed, and final works before occupation. Local regulators can vary the practical booking rules, so confirm the local process for the site.

The Combined Notice form is the document NSW points to for many of these regional notice and certificate needs, with copies for licensee, owner, and regulator.

## Where the combined form sits in the calendar [#where-the-combined-form-sits-in-the-calendar]

Think of the combined form as a job-long document with two main checkpoints.

### Checkpoint A: before start [#checkpoint-a-before-start]

- Property and owner details confirmed
- Licensee details current
- Planned work types selected and described
- Notice pathway chosen
- Fee and reference details added if already known
- Notice submitted through the right channel where required

### Checkpoint B: at completion [#checkpoint-b-at-completion]

- Work description updated if the real work differs from the plan
- Testing and final checks finished
- Completion date entered
- Certificate declaration completed
- Owner or person-who-arranged-the-work copy provided
- Regulator copy submitted where required
- SSD included in the pack where required
- Finished PDF stored with the job

If your crew only opens the form at Checkpoint B, Checkpoint A is already at risk.

## Certificate timing rules in the Regulation [#certificate-timing-rules-in-the-regulation]

[Clause 8 of the NSW Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2017](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/sl-2017-0482) generally requires the certificate of compliance and the copy for the person for whom the work was carried out to be given within 2 business days after completion. The period is 7 business days if the plumbing regulator does not inspect the work during the period it must be available for inspection. If the person who contracted the work is not the owner, the Act and Regulation give that person 7 business days after receiving the certificate to pass a copy to the owner or owner's agent.

- **Certificate of Compliance, standard case: 2 business days** - After completion, to the person the work was carried out for.
- **Where the regulator does not inspect: 7 business days** - The longer period in clause 8 of the Regulation.
- **Contractor passing the copy to the owner: 7 business days** - From receiving the certificate, where the contracting party is not the owner.
- **Notifying the regulator after emergency work: 5 business days** - Clause 5 of the Regulation, where no standard Notice of Work was required.

The practical habit is still the safest one: complete the certificate as soon as the work is actually finished, not at the end of the week when the office is chasing paperwork.

## SSD timing is not certificate timing [#ssd-timing-is-not-certificate-timing]

A Certificate of Compliance and a Sewer Service Diagram can both be due around completion, but they are not the same document and they are not interchangeable.

[NSW guidance says](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/plumbers-and-drainers/plumbing-inspection-documents) plumbers and drainers must provide a copy of the SSD to the person who arranged the work and submit a copy through the relevant pathway for drainage work. For listed metro inspection work, that is at completion of the drainage work via MyInspections. For local regulator work, the SSD goes to the local plumbing regulator and the owner or owner's agent.

If the drainage is finished and ready to cover, do not assume the Combined Notice certificate side covers the SSD duty. Prepare both. See [NSW Combined Notice vs sewer service diagram](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-combined-notice-vs-sewer-service-diagram).

**Key takeaways**

- Submit the Notice of Work before starting work where the pathway requires it
- Complete the Certificate of Compliance at completion and give a copy to the person who arranged the work
- Confirm whether the site uses MyInspections, a local plumbing regulator, or a no-inspection closeout
- Treat any required sewer service diagram as a separate completion document, not a substitute for the CoC

## A job-flow example that keeps timing honest [#a-job-flow-example-that-keeps-timing-honest]

Use this as a simple crew process, then adjust for the local pathway.

### Day before start [#day-before-start]

1. Confirm site address, owner or builder details, and who arranged the work.
2. Confirm inspection pathway for the postcode and work type.
3. Check licence and supervisor details.
4. Prepare Notice of Work details on the Combined Notice form where that is the document in use.
5. Submit the notice through the required channel before work starts.

### During the job [#during-the-job]

1. Keep photos and notes of covered or hard-to-see work.
2. Book inspections before backfill or wall lining when required.
3. Record product, fixture, and drainage changes that affect the final description.
4. Start the SSD while the drainage is still open if one is required.

### At completion [#at-completion]

1. Finish testing and final checks.
2. Update the work description if needed.
3. Complete the Certificate of Compliance section.
4. Preview the official PDF layout.
5. Provide the required owner or arranger copy.
6. Submit the regulator copy where required.
7. Submit or hand over the SSD where required.
8. Attach the finished PDF and supporting files to the job record.

That flow uses the combined form as a live job document, not a retrospective admin form.

## Timing mistakes to avoid [#timing-mistakes-to-avoid]

### Filling the notice after the trench is open [#filling-the-notice-after-the-trench-is-open]

If the notice was required before start, that sequence is already wrong. Fix the process for the next job and check whether the current job needs corrective action under the local pathway.

### Completing the certificate before the work is finished [#completing-the-certificate-before-the-work-is-finished]

A certificate dated before the certified work is complete is a poor record. Finish the work and testing first.

### Using metro timing on a regional site [#using-metro-timing-on-a-regional-site]

The bodies and forms can differ. Check the site, not the last job.

### Leaving the customer copy for "later this week" [#leaving-the-customer-copy-for-later-this-week]

NSW guidance and the Regulation put real time pressure around completion copies. Complete and provide the certificate promptly.

### Closing the job with no CoC because no inspection was booked [#closing-the-job-with-no-coc-because-no-inspection-was-booked]

No inspection is not automatically no certificate. Check the completion duty for the work type.

## Related reading and next steps [#related-reading-and-next-steps]

Start the [NSW Combined Notice of Work and Certificate of Compliance](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-combined-notice-coc) when you are ready to capture the official layout, or browse [NSW plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/plumbing). The [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing) covers the other states.

Related articles:

- [NSW Combined Notice on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-combined-notice-certificate-compliance-plumbing-guide)
- [Record keeping and handover guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-combined-notice-coc-record-keeping-handover-guide)
- [Common Combined Notice mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-nsw-combined-notice-coc)
- [NSW Combined Notice vs sewer service diagram](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-combined-notice-vs-sewer-service-diagram)

## Official references [#official-references]

For current requirements, check the [NSW plumbing inspection documents guidance](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/plumbers-and-drainers/plumbing-inspection-documents), the [Combined Notice form page](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/plumbers-and-drainers/regional-inspections/combined-notice-of-work-and-certificate-of-compliance), the [regional inspections guidance](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/plumbers-and-drainers/regional-inspections), and the [NSW Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2017](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/sl-2017-0482).

# 7 Take 5 records principals ask for after a near miss (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/take-5-record-keeping-handover)

Seven Take 5 records principals and safety advisors ask for after a near miss: dated PDFs, naming, storage, SWMS links, and what not to invent. | Trade: Building | Template: national-take-5

After a near miss, the principal does not want a speech about culture. They want dated pre-task checks they can open without hunting gloveboxes. A Take 5 that never made the job file might as well not have happened when the advisor asks on Friday for Monday's checks.

This is a checklist of seven records principals and safety advisors commonly ask for once something goes wrong, or when they audit whether pre-starts were real. It is not a fill tutorial. For how to complete the card on site, use [How to complete a Take 5 on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/take-5-safety-check-on-site-guide). Browse [building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/building).

**Key takeaways**

- After a near miss, principals want dated, named Take 5 PDFs tied to site, task, and worker
- Confirm document type before you send: Take 5 is not a SWMS substitute
- Keep one business-controlled home for files; camera rolls and ute pads fail under pressure
- Honesty beats backfilled days when attendance and weather do not match

## 1. The dated Take 5 PDF for the task that nearly went wrong [#1-the-dated-take-5-pdf-for-the-task-that-nearly-went-wrong]

First ask is almost always the pre-task check for the exact step and time window. Not "your safety system". The PDF for that morning's hang-doors, board isolation, or trench dig.

Before you send, check the PDF is usable:

- Worker name that matches site induction where possible
- Site location a stranger can place (address, lot, project code)
- Task description for the step that was about to start
- Date of the check
- Checklist answers completed, with notes for any No answers
- Safe to proceed, name, date, and signature

A half-complete PDF creates more questions than it answers. Fix blanks before handover.

## 2. The same day's related checks for the crew [#2-the-same-days-related-checks-for-the-crew]

Advisors rarely stop at one card. They ask for the crew's Take 5s for that shift or the surrounding days. Scope the set: date range, people or trade, and document type.

Do not email the whole company history when someone asked for one morning's checks. Send the scoped set with clear filenames.

People mix labels. If they say "Take 5" but mean the high risk method document, confirm before you only send short checks. Comparison: [SWMS vs JSA vs Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/swms-vs-jsa-vs-take-5).

## 3. File names a stranger can search [#3-file-names-a-stranger-can-search]

Camera roll names and "Document (3).pdf" fail under pressure. Use a pattern your crew can repeat:

`Take5-[site-or-job]-[task-short]-[YYYY-MM-DD]-[worker-initials].pdf`

**File name**

- **Searchable** - - `Take5-12SmithSt-hang-doors-L1-2026-07-24-JS.pdf`
  - `Take5-Lot14-GreenEstate-board-isolation-2026-07-24-AM.pdf` (Site, task, date, initials. Answers the question without opening the file.)
- **Fails under pressure** - - `Document (3).pdf`
  - `IMG_4471.pdf`
  - `take 5 final FINAL.pdf` (Twenty of these and nobody can find Thursday.)

If your job system already has a job number, lead with that. Consistency beats cleverness. Office staff should answer "show me Thursday on Smith Street" without opening twenty PDFs.

## 4. Proof the file lives in the job system, not only on one phone [#4-proof-the-file-lives-in-the-job-system-not-only-on-one-phone]

Principals want evidence the check is findable by the business, not locked to one worker's downloads folder.

Pick one primary home per business and stick to it:

- Job folder in your cloud drive or job management system
- Site pack folder the principal already uses for SWMS and inductions
- Employer WHS app or register if that is your company rule

Avoid only-on-one-phone, only-as-a-paper-pad-in-the-ute, and mixed personal email threads with no job tag. If the principal requires portal upload, upload the same day you sign. Late uploads look like after-the-fact paperwork even when the check was honest.

## 5. The SWMS or JSA that sits beside the Take 5 for high risk work [#5-the-swms-or-jsa-that-sits-beside-the-take-5-for-high-risk-work]

A near miss on high risk construction work often triggers a SWMS request in the same breath as Take 5 language. Keep document types separate in folders or tags:

- `SWMS/` for high risk construction work methods
- `JSA/` for step-by-step job analyses
- `Take5/` for pre-task checks

Take 5 records support site systems. They do not replace SWMS duties where those apply. Related forms: [Take 5 Safety Check](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-take-5), [National JSA](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-jsa), [NSW SWMS Form 05](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement).

A clean response lists site, date range, and document type, attaches the named PDFs, and notes if a SWMS or JSA sits alongside for the same package.

## 6. A stage or job handover pack, not a scatter of chats [#6-a-stage-or-job-handover-pack-not-a-scatter-of-chats]

When you leave a site or finish a package after an incident review, principals want a closed set:

1. Collect Take 5 PDFs for the package dates
2. Confirm high risk work still has the related SWMS records
3. Hand over through the channel the site uses (email, portal, USB, site office folder)
4. Keep your own copy; do not rely only on the principal's file

**Closing out a package**

- **Collect the dated PDFs - For the package dates** - One per task per day, not a single card standing in for the week.
- **Pair high risk work with its SWMS - Before anything is sent** - A Take 5 does not stand in for a SWMS on high risk construction work.
- **Hand over on the site's channel - Email, portal, USB or site office** - Whichever one the principal actually uses.
- **Keep your own copy - Plus any receipt or acknowledgement** - The site office folder is not your record.

The last step is the one people skip, and it is the only one still under your control a year later.

If the principal signs a receipt or portal acknowledgement, keep that too. Your business may need the trail later even if the site office loses a folder.

Who usually needs what:

| Audience                 | What they usually need                                             |
| ------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Worker / employer        | Full PDF for the job file and any later enquiry                    |
| Principal contractor     | Copy or portal upload when the pack requires pre-task evidence     |
| Safety advisor / auditor | Dated set for a period, trade, or task they specify                |
| Client                   | Only if the contract or site rules say so; often via the principal |

## 7. How long do you keep a Take 5? [#7-how-long-do-you-keep-a-take-5]

There is no single national statute that says "keep Take 5 cards for X years" as a named form. Retention follows your PCBU WHS procedures, principal or client contract clauses, insurer or prequalification rules, and any incident timeline.

When in doubt, keep digital copies longer rather than shorter. Storage is cheap compared with reconstructing a week of pre-starts from memory.

What not to invent after the advisor books a visit:

- Backfilled blank days with lookalike forms
- Edited signed PDFs that change answers after an incident with no revision note
- Photos of wet cards that cannot be read, treated as if they were the master file

If a day was missed, say so, fix the process, and keep future checks honest. If you need a corrected record, create a new dated entry that explains the correction and keep the original if your system requires an audit trail.

Privacy still applies. Take 5s include worker names and signatures. Share them with people who need them for WHS and site management, not on public channels or open group chats.

## Weekly habit that survives the call [#weekly-habit-that-survives-the-call]

For small crews:

1. **Daily:** complete Take 5 before tasks, download PDF, drop into the job folder
2. **End of day:** glance that today's files are named and in the right job
3. **End of week:** check the principal portal queue is empty for required uploads
4. **End of stage:** hand over the Take 5 set with the SWMS and JSA pack

Multi-job weeks need the job number or lot in every filename, and files moved out of phone downloads the same day. Mixed folders are how Lot 12's Take 5 ends up in Lot 9's pack.

## Multi-crew and multi-site weeks [#multi-crew-and-multi-site-weeks]

The filing habits above hold up on a single job and break down across a busy week with several crews.

The failure is always the same: files land in one person's phone downloads, named by whatever the app chose, and nobody can tell which lot they belong to. By Friday there is a folder of PDFs and no way to attribute them without opening each one.

The fix is the job reference in every filename and a same-day move out of downloads. It is a two-second habit that saves an hour at the end of the month.

## When someone asks for a week of checks [#when-someone-asks-for-a-week-of-checks]

Requests for records rarely come one at a time. An advisor or principal asks for a period, usually a week or a stage.

That is the test of the filing rather than the individual record. If the checks for a stage can be pulled in a couple of minutes, the system works. If assembling them means going through three phones and a chat thread, it does not, however good the individual PDFs are.

## How the form helps without overclaiming [#how-the-form-helps-without-overclaiming]

The [Take 5 Safety Check](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-take-5) produces a signed PDF with checklist answers, hazard rows, and sign-off in a consistent layout. You can preview before download and keep drafts while the job is live. Tradie Forms does not lodge Take 5s with regulators, replace your document system, or set retention periods. You remain responsible for content accuracy, storage, and SWMS duties that apply.

Related guides: [When to use a Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-to-use-take-5-pre-task-check), [Common Take 5 mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-take-5-mistakes-site-safety), [Digital vs paper Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/digital-vs-paper-take-5), [JSA crew sign-on and handover](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/jsa-crew-sign-on-and-handover).

## Official sources [#official-sources]

- [Manage risks (Safe Work Australia)](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/safety-topic/managing-health-and-safety/identify-assess-and-control-hazards/managing-risks)
- [Identify, assess and control hazards](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/safety-topic/managing-health-and-safety/identify-assess-and-control-hazards)
- [Model Code of Practice: How to manage work health and safety risks](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/doc/model-code-practice-how-manage-work-health-and-safety-risks)
- [Prepare safe work method statement (SafeWork NSW)](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/construction/general-requirements/prepare-safe-work-method-statement)

Keep Take 5 records with the job, hand over what the site asks for, and keep SWMS documents current when high risk construction work applies.

# Common mistakes on the NSW Combined Notice and Certificate of Compliance (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-nsw-combined-notice-coc)

Field checks for NSW plumbers before downloading the Combined Notice of Work and Certificate of Compliance, from pathway mix-ups to vague work descriptions. | State: NSW | Trade: Plumbing | Template: nsw-combined-notice-coc

Most Combined Notice mistakes are not dramatic. They are small mismatches that make the job harder to inspect, close, or defend later.

The notice was filled after the trench was open. The certificate used last month's licence expiry. The owner copy and regulator copy do not match. The sewer service diagram was meant to be in the same pack and never left the camera roll. The work description says "bathroom" and nothing else.

NSW plumbing and drainage paperwork sits between the plumber or drainer, the person who arranged the work, Building Commission NSW or a local plumbing regulator, and later readers such as owners, buyers, and insurers. Clean details save a lot of after-hours chasing.

Use this checklist with the main [Combined Notice on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-combined-notice-certificate-compliance-plumbing-guide) and the [record keeping guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-combined-notice-coc-record-keeping-handover-guide). Browse [NSW plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/plumbing) for related templates.

## Mistake 1: treating notice and certificate as the same moment [#mistake-1-treating-notice-and-certificate-as-the-same-moment]

NSW Government guidance splits the job into two paperwork moments.

A Notice of Work outlines plumbing and drainage work to be carried out and the person carrying it out. Plumbers and drainers must submit a Notice of Work before starting work, using the pathway that applies to the site.

A Certificate of Compliance confirms the work complies with the Act, Regulation, Plumbing Code of Australia, and the Deemed-to-Satisfy requirements of AS/NZS 3500, and identifies the plumber or drainer as the responsible person. It is completed at the completion of plumbing and drainage work.

Part of why the two get conflated is that they look almost the same. The notice page and the certificate page carry an identical body: same property block, same licensee block, same work description sections. Only the title, the header colour, and the declaration underneath change.

Page one, blue headers: Notice of Work, before the tools come out.

Page two, green headers: Certificate of Compliance, at completion. Same body, different obligation.

The Combined Notice form can hold both sides, but that does not mean you should leave the whole document until the final day. If the notice was required before work started, completing it after the job is already finished is late for that duty.

Better habit:

1. Confirm the pathway for the site.
2. Prepare and submit the notice side before starting where required.
3. Keep the same job details ready for certificate closeout.
4. Complete the certificate after testing and final checks.

See [when to submit a NSW Combined Notice](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-combined-notice-when-to-submit) for the timing split in more detail.

## Mistake 2: using the wrong regulator pathway [#mistake-2-using-the-wrong-regulator-pathway]

NSW is not one identical lodgement process for every postcode.

For work requiring inspection in Sydney, the Illawarra, Blue Mountains, Newcastle, and Hunter, NSW guidance points to Building Commission NSW via MyInspections.

For local plumbing regulator areas, guidance points to the Combined Notice of Work and Certificate of Compliance for the type of work the relevant local regulator requires to be inspected.

Regional inspection guidance also says Notice of Work goes to the local plumbing regulator before work begins, Certificate of Compliance goes on completion of the final inspection, and a Sewer Service Diagram goes to the local plumbing regulator and the owner or owner's agent.

The mistake is assuming the last job's process applies to this job. A metro process does not automatically fit a regional council job. A regional habit does not automatically fit a MyInspections job.

Before you send anything, check:

- Where the site sits
- Whether the work requires inspection
- Which body receives the notice
- Which body receives the certificate
- Whether an SSD is also due

## Mistake 3: vague work descriptions [#mistake-3-vague-work-descriptions]

"Bathroom reno" is not enough for a future reader.

One tick box and one line each. The line is short, which is exactly why descriptions end up thin.

The Combined Notice needs water supply, sanitary plumbing, and drainage details that match the work actually carried out. A regulator, owner, or office admin should understand what was done without ringing the plumber after hours.

**Work description**

- **Specific enough** - - Alter hot and cold water supply to ensuite vanity, shower, and toilet
  - Install sanitary plumbing to new ground-floor powder room and connect to existing stack
  - New sewer connection for rear studio, including inspection openings as installed
  - Replace failed tempering valve and retest hot water delivery to kitchen and laundry (Names the fixtures, the location, and what was actually done.)
- **Too broad** - - Bathroom
  - Plumbing works
  - As per quote
  - Drainage as discussed (Reads like you certified the whole house.)

Keep it short, but make it specific. Do not turn the form into a novel, and do not leave it so broad that it looks like you certified the whole house when you only touched one wet area.

## Mistake 4: wrong owner, agent, or person who arranged the work [#mistake-4-wrong-owner-agent-or-person-who-arranged-the-work]

The certificate copy goes to the person who arranged the work. That may be an owner, builder, or managing agent. The property owner fields and the person who arranged the work are not always the same human.

Common field mix-ups:

- Tenant site contact entered as owner
- Builder omitted when the builder arranged the work
- Strata scheme name missing on multi-unit sites
- Company owner entered as a personal name from the gate code list
- Billing email used while the legal owner details stay blank

Before download, match the form to the work order, approval documents, or engagement email. If the office invoices one party and the form names another without a reason, the closeout pack gets messy.

## Mistake 5: stale licensee details [#mistake-5-stale-licensee-details]

The licensee block is easy because it rarely changes, until it does.

Check:

- Full name
- Address for notices
- Phone number
- Qualified supervisor number
- Licence number
- Expiry dates

Saved details in job software help only if someone updates them after renewals, address changes, or supervisor changes. Copying an old PDF is how expired dates travel from job to job.

If multiple licensed people work for the business, make sure the certificate names the responsible plumber or drainer for that work, not whichever licence block was last used on the phone.

## Mistake 6: date and fee fields left for the office [#mistake-6-date-and-fee-fields-left-for-the-office]

The combined form includes commencement, estimated completion, fee, date paid, amount, and reference number fields. Leaving them blank because "the office will know" often means nobody fills them cleanly.

Practical rule:

- Put known dates and reference numbers on the form while they are easy to find
- Do not invent dates you do not have
- Do not let bank receipts become the only source of the inspection reference weeks later

If the notice went in before work started, the commencement story should still make sense at certificate time. If the job ran long, keep the real completion date honest.

## Mistake 7: certificate declaration treated as a rubber stamp [#mistake-7-certificate-declaration-treated-as-a-rubber-stamp]

The certificate section is the serious part. It records the contractor's certification about authorised work, testing, relevant standards, and completion.

Five separate statements, a defect notice tick, and a completion date. Signing this is not the same as ticking a box.

Rushing the declaration creates two problems:

1. The form looks complete while the job checks are not finished.
2. Pre-existing defective work that needed written notice gets ignored.

If the legislation required written notice of identified pre-existing defective plumbing or drainage work, do not skip that field because the customer wants the paperwork now. Finish the real checks, then complete the certificate.

The [Combined Notice](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-combined-notice-coc) maps the declaration onto the official layout. It does not decide whether the work complies. That stays with the licensed person.

## Mistake 8: forgetting the sewer service diagram [#mistake-8-forgetting-the-sewer-service-diagram]

A Certificate of Compliance does not replace a Sewer Service Diagram.

NSW guidance lists SSDs as part of the inspection document set. Plumbers and drainers may need to provide a copy to the person who arranged the work and submit a copy through the relevant pathway for drainage work.

Common SSD failures:

- Certificate closed, SSD still only a phone photo
- SSD not on an accepted template where required
- Title block incomplete
- Existing drainage omitted when it should be shown
- One duplex SSD missing the second dwelling's drainage
- Photos uploaded instead of a proper scan where photos are not accepted

Keep the SSD in the same site pack as the Combined Notice. For the full split between the documents, read [NSW Combined Notice vs sewer service diagram](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-combined-notice-vs-sewer-service-diagram).

## Mistake 9: copies do not match [#mistake-9-copies-do-not-match]

The Combined Notice form includes copies for the licensee, owner, and regulator. If you correct one copy by hand or download twice with different edits, the record becomes unreliable.

Fill once. Preview the full official PDF. Confirm repeated details land correctly. Then distribute the finished download through the right channels.

Do not keep the only clean copy in one person's downloads folder. Attach it to the job record so the office can send owner or regulator copies without reconstructing the form.

## Mistake 10: skipping the certificate because "no inspection" [#mistake-10-skipping-the-certificate-because-no-inspection]

NSW guidance says plumbers and drainers must complete a Certificate of Compliance at the completion of all plumbing and drainage work and provide a copy to the person that arranged the work.

For work not requiring an inspection, the Combined Notice form can still be used, and a copy may not need to go to Building Commission NSW or the local plumbing regulator. That is not the same as "no certificate needed."

The practical mistake is closing the invoice without any CoC because nobody booked an inspection. Check the current guidance for the job type, then complete the certificate duty that still applies.

**Key takeaways**

- Prepare the Notice of Work before starting where required, and complete the Certificate of Compliance at completion
- Check the site pathway before sending copies because metro, regional, and no-inspection jobs are not identical
- Write specific work descriptions and current licensee details
- Keep any required sewer service diagram with the same job pack as the Combined Notice

## Mistake 11: previewing only on a tiny phone crop [#mistake-11-previewing-only-on-a-tiny-phone-crop]

The official layout has repeated sections and dense fields. Pinch-zooming one corner is how missing dates and cut-off descriptions slip through.

Before download:

- Preview the full PDF layout
- Check property, owner, licensee, work type, dates, and certificate wording
- Confirm the repeated copies still match after any last edit
- Download once you are satisfied, then store that file

Preview on site so the field team can catch layout and missing-field issues before the customer or regulator sees the PDF.

## Mistake 12: no link between form, photos, and job software [#mistake-12-no-link-between-form-photos-and-job-software]

A perfect PDF that cannot be found is still a failure.

After download:

- Attach the PDF to the job in your system of record
- Keep inspection notes and photos with it
- Keep the SSD with it where required
- Use a file name that includes date, site, and form type
- Note who received which copy and when

The [record keeping guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-combined-notice-coc-record-keeping-handover-guide) covers that closeout in more depth.

## A one-minute pre-download check [#a-one-minute-pre-download-check]

Read the PDF like a stranger would:

1. Is the pathway for this site clear to the office?
2. Were notice details ready before work started where required?
3. Are property and owner details complete enough to identify the site?
4. Are licensee and licence expiry details current?
5. Does the work description match the real water supply, sanitary, or drainage work?
6. Are commencement, completion, fee, and reference fields honest and complete where known?
7. Is the certificate declaration ready because the work and testing are finished?
8. Is any required SSD ready in the same pack?
9. Have owner, licensee, and regulator copies been planned?
10. Is the finished PDF attached to the job record?

That minute is cheaper than a re-download after the customer has already received the wrong version.

## Why these mistakes cost more than a reprint [#why-these-mistakes-cost-more-than-a-reprint]

A wrong Combined Notice is rarely just a reprint. It can delay inspection booking, force a return visit for covered work photos, delay the owner copy, or leave the office matching half-finished PDFs to bank references and SMS threads. The form is only one page stack, but it sits in the middle of the whole plumbing closeout.

Fix the process on the next job even if today's PDF already left the phone. Saved licensee details, a notice-before-start habit, and a same-day SSD checklist prevent the same mistakes from stacking across the week.

## Related reading and next steps [#related-reading-and-next-steps]

Start the [NSW Combined Notice of Work and Certificate of Compliance](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-combined-notice-coc), or browse [NSW plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/plumbing). The [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing) has the national set if you work across borders.

Related articles:

- [NSW Combined Notice on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-combined-notice-certificate-compliance-plumbing-guide)
- [Record keeping and handover guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-combined-notice-coc-record-keeping-handover-guide)
- [When to submit a NSW Combined Notice](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-combined-notice-when-to-submit)
- [NSW Combined Notice vs sewer service diagram](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-combined-notice-vs-sewer-service-diagram)

## Official references [#official-references]

For current requirements, check the [NSW plumbing inspection documents guidance](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/plumbers-and-drainers/plumbing-inspection-documents), the [Combined Notice form page](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/plumbers-and-drainers/regional-inspections/combined-notice-of-work-and-certificate-of-compliance), the [regional inspections guidance](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/plumbers-and-drainers/regional-inspections), and the [NSW Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2017](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/sl-2017-0482).

# How to complete a Take 5 safety check on site (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/take-5-safety-check-on-site-guide)

Run a Take 5 before tools come out. Worker and task details, ten checks, hazard rows that mean something, then a signed PDF for the job file. | Trade: Building | Template: national-take-5

A Take 5 only works before the first tool comes out. Stop, look at the job, assess what can hurt someone, put controls in place, then proceed. Two minutes on the phone before you climb beats a wet pad or a blank card found after the fact.

Open the [Take 5 Safety Check](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-take-5) when you are ready to fill. Related templates: [building forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/building). Labels: [SWMS vs JSA vs Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/swms-vs-jsa-vs-take-5).

**Key takeaways**

- Complete the Take 5 before the task starts, not after the work is done
- Answer every checklist item; a No needs a short note and a control before you proceed
- Hazard rows need a real hazard, a risk rating, and a control you can use today
- A Take 5 does not replace a SWMS when high risk construction work applies

## What is a Take 5 safety check? [#what-is-a-take-5-safety-check]

A Take 5 is a short pre-task risk check the worker completes themselves, in the minutes before a task starts. Safe Work Australia describes risk management as identify hazards, assess risks, control risks, and review controls; a Take 5 is a personal version of that loop for the task about to start. It is not a full workplace risk assessment and not a Safe Work Method Statement.

Sites also call it Stop Take 5, personal risk assessment, or pre-task check. Principals set the habit. High risk construction work still needs a SWMS under model WHS rules when that duty applies.

Use a Take 5 when the pack or employer requires a pre-task check, when conditions changed after the SWMS or JSA was written, when you want a quick record before a routine or medium-risk step, or when a supervisor asks for pre-start proof. Do not use it alone when high risk construction work applies and no SWMS exists. Decision path: [When to use a Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-to-use-take-5-pre-task-check).

## Who fills out a Take 5? [#who-fills-out-a-take-5]

One worker per Take 5: the person about to start the task. Three people on the same step need three short checks, not one form signed by people who never looked. Supervisors can still walk the ground with the crew. The form records that this worker stopped, checked, and signed. It does not replace a toolbox talk.

## Details first [#details-first]

**Worker name and site location.** Real induction name. Job address or the site identifier the principal already uses, plus stage or lot if they use them.

**Task description.** The step you are about to start, not the whole project. Weak: "Building works". Usable: "Install first-floor window reveals, east elevation, scaffold in place".

**Task date.** Today's date for the check you are doing now. Backdating after the work breaks the pre-task purpose.

## What are the ten Take 5 checks? [#what-are-the-ten-take-5-checks]

The ten checks cover task understanding, tools and equipment, PPE, work area, people nearby, work at height, stored energy, permits and sign-offs, weather and access, and personal fitness. Answer every item. A No is not a fail of the form. It is a flag that something needs a note and a control before you mark safe to proceed.

1. **Do I understand the task and have I done it before?** If the method is new to you, stop and get a competent person to walk it through before you answer Yes.
2. **Do I have the right tools and equipment, and are they in good condition?** Missing plant, damaged leads, or the wrong ladder is a No until fixed or swapped.
3. **Do I have the required PPE for this task?** Hard hat, eye protection, gloves, harness, hearing protection, or task-specific gear named in the SWMS or site rules.
4. **Is my work area clear of slip, trip, and fall hazards?** Debris, open edges, wet floors, loose sheeting, and poor access all matter.
5. **Are people nearby protected from this task?** Hot works, grinding, plant swing radius, falling objects, and dust that hits other trades.
6. **Are work-at-height and falling-object risks controlled?** Edge protection, platforms, exclusion zones, and tool tethering where needed.
7. **Are electrical, gas, and stored-energy hazards controlled?** Isolation, prove dead, gas isolation, residual energy in plant or systems.
8. **Are required permits, isolations, and supervisor sign-offs in place?** Hot work, confined space, excavation, or site-specific permits before you start.
9. **Are weather, lighting, and access acceptable?** Storms, wind on sheets, night work without lighting, and blocked egress.
10. **Am I fit for the task - alert, hydrated, and not rushing?** Fatigue and time pressure are real site risks.

When the answer is No, write a short note on what is wrong and what you will do before proceeding. "No - scaffold incomplete on west side; waiting on builder edge protection check" is usable. "No - be careful" is not.

Every question carries its own Yes and No box, so a blank row reads as skipped rather than answered.

## Hazard rows that match this task [#hazard-rows-that-match-this-task]

Use optional hazard rows when a check flagged a risk or the task has a clear hazard even if every check is Yes. Each row needs a plain-language hazard, a risk rating (Low, Medium, High, or Extreme), and a control you will use today.

**Hazard row**

- **Stronger row** - Hazard: Fall from incomplete scaffold edge on first floor east. Risk: High. Control: Do not access east elevation until scaffold complete and builder confirms edge protection. Use designated access only. (Names the edge, the elevation, and what has to happen first.)
- **Weak row** - Hazard: Injury. Risk: Medium. Control: PPE. (Fits any job on any site, so it controls nothing.)

**Hazard row, live electrical**

- **Stronger row** - Hazard: Live board in occupied dwelling. Risk: High. Control: Isolation by licensed person, lock out, prove dead, barriers before opening the board. (Four controls in sequence, each one checkable.)
- **Weak row** - Hazard: Shock. Control: Careful. (Careful is not a control.)

Prefer a real engineering or isolation control over "use PPE" alone when a stronger control is available.

## When can you mark safe to proceed? [#when-can-you-mark-safe-to-proceed]

Only mark safe to proceed when every checklist item is answered, every No has a note and a control in place or agreed before start, hazard rows (if any) have usable controls, and you are ready to start now. Sign with name and date. If you are not safe to proceed, do not sign Yes. Fix the issue, update the form, or escalate.

Safe to proceed is its own answer, separate from the ten checks above it.

## Walk-through: second-fix doors on a two-storey reno [#walk-through-second-fix-doors-on-a-two-storey-reno]

Scaffold is up. Painters are downstairs. You will hang doors on the first floor.

1. Open Take 5 on the phone before you climb.
2. Task: "Hang internal doors first floor, rooms 1 to 3, scaffold access north".
3. Work through the ten checks. If the scaffold access is cluttered with paint tins, answer No on work area and clear it or get it cleared.
4. Add a hazard if needed: "Other trades below - falling tools". Control: tool lanyards, exclusion under the work face, brief the painters.
5. Confirm you are fit and not rushing for a late delivery.
6. Sign, download PDF, start the doors.

If mid-morning the builder removes a scaffold bay for deliveries, stop. Re-check height and falling-object items. Update or start a new Take 5 for the changed access. If the work is high risk construction work and the method changed, also review the SWMS under your state rules.

## How this fits with JSA and SWMS [#how-this-fits-with-jsa-and-swms]

- **Take 5:** short pre-task check for the person starting the work
- **[JSA](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-jsa):** step-by-step job safety analysis when the site wants that format
- **[SWMS](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement):** planning document for high risk construction work before that work starts

A finished Take 5 does not skip the SWMS. A finished SWMS does not remove a fresh eyes check when conditions change. Full comparison: [SWMS vs JSA vs Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/swms-vs-jsa-vs-take-5).

## Keep the record [#keep-the-record]

Store the PDF against the job. Hand a copy to the principal if they ask. Filing detail: [Take 5 record keeping and handover](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/take-5-record-keeping-handover). Paper vs phone: [Digital vs paper Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/digital-vs-paper-take-5).

On multi-trade mornings, name only your step. Flag other trades in the "people nearby" check. If another trade removes a control you relied on, stop and re-check. Do not sign someone else's Take 5 for them.

## Common traps [#common-traps]

- Filling at smoko after the work
- Tick and flick all Yes without looking
- Task description that names the project only
- Safe to proceed while a No is still open
- Take 5 PDF when the gate asked for a SWMS

Longer list: [9 Take 5 shortcuts that fail toolbox audits](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-take-5-mistakes-site-safety).

## Related guides and forms [#related-guides-and-forms]

- [When to use a Take 5 pre-task check](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-to-use-take-5-pre-task-check)
- [9 Take 5 shortcuts that fail toolbox audits](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-take-5-mistakes-site-safety)
- [Take 5 record keeping and handover](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/take-5-record-keeping-handover)
- [Digital vs paper Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/digital-vs-paper-take-5)
- [SWMS vs JSA vs Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/swms-vs-jsa-vs-take-5)
- [How to complete a NSW SWMS on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-swms-on-site-guide)
- [National JSA](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-jsa) · [NSW SWMS Form 05](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement)

## Official sources [#official-sources]

- [Manage risks (Safe Work Australia)](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/safety-topic/managing-health-and-safety/identify-assess-and-control-hazards/managing-risks)
- [Identify, assess and control hazards](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/safety-topic/managing-health-and-safety/identify-assess-and-control-hazards)
- [Model Code of Practice: How to manage work health and safety risks](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/doc/model-code-practice-how-manage-work-health-and-safety-risks)
- [Prepare safe work method statement (SafeWork NSW)](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/construction/general-requirements/prepare-safe-work-method-statement)

Principal packs can require Take 5 records on top of legal duties. They do not remove the SWMS duty for high risk construction work where it applies. You remain responsible for the work, the controls on site, and the downloaded PDF.

# 9 Take 5 shortcuts that fail toolbox audits (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-take-5-mistakes-site-safety)

Nine Take 5 timing and honesty shortcuts that fail toolbox audits: after-the-fact cards, tick and flick, open Nos, and Take 5 when the pack needed a SWMS. | Trade: Building | Template: national-take-5

Toolbox audits rarely fail a Take 5 on missing logos. They fail it on timing and honesty: cards filled after the work, ten Yes answers with no notes, safe to proceed while a No is still open, or a short form handed to a gate that asked for a SWMS.

This list is about those shortcuts. It is not the same problem set as generic SWMS rows or empty JSA steps. Take 5 failures usually start when the pause never happened, or when the pause was faked on paper.

Field steps: [How to complete a Take 5 on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/take-5-safety-check-on-site-guide). Decision path: [When to use a Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-to-use-take-5-pre-task-check). Document mix: [SWMS vs JSA vs Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/swms-vs-jsa-vs-take-5).

**Key takeaways**

- Fill the Take 5 before the task starts, not after the work is done
- A No with a real control is better than a fake Yes
- Safe to proceed must match the ground, including every open No
- Take 5 does not replace a SWMS for high risk construction work

## 1. Writing the card after the tools are packed [#1-writing-the-card-after-the-tools-are-packed]

A Take 5 is a pre-task check. Writing it at smoko or in the ute on the way home is a diary note. If something goes wrong mid-task, the form that was blank at start does not help the crew or the investigation.

Auditors match dates and times against attendance and photos. A 3pm signature for a 7am start is an easy catch.

**Fix:** open the form before the first tool comes out. Treat it like gloves and the right blade.

## 2. Tick and flick every answer to Yes [#2-tick-and-flick-every-answer-to-yes]

Ten Yes answers with no notes look efficient and often mean nobody looked. Sites with plant, wet floors, incomplete scaffold, or live services should trigger honest No answers or clear hazard rows.

SWMS audits fail on vague task rows. Take 5 audits fail on perfect checklists that never change week to week.

**Fix:** walk the work face while you answer. If a check is not true yet, mark No, write what is wrong, fix it or escalate, then update before safe to proceed.

A column of ten Yes ticks and nothing in the notes is the pattern a supervisor learns to distrust.

## 3. Safe to proceed while a No is still open [#3-safe-to-proceed-while-a-no-is-still-open]

"Safe to proceed" while scaffold is incomplete, isolation is unproven, or a permit is missing is the worst kind of complete form. The signature says go; the site says stop.

This is a Take 5-specific failure. A SWMS can list a control that will be installed later in the sequence. A Take 5 is about this start, now.

**Fix:** leave the form unsigned or not safe to proceed until the control is real. Escalate early so the crew is not standing around after a false start.

No is a legitimate answer here. Leaving it ticked No with a note beats a Yes the site cannot support.

## 4. Task line that never changes [#4-task-line-that-never-changes]

"Building works", "plumbing", or the client company name does not tell a supervisor which step you checked. Later the file holds a stack of identical tasks that cannot be tied to a moment on site.

**Task line**

- **Stronger task** - - Fix metal sheets east elevation, first floor scaffold access
  - Terminate final subcircuits in garage board after isolation
  - Remove temporary props room 2 after engineer sign-off (Ties the card to one step, one location, one moment.)
- **Weak task** - - Roofing
  - Electrical
  - General (Every card in the file looks the same.)

**Fix:** name the step, location on site, and any access detail that matters for that start.

## 5. Reusing yesterday's PDF with a new date only [#5-reusing-yesterdays-pdf-with-a-new-date-only]

Copy-paste Take 5s with the same Yes answers and the same hazards on a different site or after weather change are a common audit complaint. Conditions move. Forms that never move look false.

JSA reuse fails when the address and steps stay from last suburb. Take 5 reuse fails when the checklist never shows a No on a messy morning.

**Fix:** duplicate only as a draft. Change location, task, checklist answers, and hazards for this start. Re-sign for this day.

## 6. One form signed by people who never looked [#6-one-form-signed-by-people-who-never-looked]

A single Take 5 signed by people who never walked the area is an attendance sheet, not a personal pre-task check. Crew sign-on belongs on a [JSA](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-jsa). Take 5 ownership sits with the person starting the task.

**Fix:** each person who starts the task completes their own check, or your site has a clear group process that still includes a real walk-through. Do not collect signatures for people who left site.

## 7. Handing Take 5 when the pack asked for a SWMS [#7-handing-take-5-when-the-pack-asked-for-a-swms]

Gate checks fail when the pack says "SWMS before high risk work" and the subcontractor emails a Take 5 PDF. Longer hazard text on a Take 5 does not convert it into a SWMS under SafeWork NSW or model WHS rules.

This is the document-name failure. Common SWMS mistakes are about content inside Form 05. This shortcut is about bringing the wrong PDF entirely.

**Fix:** ask which document name closes the gate. Prepare the [SWMS](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement) for high risk construction work, the JSA when that is the pack format, and Take 5 when the pre-task check is required as well. See [When to use a Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-to-use-take-5-pre-task-check).

## 8. Ignoring fitness, fatigue, and rushing [#8-ignoring-fitness-fatigue-and-rushing]

The last checklist item asks whether you are fit for the task: alert, hydrated, and not rushing. People skip it because it feels soft. Fatigue and time pressure sit behind many bad decisions on tools and plant.

Auditors who sample Take 5s notice when that item is always Yes on a crew working late under pour pressure.

**Fix:** answer it honestly. If the answer is No, fix rest, water, or programme pressure before you start the hazardous step. That is a valid stop.

## 9. Treating the form as the control [#9-treating-the-form-as-the-control]

Writing "isolate board" on a Take 5 does not isolate the board. Controls live in the real world: locks on, prove dead, barriers up, exclusion set.

SWMS and JSA packs fail the same way when controls are paper-only. On a Take 5 the gap is sharper because the form is meant to confirm the control is already in place for this start.

**Fix:** implement first, then record. The form proves you thought and acted. It does not replace the action.

## Quick self-audit before you download [#quick-self-audit-before-you-download]

1. Date and time match a pre-start, not a post-job diary
2. Task and site are specific enough for a stranger to place the work
3. Every checklist item is answered
4. Every No has a note and a control
5. Hazard rows (if any) name real hazards and usable controls
6. Safe to proceed matches reality on the ground
7. You are not using this PDF to stand in for a missing SWMS or JSA

Open the [Take 5 Safety Check](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-take-5) and fix anything that fails before signature.

## Supervisor habits that teach shortcuts [#supervisor-habits-that-teach-shortcuts]

If supervisors only collect cards at week's end, crews learn that timing does not matter. If every rejected pack is about missing logos instead of missing controls, crews optimise for appearance.

Ask for today's Take 5s on today's work. Praise an honest No that delayed start until a control was fixed. Reject generic task lines the same way you reject missing signatures. Keep SWMS and Take 5 requests clearly named so people do not guess.

## What these have in common [#what-these-have-in-common]

Almost every item above is a symptom of the same thing, which is the card being treated as the deliverable rather than the check being the point.

Once a crew believes the form is what matters, filling it faster becomes the rational behaviour and every shortcut on this list follows. Once they believe the two minutes of looking is what matters, most of the list stops happening on its own.

Supervisors set which of those is true, mostly by how they react to a No.

## Fixing it without a lecture [#fixing-it-without-a-lecture]

The habits above rarely improve because someone was told off in a toolbox meeting.

What tends to work is smaller: a supervisor who reads the cards, asks about a No in a normal tone, and visibly does something about it. A crew that sees a written hazard produce a control will write the next one. That is the whole mechanism, and it is faster than any amount of retraining.

## Related reading [#related-reading]

- [How to complete a Take 5 on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/take-5-safety-check-on-site-guide)
- [When to use a Take 5 pre-task check](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-to-use-take-5-pre-task-check)
- [Take 5 record keeping and handover](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/take-5-record-keeping-handover)
- [Digital vs paper Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/digital-vs-paper-take-5)
- [SWMS vs JSA vs Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/swms-vs-jsa-vs-take-5)
- [Common SWMS mistakes that fail NSW site audits](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-swms-mistakes-nsw)
- [Building forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/building)

## Official sources [#official-sources]

- [Manage risks (Safe Work Australia)](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/safety-topic/managing-health-and-safety/identify-assess-and-control-hazards/managing-risks)
- [Identify, assess and control hazards](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/safety-topic/managing-health-and-safety/identify-assess-and-control-hazards)
- [Model Code of Practice: How to manage work health and safety risks](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/doc/model-code-practice-how-manage-work-health-and-safety-risks)
- [Prepare safe work method statement (SafeWork NSW)](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/construction/general-requirements/prepare-safe-work-method-statement)

A clean Take 5 PDF supports site systems. It does not replace legal SWMS duties for high risk construction work where they apply.

# Digital vs paper Take 5 for site crews (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/digital-vs-paper-take-5)

Compare paper Take 5 pads with digital Take 5 PDFs on the phone. On-site completion, filing, principal handover, and when each approach still works. | Trade: Building | Template: national-take-5

Paper Take 5 pads are familiar. They also run out, get wet, and live in the ute until someone asks for proof. Digital Take 5s help when they let you finish before the task, catch blank fields, and put a searchable PDF in the job folder the same day. The format does not make the check honest. Timing and real looking still matter.

This guide compares paper and digital workflows for Australian site crews, without claiming one brand of pad or app is required by law.

**Key takeaways**

- Take 5 works only when completed before the task, on paper or screen
- Digital wins on filing, search, and handover when the PDF is named and stored
- Paper still works if you scan the same day and the site accepts it
- Neither format replaces a SWMS for high risk construction work

How to fill the template: [How to complete a Take 5 on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/take-5-safety-check-on-site-guide). Filing habits: [Take 5 record keeping and handover](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/take-5-record-keeping-handover). Building forms: [building forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/building).

## What both formats must achieve [#what-both-formats-must-achieve]

Safe Work Australia describes risk management as identify hazards, assess risks, control risks, and review. A Take 5 is a short field version of that loop. Regardless of paper or phone, a useful Take 5:

- Happens before work starts
- Matches this site and this task
- Records honest answers and any controls for No items
- Can be produced later for the principal or safety advisor
- Does not pretend to be a SWMS when high risk construction work applies

If either format is filled after the job for show, the system failed.

## How paper Take 5 usually runs [#how-paper-take-5-usually-runs]

Typical paper path:

1. Find a pad in the glovebox or site office
2. Hand-write name, site, task, and date
3. Tick Yes or No on a printed checklist
4. Scribble hazards if the pad has space
5. Sign
6. Tear off a copy for the site box if the pad is multi-part
7. Hope the office scans it later

**Strengths:**

- Works with zero battery and zero signal
- Familiar for crews who dislike phones on the tools
- Visible physical card some supervisors like at the gate

**Weaknesses:**

- Pads empty on the morning you need them
- Rain, concrete dust, and dirty gloves destroy readability
- Handwriting fails audits and email scans
- Filing depends on someone scanning every card
- Nothing checks the fields: blank dates and missing signatures slip through
- Hard to search three months later for one lot number

## How digital Take 5 usually runs [#how-digital-take-5-usually-runs]

Typical digital path on Tradie Forms:

1. Open the [Take 5 Safety Check](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-take-5) on the phone
2. Prefill worker details if saved
3. Enter site, task, and date
4. Answer the ten checks; add notes on No
5. Add hazard rows with risk rating and control when needed
6. Sign safe to proceed
7. Preview and download the PDF
8. Drop the file into the job folder or principal portal

**Strengths:**

- Phone is already in the pocket
- Consistent layout every time
- Missing fields can be caught before download
- Named PDFs file and email cleanly
- Long hazard lists stay readable
- Same-day handover without a scanner

**Weaknesses:**

- Battery and login still matter
- Remote sites need a plan for download when coverage is poor
- Tick and flick is still possible on a screen
- Some older principal packs still expect a paper card in a box

## Side-by-side comparison [#side-by-side-comparison]

| Need                       | Paper pad            | Digital PDF                               |
| -------------------------- | -------------------- | ----------------------------------------- |
| Complete before task       | Yes if pad is on you | Yes if phone is charged                   |
| Survive wet weather        | Often poor           | Better if device is protected             |
| Hand to principal same day | Scan or photo first  | Email or portal upload                    |
| Search last month's checks | Slow                 | Fast if named and filed                   |
| Blank field checks         | Manual only          | Online form can block incomplete download |
| No signal on site          | Still writable       | Draft may work; download may wait         |
| High risk SWMS duty        | Unrelated to format  | Unrelated to format                       |

## Cost of the weak paper habits [#cost-of-the-weak-paper-habits]

The time cost is not only writing. It is rework:

- Returning to the ute for a pad that is empty
- Rewriting a card the supervisor cannot read
- Photographing a wet form that still cannot be filed
- Office staff chasing missing dates after an advisor request
- Crews filling cards at week's end so the pack "looks complete"

Those habits train people to treat Take 5 as admin theatre. Digital does not automatically fix culture, but it removes the empty-pad and unreadable-scan excuses.

## When is paper Take 5 still a fair choice? [#when-is-paper-take-5-still-a-fair-choice]

Paper still wins when a client procedure demands a carbon card, when devices are banned or unusable on site, or when you are dual-running mid-transition. Keep paper in the mix when:

- The principal's written procedure still requires a multi-part carbon card in a site box
- The crew works deep underground or in RF-restricted areas with no devices allowed
- You need a temporary fallback when phones are banned for a client security rule
- You are mid-transition and dual-running for a short period

If you stay on paper, add a same-day scan rule: photo or scan into the job folder before you leave site, with a clear filename. A box of cards nobody scans is not a record system.

## When is digital Take 5 the better default? [#when-is-digital-take-5-the-better-default]

Digital is the better default once filing is already digital, safety advisors want PDFs, or you are running parallel jobs and need identical checklist wording every time. Move primary completion to phone when:

- Multiple jobs run in parallel and filing is already digital
- Safety advisors request PDFs by email or portal
- Crews are small and already job-manage from phones
- You want the same checklist wording every time
- You are tired of pads running out mid-project

Use the [Take 5 Safety Check](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-take-5) so worker, checklist, hazards, and sign-off download in one PDF layout designed for field use.

## Hybrid workflow that actually works [#hybrid-workflow-that-actually-works]

Many businesses land here.

**Hybrid Take 5 workflow**

- **Digital first - Everyday default** - Completion and storage happen on the phone, before tools come out.
- **Print on demand - Only when a gate asks** - Paper is an output, not a second system of record.
- **Keep SWMS and JSA separate - Own PDFs** - Never forced into the Take 5 layout to save a step.
- **Paper fallback in the ute - Device failure only** - Sealed bag, with a scan-before-leave rule so it rejoins the record.

Hybrid fails when both systems are half used. Assign one system of record, usually the job folder PDF.

Hybrid fails when both systems are half used and neither is complete. Assign one system of record (usually the job folder PDF).

## Phone practicalities on site [#phone-practicalities-on-site]

- Charge overnight; carry a small power bank on long days
- Complete Take 5 before gloves and dirty work if the screen is hard to use with gloves
- Enlarge the text or rotate the phone if you need a bigger view; accuracy beats speed
- Download PDF while you still have signal at the street if the basement has none
- Do not store the only copy in a personal chat thread

Drafts on device help when the form is half done and you walk the site. Finish and download before you start the hazardous step.

## Handover differences [#handover-differences]

**Paper handover:** drop a copy in the site box, keep the stub, scan later. Risk is the later never happens.

**Digital handover:** email or portal upload the same morning, keep the job folder copy. Risk is wrong document type or unnamed files. Naming patterns are in [Take 5 record keeping and handover](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/take-5-record-keeping-handover).

## Safety advisor view [#safety-advisor-view]

Advisors comparing packs look for:

- Dates that match work periods
- Task text that changes with real work
- Occasional No answers with controls (proves people think)
- Readable signatures and names
- Alignment with SWMS methods when high risk work was done

Digital packs win when files are organised. They lose when every file is `Take5.pdf` in email. Paper packs win when cards are complete and filed. They lose when cards are blank templates signed in bulk.

## Do not let format hide the wrong document [#do-not-let-format-hide-the-wrong-document]

Digital Take 5 is still a Take 5. Paper SWMS is still a SWMS. Choosing a nice PDF download does not meet a high risk construction work SWMS duty. Choosing a paper SWMS pad does not remove the need for a pre-task check if your pack requires one.

Decision path: [When to use a Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-to-use-take-5-pre-task-check). Labels: [SWMS vs JSA vs Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/swms-vs-jsa-vs-take-5). NSW SWMS how-to: [How to complete a NSW SWMS on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-swms-on-site-guide).

## Migration checklist from pad to phone [#migration-checklist-from-pad-to-phone]

1. Agree with the principal that PDF Take 5s are accepted
2. Pick the [national Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-take-5) or your company template
3. Train the crew on before-task timing, not only on the app
4. Set a job folder naming rule
5. Dual-run one week if needed, then stop the empty pad habit
6. Keep a sealed paper fallback only for true device failure

Culture change is the hard part. The phone is the easy part.

## Training the crew without a long classroom session [#training-the-crew-without-a-long-classroom-session]

A toolbox of ten minutes covers the change:

- Why: empty pads and lost cards waste more time than a phone form
- When: before the task, every time the pack requires it, and on change
- How: open form, answer checks, note any No, sign, download, file
- What not to do: bulk sign on Friday, reuse yesterday without looking, send Take 5 when the gate asked for SWMS

Have each person complete one real Take 5 on a live task that morning. Watching beats slides. Spot-check filenames in the job folder that afternoon so the filing habit sticks.

## Clients and builders who still want paper [#clients-and-builders-who-still-want-paper]

Some sites will not move. Give them paper without abandoning digital as your system of record:

1. Complete digital first so your file is clean
2. Print the signed PDF for the site box if required
3. Photograph or scan is unnecessary if you already hold the PDF
4. Note in your job log that site copy was provided on that date

You stay searchable. The gate still gets a page in the folder. Avoid rewriting by hand from the PDF into a different pad unless the principal's template is mandatory and different.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- [How to complete a Take 5 on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/take-5-safety-check-on-site-guide)
- [When to use a Take 5 pre-task check](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-to-use-take-5-pre-task-check)
- [Common Take 5 mistakes on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-take-5-mistakes-site-safety)
- [Take 5 record keeping and handover](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/take-5-record-keeping-handover)
- [SWMS vs JSA vs Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/swms-vs-jsa-vs-take-5)
- [National JSA](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-jsa) · [NSW SWMS](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement)

## Official sources [#official-sources]

- [Manage risks (Safe Work Australia)](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/safety-topic/managing-health-and-safety/identify-assess-and-control-hazards/managing-risks)
- [Identify, assess and control hazards](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/safety-topic/managing-health-and-safety/identify-assess-and-control-hazards)
- [Model Code of Practice: How to manage work health and safety risks](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/doc/model-code-practice-how-manage-work-health-and-safety-risks)
- [Prepare safe work method statement (SafeWork NSW)](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/construction/general-requirements/prepare-safe-work-method-statement)

# How to complete a NSW fire safety certificate on site (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-on-site-guide)

Fill a NSW final or interim fire safety certificate on site, from building and measure details to the declarant check, preview and PDF download. | State: NSW | Trade: Fire Safety | Template: nsw-fire-safety-certificate

> **Tradie Forms:** complete the NSW Fire Safety Certificate on the official layout while the schedule and assessment pack are still open. Pick final or interim, enter measure rows, complete the matching declaration, preview, then download.

Fire safety certificates fail when the team leaves the building and tries to rebuild the schedule from memory. Complete the [NSW Fire Safety Certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-fire-safety-certificate) on site or in the site office: lock building and owner details, enter measure rows from the current schedule, complete the declarant and declaration, then download.

Confirm the certificate is the right document with [when is a NSW fire safety certificate required](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-nsw-fire-safety-certificate-required). Avoid rework with [common mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-nsw-fire-safety-certificate). More NSW fire forms: [NSW fire safety hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/fire-safety).

**Key takeaways**

- Choose final or interim before you fill the rest of the form
- Enter measures from the current fire safety schedule, not an old certificate
- Complete the matching declaration block only
- Preview every measure row before you download
- Keep the finished PDF with the schedule and assessment evidence

## What should you gather before you start? [#what-should-you-gather-before-you-start]

Gather the current fire safety schedule for the building or part, assessment records and dates for each relevant essential fire safety measure, building address as used on the approval, owner details, clarity on final versus interim, and declarant identity and contact details for the person issuing on behalf of the owner where applicable.

NSW Planning describes the certificate as confirmation that a properly qualified person has installed and checked the measures listed in the fire safety schedule. Do not start the PDF without that evidence chain.

Stop and switch documents if the client actually needs an annual fire safety statement, the schedule is not current, you cannot confirm final versus interim, or assessment evidence for a relevant measure is missing. For the practical split, see [certificate vs statement](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-vs-statement-guide).

## Step 1: Certificate type [#step-1-certificate-type]

Select **final** or **interim**.

The choice that sets which declaration appears later. Get it wrong and the declaration does not match the work.

| Type    | Use when                                                              |
| ------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Final   | Building work as a whole is complete for the certificate purpose      |
| Interim | A completed part of a building is being certified, not the whole work |

The declaration section later must match this choice. The form shows the final declaration for final certificates and the interim declaration for interim certificates. More detail: [final vs interim guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-final-interim-guide).

A common site pattern is an interim certificate for a completed wing while the rest of the building is still under construction. Confirm with the certifier or builder that this visit is interim for that part only, open the current schedule that applies to that part, and write the building description so a stranger reading the PDF knows which part is covered.

## Step 2: Building details [#step-2-building-details]

Enter the building identity the schedule and approval use. Include street, suburb, and any lot, DP, or building description fields the form requires.

If the certificate is interim, make sure the part of the building covered is clear in the description so the PDF does not look like a whole-building final certificate by accident.

## Step 3: Building owner [#step-3-building-owner]

Enter the owner details required by the form. The certificate is issued by or on behalf of the building owner. Align names with title, strata, company, or agent records for this job.

## Step 4: Fire safety measures [#step-4-fire-safety-measures]

This is the heart of the certificate.

One row per measure: the measure, the minimum standard of performance, the status, and the date assessed. Every column comes from the current schedule or the assessment records, not from an old certificate.

For each relevant essential fire safety measure in the current schedule:

1. Name the measure as the schedule does
2. Record the minimum standard of performance from the schedule
3. Record assessment details and dates from the qualified person's records
4. Complete status fields the form provides (new, existing, modified, and similar where shown)

Work row by row. Do not leave "to follow" standards if the schedule already states them. Match measure wording to the schedule where practical, and confirm long standards still show fully on the finished PDF.

### Schedule alignment habits that save callbacks [#schedule-alignment-habits-that-save-callbacks]

- Copy measure names from the schedule text, not from an old certificate for a different stage
- If the schedule lists a measure you did not assess on this visit, do not invent a pass. Clarify with the certifier whether that measure belongs on this certificate for this part
- If two contractors assessed different measures, collect both assessment records before you download one certificate covering both
- Long performance standards often wrap or truncate on phone screens. Preview the PDF and check every row

## Step 5: Declarant [#step-5-declarant]

Enter the declarant name, organisation, and contact details. Saved person details help on the next certificate, but re-check authority and details for this building. The declarant block identifies who is making the declaration on the certificate pathway.

## Step 6: Declaration [#step-6-declaration]

Complete only the declaration that matches the certificate type:

- Final declaration for a final certificate
- Interim declaration for an interim certificate

Read the declaration text before signing or naming the declarant. The certificate is a serious statement about measure performance against the schedule.

## Step 7: Preview and download [#step-7-preview-and-download]

Preview the official PDF layout. Check certificate type, building and owner, every measure row for truncation or blank standards, and declarant and correct declaration block.

Download the PDF when it is clean. Use a searchable filename such as `fire-safety-certificate-final-12smithst-2026-07-24.pdf` (or interim with a part label). The download does not lodge the certificate with a council or certifier.

### Second-person check before you leave [#second-person-check-before-you-leave]

On busy sites, one person fills and another checks:

1. Certificate type matches the certifier instruction
2. Building description names the part if interim
3. First and last measure rows match the schedule wording
4. No blank performance standards on listed measures
5. Declarant and declaration block match final versus interim
6. Filename and recipient list are written on the job note

## What do you do after the PDF is ready? [#what-do-you-do-after-the-pdf-is-ready]

Give the owner or agent the copy they need. Follow the certifier or consent pathway for any further lodgement or attachment steps. Keep a job file copy with the schedule and assessment evidence. Track who you sent it to, when, and which filename was accepted. If measures or the schedule change, do not silently reuse the old PDF; keep revised versions marked.

Store together: the finished certificate PDF, the fire safety schedule used for this certificate, assessment records for the measures listed, confirmation of who received the certificate, and a note of final versus interim with the part description for interim certificates.

See [handover and records](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-handover-records) for the closeout pack.

## When this is not the right form [#when-this-is-not-the-right-form]

If the building already has an occupation certificate and the ask is the annual essential services statement, you likely need the [NSW fire safety statement](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-fire-safety-statement), not another completion certificate.

If the schedule changed after you downloaded, do not patch the old PDF in a viewer. Update the form from the new schedule and download a new dated file.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the official layout. You remain responsible for the accuracy of the certificate and for how it is used in the certification pathway.

## Working from the current schedule [#working-from-the-current-schedule]

The certificate is built around the building's fire safety measures, so the schedule is the document the whole job depends on.

Working from an old copy is the most common way a certificate goes wrong. Measures get added during fitouts and removed during reconfigurations, and a certificate listing measures that are no longer installed, or missing ones that are, will not survive review.

Confirm you have the current schedule before you start assessing rather than discovering the mismatch while writing the certificate.

## Assessment dates and who did them [#assessment-dates-and-who-did-them]

Each measure needs an assessment behind it, and the dates matter as much as the results.

Assessments spread across a long period, or bunched implausibly close together, both draw attention. Where different people assessed different measures, that needs to be reflected rather than collapsed into one name and one date for convenience.

The certificate is a statement by the person issuing it. Recording the assessments accurately is what makes that statement supportable.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start the [NSW Fire Safety Certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-fire-safety-certificate) when the schedule and assessment pack are in front of you. Confirm the trigger with [when a certificate is required](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-nsw-fire-safety-certificate-required), run the [common mistakes checklist](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-nsw-fire-safety-certificate), or browse [NSW fire safety forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/fire-safety). The [fire safety forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/fire-safety) has the national set for contractors working across borders.

## Official references [#official-references]

For current requirements, check the [NSW Planning fire safety certification page](https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/policy-and-legislation/buildings/fire-safety-in-buildings/fire-safety-certification), the [Environmental Planning and Assessment (Development Certification and Fire Safety) Regulation 2021](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/sl-2021-0689), the [Fire and Rescue NSW fire safety statement lodgement guidance](https://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/fire-safety/building-fire-safety/service-type-tool/lodge-a-fire-safety-statement) where statement work is involved, and the [NSW guide to selecting an accredited practitioner](https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-03/selecting-an-accredited-practitioner-fire-safety.pdf).

# When to use a Take 5 pre-task check (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-to-use-take-5-pre-task-check)

If-then checklist: when a Take 5 is enough, when you still need a JSA or SWMS, and what to do when conditions change mid-shift. | Trade: Building | Template: national-take-5

One builder wants a "Take 5". Another wants a "JSA". The high risk step still needs a SWMS whether anyone said the word or not. Choosing the wrong PDF wastes the morning at the gate.

Use the if-then path below. For labels and the full three-way comparison, read [SWMS vs JSA vs Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/swms-vs-jsa-vs-take-5). For filling the short form: [How to complete a Take 5 on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/take-5-safety-check-on-site-guide).

**Key takeaways**

- Take 5 is a short pre-task check, not a substitute for a SWMS on high risk construction work
- Use Take 5 when the pack asks for it, when conditions change, or when a personal stop-and-look adds value
- Match the document name the principal filed, and still meet the SWMS duty when it applies
- JSA covers step-by-step job analysis; Take 5 covers the moments before you start

## When do you need a SWMS instead of a Take 5? [#when-do-you-need-a-swms-instead-of-a-take-5]

You need a SWMS whenever high risk construction work is about to start, and a Take 5 never substitutes for it. Under model WHS rules used across most of Australia, a PCBU that carries out high risk construction work must ensure a Safe Work Method Statement is prepared before that work starts. SafeWork NSW publishes clear guidance for NSW sites. Other states and territories apply the same high risk construction work concept through their WHS laws and codes.

A Take 5 does not replace that duty. Treat the SWMS trigger as hard. Treat Take 5 as a useful site habit and pack requirement on top.

High risk examples include fall risk more than two metres, work near energised electrical installations, work near powered mobile plant, and trenches deeper than 1.5 metres. Full lists live on your state regulator site and in the [model Construction Work Code of Practice](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/resources-and-publications/model-codes-practice/model-code-practice-construction-work).

## If-then decision tree [#if-then-decision-tree]

**If** the task is high risk construction work **and** no current SWMS exists for this method and site\
**then** prepare or update a [SWMS](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement) before that work starts. Do not start on a Take 5 alone. NSW detail: [When is a SWMS required in NSW](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-swms-required-nsw).

**If** the pack or PO names a document (SWMS, JSA, Take 5, risk assessment, toolbox)\
**then** match that name for the gate file, and still run the SWMS check above.

**If** the pack requires a [JSA](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-jsa) for the package\
**then** complete a site-specific JSA with crew sign-on. More: [When is a JSA required](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-a-jsa-required-construction).

**If** the pack or employer requires a daily or per-task pre-start\
**then** complete a [Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-take-5) before tools come out, even when a SWMS or JSA already exists.

**If** conditions change mid-shift (weather, plant, other trades, access, method)\
**then** stop when safe, run a fresh Take 5 for the new conditions. **If** the high risk method itself changed, review the SWMS before resume.

**If** the supervisor only said "just send a Take 5" **and** high risk construction work applies\
**then** prepare the SWMS, send both, and say clearly: SWMS covers the high risk method; Take 5 is the pre-task check.

**If** none of the high risk triggers apply, the pack only asks for a pre-task card, and the step is routine\
**then** a Take 5 alone is usually enough for that moment.

## When is a Take 5 enough on its own? [#when-is-a-take-5-enough-on-its-own]

**Is a Take 5 enough here?**

- **Usually enough** - - Routine second fix or finishing, no high risk activity
  - Re-check after lunch when the method still matches
  - Joining a crew that already holds a current SWMS and toolbox
  - An employer habit of a daily card for all tasks (Still escalate if the step grows into high risk work mid-job.)
- **Not on its own** - - High risk construction work about to start with no SWMS
  - Roof work with a fall risk over two metres
  - Trench deeper than 1.5 metres with an excavator
  - The pack, auditor, or contract names a specific method document (A signed card about being careful does not replace a named method.)

A Take 5 alone is usually enough when no high risk construction work trigger applies, the pack asks only for a pre-task card, and the step is routine. Common cases:

- Routine second fix or finishing with no high risk construction work activity
- Re-check after lunch when the morning SWMS still matches the method but weather or access shifted
- Personal check when joining a crew that already holds a current SWMS and toolbox for the activity
- Employer process that requires a daily Take 5 for all tasks as a minimum habit
- Small maintenance step on a site where the principal only asks for pre-task cards for low risk work

Even then, if the step grows into high risk construction work mid-job (for example a fall risk appears when edge protection is removed), escalate before that step continues.

## When is a Take 5 not enough? [#when-is-a-take-5-not-enough]

A Take 5 is never enough on its own once a high risk construction work trigger applies, or once the pack, auditor, or contract names a specific method document. Escalate in these cases:

- High risk construction work about to start and no SWMS exists
- Principal filed "SWMS" or "WHS Form 05" in the pack
- Client auditor asked for step-by-step JSA evidence for a multi-day package
- Licence or contract requires a specific method document beyond a personal check

Roof work with fall risk greater than two metres: a signed Take 5 about "being careful on the roof" does not replace a SWMS that names fall controls. Trench deeper than 1.5 metres with an excavator: Take 5 after rain is still useful for ground conditions, but it sits on top of the SWMS.

## Stack without triple entry [#stack-without-triple-entry]

1. SWMS for the high risk method before that work starts (when the duty applies)
2. JSA only if the client system still requires that format for the package
3. Take 5 each morning or after a redesign so people re-check conditions
4. Toolbox talk when the crew needs a group brief and attendance record

You do not need every document on every job. You need the legal SWMS when high risk construction work applies, plus whatever the principal's pack requires, plus enough pre-task discipline that people notice change.

## Two worked if-thens [#two-worked-if-thens]

**Electrical second fix, empty dwelling, circuits isolated and proven dead, no fall risk above two metres.**\
If no high risk construction work activity remains: Take 5 or company pre-start; JSA only if your system uses one for every board job. SWMS only if a high risk trigger is still present (for example work near energised services until isolation is complete).

**Scaffolded facade, fall risk more than two metres.**\
If high risk construction work applies: SWMS before start. If the builder's portal asks for JSA: add the JSA. If the site wants morning pre-starts: Take 5 each day confirming scaffold and exclusion. Do not swap Take 5 for SWMS.

## What supervisors should put in the induction [#what-supervisors-should-put-in-the-induction]

Name the documents the gate will ask for by form number or title. State when high risk construction work needs a SWMS before start. Say whether Take 5 is daily, per task, or on change only. Keep one method of work across SWMS, JSA, and Take 5 so rows do not contradict.

## Building the habit without it becoming theatre [#building-the-habit-without-it-becoming-theatre]

The risk with a per-task check is that it becomes a form people fill rather than a moment people take.

The signs are familiar. Every card looks the same, the task line never changes, and every answer is Yes. At that point the document exists and the check does not, which is worse than having no card because it produces evidence of a habit that is not real.

What keeps it honest is supervisors treating a No as normal rather than as a problem. A crew that has seen a No written down, acted on, and cause no trouble will write the next one. A crew that has seen a No turn into an argument will stop writing them.

## When conditions change mid-shift [#when-conditions-change-mid-shift]

The most useful Take 5 is often the second one, done after something changed.

Weather turns, a scaffold bay comes out, another trade starts work overhead, or the method shifts. Each of those makes the morning check partly out of date, and the sensible response is a fresh check for the new conditions rather than an amendment to the old one.

Where the change affects a high risk method, that goes further than a Take 5 and back to the SWMS.

## Related reading [#related-reading]

- [How to complete a Take 5 on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/take-5-safety-check-on-site-guide)
- [9 Take 5 shortcuts that fail toolbox audits](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-take-5-mistakes-site-safety)
- [Take 5 record keeping and handover](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/take-5-record-keeping-handover)
- [SWMS vs JSA vs Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/swms-vs-jsa-vs-take-5)
- [JSA vs SWMS for builders](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/jsa-vs-swms-for-builders)
- [Building forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/building)

## Official sources [#official-sources]

- [Manage risks (Safe Work Australia)](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/safety-topic/managing-health-and-safety/identify-assess-and-control-hazards/managing-risks)
- [Prepare safe work method statement (SafeWork NSW)](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/construction/general-requirements/prepare-safe-work-method-statement)
- [Construction work (SafeWork NSW)](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/construction)
- [Model Code of Practice: Construction work](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/resources-and-publications/model-codes-practice/model-code-practice-construction-work)

Principal packs can add Take 5 and JSA requirements. They do not remove the SWMS duty for high risk construction work where it applies.

# Common mistakes on NSW fire safety certificates (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-nsw-fire-safety-certificate)

Fix NSW fire safety certificate mistakes before download: wrong final vs interim type, schedule mismatch, weak measure rows, and missing owner details. | State: NSW | Trade: Fire Safety | Template: nsw-fire-safety-certificate

Most certificate rework is avoidable. The building work is done, the schedule exists, and the assessment happened, but the PDF picks the wrong certificate type, copies an old measure list, or leaves owner and declarant details half finished.

Run this checklist before you download the [NSW Fire Safety Certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-fire-safety-certificate). Clean measure rows beat a rushed PDF that comes back from the certifier. When the certificate is required: [when is a NSW fire safety certificate required](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-nsw-fire-safety-certificate-required). Field walkthrough: [on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-on-site-guide). Browse [NSW fire safety forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/fire-safety).

**Key takeaways**

- Pick final or interim from the stage of work, not from habit
- Measure rows must match the current fire safety schedule
- Assessment standards and dates need to be real, not guessed
- Owner, building, and declarant blocks fail simple file checks when reused from another job
- Do not mix certificate work with annual statement language

## Why does final vs interim keep going wrong? [#why-does-final-vs-interim-keep-going-wrong]

Because the forms look similar and teams copy the last PDF. NSW Planning and the Regulation distinguish final certificates for the building work as a whole from interim certificates for a completed part of a building. The declaration section later must match that choice.

**Final when the work is only partial.** The PDF is marked final, but occupation or certifier instructions only cover a stage or part of the building. Read the consent, construction certificate, occupation pathway, and certifier notes. Choose interim when the certificate is not for the whole building work.

**Interim language on a finished whole building.** The reverse error is also common. If the certificate covers the completed building work as a whole, use the final declaration path. For the type decision in more depth, see [final vs interim](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-final-interim-guide).

## Mistake: measure rows that do not match the schedule [#mistake-measure-rows-that-do-not-match-the-schedule]

The certificate certifies relevant essential fire safety measures in the **current** fire safety schedule as capable of performing to at least the standard required by that schedule.

How it fails:

- Old schedule version copied from a previous certificate or similar building type
- Missing measures that the current schedule includes
- Extra measures that are not on this schedule
- Wrong or truncated minimum standard of performance text
- Building description that does not match the schedule

**Measure row**

- **This** - Automatic fire sprinkler system, AS 2118.1-2017, as stated in the current fire safety schedule dated 12 March 2026 (Copies the schedule, names the edition, and cites which schedule it came from.)
- **Not this** - Sprinklers, AS 2118 (Truncated standard text that does not match the schedule wording.)

Open this building's current schedule beside the form. Enter each relevant measure with the standard the schedule actually requires. Match building name, address tokens, and part-of-building language for interim certificates. If you cannot match a measure to the schedule, stop and resolve the schedule or assessment pack. Do not invent a "close enough" row.

## Mistake: empty or vague assessment dates [#mistake-empty-or-vague-assessment-dates]

Certifiers and owners look for assessment evidence tied to measures. Blank dates or "various" with no support invite rejection.

Record assessment dates that match the qualified person's records. Behind each date should be something you can retrieve: test sheet, commissioning record, inspection note, or practitioner report as applicable. The certificate PDF is the summary, not the entire evidence library. If a measure was not assessed, do not pretend it was.

## Mistake: building address and owner details from the wrong record [#mistake-building-address-and-owner-details-from-the-wrong-record]

Street aliases, lot-only descriptions, and wrong unit numbers break file matching. Match the address to the development consent, construction certificate, and schedule building description. Include lot and DP details where the form expects them.

The certificate is issued by or on behalf of the building owner. Putting only a managing agent or tenant name in the owner block without the correct owner identity creates confusion. If the owner is a company or owners corporation, use the legal name on the building record. If an agent acts for the owner, keep roles clear in the fields that ask for them.

## Mistake: declarant block incomplete or completed too early [#mistake-declarant-block-incomplete-or-completed-too-early]

Name, organisation, contact, and the correct final or interim declaration need to be complete. Signing the wrong declaration block is a structural error. Completing the declarant while measure rows are still blank is how empty standards leave the building.

Finish measures first, then the declarant section. Use the final declaration only for final certificates and the interim declaration only for interim certificates. The form separates those blocks so you are not filling both by accident.

## Mistake: mixing certificate work with annual statement work [#mistake-mixing-certificate-work-with-annual-statement-work]

Teams sometimes paste AFSS-style annual statement language into a certificate job, or the reverse.

If the job is ongoing annual statement duty, use the [fire safety statement form](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-fire-safety-statement). If the job is new building work certification against the schedule, stay on the certificate path. See [certificate vs statement](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-vs-statement-guide). For statement mistakes that are a different checklist entirely, see [common AFSS mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-nsw-fire-safety-statement).

## Mistake: no plan for copies and display [#mistake-no-plan-for-copies-and-display]

A finished PDF that never reaches the owner, certifier, or required display path still fails the job closeout even if the content is perfect.

Confirm who needs a copy before you leave site or close the job file. Keep a clean download with the job record. See [handover and records](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-handover-records).

## Field patterns that keep failing [#field-patterns-that-keep-failing]

**Schedule PDF from six months ago.** The builder emails "the schedule" from an old pack while the certifier holds an amended schedule. Your certificate matches the wrong document. Ask which schedule version is current before you type a single measure row.

**Interim without a part label.** The PDF says interim, but the building description reads like the whole site. Later readers treat it as a final for everything. Put the stage or wing in the building description and filename.

**One contractor assessed half the measures.** You download a certificate covering the full schedule while half the assessment reports never arrived. List only measures you can evidence for this certificate, or wait until the pack is complete.

**Certificate emailed, schedule not attached.** The owner has a pretty PDF and no idea which schedule it sat against. Send schedule, certificate, and assessment pack as one named bundle.

## Pre-download checklist [#pre-download-checklist]

1. Certificate type is final or interim for the real stage of work
2. Building description matches the approval and schedule
3. Owner details are correct
4. Every relevant schedule measure is listed with the right performance standard
5. Assessment dates and status fields are complete
6. Declarant details and the matching declaration block are complete
7. Preview shows a clean PDF
8. You know who receives copies

Long measure tables are easy to mis-tap on a phone. Preview the official layout, scroll every measure row, then download. If two people are on the job, have the second person check certificate type, building description, first and last measure rows, declarant name, and declaration block type. The [form](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-fire-safety-certificate) flags gaps before download.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the official PDF layout. It does not certify measures, lodge anything, or approve the work. You remain responsible for certificate content and declarations.

## Why these cluster at the end [#why-these-cluster-at-the-end]

Nearly every error above happens at issue, when the certificate is needed for an occupation deadline and gets completed quickly from the previous document.

Preparing it from the current schedule and the actual assessment, rather than from the last certificate for the building, removes most of them. The measures, the assessment dates, and the declarant details are the three fields most likely to be carried forward from something that no longer applies.

## The schedule is the field that matters [#the-schedule-is-the-field-that-matters]

If one thing repays attention it is the fire safety measures schedule.

A certificate whose measures do not match the building's approved schedule is the most common reason for rejection, and it is entirely avoidable by working from the current schedule rather than a copy. Where the schedule itself looks wrong, that is a question to resolve before issuing rather than something to smooth over in the certificate.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start the [NSW Fire Safety Certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-fire-safety-certificate) when the schedule and assessment pack are ready. Confirm the trigger with [when a certificate is required](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-nsw-fire-safety-certificate-required), walk the fields with the [on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-on-site-guide), or browse [NSW fire safety forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/fire-safety). Fire safety forms for every state sit on the [fire safety forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/fire-safety).

## Official references [#official-references]

For current requirements, check the [NSW Planning fire safety certification page](https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/policy-and-legislation/buildings/fire-safety-in-buildings/fire-safety-certification), the [Environmental Planning and Assessment (Development Certification and Fire Safety) Regulation 2021](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/sl-2021-0689), the [Fire and Rescue NSW fire safety statement lodgement guidance](https://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/fire-safety/building-fire-safety/service-type-tool/lodge-a-fire-safety-statement) where statement work is involved, and the [NSW guide to selecting an accredited practitioner](https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-03/selecting-an-accredited-practitioner-fire-safety.pdf).

# When is a NSW fire safety certificate required (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-nsw-fire-safety-certificate-required)

When NSW needs a final or interim fire safety certificate, how it differs from the annual fire safety statement, and what to check before issuing. | State: NSW | Trade: Fire Safety | Template: nsw-fire-safety-certificate

A fire safety certificate sits at the end of building work when owners, certifiers, and councils need proof that essential fire safety measures match the fire safety schedule.

This guide answers the trigger question: when do you need a final certificate, when do you need an interim certificate, and when you are looking at a different document such as the annual fire safety statement. Use the [NSW Fire Safety Certificate form](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-fire-safety-certificate) once the evidence chain is real, or browse [NSW fire safety forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/fire-safety).

**Key takeaways**

- A fire safety certificate is issued by or on behalf of the owner when new building work is complete
- Final covers the whole building work; interim covers a completed part of the building
- The current fire safety schedule drives what must be certified
- The annual fire safety statement is a separate ongoing obligation, not the same form
- Fix the schedule and assessment pack before you treat the certificate as due

## What do NSW Planning and the Regulation say? [#what-do-nsw-planning-and-the-regulation-say]

NSW Planning says a fire safety certificate is issued by or on behalf of a building owner when new building work is complete. The certificate confirms that a properly qualified person has installed and checked the measures listed in the fire safety schedule, helping verify that the measures can perform to the minimum standard.

The Environmental Planning and Assessment (Development Certification and Fire Safety) Regulation 2021 defines two certificate types:

- A **final** fire safety certificate, issued for a building by or on behalf of the owner
- An **interim** fire safety certificate, issued for part of a building by or on behalf of the owner

The same Regulation says a final or interim certificate certifies that each relevant essential fire safety measure in the current fire safety schedule has been assessed as capable of performing to at least the standard required by the schedule.

| Type    | Covers                                             |
| ------- | -------------------------------------------------- |
| Final   | Building work as a whole                           |
| Interim | A completed part of a building, not the whole work |

## When is a final certificate the right document? [#when-is-a-final-certificate-the-right-document]

Choose a final fire safety certificate when the relevant building work is complete and the measures being certified apply to the building as a whole for that work.

The type is the first decision on the form, and it drives which declaration you sign at the end.

Typical moments:

- Building work under a construction certificate or complying development path has reached the stage where a final fire safety certificate is required for occupation or completion paperwork
- The fire safety schedule measures for that work have been installed and assessed
- The certifier or consent pathway asks for a final certificate, not an interim one

If only part of the building is complete and the certificate is not meant to cover the whole work, interim may be correct instead. For the type decision in more depth, see [final vs interim](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-final-interim-guide).

## When is an interim certificate the right document? [#when-is-an-interim-certificate-the-right-document]

An interim fire safety certificate is for a completed part of a building. It is used when part of the building is complete and the certificate is not for the whole building work.

Typical moments:

- Staged occupation or staged completion where only a defined part is ready
- Certifier instructions call for interim certification of completed measures in that part
- The declaration must match the interim block, not the final block

Do not issue a final certificate for a partial stage just because the PDF fields look similar. The declaration type is part of the legal meaning of the document.

Large projects can generate more than one certificate over time. An interim certificate for a completed wing does not automatically satisfy a later final certificate for the whole building work. Keep each version in the job file with date, type, part covered if interim, and schedule reference.

## Start from the fire safety schedule [#start-from-the-fire-safety-schedule]

The current fire safety schedule drives the certificate. The Regulation requires the schedule to specify fire safety measures and the minimum standard of performance for each measure.

Before deciding the certificate is due, confirm:

- Which building or part of building the schedule covers
- Which essential fire safety measures are relevant to this certificate
- The minimum standard of performance for each measure
- Assessment evidence and dates for those measures
- Whether the schedule has been reissued or corrected since the last draft certificate

If the schedule is wrong or outdated, fix the schedule path first. The certificate is not a place to invent measures. For how to enter the rows once the schedule is right, see the [on-site certificate guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-on-site-guide).

Keep the schedule version with the assessment evidence and finished certificate. If the schedule changes between the first draft and signing, rebuild the measure rows from the current version instead of editing one or two lines from memory. That keeps the certificate, practitioner evidence and certifier record on the same basis.

## Is this certificate or an annual fire safety statement? [#is-this-certificate-or-an-annual-fire-safety-statement]

Many NSW buildings also have ongoing fire safety statement duties after occupation. That is a different document family from the certificate issued around new building work.

| Document                                   | Typical moment                                                                    |
| ------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Fire safety certificate (final or interim) | New building work complete; schedule measures assessed for that work              |
| Annual fire safety statement               | Ongoing building obligation after occupation / for existing buildings as required |

If the client asked for an "AFSS" or annual statement, open the [NSW fire safety statement path](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-fire-safety-statement) and [certificate vs statement](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-vs-statement-guide). Do not force statement wording onto the certificate form. For statement timing, see [when is a NSW fire safety statement required](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-nsw-fire-safety-statement-required).

## Who needs to be involved? [#who-needs-to-be-involved]

The certificate is issued by or on behalf of the building owner. A properly qualified person assesses the measures. Certifiers, managing agents, and fire safety practitioners often sit in the middle of the paperwork chain.

Before you treat the certificate as ready:

- Confirm who is authorised to issue on behalf of the owner
- Confirm the owner identity matches the approval and schedule records
- Confirm who assessed each measure and against which standard
- Confirm where copies must go (owner, display, certifier, council pathway as applicable)

Talk to the certifier early when the building is close to completion. Ask whether they expect a final certificate, an interim certificate for a defined part, or both across stages. After issue, see [handover and records](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-handover-records).

## Practical decision patterns [#practical-decision-patterns]

**New warehouse complete.** Building work finished, all schedule measures assessed for the building as a whole. Final fire safety certificate is the usual document type, subject to certifier instructions.

**Mixed-use building with one tower floor ready.** Only a defined part is complete and the certificate is not for the whole building work. Interim certificate with a clear description of the part covered.

**Client asks for "the yearly fire paper".** That is often the annual fire safety statement path, not the certificate for new building work. Switch to the statement form rather than forcing statement wording onto the certificate.

**Staged occupation across wings.** Certifier wants an interim certificate for Wing A this month and a final later for the whole building. That is two certificate events, not one PDF reused with the type flipped in a viewer. Keep separate dated downloads and separate evidence packs.

**Schedule amended after practical completion walk.** Measures were assessed against an earlier schedule version, then a later version lands with an extra measure. Do not treat the old assessment pack as enough until that measure is assessed.

## What the certificate is not [#what-the-certificate-is-not]

The fire safety certificate is not:

- An annual fire safety statement for ongoing building obligations
- A substitute for fixing a wrong or missing fire safety schedule
- Permission to occupy without the rest of the certification pathway the consent requires
- A place to list measures you hope will be installed later

If those are the real problems, fix the schedule, statement, or consent pathway first. The certificate comes after the evidence chain is real. Avoid the rework list in [common certificate mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-nsw-fire-safety-certificate).

## Decision checklist [#decision-checklist]

1. Is this about **new building work** and the fire safety schedule for that work?
2. Is the work **complete for the whole building** (final) or only a **defined part** (interim)?
3. Do you have the **current schedule** and assessment evidence?
4. Is the client actually asking for an **annual statement** instead?
5. Do you know who issues **on behalf of the owner** and who assessed the measures?

If step 1 is yes and step 4 is no, you are on the certificate path. Open the [NSW Fire Safety Certificate form](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-fire-safety-certificate).

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the official layout. It does not lodge the certificate or approve the work.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start the [NSW Fire Safety Certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-fire-safety-certificate) when the schedule and assessment pack are ready. Walk the fields with the [on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-on-site-guide), choose type with [final vs interim](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-final-interim-guide), or browse [NSW fire safety forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/fire-safety). The [fire safety forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/fire-safety) covers the other states.

## Official references [#official-references]

For current requirements, check the [NSW Planning fire safety certification page](https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/policy-and-legislation/buildings/fire-safety-in-buildings/fire-safety-certification), the [Environmental Planning and Assessment (Development Certification and Fire Safety) Regulation 2021](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/sl-2021-0689), the [Fire and Rescue NSW fire safety statement lodgement guidance](https://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/fire-safety/building-fire-safety/service-type-tool/lodge-a-fire-safety-statement) where statement work is involved, and the [NSW guide to selecting an accredited practitioner](https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-03/selecting-an-accredited-practitioner-fire-safety.pdf). Confirm the current consent, schedule, and certifier instructions for your building before issuing a certificate.

# QLD CoTC 5-year file: what to keep and who needs it (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-cotc-record-keeping-five-years)

Queensland CoTC five-year record checklist: contractor copy, customer handover, naming, supporting notes, corrections, and who gets which PDF. | State: QLD | Trade: Electrical | Template: qld-electrical-cotc

The certificate is easy to treat as a one-time send. Customer wants the PDF, you email it, the job is paid, and everyone moves on. Six months later the owner sells, the insurer asks for evidence, or the office cannot find which version left the business.

Queensland does not treat the CoTC as a disposable attachment. Business Queensland says electrical contractors must keep a copy of these certificates for five years. WorkSafe Queensland's guidance also reminds contractors to keep their own copy after the certificate is given to the person for whom the work was performed.

This is a checklist for the five-year file: what to keep, where it lives, and who gets which copy. For filling the form, use the [QLD CoTC on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-electrical-cotc-on-site-guide). For when a certificate is required, use [when a QLD CoTC is required](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-qld-cotc-required). Browse [QLD electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/electrical).

**Key takeaways**

- Keep the contractor copy of each QLD certificate for five years in a business-controlled system
- Hand the certificate to the person the work was done for, then store the same finished PDF with the job
- Use consistent file names and keep supporting test and scope notes with the certificate
- Treat corrections as versioned re-issues, not silent overwrites

## Who is the CoTC file actually for? [#who-is-the-cotc-file-actually-for]

### 1. The person the work was done for (handover copy) [#1-the-person-the-work-was-done-for-handover-copy]

WorkSafe Queensland says the certificate must go to the person for whom the work was performed. That is usually the party that engaged the licensed electrical contractor, and usually the party you invoice.

On multi-party jobs, confirm before you hit send:

- Owner-occupier
- Investor owner via agent
- Builder
- Body corporate or strata manager
- Facilities manager

A tenant or site supervisor may need a courtesy copy. They are not automatically the person the certificate was issued for. Put the right party in the customer block, and note the decision on the job if the site is messy.

Finish the PDF before you leave where you can, or send it from the business process (not only a personal phone account). Save the sent message or portal receipt with the job.

### 2. The licensed electrical contractor (five-year copy) [#2-the-licensed-electrical-contractor-five-year-copy]

The contractor under whose licence number the certificate was issued keeps the copy. Customer handover and contractor storage are separate duties that happen in the same moment. If the customer deletes the email, you still need your file.

A useful contractor copy is complete, the same version the customer received (or clearly versioned if corrected), searchable by site, customer, date, and job number, stored where the business controls it, and backed up so one phone loss does not wipe the record.

### 3. Later askers (sale, insurer, call-back, investigation) [#3-later-askers-sale-insurer-call-back-investigation]

In five years a certificate can be asked for by the original customer or a later owner, a builder closing a defect period, an insurer, a property manager, your own office on warranty, or a regulator process. If the only copy lives in one sparky's downloads folder, the business has luck, not a system.

## Checklist: what to keep in the pack [#checklist-what-to-keep-in-the-pack]

Keep the CoTC as the completion certificate. Keep supporting material beside it, not stuffed into the certification statement.

Typical pack:

- Finished CoTC or certificate of testing and safety PDF
- Test notes, tester downloads, or photos of readings where your process keeps them
- Switchboard and installation photos that identify the work
- Scope confirmation, variation messages, or customer approval notes
- Defect or remedial notes if other work on site was incomplete
- Invoice or job number used by the office
- Notice date and send method
- Any corrected PDF if the first download needed a fix

Do not turn the certificate itself into a full test log. The certificate needs the required details and certification statement. Supporting detail can live beside it.

## Where should the file live? [#where-should-the-file-live]

Pick one primary system and make it mandatory. Two half-used systems are worse than one boring system everyone follows.

Good homes:

- Attach the PDF to the job in your job system of record
- Shared drive with the same naming pattern
- Both, if the office wants the job card and a long-term archive folder

Weak homes:

- Chat threads only
- Camera roll photos that cut off the signature or licence block
- Paper books that stay in one ute
- Scans saved only on a home computer

If you must capture paper, convert it to a clean PDF the same day, name it properly, and store it in the business system. Then treat that PDF as the working record.

## Checklist: how to name it so year four still finds it [#checklist-how-to-name-it-so-year-four-still-finds-it]

Use a boring pattern: `YYYY-MM-DD_customer-or-builder_suburb_cotc.pdf`.

**File name**

- **Findable in year four** - - `2026-07-24_smith-builder_toowong_cotc.pdf`
  - `2026-07-24_acme-facilities_murarrie_cots.pdf` for a testing and safety certificate
  - `2026-07-24_job-18422_southport_cotc.pdf` if job numbers are your primary key (Date first, so the folder sorts itself.)
- **How five-year duties fail** - - `scan0007.pdf`
  - `cert final final 2.pdf` (Nobody notices until someone asks for a certificate from 2023.)

Write a short, specific work description at issue time. "Electrical work completed at site" makes search painful when the suburb has three similar jobs.

## Checklist: corrections and re-issues [#checklist-corrections-and-re-issues]

When you re-issue:

1. Fix the source details, not only the PDF filename
2. Download a clean corrected certificate
3. Give the corrected copy to the person the work was done for if they already received the first one
4. Store both versions or clearly mark which version is current
5. Note the reason for the correction on the job record

Do not leave two competing "final" PDFs with no explanation. WorkSafe Queensland's [2023 certificate amendment guidance](https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/news-and-events/newsletters/esafe-newsletters/esafe-editions/esafe-electrical/2023-newsletters/june-2023/certificate-of-test-amendment) is a useful reminder that certificates sit in a longer compliance conversation. The practical habit stays the same: keep clean copies and know where they are.

## Checklist: multi-crew and multi-licence businesses [#checklist-multi-crew-and-multi-licence-businesses]

Build these into the keep process:

- Saved licence details are reviewed after renewals
- The certificate names the contractor licence under which the work was tested
- Employees and subcontractors know which entity's details to use
- The office can filter certificates by crew, suburb, or job number
- Departing staff do not take the only local copies with them

If a worker leaves, the five-year archive must still live with the business.

## End-of-job routine (short enough to survive a busy week) [#end-of-job-routine-short-enough-to-survive-a-busy-week]

1. Choose the right certificate type for installation or equipment work
2. Fill the form while test gear and job notes are still in front of you
3. Check customer, address, work tested, test date, licence, and notice date
4. Preview the official PDF layout
5. Download the finished PDF
6. Give or send the copy to the person the work was done for
7. Attach the same PDF to the job record with a clear file name
8. Store supporting test notes and photos with that job
9. Confirm the office can open the file without ringing the sparky
10. Leave the record alone unless a genuine correction is needed later

A clean closeout pack often also includes invoice or progress claim reference, customer send confirmation, and any builder portal upload receipt. When the certificate is complete before you leave site, the office can attach it the same day.

## Kill these failures early [#kill-these-failures-early]

- **Only the customer has the PDF.** You still need the contractor copy.
- **The cert is in a chat thread.** Move it into the job system the same day.
- **Draft and final are mixed.** Store the finished download; label drafts as drafts.
- **No link between invoice and certificate.** Job number or customer name should connect payment, warranty, and certificate requests.

## What a five-year file has to survive [#what-a-five-year-file-has-to-survive]

The retention period is long enough that the file will outlive staff, phones, and probably at least one system change.

That is the practical design constraint. A filing habit that depends on one person's memory, one device, or one app subscription will not make it to year five. Records stored under the customer and job, in a place the business controls, will.

Test it occasionally by picking a job from a year ago and finding its certificate. If it takes more than a minute, the system is not going to work at year four.

## When the business changes [#when-the-business-changes]

Sole traders incorporate, businesses get sold, and licences move. Each of those is a point where certificate history commonly gets lost.

The obligation follows the work rather than the current business structure, so the file needs to move with it. Planning for that at the time of the change is much easier than reconstructing five years of certificates afterwards.

## How the form helps without overclaiming [#how-the-form-helps-without-overclaiming]

The [QLD certificate of testing and compliance](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-electrical-cotc) maps entries onto the official Queensland layout and helps catch missing fields before download. Tradie Forms does not replace your duty to decide when a certificate is required, check the PDF, give the customer copy, or keep the contractor copy for five years. Treat the downloaded PDF as the artefact your record system must hold.

Related reading: [Common QLD CoTC mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-qld-electrical-cotc-mistakes), [QLD CoTC vs NSW CCEW](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-cotc-vs-nsw-ccew).

## Official references [#official-references]

For current requirements, check [WorkSafe Queensland's issuing certificates of compliance guidance](https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/laws-and-compliance/electrical-safety-laws/issuing-certificates-of-compliance), [Business Queensland electrical contractor safety duties](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/electrical-contracting/safety-duties), the [2023 certificate amendment guidance](https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/news-and-events/newsletters/esafe-newsletters/esafe-editions/esafe-electrical/2023-newsletters/june-2023/certificate-of-test-amendment), and the [WorkSafe certificate of testing or compliance form](https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/20809/es-testing-compliance-certificate.pdf).

# QLD CoTC vs NSW CCEW for electricians working across states (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-cotc-vs-nsw-ccew)

A careful comparison of Queensland certificates of testing and compliance and NSW CCEW duties, including the BCNSW eCert submission path from 1 July 2026. | State: QLD | Trade: Electrical | Template: qld-electrical-cotc

Electricians who work across Queensland and New South Wales hear the same casual line on site: "Just do the COC." The problem is that each state means something different by that phrase.

In Queensland, the everyday document for installation work is the certificate of testing and compliance, often shortened to CoTC or certificate of test. In NSW, the compliance document for electrical wiring work is the Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work, usually called a CCEW.

They both prove tested electrical work. They are not interchangeable forms, not the same legal instrument, and not the same handover path.

This article compares the two carefully so interstate crews stop using the wrong paperwork out of habit. It is not legal advice. Check the current official pages for the state where the installation sits.

## What is the difference between a QLD CoTC and a NSW CCEW? [#what-is-the-difference-between-a-qld-cotc-and-a-nsw-ccew]

- **QLD CoTC:** Queensland certificate that the electrical installation, to the extent affected by the work, has been tested and complies with the wiring rules and other standards applying under the Electrical Safety Regulation 2013. Given to the person for whom the work was done. Contractor keeps a copy for five years.
- **NSW CCEW:** NSW certificate that electrical wiring work has been tested and complies with the Gas and Electricity (Consumer Safety) framework and relevant standards. Submitted through the current Building Commission NSW process, with customer and other copies handled through that process.

If the switchboard is in Queensland, use Queensland rules. If the switchboard is in NSW, use NSW rules. Border towns do not create a hybrid certificate.

## Why do crews mix them up? [#why-do-crews-mix-them-up]

The mix-up is understandable.

Both documents:

- Sit at the end of electrical work
- Record customer or site details
- Record the work tested
- Rely on a licensed person and testing
- Become the PDF or digital record customers ask for
- Get called "the cert" in conversation with builders

The differences sit underneath those surface similarities: legislation, certificate name, who must receive copies, retention language, and especially the NSW digital submission path that changed for CCEWs.

## Queensland CoTC in practical terms [#queensland-cotc-in-practical-terms]

WorkSafe Queensland says electrical contractors and workers completing work on behalf of an electrical contractor must provide either:

- a certificate of testing and safety for work on electrical equipment, or
- a certificate of testing and compliance for electrical installation work

For installations, WorkSafe Queensland says the contractor must provide a certificate of testing and compliance to the person for whom the work was done every time an electrical installation on which electrical work was performed is connected to a source of electricity.

Business Queensland adds that certificates must be given as soon as possible after testing or completion, and that electrical contractors must keep a copy for five years.

Core certificate content includes:

- Name and address of the person for whom the work was performed
- Details of the installation or equipment tested
- Test date
- Electrical contractor licence number
- Suitable certification statement

Queensland also distinguishes installation wording from equipment wording. That distinction is covered in [when a QLD CoTC is required](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-qld-cotc-required) and the [on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-electrical-cotc-on-site-guide).

Tradie Forms provides a [QLD CoTC form](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-electrical-cotc) that maps entries onto the official PDF layout for that Queensland certificate. The licensed contractor still checks the work and the downloaded PDF.

## NSW CCEW in practical terms [#nsw-ccew-in-practical-terms]

NSW Government's electrical compliance requirements page says electricians must submit Certificates of Compliance for Electrical Work to show compliance and that installation safety inspections have taken place.

Key NSW points from that page:

- Electrical wiring work must be done by or under the supervision of a licensed electrician
- A CCEW shows the work has been tested and complies with the Gas and Electricity (Consumer Safety) Regulation 2018, relevant Australian Standards, and the Gas and Electricity (Consumer Safety) Act 2017
- The person who carries out the electrical test must submit a CCEW as soon as practical, but no later than seven days after the electrical test has been completed
- From 1 July 2026, all CCEWs must be submitted through the BCNSW eCert portal
- Previous submission methods, including the CCEW PDF form, Essential Energy portal, or hard copy NECA book forms, are no longer accepted as the submission method

That last point matters for this comparison. Do **not** treat a downloadable PDF CCEW as the current way to complete new NSW compliance. The live submission path is BCNSW eCert. Confirm the current process on the [NSW electrical compliance requirements](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/electricians/electrical-compliance-requirements) page and the [BCNSW eCert portal](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal).

NSW also explains that once submitted through eCert, copies can be provided to relevant parties based on the certificate information, including the customer email where provided, the electrical distributor where required, and an employer or principal contractor email where provided.

## Side-by-side comparison [#side-by-side-comparison]

| Topic                               | QLD CoTC path                                                                                                 | NSW CCEW path                                                                                    |
| ----------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Common name                         | Certificate of testing and compliance (CoTC)                                                                  | Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work (CCEW)                                             |
| Main public guidance                | WorkSafe Queensland / Business Queensland                                                                     | Building Commission NSW / NSW Government electrical compliance pages                             |
| Typical job focus                   | Electrical installation work connected to a source of electricity; separate equipment certificate path exists | Electrical wiring work and safety/compliance testing under NSW consumer safety framework         |
| Who gets the customer-facing record | Person for whom the work was done                                                                             | Customer can receive a copy through eCert email or download after lodgement                      |
| Regulator / commission pathway      | Queensland public guidance centres on customer copy and contractor retention                                  | Submit to Building Commission NSW through eCert from 1 July 2026                                 |
| Timing language                     | As soon as possible after testing or completion                                                               | As soon as practical, no later than seven days after the electrical test                         |
| Retention language                  | Contractor keeps a copy for five years                                                                        | Follow current NSW record and portal process; do not rely on a paper book alone                  |
| Form used for new compliance        | Queensland certificate of testing / compliance layout                                                         | BCNSW eCert for CCEW submission; PDF CCEW is not the accepted submission method from 1 July 2026 |

Use the table as orientation only. Always check the current official page for the state of the job.

## Submission is the biggest practical split [#submission-is-the-biggest-practical-split]

For many years, crews compared the two certificates as if both were "fill a form and email the PDF." That mental model is now dangerous for NSW work.

### Queensland [#queensland]

**Queensland completion loop**

- **Test the work - Licensed person** - The test date on the certificate is this day, not the booking date.
- **Pick the certificate type - Compliance or safety** - Installation work and equipment work carry different statements.
- **Give the customer a copy - As soon as possible** - To the person the work was performed for.
- **Keep the contractor copy - Five years** - Findable, not buried in a downloads folder.

No portal step. That is the split that catches crews working across the border.

Tradie Forms supports that loop for the [QLD CoTC](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-electrical-cotc) by turning the official layout into sections you work through one at a time, saved details, validation, preview, and PDF download.

### New South Wales [#new-south-wales]

From 1 July 2026, NSW says CCEWs must be submitted through BCNSW eCert. Handwritten and PDF forms are no longer accepted for submission. [What changed with the NSW CCEW](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-ccew) sets out the current path.

That means:

- An old CCEW PDF pad or downloaded blank is not the live compliance path
- A PDF download is not a substitute for portal submission
- Training and closeout checklists need an eCert step, not only "email the cert"
- Customer copies may come from the portal workflow when email details are entered

If your business still has internal notes that say "download the CCEW PDF and lodge it," update those notes against the current NSW pages before the next NSW job.

## What stays similar enough to transfer skill [#what-stays-similar-enough-to-transfer-skill]

Cross-border experience still helps. The good habits transfer even when the form does not.

Transferable habits:

- Finish certification while the board and test notes are still open
- Name the right customer or engaging party
- Write a work description a stranger can understand
- Use the real test date
- Keep licence details current
- Store the finished record with the job
- Do not certify work you did not test

Non-transferable habits:

- Using the other state's form
- Assuming the same lodgement portal
- Assuming the same seven-day or five-year wording applies unchanged
- Copying saved NSW details onto a Queensland certificate or the reverse
- Telling apprentices "COC means the same everywhere"

## Licence and business setup across the border [#licence-and-business-setup-across-the-border]

Paperwork is only one part of interstate work. Licence eligibility, supervision, and entity details also change by state. This article does not cover mutual recognition or dual licensing in full. The certificate comparison still depends on one rule: the person and licence details on the certificate must match the state framework that applies to the installation.

If a business has both a Queensland contractor setup and a NSW setup, separate the saved details carefully. A clean digital form with the wrong state's licence block is still the wrong certificate.

## Customer conversations that reduce confusion [#customer-conversations-that-reduce-confusion]

Builders and owners often ask for "the electrical compliance cert" without caring which state form sits underneath. Answer in plain terms.

Useful lines:

- "This site is in Queensland, so you get a Queensland certificate of testing and compliance for the installation work we tested."
- "This site is in NSW, so the CCEW goes through the current Building Commission NSW eCert process, and we will provide your copy from that workflow."
- "We cannot use the NSW form for a Queensland board, or the Queensland form for a NSW board."

That short explanation prevents the office from being asked to convert one state's PDF into the other after the fact.

## Record keeping differences to watch [#record-keeping-differences-to-watch]

Queensland's five-year contractor keep requirement is explicit in Business Queensland's safety duties guidance. For NSW, follow the current Building Commission NSW process and keep whatever job evidence your business needs for warranty, disputes, and audits. Do not assume the storage rule is identical just because both jobs produce a certificate.

In both states, the weak point is the same: a finished certificate that only lives in one person's phone. Put the finished record on the job card, then keep the supporting test notes with it.

For Queensland storage habits, see [QLD CoTC record keeping for five years](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-cotc-record-keeping-five-years).

**Key takeaways**

- QLD CoTC and NSW CCEW are different state certificates, not alternate names for one form
- Use Queensland certificate rules for Queensland installation work and complete the QLD CoTC path
- For NSW CCEW compliance from 1 July 2026, submit through BCNSW eCert rather than relying on PDF CCEW forms
- Transfer good on-site habits across the border, but never transfer the wrong form

## Decision checklist for interstate crews [#decision-checklist-for-interstate-crews]

Before you open any form, answer:

1. Which state is the installation in?
2. Is this installation work, equipment work, or NSW wiring work under the local definitions?
3. Which official page governs the certificate for this site today?
4. What is the customer handover path?
5. What is the contractor storage path?
6. For NSW, has the eCert submission step been planned into closeout?
7. For Queensland, has the CoTC been prepared for the person the work was done for and the five-year keep file?

If those answers are clear, the paperwork choice is usually clear.

## Example job moments [#example-job-moments]

### Queensland domestic switchboard upgrade [#queensland-domestic-switchboard-upgrade]

The installation is in Toowoomba. You replace the main switchboard, test affected circuits, and reconnect. That is Queensland installation work. Complete a certificate of testing and compliance for the person who engaged you, hand over the copy as soon as practical, and keep the contractor PDF for five years. Use the [QLD CoTC form](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-electrical-cotc) if you want a section-by-section fill and official layout download.

### NSW new circuit in a metro house [#nsw-new-circuit-in-a-metro-house]

The installation is in Newcastle. You install and test a new dedicated circuit. That is NSW electrical wiring work under the NSW framework. Plan the CCEW through the current BCNSW eCert process, keep the seven-day test-to-submit timing in view, and give the customer their copy through the portal workflow or download path. Do not close the job with only a filled PDF blank from an old process.

### Crew travels from the Gold Coast into northern NSW [#crew-travels-from-the-gold-coast-into-northern-nsw]

Same van, same tools, different rules. Confirm the installation address before anyone reuses yesterday's saved form. Queensland saved licence details do not make a NSW certificate valid, and a NSW eCert habit does not complete a Queensland CoTC.

## Related reading and next steps [#related-reading-and-next-steps]

For Queensland installation certificates, start the [QLD CoTC form](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-electrical-cotc) and browse [QLD electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/electrical). For the NSW side, read [how the NSW CCEW is lodged now](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-ccew).

Related Queensland articles:

- [When is a QLD CoTC required](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-qld-cotc-required)
- [QLD CoTC on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-electrical-cotc-on-site-guide)
- [Common QLD CoTC mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-qld-electrical-cotc-mistakes)
- [QLD CoTC record keeping for five years](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-cotc-record-keeping-five-years)

For NSW electrical compliance process details, use the official [NSW electrical compliance requirements](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/electricians/electrical-compliance-requirements) and [BCNSW eCert portal](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal) pages rather than an old PDF download habit.

## Official references [#official-references]

Queensland: [WorkSafe Queensland issuing certificates of compliance](https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/laws-and-compliance/electrical-safety-laws/issuing-certificates-of-compliance), [Business Queensland electrical contractor safety duties](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/electrical-contracting/safety-duties).

NSW: [NSW electrical compliance requirements](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/electricians/electrical-compliance-requirements), [BCNSW eCert portal](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal).

# JSA vs SWMS for builders and subcontractors (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/jsa-vs-swms-for-builders)

When builders and subbies need a SWMS, a JSA, or both. Decision checklists, pack wording, and how to keep one method of work without double paperwork. | Trade: Building | Template: national-jsa

Builders, principals, and trades mix JSA and SWMS as if the words were twins. They are related and not the same. Wrong PDF at the gate means a return trip. Wrong PDF on a high risk step means a real gap in the plan.

This page is the builder and subcontractor decision guide: what to name in the pack, what to accept at the gate, and how to keep one method of work when both documents show up. For the full three-way comparison with Take 5 tables and worked examples, read [SWMS vs JSA vs Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/swms-vs-jsa-vs-take-5).

**Key takeaways**

- SWMS is required for high risk construction work before that work starts
- JSA is a common step-by-step format required by many site systems
- Match the document name the pack uses, and still meet the SWMS duty when it applies
- Keep one method of work so JSA and SWMS rows do not contradict
- Take 5 supports daily checks; it never replaces a SWMS on high risk work

Templates: [national JSA](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-jsa) · [NSW SWMS Form 05](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement) · [Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-take-5). Building hub: [building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/building).

## What is the difference in plain language? [#what-is-the-difference-in-plain-language]

**SWMS** plans high risk construction work before that work starts. Under model WHS rules, and SafeWork NSW guidance on NSW sites, a person conducting a business or undertaking that carries out high risk construction work must ensure a SWMS is prepared. Content covers the high risk work, hazards and risks, controls, and how those controls are implemented, monitored, and reviewed.

**JSA** (job safety analysis) breaks a package into steps, hazards, controls, and often crew sign-on. Many builders, principals, and company systems require a JSA as their own format. There is no single national government JSA form. The layout is whatever the pack or employer uses.

**Take 5** is a short personal or crew pre-task check. Useful every morning and when conditions change. Never a SWMS substitute on high risk construction work.

**What the gate is actually asking for**

- **Gets through** - - A SWMS for the high risk work, prepared before it starts
  - A JSA alongside it when the builder or your own system asks for one
  - Take 5 for the daily check, not as the package document (The legal duty and the site pack are answered separately.)
- **Gets knocked back** - - A JSA handed over for high risk construction work
  - A Take 5 offered in place of a SWMS
  - A SWMS covering every task on site, high risk or not (Right paperwork instinct, wrong duty.)

| Question                | SWMS                      | JSA                        | Take 5                   |
| ----------------------- | ------------------------- | -------------------------- | ------------------------ |
| Legal high risk trigger | Yes (HRCW)                | Not the same duty          | Not the SWMS duty        |
| Typical asker           | Law + site pack           | Builder or company system  | Supervisor or crew habit |
| When                    | Before HRCW starts        | Before package or stage    | Start of task or shift   |
| Length                  | Medium, high-risk focused | Medium to long, full steps | Short                    |

## Why do gate checks fail on JSA vs SWMS? [#why-do-gate-checks-fail-on-jsa-vs-swms]

Three mix-ups create most rework:

1. **Label swap.** The induction says "upload SWMS" and the trade sends a JSA PDF with a similar table. The risk talk may be fine. The file name and content duty are not.
2. **Soft swap.** Someone tells the crew "a JSA will do" on roof work with fall risk more than two metres. The pack closes at the office, but the SWMS duty for high risk construction work was never met.
3. **Two methods.** The SWMS says edge protection and exclusion zones. The JSA written later for the portal says "work carefully" with no edge system. Auditors and principals treat that as two stories, not one plan.

If you only remember one rule: **match the pack name, and still meet the SWMS duty when high risk construction work applies.**

## Decision checklist for builders setting the pack [#decision-checklist-for-builders-setting-the-pack]

Use this when you write the induction, PO attachments, or portal upload list.

1. **Name documents correctly.** Say SWMS when you mean high risk construction work planning. Say JSA when you mean step analysis format. Do not use "JSA/SWMS" as a single blob on the form list unless you define both.
2. **State when each is required.** Example wording: SWMS before any high risk construction work starts; JSA before each trade package starts if your system needs it.
3. **Accept that both may apply.** Do not tell trades a JSA replaces a SWMS on high risk work. You can require both.
4. **Point to form numbers where you use them.** On many NSW housing jobs the SWMS layout is HIISP Form 05 from the [housing industry site safety pack](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/house-construction/housing-industry-site-safety-pack).
5. **Keep separate upload fields.** SWMS files get lost when the only portal slot is labelled "JSA". Separate slots stop the wrong PDF from being treated as complete.
6. **Say what "site-specific" means.** Generic company essays fail both formats. Ask for the address, package, plant, and controls that match this job.

For the legal trigger list in NSW language, see [When is a SWMS required in NSW](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-swms-required-nsw). For when a JSA is required in practice, see [When is a JSA required on construction sites](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-a-jsa-required-construction).

## Decision checklist for subcontractors at the gate [#decision-checklist-for-subcontractors-at-the-gate]

1. Read the induction pack document list before tools come off the ute.
2. If high risk construction work is in your scope, prepare or update a SWMS before that work starts.
3. If the pack or PO requires a JSA, complete a site-specific JSA with crew sign-on.
4. If the supervisor only said "Take 5", still check steps 2 and 3. A short card does not close a SWMS or JSA ask.
5. Keep one method across every document you submit.
6. Preview the PDF layout the site expects (Form 05 vs company JSA) before you leave home yard when you can.

On-site writing help: [How to complete a NSW SWMS on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-swms-on-site-guide) and [How to write a JSA on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/jsa-job-safety-analysis-on-site-guide).

## How should you choose JSA, SWMS, or both on a live job? [#how-should-you-choose-jsa-swms-or-both-on-a-live-job]

Walk this path once per package, not once per career:

1. **Is any task high risk construction work?** If yes, a SWMS is required before that work starts. Full stop.
2. **Did the principal name a document?** Match the name so the site file closes. If they said JSA and the work is also high risk, do both or map one method into both templates.
3. **Is the work multi-step with crew sign-on expected?** Many builders want a JSA even when no high risk activity is on the package.
4. **Did conditions change after start?** Update the SWMS if high risk work changed. Run a Take 5 for the shift change. Do not pretend the original JSA still covers a different method.

## Quick job examples [#quick-job-examples]

**Roof work, fall risk more than two metres.** SWMS before start. JSA if the builder's portal asks for that label. Take 5 useful each morning for scaffold and weather. Do not swap Take 5 for SWMS.

**Internal fit-out with no high risk construction work activity.** SWMS not required for HRCW if none applies (confirm the list against the actual package). JSA still required if the builder's system says so.

**Excavation that may exceed 1.5 metres with an excavator.** SWMS for trench and plant interface. JSA for package steps if the pack wants it. Principal and plant operator methods must match on exclusion zones and spotter rules.

**Electrical near energised services on a renovation.** SWMS for the high risk interface. JSA if the builder requires trade-level step analysis. Coordinate with the sparky's isolation method so the documents do not disagree.

## One method, two formats [#one-method-two-formats]

Agree the method with the crew first. Write the SWMS for high risk content SafeWork expects. Write the JSA with the full step sequence the builder wants, reusing the same controls. Run crew sign-on on the JSA when the pack asks for it. Use Take 5 for daily or change checks without rewriting the whole method every morning.

Do not invent a softer method on the JSA to get through the gate while the SWMS says something stricter. Do not copy a SWMS from the last suburb without checking this site's edges, plant, and services.

Common blanks that fail both documents: [11 JSA blanks principals look for](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-jsa-mistakes-tradies) and [common SWMS mistakes on NSW sites](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-swms-mistakes-nsw).

## Induction paragraph you can paste [#induction-paragraph-you-can-paste]

Use this in the site pack, then adjust form numbers for your state:

"High risk construction work needs a SWMS prepared before that work starts. Upload the SWMS to the project folder. Each trade package also needs a JSA with crew sign-on before that package starts. Take 5 checks are required each morning or when conditions change. Do not send a Take 5 when we asked for a SWMS. Keep the same method of work across every document."

On NSW housing work, add: "Where we use the Housing Industry Site Safety Pack, the SWMS layout is Form 05."

## What builders should stop doing [#what-builders-should-stop-doing]

- Calling every safety PDF a "JSA" in emails when the legal document is a SWMS
- Accepting a Take 5 photo as close-out for high risk construction work
- Asking for two documents with two different methods and no review step
- Filing everything under one portal folder named "WHS" with no SWMS vs JSA split
- Assuming a principal's extra JSA requirement removes the SWMS duty (it does not)

## What subcontractors should stop doing [#what-subcontractors-should-stop-doing]

- Sending last month's SWMS with a new address sticker and no site review
- Writing the JSA in the car park after the work is half done "for the file"
- Treating "the builder only asked for a JSA" as permission to skip SWMS on high risk work
- Leaving crew sign-on blank when the pack requires it
- Running three different control stories across SWMS, JSA, and toolbox notes

## Next steps [#next-steps]

1. Confirm whether today's package includes high risk construction work using the [NSW SWMS trigger guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-swms-required-nsw) (or your state regulator's list).
2. Open the document the pack named: [NSW SWMS Form 05](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement) and/or [national JSA](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-jsa).
3. Align method with the crew, then fill, preview, and hand over before high risk steps start.
4. Use [Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-take-5) for daily and change checks only after the planning documents exist.

Browse more [building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/building) or the [NSW building forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/building) for related site pack paperwork.

## Official references [#official-references]

- [Prepare safe work method statement (SafeWork NSW)](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/construction/general-requirements/prepare-safe-work-method-statement)
- [Construction work (SafeWork NSW)](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/construction)
- [Housing industry site safety pack (SafeWork NSW)](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/house-construction/housing-industry-site-safety-pack)
- [Model Code of Practice: Construction work](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/resources-and-publications/model-codes-practice/model-code-practice-construction-work)
- [Manage risks (Safe Work Australia)](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/safety-topic/managing-health-and-safety/identify-assess-and-control-hazards/managing-risks)

Builders can require JSAs on top of legal duties. Those requirements do not remove the SWMS duty for high risk construction work where it applies.

# When is a QLD certificate of testing and compliance required (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-qld-cotc-required)

Learn when Queensland electricians need a certificate of testing and compliance or testing and safety, who gets a copy and what triggers each. | State: QLD | Trade: Electrical | Template: qld-electrical-cotc

"Do we need a CoTC for this job?" is the question that shows up at the end of a call-out, not the start. The board is back together, the customer is waiting for the invoice, and someone in the office asks whether this job needs a certificate of testing and compliance or a certificate of testing and safety.

In Queensland, the answer is not a vibe. WorkSafe Queensland and Business Queensland set out when certificates are required, which type applies, who issues them, and who keeps a copy. This guide turns that into plain job language so electricians can decide before the ute leaves the driveway.

Use it with the [QLD CoTC on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-electrical-cotc-on-site-guide) when you are filling the form, and with [common QLD CoTC mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-qld-electrical-cotc-mistakes) before download. Browse [QLD electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/electrical) for the wider set.

## The short answer [#the-short-answer]

For electrical installation work, Queensland points to a **certificate of testing and compliance**. WorkSafe Queensland says the electrical contractor must provide that certificate to the person for whom the work was done every time an electrical installation on which electrical work was performed is connected to a source of electricity.

For work on electrical equipment, Queensland points to a **certificate of testing and safety**.

Both certificates need the same core facts: who the work was for, what was tested, the test date, the contractor licence number, and a suitable certification statement. The statement wording changes with the certificate type.

If you only remember one decision rule: match the certificate to the thing you worked on and tested, then issue it as soon as practical after testing or completion.

## CoTC or certificate of testing and safety? [#cotc-or-certificate-of-testing-and-safety]

Queensland sparkies often say "certificate of test" for both. The paperwork is not the same, and the split is a single tick at the top of the certificate.

Testing and compliance covers the electrical installation. Testing and safety covers electrical equipment.

### Certificate of testing and compliance [#certificate-of-testing-and-compliance]

Use this path when the job is **electrical installation work**. WorkSafe Queensland and Business Queensland both describe the certification statement for installations as certifying that the electrical installation, to the extent it is affected by the electrical work, has been tested to ensure it is electrically safe and is in accordance with the wiring rules and any other standard applying under the Electrical Safety Regulation 2013.

Common installation jobs that usually sit in this bucket:

- New circuits and final subcircuits
- Switchboard replacements or alterations
- Fixed wiring changes that form part of the installation
- Lighting, GPO, or power work that is part of the fixed installation
- EV charger circuits, solar-related installation work, and other fixed electrical installation work where testing and compliance with the wiring rules matter

### Certificate of testing and safety [#certificate-of-testing-and-safety]

Use this path when the job is **electrical equipment work**. The certification statement for equipment certifies that the electrical equipment, to the extent it is affected by the electrical work, has been tested to ensure it is electrically safe.

Common equipment-focused jobs:

- Repair of an appliance or piece of electrical equipment
- Work limited to the equipment itself rather than the fixed installation
- Equipment testing and safety certification after repair or service

### Mixed jobs [#mixed-jobs]

Some call-outs involve both fixed installation work and equipment work. Do not invent a hybrid certificate type. Check what was tested, what the customer needs evidence for, and what WorkSafe Queensland requires for each part. If the installation was connected or reconnected after installation work, the CoTC path is the one WorkSafe describes for that connection moment.

When in doubt, open the current [WorkSafe Queensland issuing certificates guidance](https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/laws-and-compliance/electrical-safety-laws/issuing-certificates-of-compliance) and the [Business Queensland safety duties page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/electrical-contracting/safety-duties) rather than copying last month's PDF wording.

## The trigger in plain job terms [#the-trigger-in-plain-job-terms]

WorkSafe Queensland's FAQ language is practical: for electrical installations, provide a certificate of testing and compliance every time an electrical installation on which electrical work was performed is connected to a source of electricity.

That trigger has a few field consequences.

### 1. The work is on an electrical installation [#1-the-work-is-on-an-electrical-installation]

If you altered, extended, or otherwise performed electrical work on the installation, the certificate is about that installation work and the testing that supports the compliance statement.

### 2. The installation is connected to a source of electricity [#2-the-installation-is-connected-to-a-source-of-electricity]

The connection moment is the regulatory hook WorkSafe describes. That is why finishing the certificate after testing and before you leave site is the clean habit. Waiting until the office catches up later makes it easier to miss the notice date, the person who engaged you, or the real work description.

### 3. The certificate goes to the person the work was done for [#3-the-certificate-goes-to-the-person-the-work-was-done-for]

WorkSafe Queensland explains that this is usually the person or organisation that engaged the licensed electrical contractor, and usually the person or organisation you would invoice. A builder, owner, property manager, or body corporate can all sit in that role depending on who engaged you.

### 4. You keep your own copy [#4-you-keep-your-own-copy]

Business Queensland says electrical contractors must keep a copy of these certificates for five years. WorkSafe Queensland's guidance also treats the contractor copy as part of the duty after the certificate is issued. Record keeping is covered in more detail in [QLD CoTC record keeping for five years](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-cotc-record-keeping-five-years).

## Who must issue the certificate [#who-must-issue-the-certificate]

WorkSafe Queensland says the electrical contractor performing the electrical work issues the certificate of testing and compliance or the certificate of testing and safety. That includes situations where workers complete the work on behalf of the electrical contractor under the contractor licence number.

Practical checks before you put a name and licence number on the PDF:

- Which electrical contractor licence covers the work
- Whether a subcontractor or employed sparky completed the testing under that licence
- Whether the customer was engaged by your business or by another party
- Whether the saved licence details in your phone or job system are still current

Tradie Forms can reuse saved contractor details so you are not retyping the licence block on every job. It does not choose the responsible contractor for you. That call stays with the licensed business.

## What the certificate must include [#what-the-certificate-must-include]

Business Queensland lists the minimum certificate content:

- Name and address of the person for whom the work was performed
- Details of the electrical equipment or electrical installation tested
- The day the equipment or installation was tested
- The electrical contractor licence number under which it was tested
- A suitable certification statement

The WorkSafe example certificate also includes practical fields such as the installation or equipment description, contractor phone details, date notice was given, and signature or authorised details.

If any of those pieces are missing, the certificate is harder for the customer, builder, insurer, or office to use later. That is a different problem from choosing the wrong certificate type, but it shows up on the same job.

## Job types that usually need a clear CoTC decision [#job-types-that-usually-need-a-clear-cotc-decision]

These are not a substitute for the official rules. They are the everyday situations where Queensland crews ask the question.

### Domestic switchboard and circuit work [#domestic-switchboard-and-circuit-work]

A switchboard upgrade, new circuit, RCD work tied to the installation, or fixed wiring alteration is usually installation work. Expect a certificate of testing and compliance path when the installation is connected after the work.

### New builds and renovations [#new-builds-and-renovations]

Builder-run jobs still need the right person named on the certificate. WorkSafe Queensland's guidance about who engaged the contractor matters here. The CoTC is still about the tested installation work, not a general completion certificate for the whole build.

### Commercial tenancies and strata [#commercial-tenancies-and-strata]

The customer block may be a builder, strata manager, body corporate, or tenant depending on who engaged you. The installation address may differ from the bill-to address. The certificate is still required when the WorkSafe trigger applies; the risk is putting the wrong party in the customer fields.

### Solar, battery, and EV-related electrical work [#solar-battery-and-ev-related-electrical-work]

These jobs often mix product paperwork, network or installer documentation, and electrical installation certification. Do not assume product or commissioning paperwork replaces the Queensland certificate obligations for the electrical installation work you performed. Check the installation work path and issue the right certificate for what you tested.

### Equipment repair call-outs [#equipment-repair-call-outs]

If the job is equipment work, the certificate of testing and safety path is the one Queensland guidance describes. Using installation wording for pure equipment work, or equipment wording for installation work, is a common mix-up covered in the [common mistakes guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-qld-electrical-cotc-mistakes).

### Emergency after-hours work [#emergency-after-hours-work]

After-hours repairs still need accurate testing and the right certificate when the trigger applies. The late finish is not a reason to skip the certificate. Finish the PDF while the notes are fresh, even if the customer receives it by email before breakfast.

## When people over-certify or under-certify [#when-people-over-certify-or-under-certify]

Two opposite mistakes show up in the field.

### Over-certifying [#over-certifying]

Some crews issue a broad installation certificate for a narrow piece of work, or write a description so wide it looks like the whole house was certified. That confuses later readers and can create arguments about scope. The certificate should describe the work tested to the extent affected by the electrical work.

### Under-certifying [#under-certifying]

Other crews treat the certificate as optional for small installation jobs because the customer did not ask. Queensland's guidance does not make the certificate optional just because the invoice is small. If the installation work trigger applies, the certificate is part of the job.

The safe habit is simple: decide the certificate type from the work and the official guidance, then complete it while the test gear is still out.

**Key takeaways**

- Use a certificate of testing and compliance for electrical installation work connected to a source of electricity
- Use a certificate of testing and safety for electrical equipment work
- Give a copy to the person the work was done for, and keep the contractor copy for five years
- Finish the certificate as soon as practical after testing or completion, not days later from memory

## Timing: as soon as possible after testing or completion [#timing-as-soon-as-possible-after-testing-or-completion]

Business Queensland says a certificate must be given as soon as possible after you or your employees have tested or completed an electrical installation. That is the practical reason on-site completion wins.

Waiting creates the usual mess:

- Test date gets mixed up with the invoice date
- Customer name comes from the site contact instead of the person who engaged you
- Work description shrinks to "electrical work completed"
- Notice date is left blank
- The PDF sits in one person's downloads folder instead of the job record

If the job spans multiple visits, do not invent a single certificate from a rough-in memory. Complete the certificate for the testing and connection moment you are certifying, with the real test date and a clear description of the work tested.

## How this differs from NSW CCEW talk [#how-this-differs-from-nsw-ccew-talk]

Electricians who work both sides of the border often ask whether a QLD CoTC is "the same as a NSW CCEW". It is not. Different state, different legislation, different certificate name, different copy and submission habits.

From 1 July 2026, NSW requires CCEW submission through the BCNSW eCert portal for NSW electrical compliance. That portal path is not a Queensland CoTC process. If you need the comparison, read [QLD CoTC vs NSW CCEW](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-cotc-vs-nsw-ccew). Do not use a NSW form for Queensland work, and do not treat a Queensland certificate as a substitute for NSW obligations.

## A practical decision checklist on site [#a-practical-decision-checklist-on-site]

Before you pack up, answer these questions out loud:

1. Was this electrical installation work, electrical equipment work, or both?
2. If installation work, is the installation connected to a source of electricity after the work?
3. Who engaged the electrical contractor, and is that who belongs in the customer block?
4. What exact work was tested, and can a stranger understand it from the description?
5. What is the real test date?
6. Which contractor licence covers the work?
7. Has the customer received or been sent the certificate as soon as practical?
8. Has the finished PDF been stored with the job for the five-year keep period?

If any answer is fuzzy, fix it before download. The certificate is short. The rework later is not.

## What the customer is really asking for [#what-the-customer-is-really-asking-for]

Customers and builders rarely use the full formal name. They ask for "the electrical cert", "the COC", or "something for the insurance". Your job is to translate that request into the right Queensland document for the work performed.

Useful clarifying questions:

- Was the work on the fixed installation, on equipment, or both?
- Who engaged the electrical contractor?
- Is the certificate needed for handover, sale, warranty, or inspection support?
- Do they need it before you leave site, or is email the same day enough?

Those questions stop you from issuing the wrong certificate type just because someone used a generic label.

## Related reading and next steps [#related-reading-and-next-steps]

Start the [QLD certificate of testing and compliance](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-electrical-cotc) when you need to complete the official layout on site. Browse [QLD electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/electrical) for more Queensland electrical paperwork as coverage expands.

Related resource articles:

- [QLD CoTC on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-electrical-cotc-on-site-guide)
- [Common QLD CoTC mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-qld-electrical-cotc-mistakes)
- [QLD CoTC record keeping for five years](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-cotc-record-keeping-five-years)
- [QLD CoTC vs NSW CCEW](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-cotc-vs-nsw-ccew)

## Official references [#official-references]

For current requirements, check [WorkSafe Queensland's issuing certificates of compliance guidance](https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/laws-and-compliance/electrical-safety-laws/issuing-certificates-of-compliance), [Business Queensland electrical contractor safety duties](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/electrical-contracting/safety-duties), the [WorkSafe certificate of testing or compliance form](https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/20809/es-testing-compliance-certificate.pdf), and the [Electrical Safety Regulation 2013](https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2013-0213).

# JSA crew sign-on and handover (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/jsa-crew-sign-on-and-handover)

Run JSA crew sign-on properly, add late starters, hand the PDF to the principal, and keep sign-on with the steps so nothing goes missing. | Trade: Building | Template: national-jsa

A JSA without crew sign-on is only half a record. Signatures without a briefing are the other half of a weak system. Principals want proof that the people on the tools saw the steps and controls for this job, not only that someone typed a document in the office.

This guide covers how to run sign-on on site, how to handle late starters and crew changes, and how to hand the finished PDF to the principal without losing pieces.

**Key takeaways**

- Review steps with the crew before anyone signs
- Keep sign-on on the same record as the steps
- Add late starters properly; remove people who left
- Hand over a named PDF and keep your own copy with the job

Writing the steps: [How to write a JSA on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/jsa-job-safety-analysis-on-site-guide). Common failures: [Common JSA mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-jsa-mistakes-tradies). Building forms: [building forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/building).

## Why does crew sign-on sit on the JSA? [#why-does-crew-sign-on-sit-on-the-jsa]

Safe Work Australia expects PCBUs to manage risks and to involve workers in WHS matters in ways that fit the work. On site, the practical version for a package is simple: the people doing the job understand the hazards and controls for the steps they will take.

Putting name, company, date, and signature on the same form as the steps:

- Stops the signature sheet going missing
- Ties people to a specific method version
- Makes portal uploads and email handovers one file
- Shows who was briefed for this address and date

The national JSA keeps crew sign-on in the same document for that reason.

## Before you ask for signatures [#before-you-ask-for-signatures]

Do this first:

1. Finish business, job, and task fields
2. Write steps with hazards, risk ratings, controls, and who owns each control
3. Check permits and PPE match the steps
4. Walk the work face where practical, or use drawings and photos when access is not yet safe
5. Adjust steps if the crew knows a better safe method

Do not lock the PDF and chase signatures for a method nobody has seen.

## How to run the review (10 to 15 minutes done well) [#how-to-run-the-review-10-to-15-minutes-done-well]

A good sign-on review is short and concrete:

- Read the overall task and permits
- Walk each step in order
- Point to real controls: where the exclusion zone is, who isolates, which scaffold bay is approved
- Call out interfaces with other trades and plant
- Ask what could go wrong that is not written yet
- Update the JSA live if the crew raises a valid gap
- Then collect sign-on

**Running the review before sign-on**

- **Read the task and permits - Whoever prepared the JSA** - The overall scope before the step detail.
- **Walk each step in order - With the crew** - Pointing at real controls: the exclusion zone, who isolates, which scaffold bay.
- **Ask what is missing - Crew** - Interfaces with other trades and plant are where gaps usually surface.
- **Update, then collect sign-on - In that order** - A live update before signatures beats a correction after them.

Sign-on last is the whole point: signatures on a document the crew has just changed mean something.

Phones work if everyone can see the steps. A printed draft works if that is clearer on a windy slab. The record that matters is the final signed PDF.

## What does each sign-on row need? [#what-does-each-sign-on-row-need]

On the [national JSA](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-jsa) template:

- **Name:** as used on site induction
- **Company:** employer or labour hire entity
- **Date:** day of the review and sign-on
- **Signature:** the worker's own mark or accepted digital signature

**Crew sign-on row**

- **Attendance** - - Each worker signs their own row after the walk-through
  - Company named per row, not assumed from the head contractor
  - Today's date on every row, including late starters
  - A fresh sign-on when the method changes mid-shift (Shows who was actually on site and actually heard the method.)
- **Not attendance** - - Signing for someone who is not present
  - One person initialling a whole column
  - Blank company fields on multi-employer crews
  - Yesterday's date on a morning re-brief after a method change (A list of names is not evidence anyone was briefed.)

## What about late starters and crew changes? [#what-about-late-starters-and-crew-changes]

Construction crews change during the day. Treat sign-on as live.

**Someone arrives after the morning brief:**

1. Stop them before they start the package work
2. Review the current JSA (and SWMS if high risk work applies)
3. Add their sign-on row
4. Only then put them on the tools for that method

**Someone leaves mid-job:**

Leave their historical sign-on if they worked under that method. Do not delete history to "tidy" the form if the record needs to show who was briefed. For a fresh version after a major method change, start a revised JSA and sign the active crew on the new version.

**Labour hire and borrowed labour:**

Include them on sign-on when they work to your JSA. Their company name should reflect the entity that employs them. Confirm who is supervising their work.

## Multi-employer packages [#multi-employer-packages]

When more than one PCBU shares a face:

- Agree whose JSA is the working method for the shared steps
- Consult so controls do not clash (for example exclusion zones vs delivery access)
- Make sure each worker signs the document that covers their tasks
- Keep SWMS coordination clear when high risk construction work is shared

Consultation, cooperation, and coordination between PCBUs is a core WHS expectation. A single messy PDF with conflicting methods fails everyone.

## Sign-on vs toolbox talk vs Take 5 [#sign-on-vs-toolbox-talk-vs-take-5]

These often run on the same morning:

| Record                    | Main job                                                    |
| ------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- |
| JSA sign-on               | Confirms workers reviewed the step analysis for the package |
| Toolbox talk              | Group brief and attendance for a topic or daily hazards     |
| Take 5                    | Short personal pre-task check, often on change or per task  |
| SWMS worker communication | High risk method understood and available for HRCW          |

You do not need four long meetings. You need the right depth for the risk and the pack. A toolbox can walk the JSA steps. A Take 5 can follow when conditions shift. SWMS rules still apply for high risk construction work. See [SWMS vs JSA vs Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/swms-vs-jsa-vs-take-5).

## Declaration after crew sign-on [#declaration-after-crew-sign-on]

When the crew has signed, the preparer or authorised person completes the declaration: name, date, signature. That closes the document version for download. If steps change after declaration, update and re-declare, and re-brief affected workers.

## Handover to the principal [#handover-to-the-principal]

After download:

1. **Name the file** clearly: `JSA-[job]-[package]-[YYYY-MM-DD].pdf`
2. **Upload or email** through the channel the induction named
3. **Keep a copy** in your job system
4. **Confirm receipt** if the portal does not auto-acknowledge

If the principal wants paper in a site folder, print the signed PDF. Do not hand a different unsigned draft.

When the advisor asks later for "crew sign-on for last week", send the JSA PDFs that include both steps and signatures for those dates, not a separate attendance list that cannot be matched to a method.

## Handover at end of package or site exit [#handover-at-end-of-package-or-site-exit]

Before you leave a stage:

- Collect final JSA versions for the package
- Confirm high risk work SWMS files are in the same hand-over set when applicable
- Include any revision that followed a method change
- Note which crew lists apply to which dates if multiple versions exist

Your business may need those files after the principal's site office is gone.

## Common sign-on and handover failures [#common-sign-on-and-handover-failures]

- Clipboard signatures while people load tools, no review
- Steps on paper, signatures on a second pad, one lost
- Portal upload of an unsigned draft
- Only the supervisor signed "for the crew"
- File named `scan001.pdf` with three jobs mixed
- No company copy after handing the only PDF to the site office
- Method changed after rain, old sign-on left to stand without re-brief

## Practical morning script [#practical-morning-script]

Use this as a default for small crews:

1. Preparer finalises steps on the phone at the work face
2. Crew gathers for a short review against the live form
3. Questions and edits happen now
4. Each worker signs on
5. Preparer declares and downloads
6. PDF drops into job folder and principal channel
7. Work starts only after required controls for step one are in place
8. Late starter joins via mini review and new sign-on row

That rhythm is faster than fixing a rejected pack at 10am.

## Language to use in the briefing [#language-to-use-in-the-briefing]

Keep the talk concrete. Examples that work on site:

- "Step three is isolation. Nobody opens the board until Alex has locked out and proved dead."
- "Exclusion under the east scaffold stays up while we fix sheets. If the builder needs access, we stop that step first."
- "If the method changes after the crane arrives, we stop, update the JSA, and sign again before we restart."

Avoid vague lines like "work safe" and "use common sense" as the only content. The steps already carry the detail. The briefing makes sure people heard it.

## When someone refuses to sign [#when-someone-refuses-to-sign]

Occasionally a worker will not sign because they disagree with the method or feel rushed. That is useful information, not only an admin problem.

- Ask which step or control they reject
- Fix the method if they are right
- Escalate to the supervisor or PCBU if the disagreement is about whether work should proceed
- Do not pressure a signature to clear the gate while the objection stands

A forced signature on a method someone believes is unsafe is a weak record and a real risk.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- [How to write a JSA on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/jsa-job-safety-analysis-on-site-guide)
- [When is a JSA required on construction sites](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-a-jsa-required-construction)
- [Common JSA mistakes tradies make](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-jsa-mistakes-tradies)
- [JSA vs SWMS for builders](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/jsa-vs-swms-for-builders)
- [Take 5 record keeping and handover](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/take-5-record-keeping-handover)
- [How to complete a NSW SWMS on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-swms-on-site-guide)

## End of day and crew change [#end-of-day-and-crew-change]

When the crew changes mid-job, treat the JSA as a living record. New workers need the same walk-through and sign-on before they take on the task. If the method changed during the day, update the steps and controls first, then brief the new names.

At handover to the principal or client safety contact, download a clean PDF that shows the job details, the final method, and the sign-on list for the people who worked. Keep your own copy with the job record so you are not hunting photos of a paper pad later.

## Official sources [#official-sources]

- [Manage risks (Safe Work Australia)](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/safety-topic/managing-health-and-safety/identify-assess-and-control-hazards/managing-risks)
- [Identify, assess and control hazards](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/safety-topic/managing-health-and-safety/identify-assess-and-control-hazards)
- [Model Code of Practice: How to manage work health and safety risks](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/doc/model-code-practice-how-manage-work-health-and-safety-risks)
- [Prepare safe work method statement (SafeWork NSW)](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/construction/general-requirements/prepare-safe-work-method-statement)

# QLD Form 9 vs SA backflow prevention device report (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-9-vs-sa-backflow-report)

Compare Queensland Form 9 and the SA OTR backflow prevention device report: who gets the PDF, timing rules, and what each form records on site. | State: QLD | Trade: Plumbing | Template: qld-form-9-backflow

Cross-border plumbing crews learn the hard way that a backflow report is not a national form with a different logo. Queensland and South Australia both want a clear device and test record, but the approved form, the receiver, and the clock are different.

Use this comparison when your business runs annual tests in both states, or when a national facilities client asks why last month's QLD PDF cannot be reused on an Adelaide site. For the wider national picture, see the [Australian backflow test report guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/backflow-test-report-template-australia).

**Key takeaways**

- Queensland uses Form 9 with local government and owner copies inside 10 business days
- South Australia uses the OTR Backflow Prevention Device Report, forwarded to OTR within seven days
- Both need accurate device, location, readings, kit and tester details captured at the device
- Do not rename one state's PDF for the other state's regulator

Browse [QLD plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/plumbing) for the Queensland pack. Use the [Form 9 testing guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-9-backflow-testing-guide) and [Form 9 record keeping guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-9-backflow-record-keeping-handover) when the job is on the QLD side.

## Side-by-side snapshot [#side-by-side-snapshot]

| Topic                      | Queensland Form 9                                                                                                     | SA OTR backflow report                                                                 |
| -------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Official form              | Form 9 under Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019                                                                    | OTR Backflow Prevention Device Report                                                  |
| Main receiver              | Relevant local government and the owner                                                                               | Office of the Technical Regulator                                                      |
| Timing                     | Within 10 business days after inspecting or testing                                                                   | Within seven days of completing the work                                               |
| Typical use                | Registration and report on inspection and testing of testable devices, registered air gaps and registered break tanks | Commissioning, annual testing, replacement, removal or decommissioning records for OTR |
| Tester focus               | Authorised backflow prevention licensee details on the form                                                           | Licensed plumber with backflow prevention accreditation details on the form            |
| Live Tradie Forms template | [QLD Form 9](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-9-backflow)                                                                              | [SA Backflow Prevention Device Report](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/sa-backflow-prevention-device-report)    |

The technical work at the device can look similar. The paperwork path after the gauges come off does not.

## What QLD Form 9 is for [#what-qld-form-9-is-for]

The official Queensland Form 9 is titled for registration and report on inspection and testing of testable backflow prevention devices. It is used for sections 102(2) and 103(3) of the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019.

The form states that completion of all applicable sections is mandatory. It also requires copies to the relevant local government and the owner of the premises within 10 business days after inspecting or testing the device.

In the field, Form 9 usually captures:

- Land description and street address
- Local government area
- Owner or occupier contacts
- Protection type and device type
- Device location and mains pressure
- Main device details and readings
- Bypass, PVB, registered air gap or break tank details where applicable
- Test kit serial and verification details
- Authorised tester and contractor licence details
- Result, comments, signature and date

QBCC guidance also reminds the trade that a backflow prevention endorsement is required to test, commission or maintain these devices, and that Form 9 must be sent to the relevant local government within the required window.

Council remains the property-level authority for lodgement method and any local fee. Tradie Forms prepares the PDF. It does not lodge with council for you.

## What the SA OTR report is for [#what-the-sa-otr-report-is-for]

South Australia uses the Office of the Technical Regulator Backflow Prevention Device Report for commission, inspection and maintenance style reporting.

OTR plumbing guidance says backflow prevention devices must be installed and commissioned by a licensed plumber with backflow prevention accreditation on their licence. The same guidance says the completed backflow prevention device commission, inspection and maintenance report must be forwarded to the OTR within seven days of completing the work.

The official report records the practical test story for SA regulators:

- Test type such as commissioning, annual test, replacement or decommissioning
- Site and owner or occupier details
- Exact device location
- Device identity and type
- Test kit and calibration details
- Valve or device readings matched to the device type
- Registered break tank or air gap details where relevant
- Tester licence and certification details

Current OTR instructions on the form and plumbing page give the submission pathway, including email and postal options. Always check the live OTR page before you send, because contact details and instructions can change.

## Timing: 10 business days versus seven days [#timing-10-business-days-versus-seven-days]

This is the comparison crews feel first.

### Queensland [#queensland]

Count 10 business days from inspecting or testing the device. Both the local government copy and the owner copy sit inside that window. Waiting for Friday admin after a Monday test burns half the available days before anyone has opened the PDF.

### South Australia [#south-australia]

Count seven days from completing the work, and the completed report goes to OTR. That is a shorter calendar habit for many annual runs, especially if the crew is still on the road and the office only batches paperwork weekly.

Practical tip for mixed-state businesses:

- Finish the report on site or in the van in both states
- Use separate lodgement checklists: council + owner for QLD, OTR for SA
- Do not let a seven-day SA job sit in the same weekly batch as a ten-business-day QLD job without dates on each file

## Who gets the PDF [#who-gets-the-pdf]

### Queensland receivers [#queensland-receivers]

1. Relevant local government for the premises
2. Owner of the premises
3. Your own job record and, where useful, the occupier or facilities contact

### South Australia receivers [#south-australia-receivers]

1. Office of the Technical Regulator
2. Your own job record
3. Owner, occupier or facilities contact as your contract and good practice require

SA's formal seven-day instruction is aimed at OTR. That does not mean the owner should be left without a copy. Keep customer completion clean in both states even when the regulator pathway differs.

## What both forms still force you to get right [#what-both-forms-still-force-you-to-get-right]

State differences do not excuse weak field capture. Both reports fail for the same human reasons.

### Device identity [#device-identity]

Make, model, size, serial number and device type must match the installed unit. Last year's PDF is a clue, not a substitute for reading the tag.

### Location [#location]

Write a location the next tester can find.

**Device location**

- **This** - Building C, level 1 plant room, fire service riser 2, asset tag BF-114 (Found without ringing last year's tester.)
- **Not this** - Plant room (Useless on a multi-building site in Brisbane or Adelaide.)

### Readings and result [#readings-and-result]

Enter the readings for the device type actually tested. Mark pass or fail honestly. If you repair and retest, keep the sequence clear in the report and job notes.

### Test kit [#test-kit]

Kit serial and verification or calibration details must be current. Saved office defaults go stale.

### Tester credentials [#tester-credentials]

The person and licence details on the form must match the person authorised to do the work in that state.

If you want a pure Queensland mistakes list, use [common QLD Form 9 mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-qld-form-9-backflow).

## Job-type language on each form [#job-type-language-on-each-form]

### Queensland Form 9 [#queensland-form-9]

Form 9 is framed around registration and report on inspection and testing. Crews use it for new devices, annual tests, replacements, removals and related register updates covered by the form and local process. Make the report match the event. A removal written like an annual pass confuses the council register.

### SA OTR report [#sa-otr-report]

The SA form language is built around commission, inspection and maintenance style events, including commissioning, annual testing, replacement and removal or decommissioning. Pick the test type that matches the visit before you fill readings. A decommissioning report should not look like a clean annual pass for a device that is no longer in service.

## Qualifications and endorsement [#qualifications-and-endorsement]

Do not assume a licence stamp from one state automatically satisfies the other state's form.

- In Queensland, plan the job around the backflow endorsement and authorised tester details expected for Form 9 work.
- In South Australia, OTR guidance requires a licensed plumber with backflow prevention accreditation on their licence for installation and commissioning of these devices, and the report records tester details for the work completed.

If your business employs testers across both states, keep credential matrices in the office so dispatch does not send the wrong ticket holder to the wrong side of the border.

## Lodgement mechanics [#lodgement-mechanics]

### Queensland [#queensland-1]

Councils differ. Some accept email, some use portals, some have local instructions or fees. Confirm the method for that premises. Track acknowledgement for both council and owner copies.

### South Australia [#south-australia-1]

OTR is the central receiver for the report under the current plumbing trades guidance. Use the current OTR email or postal details from the official page or form instructions. Keep the send proof with the job.

Because the receivers differ, your software folders and job statuses should differ too. A generic "backflow lodged" tag that does not say council or OTR will hurt audits later.

## Which form should you open today? [#which-form-should-you-open-today]

Use this quick filter:

1. Where is the device installed? Queensland or South Australia decides the form.
2. What event happened? Annual test, commission, replace, remove or related report type.
3. Who must receive the PDF, and by which deadline?
4. Are the tester credentials valid for that state and device work?
5. Open the matching template, finish at the device, preview, download, send, store.

If the property is outside QLD and SA, do not force either PDF. Use the [national backflow guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/backflow-test-report-template-australia) and the local water authority or regulator process for that state.

## Portfolio clients and multi-state contracts [#portfolio-clients-and-multi-state-contracts]

Facilities managers often want one spreadsheet for every backflow device in the national portfolio. That spreadsheet is useful for booking and due dates. It is not a substitute for the state form.

When you service a portfolio that includes Queensland and South Australian sites:

- Tag each asset with state, regulator path, due date and last report file name
- Keep QLD Form 9 and SA OTR PDFs in separate naming or folder conventions
- Do not paste SA readings into a QLD PDF because the columns look familiar
- Report completion status as "council and owner sent" or "OTR sent", not only "done"
- Give the client the correct state PDF plus your own summary sheet if they want a national view

The client summary can list pass or fail, next due and device identity. The regulator still gets the approved form for that state. Mixing those layers is how a clean technical test becomes an incomplete compliance file.

## Shared on-site workflow that still respects both states [#shared-on-site-workflow-that-still-respects-both-states]

A crew that works both states can keep one field habit and two closeout habits.

### Shared field habit [#shared-field-habit]

- Confirm the asset and hazard protection level
- Photograph or note the tag and exact location
- Test with a current verified kit
- Write readings before packing up
- Confirm owner or site contact for customer copies

### Queensland closeout [#queensland-closeout]

- Complete Form 9
- Send local government copy
- Send owner copy
- Store both proofs inside 10 business days of the test

### South Australia closeout [#south-australia-closeout]

- Complete the OTR report
- Forward to OTR within seven days
- Store send proof and customer copy
- Diary the next annual due date

That split stops the worst cross-border error: a perfect technical test attached to the wrong regulator pathway.

## Related Queensland paperwork [#related-queensland-paperwork]

On Queensland sites, Form 9 may sit with:

- [Form 1](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-1-permit-work) for permit work
- [Form 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-5-testing) for other testing or commissioning reports
- [Form 14](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-14-compliance-declaration) for compliance declarations on permitted work

Those forms do not replace Form 9 for testable backflow reporting. Keep the backflow report in its own lane. See the [QLD plumbing forms list](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-plumbing-forms-list-permit-inspection-handover) for the wider set.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

For a Queensland device, start [QLD Form 9](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-9-backflow). For a South Australian device, start the [SA Backflow Prevention Device Report](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/sa-backflow-prevention-device-report).

Read the [QLD Form 9 testing guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-9-backflow-testing-guide), [common Form 9 mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-qld-form-9-backflow), and [Form 9 record keeping](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-9-backflow-record-keeping-handover) when you are on the QLD pathway. Use the [national backflow template guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/backflow-test-report-template-australia) when the property sits outside these two systems.

Browse [QLD plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/plumbing) for more Queensland templates. The [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing) has the national set if you work across borders.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the current [Queensland Form 9 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0023/3776/form-9-plumbing-drainage-regulation-2019.pdf), [Business Queensland plumbing forms page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/forms-templates), [Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019](https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/sl-2019-0042), [QBCC backflow guidance](https://qbcc.qld.gov.au/worksite-building-practice/plumbing-work/avoid-common-notifiable-work-errors), [SA OTR plumbing trades page](https://www.energymining.sa.gov.au/industry/regulatory-services/office-of-the-technical-regulator/plumbing-trades), and the [SA OTR Backflow Prevention Device Report PDF](https://www.energymining.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/844704/OTR-P-Backflow-prevention-device-form.pdf) before relying on this comparison for a live job. For the South Australian form on its own, see the [SA backflow prevention device report guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/sa-backflow-prevention-device-report-guide).

# 11 JSA blanks principals and safety advisors look for (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-jsa-mistakes-tradies)

Eleven JSA blanks that get packs rejected: wrong suburb, sign-on that is not attendance, empty who fields, paper controls, and JSA when the gate needed a SWMS. | Trade: Building | Template: national-jsa

Principals and safety advisors do not open a JSA looking for pretty headers. They look for blanks and mismatches: last suburb's address, crew names who are not on the attendance list, steps that say "general construction", controls that are not on the ground, and a JSA uploaded where the pack filed "SWMS".

This list is those reject reasons. Field writing craft: [How to write a JSA on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/jsa-job-safety-analysis-on-site-guide). When sites ask for one: [When is a JSA required](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-a-jsa-required-construction). Labels: [JSA vs SWMS for builders](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/jsa-vs-swms-for-builders).

**Key takeaways**

- Site-specific address, steps, and plant beat last week's copy
- Crew sign-on must match attendance after a real review
- Every step needs hazards, an honest risk rating, controls on site, and a who
- A detailed JSA still does not replace a SWMS for high risk construction work

## 1. Address from last suburb [#1-address-from-last-suburb]

The PDF looks finished. The site field still says the job you finished on Tuesday. Advisors cross-check against the induction address and the PO. Wrong suburb is an instant reject, even when the steps happen to fit.

**What they look for:** client name, street address, lot or stage that match this project today.

**Fix:** change job fields first when you duplicate a draft. Then rewrite every step that does not match.

## 2. Sign-on that is not attendance [#2-sign-on-that-is-not-attendance]

Names of workers on leave, on another site, or who left at smoko undermine the pack when checked against the gate list. Signatures collected while people load the truck do not prove anyone reviewed the steps.

**What they look for:** names that match today's attendance; dates that match the brief; late starters added properly.

**Fix:** only sign people present for the review who will work the package. Remove leavers when the crew changes. Detail: [JSA crew sign-on and handover](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/jsa-crew-sign-on-and-handover).

## 3. Steps that say nothing useful [#3-steps-that-say-nothing-useful]

**Step, hazard, control, who**

- **What advisors expect** - - Set-up, main work, clean-up at least, in real order
  - Mechanism: fall, crush, shock, hit by plant
  - Elimination or engineering first, then specific PPE where needed
  - Role or name who applies the control (Each row names something a supervisor can check on site.)
- **Blank or weak** - - "General construction" as one step
  - Hazard: injury
  - Control: PPE only
  - Empty who field (The PDF looks full and says nothing.)

Safe Work Australia's risk guidance expects hazards identified and risks controlled so far as reasonably practicable. Vague rows fail that purpose even if the PDF looks full.

## 4. Risk ratings that never move [#4-risk-ratings-that-never-move]

Every step rated Low on a site with plant, height, and live services looks false. Every step rated Extreme with no extra control looks like theatre.

**What they look for:** High or Extreme steps that earn stronger controls; ratings that change as conditions change.

**Fix:** rate for this site today. Be consistent inside one JSA.

## 5. Controls written on paper but missing on site [#5-controls-written-on-paper-but-missing-on-site]

"Edge protection installed" only counts when it is installed. "Board isolated" only counts when isolation and prove dead are done. Advisors walk the face when they sample packs.

**Fix:** walk controls before the related step starts. If a control is not ready, do not start that step. Update the JSA if the method must change.

## 6. Blank permits, PPE, or plant fields [#6-blank-permits-ppe-or-plant-fields]

Steps mention hot work or excavation but the permits field is blank. Plant appears on site but never in hazards. The task section and the step rows contradict each other.

**What they look for:** permits and PPE filled in the task section, then mirrored in the steps that need them.

**Fix:** fill the header fields first, then write steps that assume the same gear and permits.

## 7. Empty "who" on high risk steps [#7-empty-who-on-high-risk-steps]

If nobody owns the control, it often does not happen. Isolation, exclusion zones, and plant interfaces need a name or clear role.

**Fix:** put a real role or name in the who field for each step, especially the ones that can hurt someone.

## 8. JSA where the gate needed a SWMS [#8-jsa-where-the-gate-needed-a-swms]

A thorough JSA table can look like a SWMS. That does not meet the SWMS duty for high risk construction work under model WHS rules. Principals who asked for Form 05 or a SWMS will reject a JSA-only response for that trigger.

**What they look for:** the document name the pack filed, plus a SWMS whenever high risk construction work is on the program.

**Fix:** prepare a [SWMS](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement) when high risk construction work applies, and a [JSA](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-jsa) when the pack wants that format. Keep methods aligned. See [JSA vs SWMS for builders](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/jsa-vs-swms-for-builders).

## 9. Library hazards that bury the real ones [#9-library-hazards-that-bury-the-real-ones]

A 20-page JSA full of generic industry hazards is hard to use. Workers stop reading. Advisors pick contradictions between the library text and the live site.

**Fix:** stick to hazards for this package and this site. Broader company procedures can live in the WHS manual without being pasted into every step.

## 10. Method that contradicts the Take 5 or SWMS [#10-method-that-contradicts-the-take-5-or-swms]

JSA says harness primary; SWMS says edge protection primary; Take 5 says "be careful". Crews follow the last thing they signed. Advisors sample packs for that conflict.

**Fix:** one method of work. Update all live documents when the method changes. Comparison: [SWMS vs JSA vs Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/swms-vs-jsa-vs-take-5).

## 11. Backdated or after-the-fact JSA [#11-backdated-or-after-the-fact-jsa]

Writing the JSA at week's end for work already done trains the crew that the document is admin only. Dates that sit after the first day's attendance are an easy reject.

**Fix:** date and sign before start. If you must document a change mid-job, mark the review time honestly and stop work until the new method is agreed when risk requires it.

## Pre-start quality check [#pre-start-quality-check]

Before you hand the JSA to the gate or start the first task:

1. Job and site details match this address and this stage of work
2. Steps cover the work you will actually do today, not last week's job
3. Hazards and controls are specific enough that a new crew member can follow them
4. Controls exist or will exist before the step starts
5. Crew sign-on matches people on site now after a real review
6. Declaration complete
7. SWMS also prepared if high risk construction work applies

If any point fails, fix the JSA before tools come out.

## Office drafts that never meet the slab [#office-drafts-that-never-meet-the-slab]

Some businesses write JSAs only in the office on Friday for next week's jobs. The intent is good. The failure mode is distance: the author never saw the access, the neighbour's crane, or the incomplete scaffold.

Walk the site before crew sign-on and edit steps to match. Do not collect signatures until the live review happens. Kill steps that only exist on the drawing. An office draft is a starting point. The site version is the record that matters.

## The pattern behind the list [#the-pattern-behind-the-list]

Most of these come from the JSA being written to satisfy a gate rather than to plan the work.

A JSA produced the night before, from a template, for a package nobody has walked, will have generic steps and generic controls. That is not a documentation failure so much as a planning one, and it shows up as exactly the errors above.

A JSA built with the crew who will do the work, covering the steps they will actually take, produces specific hazards and usable controls almost automatically.

## Sign-on is not a formality [#sign-on-is-not-a-formality]

The crew sign-on is the part most often treated as a signature-collection exercise, and it is the part that carries the most weight later.

A JSA signed by people who never read it is worse than one with fewer signatures, because it documents a consultation that did not happen. If someone joins the crew mid-job, they sign on when they arrive rather than being added retrospectively.

## Related reading [#related-reading]

- [How to write a JSA on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/jsa-job-safety-analysis-on-site-guide)
- [When is a JSA required on construction sites](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-a-jsa-required-construction)
- [JSA crew sign-on and handover](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/jsa-crew-sign-on-and-handover)
- [JSA vs SWMS for builders](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/jsa-vs-swms-for-builders)
- [Common SWMS mistakes that fail NSW site audits](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-swms-mistakes-nsw)
- [9 Take 5 shortcuts that fail toolbox audits](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-take-5-mistakes-site-safety)
- [Building forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/building)

## Official sources [#official-sources]

- [Manage risks (Safe Work Australia)](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/safety-topic/managing-health-and-safety/identify-assess-and-control-hazards/managing-risks)
- [Identify, assess and control hazards](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/safety-topic/managing-health-and-safety/identify-assess-and-control-hazards)
- [Model Code of Practice: How to manage work health and safety risks](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/doc/model-code-practice-how-manage-work-health-and-safety-risks)
- [Prepare safe work method statement (SafeWork NSW)](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/construction/general-requirements/prepare-safe-work-method-statement)

A clean JSA PDF supports site systems. It does not replace legal SWMS duties for high risk construction work where they apply.

# Common QLD Form 9 backflow mistakes before council and owner copies (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-qld-form-9-backflow)

Avoid common Queensland Form 9 backflow errors with a practical checklist for device details, test readings, tester licence, and 10 business day copies. | State: QLD | Trade: Plumbing | Template: qld-form-9-backflow

Most Form 9 problems are not exotic. They are the same field shortcuts that look fine at the device and fall over when council, the owner or next year's tester reads the PDF.

Wrong local government area. A plant-room location that could be any of three risers. Bypass left blank because "there wasn't one" with no note. Test kit verification date from last season. Owner copy still sitting in drafts after day twelve.

This guide is a mistakes checklist for Queensland backflow testers and office staff. For the full how-to, use the [QLD Form 9 testing guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-9-backflow-testing-guide). For archive and completion paths, use the [Form 9 record keeping and handover guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-9-backflow-record-keeping-handover). If you also work in South Australia, compare both reports in the [QLD Form 9 vs SA backflow report guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-9-vs-sa-backflow-report).

**Key takeaways**

- Finish device identity, location and readings while the test kit is still connected
- Treat council and owner copies as part of the test, not a later admin chore
- Applicable sections are mandatory: blank cells and vague notes create rework
- Save tester and kit details carefully, then re-check licence and verification dates every download

Browse [QLD plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/plumbing) for related permit, testing and completion paperwork, or use the national [backflow test report guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/backflow-test-report-template-australia) when jobs cross state borders.

## Mistake 1: treating Form 9 as optional notes [#mistake-1-treating-form-9-as-optional-notes]

The official Queensland Form 9 is the approved form for registration and report on inspection and testing of testable backflow prevention devices, registered air gaps and registered break tanks. It is used for sections 102(2) and 103(3) of the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019.

It is not a personal worksheet you can replace with a photo of the gauge and a text message. The form says completion of all applicable sections is mandatory, and copies must go to the relevant local government and the owner within 10 business days after inspecting or testing the device.

If the job needs a Form 9, finish the form. Do not invent a private template and hope council accepts it.

## Mistake 2: guessing the local government area [#mistake-2-guessing-the-local-government-area]

Local government area errors are common on boundary sites, newly developed estates and jobs where the invoice address sits in a different council from the device.

Fix:

- Confirm the premises local government from the property details, not from the client's postal suburb alone
- Check how that council accepts Form 9 before you leave site if the process is unfamiliar
- Keep the same LGA on the form, the job file and the lodgement email or portal

A clean test report with the wrong council is still a failed completion path.

## Mistake 3: vague device location [#mistake-3-vague-device-location]

A location that means something to you today can mean nothing to the next tester in twelve months.

**Device location**

- **This** - Building C, level 1 plant room, fire service riser 2, asset tag BF-114 (Found without a phone call, and matches the owner's site register.)
- **Not this** - Plant room (Three plant rooms on site, and the tester has never been there.)

On multi-building sites, shopping centres, schools and industrial parks, write a location another licensed tester can find without calling you.

Better location notes often include:

- Building or block name
- Level or plant room number
- Which riser, meter assembly or fire service
- Side of building or boundary reference
- Asset tag or site register ID if the owner uses one

If the form field is short, put the precise location in the allowed comments and keep a matching note in the job record.

## Mistake 4: device identity copied from last year without a check [#mistake-4-device-identity-copied-from-last-year-without-a-check]

Serial numbers, make, model and size should come from the device in front of you. Last year's PDF is a reference, not proof the same device is still installed.

Common slip-ups:

- Device replaced since last annual test, but old serial reused
- Main and bypass details swapped
- Size or type guessed from memory after the cover is back on
- Registered air gap or break tank left off because the visit "felt like a standard RPZ job"

Read the tag again after the test, then fill the form. If the device was replaced on this visit, make the report match the installed unit and keep any removed-unit notes with the job file.

## Mistake 5: incomplete main, bypass or PVB readings [#mistake-5-incomplete-main-bypass-or-pvb-readings]

Form 9 includes sections for the main device and, where relevant, bypass, pressure vacuum breaker, registered air gap or registered break tank details. Leaving a whole section blank because it was awkward on a phone is how rework starts.

Before download, check:

- Protection type and device type match the installation
- Mains pressure and time of test are entered where required
- Valve or test criteria for the actual device type are complete
- Bypass is either fully reported or clearly not applicable in the job notes and form layout
- Pass or fail is consistent with the readings and any repair notes

If the device fails, do not tidy the first result into a silent pass. Record the fail, the repair or replacement work, and the retest result so council and the owner can see the real sequence.

## Mistake 6: stale test kit verification details [#mistake-6-stale-test-kit-verification-details]

Test kit serial number and verification or calibration details are easy to copy from a saved profile and forget to update.

A report with perfect valve numbers and an out-of-date kit verification date still looks unfinished. Check the kit record before the first test of the day, not after five PDFs have already gone out with the old date.

Keep the physical kit sticker, the office kit register and the saved Tradie Forms details aligned.

## Mistake 7: wrong or incomplete authorised tester details [#mistake-7-wrong-or-incomplete-authorised-tester-details]

QBCC guidance notes a backflow prevention endorsement is required to test, commission or maintain these devices. The Form 9 needs the authorised tester details that match the person responsible for the test.

Watch for:

- Licence number from a colleague who did not do this test
- Old phone or email after a business rebrand
- Contractor licence details missing where the form needs them
- Signature and test date that do not match the site diary

Saved details save typing. They do not remove the need to confirm who tested this device today.

## Mistake 8: owner and occupier contacts are mixed up [#mistake-8-owner-and-occupier-contacts-are-mixed-up]

Council and owner copies need real people who can receive the report. Common mistakes include:

- Using the site manager as owner when the owner is a different entity
- Entering the accounts email only, with no owner legal name
- Leaving occupier details blank on tenanted sites where the form expects them
- Sending the owner copy to a builder who has already left the project

Before you leave, confirm who should receive the owner copy and how they want it delivered. The 10 business day clock does not care that the body corporate portal password changed last week.

## Mistake 9: missing the 10 business day window [#mistake-9-missing-the-10-business-day-window]

The Form 9 framework requires copies to the relevant local government and the owner of the premises within 10 business days after inspecting or testing the device.

Teams miss the window when:

- The PDF waits for Friday office time
- Photos stay on a phone until the next site visit
- The tester waits for a repair part before writing up the original fail
- The owner copy is forgotten after council is lodged

Fix the process, not just the calendar reminder. Complete the form at the device or in the van, then send both copies as part of job closeout. If a device fails and needs repair, still keep a clear record of the inspection or test event and any follow-up report the council process expects.

## Mistake 10: only one copy path completed [#mistake-10-only-one-copy-path-completed]

Council lodgement without an owner copy is incomplete. Owner copy without council lodgement is incomplete. A PDF sitting only in your cloud drive helps nobody outside the business.

**Both copy paths, inside 10 business days**

- **Test at the device - Authorised tester** - Readings written while the kit is still connected.
- **Complete and download - In the van, same visit** - Waiting for Friday office time is where the window is lost.
- **Copy to local government - Council method on record** - Keep the portal reference or email acknowledgement.
- **Copy to the owner - Owner of the premises** - The step most often forgotten once council is done.

Both copies are required. Completing one path does not close the obligation.

Track:

- Council method and date
- Owner method and date
- File name of the exact PDF sent
- Any portal reference or email acknowledgement

The [record keeping guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-9-backflow-record-keeping-handover) covers the archive side of this in more detail.

## Mistake 11: using Form 9 for the wrong job type story [#mistake-11-using-form-9-for-the-wrong-job-type-story]

Form 9 can cover more than a routine annual pass. New registration, replacement, removal, registered air gap and registered break tank situations need the report to match what actually happened.

If you removed a device, do not write the form as if it is still protecting the hazard. If you commissioned a new device, do not leave registration-style details so thin that the council register cannot identify the asset. If the visit was maintenance with a retest, keep the repair trail with the result.

## Mistake 12: downloading without a PDF read-through [#mistake-12-downloading-without-a-pdf-read-through]

Online forms catch missing fields, but they cannot tell you that the serial number is one digit off or that the location describes the wrong plant room.

Before download, preview the official layout and check:

- Street address and local government
- Owner or occupier details
- Device type, size, make, model and serial
- Location text
- Readings and pass or fail
- Test kit details
- Tester name, licence, signature and date

That one-minute read is cheaper than a council rejection or an owner dispute later.

## Mistake 13: scattering support evidence across inboxes [#mistake-13-scattering-support-evidence-across-inboxes]

The PDF is the formal report. The support pack still matters.

Keep together:

- Completed Form 9 PDF
- Photos of the device tag and location if your process uses them
- Repair invoices or parts notes after a fail
- Test kit verification record
- Council and owner send confirmations
- Next due date for the device

When the next annual booking arrives, that pack stops the "which device was it?" phone call.

## A van-side habit that cuts rework [#a-van-side-habit-that-cuts-rework]

If your crew only fixes Form 9 quality at the office, the same mistakes will keep coming back. Put a short field habit around every test:

1. Confirm LGA and owner contact before the first gauge reading.
2. Photograph or note the device tag and exact location before the cover goes back on.
3. Write main and bypass or PVB results while the kit is still connected.
4. Check kit verification details once at the start of the day, not after five jobs.
5. Fill tester licence and signature before you leave the premises or the driveway.
6. Download, preview, and queue both send paths as part of job closeout.

Office staff can still help with portal lodgement and filing. They should not be guessing serial numbers from blurry photos or inventing a location from the invoice suburb. The tester owns the technical content. The office owns the send proof and archive.

That split keeps the 10 business day window realistic on busy weeks. The form is mostly done at the device. The remaining work is delivery and storage, not reconstruction.

## Pre-download Form 9 checklist [#pre-download-form-9-checklist]

1. Job type is clear: annual test, new device, replacement, removal or other report situation.
2. Local government area matches the premises.
3. Owner and occupier contacts can receive the owner copy.
4. Device identity matches the tag in front of you.
5. Location is specific enough for next year's tester.
6. All applicable reading sections are complete.
7. Fail, repair and retest notes are honest and complete.
8. Test kit serial and verification details are current.
9. Authorised tester licence and contact details are current.
10. Signature and date match the test day.
11. Council and owner send methods are ready inside 10 business days.
12. PDF has been previewed on the official layout.

Run that list while you are still near the device when you can. It is harder from the kitchen table two nights later.

## Related paperwork on the same sites [#related-paperwork-on-the-same-sites]

Backflow work often sits beside other Queensland plumbing forms:

- [QLD Form 1](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-1-permit-work) for permit work applications
- [QLD Form 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-5-testing) for testing or commissioning reports on other systems
- [QLD Form 14](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-14-compliance-declaration) for compliance declarations on permitted work

Do not use Form 5 as a substitute for Form 9 on a testable backflow device that needs the approved backflow report. Keep each form doing its own job. The [QLD plumbing forms list](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-plumbing-forms-list-permit-inspection-handover) shows how the pack usually sits together.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start [QLD Form 9 backflow](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-9-backflow) while the device and kit are still in front of you. Read the [testing guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-9-backflow-testing-guide) for field workflow, the [record keeping guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-9-backflow-record-keeping-handover) for copies and archive, and the [QLD vs SA comparison](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-9-vs-sa-backflow-report) if your crews work both states.

Browse [QLD plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/plumbing) for the wider Queensland library. Browse the [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing) for job and safety paperwork that travels with you.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the current [Queensland Form 9 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0023/3776/form-9-plumbing-drainage-regulation-2019.pdf), [Business Queensland plumbing and drainage forms page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/forms-templates), [Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019](https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/sl-2019-0042), and [QBCC backflow guidance](https://qbcc.qld.gov.au/worksite-building-practice/plumbing-work/avoid-common-notifiable-work-errors) before relying on this checklist for a live job.

# How to write a JSA on site (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/jsa-job-safety-analysis-on-site-guide)

Write a site-specific JSA before tools come out: real steps, honest hazards and controls, crew sign-on after a walk-through, then a clean PDF for the pack. | Trade: Building | Template: national-jsa

Builders ask for a JSA before you start. Photocopied forms filled in the cab with risk ratings nobody can read do not hold up when the site checks the pack. A usable JSA is site-specific, step-based, signed by the people doing the work, and finished before tools come out.

This guide is about writing craft: how to break the job into steps people can follow, how to name hazards and controls that match the ground, and how to get crew sign-on that means something. Open the [Job Safety Analysis](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-jsa) when you are ready to fill. Related templates: [building forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/building). Document mix: [SWMS vs JSA vs Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/swms-vs-jsa-vs-take-5).

**Key takeaways**

- Prepare the JSA before the task starts, with steps the crew can follow
- Every step needs hazards, a risk rating, and controls that exist on this site
- Crew sign-on belongs on the same record after a real walk-through
- A JSA does not replace a SWMS when high risk construction work applies

## What is a JSA? [#what-is-a-jsa]

Safe Work Australia frames risk management as identify hazards, assess risks, control risks, and review controls. A job safety analysis (sometimes called a job hazard analysis) applies that thinking to one job package by walking it step by step.

Use a JSA when the principal or client requires one before start, when the work has several steps and more than one worker, when you want a written method broader than a short Take 5, or when your company standard uses JSA for every new work package.

A JSA is not automatically a Safe Work Method Statement. High risk construction work still needs a SWMS under model WHS rules. Details: [When is a JSA required](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-a-jsa-required-construction) and [JSA vs SWMS for builders](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/jsa-vs-swms-for-builders).

## Who prepares a JSA and who signs on? [#who-prepares-a-jsa-and-who-signs-on]

**Preparer:** supervisor, leading hand, or business owner responsible for the package.

**Crew sign-on:** workers who reviewed the JSA and will do the work. Signatures without a conversation are a weak system. Walk the steps, answer questions, then sign.

**Declaration:** the person authorised to sign the finished document for the business, often the same preparer after crew review.

## Job details that must be true [#job-details-that-must-be-true]

Use the real site address and client name the principal already uses. Job date should be the day this JSA applies. Write the overall task in plain language: "Install first-floor windows, east elevation, scaffold access" beats "windows".

List permits required (hot work, confined space, excavation, isolation, or site-specific). List PPE required for the package so crew sign-on covers the same gear the steps assume. Wrong suburb or blank permits are common reject reasons; see [11 JSA blanks principals look for](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-jsa-mistakes-tradies).

Task, PPE and permits sit together, so a blank permits line is obvious next to a task that clearly needs one.

## Write steps people can follow [#write-steps-people-can-follow]

Each step needs five things: what happens in order, what can go wrong, a risk rating for this site, how you control it, and who applies the control.

Keep steps in work order. Too few steps hide hazards. Too many steps bury the crew in noise. Aim for the real sequence a leading hand would brief.

**Task step row**

- **Stronger step** - Step: Isolate and prove dead at garage board. Hazards: Residual energy, wrong circuit. Controls: Isolation by licensed person, lock out, prove dead, barriers. Who: licensed electrician on duty. (Every part of it can be verified before the step starts.)
- **Weak step** - Step: Do electrical work. Hazard: Shock. Control: Careful. (Nothing here can be checked by walking the site.)

**Task step row, working at height**

- **Stronger step** - Step: Install reveals from scaffold bay 3. Hazards: Fall from incomplete edge, falling tools. Controls: Confirm scaffold complete, exclusion below, tool lanyards. Who: leading hand checks scaffold before crew access. (Names the bay, the fall mechanism, and who checks it first.)
- **Weak step** - Step: Work at height. Control: PPE. (PPE as the only control, and no location.)

Safe Work Australia expects controls that eliminate or minimise risk so far as reasonably practicable. Prefer isolation, barriers, and engineering controls before relying only on PPE when stronger options exist.

### Risk ratings that match this site [#risk-ratings-that-match-this-site]

Rate the residual or current risk honestly for the conditions today, not for a perfect site. A step that is Low on a vacant lot may be High next to live traffic or other trades. If the rating is High or Extreme, the control must be strong enough that you are willing to start. If it is not, change the method before declaration.

### Who owns each control [#who-owns-each-control]

Empty who fields are blanks advisors look for. Put a name or clear role on isolation, exclusion, plant interfaces, and any High or Extreme step.

## Example: first-floor window install [#example-first-floor-window-install]

Package: install windows on a two-storey renovation. Scaffold is up. Other trades paint inside. Shortened for the article; your JSA should match your method.

1. **Set up work area and exclusion below scaffold**\
   Hazards: falling objects, public or trade access. Controls: barriers, signage, brief other trades. Who: leading hand.

2. **Check scaffold and access**\
   Hazards: incomplete bays, poor access. Controls: visual check, no access until scaffold is fit. Who: leading hand.

3. **Lift and position frames**\
   Hazards: manual handling, pinch points. Controls: two-person lift or mechanical aid, clear path. Who: named installers.

4. **Fix frames and flashings**\
   Hazards: hand tools, edge work. Controls: tool condition check, stay inside protected zone. Who: installers.

5. **Clean up and hand over openings**\
   Hazards: debris, open edges left unsafe. Controls: remove waste, confirm barriers remain. Who: leading hand.

If fall risk greater than two metres applies as high risk construction work, prepare a [SWMS](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement) as well and keep methods aligned.

## Crew sign-on after a real walk-through [#crew-sign-on-after-a-real-walk-through]

Keep sign-on with the steps: name, company, date, signature. That stops the common failure where steps live on one pad and signatures on another, then one goes missing.

Before people sign:

1. Walk the steps against the real work face where practical
2. Point out controls that must be in place before each step
3. Confirm permits and PPE
4. Invite questions and update steps if the method changes

New starters mid-job should sign on after the same review, not inherit a signature from someone who left. More: [JSA crew sign-on and handover](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/jsa-crew-sign-on-and-handover).

## Declaration, download, file [#declaration-download-file]

When steps and sign-on are complete, fill declaration name, date, and signature. Preview the PDF. Check that long step lists are readable and that nothing critical is blank. Download and store against the job before work starts.

## Reusing a JSA without lying about the site [#reusing-a-jsa-without-lying-about-the-site]

You can duplicate a previous JSA as a draft for a similar package. Before reuse: change client, address, and date; rewrite any step that does not match this site; update permits, plant, and other trades; clear old crew sign-on and re-sign with today's people; re-declare.

Unchanged reuse on a different site is a common audit failure.

## When the design is still moving [#when-the-design-is-still-moving]

Residential jobs change. Write steps at the level of method, not millimetre detail that will be wrong tomorrow. Name hold points where work stops until the builder or engineer confirms. Re-open the JSA when a change affects access, plant, energy, or fall protection. Re-brief and re-sign the people affected.

A short revised JSA the morning of the change beats a perfect PDF for a method nobody is using.

## How JSA sits with Take 5 and SWMS [#how-jsa-sits-with-take-5-and-swms]

- **[JSA](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-jsa):** step-by-step analysis for the package
- **[Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-take-5):** short personal pre-task check, often daily or on change
- **[SWMS](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement):** high risk construction work planning document when that duty applies

Keep one method of work across all three. If the Take 5 finds a change that affects the method, update the JSA and SWMS as required before continuing.

## Related guides and forms [#related-guides-and-forms]

- [When is a JSA required on construction sites](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-a-jsa-required-construction)
- [11 JSA blanks principals and safety advisors look for](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-jsa-mistakes-tradies)
- [JSA crew sign-on and handover](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/jsa-crew-sign-on-and-handover)
- [JSA vs SWMS for builders](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/jsa-vs-swms-for-builders)
- [SWMS vs JSA vs Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/swms-vs-jsa-vs-take-5)
- [How to complete a NSW SWMS on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-swms-on-site-guide)
- [How to complete a Take 5 on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/take-5-safety-check-on-site-guide)

## Official sources [#official-sources]

- [Manage risks (Safe Work Australia)](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/safety-topic/managing-health-and-safety/identify-assess-and-control-hazards/managing-risks)
- [Identify, assess and control hazards](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/safety-topic/managing-health-and-safety/identify-assess-and-control-hazards)
- [Model Code of Practice: How to manage work health and safety risks](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/doc/model-code-practice-how-manage-work-health-and-safety-risks)
- [Prepare safe work method statement (SafeWork NSW)](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/construction/general-requirements/prepare-safe-work-method-statement)

Company procedures and principal packs can require JSAs on top of legal duties. They do not remove the SWMS duty for high risk construction work where it applies. You remain responsible for checking the work, the controls on site, and the downloaded PDF.

# When is ACMA TCA1 required for customer cabling work (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-acma-tca1-required)

When registered cablers need ACMA TCA1 customer cabling advice, how it differs from TCA2, and which small tasks sit outside the certification statement rule. | Trade: Electrical | Template: acma-tca1-attach-a

"Do we need a TCA1 for this?" is a van-door question. The install may be finished, the customer wants the keys back, and the paperwork decision still hangs between a full certification statement, a genuine small-task exception, or a TCA2 for leftover issues you did not fix.

ACMA's cabling advice rules give a clear structure once you separate three ideas:

1. A written certification statement for completed customer cabling work
2. TCA1 as an approved form for that statement
3. TCA2 as advice about non-compliant installations that still need attention

This guide answers when TCA1 is required, when it is not, and how TCA2 sits beside it. For filling the form on site, use the [TCA1 on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca1-cabling-advice-on-site-guide). For copies and storage, use the [TCA1 and TCA2 record keeping guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca1-tca2-cabling-record-keeping-handover-guide). For error patterns, use [common ACMA TCA1 mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-acma-tca1).

**Key takeaways**

- A written certification statement is required after completed customer cabling work, except for listed small cabling tasks
- TCA1 is an ACMA-approved way to give that statement; your own format is allowed if the required details are included
- TCA2 does not replace TCA1; it records outstanding non-compliant cabling matters for the customer or building manager
- Prepare the statement as soon as practicable, hand over the right copies, and keep a retained copy for at least 12 months

Browse [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical) for state electrical certificates and the live cabling templates.

## The short answer [#the-short-answer]

You generally need a written certification statement, and TCA1 is the usual form for it, when:

- You are a registered cabling provider, and
- You performed or supervised customer cabling work, and
- The work for the customer is complete, and
- The job is not only a small cabling task listed by ACMA as outside the certification statement requirement

You should prepare that statement as soon as practicable after finishing the work, give the customer a copy, give an employer copy where applicable, and keep a copy for at least 12 months.

If you notice non-compliant cabling that is pre-existing or outside the contracted scope, that is a TCA2 moment. It can happen before, during or after the job, and it can sit beside a TCA1 for the work you did complete.

## What TCA1 is for [#what-tca1-is-for]

ACMA explains that registered cablers who perform or supervise cabling work must understand the rules for preparing a written certification statement for completed cabling work.

In plain terms, the statement should identify:

- What cabling work was completed
- Your name, contact details and registration number
- Whether you performed or supervised the work
- That the cabling work complies fully with AS/CA S009:2020 Installation Requirements for Customer Cabling, as required by the certification content ACMA describes

TCA1 is an approved ACMA form for that statement. ACMA also says you can use your own format if it contains the required details, for example as an attachment to an invoice or receipt. Many trade businesses still prefer TCA1 because the layout already holds the expected fields and reduces guesswork.

Tradie Forms maps entries onto the TCA1 Attach A PDF layout. The registered cabler remains responsible for the work, the statement and the downloaded PDF.

## When the certification statement is required [#when-the-certification-statement-is-required]

ACMA guidance says a written certification statement is required every time you complete cabling work for a customer, unless the work is only a small cabling task.

That covers common jobs such as:

- New data or voice outlets
- Structured cabling in a home, shop, office or workshop
- Cabling alterations during a tenancy fit-out
- Fibre or copper customer cabling runs that form part of the finished install
- Work you supervised for another worker on a customer job
- Additions or changes where the customer needs a clear completion record

If the customer, builder or facilities manager will later ask "what was certified on this site?", that is a strong signal to finish TCA1 before you leave.

### Timing [#timing]

Prepare the statement as soon as practicable after finishing the work. Same-day completion at the rack or in the van is the clean habit. Leaving it until Friday admin invites wrong room names and stale registration details.

### Copies [#copies]

The TCA1 form instructions say copies are required for the customer, the cabler and the employer if applicable. Retain a copy for at least 12 months and give a copy to the customer or employer as required.

## When a certification statement is not required [#when-a-certification-statement-is-not-required]

ACMA says a certification statement is not needed if the work involved only a small cabling task. Examples given in ACMA guidance include:

- Running, transposing or removing jumpers on distribution frames
- Replacing a piece of minor cabling equipment such as a plug, socket, module or overvoltage unit

**Does this visit need a TCA1?**

- **The small-task exception** - - Running, transposing or removing jumpers on distribution frames
  - Replacing a plug, socket, module or overvoltage unit (Registration and Wiring Rules still apply either way.)
- **Not the small-task exception** - - New data or voice outlets
  - Cabling alterations during a tenancy fit-out
  - A short visit on a low-value invoice
  - Work you supervised for another worker (A short visit is not a small cabling task.)

That exception is narrow. It does not turn a normal customer install into "small work" because the invoice is low value or the visit was short.

Important: all other requirements under the Cabling Provider Rules still apply to small cabling jobs. The work must still be performed or supervised by a registered cabler and comply with the Wiring Rules. Skipping TCA1 does not skip registration or workmanship rules.

If you are unsure whether the visit is only a listed small task, check the current ACMA guidance before deciding whether a certification statement is required.

## TCA1 versus TCA2 [#tca1-versus-tca2]

These forms answer different questions.

| Question                                          | Form |
| ------------------------------------------------- | ---- |
| What completed cabling work am I certifying?      | TCA1 |
| What non-compliant cabling still needs attention? | TCA2 |
| Can both be needed on one site visit?             | Yes  |
| Does TCA2 replace TCA1 for completed work?        | No   |

### TCA1 [#tca1]

Use TCA1 for the compliance advice on cabling work you completed or supervised. It is the customer-facing certification statement for the finished scope.

### TCA2 [#tca2]

ACMA says to use TCA2 if you notice non-compliant cable installations. Complete it and give it to the customer or building manager even where the issue is pre-existing or outside the contracted scope of work. ACMA also says TCA2 can be issued before you begin work, with a quotation, or after you complete a cabling job if something needs attention.

The TCA1 form instructions also note that where proposed works may be compromised by existing cabling, a TCA2 form should be completed.

### Real job examples [#real-job-examples]

**Example A: clean install, no leftover issues**

You install new outlets in an office fit-out and everything in scope is complete and compliant. Issue TCA1. No TCA2 needed.

**Example B: completed scope plus old problems**

You complete the contracted outlets, but you notice legacy non-compliant cabling in the same riser that was outside scope. Issue TCA1 for your completed work and TCA2 for the outstanding matters.

**Example C: quote stage discovery**

Before starting, you find non-compliant existing cabling that will affect the proposed works. Issue TCA2 with the quote so the customer understands the outstanding issues. Later, when your contracted work is finished, issue TCA1 for the completed work.

**Example D: only a minor replacement**

You replace a single socket as minor cabling equipment and the visit fits ACMA's small-task examples. A certification statement may not be required. Registration and Wiring Rules still apply. If you also notice wider non-compliant installations, TCA2 can still be the right advice tool for those issues.

For TCA2 detail, see the [TCA2 how-to](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca2-cabling-advice-form-how-to-fill-out) and [outstanding matters guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca2-outstanding-matters-cabling-guide).

## Who must act [#who-must-act]

### Registered cabling provider [#registered-cabling-provider]

The registered cabler who performed or supervised the work described on the form completes the certification statement. Registration details on the form must match that provider.

### Supervised workers [#supervised-workers]

If work is done under supervision, the statement still needs to reflect the registered provider's role correctly. Do not put a registration number on a form for work that was not performed or supervised under that registration story.

### Employers and contractors [#employers-and-contractors]

Where an employer or head contractor arrangement applies, the form instructions provide for employer copies. Keep the business record aligned with the customer copy so audits and callbacks are not a treasure hunt.

### Customers and building managers [#customers-and-building-managers]

They receive the advice. They do not fill TCA1 for you. On TCA2, they are the people who need to understand outstanding issues and urgency.

## Decision path before you open a form [#decision-path-before-you-open-a-form]

1. **Was customer cabling work completed today?** If yes, continue. If you only inspected and quoted, you may need TCA2 without TCA1 yet.
2. **Was it only a listed small cabling task?** If yes, a certification statement may not be required; still follow registration and Wiring Rules. If no, prepare a certification statement.
3. **Will you use TCA1 or your own compliant format?** Most crews use TCA1 for consistency.
4. **Did you notice non-compliant existing cabling or out-of-scope issues?** If yes, prepare TCA2 as well.
5. **Who gets copies, and where is the 12-month retained file?** Decide before you leave site.
6. **Open the form and finish it while the work is fresh.**

That path stops the two common wrong turns: skipping TCA1 on a full customer job, and using TCA1 as a dumping ground for defects you did not fix.

## Jobs where people often get the trigger wrong [#jobs-where-people-often-get-the-trigger-wrong]

### Electrical fit-outs with a cabling portion [#electrical-fit-outs-with-a-cabling-portion]

The electrical certificate or state form does not automatically replace telecommunications customer cabling advice. If customer cabling work was completed, handle the cabling statement on its own rules.

### Multi-day projects [#multi-day-projects]

Certification belongs with completed work. If the project hands over in stages, make sure each completed customer cabling package has a clear statement trail rather than one vague form at the end with missing locations.

### Service calls that grow [#service-calls-that-grow]

A visit that starts as a minor replacement can grow into new runs or relocations. Once the work is more than the small-task list, the certification statement requirement comes back into play.

### Facilities contracts with many small sites [#facilities-contracts-with-many-small-sites]

Do not invent a monthly bulk TCA1 that does not describe the actual work and locations. Each completed customer job needs a statement that identifies the work done.

### "The builder said they do not need paperwork" [#the-builder-said-they-do-not-need-paperwork]

Customer preference does not rewrite ACMA rules. If a certification statement is required, prepare it and keep your retained copy even if the builder is casual about filing.

## What the statement must make obvious [#what-the-statement-must-make-obvious]

Whether you use TCA1 or another compliant format, the finished advice should answer:

- Who is the registered cabling provider?
- What is the registration number and contact path?
- Was the work performed or supervised?
- Who is the customer?
- What work was completed and where?
- When was the statement prepared and signed?
- Where are the customer, employer and retained copies?

If any of those answers are fuzzy, the form is not ready for handover.

## How this interacts with electrical and builder paperwork [#how-this-interacts-with-electrical-and-builder-paperwork]

Customer cabling often lands inside a larger electrical or construction pack. That is where people assume another certificate already covered the cabling advice.

It usually has not.

A state electrical compliance certificate records electrical installation work under that state's rules. A builder's practical completion pack records handover for the project. Neither automatically becomes an ACMA written certification statement for telecommunications customer cabling.

Keep the cabling advice in its own lane:

- Complete TCA1 for finished customer cabling work that needs a certification statement
- Complete TCA2 when outstanding non-compliant cabling needs its own advice
- Store both with the job pack beside electrical certificates, as-builts and photos
- Use clear file names so the cabling statement is findable without opening every PDF

If a head contractor asks for "all compliance paperwork", include the TCA1 rather than assuming the electrical form is enough. If they only want defects, that still does not remove your retained-copy duty for completed cabling work you certified.

## Quick checklist: do we need TCA1 now? [#quick-checklist-do-we-need-tca1-now]

- [ ] Customer cabling work was performed or supervised by a registered provider
- [ ] The work for the customer is complete
- [ ] The visit is not only a listed small cabling task
- [ ] Provider registration details are current
- [ ] Work description and location can be written clearly today
- [ ] Customer copy path is known
- [ ] Retained copy location is known for at least 12 months
- [ ] Any outstanding non-compliant issues are handled with TCA2 where needed

If those boxes are ticked, open TCA1. If the only open item is leftover non-compliant cabling outside your completed scope, open TCA2. If both are true, open both.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start [ACMA TCA1](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca1-attach-a) for completed customer cabling advice. Start [ACMA TCA2](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca2) when outstanding non-compliant matters need their own record.

Read the [on-site TCA1 guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca1-cabling-advice-on-site-guide), [common TCA1 mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-acma-tca1), [TCA1 and TCA2 record keeping](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca1-tca2-cabling-record-keeping-handover-guide), and [digital records guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-cabling-compliance-digital-records). Browse [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical) for more live templates.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check current requirements on the [ACMA cabling advice forms page](https://www.acma.gov.au/cabling-advice-forms), the [ACMA TCA1 form page](https://www.acma.gov.au/publications/2019-06/form/form-tca1-compliance-telecommunications-customer-cabling-advice), the [ACMA TCA2 form page](https://www.acma.gov.au/publications/2019-06/form/form-tca2-telecommunications-cabling-advice), and the [ACMA registered cabler guidance](https://www.acma.gov.au/find-registered-cabler) before relying on this guide for a live job.

# Common ACMA TCA1 mistakes on customer cabling advice (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-acma-tca1)

Avoid common ACMA TCA1 errors on registration details, work description, customer copy, TCA2 mix-ups, and the 12-month record trail. | Trade: Electrical | Template: acma-tca1-attach-a

TCA1 mistakes rarely look dramatic on site. The rack is tidy, the outlet tests clean, and the customer is happy. The form is where the job goes soft: wrong registration number, work description that only the cabler understands, customer email copied from another fit-out, or outstanding cable issues left unspoken because nobody opened a TCA2.

This guide is a field checklist for registered cablers and electricians doing customer cabling work. For the on-site fill workflow, use the [ACMA TCA1 on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca1-cabling-advice-on-site-guide). For archive and customer copy habits, use the [TCA1 and TCA2 record keeping guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca1-tca2-cabling-record-keeping-handover-guide). For the trigger question, use [when is ACMA TCA1 required](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-acma-tca1-required).

**Key takeaways**

- TCA1 certifies completed cabling work; it is not a dumping ground for unfixed defects
- Registration, work location and customer details must match this job, not last week's PDF
- Customer and employer copies, plus a 12-month retained copy, are part of finishing the job
- Use TCA2 when non-compliant existing cabling needs its own advice trail

Browse [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical) for state certificates and other cabling templates, including [ACMA TCA2](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca2).

## Mistake 1: treating TCA1 as optional if the invoice looks detailed [#mistake-1-treating-tca1-as-optional-if-the-invoice-looks-detailed]

ACMA guidance is that registered cablers who perform or supervise cabling work need to understand the rules for preparing a written certification statement for completed cabling work. A written certification statement is required every time you complete cabling work for a customer, unless the work is only a small cabling task. It should be prepared as soon as practicable after finishing the work.

ACMA allows your own format if it includes the required details, but many businesses still use TCA1 so the required content is not reinvented under pressure.

**What the customer receives**

- **A certification statement** - TCA1 naming the registered cabler, the customer and site, the cabling work performed, the standards complied with, and the date (Carries the details ACMA expects on the record.)
- **Not a certification statement** - Invoice line: data points x 6 (A price for work done, with none of the required content.)

If the job needs a certification statement, finish one. Do not assume the quote PDF covers it.

## Mistake 2: relying on the small-task exception for ordinary customer work [#mistake-2-relying-on-the-small-task-exception-for-ordinary-customer-work]

ACMA lists small cabling tasks that do not require a certification statement, such as running, transposing or removing jumpers on distribution frames, and replacing minor cabling equipment such as a plug, socket, module or overvoltage unit.

That exception is narrow. It is not a free pass for a tenancy fit-out, a new run, a rack rebuild or supervised work that the customer expects on the record.

Even on small tasks, registration, supervision and Wiring Rules requirements still apply. If you are unsure, check current ACMA guidance before skipping the statement.

## Mistake 3: stale registered cabling provider details [#mistake-3-stale-registered-cabling-provider-details]

Registration numbers and business details are the classic copy-paste failure.

Common versions:

- Old registration after renewal or provider change
- Trading name that no longer matches the job paperwork
- Mobile number from a former employee still saved in the template
- Employer block left blank when the form and job arrangement need it
- One cabler's details used while another person supervised the work

TCA1 should identify the registered cabling provider who performed or supervised the work described on the form. Check the live details before download, even when saved profiles make the form fast.

## Mistake 4: performed versus supervised is wrong or unclear [#mistake-4-performed-versus-supervised-is-wrong-or-unclear]

The certification statement needs to show whether you performed or supervised the work. Crews blur this when an open registration holder signs for work another person did without a clear supervision story, or when the form is filled by office staff who were not on site.

Fix it on the day:

- Name the registered provider correctly
- State performed or supervised honestly
- Keep the worker and supervision notes in the job file if more than one person touched the install

If the certification does not match how the work was actually controlled, the PDF is a liability, not a closeout.

## Mistake 5: work description too vague to find later [#mistake-5-work-description-too-vague-to-find-later]

"Data cabling as quoted" helps nobody in twelve months.

ACMA's TCA1 completion guidance asks cablers to describe the type and location of the work, for example room, floor, section, department or building. That level of detail is what makes the customer copy useful when a facilities manager opens it later.

Better descriptions usually include:

- Building or tenancy name
- Floor or area
- Room names or grid references where known
- What was installed, altered or tested
- Copper, fibre or mixed scope in plain words
- Any related patching or termination locations

If the official field is short, keep a matching job note and photo set with the retained copy so the office can explain the work later.

## Mistake 6: customer details copied from the wrong job [#mistake-6-customer-details-copied-from-the-wrong-job]

Fit-out weeks are full of similar site names and CC'd builder contacts. The TCA1 customer block then goes to:

- The builder only, when the end customer also needs the advice
- An accounts payable inbox that never reaches the site owner
- A previous tenancy contact still in the phone
- A site supervisor who has already demobilised

Confirm who the customer is for this certification statement before you leave. If the builder, owner and occupier are different parties, make sure the copy path matches the job contract and ACMA's customer copy expectation.

## Mistake 7: using TCA1 to bury outstanding non-compliant issues [#mistake-7-using-tca1-to-bury-outstanding-non-compliant-issues]

TCA1 is the completion statement for work you completed or supervised. TCA2 is the form ACMA points to when you notice non-compliant cable installations, including pre-existing issues or matters outside the contracted scope.

If proposed works may be compromised by existing cabling, the TCA1 form instructions note that a TCA2 should be completed. Do not certify completed work in a way that quietly implies the whole building is fine when you left known issues unfixed.

On real jobs both forms can apply:

- TCA1 for the work you finished
- TCA2 for outstanding matters the customer or building manager still needs to address

Read the [TCA2 outstanding matters guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca2-outstanding-matters-cabling-guide) and the [TCA2 how-to](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca2-cabling-advice-form-how-to-fill-out) when the site has leftover problems.

## Mistake 8: signing before the work description is final [#mistake-8-signing-before-the-work-description-is-final]

People sign early so they can "finish the PDF later". Then the later version never matches the signed story, or the customer already received a half-empty draft.

Order of operations:

1. Confirm the work is complete
2. Write the description and location
3. Confirm registration and customer details
4. Complete certification, signature and date
5. Preview the PDF
6. Hand over copies

If something changes after signature, issue a corrected record through a controlled process. Do not keep multiple conflicting PDFs with the same date and no note.

## Mistake 9: missing customer or employer copies [#mistake-9-missing-customer-or-employer-copies]

The TCA1 form instructions say copies are required for the customer, the cabler and the employer if applicable. Cablers must retain a copy for at least 12 months and give a copy to the customer or employer as required.

Common failures:

- Photo of the form stays on the cabler's phone only
- Customer is told "the builder has it"
- Employer copy never reaches the contracting company file
- Email send has no subject, job number or site address, so it is unsearchable later

Make the send part of leaving site or same-day closeout. If the customer wants paper, print or PDF-handover before you pack the last cable box.

## Mistake 10: no 12-month retained copy in a findable place [#mistake-10-no-12-month-retained-copy-in-a-findable-place]

Keeping a copy for at least 12 months only helps if someone can find it.

Avoid:

- Drafts and finals mixed in Downloads
- Forms named `TCA1-final-final2.pdf`
- Storage only inside a personal chat thread
- No link between the TCA1 and the job number, address or invoice

Store the final PDF with the job record, customer name, site address and date. If a TCA2 was also issued, keep both in the same job pack even when ACMA does not require you to retain TCA2. Many businesses still keep TCA2 for their own trail. See the [record keeping guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca1-tca2-cabling-record-keeping-handover-guide).

## Mistake 11: digital records that are not actually complete [#mistake-11-digital-records-that-are-not-actually-complete]

A scanned half-filled form in a cloud folder is not the same as a complete certification statement. Digital is fine. Incomplete is not.

If you use Tradie Forms or another form tool, still check:

- All required sections present on the downloaded PDF
- Signature and date visible
- Work description readable
- Registration number correct
- Customer copy actually sent, not only saved

For broader digital habits around cabling compliance records, see [ACMA cabling compliance digital records](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-cabling-compliance-digital-records).

## Mistake 12: downloading without reading the PDF as the customer will [#mistake-12-downloading-without-reading-the-pdf-as-the-customer-will]

The form can catch empty required fields. It cannot catch a room name that only your apprentice understands, or a customer company name missing "Pty Ltd" when the contract uses the full legal entity.

Before handover, preview the official layout and read:

- Provider name and registration number
- Performed or supervised selection
- Work description and location
- Customer name and contacts
- Certification wording, signature and date

That short read prevents awkward callbacks after the ceiling tiles are back in.

## A same-day closeout rhythm that prevents most of these mistakes [#a-same-day-closeout-rhythm-that-prevents-most-of-these-mistakes]

Most TCA1 errors come from finishing the form after the site is cold. A simple closeout rhythm keeps the details honest.

Before you pack the last tools:

1. Confirm the contracted cabling scope is actually complete.
2. Walk the rooms or racks once more and write the work description from what you can still see.
3. Check registration, performed or supervised, and customer contacts on the draft form.
4. Decide whether any leftover non-compliant cabling needs TCA2 as well.
5. Sign and date only after the description is final.
6. Preview the PDF.
7. Send or hand over the customer copy before you leave if you can.
8. Save the retained copy against the job number the same day.

If the customer is not on site, still finish the form before you drive off. Send the PDF as soon as you have signal, then file the retained copy when you are back in the van or office. Waiting until the end of the week is how room names and registration numbers go wrong.

Office staff can help with filing and employer copies. They should not invent the work description from an invoice line. The person who performed or supervised the work owns the certification content.

## Pre-download TCA1 checklist [#pre-download-tca1-checklist]

1. This job needs a certification statement, or you have confirmed a genuine small-task exception.
2. Registered provider details and registration number are current.
3. Performed or supervised matches the real control of the work.
4. Work type and location are specific enough for a stranger to understand later.
5. Customer details are for this job.
6. Outstanding non-compliant issues are handled with TCA2 where needed, not hidden inside TCA1.
7. Certification, signature and date are complete after the description is final.
8. Customer copy path is ready.
9. Employer copy path is ready if applicable.
10. Retained copy will live with the job record for at least 12 months.
11. PDF has been previewed on the official layout.

Run the list while you are still on site when you can. Cabling details fade fast once the next call-out starts.

## Related forms and guides [#related-forms-and-guides]

- [ACMA TCA1](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca1-attach-a) for completed customer cabling advice
- [ACMA TCA2](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca2) for outstanding non-compliant matters
- [TCA1 on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca1-cabling-advice-on-site-guide)
- [When TCA1 is required](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-acma-tca1-required)
- [TCA1 and TCA2 record keeping](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca1-tca2-cabling-record-keeping-handover-guide)
- [TCA2 how to fill out](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca2-cabling-advice-form-how-to-fill-out)
- [TCA2 outstanding matters](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca2-outstanding-matters-cabling-guide)

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start [ACMA TCA1](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca1-attach-a) before you leave the rack. Open [ACMA TCA2](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca2) if the site still has non-compliant cabling that needs its own advice. Browse [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical) for the wider trade library.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check current requirements on the [ACMA cabling advice forms page](https://www.acma.gov.au/cabling-advice-forms), the [ACMA TCA1 form page](https://www.acma.gov.au/publications/2019-06/form/form-tca1-compliance-telecommunications-customer-cabling-advice), the [ACMA registered cabler guidance](https://www.acma.gov.au/find-registered-cabler), and the [ACMA TCA2 form page](https://www.acma.gov.au/publications/2019-06/form/form-tca2-telecommunications-cabling-advice) before relying on this checklist for a live job.

# When is a NSW Fire Safety Statement required (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-nsw-fire-safety-statement-required)

When NSW buildings need an Annual Fire Safety Statement or supplementary statement, who issues it, and how it differs from a fire safety certificate. | State: NSW | Trade: Fire Safety | Template: nsw-fire-safety-statement

"Do we need an AFSS this year?" is the first filter for owners, strata managers, agents and fire safety contractors. Get the trigger wrong and you either miss a yearly obligation or start a full statement pack for a building that is still only in the certificate stage of new works.

NSW Planning is plain about the form's place in the system. A fire safety statement is issued by or on behalf of the owner of an existing building. It confirms that an accredited practitioner (fire safety) has assessed, inspected and verified each fire safety measure that applies to the building. Annual statements cover essential measures each year. Supplementary statements cover critical measures at shorter intervals set by the schedule.

This guide answers when the statement is required, who must act, and how to separate it from the fire safety certificate. For the full prepare-and-lodge workflow, use the [Annual Fire Safety Statement NSW guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-statement-afss-online-guide). For record packs after lodgement, use the [AFSS record keeping and handover guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-afss-record-keeping-handover).

**Key takeaways**

- An AFSS is the existing-building owner statement for essential fire safety measures on the current schedule
- The schedule, not a class label alone, tells you whether annual and supplementary statements apply
- Annual and supplementary statements are different obligations with different timing windows
- Certificates close new work; statements run the ongoing cycle after the building is in use

Browse [NSW fire safety forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/fire-safety) for the live templates, or compare both documents in the [certificate vs statement guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-vs-statement-guide).

## The short answer [#the-short-answer]

You generally need a NSW Fire Safety Statement when:

1. The building is an existing building with a fire safety schedule, and
2. Essential fire safety measures apply to that building, and
3. The annual statement is due for those essential measures, or
4. Critical measures on the schedule require a supplementary statement at a shorter interval

If the job is completion of new building work and the measures have just been installed or upgraded, you are usually in [fire safety certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-fire-safety-certificate) territory first. Once the building is in its ongoing maintenance and assessment cycle, the statement is the recurring form.

Do not decide from building class alone. Decide from the current fire safety schedule and the Regulation requirements that apply to that schedule.

## What the statement is for [#what-the-statement-is-for]

NSW Planning describes two statement types on the fire safety certification page:

- **Annual fire safety statements** must be issued each year and include all essential fire safety measures that apply to a building. The annual statement also verifies that an accredited practitioner has inspected and confirmed that the exit systems comply with the Regulation.
- **Supplementary fire safety statements** are issued at more regular intervals, as specified in the fire safety schedule, for critical fire safety measures.

Both use the approved fire safety statement template. The current official layout used in Tradie Forms is Version 4.

In plain job language:

| Situation                                                          | Usual form                                                         |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Yearly check of essential measures on an existing building         | Annual Fire Safety Statement                                       |
| Extra interval checks for critical measures listed on the schedule | Supplementary Fire Safety Statement                                |
| New work finished and measures installed or upgraded               | Fire Safety Certificate                                            |
| Schedule changed after works or an order                           | Confirm current schedule, then use the form that matches the stage |

If you are unsure which form the building is in, open the current schedule and the last completion or statement pack before booking practitioners.

## Which buildings commonly need one [#which-buildings-commonly-need-one]

Buildings with a fire safety schedule and essential fire safety measures generally need an AFSS. NSW material commonly links those measures with Building Code of Australia Class 1b and Class 2 to 9 buildings.

That often includes:

- Apartment buildings and other Class 2 residential buildings
- Boarding houses and similar Class 1b or Class 3 uses
- Offices, shops and other commercial buildings
- Warehouses and industrial buildings with scheduled measures
- Health, education and public buildings where a schedule applies
- Mixed-use buildings with shared fire systems and exits

Class alone is not enough. A building may have been altered, a schedule may have been reissued, or a fire safety order may have changed the measures. Always read the current fire safety schedule for that property.

If the property has no fire safety schedule and no essential measures listed for ongoing statements, do not invent an AFSS from habit. Confirm with the owner records, council history and current NSW rules for that building.

## Who must make sure it happens [#who-must-make-sure-it-happens]

### Building owner [#building-owner]

The statement is issued by or on behalf of the owner. The owner is responsible for the statement cycle even when a strata manager, agent or fire safety contractor organises the work.

### Authorised agent [#authorised-agent]

An agent may prepare and issue the statement on behalf of the owner where authority exists. Keep that authority with the building record so the declaration role is defensible later.

### Accredited practitioner (fire safety) [#accredited-practitioner-fire-safety]

Practitioners assess and verify the measures and, for annual statements, inspect exit systems. NSW Planning and Fair Trading material explain accreditation pathways, including the Fire Protection Association Australia scheme for functions covered by that scheme.

The assessing practitioner must not make the owner declaration. That restriction also extends to their employer, employee or direct associate. Keep assessment roles and declaration roles separate.

### Building manager and strata staff [#building-manager-and-strata-staff]

They often book the practitioners, hold the schedule, lodge copies and refresh the foyer display. They still work under the owner's obligation, not instead of it.

## Annual versus supplementary: when each is required [#annual-versus-supplementary-when-each-is-required]

### Annual statements [#annual-statements]

Use the annual statement when the yearly essential-measure obligation is due. NSW Planning says annual statements must be issued each year and include all essential fire safety measures that apply to the building. They also cover the exit system inspection requirement.

In practice, the annual due date is usually tracked from the previous annual statement. Confirm the exact timing rules in the current Regulation and any council process for that building before you lock in assessment bookings.

Assessment and inspection timing matters. Existing NSW guidance used in the AFSS workflow says an annual fire safety statement must not be issued unless the assessment and inspection have been carried out within the previous 3 months. Do not collect reports over half a year and then backdate the story.

### Supplementary statements [#supplementary-statements]

Use a supplementary statement when the fire safety schedule nominates critical fire safety measures and sets more regular intervals for them.

Supplementary is not a shortcut annual statement. It is a different obligation for critical measures. If the schedule does not identify critical measures and shorter intervals, do not force a supplementary form because the team wants a mid-year paper trail for ordinary essential measures.

Existing NSW guidance used in the AFSS workflow says a supplementary fire safety statement must not be issued unless the assessment has been carried out within the previous month. That shorter window is easy to miss when reports arrive late.

## When a certificate is required instead [#when-a-certificate-is-required-instead]

A fire safety certificate is issued by or on behalf of a building owner when new building work is complete. It confirms that a properly qualified person has installed and checked the measures listed in the fire safety schedule so those measures can perform to the minimum standard.

Use the certificate when:

- New building work that includes fire safety measures is complete
- Measures have been installed or upgraded as part of that work
- The completion pack needs the certificate form, not the annual owner statement

After that completion stage, the building usually moves into the ongoing statement cycle under the current schedule. Do not reuse last year's certificate as this year's AFSS, and do not use an AFSS to close brand-new works that still need a certificate.

Read the [NSW Fire Safety Certificate final and interim guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-final-interim-guide) when the job is still in the works stage.

## Decision path for a live building [#decision-path-for-a-live-building]

Use this path before you open the form.

**Before you open the form**

- **Get the current schedule - Not last year's statement** - If you only have last year's statement, stop here.
- **Confirm the building stage - Certificate or statement** - New works completion points to a certificate. A yearly cycle points to a statement.
- **Book the assessment windows - Accredited practitioner** - Annual assessments inside the previous 3 months, supplementary inside the previous month.
- **Confirm who issues - Owner or authorised agent** - The APFS assesses and inspects. They cannot make the owner's declaration.

This path stops the common error of filling a pretty PDF before anyone confirmed the building needs that form this month.

Then plan the three completion paths (council, Fire and Rescue NSW with the current schedule, and building display), check whether critical measures need supplementary statements, and only then fill the official form.

That path stops the common error of filling a pretty PDF before anyone has confirmed the building even needs that form this month.

## Special cases that confuse people [#special-cases-that-confuse-people]

### Mixed-use and part-building statements [#mixed-use-and-part-building-statements]

The official form asks whether the statement applies to the whole building or part of the building. Part statements are common on large sites, staged projects and multi-tenancy complexes. The requirement still sits on the owner for the measures that apply. The scope on the form must match the schedule and the assessments.

### After a fire safety order or reissued schedule [#after-a-fire-safety-order-or-reissued-schedule]

If council reissues a schedule, or an order changes measures, the next statement must follow the current schedule. Do not keep using an obsolete measure list because it matches last year's PDF.

### Change of ownership mid-cycle [#change-of-ownership-mid-cycle]

A sale does not erase the schedule. The new owner inherits the building's fire safety paperwork trail. Hand over the latest statement, schedule, practitioner reports and lodgement proof as part of settlement or management change.

### Multiple buildings under one street address [#multiple-buildings-under-one-street-address]

Industrial parks and campus sites may need separate statements for separate buildings or fire compartments. Check how the schedules are written before combining everything into one form for convenience.

### Buildings with few measures [#buildings-with-few-measures]

A small commercial building with a short schedule still needs a clean annual statement if essential measures apply. The form is shorter, not optional.

## What "required" means for lodgement and display [#what-required-means-for-lodgement-and-display]

Needing a statement is only half the duty. Completing the cycle also means:

- Giving the statement to the relevant council
- Providing a copy of the statement and the current fire safety schedule to Fire and Rescue NSW
- Ensuring the statement and current schedule are prominently displayed in the building

If the PDF is signed but never lodged or displayed, the building has paperwork, not a finished obligation. Record keeping after lodgement is covered in the [AFSS record keeping and handover guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-afss-record-keeping-handover).

## Timing mistakes that look like "not required yet" [#timing-mistakes-that-look-like-not-required-yet]

Teams sometimes delay the AFSS because:

- The practitioner report is late, so they assume the due date moves
- Building works are underway, so they assume the annual cycle pauses without checking
- A certificate was issued mid-year, so they assume no annual statement is needed under the new schedule
- Critical measures are due, but the team only tracks the annual date

None of those shortcuts replace reading the schedule and current rules. If works are underway, confirm with the certifier, owner and current schedule whether a certificate, annual statement, supplementary statement or combination applies.

## Who usually starts the conversation [#who-usually-starts-the-conversation]

In practice, the AFSS question is raised by different people at different times:

- Strata or building managers tracking the annual calendar
- Fire safety contractors quoting assessment packages
- Owners or agents responding to council reminders
- Solicitors or buyers during sale due diligence
- Facilities teams taking over a multi-building portfolio

Whoever starts the conversation should still land on the same source documents: current fire safety schedule, last statement or certificate pack, and the current NSW rules for annual and supplementary statements. A contractor quote is not proof the statement is due, and a sale date is not proof the schedule disappeared.

If you are the contractor, ask for the schedule and last statement before you promise a form. If you are the owner or agent, give practitioners the current schedule early so assessments match the measures that actually apply. That avoids a late discovery that the wrong statement type was booked.

## Quick checklist: do we need a statement now? [#quick-checklist-do-we-need-a-statement-now]

- [ ] Building has a current fire safety schedule
- [ ] Essential measures apply and the annual date is due, or critical measures are due under a shorter interval
- [ ] This is not only a new-works certificate moment
- [ ] Owner or authorised agent is ready to issue
- [ ] APFS assessments and, for annual statements, exit inspections can fall inside the allowed windows
- [ ] Council, FRNSW and display pathways are known for this building

If those boxes are ticked, start the statement. If they are not, fix the gap before you fill measure tables.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Open the [NSW Fire Safety Statement](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-fire-safety-statement) when the obligation is confirmed. Use the [AFSS online guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-statement-afss-online-guide) for preparation and lodgement detail, the [common mistakes checklist](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-nsw-fire-safety-statement) before download, and the [record keeping guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-afss-record-keeping-handover) after copies leave the office.

For completion-stage works, start the [NSW Fire Safety Certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-fire-safety-certificate). Browse [NSW fire safety forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/fire-safety) or [fire safety forms by state](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/fire-safety) for more templates.

## Who does the testing behind the due date [#who-does-the-testing-behind-the-due-date]

The date on the statement is fixed, but the work behind it is spread across the year. Whoever services the measures needs their own records ready before the practitioner assesses. For emergency and exit lighting that is the six-monthly and annual results in an [emergency lighting test register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-emergency-lighting-test-register); for alarms it is a [smoke alarm service record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-smoke-alarm-service-record).

If you are the contractor rather than the owner, the [fire safety forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/fire-safety) has the records that feed a statement.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check current requirements on the [NSW Planning fire safety certification page](https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/policy-and-legislation/buildings/fire-safety-in-buildings/fire-safety-certification), [Fire and Rescue NSW fire safety statement lodgement guidance](https://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/fire-safety/building-fire-safety/service-type-tool/lodge-a-fire-safety-statement), the [Environmental Planning and Assessment (Development Certification and Fire Safety) Regulation 2021](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/sl-2021-0689), and the [NSW guide to selecting an accredited practitioner](https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-03/selecting-an-accredited-practitioner-fire-safety.pdf).

# 8-doc AFSS lodgement pack for NSW buildings (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-afss-record-keeping-handover)

Build a clean NSW Annual Fire Safety Statement record pack with the signed PDF, schedule, APFS evidence, council proof and next-due details. | State: NSW | Trade: Fire Safety | Template: nsw-fire-safety-statement

An AFSS is not finished when someone hits download. The real closeout is when council has the statement, Fire and Rescue NSW has its copy with the current schedule, the building display is up, and the office can find every supporting document without opening six inboxes.

This is an eight-document lodgement pack checklist for NSW Annual Fire Safety Statements. It is about the record set around the statement, not the full due-date rules. For timing, practitioners and lodgement steps, use the [Annual Fire Safety Statement NSW guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-statement-afss-online-guide). For certificate completion packs, see the [NSW Fire Safety Certificate handover guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-handover-records). Browse [NSW fire safety forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/fire-safety). See the [fire safety forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/fire-safety) for the rest of the Australian set.

**Key takeaways**

- Treat the signed statement, current schedule, APFS evidence and lodgement proof as one building pack
- Council, Fire and Rescue NSW and the building display each need a controlled copy of the same finished statement
- Keep owner or agent authority with the declaration so roles stay clear later
- Store the pack where next year's AFSS can start from the current schedule, not last year's memory

NSW Planning describes a fire safety statement as a document issued by or on behalf of the owner of an existing building. It confirms that an accredited practitioner (fire safety) has assessed, inspected and verified the performance of each fire safety measure that applies to the building. The signed PDF is the front page of that story. It is not the whole story.

## What is in the AFSS lodgement pack? [#what-is-in-the-afss-lodgement-pack]

### 1. Signed NSW Fire Safety Statement PDF (Version 4) [#1-signed-nsw-fire-safety-statement-pdf-version-4]

One signed final on the approved layout. Preview address, owner, statement type, measures, APFS rows, declaration and dates before anyone lodges.

**Fix on the file:** keep one signed final and send that same file everywhere. Do not lodge version A to council and a corrected version B to FRNSW an hour later while the foyer still shows last year.

### 2. Current fire safety schedule [#2-current-fire-safety-schedule]

The schedule the measure table was built from, labelled with the date it was current for this cycle. Pair the same schedule with the FRNSW copy.

**Fix on the file:** do not attach last year's schedule because it was still open on the desktop. The statement is only as good as the schedule it rests on.

### 3. APFS reports, signatures or signed supporting documents [#3-apfs-reports-signatures-or-signed-supporting-documents]

Accredited practitioner (fire safety) evidence for every measure claimed, plus exit system inspection details for annual statements. Names, accreditation numbers, contact details and signatures or signed attachments.

**Fix on the file:** gather this before the declaration is final. Chasing practitioner details after the PDF has gone out is how packs stall.

### 4. Owner or authorised agent authority [#4-owner-or-authorised-agent-authority]

Ownership details used on the statement, plus written authority and contact details when an agent declares. NSW Planning material is consistent that the statement is issued by or on behalf of the owner, while accredited practitioners assess and inspect. An accredited practitioner who assessed a measure or inspected exits for the annual statement must not make the owner declaration. That restriction also extends to their employer, employee or direct associate.

**Fix on the file:** store the authority letter with the statement, not only in someone's email. When staff change, the building history still needs to show who was allowed to sign.

### 5. Council lodgement proof [#5-council-lodgement-proof]

Which council received the statement, date lodged or delivered, method (portal, email, counter, post or agent service), any receipt number or acknowledgement, and the exact PDF version that was sent.

**Fix on the file:** do not treat "emailed to council" as enough on its own. If council later asks, you should produce the same file that was lodged, not a later draft with one measure changed.

### 6. Fire and Rescue NSW submission proof [#6-fire-and-rescue-nsw-submission-proof]

Date submitted, method used, confirmation that the current fire safety schedule went with the statement, any acknowledgement returned by FRNSW, and who in the business submitted it. Current lodgement paths sit on the FRNSW service pages linked in the official sources for this article.

FRNSW lodgement has been described as free of a lodgement fee on current public guidance, but practitioner fees and council fees are separate and vary by building and service provider. Do not treat any single statewide AFSS price as fixed. Record costs against the building only if the owner needs an annual cost trail.

**Fix on the file:** never send the statement without the current schedule.

### 7. Building display record [#7-building-display-record]

FRNSW guidance says the owner must ensure the statement and current fire safety schedule are prominently displayed in the building. Capture location, date refreshed, who refreshed it, confirmation that the previous year's documents were removed or archived, and a photo if strata wants proof.

**Fix on the file:** do not leave display to "the building manager will sort it" with no note. Out-of-date foyer packs are a common follow-up.

### 8. Next-due and forward note [#8-next-due-and-forward-note]

Next annual due date (or the date the owner tracks from the last statement), any supplementary critical-measure dates from the schedule, which practitioners covered which measures, known access issues, planned measure upgrades, and who holds foyer pack keys.

**Fix on the file:** put the next due date in the same place as the PDF. A complete pack with no diary note still creates next year's scramble.

Optional but useful alongside the eight: building scope notes when the statement covers only part of a site, and photos or defect close-out notes that explain follow-up.

## How should you store the eight documents? [#how-should-you-store-the-eight-documents]

A simple structure works better than a clever one that only one person understands.

Example folder or job tags:

- `2026-AFSS-signed-PDF`
- `2026-fire-safety-schedule-current`
- `2026-APFS-reports`
- `2026-owner-agent-authority`
- `2026-council-lodgement`
- `2026-frnsw-submission`
- `2026-display-record`
- `next-due-notes`

Keep draft PDFs out of the final folder, or mark them clearly as draft. Index by building and year, not only by strata plan or street. On part-building and multi-building sites, store wing, level, tenancy or fire compartment description, and whether the schedule is whole-site or part-site.

## Roles that must stay separate in the pack [#roles-that-must-stay-separate-in-the-pack]

| Role               | What to keep                                                     |
| ------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Owner              | Ownership details used on the statement                          |
| Authorised agent   | Written authority and contact details                            |
| APFS practitioners | Reports, accreditation numbers, signatures or signed attachments |
| Declarant          | Name, capacity and signed declaration date                       |
| Building manager   | Display and site access notes if they handle the foyer pack      |

The declarant ticks owner or owner's agent. An APFS who assessed the measures cannot tick either, and nor can their employer, employee or direct associate.

Use the [common NSW Fire Safety Statement mistakes guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-nsw-fire-safety-statement) as a pre-download check before the pack is sealed.

## How does a certificate pack differ from a statement pack? [#how-does-a-certificate-pack-differ-from-a-statement-pack]

Do not merge completion certificates and annual statements into one loose "fire safety" folder.

- A [NSW Fire Safety Certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-fire-safety-certificate) sits with new or altered work at completion.
- A [NSW Fire Safety Statement](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-fire-safety-statement) sits with the recurring existing-building cycle.

After major works, keep a handoff note: which schedule version is now current, which certificate closed the works, and when the first annual statement under the new arrangement is due.

## Closeout checklist when copies leave the business [#closeout-checklist-when-copies-leave-the-business]

**Where the signed statement goes**

- **Statement signed - Owner or authorised agent** - With authority on file and the current schedule attached.
- **Council copy - Lodged** - Store the acknowledgement, not just the sent email.
- **FRNSW copy - Submitted with the current schedule** - Store the confirmation the same way.
- **Building display refreshed - On site** - Record where and when, then file the full pack under building and year.

Two lodgements and a display, each needing its own evidence. Missing any one leaves the cycle looking incomplete a year later.

1. Preview the official Version 4 PDF
2. Confirm the schedule is current
3. Confirm APFS evidence is complete
4. Confirm the declarant is the owner or authorised agent, with authority on file
5. Lodge the council copy and store the acknowledgement
6. Submit the FRNSW copy with the current schedule and store the confirmation
7. Refresh the building display and record where and when
8. Save the full eight-doc pack under the building and year
9. Note next annual and any supplementary dates
10. Tell the owner or building manager where the pack lives

## Handover to a new manager or owner [#handover-to-a-new-manager-or-owner]

Hand over the latest signed AFSS PDF, current schedule, last three years of statements if available, APFS reports for the latest cycle, council and FRNSW lodgement proof, display location notes, open defects or upgrades still underway, and practitioner contacts from the last cycle.

## How the form helps without overclaiming [#how-the-form-helps-without-overclaiming]

The [NSW Fire Safety Statement](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-fire-safety-statement) keeps statement type, measure rows, fire exit rows, APFS rows and the matching declaration in order so the downloaded PDF matches the official Version 4 layout. Tradie Forms does not lodge with council or FRNSW, and does not replace display or storage duties. The owner, authorised agent and relevant practitioners remain responsible for assessments, declarations, lodgement pathways, display and storage.

Related: [when a NSW Fire Safety Statement is required](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-nsw-fire-safety-statement-required), [certificate vs statement guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-vs-statement-guide).

## The measure records that travel with the pack [#the-measure-records-that-travel-with-the-pack]

A statement pack is only as good as the testing behind it. When a building changes hands, the incoming manager needs the measure records as well as the statement, or the next assessment starts from nothing. Emergency and exit lighting results belong in an [emergency lighting test register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-emergency-lighting-test-register), and alarm servicing in a [smoke alarm service record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-smoke-alarm-service-record), so both hand over as a set rather than a folder of loose sheets.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check current requirements on the [NSW Planning fire safety certification page](https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/policy-and-legislation/buildings/fire-safety-in-buildings/fire-safety-certification), [Fire and Rescue NSW fire safety statement lodgement guidance](https://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/fire-safety/building-fire-safety/service-type-tool/lodge-a-fire-safety-statement), the [Fire and Rescue NSW AFSS submission page](https://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/fire-safety/building-fire-safety/service-type-tool/lodge-a-fire-safety-statement/afsssubmission), and the [Environmental Planning and Assessment (Development Certification and Fire Safety) Regulation 2021](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/sl-2021-0689).

# When is a JSA required on construction sites (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-a-jsa-required-construction)

Learn when builders and principals require a job safety analysis, how a JSA differs from a SWMS, and what to prepare before construction starts. | Trade: Building | Template: national-jsa

"Have you got a JSA?" is one of the most common gate questions on Australian building sites. The answer is not only yes or no. It is whether your document matches the pack, whether high risk construction work also needs a SWMS, and whether the steps match how the crew will work today.

This guide explains when JSAs get required in practice, how that sits next to legal SWMS triggers, and what to prepare so you are not stuck at the fence.

**Key takeaways**

- JSA requirements usually come from principals, clients, and company systems
- High risk construction work still needs a SWMS under model WHS rules
- Match the document name the site filed, and keep methods consistent
- Prepare the JSA before start with site-specific steps and crew sign-on

How to write one: [How to write a JSA on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/jsa-job-safety-analysis-on-site-guide). Comparison: [JSA vs SWMS for builders](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/jsa-vs-swms-for-builders) and [SWMS vs JSA vs Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/swms-vs-jsa-vs-take-5). Building forms: [building forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/building).

## Legal line first: SWMS and risk management [#legal-line-first-swms-and-risk-management]

Under model WHS laws used across most of Australia, a PCBU must manage risks to health and safety so far as reasonably practicable. For high risk construction work, a Safe Work Method Statement must be prepared before that work starts. SafeWork NSW publishes practical guidance for NSW sites. Other jurisdictions apply the same high risk construction work concept through their WHS laws and construction codes.

High risk construction work includes activities such as fall risk more than two metres, work near energised electrical installations, work near powered mobile plant, trenches deeper than 1.5 metres, and other listed activities. See your state regulator and the [model Construction Work Code of Practice](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/resources-and-publications/model-codes-practice/model-code-practice-construction-work).

The regulations name SWMS for that high risk planning duty. They do not create a single national form titled "JSA" as the mandatory high risk document. That is why site language confuses people.

## Where JSA requirements come from [#where-jsa-requirements-come-from]

In practice, a JSA is required when one or more of these say so:

### Principal contractor site pack [#principal-contractor-site-pack]

Housing and commercial principals often list "JSA required before start" in induction handbooks, site rules, or online portals. No JSA, no start. The layout may be their template or "contractor's own JSA".

### Client or head contractor WHS system [#client-or-head-contractor-whs-system]

Mines, industrial clients, and large builders may standardise on JSA language for every work package, including work that is not high risk construction work.

### Your own PCBU procedures [#your-own-pcbu-procedures]

Electrical, plumbing, and building companies often require a JSA for every new job or every high complexity package as internal policy. That policy can be stricter than the minimum legal SWMS list.

### Tender, prequalification, and insurance questionnaires [#tender-prequalification-and-insurance-questionnaires]

Forms ask whether you use JSAs, how you consult workers, and how you keep records. Winning work then commits you to the system you described.

### Supervisor instruction on the day [#supervisor-instruction-on-the-day]

Even without a portal, a site manager can refuse start until a written step analysis exists for a tricky package.

## When you should expect a JSA ask [#when-you-should-expect-a-jsa-ask]

Common moments:

- First morning on a new principal's site
- Starting a new trade package after another trade finishes
- After a method change (plant swap, redesign, weather event)
- When multiple subcontractors share a face and the principal wants one method written down
- When the purchase order or scope says "submit JSA before mobilisation"

If the induction mentions JSA, prepare it before the first billable hour on site, not after the first complaint.

## When a Take 5 is not the same requirement [#when-a-take-5-is-not-the-same-requirement]

A [Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-take-5) is a short pre-task check. Some supervisors say "JSA" when they mean any risk paper. Others say "Take 5" when the portal still requires a multi-step JSA. Clarify the name and the depth:

- **Take 5:** minutes, personal or short checklist
- **JSA:** step-by-step job analysis with hazards and controls, usually with crew sign-on
- **SWMS:** high risk construction work planning document with regulated content expectations

Decision path for the short form: [When to use a Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-to-use-take-5-pre-task-check).

## When SWMS is required even if nobody said JSA [#when-swms-is-required-even-if-nobody-said-jsa]

Do not wait for the word "SWMS" if the work is high risk construction work. Prepare the SWMS before that work starts. On many NSW housing sites the expected layout is HIISP WHS Form 05. Other projects use different SWMS templates. Content still needs the high risk work, hazards, risks, controls, and how controls are implemented, monitored, and reviewed.

If the gate only said "JSA", still check the high risk list. Provide the JSA they named and the SWMS the law requires when both apply. NSW trigger guide: [When is a SWMS required in NSW](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-swms-required-nsw).

## Decision path at the gate [#decision-path-at-the-gate]

**Decision path at the gate**

- **Read the pack - What did it actually name?** - SWMS, JSA, Take 5, or a form number. Match the word used.
- **Check for high risk work - The legal trigger** - If HRCW is involved, a current SWMS must exist before it starts.
- **Check your own procedure - Company system** - If it requires a JSA, do one even when the principal only asked for a SWMS.
- **Sign on today's crew - After a real review** - Conditions must match the written method. Add late starters.

The pack's wording tells you what to hand over. It does not tell you what the law requires.

## Worked examples [#worked-examples]

### Residential second fix carpentry, no high risk activity [#residential-second-fix-carpentry-no-high-risk-activity]

Principal pack says JSA before start. No fall risk over two metres, no plant high risk list item.

**Prepare:** site-specific [JSA](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-jsa) with steps, hazards, controls, crew sign-on. Optional Take 5 each morning if company habit. SWMS not required for high risk construction work if none applies, but follow any stricter site rule.

### Scaffolded work with fall risk more than two metres [#scaffolded-work-with-fall-risk-more-than-two-metres]

**Prepare:** SWMS before work starts; JSA if the builder still wants that label for the package; Take 5 on change or daily if required. Do not treat JSA alone as the high risk plan.

### Electrical work near services that may be energised [#electrical-work-near-services-that-may-be-energised]

**Prepare:** SWMS for the high risk electrical construction work activity as applicable; JSA if the principal files work under that name; isolation and prove-dead controls consistent across documents.

### Client portal only accepts their JSA upload field [#client-portal-only-accepts-their-jsa-upload-field]

**Prepare:** complete a proper step analysis in their form or download your [national JSA](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-jsa) PDF if they accept contractor format. Still keep SWMS records for high risk work even if the portal's field is labelled JSA only. Ask the site manager where SWMS files go if the portal is unclear.

## What "required" means for subcontractors [#what-required-means-for-subcontractors]

If you are a subcontractor:

- The principal can set site entry conditions including JSA submission
- Your PCBU duties for risk management and SWMS still sit with you for your work
- "The builder should have done it" is not a plan for your crew's high risk steps
- Consult your workers so the steps match how they will work, not only how the tender was written

If you are the principal:

- State document names clearly in induction
- Tell subcontractors when high risk construction work needs a SWMS before start
- Do not accept a Take 5 as a SWMS for high risk work
- Keep received JSAs and SWMS files available for the project system

## Reuse rules when the site "always wants a JSA" [#reuse-rules-when-the-site-always-wants-a-jsa]

High volume crews often keep template JSAs for repeat packages. That is fine as a draft source. Before each site:

- Update address, client, date, plant, and other trades
- Adjust steps for this building and access
- Clear and recollect crew sign-on
- Align with any SWMS for high risk steps

Generic JSAs that never change are a common reason safety advisors reject packs. See [Common JSA mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-jsa-mistakes-tradies).

## Contracts, POs, and scope notes that create JSA duties [#contracts-pos-and-scope-notes-that-create-jsa-duties]

Read the paperwork before mobilisation. JSA requirements hide in:

- Purchase order special conditions
- Subcontract WHS annexures
- Principal contractor site rules linked from the induction QR code
- Client prequalification answers you already submitted
- Builder app checklists that block site access until a file uploads

If you promised JSAs in a prequalification form, treat that as a live duty for the jobs you win under that scheme. If the PO says submit method statements five days before start, plan the writing time into the programme so the crew is not waiting on the fence.

## What if the builder will not let you start without a JSA and you only brought a SWMS? [#what-if-the-builder-will-not-let-you-start-without-a-jsa-and-you-only-brought-a-swms]

Upload or hand over both if high risk work applies. If the work is not high risk construction work and they still want a JSA, write the step analysis on site before start rather than arguing labels for an hour. A [national JSA](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-jsa) finished in rows is usually faster than a fight about whether the SWMS "should count".

If they demand their exact template fields, copy your method into their form once, then keep your own PDF for company records so you are not locked into a portal you cannot re-download later.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- [How to write a JSA on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/jsa-job-safety-analysis-on-site-guide)
- [Common JSA mistakes tradies make](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-jsa-mistakes-tradies)
- [JSA crew sign-on and handover](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/jsa-crew-sign-on-and-handover)
- [JSA vs SWMS for builders](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/jsa-vs-swms-for-builders)
- [SWMS vs JSA vs Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/swms-vs-jsa-vs-take-5)
- [When is a SWMS required in NSW](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-swms-required-nsw)
- [When to use a Take 5 pre-task check](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-to-use-take-5-pre-task-check)

## Official sources [#official-sources]

- [Manage risks (Safe Work Australia)](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/safety-topic/managing-health-and-safety/identify-assess-and-control-hazards/managing-risks)
- [Prepare safe work method statement (SafeWork NSW)](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/construction/general-requirements/prepare-safe-work-method-statement)
- [Construction work (SafeWork NSW)](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/construction)
- [Model Code of Practice: Construction work](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/resources-and-publications/model-codes-practice/model-code-practice-construction-work)

# NSW WHS site pack with SWMS risk assessment and toolbox talks (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-whs-site-pack-swms-risk-assessment-toolbox)

How SafeWork NSW HIISP Forms 04, 05, and 06 work together on residential sites: risk assessment, SWMS for high risk work, and toolbox talk records. | State: NSW | Trade: Building | Template: nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement

Start from [risk assessment](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-04-site-specific-risk-assessment), build the [SWMS](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement), then record the [toolbox talk](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-06-toolbox-talk-record).

SafeWork NSW built the Housing Industry Site Safety Pack for small subcontractors in residential construction. Principals and clients often ask for those templates as proof you have a basic WHS system, not a folder of random Word files.

This guide focuses on the three forms that move together day to day: site-specific risk assessment (Form 04), SWMS (Form 05), and toolbox talk record (Form 06). Get that chain right and the rest of the pack is easier to keep honest.

**Key takeaways**

- HIISP is SafeWork NSW's residential site pack for small subcontractors
- Form 04 finds site hazards; Form 05 plans high risk construction work; Form 06 records the talk
- You do not always need every form on every job, but high risk work still needs a SWMS before it starts
- Keep organisation details consistent across the pack so the principal's file matches

Full form list and downloads live on the [Housing industry site safety pack](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/house-construction/housing-industry-site-safety-pack) page. Browse live templates on [NSW building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/building).

## What is in the HIISP site safety pack? [#what-is-in-the-hiisp-site-safety-pack]

SafeWork NSW lists ten core templates:

| Form                                | Purpose                                    |
| ----------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------ |
| 01 Organisation details             | Business identity for the site file        |
| 02 Roles and responsibilities       | Who does what in the WHS system            |
| 03 WHS policy                       | Policy statement for the business          |
| 04 Site-specific risk assessment    | Walk the site, record hazards and controls |
| 05 Safe work method statement       | High risk construction work method         |
| 06 Toolbox talk record              | Record of worker consultation talks        |
| 07 Worker training register         | Training evidence                          |
| 08 Electrical test and tag register | Plant and equipment testing record         |
| 09 Hazardous chemicals register     | Chemicals on site                          |
| 10 Incident and injury register     | Incident records                           |

Authorities, clients, and principal contractors may require evidence of your WHS system. SafeWork NSW says using the templates as directed helps you provide those documents.

## The daily chain: 04 → 05 → 06 [#the-daily-chain-04--05--06]

**How the three forms hand off to each other**

- **Form 04, walk the site - Before method statements** - Access, voids, services, plant, weather, other trades, storage.
- **Form 05, SWMS - If a high risk item appeared** - Only the high risk work. Ordinary site notes stay on Form 04.
- **Form 06, toolbox talk - Consultation record** - Who attended and what was covered, without turning the SWMS into minutes.

Form 04 finding a fall risk over two metres is the cue to complete Form 05 before that work starts.

### Form 04: site-specific risk assessment [#form-04-site-specific-risk-assessment]

Walk the site. Note access, voids, services, plant, weather exposure, other trades, and storage. Form 04 is where you capture site hazards before you write method statements for the high risk pieces.

If Form 04 shows a fall risk greater than two metres, work near energised services, or another high risk construction work item, that is your cue to complete or update Form 05 before that work starts.

Open the [site-specific risk assessment form](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-04-site-specific-risk-assessment).

### Form 05: SWMS [#form-05-swms]

SafeWork NSW requires a SWMS for high risk construction work before the work starts. Form 05 is the HIISP layout many residential principals expect: PCBU, principal, work, location, consultation, task rows, compliance, worker sign-off.

Do not copy every Form 04 hazard into the SWMS. Keep the SWMS on high risk construction work. Leave ordinary site notes on Form 04 or in toolbox talks.

Open the [NSW WHS SWMS form](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement). Deeper guides:

- [How to complete a NSW SWMS on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-swms-on-site-guide)
- [When is a SWMS required in NSW](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-swms-required-nsw)
- [Common SWMS mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-swms-mistakes-nsw)

### Form 06: toolbox talk record [#form-06-toolbox-talk-record]

The toolbox talk is how many crews communicate hazards, SWMS changes, and daily issues. Form 06 records who attended and what was covered. It supports the SWMS consultation expectation without turning the SWMS into a meeting minute.

Open the [toolbox talk record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-06-toolbox-talk-record).

## Example flow for a roofing subcontractor [#example-flow-for-a-roofing-subcontractor]

1. Arrive with organisation details already saved from Forms 01 to 03 for the business.
2. Complete or refresh Form 04 for this block and stage.
3. Identify high risk construction work (for example fall risk more than two metres).
4. Complete Form 05 SWMS with site-specific rows and controls.
5. Run a toolbox talk covering the SWMS and site changes; complete Form 06.
6. Keep the SWMS available on site while the high risk work continues.
7. Stop and update Form 05 if the method or site conditions change.

That sequence matches SafeWork NSW timing: plan before high risk work, communicate to workers, keep the document available, review when things change.

## How the rest of the pack supports the three [#how-the-rest-of-the-pack-supports-the-three]

- **Forms 01 to 03** stop you retyping business identity on every job.
- **Form 07** shows training for people named on high risk tasks.
- **Form 08** supports electrical plant used around high risk work.
- **Form 09** tracks chemicals that may change site atmosphere or handling risks.
- **Form 10** records incidents that should trigger a SWMS or risk assessment review.

Complete them as separate PDFs and keep them in one site file for the principal.

## When principals ask for "the pack" [#when-principals-ask-for-the-pack]

Ask which templates they need for this project stage. Some want the full ten. Others want risk assessment, SWMS, and toolbox records for the active trades only.

If they say "JSA" or "Take 5", clarify whether they still need HIISP Form 05 for high risk construction work. See [SWMS vs JSA vs Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/swms-vs-jsa-vs-take-5).

## Keeping organisation details consistent [#keeping-organisation-details-consistent]

Forms 01 to 03 set the business identity. Forms 04 to 06 reuse that identity in the daily records. When the ABN, phone, or business name drifts between documents, the principal's file looks incomplete even if the safety method is sound.

Save organisation and principal details once, then check them when a licence renews, a trading name changes, or a new principal takes over the project.

## Common pack failures [#common-pack-failures]

| Problem                                          | Fix                                                       |
| ------------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------- |
| SWMS exists but Form 04 is blank for the stage   | Walk the site and record hazards before high risk work    |
| Toolbox talk mentions a control not on the SWMS  | Align the talk with Form 05, or update Form 05 first      |
| Full pack emailed as ten scanned photos          | Download clean PDFs and name them by form number and site |
| Pack completed after the high risk task finished | Move Form 05 earlier in the job plan                      |

Related SWMS reading: [on-site SWMS guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-swms-on-site-guide), [when a SWMS is required](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-swms-required-nsw), [common SWMS mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-swms-mistakes-nsw), and [SWMS vs JSA vs Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/swms-vs-jsa-vs-take-5).

You remain responsible for the content and for following the method on site. These templates do not lodge forms with SafeWork NSW.

Start with the three:

1. [Risk assessment Form 04](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-04-site-specific-risk-assessment)
2. [SWMS Form 05](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement)
3. [Toolbox talk Form 06](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-06-toolbox-talk-record)

Then add training, test and tag, hazardous chemicals, and incident registers as the site and principal require.

## Weekly site file habit [#weekly-site-file-habit]

Pick one day each week on longer jobs to:

1. Confirm Form 04 still matches the stage
2. Confirm Form 05 still matches high risk work in progress
3. File Form 06 records for talks held that week
4. Replace outdated PDFs in the principal pack

That habit costs less than rewriting the whole pack after a gate rejection.

## Who usually owns which form [#who-usually-owns-which-form]

On many residential sites:

- The **subcontractor PCBU** prepares the SWMS for their high risk work and keeps it available to their workers
- The **principal contractor** collects SWMS copies for the project and manages the broader WHS management plan where required
- **Supervisors** run toolbox talks and make sure the method on the ground still matches Form 05
- **Workers** need to understand the controls that apply to their task, not just sign a blank page

SafeWork NSW expects consultation and coordination when more than one PCBU is involved. The pack only works when those roles talk to each other before the high risk step starts.

## When is the HIISP pack enough? [#when-is-the-hiisp-pack-enough]

The pack is enough when you are a small residential subcontractor showing a basic system, and not enough once a principal's full WHS management plan applies. HIISP helps small residential subcontractors show a basic system. Larger projects, asbestos removal, demolition, or work under a principal's full WHS management plan may need extra documents beyond Forms 04 to 06.

Use the pack as the floor for housing work, not the ceiling for every construction type. When in doubt, check the principal's requirements and the current SafeWork NSW construction guidance for your activity before you start the high risk stage. A five-minute check beats a stop-work order mid-task.

## Official sources [#official-sources]

- [Housing industry site safety pack](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/house-construction/housing-industry-site-safety-pack)
- [Prepare safe work method statement](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/construction/general-requirements/prepare-safe-work-method-statement)
- [Construction work](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/construction)
- [HIISP Form 05 PDF](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/52743/form-5-safe-work-method-statement.pdf)

Confirm current SafeWork NSW guidance for your project size and trade before you rely on this pack structure for a compliance decision.

# How to fill out the ACMA TCA2 cabling advice form (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca2-cabling-advice-form-how-to-fill-out)

How registered cablers complete ACMA TCA2, record outstanding cabling matters, set priority, finish on site and download the PDF. | Trade: Electrical | Template: acma-tca2

You are running a new data outlet and you find the old comms cable sharing a stud with the power run, no separation, no support, and it is nothing you were booked to fix. A verbal heads-up to the customer gets lost the minute they ring the landlord. The ACMA TCA2 is the form that puts that advice on paper: what you found, and how urgent it is. Fill it out properly and the customer has a record they can act on. Skip it and the next cabler inherits the problem with your name nowhere near it.

This guide walks through the TCA2 field by field: choosing pre works or post works advice, ticking the outstanding matters that apply, and setting the right priority on each one.

**Key takeaways**

- The TCA2 is an advisory form for flagging non-compliant cabling you noticed, separate from the mandatory TCA1 statement
- You choose whether the advice is pre works or post works before you download it
- Each matter you tick gets one of three priorities: urgent, attention required, or long term
- You give the completed form to the customer or building manager to decide what action to take

If you are writing one up now, open the [ACMA TCA2 cabling advice form](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca2). It pairs with the [ACMA TCA1 telecommunications cabling advice form](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca1-attach-a) for the work you actually completed, and the [ACMA TCA1 and TCA2 record keeping and handover guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca1-tca2-cabling-record-keeping-handover-guide) covers how the two forms sit together in your job file. Browse more [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical) for the rest of your job paperwork, and see [common ACMA TCA2 mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-acma-tca2) before you hand one over.

## What is an ACMA TCA2 form? [#what-is-an-acma-tca2-form]

The Australian Communications and Media Authority publishes two cabling customer advice forms. The TCA1 is the mandatory one: after finishing customer cabling work, a registered cabler prepares a written statement certifying the work complies with the Wiring Rules and gives a copy to the customer. The TCA2 is different. ACMA says to use the TCA2 form if you notice any non-compliant cable installations, so the customer can decide what action to take.

That makes the TCA2 advisory rather than mandatory. It is not a certificate for your work and it is not a quote to fix anything. It is a record of existing cabling that does not meet the standard, handed to the person who can do something about it.

The rules behind this sit with ACMA. Under the cabling provider rules all customer cabling work must be carried out by a registered cabler, and work must comply with AS/CA S009:2020 Installation requirements for customer cabling, known as the Wiring Rules. Those rules cover things like keeping telecommunications cabling separated from electrical cabling and supporting cables properly, which is exactly the sort of thing a TCA2 flags when an old install got it wrong.

## Is it pre works or post works advice? [#is-it-pre-works-or-post-works-advice]

The first thing the TCA2 asks is when the advice is being issued. There are two options, and you pick one.

One tick, at the very top. It separates what you inherited from what you are responsible for.

**Pre works advice** is for matters you spot before your cabling work starts. This is the box to use when you are quoting or scoping a job and you notice existing cabling that is not compliant. It tells the customer the problem was there before you touched anything.

**Post works advice** is for matters you find during or after your work on site. You have gone into the ceiling or the rack, done what you were booked for, and along the way confirmed an issue that is outside your scope.

The distinction matters because it separates what you inherited from what you are responsible for. A TCA2 marked pre works makes clear the fault predates your visit. Get this right at the top of the form and the rest of the record reads cleanly.

## The outstanding matters you can flag [#the-outstanding-matters-you-can-flag]

The body of the TCA2 is a list of common non-compliant conditions. You tick every one that applies on the job. The form covers:

**Separation and support faults.** Inadequate separation of communications and electrical cabling, inappropriate or inadequate support provided to cables, and cables not secured or fixed. These are the classics on older installs and the ones that most often come back to bite.

**Non-compliant products and equipment.** Non-compliant cabling product used, non-compliant customer equipment installed, and non-compliant earthing. This is where a cheap cable, an unlabelled bit of gear, or a bad earth gets recorded.

**Product presentation and records.** Wrong colour conduit used, and records that are missing or out of date. Small on their own, but they still sit outside the standard and belong on the form.

Rounding it out are pre-existing cables that are worn or frayed, and a catch-all line for pre-existing cabling that is not compliant in some other way. Only tick the matters you actually observed. The form is a record of what you saw, not a checklist to fill for the sake of it, and every tick needs to stand up if the customer or a later cabler asks about it.

## Setting the priority on each matter [#setting-the-priority-on-each-matter]

Ticking a matter is only half the job. The TCA2 asks you to set a priority against each one, and there are three levels.

A row per matter, and a column for the priority. A tick in the first column with nothing after it tells the customer nothing about when to act.

**Urgent safety hazard.** The issue needs attention straight away because it presents a safety risk. This is the level that tells a building manager to stop waiting and act.

**Attention required, non-urgent.** The matter is real and needs fixing, but it is not an immediate danger. It should be planned and dealt with rather than left indefinitely.

**Long term, low safety risk.** A genuine non-compliance with a low safety risk, worth noting so it is on record and can be tidied up when the cabling is next worked on.

Pick one priority per matter. The priority is your read of how quickly the customer needs to move, so base it on what you saw, not on how awkward the conversation might be. An urgent hazard marked as long term is worse than useless if something goes wrong later.

## Who do you give the TCA2 to? [#who-do-you-give-the-tca2-to]

Once the advice type, the matters, and the priorities are set, the TCA2 goes to the person who can act on it. ACMA is clear that the point of the form is to let the customer decide what action to take, so the completed form belongs in the customer's or building manager's hands, not just filed away.

On a tenanted or strata site that person is often the building manager rather than the tenant who booked you, because the outstanding cabling is part of the building, not the tenancy. Work out who owns the infrastructure before you hand it over.

Keep a copy with your own job records too. A TCA2 you issued is evidence that you spotted a problem and advised the right person, which is worth having if the same fault surfaces down the track. It sits alongside the TCA1 for the work you completed, so the two together tell the full story of what you did and what you flagged.

## Getting the TCA2 right the first time [#getting-the-tca2-right-the-first-time]

A few things turn a useful advice form into one that gets ignored or argued over.

**No priority set.** A ticked matter with no priority leaves the customer guessing how urgent it is. Every matter you flag needs one of the three levels against it.

**Wrong advice type.** Marking pre-existing damage as post works advice blurs the line on what you inherited. Set pre works or post works to match when you actually saw the issue.

**Vague handover.** Giving the form to whoever happens to be on site, when the building manager is the one who owns the cabling, means the advice never reaches the person who can act. Confirm who should receive it.

**Filling it out from memory.** Written up in the ute hours later, a form loses the detail that made it worth issuing. Complete it while the fault is in front of you.

Most of these come back to the same habit. The TCA2 is strongest when you fill it out on site, at the fault, while you can still see what you are describing.

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Tradie Forms turns the TCA2 into sections you work through one at a time that follow the official form. You choose pre works or post works advice, tick each outstanding matter that applies, and set its priority as the row opens, so no ticked matter is left without a level. Your registered cabler and business details are saved and reused, so you are not retyping them on every advice form.

The form flags anything missing before you download, which is what catches the matter with no priority or the advice type left blank. You preview your entries mapped onto the official ACMA TCA2 PDF layout, then download the finished form to hand to the customer or building manager and keep with the job.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the official layout. The registered cabler still checks the observations, the priorities, and the downloaded PDF before it goes to the customer.

Start the [ACMA TCA2 cabling advice form](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca2) on site, or open the [ACMA TCA1 telecommunications cabling advice form](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca1-attach-a) for the work you completed.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [ACMA cabling customer advice forms TCA1 and TCA2](https://www.acma.gov.au/cabling-advice-forms) page and the [ACMA Form TCA2 - Telecommunications cabling advice](https://www.acma.gov.au/publications/2019-06/form/form-tca2-telecommunications-cabling-advice) publication for the current form and its status. The [ACMA cabling provider rules](https://www.acma.gov.au/cabling-provider-rules) and [ACMA Australian cabling standards](https://www.acma.gov.au/australian-cabling-standards) set the registration requirement and the AS/CA S009 Wiring Rules, and [ACMA find a registered cabler](https://www.acma.gov.au/find-registered-cabler) explains who is authorised to do the work. Confirm the current form and rules on the ACMA site before you issue advice.

# Electrical defect notice template (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/electrical-defect-notice-template-guide)

How electricians record an unsafe or non-compliant installation, what an electrical defect notice should include, and how to fill and download the PDF on site. | Trade: Electrical | Template: national-electrical-defect-notice

You are on a job, you open a switchboard or pull down a light fitting, and you find something that is not yours to fix today but is not safe to leave without a word. Deteriorated rubber cabling, no RCD protection, a board that was never earthed properly. You did not cause it, but you have seen it, and once you have seen it you carry some of the risk if nothing is written down. An electrical defect notice is how you put that fault on the record, tell the client in plain terms, and close your part of the job cleanly.

This guide covers what an electrical defect notice does, what belongs on it, and how to complete one on site so the client is left with a clear document and you are left with a copy that stands up later.

**Key takeaways**

- A defect notice records an unsafe or non-compliant installation in writing, with the location, risk, and recommendation
- AS/NZS 3000, the Wiring Rules, sets the minimum safety requirements electrical work is measured against
- Unsafe defects usually mean isolating the affected circuit from supply until it is repaired
- The licensed electrician who inspected the work stays responsible for the assessment and the advice

If you need to write one up today, open the [electrical defect notice form](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-electrical-defect-notice). Browse more [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical), read how defects tie back to certification in the [electrical installation defects and CCEW reporting guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/electrical-installation-defects-ccew-reporting), or use the [switchboard condition report guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/switchboard-condition-report-template-inspection-guide) when the job starts with a visual assessment of the board.

## What is an electrical defect notice? [#what-is-an-electrical-defect-notice]

A defect notice is a written statement that an electrical installation, or part of it, is unsafe or does not meet the standard. It is not a certificate that the work is compliant. It is the opposite. It says something is wrong, here is where it is, here is how serious it is, and here is what needs to happen next.

The measuring stick is AS/NZS 3000, known as the Wiring Rules. Standards Australia describes it as the technical rules that help electricians design, construct, and verify electrical installations, setting the minimum requirements for safety of persons from fire and electric shock. Because state and territory electrical safety legislation references the Wiring Rules, they are legally enforceable, not just good practice. When you write that an installation is non-compliant, that is the document you are measuring it against.

Regulators treat the same idea in their own paperwork. Energy Safe Victoria splits installation defects into technical and unsafe, and an unsafe defect is one where the installation has to be isolated from supply or a circuit disconnected. That two-way split, safe enough to note versus dangerous enough to isolate, is the same judgement you are making when you rate a defect on this notice.

## Business and electrician details [#business-and-electrician-details]

The notice starts with who is issuing it. Your business name, ABN, the electrician's name, licence number, and a contact phone number go at the top. This is not filler. If the client acts on your notice, gets a quote, or has an inspector look at the work later, the first question is who found this and are they licensed to say so.

The licence number matters most. A defect notice is a licensed person's assessment of an installation, so the number is what backs your name against the finding. Put your logo on it if you have one, so the client can see at a glance whose document it is when it turns up in their file months later.

Because these details are the same on every job, they are worth saving once and reusing rather than retyping the licence number from memory each time.

## Who should receive the defect notice? [#who-should-receive-the-defect-notice]

The site section records who the notice is issued to and where the defects were found. Issued-to is the owner, the property manager, the head contractor, or whoever is in control of the installation. Add a contact name and number, a job reference if you use one, and the full address of the site.

Getting the issued-to right is what makes the notice actionable. State electrical safety laws place obligations on the person in control of unsafe electrical equipment, so the notice needs to name the person who can actually do something about the fault. Handing an unsafe-wiring notice to a tenant who cannot authorise repairs is not the same as putting it in front of the owner or manager who can.

The address ties the notice to a specific installation. If a property has multiple boards, meters, or buildings, be specific enough that anyone reading the notice later knows which installation you are talking about.

## Recording each defect [#recording-each-defect]

This is the core of the notice, and where a vague entry causes the most trouble. Each defect gets its own line with four things: what it is, where it is, a risk rating, and where the risk is high, a recommendation.

Energy Safe Victoria's guidance on documenting defects is a good rule to borrow. Descriptions should be accurate, legible, and in plain English, and should name the defective item, its location, and the detail of the defect.

**Defect description**

- **This** - Deteriorated rubber-insulated cabling in the roof space above the kitchen (The next person can walk to the fault and see what you saw.)
- **Not this** - Dodgy wiring (Names no item, no location, and no observable condition.)

The risk rating is the part that drives everything downstream. This notice uses four levels:

**Low.** A minor non-compliance worth noting but not urgent. Record it so it is on file and does not get forgotten.

**Medium.** A fault that should be repaired but does not present an immediate danger, such as an installation with no RCD protection on power circuits.

**High and extreme.** A fault that carries a real risk of fire or electric shock. These are the ones that usually need the circuit isolated, and on this notice a high or extreme defect requires a recommendation before you can finish. That rule exists so a serious fault never leaves site without a written next step attached to it.

Photos carry weight here. A picture of the perished cabling or the unearthed board attached to the defect line means the client, the next electrician, and an inspector all see the same evidence instead of relying on your description alone.

## Overall risk and made-safe status [#overall-risk-and-made-safe-status]

After the individual defects, the advice section pulls the job together. You record the overall risk for the installation and, just as important, the made-safe status: what state you left it in when you walked away.

The made-safe options map to the real decisions you make at the board:

**Isolated and tagged out.** You cut supply to the unsafe circuit and tagged it so no one re-energises it before repair. This is the expected outcome for an unsafe defect.

**Made safe, repair required.** You did enough to remove the immediate danger but the installation still needs proper repair.

**Left in service, monitor.** The installation is still live. If you choose this against a high or extreme defect, you are making a decision that needs checking before you issue the notice, because you are recording that a serious fault was left energised.

**No immediate hazard.** The defects are noted but nothing needed isolating on the day.

Write a short advice summary in your own words. This is where you tell the client, plainly, what you found and what to do about it. Energy Safe Victoria's sample defect letter takes the same approach: it names the unsafe wiring or equipment, urges correction by a licensed electrical contractor, and asks for a certificate of electrical safety once the repair is done. Record how the notice was given, whether that was in person on site or sent through afterwards, so there is no argument later about whether the client was told.

## Signing the notice [#signing-the-notice]

The declaration is you standing behind the assessment. Your name, the date, and your signature go on last, once the defects, ratings, and advice are all filled in and correct. Signing first and filling in later is how a rating gets missed or a recommendation gets left off a high-risk defect.

The signature is a licensed person's statement that this is what was found and this is the risk. It should only go on when you are prepared to defend every line above it. If a defect is left in service, be doubly sure the record is complete before you sign, because that is the notice most likely to be looked at again.

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Tradie Forms turns the defect notice into sections you work through one at a time that follow the order above. You add each defect with its location, risk rating, recommendation, and photos, set the overall risk and made-safe status, then complete the declaration, all on your phone at the board.

Your business, electrician name, and licence details are saved and reused, so the top of every notice is filled without retyping. The form checks the completion rules before you download: it holds you to a risk rating on every defect, a recommendation on any high or extreme defect, and a name, date, and signature before the notice is finished. You preview your entries mapped onto the official PDF layout, then download a signed PDF to hand the client and keep with the job.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the layout and catches missing fields. The licensed electrician still checks the installation, the risk ratings, the advice, and the downloaded PDF before it goes to the client.

Start the [electrical defect notice form](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-electrical-defect-notice) at the board, or browse more [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical) for the rest of your paperwork.

If you are also pricing the fix, see [electrical defect notice or quote](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/electrical-defect-notice-vs-quote-rectification-items) for keeping the two documents apart.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [Standards Australia Wiring Rules (AS/NZS 3000)](https://www.standards.org.au/flagship-projects/wiring-rules) page for the standard electrical work is measured against, [Energy Safe Victoria electrical installation defects](https://www.energysafe.vic.gov.au/certificates-electrical-safety/electrical-installation-defects) for how defects are categorised and documented, the [Energy Safe Victoria sample installation defect letter](https://www.energysafe.vic.gov.au/industry-guidance/electrical/electricians-toolkit/sample-installation-defect-letter) for how a defect is communicated to a client, and [SafeWork NSW electrical inspection and testing](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/hazards-a-z/electrical-and-power/electrical-inspection-and-testing) for how that state frames inspection and testing. Electrical safety law and the responsible regulator vary by state and territory, so confirm the requirements that apply where you work and your own licence conditions before you issue a notice.

# Emergency lighting test register and AS 2293.2 (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/national-emergency-lighting-test-register-as-2293-2)

How to keep an emergency and exit light test register to AS/NZS 2293.2, what the six-monthly discharge test covers, and how to fill it and download the PDF. | Trade: Electrical | Template: national-emergency-lighting-test-register

You have walked a site cutting the supply to each emergency and exit fitting, timing the batteries, and marking which ones held and which ones dropped out early. The building manager wants proof the routine service was done and that the failures are being dealt with. That proof is the emergency lighting test register, and it needs every fitting on it with a result, a date, and a next step. Get it complete on site and the job is closed. Leave it as scribbles on a job card and you are back at a desk hours later trying to remember which fitting in the back corridor failed.

This guide covers what AS/NZS 2293.2 asks of the six-monthly service, and how to fill the register field by field so the record holds up when someone audits it.

**Key takeaways**

- Emergency and exit lighting should be inspected and re-tested every six months, including a discharge test to the full rated duration
- The register lists every fitting with its identity, result, test date, and next-due or failed-item action
- Records of testing should be kept on site and made available for auditing
- Installation follows AS/NZS 2293.1 under the NCC; routine service follows AS/NZS 2293.2

If you are writing up a service today, open the [emergency lighting test register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-emergency-lighting-test-register) and work through it fitting by fitting. Browse more [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical) for the rest of your job paperwork. For residential alarm servicing, use the [smoke alarm service record guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/smoke-alarm-service-record-template).

## What does AS/NZS 2293.2 require? [#what-does-asnzs-22932-require]

Emergency lighting is the escape lighting and illuminated exit signs that keep an occupied building safe to leave when the normal supply fails. The National Construction Code requires those systems to be installed to AS/NZS 2293.1. Keeping them working is a separate job, and that is where AS/NZS 2293.2 comes in. Its full title is Emergency lighting and exit signs for buildings, Part 2: Routine service and maintenance, and it sets the inspection, testing, and maintenance procedures that keep the system in a state of readiness.

The interval most people know is the six-monthly one. Emergency lighting should be periodically inspected and electrically re-tested every six months, and that test includes a discharge test. The point of the discharge test is to prove the batteries, not just the lamp. The normal supply to the fitting is interrupted so it runs on its battery, and the fitting has to stay lit at the required level for the full rated duration. WorkSafe Victoria describes that as maintaining the required level for at least one hour after the loss of normal lighting.

A fitting that lights up when you press a test button but drops out after ten minutes has failed the service, even though the lamp works. That is the whole reason the register records how long the fitting sustained illumination, not just a pass or fail tick. The register is the document that shows the discharge test actually happened and what each fitting did.

## Business and tester details [#business-and-tester-details]

The register opens with who did the work. Your business name and the tester name are both required before you can finish the record, because the register is only as good as the person who can stand behind it.

The tester on an emergency lighting service is a competent person, usually a licensed electrician or a fire safety technician. The register carries your business name, the tester name, and a licence number so anyone reading it later can see who serviced the system. If you run these jobs regularly, this is the block you do not want to retype on every site. Save the business, tester, and licence details once and prefill them, then check they are current rather than typing them fresh each time.

## Site and client details [#site-and-client-details]

Next is where the testing was done and who it was done for. The register records the client name and the site address so the record ties to one building.

This sounds trivial until a managing agent looks after a dozen properties and needs to file your register against the right one. A register with the wrong suburb or a half-written address is hard to match to the building it belongs to. Get the client and site address right at the start, because the rest of the record hangs off it, and the finished document is named from these details plus the register date.

## How long does the discharge test have to run? [#how-long-does-the-discharge-test-have-to-run]

Before you get into the fittings, the register sets out what kind of service this is. You nominate the test type, the test duration in minutes, the standard the service is being carried out against, and the register date.

The test type and duration matter because they frame every result that follows. If this is the six-monthly discharge test, the duration is what the fittings were run down over, and each fitting result is read against that. Recording the standard basis as AS/NZS 2293.2 makes clear which service regime the register is documenting, so there is no confusion about whether this was a quick lamp check or the full discharge service.

The register date is the date of the service. It is the date the next service is measured from, so it needs to be the day you actually did the work, not the day you typed up the paperwork.

## The register: every fitting logged [#the-register-every-fitting-logged]

This is the heart of the record. Each emergency and exit fitting on the site gets its own line, and every line needs to be complete before you can download.

For each fitting the register captures:

**Fitting identity and location**

- **This** - EL-114, single-point exit sign, level 2 corridor east end, above door 2.14 (Lets the next tester find it in six months, and lets a failure become a work order.)
- **Not this** - Exit sign (Unusable the moment the building has more than one.)

**Identity and location.** An ID or reference for the fitting, a short description, and where it sits on the site.

**Type and sustained duration.** Whether it is an emergency luminaire or an exit sign, and how long it sustained illumination on battery during the discharge test. The sustained duration is the evidence that the fitting held for the required time, so it is a number, not a tick.

**Result and test date.** Whether the fitting passed or failed, and the date it was tested. A pass says the fitting held to the required duration. A fail says it dropped out early or did not perform.

**Next-due date or failed-item action.** A passed fitting needs a next-due date so the service cycle keeps running. A failed fitting needs the failure details and the action being taken, so the problem is on the record with a plan against it rather than buried in a list of results.

Do not leave the sustained duration blank because the fitting "obviously" held. A blank makes the line unverifiable, and an unverifiable line is exactly what an auditor picks on. Every applicable field on every fitting needs a value before the register is worth anything.

## Declaration and sign-off [#declaration-and-sign-off]

The register closes with your sign-off. It carries any notes, the name of the person declaring the service, the date, and a signature. Name, date, and signature are all required before you can download.

The declaration is you standing behind the whole record. It should only go on once every fitting line is complete and correct, because signing first and filling in the results later is how blank durations and missing next-due dates slip through. Notes are the place to flag anything that needs a return visit, a part on order, or a fitting that could not be reached on the day.

## Common register mistakes [#common-register-mistakes]

These are the ones that turn a done service into a return trip or a record that will not stand up.

**Recording a pass without the duration.** A pass with no sustained-duration figure does not show the discharge test happened. The duration is the evidence, so it has to be on the line.

**Leaving failed fittings without an action.** A fail with no failure detail and no next step is just a problem with no owner. The register needs the action so the failed unit is being dealt with, not forgotten.

**No next-due date on passed fittings.** Without a next-due date the six-monthly cycle stops running and the site drifts out of service. Set the next date as you close each fitting.

**Writing it up later.** Filling the register at a desk from memory is how corridors get missed and durations get guessed. Complete it on site while the fittings and the timings are in front of you.

Most of these come down to the same habit. The register gets written up away from the fittings, hours after the service, and the detail is already gone. The fix is to log each fitting at the fitting.

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Tradie Forms turns the emergency lighting test register into sections you work through one at a time that follow the order of the service. You set the test type, duration, and standard basis once, then add each fitting with its ID, location, type, sustained duration, result, and dates as you work through the site.

Your business, tester, and licence details are saved and reused, so the contractor and tester fields are not retyped on every job. The form checks for missing fields before you download, which is what catches the passed fitting with no duration or the failed fitting with no action before an auditor does. You preview the entries mapped onto the official PDF layout, then download the finished register to leave on site and hand to the building manager.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the layout aligned with AS/NZS 2293.2. The licensed tester still does the actual inspection and discharge test, and still checks the readings and the downloaded PDF before it goes on the record.

Start the [emergency lighting test register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-emergency-lighting-test-register) at the board, or browse more [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical) for the rest of your job paperwork.

If you arrange these services rather than perform them, see the [six-monthly checklist for facility managers](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/emergency-lighting-six-monthly-checklist-facility-managers) and [what fire inspectors look for in an emergency lighting log](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/emergency-lighting-log-what-fire-inspectors-check).

## Official references [#official-references]

Check [AS/NZS 2293.2:2019 at the Standards Australia store](https://store.standards.org.au/product/as-nzs-2293-2-2019) for the routine service and maintenance standard, the [National Construction Code Part E4](https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/editions/ncc-2022/adopted/volume-one/e-services-and-equipment/part-e4-visibility-emergency-exit-signs-and-warning-systems) for how emergency lighting and exit signs are required and referenced to AS/NZS 2293.1, [WorkSafe Victoria on emergency lighting](https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/emergency-lighting-construction-sites) for the six-monthly test and record-keeping expectations, and the [Queensland fire safety inspection and maintenance guidelines](https://www.hpw.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/4222/inspect-maint-options.pdf) for how the service and records are treated. Requirements and building conditions vary, so confirm the current standard and your obligations for the specific building before you certify the service.

# NSW WHS Form 08 test and tag register (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-whs-form-08-electrical-test-and-tag-register)

Complete SafeWork NSW WHS Form 08 on site, record every electrical test and tag result, and download a clean, audit-ready register PDF. | State: NSW | Trade: Electrical | Template: nsw-safework-whs-08-electrical-test-and-tag-register

> **Tradie Forms:** finish the test and tag register on site while the leads and tools are in front of you, and download a clean PDF for the site file. These guides help NSW sparkies and builders keep records straight; the same on-site habits apply as we add more Australian trade templates.

You have just worked through a stack of extension leads, power tools and a portable RCD on a new residential build. Each item has a fresh tag on it. Now the principal contractor wants the register that proves it, and if SafeWork NSW turns up, the tags on the tools have to match a written record. On a NSW house site that record is WHS Form 08, the electrical test and tag register from the Housing Industry Site Safety Pack. Get the equipment details, the results and the next test date onto it correctly and the job is documented. Leave it as loose tags and a memory and you have nothing to show when someone asks.

This guide covers what WHS Form 08 is, who can do the testing, how often it is due on a construction site, and how to fill the register so it stands up.

**Key takeaways**

- WHS Form 08 is Template 8 in the free SafeWork NSW Housing Industry Site Safety Pack, the register for electrical test and tag on residential sites
- Portable equipment on construction and demolition sites is inspected, tested and tagged every 3 months under AS/NZS 3012 and AS/NZS 3760
- Testing must be done by a competent person, and the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017 requires records to be kept
- The tag shows the test date and next test date; the register is the written proof behind every tag on the tools

If you are writing up a round of testing today, open the [NSW WHS Form 08 electrical test and tag register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-08-electrical-test-and-tag-register). Browse more [NSW building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/building), reach for the [national test and tag register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-test-and-tag-register) for work outside the HISSP, or read the [NSW electrical testing checklist](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-electrical-testing-requirements-2025). For the standard behind the intervals, see the [test and tag register and AS/NZS 3760 guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/test-and-tag-register-as-nzs-3760), and for the round itself, the [test and tag register on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/test-and-tag-register-on-site-guide). for how RCD and safety switch intervals fit alongside test and tag.

## Where Form 08 sits in the Housing Industry Site Safety Pack [#where-form-08-sits-in-the-housing-industry-site-safety-pack]

The Housing Industry Site Safety Pack, or HISSP, is a set of ten work health and safety templates that SafeWork NSW gives away free. It is built for small residential construction subcontractors, up to about ten workers, who need to show a principal contractor and the regulator that they have a real safety system rather than a folder of good intentions.

Form 08 is the electrical test and tag register in that pack. It sits alongside the risk assessment, the safe work method statement, the tool box talk record, the training register and the incident register. On a house site the builder or principal contractor often collects these from every trade before work starts, so a missing or blank register is the kind of thing that holds up your start on site.

The register does one job. It lists every item of electrical equipment that has been inspected and tested, records the result, and sets the date the item is due again. The tags on the tools are the quick visual check. The register is the record behind them.

## Who tests, and who keeps the register? [#who-tests-and-who-keeps-the-register]

Two roles show up on the form, and it helps to keep them separate.

The register is kept by the business running the work on site, usually the principal contractor for the project. The testing itself is carried out by a licensed electrical contractor or a trained test and tag operator. The form has a field for the business keeping the register, a field for the electrical business doing the test and tag, and a field for the tester. If your company does its own testing, the business name simply repeats.

The person doing the work has to be a competent person. Under AS/NZS 3760, the in-service inspection and testing standard, a competent person has the knowledge and skill from training, qualification or experience, plus the correct test equipment, to inspect and test the item and read the result properly. It is not a job for whoever is free that afternoon. The Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017 (NSW) backs this up: electrical equipment used in conditions that could damage it must be regularly inspected and tested by a competent person, and a record kept.

## Business details at the top [#business-details-at-the-top]

The first section of Form 08 is the header that ties the register to a site and a business.

**Business name and address.** The site business or principal contractor keeping the register for the project, with the NSW site address. This is what links the register to the job.

**Electrical business name.** The licensed electrical contractor performing the test and tag. If the same company keeps the register and does its own testing, put the business name in again.

**Tester's name.** The person who actually carried out the inspection and test. This is the name that has to stand behind the results in the rows below.

Fill this once for the site and it frames every equipment row that follows. Getting the address and business names right here is what lets a builder or an inspector match the register to the right job and the right contractor.

## The equipment rows [#the-equipment-rows]

The body of the register is a row for each item tested. This is where most of the detail lives, and where a rushed entry causes trouble later. Each row on Form 08 captures:

**Description, manufacturer and serial number.** What the item is, who made it and its serial or asset number. An extension lead, a portable RCD, a drill or a site light each gets its own row. The serial number is what lets you find the same item next quarter rather than guessing which lead was which.

**Date of inspection and result.** When you tested it and whether it passed or failed. A pass and a fail are both real outcomes worth recording, because a failed item that is removed from service is part of the story the register tells.

**Action and signature.** What happened to the item, whether that was a tag applied, removed from service, repaired and retested, or quarantined pending repair, and the tester's signature against the row. A failed lead with no action recorded looks like an oversight.

**Certificate number and next inspection date.** A reference for the test certificate and the date the item is due again. On a construction site the next date is usually three months out, and it should match the date printed on the physical tag.

**One equipment row**

- **This** - TT-0142, 15 m heavy duty lead, Site shed north. Tested 24 Jul 2026, pass. Tag applied, cert 4471. Next due 24 Oct 2026. (Identity, result, action, certificate and next due, matching the physical tag.)
- **Not this** - Lead. Pass. Tagged. (Four leads on site could each be this row.)

The register allows up to twelve items in one pass, which covers a typical round of leads, tools and portable RCDs on a house site. The point is that every tag on a tool has a matching row here, with the same next test date, so the visual tag and the written record never disagree.

## How often is testing due on a NSW site? [#how-often-is-testing-due-on-a-nsw-site]

Frequency is the fact people most often get wrong, because the interval depends on the environment, not just the tool.

A construction, demolition or mining site is a harsh place for electrical gear. Leads get dragged across rubble, tools get dropped and everything lives in dust and weather. Because of that, portable electrical equipment on these sites is inspected, tested and tagged every three months. That interval comes from AS/NZS 3012, the standard for electrical installations on construction and demolition sites, read together with AS/NZS 3760 for the in-service testing itself. The reference section on Form 08 spells this out so nobody sets the next date twelve months away by habit.

Other workplaces are gentler on equipment and are usually tested every six or twelve months, again depending on the environment and the assessed risk. If you also work in offices, factories or hire environments, do not carry the softer interval onto a house site. The site sets the frequency.

Portable RCDs are their own case. On construction sites they are subject to an operating time and push button test at set intervals as well, so a portable safety switch on a lead is checked more often than the lead alone. The [NSW electrical testing checklist](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-electrical-testing-requirements-2025) goes into how RCD and safety switch intervals sit alongside the test and tag cycle.

## What goes on the tag, and why the register matters [#what-goes-on-the-tag-and-why-the-register-matters]

AS/NZS 3760 sets what a durable tag has to show: the test date, the next test date, and details identifying the item and the person who tested it. On site the tag is the fast check. An inspector or a leading hand can pick up a lead, read the tag, and see at a glance whether it is in date.

The register is the layer underneath. If a tag is torn off, faded or missing, the written record on Form 08 is what proves the item was tested and when. If SafeWork NSW asks to see your system, they will want the tags on the tools and the register that backs them. A stack of tagged leads with no register, or a register that does not match the tags, is a weaker position than either on its own.

That is the real reason to keep the register current rather than reconstruct it later. Written up at the item, with the serial number and result in front of you, the register and the tags line up. Written up from memory in the ute a week later, they drift.

## Common test and tag register mistakes [#common-test-and-tag-register-mistakes]

These are the ones that turn a tested tool into a compliance gap.

**Setting the wrong next date.** A twelve month interval on a construction site is the classic error. On a house site the default is three months. Set the next date to match the tag and the site.

**Rows that do not match the tags.** If the register lists ten items and there are fourteen tagged tools on site, the record is incomplete. Every tag needs a row.

**Blank results or actions.** A row with no pass or fail, or a failed item with no action recorded, is unfinished. Fill the result and, where an item fails, what you did about it.

**Missing serial numbers.** Without a serial or asset number you cannot reliably match the same item next quarter, and two identical leads become impossible to tell apart in the record.

Most of these come back to the same habit. The register is written up away from the equipment, from memory, after the tags are already on. The fix is to complete it at the item while the details are in front of you.

## Finish Form 08 on site with Tradie Forms [#finish-form-08-on-site-with-tradie-forms]

Tradie Forms turns WHS Form 08 into sections you work through one at a time that follow the order of the official register. You enter the business, electrical business and tester once, then add a row for each item with its description, manufacturer, serial number, inspection date, result, action, certificate number and next test date, and sign the row.

Your business and licence details are saved and reused, so the contractor and tester fields are not retyped for every round of testing on every site. The form flags missing fields before you download, which is what catches the blank result or the empty next test date before a builder or an inspector does. You preview the entries mapped onto the official SafeWork NSW Form 08 layout, then download the finished register to keep in the site file and hand to the principal contractor.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the official layout. The competent person who did the testing still checks the equipment, the results and the downloaded PDF before it goes in the file.

Start the [NSW WHS Form 08 electrical test and tag register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-08-electrical-test-and-tag-register) at the tool bench, or browse more [NSW building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/building) for the rest of your site safety pack.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [SafeWork NSW electrical test and tag register page](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/house-construction/housing-industry-site-safety-pack/hissp-accodion/your-electrical-test-and-tag-register) for the current Form 08, the [SafeWork NSW Housing Industry Site Safety Pack](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/house-construction/housing-industry-site-safety-pack) for the full set of templates, the [Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017 (NSW)](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/sl-2017-0404) for the inspection, testing and record duties, and [Standards Australia on AS/NZS 3760](https://www.standards.org.au/blog/spotlight-on-in-service-safety-inspection-and-testing-of-electrical-equipment-and-rcds) for what the standard covers. Standards and site conditions vary, so confirm the current requirements and your test intervals before you rely on them.

# NT electrical CoC addendum for solar and EV (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nt-electrical-coc-addendum-ess-ev-solar-inverter)

When NT electricians need the certificate of compliance addendum for battery, EV, solar and inverter work, what to record, and who to send it to. | State: NT | Trade: Electrical | Template: nt-electrical-coc-addendum

> **Tradie Forms:** finish the addendum with the certificate before you leave site, so the battery, EV, solar and inverter details never get left out of the record. These guides help NT sparkies keep certificates clean; the same on-site habits apply as we add more Australian trade templates.

You have just commissioned a battery and inverter on a Darwin job, the certificate of compliance is going into your triplicate book, and there is nowhere in the book to write down the make, model, serial number, and chemistry that the law now wants. That is exactly the gap the NT electrical certificate of compliance addendum fills. It is a supplementary page that carries the extra detail the old hard-copy books cannot hold, and it goes out attached to the certificate.

This guide covers when the addendum is required in the Northern Territory, what each section records, and who the completed certificate and addendum have to reach.

**Key takeaways**

- The addendum records the extra detail the Electrical Safety Act 2022 requires for ESS, EV connection point, solar PV and inverter work
- It is for electricians still using the hard-copy triplicate certificate books, which have no room for those fields
- Attach it to the certificate of compliance and send both to the client, NT WorkSafe and Power and Water
- Keep a copy of the certificate for at least five years from the date the work was completed

If you are writing one up today, open the [NT electrical certificate of compliance addendum](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nt-electrical-coc-addendum). Browse other [NT electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nt/electrical), or if the call was an urgent fault, the [NT emergency after-hours repairs certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nt-electrical-coc-emergency-after-hours-repairs) covers that job instead. Read the [after-hours repairs certificate guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nt-emergency-after-hours-electrical-repairs-coc) before the next urgent reconnection job.

## When do you need the NT CoC addendum? [#when-do-you-need-the-nt-coc-addendum]

[New electrical safety laws commenced in the Northern Territory on 1 July 2024](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/electrical-safety/information-for-electrical-industry/certificate-of-compliance). Electrical work is now regulated under the Electrical Safety Act 2022 and the Electrical Safety Regulations 2024. Under section 41 of the Act, an electrical contractor or worker who does electrical work must complete a certificate of compliance certifying that the work was tested to be safe from electrical risk and complies with the Act and the standards adopted by the regulations.

NT WorkSafe approved several ways to record that certificate: an online form, a downloadable PDF, and the hard-copy triplicate certificate books that remain an approved form under the law. The online and downloadable versions already have fields for battery, EV, solar and inverter detail. The triplicate books do not. So if you are still working from a book, the addendum is how you capture the additional information the Act requires for those work types without switching your whole process.

That means the addendum is not a separate certificate and not something you lodge on its own. It is a companion page. The certificate of compliance still does the certifying, and the addendum carries the technical detail that the book has no line for.

## The certificate number this addendum belongs to [#the-certificate-number-this-addendum-belongs-to]

The first thing the addendum asks for is the certificate of compliance number it relates to. This is the CC number from the triplicate book you are already filling out on the job. Writing it here is what links the two documents, so anyone reading the addendum later can match it back to the certificate that certified the work.

**Certificate of compliance number**

- **This** - The CC number from the certificate you are filling out on this job (The reference NT WorkSafe and Power and Water use to tie the two together.)
- **Not this** - Left blank, or the number from the last job in the book (Turns a matched pair of documents into two loose pages.)

Get this number right. It is what links the addendum back to the certificate that certified the work.

## The work you completed [#the-work-you-completed]

Next the addendum records when the work was finished, the type of work, and a plain description of what you did. The completion date matters because the retention clock and the customer handover window both run from it, and because the certificate is a dated record of the state of the installation on that day.

The work type is a set of tick boxes for the categories that trigger the addendum: energy storage system, EV connection point, solar photovoltaic, and inverter. Tick every one that applies, because a single job often covers several. A hybrid solar and battery install with its own inverter and a garage EV point touches all four, and each one has its own section to complete below.

The description is where you write what was actually installed in words a reviewer can follow. Keep it to the work, not the quote title. "Installed a 13.5 kWh battery, 5 kW hybrid inverter and labelled DC isolators" tells the story. "Solar upgrade" does not.

## EV connection point detail [#ev-connection-point-detail]

If the job included an EV charging connection point, this section records how many connection points you installed and the charging capacity of each, plus the charger make and model. A single 7.4 kW Type 2 point reads differently from three points sharing a load-managed supply, and the capacity figure is what a later reviewer uses to check the circuit and protection were sized for the load.

The addendum also lets you attach a broad-view location photo of the connection point. A photo of where the charger sits and how it is fed is the kind of evidence that settles a question months later without a return visit, so add it while you are standing in front of the unit.

## Solar photovoltaic work [#solar-photovoltaic-work]

For solar PV work, the addendum takes a description of what the array and its associated wiring involved. This is where you record the panel arrangement, the DC side work, and the isolation and shutdown arrangements you installed and labelled.

Solar and inverters overlap on most jobs, and the NT regulator has flagged that DC isolators built into some solar PV inverters have their own certification history worth checking. Describe the isolation you actually installed rather than assuming the reader knows the product, and complete the inverter section below for the inverter itself.

## Energy storage system detail [#energy-storage-system-detail]

Battery and energy storage system work carries the most detail because the equipment matters to anyone who inspects or services it later. The ESS section records a description of the work, the battery chemistry, the make, model, and serial number, and a location photo.

**Chemistry** is asked separately because it drives the safety rules that apply. A lithium iron phosphate unit and another lithium chemistry are treated differently for placement and signage, so the value on the addendum needs to match the unit on the wall.

**Make, model, and serial number** identify the exact unit installed. The serial number in particular is what ties the record to the physical battery, which matters for recalls, warranty, and any later fault. Read it off the unit rather than the delivery docket, because the two do not always agree.

The location photo does the same job here as it does for the EV point. A broad view of where the battery is installed, its clearances and its signage is far easier to capture on the day than to reconstruct from memory.

## Inverter detail [#inverter-detail]

The inverter section records a description of the inverter work, the make and model, the serial number, and a location photo. On a solar and battery job this is the third piece of the picture: the array, the storage, and the inverter that ties them to the installation.

As with the battery, the serial number is the field that identifies the actual unit. Record it from the nameplate, note where the inverter sits relative to the switchboard in the description, and attach the photo so the commissioned arrangement is on the record.

## Sending and keeping the certificate [#sending-and-keeping-the-certificate]

Completing the addendum is only half the job. The certificate of compliance and the addendum have to get to the right people, and a copy has to be kept.

[Section 41 of the Electrical Safety Act 2022](https://legislation.nt.gov.au/en/Legislation/Electrical-Safety-Act-2022) requires the certificate of compliance to be given to the required recipients within 20 business days after the work is completed. If you are working from a hard-copy book, NT WorkSafe directs contractors to email scanned copies of the certificate to the regulator and to the relevant network operator, which for most of the Territory is Power and Water at [powerconnections@powerwater.com.au](mailto:powerconnections@powerwater.com.au). Attach the completed addendum to the certificate every time, so the battery, EV, solar and inverter detail travels with the document it belongs to rather than being left behind in the book.

Then keep a copy. [NT WorkSafe says](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/electrical-safety/information-for-electrical-industry/certificate-of-compliance) electrical contractors must retain the certificate of compliance for at least five years from the date the work was completed. Store the addendum with it. Five years is a long time to rely on memory, and the whole point of recording the make, model, serial number and photos is that the record stands on its own when someone needs it.

One recent change worth knowing: [from 1 January 2026](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/forms-and-resources/news-and-events/technical-updates/2025/certificate-of-compliance-no-longer-required-for-like-for-like-electrical-replacements-in-2026), a like-for-like replacement of an existing electrical fitting or appliance with a similar one at the same location is exempt from the certificate of compliance requirement under the amended section 42. The exemption only applies where the replacement is at the same location and does not alter the supply conductors or circuit protection, so check the current NT WorkSafe guidance before you decide a job does not need a certificate.

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Tradie Forms turns the addendum into sections you work through one at a time that follow the order of the official layout. You enter the certificate number, the completion date, the work types, and the description, then work through only the EV, solar, ESS and inverter sections that apply to the job. The battery chemistry, makes, models and serial numbers each have their own field, so nothing gets crammed into a single line or skipped.

Your business and licence details are saved and reused, so you are not retyping them on every job. The form flags missing fields before you download, which is what catches the empty serial number or the blank chemistry before the certificate goes out. You attach the broad-view photos for the EV point, battery and inverter, preview everything mapped onto the official PDF layout, then download the finished addendum to send with the certificate and keep with the job.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the official layout. The licensed electrician still checks the work, the certified details, and the downloaded PDF before it goes to the client, NT WorkSafe and Power and Water.

Start the [NT electrical certificate of compliance addendum](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nt-electrical-coc-addendum) on site, or browse more [NT electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nt/electrical) for the rest of your Territory paperwork.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [NT WorkSafe electrical certificate of compliance addendum form](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/forms-and-resources/forms/electrical-certificate-of-compliance-addendum) for the current version, the [NT WorkSafe certificate of compliance information](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/electrical-safety/information-for-electrical-industry/certificate-of-compliance) for who to send it to and how long to keep it, and the [Electrical Safety Act 2022](https://legislation.nt.gov.au/en/Legislation/Electrical-Safety-Act-2022) for the certificate requirement itself. Confirm network lodgement with [Power and Water](https://www.powerwater.com.au/customers/power/certificate-of-compliance), and read the [NT WorkSafe technical update on like-for-like replacements](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/forms-and-resources/news-and-events/technical-updates/2025/certificate-of-compliance-no-longer-required-for-like-for-like-electrical-replacements-in-2026) before relying on that exemption. Requirements can change, so use the current NT WorkSafe guidance and your own licence conditions rather than an old process.

# NT after-hours electrical repairs CoC guide (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nt-emergency-after-hours-electrical-repairs-coc)

How the NT emergency after-hours electrical repairs certificate of compliance works, who signs it, and why you still lodge the online CoC. Fill it on site. | State: NT | Trade: Electrical | Template: nt-electrical-coc-emergency-after-hours-repairs

> **Tradie Forms:** finish the emergency after-hours certificate at the property so the network crew can reconnect, then lodge the online CoC once you are back. These guides help NT sparkies keep records straight; the same on-site habits apply as we add more Australian trade templates.

It is late, the power is off, and you have just made an installation safe after a fault. The customer wants their supply back on, and Power and Water will not reconnect the property to the grid until they have a certificate of compliance in hand. The problem is that the after-hours connection crew cannot see the online certificate system, so a certificate lodged in the portal does not help them on the night. That is exactly the gap the NT emergency after-hours repairs certificate of compliance fills.

This guide covers when the emergency form is the right one to use, who signs it, what each section asks for, and why you still lodge the online CoC afterwards so your records line up with the Electrical Safety Act 2022.

**Key takeaways**

- Use the emergency form only when you need to give the network provider a CoC before after-hours reconnection
- Power and Water after-hours crews cannot access the online CoC system, so the form (or a hard copy CoC book) is what they accept on site
- The emergency form does not satisfy section 41(4)(a) and (b) of the Electrical Safety Act 2022, so you resubmit the details through the online CoC
- Both an electrical worker and a contractor declaration are on the form, each certifying under the Act

If you are closing out an after-hours job now, open the [NT emergency after-hours repairs certificate of compliance](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nt-electrical-coc-emergency-after-hours-repairs). Browse the rest of the [NT electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nt/electrical), or if a standard CoC needs more room for detail, the [NT electrical CoC addendum](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nt-electrical-coc-addendum) runs alongside it. The [NT CoC addendum guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nt-electrical-coc-addendum-ess-ev-solar-inverter) explains when the extra page is required for battery, EV, solar and inverter work.

## When is the after-hours repairs CoC the right form? [#when-is-the-after-hours-repairs-coc-the-right-form]

[The Electrical Safety Act 2022 and the Electrical Safety Regulations 2024 commenced in the Northern Territory on 1 July 2024](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/electrical-safety/information-for-electrical-industry/certificate-of-compliance). Under that framework an electrical contractor or worker who carries out electrical work completes a certificate of compliance that certifies the work was tested to be safe from electrical risk and complies with the Act and the standards it adopts, including the AS/NZS 3000:2018 Wiring Rules.

Most of the time that certificate goes through the online electrical safety certificate of compliance, or onto a hard copy triplicate CoC book bought from the Territory Business Centre. [The emergency after-hours form](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/forms-and-resources/forms/electrical-certificate-of-compliance-emergency-after-hours-repairs) is the exception. Its scope is limited to electrical workers or contractors who have completed emergency after-hours repairs at a property and need to provide a certificate of compliance to the network provider before they reconnect the property to the grid.

The reason is practical. [NT WorkSafe says](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/forms-and-resources/forms/electrical-certificate-of-compliance-emergency-after-hours-repairs) Power and Water connection crews working after-hours do not have access to the online CoC system, so a certificate sitting in the portal is invisible to the person standing at the pole. The emergency form gives that crew a document they can accept on the spot. If you carry the old triplicate CoC books, they do the same job. If you do not, this form is your after-hours option.

One thing [the form makes clear](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/forms-and-resources/forms/electrical-certificate-of-compliance-emergency-after-hours-repairs) is that it is not the end of your paperwork. It does not satisfy the requirements under section 41(4)(a) and (b) of the Electrical Safety Act 2022. In plain terms, giving the network provider this emergency certificate does not discharge your duty to give a proper CoC to the owner, occupier, and the person the work was for. That is why you resubmit the information through the online CoC once you are off site.

## Customer and property details [#customer-and-property-details]

The first block on the form is the customer. You record the customer name, and where the customer is a business, the primary contact name, plus a phone number and email. Then the property address, which the form defines as where the electrical work was completed. On an emergency job the caller and the site are usually the same, but not always, so keep the address tied to the actual installation you worked on rather than the account holder's postal address.

Getting this right matters more than it looks. When you resubmit through the online CoC later, the customer and property details are what tie the emergency certificate to the permanent record. A mismatch between the address on the night and the address in the portal is the kind of small gap that turns into a query weeks after the job.

## Property owner where different from the customer [#property-owner-where-different-from-the-customer]

The next section is for the property owner, completed only if the owner is known and different from the customer. It captures the owner name and email.

This one comes up on rentals and managed properties. The tenant or a managing agent might be the customer who called you out, while the owner is someone else again. [Section 41(4) of the Act](https://legislation.nt.gov.au/en/Legislation/Electrical-Safety-Act-2022) requires the certificate to reach the owner and occupier as well as the person the work was performed for, so recording the owner here is what lets you close that loop when you lodge the online CoC. If the owner genuinely is the customer, you leave it blank.

## Electrical repairs details [#electrical-repairs-details]

Here you record what you actually did. The form asks for the date the electrical repairs were completed and a description of the repairs undertaken.

Write the description for someone reading it cold. An after-hours fault, a made-safe, and a repair can blur together in memory by the time you are lodging the online version, so describe the fault you found and the work you carried out to make the installation safe and compliant. This is the same wording you will want in the online CoC, so a clear description now saves you reconstructing the job later.

## Defects or non-compliance you did not repair [#defects-or-non-compliance-you-did-not-repair]

Emergency work is about restoring safe supply, not rewiring the house at 2am. The form recognises that with a defects section. It asks a direct yes or no question: were there any defects or non-compliances observed on the existing installation which were not repaired.

**Unrepaired defect detail**

- **This** - No RCD protection on the lighting subcircuit, AS/NZS 3000:2018 clause 2.6.2. Advised customer, outside scope of emergency repair. (Standard and clause number, as the form asks for.)
- **Not this** - Some old wiring issues noted (Leaving this vague is the field that comes back to bite people.)

If the answer is yes, you provide details, and the form specifically asks you to include the standard and clause number for each non-compliance. That is where AS/NZS 3000:2018 gets cited by clause. Recording an unrepaired defect is not an admission that you left a job half done. It is you documenting the state of an installation you did not have the scope or the daylight to fully rectify, and flagging what the customer needs to have addressed. Leaving this blank when you did see a problem is the field that comes back to bite people, so note what you saw and where it sits in the standard.

## The electrical worker declaration [#the-electrical-worker-declaration]

The certification is split into two declarations, and the electrical worker is the first. You record the electrical worker name and licence number, then sign and date a declaration that the information provided is complete and correct, that you carried out all examinations and tests on the electrical installation work detailed on the certificate, and that the results satisfy the requirements of the Electrical Safety Act 2022.

That is the person who put hands on the work certifying the testing. Your licence number needs to be current and correct, because the declaration is a statement that you did the examinations and tests and stand behind the results. If you did not test it, it does not belong under your signature.

## The contractor declaration [#the-contractor-declaration]

The second declaration is the contractor, or an authorised person acting on the contractor's behalf. It captures the contractor licence holder name, licence number, phone, and email, followed by a signature and date. The contractor declaration certifies that the information is complete and correct and that the contractor managed the electrical work detailed in the certificate, ensuring it meets the requirements of the Electrical Safety Act 2022.

On a one-person job the worker and the contractor may be the same licensed person completing both declarations. On a larger job the worker who carried out the repair and the contractor who holds the licence and manages the work are different people, and both need to be on the certificate. Interstate electricians should note that not holding an NT licence does not exempt you from issuing a CoC for work done in the Territory, so sort your authority out before you sign anything.

## After the reconnection: lodge the online CoC [#after-the-reconnection-lodge-the-online-coc]

The emergency form gets the property reconnected. It does not replace the standard certificate. [NT WorkSafe says](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/forms-and-resources/forms/electrical-certificate-of-compliance-emergency-after-hours-repairs) it does not satisfy section 41(4)(a) and (b) of the Act, so you take the same job details and resubmit them through the online electrical safety certificate of compliance at the Territory Services site once you are back at a screen.

[Section 41(4) sets the window](https://legislation.nt.gov.au/en/Legislation/Electrical-Safety-Act-2022). The certificate must be given within 20 business days of completing the work to the owner and occupier, to the person the work was performed for, and, where the work relates to the electricity network, to the network operator. Treat the emergency certificate and the online CoC as one job with two steps, not two separate pieces of paper, and use the same customer, property, repair, and defect details across both so the records match.

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Tradie Forms turns the emergency after-hours certificate into sections you work through one at a time that follow the official form: customer and property, property owner where different, repair date and description, the defects question with room for the standard and clause, and the two declarations for the electrical worker and the contractor.

Your licence and business details are saved and reused, so the worker and contractor fields are not retyped in the dark on every callout. The form flags missing fields before you download, which is what catches the blank defect note or an empty licence number before the network crew does. You preview the entries mapped onto the official PDF layout, then download a clean certificate to hand the connection crew and keep with the job. When you lodge the online CoC afterwards, the same details are already in front of you.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the official layout. The licensed electrical worker and contractor still check the work, the test results, and the downloaded PDF before it is issued.

Start the [NT emergency after-hours repairs certificate of compliance](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nt-electrical-coc-emergency-after-hours-repairs) at the property, or browse more [NT electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nt/electrical) for the rest of your Territory paperwork.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [NT WorkSafe emergency after-hours repairs form page](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/forms-and-resources/forms/electrical-certificate-of-compliance-emergency-after-hours-repairs) for the current form, [NT WorkSafe certificate of compliance information](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/electrical-safety/information-for-electrical-industry/certificate-of-compliance) for the CoC rules, and [Territory Services issue an electrical certificate of compliance](https://service.nt.gov.au/services/business-industry/electrical/issue-certificate-compliance) for the online lodgement. The [Electrical Safety Act 2022](https://legislation.nt.gov.au/en/Legislation/Electrical-Safety-Act-2022) sets the certificate duties, and [Power and Water electrical safety certificate of compliance](https://www.powerwater.com.au/customers/power/certificate-of-compliance) covers reconnection. Requirements can change, so confirm the current form and your licence conditions before you certify a job.

# QLD Form 26 pool safety nonconformity notice (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-26-pool-safety-nonconformity-notice-guide)

How QLD Form 26 pool safety nonconformity notices work: who issues one, the 2 business day and 3 month timeframes, and what it must say. Fill it on site. | State: QLD | Trade: Building | Template: qld-pool-form-26-nonconformity-notice

> **Tradie Forms:** finish the nonconformity notice at the pool while the fence, gate, and non-climbable zone are in front of you, and hand the owner a clean copy before you leave. These guides help QLD pool safety inspectors keep records straight; the same on-site habits apply as we add more Australian trade templates.

You have inspected a backyard pool, the gate self-closes but does not latch from every open position, and the owner is standing there asking for a certificate. Under Queensland pool safety law you cannot hand them one, and you cannot just walk away either. When a regulated pool does not pass, the pool safety inspector has to give the owner a written nonconformity notice, and Form 26 is the notice the Queensland Building and Construction Commission publishes for that job. Get the non-compliance and the required action written plainly and the owner knows exactly what to fix. Leave a field vague and you get callbacks, disputes, and a reinspection that goes nowhere.

This guide covers when a Form 26 has to be issued, what it must say, the timeframes that run from the day you give it, and how to complete the notice so it holds up.

**Key takeaways**

- Under section 246AB of the Building Act 1975 the inspector must give the owner a Form 26 within 2 business days of an inspection where the pool does not comply
- The notice must state how the pool fails the pool safety standard and the action needed to make it comply
- The owner has a 3 month reinspection period and cannot ask another inspector for a certificate in that time
- If reinspection is not requested within 3 months the inspector must notify the local government

If you are writing one up today, open the [QLD Form 26 pool safety nonconformity notice](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-pool-form-26-nonconformity-notice). Browse other [QLD building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/building), or if the owner has a sale coming up and no certificate at all, see the [QLD Form 36 notice of no pool safety certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-pool-form-36-no-pool-safety-certificate) that covers that situation. The [Form 36 guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-36-no-pool-safety-certificate-notice-guide) explains the sale, settlement and leasing deadlines.

## When does a Form 26 have to be issued? [#when-does-a-form-26-have-to-be-issued]

The trigger is simple. If a pool safety inspector inspects a regulated pool and is not reasonably satisfied it is a complying pool, they must give the owner a nonconformity notice. Under section 246AB of the Building Act 1975 that notice has to reach the owner within 2 business days after the inspection.

There are two ways out of issuing the notice, and both close quickly. The first is that within those 2 business days you reinspect the pool and are satisfied it now complies, which usually means a small fault was corrected on the spot. The second is that the owner and you agree that you will carry out particular minor repairs to make the pool comply, and within 20 business days of that agreement you do the repairs and reinspect and are satisfied it complies. If neither applies, the notice has to go out.

The notice is not a soft warning you can hold back to give the owner a chance. It is a legal step, and the clock on it starts from the inspection, not from when you get back to the office. That is the first reason to complete it at the pool rather than days later.

## Who fills out a Form 26? [#who-fills-out-a-form-26]

Form 26 is completed by the licensed pool safety inspector who carried out the inspection. Your name, licence number, and signature go on the statement, and that is you standing behind the finding that the pool does not comply. A general building or plumbing licence does not authorise this. Pool safety inspecting is a separate licence held under the QBCC, and only a licensed inspector can issue the certificate or the nonconformity notice.

The pools this applies to are regulated pools under Queensland law, which broadly means pools capable of holding a depth of water where young children need to be kept out, including in-ground and above-ground pools and many spas. The standard they are measured against is the pool safety standard in Queensland Development Code MP 3.4, which sets the requirements for barriers, gates, non-climbable zones, and latching. MP 3.4 references Australian Standards AS 1926.1 and AS 1926.2 with Queensland modifications. When you write that a pool does not comply, you are writing that it fails a specific requirement of that standard, so knowing the clause you are relying on matters before you fill the field.

## Owner and property details [#owner-and-property-details]

The notice opens with who owns the pool and where it is. The owner or owners' full name goes first, then the property.

**Owner name.** The full name of the pool owner or owners. This is the person the notice is given to and the person who carries the obligation to fix the pool, so it needs to match the owner on record, not just the person who happened to open the gate.

**Property address.** The street address of the property where the pool is located.

**Lot and plan details.** The lot on plan description for the property, which is what ties the notice to the parcel rather than a postal address that could be shared or renumbered.

**Local government area.** The council area the property sits in. This matters because the local government is who you have to notify if the owner lets the reinspection period lapse, so the right council needs to be on the notice from the start.

Getting these right is what lets the notice be matched to the property later, whether that is by the owner arranging repairs, a new inspector after the period ends, or the council following up a lapsed pool.

## Pool type: shared or non-shared [#pool-type-shared-or-non-shared]

Form 26 asks whether the pool is a shared pool or a non-shared pool, and it is not a throwaway field. A non-shared pool serves a single dwelling, the typical suburban backyard. A shared pool serves more than one dwelling or premises, such as a pool in a unit complex, a resort, a caravan park, or a hotel.

The distinction changes who the responsibilities sit with and how the safety management obligations run, so record it accurately. If you are inspecting a body corporate pool, it is a shared pool even though one owner or manager is dealing with you on the day.

## Non-compliance: how the pool fails the standard [#non-compliance-how-the-pool-fails-the-standard]

This is the heart of the notice. Section 246AB requires the notice to state the ways in which the pool does not comply with the pool safety standard. Vague wording here is what causes the disputes, because the owner cannot fix what they cannot understand.

Write each fault against the standard, not as a general impression.

**Nonconformity**

- **This** - Gate does not self-latch from all open positions (Written against the standard, so it can be fixed and re-checked.)
- **Not this** - Fence needs work (A general impression, not a finding against the standard.)

Common findings that land on a Form 26 include gates that do not self-close or self-latch, a latch mounted below the required height, gaps under or between barriers that exceed the allowance, climbable objects inside the non-climbable zone, and barrier sections that are not the required height or have lost rigidity.

List every fault you found, not just the first one. An owner who fixes the one thing you wrote down, then fails the reinspection on a second fault you saw but did not record, is going to be filthy, and rightly so. The point of the notice is that a complete list lets the pool be brought to standard in one round.

## Required action to make it comply [#required-action-to-make-it-comply]

Alongside each non-compliance the notice records what has to be done to make the pool comply. This is the owner's to-do list and the benchmark you will measure against at reinspection.

Keep the action tied to the fault. If the gate does not latch, the action is to adjust or replace the latching mechanism so the gate self-latches from any open position. If a pot plant sits inside the non-climbable zone, the action is to remove the climbable object from the zone. The clearer the pairing between the fault and the fix, the more likely the pool is ready when you come back, and the fewer trips everyone makes.

You are not designing the repair for the owner, and you are not the tradesperson who has to carry it out. You are stating what standard the finished barrier has to meet. Leave the owner room to engage a fencing contractor or do minor work themselves, but be specific enough that "done" is not a matter of opinion.

## Inspection date and inspector statement [#inspection-date-and-inspector-statement]

The last part of the notice is the date of inspection and your statement as the inspector.

**Inspection date.** The date you carried out the inspection. This is the date the 2 business day issue window and the 3 month reinspection period are measured from, so it has to be right.

**Inspector statement.** Your name as the licensed pool safety inspector, your pool safety inspector licence number, your signature, and the date you signed the notice. This is the declaration that you inspected the pool and found it does not comply. It should only go on once the non-compliance and required action are complete and correct, because it is the part that makes the document a formal notice.

## The timeframes that run from the notice [#the-timeframes-that-run-from-the-notice]

Once the owner has the Form 26, several clocks are running, and they are worth setting out for the owner so there are no surprises.

- **To give the owner the notice: 2 business days** - After the inspection, under section 246AB of the Building Act 1975.
- **Owner's reinspection period: 3 months** - From the day the notice is given. No other inspector can certify the pool inside it.
- **To reinspect once asked: 5 business days** - Or later if you and the owner agree.
- **To appeal to the Development Tribunal: 20 business days** - From the day the notice is given.

The owner has a reinspection period of 3 months from the day the notice is given. Within that period they can ask you, the same inspector, to reinspect the pool. If they do ask during the period, you must carry out the reinspection within 5 business days, or later if you both agree. If the pool passes the reinspection, you can then issue the pool safety certificate.

Two things bite if the owner lets the period slide. First, they cannot ask a different inspector to inspect the pool and give a certificate within 3 months of the nonconformity notice, and fines apply for trying. Second, if they do not ask for a reinspection within the 3 months, you must notify the local government, and the council can fine the owner for having a non-compliant pool. An owner who disagrees with your finding is not stuck with it either. They can appeal the decision in the notice to the Development Tribunal, and that appeal has to be made within 20 business days of the notice being given.

None of this is yours to enforce, but a good notice makes the consequences plain so the owner acts inside the window rather than after it.

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Tradie Forms turns Form 26 into sections you work through one at a time that follow the order of the official QBCC notice. You work through the owner and property details, the lot and plan and local government area, the shared or non-shared pool type, then the non-compliance and the matching required action, and finish with the inspection date and your inspector statement.

Your licence and business details are saved and reused, so your inspector name and licence number are not retyped on every notice you write. The form flags missing fields before you download, which is what catches a blank required action or an empty licence number before it becomes a disputed notice. You preview your entries mapped onto the official Form 26 PDF layout, then download the finished notice to give the owner and keep with the job.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the official layout. The licensed pool safety inspector still checks the inspection findings, the wording of the non-compliance and required action, and the downloaded PDF before it is given to the owner.

Start the [QLD Form 26 pool safety nonconformity notice](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-pool-form-26-nonconformity-notice) at the pool, or browse more [QLD building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/building) for the rest of your Queensland paperwork.

For the field pack and the owner conversation, see [Form 26 day](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-26-pool-safety-owner-conversation-field-pack).

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [QBCC Form 26 pool safety nonconformity notice](https://www.qbcc.qld.gov.au/resources/form/form-26-pool-safety-nonconformity-notice) page for the current form, [QBCC inspect and certify a pool](https://www.qbcc.qld.gov.au/home-owner-hub/swimming-pools/inspect-certify-pool) for the notice, reinspection, and appeal process, and section 246AB of the [Building Act 1975](https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-1975-011) for the legal requirements. The [Business Queensland pool safety forms](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/laws-codes-standards/pool-safety/forms) page lists the pool safety forms, and [Queensland Development Code MP 3.4](https://www.hpw.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/4812/qdcmp3.4swimmingpoolbarriers.pdf) sets the pool safety standard. Confirm the current standard and your pool safety inspector licence conditions before you issue a notice.

# QLD Form 36 no pool safety certificate notice (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-36-no-pool-safety-certificate-notice-guide)

When you sell or lease a QLD property with a pool but no current pool safety certificate, Form 36 is the notice you lodge. Fill it on site, download the PDF. | State: QLD | Trade: Building | Template: qld-pool-form-36-no-pool-safety-certificate

> **Tradie Forms:** finish Form 36 before the contract goes out and get the copy to the QBCC before settlement. These guides help QLD builders, agents and owners keep the pool paperwork straight; the same on-site habits apply as we add more Australian trade templates.

A property with a regulated pool is under contract, settlement is close, and there is no current pool safety certificate. In Queensland you cannot just leave that gap silent. The seller has to tell the buyer in writing that no certificate is in effect, and that written notice is the Form 36. Get it to the buyer before the contract, get a copy to the QBCC before settlement, and the sale can proceed with everyone knowing where the pool stands. Skip it and you have left a compliance hole in the transaction.

This guide covers when Form 36 applies, who has to receive a copy, the difference between shared and non-shared pools, and how to complete the notice so it holds up.

**Key takeaways**

- Form 36 is the notice you give when a regulated pool is sold or leased with no current pool safety certificate
- The buyer gets it before the contract, and the QBCC gets a copy before settlement
- A buyer without a certificate must obtain one within 90 days of settlement
- You cannot lease a property with a non-shared pool unless a pool safety certificate is in effect

If you are completing one today, open the [QLD Form 36 notice of no pool safety certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-pool-form-36-no-pool-safety-certificate). Browse other [QLD building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/building), see the related [QLD pool Form 26 nonconformity notice](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-pool-form-26-nonconformity-notice), or read the [Form 26 nonconformity notice guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-26-pool-safety-nonconformity-notice-guide) when an inspection finds a pool that does not comply. The [QLD building certificates on-site workflow](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-building-certificates-on-site-workflow) shows how the pool forms sit alongside the rest of your Queensland records.

## When does QLD Form 36 apply? [#when-does-qld-form-36-apply]

Queensland's pool safety laws sit in the Building Act 1975 and are administered by the QBCC. The rule that drives Form 36 is simple. If a regulated pool does not have a current pool safety certificate at the point of sale, the seller has to give the buyer notice that no certificate is in effect. That notice is the Form 36.

The trigger is the transaction, not the state of the fence. You give the buyer either a pool safety certificate or a Form 36 before entering the contract of sale. If the certificate is current, you hand that over and Form 36 is not needed. If there is no certificate, or it has lapsed, Form 36 is how you meet the disclosure obligation and keep the sale moving.

Leasing works differently depending on the pool. Where the pool is a shared pool, Form 36 is used in the leasing context in the same way it is used for a sale. Where the pool is a non-shared pool, there is no Form 36 shortcut. You must not enter into an accommodation agreement unless a pool safety certificate is in effect. That distinction is the first thing to settle before you reach for the form.

## Owner details [#owner-details]

The form opens with the property owner. This is the person or entity selling the property or entering the accommodation agreement, along with their contact and postal details.

Get this layer right because it is what ties the notice to the person giving it. The owner named here is the one making the declaration further down the form that no pool safety certificate is in effect. If the property is owned by a company or a trust, the details need to match how the title and the contract read, not a shorthand version.

If you complete these notices across more than one job, the owner and contact fields are the kind of detail worth saving once and reusing rather than retyping.

## Property and pool location [#property-and-pool-location]

Next the form describes the property and where the pool sits. This section captures the address, the lot on plan, and the local government area.

The lot on plan is the part people rush. It is the legal description of the land, and it is what lets the QBCC and the local council match the notice to the right regulated pool on the register.

**Property description**

- **This** - Lot 88 on RP 214773, 14 Riverbend Drive, Nerang QLD 4211, City of Gold Coast (Lot on plan from the title or contract, plus the LGA that holds the local record.)
- **Not this** - 14 Riverbend Drive (A notice recorded against the wrong lot is a notice that does not do its job.)

Pull the lot on plan from the title or the contract so it lands correctly, because a notice recorded against the wrong lot is a notice that does not do its job.

The local government area matters too. Pool safety is a state law, but councils hold local records, and naming the correct LGA keeps the notice consistent with where the property actually sits.

## Pool type: shared or non-shared [#pool-type-shared-or-non-shared]

The form asks you to identify the pool as shared or non-shared, and this is not a formality. It changes who carries the certificate obligation and where the copies go.

A non-shared pool serves a single dwelling, the standard house-with-a-pool situation. A shared pool serves multiple lots, such as the pool in a unit or townhouse complex, where the pool is common property and the obligation sits with the pool owner or body corporate rather than an individual seller.

Two things follow from the answer. First, for a shared pool a copy of the Form 36 must also go to the shared pool owner, commonly the body corporate, on top of the buyer and the QBCC. Second, the certificate timelines differ: a non-shared pool certificate is valid for two years, while a shared pool certificate is valid for one year. Nominate the pool type that matches the property, because everything downstream keys off it.

## Purchaser and settlement [#purchaser-and-settlement]

The form then records the purchaser or incoming tenant and the details of the agreement.

**Purchaser or tenant.** This is the party receiving the notice. Their details need to match the contract of sale or the accommodation agreement, because the whole point of Form 36 is that this named party was told, in writing, before they committed.

**Sale or lease and the agreement date.** The form asks whether this is a sale or a lease and records the proposed settlement or lease commencement date. That date frames the two deadlines that matter: the notice must reach the buyer before the contract, and the copy must reach the QBCC before settlement.

The buyer's own clock starts at settlement. A buyer who takes on a property without a current certificate has to obtain a pool safety certificate within 90 days of settlement. For a shared pool, that obligation falls on the pool owner within the same window. Form 36 does not remove the requirement for a certificate. It records that one is not yet in place and passes the obligation forward.

## Declaration and lodging the notice [#declaration-and-lodging-the-notice]

The form finishes with the owner's declaration, signature, and date. The declaration is the owner stating that no pool safety certificate is in effect for the pool. It should only go on once the owner, property, pool type, and purchaser details are complete and correct, because the signature is the owner standing behind the notice.

Once it is signed, the notice has to move in two directions on time. The buyer or prospective occupier gets their copy before the contract is entered. The QBCC gets a copy before settlement. For a shared pool, the pool owner or body corporate gets a copy as well. The QBCC lets you complete and lodge Form 36 online, and the current version is listed on the Business Queensland pool safety forms page, so work from that rather than an old template pulled from a folder.

Keep a copy with the conveyancing file. If a question comes up later about whether the buyer was told, the signed and lodged Form 36 is the record that answers it.

## Common Form 36 mistakes [#common-form-36-mistakes]

These are the ones that turn a routine disclosure into a problem at settlement.

**Trying to lease a non-shared pool on a Form 36.** The form does not authorise this. For a non-shared pool you need a current certificate before the accommodation agreement, not a notice instead of one.

**Missing the QBCC copy.** Giving the buyer their copy but never lodging with the QBCC leaves the obligation half done. The copy has to reach the commission before settlement.

**Forgetting the body corporate on a shared pool.** Shared pools need a third copy to the pool owner. Leaving that out is easy when you are focused on the buyer.

**Wrong lot on plan.** An incorrect legal description means the notice may not attach to the right regulated pool. Confirm it against the title.

Most of these come down to timing and distribution rather than the fence itself. The fix is to complete the notice against the contract details, in order, and send every copy the pool type requires.

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Tradie Forms turns Form 36 into sections you work through one at a time that follow the order of the official QBCC form. You enter the owner and property details, nominate the pool as shared or non-shared, record the purchaser and the sale or lease date, and complete the declaration as you go.

Owner, contact, and business details are saved and reused, so they are not retyped on every notice. The form flags missing fields before you download, which is what catches an empty lot on plan or a blank settlement date before it reaches the buyer or the QBCC. You preview your entries mapped onto the official Form 36 PDF layout, then download the finished notice to give the buyer, lodge with the QBCC, and store with the conveyancing file.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the official layout. The owner or agent giving the notice still checks the details, the pool type, and the downloaded PDF before it goes out.

Start the [QLD Form 36 notice of no pool safety certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-pool-form-36-no-pool-safety-certificate) against your contract details, or browse more [QLD building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/building) for the rest of your Queensland paperwork.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check [QBCC buy, sell or lease a property with a pool](https://www.qbcc.qld.gov.au/home-owner-hub/swimming-pools/buy-sell-lease-property-pool) for the disclosure and 90 day rules, the [QBCC Form 36 notice of no pool safety certificate](https://www.qbcc.qld.gov.au/resources/form/form-36-notice-no-pool-safety-certificate) page and the [Business Queensland pool safety forms](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/laws-codes-standards/pool-safety/forms) list for the current form, and the [Building Act 1975](https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/act-1975-011) for the pool safety provisions. Requirements and forms can change, so confirm the current version and the local process before you give notice.

# QLD Form 5 testing report records and handover (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-5-testing-report-records-handover)

Who prepares the QLD Form 5 testing or commissioning report, the 5 and 10 business day handover chain, and how to keep clean records for council. | State: QLD | Trade: Plumbing | Template: qld-form-5-testing

> **Tradie Forms:** finish the QLD Form 5 while the test dates, permit number, and party details are still in front of you, then hand a clean report up the chain before it turns into a chase. These guides help Queensland plumbers keep records straight as we add more Australian trade templates.

The test or commissioning is done, the gear is back in the ute, and now the Form 5 has to move. In Queensland the testing or commissioning report does not just sit in a job file. It has a chain to travel, with a clock on each step, and the report has to be complete before it leaves your hands. Get the party details, the tested installation dates, and the declaration right and the report closes the job. Leave a gap and it comes back from the responsible person or the council.

This guide covers who prepares the Form 5, the handover timeframes set in the regulation, and how to keep the record clean so it lands the first time.

**Key takeaways**

- The competent person who did the testing or commissioning prepares and signs the Form 5
- The competent person gives the report to the responsible person within 5 business days of finishing
- The responsible person gives it to the local government within 10 business days
- Every applicable section must be complete before the report moves up the chain

If you are writing one up today, open the [Queensland Form 5 testing or commissioning report](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-5-testing). Use the [Form 5 on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-5-testing-commissioning-report-guide) for the field-by-field workflow, or see where the report sits beside permit and inspection paperwork in the [QLD plumbing forms list](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-plumbing-forms-list-permit-inspection-handover). If backflow is also on the job, use the annual [Queensland Form 9 backflow test report](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-9-backflow).

## What does Form 5 record, and who prepares it? [#what-does-form-5-record-and-who-prepares-it]

Form 5 is the approved testing or commissioning report under section 77 of the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019. It records that plumbing or drainage work, or the relevant part of it, has been tested or commissioned. It is not the permit application and it is not a design or inspection certificate. It sits later in the job, after the work is in and the relevant testing or commissioning has happened.

Section 77 puts the report in the hands of the competent person. That is a person who holds a licence authorising them to carry out the testing or commissioning, or a person the local government considers competent to do it. The competent person prepares and signs the report. Completion of all applicable sections is mandatory, so a partly filled form is not a report you can hand on.

The point of getting this straight up front is the signature. The person who signs the declaration is the person standing behind the test result. If you did the testing, the Form 5 is yours to complete and sign, not something to leave for the office or another crew member who was not on site.

## The reporting chain and the two clocks [#the-reporting-chain-and-the-two-clocks]

This is the part that catches people out, because two timeframes run off the same event.

- **Competent person to responsible person: 5 business days** - After the testing or commissioning is finished.
- **Responsible person to local government: 10 business days** - Also measured from when the work was finished, not from when the report arrived.

Once the testing or commissioning is finished, the competent person must give the testing or commissioning report to the responsible person within 5 business days. That is the first clock. If you tested the work, the responsible person needs a usable, complete report from you inside that window.

The responsible person then must give the report to the local government within 10 business days after the testing or commissioning is finished, unless the local government agrees to a longer period. That is the second clock, and note that it runs from when the work was finished, not from when the responsible person received your report. A slow handover on the first step eats into the time available on the second.

**The Form 5 reporting chain**

- **Testing or commissioning finished - On site** - Both clocks start here, not when the report changes hands.
- **Report to the responsible person - Competent person, within 5 business days** - Complete and signed, with every applicable section filled.
- **Report to the local government - Responsible person, within 10 business days** - Unless the local government agrees to a longer period.

Where the same plumber holds both roles, both duties still apply on the same two deadlines.

Where the competent person and the responsible person are the same licensed plumber, both duties land on you, but the deadlines still apply. Treat the Form 5 as a completion record with a due date, not a piece of paper for the drawer.

## Description of land, permit, and action notice [#description-of-land-permit-and-action-notice]

The top of the form ties the report to a specific site and approval. Getting these fields right is what lets the local government match the report to the work it approved.

The **description of land** must identify all the land the work relates to. The **permit** section takes the permit number and the date the permit was issued, so the report links back to the approval the work was carried out under. Copy the permit number from the permit itself, not from a text thread or memory, because a transposed digit is enough to have the report questioned.

The **action notice** section only applies when an action notice has been issued for the work. If one applies, record its reference number and the date it was issued. If none applies, leave it blank rather than guessing a number. These three blocks frame everything below them, so it is worth confirming them against the paperwork before you record a single test date.

## Testing section: date each installation type [#testing-section-date-each-installation-type]

The testing section is a list of installation types, each with a date of testing or commissioning. You enter the date each relevant installation was tested or commissioned and leave the non-relevant rows blank. The types on the form include:

**Testing rows**

- **This** - Water plumbing installation 12 Jul, hot water service 12 Jul, hot water below 50 degrees 14 Jul, sanitary drainage 14 Jul (Each applicable test gets its own dated row.)
- **Not this** - All testing completed 14 July (One date for the lot hides which test happened when.)

**Water plumbing and hot water.** Water plumbing installation, hot water service, and hot water delivered below 50 degrees each get their own dated row when they apply to the job.

**Sanitary plumbing and drainage.** Sanitary plumbing, sanitary drainage, and floor waste gully branches are recorded separately so the report shows exactly what was tested and when.

**Reticulated water static pressure.** Reticulated water static pressure tested below 500 kPa, other than a fire service, has its own row. There is also an "other" line for details that do not fit the listed types.

The habit that keeps this section clean is dating each row on the day it happened. If different parts of the work were tested on different days, the form is built to show that. Filling every date from one guessed day, or leaving a tested installation blank because the date felt obvious, is exactly what turns a report into a query later.

## The three party blocks [#the-three-party-blocks]

Form 5 carries up to three party blocks, and they are easy to blur when you are moving quickly between jobs.

The **responsible person** is the licensed person who performs or supervises the performance of the work. Their block takes the name, occupational licence number, contractor licence number where it applies, phone, email, and postal address. The **contractor licence** block is used when the responsible person is not the contractor, so the contractor company name, licence number, and contact details go there instead of being crammed into the responsible person block.

The **competent person** is whoever carried out the testing or commissioning, with their name, licence numbers, and contact details. When the same plumber is both responsible and competent, the details repeat, and that is fine, but the blocks still need to be filled so anyone reading the report can see who did what. Mixing the responsible person and competent person details is one of the more common reasons a report gets a follow up call.

## Declaration and keeping your copy [#declaration-and-keeping-your-copy]

The **declaration** is the signature and the declaration date. It is the competent person putting their name to the test result, so it should only go on once the site, permit, testing, and party details are in and correct. Signing first and filling the rest later is how blank rows and wrong dates survive to the version that leaves site.

On record keeping, the sensible move is to keep your own copy of the completed Form 5 with the job file when you hand it up the chain. The regulation sets who receives the report and by when. It does not make your copy optional in practice, because if a question comes back weeks later, the report you signed is the record you rely on. Store it against the job so it is not a loose PDF in someone's phone.

## How Tradie Forms helps with Form 5 [#how-tradie-forms-helps-with-form-5]

Tradie Forms turns the Form 5 into sections you work through one at a time that follow the order of the official report. You confirm the description of land, permit, and action notice, date each tested installation type in its own row, and complete the responsible person, contractor, and competent person blocks without mixing them up.

Your business and licence details are saved and reused, so the responsible person, contractor, and competent person fields are not retyped on every job. The form flags missing fields before you download, which is what catches a blank test date or an empty licence number before the responsible person or council does. You preview the entries mapped onto the official Form 5 PDF layout, then download the finished report to hand to the responsible person and keep with the job.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the official layout. The licensed competent person still checks the work, the test dates, and the downloaded PDF before it goes up the chain.

Start the [Queensland Form 5 testing or commissioning report](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-5-testing) on site, or browse more [QLD plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/plumbing) for the rest of your Queensland paperwork. See the [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing) for the rest of the Australian set.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [Business Queensland plumbing and drainage forms and templates page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/forms-templates) for the current Form 5, the [Form 5 testing or commissioning report (PDF)](https://www.hpw.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0024/3768/form5plumbingdrainageregulation2019.pdf) for the official layout, the [Business Queensland inspection certificates guidance](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/inspection-certificates) for how testing reports sit with the plumbing inspection trail, and the [Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019](https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2019-0042) for section 77 and the reporting timeframes. Local government processes vary, so confirm the lodgement method and any agreed timeframe with the relevant council before you rely on it.

# QLD Form 6 remote area compliance notice (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-6-remote-area-compliance-notice-guide)

How the QLD Form 6 remote area compliance notice works, who signs it, and the 10 business day deadline to give it to council. Fill it on site, download the PDF. | State: QLD | Trade: Plumbing | Template: qld-form-6-remote-area-compliance-notice

> **Tradie Forms:** finish the remote area compliance notice on site and give council a clean Form 6 within the deadline. These guides help QLD plumbers and drainers keep records straight; the same on-site habits apply as we add more Australian trade templates.

You have finished the permit work on a job a long way from the local government office. Nobody is coming out to inspect it, because the council has declared the area remote. That does not mean the job closes itself. In Queensland the way you certify remote area permit work is the Form 6 remote area compliance notice, and it has to reach the local government within a set window after the plumbing or drainage is operational. Get the land, permit, work, and responsible person details onto the notice correctly and council can issue the final inspection certificate. Miss the deadline or a field and the job stays open.

This guide covers what the Form 6 is for, who can sign it, the timeframes that apply, and how to complete the notice so council accepts it and closes out the permit.

**Key takeaways**

- Form 6 is the remote area compliance notice under section 72(2) of the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019
- The responsible person must give it to the local government within 10 business days of the work becoming operational and fit for use
- A suitably qualified person can be authorised to prepare and give the notice on the responsible person's behalf
- Once council accepts the notice, it issues the final inspection certificate within 2 business days

If you are closing out a remote area permit today, open the [Queensland Form 6 remote area compliance notice](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-6-remote-area-compliance-notice). Browse other [QLD plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/plumbing), or if the job involved testing or commissioning, the [QLD Form 5 testing or commissioning report](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-5-testing) is the record that sits alongside it.

## What is QLD Form 6 for? [#what-is-qld-form-6-for]

Most permit work in Queensland gets inspected on site at set stages. In areas a long way from the local government office, sending an inspector to every job is not practical. To deal with that, smaller regional local governments listed in the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019 can declare remote areas where permit work does not require an on-site inspection because of the distance involved. The local government still has to be satisfied the arrangement is not likely to adversely affect public health, safety, or the environment, and it publicises the declaration.

The trade-off is that the compliance is certified on paper rather than checked in person. When all the eligible work authorised under the permit for the premises has been carried out, the responsible person gives the local government a notice in the approved form stating that the work is compliant and the plumbing or drainage is operational and fit for use. That approved form is the Form 6.

So the Form 6 does the job an inspection would have done on a normal permit. It is the record that lets the local government accept the work and issue the final inspection certificate without an inspector standing at the site.

## Who is the responsible person? [#who-is-the-responsible-person]

The Form 6 is not a form just anyone on the crew can sign. The person who gives the notice is the responsible person for the work. Under the plumbing and drainage framework that is the licensed person who performs the work, directs its performance, or supervises it. It is the person who can genuinely stand behind the installation, not the office.

The regulation does allow one bit of flexibility. The responsible person may authorise a suitably qualified person to prepare and give the remote area compliance notice on their behalf. This is why the Form 6 has room for both a responsible person and a qualified person. If the notice is being prepared by someone acting for the responsible person, both sets of details go on the form so it is clear who did the work and who lodged the notice for them.

The distinction that catches people out is between doing the work and being the person who certifies it. If your name goes in the responsible person block, the certification that the work is compliant, operational, and fit for use is yours. Make sure that is a statement you can back up before you sign.

## The information the notice collects [#the-information-the-notice-collects]

The Form 6 follows the shape of the job. Working through it in order keeps each detail tied to the right permit and premises.

**Description of the land.** The notice has to identify all the land that is the subject of the compliance notice. Get the property description right, because this is what lets the local government match the notice to the permit and the premises it covers.

**Permit details.** The permit number and the date the permit was issued. These tie the notice back to the specific permit the eligible work was authorised under.

**Description of the work.** A brief description of the plumbing or drainage work that has been performed. This tells council what the notice is actually certifying, so it should describe what was installed, not the quote title.

**Date the work was completed.** The completion date frames the notice. It matters because the clock on the deadline runs from when the plumbing or drainage became operational and fit for use.

After those come the responsible person and, where used, the qualified person details, then the declaration. Keeping these in order means the certification at the end is sitting on top of a complete record rather than a form with gaps.

## The 10 business day deadline [#the-10-business-day-deadline]

The timing on a Form 6 is the part that trips people up, because it is easy to treat a remote job as finished the moment you pack the ute. The regulation is specific. The responsible person must give the local government the remote area compliance notice within 10 business days after the plumbing or drainage resulting from, or affected by, the work has become operational and fit for use.

That is a real obligation, not a courtesy. Failing to give the notice as required carries a maximum penalty of 20 penalty units for the responsible person. On a remote job the paperwork is the only thing telling council the work is done and compliant, so a notice that never arrives leaves the permit hanging open and exposes you to that penalty.

The practical fix is to treat the notice as part of finishing the work, not something you get to back at base. Complete it while the land description, permit number, and work details are in front of you, and give it to the local government inside the window rather than letting it sit in a folder.

## What council does with the notice [#what-council-does-with-the-notice]

Once you give the local government a completed Form 6, two more timeframes kick in on their side.

- **You give council the notice: 10 business days** - After the plumbing or drainage becomes operational and fit for use.
- **Council decides on the notice: 5 business days** - From receiving it.
- **Council issues the final inspection certificate: 2 business days** - From accepting the notice.

The local government has 5 business days after receiving the notice to make its decision on it. If it accepts the notice, it must issue the final inspection certificate for the plumbing or drainage work within 2 business days of accepting it. That final inspection certificate is the document that formally closes out the permit work, the same certificate a physical inspection would have led to on a non-remote job.

Because council is working to those timeframes off your notice, a Form 6 that is incomplete or does not match the permit slows the whole thing down. A clean notice that identifies the land, cites the right permit, and describes the work is what lets council make its decision and issue the certificate without coming back to you for more detail.

## Common remote area compliance notice mistakes [#common-remote-area-compliance-notice-mistakes]

These are the ones that turn a finished job into a chase for the certificate.

**When the clock starts**

- **This** - From when the work became operational and fit for use (The trigger is on site, not at the desk.)
- **Not this** - From when you next sit down to do paperwork (This is how the 10 business day window gets missed.)

**Wrong or missing permit details.** If the permit number or issue date is wrong, council cannot tie the notice to the permit. Copy them from the permit, do not work from memory.

**Land description that does not cover all the premises.** The notice has to identify all the land it relates to. A partial description leaves council unable to match it cleanly.

**The wrong person in the responsible person block.** The responsible person is the licensed person who performed, directed, or supervised the work. If a qualified person prepared the notice for them, both sets of details belong on the form.

Most of these come back to the same habit. The notice is written up away from the job, days later, from memory. The fix is to complete it on site while the permit, the land, and the work are in front of you.

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Tradie Forms turns the Form 6 into sections you work through one at a time that follow the order of the official notice. You enter the land description, permit number and issue date, the description of work, and the completion date, then the responsible person and, where one is acting on their behalf, the qualified person details.

Your licence and business details are saved and reused, so the responsible person block is not retyped on every job. The form flags missing fields before you download, which is what catches the blank permit number or empty completion date before council does. You preview the entries mapped onto the official Form 6 PDF layout, then download the finished notice to give the local government and keep with the job.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the official layout. The licensed responsible person still checks the work, the details, and the downloaded PDF before it goes to the local government, and remains responsible for the certification.

Start the [Queensland Form 6 remote area compliance notice](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-6-remote-area-compliance-notice) on site, or browse more [QLD plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/plumbing) for the rest of your Queensland permit paperwork. The [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing) covers the other states.

The [QLD plumbing forms list](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-plumbing-forms-list-permit-inspection-handover) maps the wider permit and completion sequence. If the work also needed testing or commissioning, keep the notice with the [Form 5 report and handover record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-5-testing-report-records-handover).

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [Form 6 remote area compliance notice PDF](https://www.hpw.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/3770/form6plumbingdrainageregulation2019.pdf) for the current approved form, [Changes to plumbing processes by local government](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/changes-local-government) for how remote areas and the notice work, the [plumbing and drainage forms and templates page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/forms-templates) for the current form, and the [Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019](https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2019-0042) for section 72 and the timeframes. Local government processes vary, so confirm the lodgement method and that you are the responsible person before you give the notice.

# Smoke alarm service record template (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/smoke-alarm-service-record-template)

How to log a smoke alarm service: each alarm, its power source, pass or fail, and the AS 3786 rules behind it. Fill it on site and download the PDF. | Trade: Electrical | Template: national-smoke-alarm-service-record

You have walked a rental, pressed the test button on every alarm, swapped one that would not sound, and now the agent wants proof the property is right. That proof is a smoke alarm service record: a list of every alarm, where it sits, how it is powered, whether it passed, and what you did about the ones that failed. Get it down while you are still standing under the last alarm and the job is closed. Write it up from memory in the ute and you are guessing at a location or a manufacture date.

This guide covers what a smoke alarm service record captures, how each field maps to the alarm in front of you, and the AS 3786 and interconnection rules that sit behind the work.

**Key takeaways**

- Smoke alarms must comply with AS 3786, and the record ties each alarm to its result on a given date
- Alarms over 10 years old, or any that fail the test, must be replaced with compliant photoelectric alarms
- The National Construction Code requires new-dwelling alarms to be mains powered where mains is available and interconnected where there is more than one
- In Queensland every home needs interconnected photoelectric alarms by 1 January 2027, and rentals since 1 January 2022

If you are writing up a service today, open the [smoke alarm service record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-smoke-alarm-service-record) and work through it at the property. Browse more [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical) for the rest of your job paperwork. For another building electrical service record, see the [emergency lighting test register guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/national-emergency-lighting-test-register-as-2293-2).

## What is a smoke alarm service record? [#what-is-a-smoke-alarm-service-record]

The record is not the compliance job. The compliance job is the inspection, the test, and the replacement. The record is the evidence that the work happened, and it is what an agent or landlord keeps on file to show the property met its obligations on the day you attended.

Because it stands as proof, it has to be specific.

**Smoke alarm record**

- **This** - Alarm 3, hallway outside bed 2. 240 V interconnected photoelectric, manufactured 03/2021, replace by 03/2031. Test button pass, smoke test pass. (Every alarm, fixed to a location, with power source, dates, and a clear result.)
- **Not this** - Alarms tested, all good (Tells a landlord nothing if a tenant later questions whether an alarm worked.)

Written that way, one page answers the questions before they are asked.

Requirements differ by state, so treat the record as the constant and the local rules as the layer on top. AS 3786 is the national product standard every alarm has to meet. The National Construction Code sets where and how alarms go into a dwelling. Then each state and territory adds its own tenancy and existing-dwelling rules on top, with Queensland the furthest ahead.

## Business and technician details [#business-and-technician-details]

The first section is who did the work. The record needs your business name, the technician who attended, and your licence number where the work you carried out is licensed electrical work.

This matters most when the visit included replacing a hardwired alarm. Swapping a hardwired smoke alarm is electrical work, so a licensed electrician does it, and the licence detail on the record is what shows the right person was on the tools. A 10-year non-removable battery alarm can be installed without an electrician, but the record still names who attended and stands behind the result.

Enter these once and they carry across every job. There is no reason to retype a business name and licence number on each property when the same person and business is doing the round.

## Property and agent details [#property-and-agent-details]

Next is where the work happened and who receives the record. The property address is what the record hangs on, so it has to be the full, correct address rather than the short version an agent uses in a booking. The agent or property manager details are who the finished record goes back to.

For a rented property this section is doing double duty. It ties the service to the tenancy, which is where the smoke alarm obligation actually lives, and it names the agent who has to keep the record on file. Getting the address and agent right is what lets the record be matched back to the property months later without anyone digging.

## Service type and date [#service-type-and-date]

This section frames the visit. The service type separates a routine test and clean from an install or a replacement, because the two are different pieces of work with different expectations. A between-tenancy test is a check that everything still sounds; a replacement means an alarm was changed out and the new one has to comply with AS 3786.

The service date is the anchor for everything that follows. Tenancy rules are built around dates: in Queensland a landlord must test and clean each alarm within 30 days before a tenancy starts, and renters test and clean at least once every 12 months. The record captures the legislation basis for the visit so the reason you attended is on the page, not held in your head.

- **Landlord test and clean, QLD: Within 30 days** - Before a tenancy starts.
- **Renter test and clean, QLD: Every 12 months** - At least once.
- **Replace the alarm: 10 years** - An alarm manufactured more than 10 years ago must be replaced, as must any that fails a test.

Check the tenancy rules in your own state as well: these three are Queensland's.

## The alarm register [#the-alarm-register]

This is the heart of the record, and it is a register because a property has more than one alarm. You add a row for each alarm on site and complete it against the unit in front of you.

For every alarm the register captures:

**Location and type.** Which room or hallway the alarm is in, and whether it is photoelectric, ionisation, or another type. Location has to be precise enough that the next technician finds the same alarm. Photoelectric is the type new and replacement alarms are required to be in Queensland, and recording the type is how a swap from an old ionisation unit is documented.

**Power source and replace-by date.** Whether the alarm is hardwired with battery backup or a 10-year non-removable battery unit, and the date it is due for replacement. An alarm manufactured more than 10 years ago must be replaced, so the replace-by date is what turns "looks fine" into a scheduled action.

**Interconnection result.** Whether the alarm triggers the others when it sounds. Interconnection is a National Construction Code requirement for new dwellings with more than one alarm, and the Queensland rules extend it to every home. Testing that one alarm sets off the rest is a separate check from testing that the alarm sounds at all, so it gets its own result.

**Overall result and test date.** The pass or fail for the alarm and the date it was tested. A passed alarm needs a next-due date so the property owner knows when the next service falls. A failed alarm needs the action you took and the failure detail, because a fail with no action is an open loop that lands back on you.

Working the register alarm by alarm, rather than as one summary, is what keeps a result tied to the right unit. It is also what catches the alarm that was tested but never had its interconnection confirmed, or the one that passed but sat past its replace-by date.

## Signing off the record [#signing-off-the-record]

The declaration is the last section and it is you standing behind the record. It carries any notes from the visit, your name, the date, and your signature.

Sign it once the register is complete and correct, not before. The declaration says the alarms listed were inspected and tested as recorded, so a blank interconnection result or a missing replace-by date should be resolved first. Notes are where anything the register does not have a field for goes: an alarm the tenant had removed, access you could not get, or a follow-up booked to replace a unit. The signature closes the record and makes it the document the agent files.

## What the rules actually require [#what-the-rules-actually-require]

The record is only as good as the standard behind it, so it helps to know what the alarms themselves have to meet.

Every domestic smoke alarm has to comply with AS 3786, the product standard that sets how an alarm is designed, built and tested. The National Construction Code Part 9.5 requires alarms in a new dwelling to comply with AS 3786, to be powered from the consumer mains where mains is supplied, and to be interconnected where there is more than one. It also sets the minimum locations: on any storey with bedrooms, in the hallway serving those bedrooms, and on each other storey.

Existing dwellings are governed by state legislation on top of the NCC. Queensland is the clearest example. Existing alarms manufactured more than 10 years ago, and any that do not operate when tested, must be replaced with photoelectric alarms complying with AS 3786-2014. From 1 January 2022 landlords have had to install interconnected alarms in rentals, and by 1 January 2027 every home needs interconnected photoelectric alarms in every bedroom, every hallway and on every level. A hardwired alarm that needs replacing has to be replaced with a hardwired photoelectric alarm, which is why the licensed electrician detail sits on the record.

Other states set their own timeframes and locations, so confirm the current rules where the property is before you certify the work. The service record stays the same; the local requirements it is proving change.

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Tradie Forms turns the service record into sections you work through one at a time that follow the order of the work. You fill the business and technician details once and reuse them, enter the property and agent, set the service type and date, then build the register alarm by alarm with location, type, power source, replace-by date, interconnection result, overall result and test date.

The form holds the register logic for you. A passed alarm prompts for its next-due date, and a failed alarm asks for the action and the failure detail before you can move on. It flags missing fields before you download, which is what catches the blank test date or the alarm with no interconnection result while you are still on site. You preview your entries mapped onto the official PDF layout, then download the finished record to hand the agent and store with the job.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the layout. The licensed person still checks the alarms, the test results and the downloaded PDF before it goes to the agent or landlord.

Start the [smoke alarm service record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-smoke-alarm-service-record) at the property, or browse more [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical) for the rest of your job paperwork.

For the route through a rental on service day, see [landlord smoke alarm service day](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/landlord-smoke-alarm-service-day-room-by-room).

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [Queensland Government smoke alarms guidance](https://www.qld.gov.au/emergency/safety/fire/smoke-alarms) and [Queensland Fire Department smoke alarms](https://www.fire.qld.gov.au/prepare/fire/smoke-alarms) for the current testing, replacement and interconnection rules, [National Construction Code Part 9.5](https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/editions/ncc-2022/adopted/housing-provisions/9-fire-safety/part-95-smoke-alarms-and-evacuation-lighting) for the AS 3786, mains power and interconnection requirements in new dwellings, and the [Standards Australia Wiring Rules (AS/NZS 3000)](https://www.standards.org.au/flagship-projects/wiring-rules) for hardwired electrical work tied to smoke alarm replacement. Requirements differ by state and change over time, so confirm the rules where the property is and your own licence conditions before you certify the work.

# Switchboard condition report template guide (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/switchboard-condition-report-template-inspection-guide)

How to run a switchboard visual inspection, record defects and photos, and give clients clear upgrade recommendations. Fill it on site, download the PDF. | Trade: Electrical | Template: national-switchboard-condition-report

You have opened up a switchboard on a pre-purchase inspection or a maintenance call, and what you find is a mix of the good, the tired, and the plain unsafe. Ceramic fuses on some circuits, no safety switch on the power outlets, a backing panel that looks like it predates colour television. The client wants to know two things: is it safe, and what does it need. A switchboard condition report is how you answer both in writing, with photos, so the conversation is not just a verbal warning that gets forgotten by the weekend.

This guide covers what a switchboard condition report is for, how to work through a visual assessment, and how to record defects and upgrade recommendations so the client has something they can act on and you have a record that stands up.

**Key takeaways**

- A switchboard condition report records a visual assessment, not a full certificate of compliance
- Work through the board in a set order so nothing gets skipped, and photograph every defect
- Note a suspected asbestos panel and do not drill or disturb it
- The licensed electrician remains responsible for the assessment and the downloaded PDF

If you are writing one up today, open the [switchboard condition report template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-switchboard-condition-report). Browse more [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical), read how to write up faults cleanly in the guide on [reporting electrical installation defects](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/electrical-installation-defects-ccew-reporting), or use the [electrical defect notice guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/electrical-defect-notice-template-guide) when the inspection finds a fault that needs a formal written notice.

## What is a switchboard condition report? [#what-is-a-switchboard-condition-report]

A switchboard condition report is a visual assessment. You are looking at the board, recording what you can see and safely check, and giving the client a plain read on its condition and what work it needs. It is the kind of record that sits behind a quote for a switchboard upgrade, a pre-purchase property check, or a landlord's maintenance file.

It is not a certificate of compliance or a certificate of electrical safety. Those are the statutory documents your state requires when you actually carry out and test electrical work. The condition report does not replace them. If your inspection leads to real work, that work still needs the certificate or notice your state mandates, signed and lodged the usual way.

The relevant reference for assessing an existing installation is AS/NZS 3019, which sets out periodic assessment of installations already connected to supply. It covers assessment by basic visual inspection, by visual inspection with limited testing, and by visual inspection with full testing. A condition report of this kind is built around the visual layer, with the switchboard as the focus. The construction and protection requirements you are checking the board against sit in AS/NZS 3000, the Wiring Rules.

## Business, site, and switchboard details [#business-site-and-switchboard-details]

The front of the report is about matching the assessment to the right board on the right site. Get this wrong and a good inspection ends up filed against the wrong job.

Record your business and electrician details, including your licence number, so the report shows who did the work. Then the site: client name, contact, job reference, inspection date, and the board location. On a site with more than one board, the location and a board label are what tell a later reader which board this report covers.

The switchboard section then captures the board's identity and setup so the condition sits in context:

**Estimated age.** Under 10 years, 10 to 25, 25 to 40, over 40, or unknown. Age is the single best predictor of what you are about to find, and it frames the recommendations.

**Main switch rating and supply type.** Single or three phase, and the main switch rating. This tells the next electrician what they are working with before they open the board.

**RCD protection.** All circuits, partial, none, or unknown. Whether safety switches cover the final subcircuits is one of the biggest safety questions on any older board, so it sits up front rather than buried in the checklist.

Fill these in as you go rather than from memory afterwards. The age band and the RCD coverage line are the two facts a client remembers, so they need to be right.

## What are the ten visual checks? [#what-are-the-ten-visual-checks]

The checklist is the core of the report. It is ten visual condition checks, each marked OK, Attention, or Defect. Work through them in order at the board so none get skipped, and remember this is a visual assessment, not a licence to start pulling the board apart.

The checks cover the enclosure and the environment first: the enclosure secure, undamaged, and rated for its location, and no signs of overheating, arcing, or water entry. Discolouration, melted insulation, or a burnt smell around terminals are the ones you do not want to mark OK just to move on.

Then the asbestos check: asbestos backing panel suspected. Older switchboard backing panels and enclosures were made with asbestos, and the safe response is to mark it Attention or Defect, note it, and not drill or disturb the panel. The WA Government fact sheet on switchboard panel repair and asbestos safety is a good reference for why this matters and what disturbing a panel involves.

The remaining checks run through the working parts of the board:

**Circuits legibly labelled.** A board no one can read is a hazard for the next person who works on it. Faded or missing labels get marked and photographed.

**Main switch accessible and operable.** The main switch has to be reachable and manually operable so supply can be isolated in a hurry.

**RCD protection fitted to final subcircuits, and RCDs trip on test button.** Two separate checks. One is whether safety switches are there on the circuits that need them. The other is whether the ones fitted actually trip when you press the test button. A safety switch that does not trip on test is not protecting anyone.

**No obsolete or recalled equipment observed.** Known recalled breakers and superseded gear that should no longer be in service.

The last two checks close out the board: adequate space and access clearances, and visible wiring condition acceptable. Anything marked Defect here should get a row in the defects section rather than a note buried in the checklist.

## Recording defects with photos [#recording-defects-with-photos]

Every checklist item you mark Defect earns a row in the defects section. This is where the report stops being a tick sheet and becomes evidence. A row captures the defect, the risk it carries, the recommendation, and photos.

**Defect row**

- **This** - Burnt terminal on main switch, active side. Risk: High. Recommendation: isolate, replace terminations and main switch, retest. Photo attached. (Defect, risk, recommendation, photo. The client can act on it or price it.)
- **Not this** - Board needs work (No risk rating, so the client cannot tell it from a faded label.)

Rate the risk on each defect: Low, Medium, High, or Extreme. This is what lets a client, a property manager, or a buyer sort the list into what needs doing now and what can wait. An unprotected power circuit and a faded label are both defects, but they are not the same urgency, and the risk rating is what says so.

Photos are the part that carries the most weight later. A photo of the burnt terminal, the ceramic fuse bank, or the suspected asbestos panel does more than any written description to show the client what you found and why the recommendation follows. Attach them to the defect row while you are standing at the board, not from memory in the ute afterwards. Defect rows are optional, because a board can genuinely be sound, but any row you add has to be complete.

## Overall condition and upgrade recommendations [#overall-condition-and-upgrade-recommendations]

After the checklist and defects, the report asks for the overall condition of the board and the recommended work. This is the summary the client reads first even though you fill it in last.

Overall condition is a single call: Good, Fair, Poor, or Unsafe. Back it with the recommendation. If the board is Poor or Unsafe, or if you are recommending an upgrade, spell out what that means: safety switches on the final subcircuits, replacing rewireable fuses with circuit breakers, a non-asbestos panel, or a full board replacement where the age and condition justify it. The Wiring Rules restrict replacing a rewireable fuse with another rewireable fuse, so a board still running ceramic fuses is a common driver of an upgrade recommendation.

Keep the recommendation about the work, not a sales pitch. A clear, ranked list of what the board needs is more persuasive to a client than pressure, and it is the part they will show to whoever pays for the work.

## Sign the report before you hand it over [#sign-the-report-before-you-hand-it-over]

The declaration is you standing behind the assessment. Your name, the date, and your signature go on once the checklist, defects, condition, and recommendations are all in and correct. A signed condition report is a record with your licence attached, so it only gets signed when the entries reflect what you actually found.

Hand the client their copy and keep one with the job. If the report leads to work, that work gets its own certificate or notice under your state's rules, and the condition report sits alongside it in the file.

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Tradie Forms turns the switchboard condition report into sections you work through one at a time that follow the order you work the board: business and site, the switchboard setup, the ten visual checks, defects with photos, then condition and recommendations. You are not reformatting a spreadsheet at the end of the day.

Your business and licence details are saved and reused, so the electrician and contractor fields are not retyped on every job. You attach a photo to each defect row as you go, mark the risk, and the form flags missing fields before you download, which is what catches the checklist item marked Defect with no matching defect row, or the blank condition call, before the client does. You preview your entries mapped onto the official PDF layout, then download the finished report to hand over and store with the job.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the layout. The licensed electrician still checks the work, the assessment, and the downloaded PDF before it goes to the client.

Start the [switchboard condition report template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-switchboard-condition-report) at the board, or browse more [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical) for the rest of your paperwork.

For how the report reads months later, see [what insurance assessors scan first in a switchboard report](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/switchboard-report-what-insurance-assessors-check).

## Official references [#official-references]

Check [AS/NZS 3000:2018 Electrical installations (Wiring Rules)](https://store.standards.org.au/product/as-nzs-3000-2018) for switchboard construction and protection requirements, [AS/NZS 3019:2022 Electrical installations - Periodic assessment](https://store.standards.org.au/product/as-nzs-3019-2022) for how existing installations are assessed, the [WA Government switchboard panel repair and asbestos safety fact sheet](https://www.wa.gov.au/government/publications/switchboard-panel-repair-work-and-asbestos-safety-fact-sheet) for handling suspected asbestos panels, and the [Energy Safe Victoria electrical safety checklist](https://www.energysafe.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2022-12/ElectricalSafetyChecklist_May2021.pdf) for a regulator's inspection reference. Requirements and licence conditions vary by state, so confirm the current standards and your own authority before you certify any work that follows.

# TAS Form 71B lodgement and completion guide (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-71b-plumbing-lodgement-completion)

When to lodge a TAS Form 71B standard of work certificate, who gets a copy, the 5 business day rule, and how it leads to a certificate of completion. | State: TAS | Trade: Plumbing | Template: tas-form-71b-plumbing

> **Tradie Forms:** finish TAS Form 71B on the official standard of work certificate layout while the job, owner, and licence details are still in front of you. Preview the PDF, catch gaps, and lodge a clean copy with the owner and permit authority so the certificate of completion is not held up.

The plumbing work is signed off in your head, the fittings are in, and the drainage is connected. In Tasmania the job is not actually closed until the standard of work certificate reaches the right people. Form 71B is that certificate, and it is the document that lets the permit authority move to a final inspection and then a certificate of completion. Lodge it late, send it to the wrong council, or leave the owner off, and the last step of the job stalls.

This guide is about the lodgement and completion side of Form 71B. It covers when the certificate is due, who has to receive it, how permit work and notifiable work differ on the form, and what happens once it lands with the permit authority.

**Key takeaways**

- Form 71B is the approved standard of work certificate for plumbing work under the Building Act 2016
- The certificate goes to both the owner and the permit authority, not just one of them
- Councils ask for Form 71B plus an as-constructed drainage plan within 5 business days of completing the work
- Once the certificate is lodged, the permit authority arranges a final inspection and issues the certificate of completion

If you are closing out a job today, open the [TAS Form 71B standard of work certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-71b-plumbing) and fill it before you pack up. Browse other [TAS plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/tas/plumbing) or read the [TAS plumbing forms list](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-plumbing-forms-list-start-completion-handover). To choose between the two completion documents, see [TAS Form 21 vs Form 71B](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-21-vs-form-71b-plumbing-guide). to see where Form 71B sits alongside the start-work notice and the completion records.

## What does Form 71B certify? [#what-does-form-71b-certify]

Consumer, Building and Occupational Services lists Form 71B as the approved standard of work certificate for plumbing work. It is the plumber's statement that the plumbing work described on the certificate has been carried out. Under the Building Act 2016, a standard of work certificate for notifiable plumbing work is what feeds the certificate of completion the permit authority issues at the end of the job.

The certificate is not the same thing as the permit or the notice you dealt with before you started. Those authorised the work. Form 71B closes it. It sits at the completion end of the job, next to the final inspection, and it only goes on once the relevant work is genuinely finished.

Because the certificate drives the next official step, the detail on it has to match the approval and the site. A certificate that names the wrong permit authority, describes the work as "plumbing" with no substance, or leaves the owner block empty is the kind of thing that gets queried before the permit authority will inspect.

## Permit work or notifiable work [#permit-work-or-notifiable-work]

Form 71B has a work type section, and the tick you put there has to match how the job was authorised. Getting this right matters because permit work and notifiable work follow slightly different paths to the same certificate.

Permit plumbing work needs a plumbing permit from the permit authority before it starts. Notifiable plumbing work is authorised through a notice and a certificate of likely compliance rather than a full permit, but it still has to be designed and carried out by licensed people and still ends with a standard of work certificate. Both pathways finish with Form 71B, and both lead to a certificate of completion once the permit authority is satisfied.

The mistake to avoid is ticking the pathway that "feels close enough" because the PDF needs an answer. Check the approval documents. If the job was permit work, the certificate should say permit work. If the classification is genuinely unclear on a particular job, confirm it against current CBOS guidance and the permit authority before you issue the certificate rather than guessing on site.

## Who receives the certificate? [#who-receives-the-certificate]

This is the part that trips people up. Form 71B has two recipients, not one.

The permit authority, which is usually the council, receives the certificate so it can arrange the final inspection and issue the certificate of completion. The owner also receives a copy. The form carries a note that a copy must be forwarded to the owner, so the owner block is a real part of the certificate and not optional admin.

Confirm the owner details separately from whoever met you on site. On a lot of jobs the person on site is a builder, a project manager, a tenant, or an agent, and the owner named on the certificate has to be the actual owner. A saved owner block from an old booking is one of the quicker ways to send the copy to the wrong person.

If your business works across several Tasmanian council areas, check the permit authority against the site and the approval before you lodge. The authority that issued the permit or received the notice is the one that gets the certificate, and it is easy to carry the last job's council across without noticing.

## The 5 business day window [#the-5-business-day-window]

Once the work is complete, the certificate is due promptly. Councils acting as permit authority ask for the Form 71B, along with an as-constructed drainage plan where the work involved drainage, within 5 business days of completing the work. Sorell Council, for example, sets out that the plumber submits the standard of work certificate and as-constructed drainage diagrams within 5 business days, after which a plumbing surveyor conducts the final inspection.

Five business days moves quickly when the certificate is sitting half-finished in the ute. The practical fix is to complete Form 71B at the job while the work, the site, and the records are in front of you, then lodge it the same day rather than at the end of a busy week.

**From completion to certificate of completion**

- **Work complete - On site** - The 5 business day window starts here.
- **Form 71B to the permit authority - Plumber, within 5 business days** - With the as-constructed drainage plan where the job involved drainage.
- **Copy to the owner - Plumber** - The form carries a note that a copy must be forwarded to the owner.
- **Final inspection - Plumbing surveyor** - Then the permit authority issues the certificate of completion.

The certificate is what triggers the inspection, so a late Form 71B holds the whole close-out open.

The as-constructed drainage plan is part of this deadline, not a separate afterthought. If the job involved sanitary drainage or stormwater, the plan showing what was actually built travels with the certificate. Keeping the two together means the permit authority is not chasing you for a drawing before it will inspect.

## Certificate of likely compliance references [#certificate-of-likely-compliance-references]

Where the job ran as notifiable work, or where a certificate of likely compliance was issued, Form 71B has a section for the reference numbers. These tie the finished certificate back to the approval pathway that authorised the work.

Copy the reference from the current approval, permit, or certificate of likely compliance document. Do not lift it from an old email chain or a similar job for the same builder, because reference numbers on repeat jobs blur together fast. A wrong reference number is a small typo that can send the whole certificate back for correction.

If the section does not apply to your job, leave it out cleanly rather than filling it with a number that belongs to another approval.

## Getting the work site and description right [#getting-the-work-site-and-description-right]

The work site section captures the address, lot number, and certificate of title number where relevant. For rural properties, units, subdivisions, and multi-stage jobs, put in enough detail that the permit authority, the owner, or the next plumber can identify exactly which work the certificate covers. On a staged site, "the plumbing" is not enough to tell one certificate from the next.

The standard of work description is the part that carries the meaning. Name the work and where it went.

**Standard of work description**

- **This** - - Install hot and cold water reticulation for new dwelling
  - Complete sanitary drainage and sewer connection for unit 2
  - Install roof plumbing and stormwater connection to approved layout (On a staged site, this is what tells one certificate from the next.)
- **Not this** - Plumbing work completed (Tells the owner and the permit authority nothing.)

- Complete on-site wastewater system installation and commissioning

Keep it short, but make it specific enough that someone reading the certificate later knows what was actually done. This description is also what a plumbing surveyor reads before the final inspection, so it should line up with what they will see on site.

## What happens after you lodge [#what-happens-after-you-lodge]

Lodging Form 71B is not the finish line, it is the trigger for the last steps. Once the certificate and any as-constructed plan reach the permit authority, the authority arranges a final inspection, usually carried out by a plumbing surveyor. If the work is satisfactory, the permit authority issues a certificate of completion for the notifiable plumbing work under the Building Act 2016.

That completion certificate is what the owner and the permit authority treat as the formal close of the plumbing work. Your Form 71B is the plumber's part of that chain. If your certificate is clean and lands on time, the inspection and completion follow without you being chased. If it is missing details or arrives late, that final step waits on you.

Keep your copy of the certificate with the rest of the job record. The start-work notice where one applied, the permit or certificate of likely compliance, the as-constructed drainage plan, inspection notes, and the owner's copy should all sit together. That record is what answers questions from the permit authority, the owner, or the next plumber long after the site is finished.

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Tradie Forms turns Form 71B into sections you work through one at a time that follow the order of the official certificate. You work through the permit authority, plumber, owner, work type, certificate of likely compliance references, work site, standard of work description, and certification instead of scanning a flat PDF for the next blank.

Your plumber licence and business details are saved and reused, so the contractor fields are not retyped on every Tasmanian job. Tasmanian address search fills the site and owner blocks, and the form flags missing required fields before you download, which is what catches the empty owner block or the blank work description before the permit authority does. You preview your entries mapped onto the official Form 71B PDF layout, then download the finished certificate to lodge with the permit authority and hand the owner their copy.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the official layout. It is not affiliated with CBOS or any Tasmanian permit authority, and it does not decide whether the work complies or how it is classified. The licensed plumber remains responsible for checking the work, the pathway, and the downloaded PDF before it is lodged.

Start the [TAS Form 71B standard of work certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-71b-plumbing) at the job, or browse more [TAS plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/tas/plumbing) for the rest of your Tasmanian plumbing paperwork. Browse the [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing) for job and safety paperwork that travels with you.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [CBOS approved forms page](https://cbos.tas.gov.au/topics/resources-tools/Building-and-trades-forms%2C-publications-and-report/asset-listings/approved-forms) for the current Form 71B, the [CBOS guide to approved plumbing forms](https://www.cbos.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/404544/Guide_to_approved_forms_-_plumbing_work.pdf) for how the certificate is used, the [Building Act 2016 (Tasmania)](https://www.legislation.tas.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/act-2016-025) for the standard of work certificate and certificate of completion provisions, and the [Sorell Council plumbing page](https://www.sorell.tas.gov.au/plumbing/) for the lodgement window and final inspection process. Permit authority processes vary between councils, so confirm the local lodgement method and current timeframes before you certify a job.

# Test and tag register and AS/NZS 3760 (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/test-and-tag-register-as-nzs-3760)

How a test and tag register works under AS/NZS 3760, who can test, retest intervals by environment, and what each record must show. Fill it on site. | Trade: Electrical | Template: national-test-and-tag-register

You have just worked through a rack of leads, power tools, and portable RCDs on a site, the pass and fail results are on a clipboard or in your head, and someone wants proof the gear is safe to use. That proof is a test and tag register. It ties every item to a test date, a result, and a next test due date, and it is the record that stands up if a tag gets knocked off or a piece of equipment is questioned later.

This guide covers what a test and tag register records, who is allowed to do the testing, how retest intervals work under AS/NZS 3760, and how to complete the register so it is clean and complete before you hand it over.

**Key takeaways**

- AS/NZS 3760:2022 covers in-service inspection and testing of electrical equipment and RCDs, the work known as test and tag
- Testing is carried out by a competent person, and each record ties an item to its test date, result, and next test date
- Retest intervals depend on the environment, from three months for hire gear up to five years for low-risk office equipment
- Construction, demolition, and mining sites test every three months under AS/NZS 3012, and failed equipment comes out of service straight away

If you are writing up a round of testing today, open the [national test and tag register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-test-and-tag-register). It maps onto the layout of a clean AS/NZS 3760 record. Browse more [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical) for the rest of your paperwork.

## What does a test and tag register record? [#what-does-a-test-and-tag-register-record]

Test and tag is the everyday name for the in-service safety inspection and testing set out in AS/NZS 3760:2022. The standard covers low voltage equipment connected to the supply by a flexible cord or a connecting device, including gear that is already in service, has been repaired or serviced, is returning from a second-hand sale, or is available for hire. Visual inspection comes first, then the electrical tests, and a durable tag goes on the item once it passes.

The tag on the appliance is the quick reference on the tool. The register is the durable record behind it. The Safe Work Australia model code of practice accepts records kept as a tag attached to the equipment, or in a logbook, register, or computerised database. A register is what keeps the whole round of testing together in one place, so a lost or damaged tag does not leave you guessing when an item was last checked.

A register groups a set of items tested on the same visit under the business, site, and testing details that apply to all of them, then lists each item with its own identity, readings, result, and dates. Filling it in that order is what keeps every reading tied to the right piece of gear.

## Business and tester details [#business-and-tester-details]

The register starts with who did the testing. That is your business name, the tester's name, and a licence or competency number, plus a contact number so the record has someone to stand behind it.

Testing and tagging is carried out by a competent person. The Safe Work Australia code describes a competent person as someone with the knowledge, training, skills, and experience to do the task safely and correctly. That is the person whose name belongs on the register, because the record is a statement that the inspection and tests were done properly.

Getting this section right once matters because it repeats across every job. Your business and tester details do not change from one round of testing to the next, so they are worth saving and reusing rather than retyping each time.

## Site and job details [#site-and-job-details]

Next is where the testing happened. The register records the client, a job reference, and the site address. On a busy week you might test at several sites, so tying each register to a client and a job reference is what stops two rounds of testing blurring into one record.

The job reference is also the thread that links the register back to the rest of the job file. Put the same reference on any photos or notes so the register and its supporting evidence do not become a loose collection on someone's phone.

## How often do you retest under AS/NZS 3760? [#how-often-do-you-retest-under-asnzs-3760]

This section sets the rules the whole register runs on. Three fields do the heavy lifting: the test equipment, the work environment, and the testing basis.

The test equipment is the make, model, and serial of the tester you used, plus its last verification or calibration date. A result is only as trustworthy as the instrument behind it, so recording the tester and its verification date gives the readings something to stand on.

The work environment drives how often equipment needs retesting. AS/NZS 3760 takes a risk-based approach, so the interval depends on how hard the gear is used and how likely it is to be damaged. The intervals range widely: hire equipment is on a short cycle of around three months, factory and workshop equipment sits in the middle, and low-risk office equipment can run to as long as five years where a risk assessment supports it. Naming the environment on the register makes the interval you have applied clear rather than assumed.

The testing basis records which standard the round was done to. For most in-service testing that is AS/NZS 3760:2022. On construction, demolition, and mining sites it is AS/NZS 3012, which WHS regulations require construction site electrical equipment to comply with, and which sets a three-monthly test cycle. Those sites often colour-code tags by test period, so the register carries a tag colour field for the ones that do.

## The register: every item, reading, and result [#the-register-every-item-reading-and-result]

This is the body of the record, and it is one row per item. Each item carries its own identity, its readings, a pass or fail result, the test date, and the next test due date.

**Item identity.** An asset ID or tag number, a description, and a location. The identity is what lets anyone match a row back to the physical item, so a vague description that fits four leads on the same site defeats the purpose.

**Test results.** The readings that back the result, recorded against the item rather than summarised across the round. Complete readings are what make a pass defensible if the item is ever questioned.

**Result and dates.** A pass or fail, the test date, and a next test due date. The next due date is set from the retest interval for the environment, which is the point of nominating the environment up front.

**One register row**

- **This** - TT-0142, 15 m heavy duty lead, Site shed north. Class I. Earth continuity 0.11 Ω, insulation >100 MΩ, visual pass. Pass. Tested 24 Jul 2026, next due 24 Oct 2026. (Identity, readings, result, and both dates, in one row.)
- **Not this** - Lead. Pass. 24/7. (Identity that fits four leads, no readings, and a date nobody can parse.)

Working item by item keeps the register honest. The failure point is almost always the register written up later from memory, where a reading gets rounded or an item gets skipped. Filling each row while the item is in front of you is the fix.

## What do you do when an item fails? [#what-do-you-do-when-an-item-fails]

Recording the fail properly is its own job. See [test and tag failed equipment records](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/test-and-tag-failed-equipment-records) for the row detail and client conversation. A fail is not just a missing tag. Any equipment found not to comply is removed from service immediately and marked so it cannot be put back into use until it is repaired or replaced. The register should record what failed, why, and the action taken, whether that is tagging the item out and removing it, sending it for repair, disposing of it, or notifying the client.

Recording the action alongside the failure is what closes the loop. A register that lists a fail with no action leaves an open question about a piece of gear that might still be on site. Capturing the failure detail and the action at the moment you pull the item keeps the record and the site in step.

## Declaration and sign-off [#declaration-and-sign-off]

The register finishes with a name, a date, and a signature, plus room for notes such as failed items tagged out and the client advised. The declaration is you standing behind the round of testing, so it goes on last, once the items, readings, and results are in and correct rather than before.

## Common test and tag register mistakes [#common-test-and-tag-register-mistakes]

These are the ones that turn a completed round into a return trip or a record that does not hold up.

**Vague item identity.** A description that fits several items on the same site means a row cannot be matched to the gear it covers. Give each item an ID and a description that is specific.

**Missing next test dates.** A pass with no next due date leaves nobody knowing when the item is up again. Set the interval from the environment and record the due date on every passed item.

**A fail with no action.** Recording a fail but not what happened to the item leaves a safety question open. Note the action at the moment you pull the item from service.

Most of these trace back to the same habit. The register is written up away from the gear, hours later, from a clipboard or memory. Completing it item by item on site, while each piece of equipment is in front of you, is what keeps it accurate. The full list is in [common test and tag register mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-test-and-tag-register-mistakes), and the round-by-round method is in the [test and tag register on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/test-and-tag-register-on-site-guide).

## Build the register on site [#build-the-register-on-site]

Tradie Forms turns the test and tag register into sections you work through one at a time that follow the order of a clean AS/NZS 3760 record. You set the environment, testing basis, and default retest interval once, then add each item with its identity, readings, result, and dates, and the next due date follows from the interval you set.

Your business, tester, and licence details are saved and reused, so they are not retyped on every job. Failed items prompt you for an action and the failure detail before you can finish, which is what catches the open fail before the client does. The form flags missing fields before you download, you preview the entries mapped onto the official PDF layout, then download the finished register to hand over and store with the job.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the layout of the record. The competent person still checks the equipment, the readings, and the downloaded PDF before it goes anywhere.

Start the [national test and tag register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-test-and-tag-register) on site, or browse more [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical) for the rest of your electrical paperwork.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [Standards Australia spotlight on AS/NZS 3760:2022](https://www.standards.org.au/blog/spotlight-on-in-service-safety-inspection-and-testing-of-electrical-equipment-and-rcds) for the scope of in-service testing, the [Safe Work Australia model Code of Practice: Managing electrical risks in the workplace](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/doc/model-code-practice-managing-electrical-risks-workplace) for the competent person and record-keeping requirements, [WorkSafe Queensland testing and tagging of electrical equipment](https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/safety-and-prevention/hazards/electricity/electrical-products-and-equipment/testing-and-tagging-electrical-equipment) for regulator guidance, and the [NT WorkSafe bulletin on electrical equipment on construction sites](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/forms-and-resources/bulletins/safety-inspection-and-testing-of-electrical-equipment-on-construction-sites) for AS/NZS 3012 on construction work. The standard sets recommendations, and your state or territory WHS regulator and current licence conditions govern how they apply, so confirm the interval and testing basis for the site before you sign the register.

# VIC asbestos removal notification form guide (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/vic-asbestos-removal-notification-worksafe-guide)

How the WorkSafe Victoria asbestos removal notification works, who must notify, the 24-hour and 5-day timeframes, and how to complete and lodge the FOR567. | State: VIC | Trade: Building | Template: vic-asbestos-removal-notification

> **Tradie Forms:** finish the asbestos removal notification before you mobilise the crew, and lodge a clean FOR567 with the right WorkSafe regional office. These guides help Victorian removalists get the notice in on time; the same on-site habits apply as we add more Australian trade templates.

You have won a strip-out on a domestic renovation, the client wants a start date, and before anyone touches the material WorkSafe Victoria has to know it is happening. In Victoria that notice is the asbestos removal notification, form FOR567, and the amount of warning WorkSafe needs depends on what you are removing and how much of it. Get the notification lodged with the right regional office inside the timeframe and the job runs. Leave it late, send it to the wrong office, or miss a detail and you are explaining yourself instead of working.

This guide covers who has to notify, how much notice WorkSafe needs for friable and non-friable work, what the FOR567 asks for, and how to complete and lodge it so the notice lands correctly the first time.

**Key takeaways**

- Licensed removal work must be notified to WorkSafe Victoria for each job and location on form FOR567
- Notify at least 5 days before most work, or 24 hours before for non-friable removal of 10 square metres or less
- Unexpected asbestos gets notified within 24 hours of starting the removal work
- Class A licences cover friable asbestos, Class B covers non-friable, and the notice goes to the closest WorkSafe regional office

If you are lodging a notice today, open the [VIC asbestos removal notification form](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/vic-asbestos-removal-notification). Browse other [Victorian building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/vic/building) to see where the notification sits alongside the rest of your compliance paperwork. If your business also works across the border, the separate [NSW asbestos removal and clearance workflow](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-asbestos-removal-clearance-handover-workflow) covers the NSW records without mixing the two states' rules.

## Who has to notify WorkSafe? [#who-has-to-notify-worksafe]

The notification duty falls on the licensed asbestos removalist doing the work. [WorkSafe Victoria's asbestos removal notification guidance](https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/asbestos-removal-notification) says a separate notification is required for each job and location.

The licence type follows the material. A Class A licence covers friable asbestos, the kind that can be crumbled to powder by hand pressure and releases fibres easily. A Class B licence covers non-friable asbestos, where the fibres are bonded into the material and harder to release. If the notification is for friable work, the removalist named on it needs to hold a Class A licence. For bonded sheeting and similar, a Class B licence is the minimum.

There is one narrow case where no licence is needed. An employer or self-employed person can remove non-friable asbestos without a licence if the total area is 10 square metres or less and the cumulative removal time across all workers stays under one hour in any seven-day period. WorkSafe's [general requirements checklist](https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/resources/general-requirements-all-asbestos-removal-work) says this limited asbestos removal work does not require notification to WorkSafe, while Class A and Class B work does. Other duties still apply, including telling the person who commissioned the work and people in the immediate and adjacent areas before limited removal work begins.

## How much notice does WorkSafe need? [#how-much-notice-does-worksafe-need]

This is the part that catches people out, because there is not one deadline.

**Notice period**

- **Three, by material and quantity** - - Five days for most licensed work, including every friable job
  - Twenty-four hours for licensed non-friable removal of 10 m² or less
  - Within 24 hours of starting, for unexpected situations under regulation 299 (Five days is the default, so work to it when unsure.)
- **One deadline for everything** - Five days notice, always (Assuming one deadline is what causes a late notification.)

**Five days for most licensed work.** [WorkSafe says](https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/asbestos-removal-notification) you notify at least five days before removal starts in all cases except the two below. That includes every friable job and any non-friable removal over 10 square metres. Five days is the default, so if you are unsure, work to it.

**Twenty-four hours for small licensed non-friable jobs.** If the total area to be removed is 10 square metres or less of non-friable asbestos-containing material by a licensed removalist, [WorkSafe needs at least 24 hours notice](https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/asbestos-removal-notification) before you start.

**Within 24 hours for unexpected situations.** If the removal is being done because of an unexpected situation under regulation 299 of the OHS Regulations 2017, you cannot give notice in advance. In that case [WorkSafe says to notify within 24 hours](https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/asbestos-removal-notification) of starting the removal work.

The FOR567 has a notification type at the top so you flag whether this is a new notification or an amendment to one already lodged. If dates slip or the scope changes after you have notified, you send an amendment on the same form rather than starting fresh, which keeps WorkSafe working from current details.

## Your details and the licensed removalist [#your-details-and-the-licensed-removalist]

The form opens with the contact for the person completing it, then the licensed removalist details. These are the fields that tie the notice to a real, current licence, so they need to be right.

The removalist section asks for the licence number, its expiry date, and the ABN or ACN of the business holding it. Check the expiry before you lodge. A notification against a lapsed licence is not worth much, and the licence number is what WorkSafe uses to confirm the work is being done by someone authorised to do it. If you run these details across a lot of jobs, they are worth saving once so the same licence number and expiry are not retyped, and mistyped, on every notice.

## Asbestos type, method, and quantity [#asbestos-type-method-and-quantity]

The middle of the form is where you describe what is being removed. You tick friable, non-friable, or both, and the material detail follows from there.

For friable removal, the form captures the material types, the enclosure method being used for the work, and an estimated quantity in cubic metres. Friable work carries the higher controls, so the enclosure method and volume matter to WorkSafe when they look at the notice.

For non-friable removal, you record the material types, including asbestos cement sheet and other bonded products, and an estimated quantity as an area in square metres. The square metre figure is not just a number for the file. It is what decides whether your job sits under the 24-hour small-quantity rule or the standard five-day notice, so estimate it honestly before you pick a start date.

Where a job has both friable and non-friable material, the form has room for each, so a single notice can describe the full scope rather than splitting it.

## Supervisors, workers, and schedule [#supervisors-workers-and-schedule]

Next the form asks who is running and doing the work, and when. You list the site supervisors with their names and mobile numbers, and the number of workers who will be removing asbestos.

The removal schedule captures the start and end dates and the timing of the work, plus space to explain an unexpected situation where that applies. The start date is what the notice period is measured against, so it needs to match what you actually intend to do. If you notify for a Monday start and mobilise the Thursday before, the notice no longer describes the job. When the schedule changes, that is exactly what the amendment option is for.

## Workplace, location, and declaration [#workplace-location-and-declaration]

The last stretch of the form pins the notice to a place. You record the workplace type, such as a domestic home or another kind of site, the client or organisation who commissioned the work, and the Victorian address where the removal happens.

The location detail matters more than it looks. The address decides which WorkSafe regional office the notice goes to, and there is room for exact removal locations and, for some infrastructure work, telecommunications pit addresses so the site is unambiguous. After a short privacy statement, the declaration is where the person completing the form agrees to it, signs, and dates it. Like any declaration, it should only go on once the rest of the form is complete and correct, because it is you standing behind the notice.

## Lodging the FOR567 with WorkSafe [#lodging-the-for567-with-worksafe]

Once the form is complete, it goes to WorkSafe. The notification must be emailed or faxed to the WorkSafe regional office closest to where the asbestos is to be removed, which is why the removal address on the form has to be right. A notice sent to the wrong office is a notice that has not really been given.

Because a separate notification is required for each job and location, you cannot batch several sites onto one form. If you are running removal across multiple addresses, each one gets its own FOR567. Keep a copy of every notice you lodge with the job records, so if WorkSafe or the client asks, you can show what was notified and when.

## Common asbestos notification mistakes [#common-asbestos-notification-mistakes]

These are the ones that turn a routine notice into a problem.

**Working to the wrong deadline.** Treating every job as a 24-hour notice when most need five days. If in doubt, notify five days out.

**Underestimating the quantity.** Calling a non-friable job 10 square metres to fit the shorter notice when it is really more. The square metre figure sets the deadline, so guessing low backfires.

**A lapsed or wrong licence number.** The notice is tied to the removalist licence. An expired licence or a transposed number undermines the whole thing.

**Sending it to the wrong office.** The notice goes to the regional office nearest the removal site, not your head office. The removal address decides where it lands.

Most of these come from filling the form out in a hurry, away from the job details. The fix is to complete it against the real licence, the real quantity, and the real address before you commit to a start date.

## Finish the notification before you mobilise [#finish-the-notification-before-you-mobilise]

Tradie Forms turns the FOR567 into sections you work through one at a time that follow the order of the official notification. You flag whether it is a new notice or an amendment, enter the removalist licence details, tick friable or non-friable, and record the material, method, quantity, supervisors, workers, schedule, and removal address as you work through it.

Your licence number, expiry, and business details are saved and reused, so the removalist fields are not retyped on every job. The form flags missing fields before you download, which catches the blank quantity or the empty start date before WorkSafe does. You preview the entries mapped onto the official FOR567 PDF layout, then download the finished notification to email or fax to the right regional office and keep with the job.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the official layout. The licensed removalist still checks the details, the timeframe, and the downloaded PDF before it goes to WorkSafe.

Start the [VIC asbestos removal notification form](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/vic-asbestos-removal-notification) before you set a start date, or browse more [Victorian building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/vic/building) for the rest of your compliance paperwork.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check [WorkSafe Victoria asbestos removal notification](https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/asbestos-removal-notification) for the notice requirements and timeframes, [WorkSafe Victoria asbestos removal licences](https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/asbestos-removal-licences) for the Class A and Class B distinction, and the [asbestos removal notification and amendment form (FOR567)](https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/resources/notice-asbestos-removal) for the current form. The [compliance code: Removing asbestos in workplaces](https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/resources/compliance-code-removing-asbestos-workplaces) and the [Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017](https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/statutory-rules/occupational-health-and-safety-regulations-2017) set the underlying duties. Requirements can change, so confirm the current timeframes, your licence class, and the correct regional office before you lodge.

# Backflow test report templates and records for Australian plumbers (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/backflow-test-report-template-australia)

What an Australian backflow test report records, which state form applies, and how to finish it while the device and test kit are still on site. | Trade: Plumbing

A backflow test report turns the readings at the device into a record the property owner, water authority or council can use. The exact form and submission route change across Australia, but the job-site problem stays the same: the device tag, test kit and pressure readings are in front of you now, while the paperwork often waits until later.

This national guide explains what belongs in a backflow report and points you to the available state forms. Always check the local water authority, council or plumbing regulator before the test. They decide which form, tester qualification, submission period and fee apply to the property.

**Key takeaways**

- A backflow test report records the installed device, test readings, result and qualified tester
- Queensland uses Form 9 and South Australia has an OTR Backflow Prevention Device Report
- Testable devices commonly require annual testing, but the responsible authority and submission process vary by location
- Finish the report while the device and calibrated test kit details are still available

## What is a backflow test report? [#what-is-a-backflow-test-report]

A backflow test report is the record a qualified backflow tester completes after commissioning, inspecting, testing, maintaining, replacing or decommissioning a testable backflow prevention device.

It connects the test result to a specific device and property. A useful report identifies the device, its exact location, the owner or occupier, the test kit, the readings taken, the result, any repairs and the person responsible for the test.

The report is not just a pass sticker. It gives the authority and property owner enough information to update the device register and understand what happened during the visit. Where a device fails, the repair and retest trail should stay with the original test record.

Australian plumbing requirements draw on the Plumbing Code of Australia, AS/NZS 3500.1 for water services and AS/NZS 2845.3 for field testing and maintenance of testable backflow prevention devices. Adoption and local processes can change, so use the standard and rules currently called up in your jurisdiction.

## What must the report include? [#what-must-the-report-include]

A backflow report should include property, device, test, result and tester details that identify the asset and show how the result was reached.

### Property and contact details [#property-and-contact-details]

Record the work site, owner and occupier or site contact.

**Device location**

- **This** - Building C, level 1 plant room, fire service riser 2, asset tag BF-114 (Uses the plant room, tenancy, level or meter location from the asset register.)
- **Not this** - Street address only (On a shopping centre or industrial site, this identifies nothing.)

On a shopping centre, industrial site or block with several tenancies, a street address alone may not identify the device. Add the plant room, boundary, tenancy, level, meter or fire-service location used on the asset register.

### Device identity [#device-identity]

Copy the make, model, serial number, nominal size and device type from the installed equipment. Record whether the device provides containment, zone or individual protection where the form asks for it. If there is a bypass device, registered air gap or registered break tank, keep its details separate from the main device.

### Visit and test details [#visit-and-test-details]

State why the report is being completed. Common options include commissioning, annual test, maintenance, replacement, retest and decommissioning. Add the test date, previous test date or authority reference where required.

Record the calibrated test kit number and calibration date. Then enter the readings and valve results for the actual device type. Reduced pressure zone, double check, single check and pressure-type vacuum breaker devices do not share one set of test fields.

### Result and follow-up [#result-and-follow-up]

Mark pass or fail only after the required test sequence is complete. Note repairs, parts replaced and the retest result where the authority's form provides space. Do not turn a failed first result into a clean pass with no history in the job record.

### Tester and licence details [#tester-and-licence-details]

Record the tester's name, business, contact details, plumber licence and backflow endorsement or accreditation required in that state. Add the signature and signed date. Reusing saved details can cut typing, but check the licence, phone, business and test-kit calibration before every report.

## Backflow report forms by state [#backflow-report-forms-by-state]

The right backflow report comes from the regulator, council or water authority responsible for that property. There is no single national lodgement form.

### Queensland [#queensland]

Queensland uses Form 9 to register and report on the inspection and testing of testable backflow prevention devices, registered air gaps and registered break tanks.

QBCC guidance says a backflow prevention endorsement is required to test, commission or maintain these devices. It also says Form 9 must be sent to the relevant local government within 10 business days after inspecting or testing a device.

Fill [QLD Form 9 backflow online](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-9-backflow), then read the [QLD Form 9 testing guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-9-backflow-testing-guide) and [record-keeping and handover guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-9-backflow-record-keeping-handover). The relevant council remains the authority for the property, so check its current submission address and any local fee.

### South Australia [#south-australia]

South Australia uses the Office of the Technical Regulator Backflow Prevention Device Report for commissioning, annual testing, replacement and removal or decommissioning.

The official form records the device, site owner, occupier, exact location, test kit, tester licence, readings and registered break tank or air gap details. Its current instructions say to send the completed report to OTR within seven days.

Fill the [SA Backflow Prevention Device Report](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/sa-backflow-prevention-device-report) online and check the OTR plumbing page for the current email, postal details and instructions before submitting it.

### New South Wales [#new-south-wales]

In NSW, the local water utility or council commonly manages the device register and annual test report process, so use the form published for the property's service area.

Do not assume a report accepted by one council is the nominated form in another. Check whether the authority requires an online submission, its own inspection and maintenance report, a lodgement fee or a short return period after testing. The tester should hold the licence and backflow qualification required for the work.

If your NSW plumbing business has an authority PDF it uses repeatedly, request that [custom form template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/templates) for your Tradie Forms workspace.

### Victoria [#victoria]

In Victoria, check the relevant water corporation and current Victorian Building Authority requirements for the property and work. The water corporation may maintain the containment device register or specify how annual results are returned.

Use the authority's current report rather than renaming a Queensland Form 9. Confirm who receives the result, what plumber registration or specialised class applies and whether the owner also needs a copy.

Businesses with a repeat Victorian water-corporation PDF can [request a mapped template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/templates) instead of rebuilding it for every test.

### Western Australia [#western-australia]

WA Water Corporation says testable devices at property boundaries for medium- and high-risk properties and fire services require testing at commissioning, after maintenance and every 12 months by an accredited tester.

Check the Water Corporation process and the local job requirements before testing. Keep the device identity, accredited tester, readings, repairs and submission record together even where results are entered through an online service rather than attached as a standalone PDF.

### Tasmania [#tasmania]

In Tasmania, confirm the current process with the relevant council, permit authority or water service provider for the property. The required report and return path can depend on the device and local register.

Use the authority's nominated form and check the qualification, annual testing and submission instructions before quoting the paperwork. If the same PDF appears across your jobs, [request it as a custom template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/templates).

## How often is backflow testing required? [#how-often-is-backflow-testing-required]

Testable backflow prevention devices are commonly tested at commissioning, after maintenance and at intervals not exceeding 12 months, but you must confirm the rule and due date for the device's jurisdiction and register.

Annual does not mean any time in the calendar year. Use the last test date, authority reminder or register due date. Book enough time for a repair and retest if the device fails.

Low-hazard non-testable devices may follow a different maintenance path. Do not create an annual test result for a device that is not testable, and do not skip a registered air gap, break tank, fire service or bypass device that the authority expects in the report.

For repeat sites, record:

- Authority or council asset reference
- Device serial number and exact location
- Last test and next due date
- Test kit and calibration record
- Initial result, repairs and retest result
- Date and method the report was submitted

That record makes the next visit faster and reduces the chance of testing the wrong device on a multi-device property.

## Fill your backflow report online [#fill-your-backflow-report-online]

Start the [QLD Form 9 backflow report](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-9-backflow) or [SA Backflow Prevention Device Report](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/sa-backflow-prevention-device-report) while the device, tag and test kit are still in front of you.

Tradie Forms turns each official PDF into sections you work through one at a time. You can enter the property, device, test results and tester details, catch missing required fields, preview the official layout and download the PDF for the authority, owner and job record.

Before you finish, compare the report with the device tag and test sheet. Check the serial number, device type, location, pressure units, pass or fail boxes, repair notes, licence number, signature and date. Then follow the current submission route for the property.

Tradie Forms is not affiliated with QBCC, OTR, SA Water, Water Corporation, a council or a water retailer. It prepares the PDF but does not test the device, decide whether it passes or lodge the report.

Browse [Queensland plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/plumbing) for related permit, testing and completion paperwork, or compare the two live state forms directly in the [QLD Form 9 vs SA backflow report guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-9-vs-sa-backflow-report). Plumbing forms for every state sit on the [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing).

For the South Australian state form, see the [SA backflow prevention device report guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/sa-backflow-prevention-device-report-guide).

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the current [Standards Australia AS/NZS 3500.1 overview](https://www.standards.org.au/blog/ncc-2022-standards-spotlight-plumbing-and-drainage-water-services), [AS/NZS 2845.3 catalogue record](https://store.standards.org.au/product/as-nzs-2845-3-2020), [QBCC backflow guidance](https://qbcc.qld.gov.au/worksite-building-practice/plumbing-work/avoid-common-notifiable-work-errors), [SA Water backflow requirements](https://www.sawater.com.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/7064/BackflowPrevReq.pdf), [SA OTR plumbing page](https://www.energymining.sa.gov.au/industry/regulatory-services/office-of-the-technical-regulator/plumbing-trades) and [WA Water Corporation guidance](https://www.watercorporation.com.au/developing-and-building/building/backflow-prevention/what-is-backflow) before relying on this guide for a live job.

# SWMS vs JSA vs Take 5 for tradies (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/swms-vs-jsa-vs-take-5)

When NSW sites want a SWMS, JSA, or Take 5. Clear differences so you hand over the right safety document without double paperwork. | State: NSW | Trade: Building | Template: nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement

Pick the right document for the gate check. Use the [NSW SWMS](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement) for high risk construction work, plus [JSA](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-jsa) or [Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-take-5) when the site pack asks for them.

Site offices mix the labels. A principal asks for a "JSA", a builder asks for a "SWMS", and the crew already did a Take 5 in the ute. Handing over the wrong PDF creates rework even when the risk talk was solid.

This guide separates the three documents the way tradies actually meet them on Australian residential and light commercial jobs, with SafeWork NSW rules for SWMS as the hard line.

**Key takeaways**

- SWMS is required for high risk construction work before that work starts
- JSA is a broader job safety analysis style document many workplaces use
- Take 5 is a short pre-task check, not a substitute for a SWMS on high risk construction work
- Give the site the document it named, and still meet the SWMS duty when it applies

Browse [building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/building) for the templates behind each of the three, or [NSW building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/building) if you are working to a NSW pack.

## Side-by-side comparison [#side-by-side-comparison]

|                   | **SWMS**                                                                    | **JSA**                                       | **Take 5**                                |
| ----------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------- |
| Main job          | Plan high risk construction work                                            | Break a job into steps, hazards, and controls | Quick check before starting a task        |
| NSW legal trigger | Yes for high risk construction work                                         | Not the same as the SWMS duty                 | Not the SWMS duty                         |
| Length            | Medium; focused on high risk activities                                     | Medium to long; full job steps                | Short; minutes                            |
| Typical asker     | Principal, SafeWork focus, site pack Form 05                                | Client or company system                      | Supervisor or crew habit                  |
| When              | Before high risk work starts                                                | Before the job or stage                       | At the start of a task or shift           |
| Template          | [HIISP Form 05 SWMS](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement) | [National JSA](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-jsa)           | [National Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-take-5) |

## SWMS: high risk construction work plan [#swms-high-risk-construction-work-plan]

SafeWork NSW defines the SWMS as the document for high risk construction work. It must identify that work, the hazards and risks, the controls, and how controls are implemented, monitored, and reviewed. Workers need to understand it. It must be available on site while the work continues.

Triggers include fall risk more than two metres, work near energised electrical services, work near powered mobile plant, deep trenches, asbestos disturbance, and the rest of the SafeWork NSW high risk list. Details: [When is a SWMS required in NSW](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-swms-required-nsw).

On many housing sites the expected layout is HIISP WHS Form 05. Other projects use a different SWMS template. The content duty is the same: site-specific high risk method, not a generic essay.

## JSA: step-by-step job safety analysis [#jsa-step-by-step-job-safety-analysis]

A job safety analysis (sometimes called a job hazard analysis) walks the job in steps: what you do, what can go wrong, how you control it. Companies and clients often ask for a JSA as part of their own WHS system.

A thorough JSA can look similar to a SWMS table. That does not automatically make it a SWMS under SafeWork NSW rules. If the work is high risk construction work, you still need a SWMS that meets SWMS content and timing rules. Some businesses map JSA content into their SWMS template so they are not maintaining two contradictory methods.

Use a [national JSA](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-jsa) when the site or client asks for that format, or when you want a broader step analysis beyond the high risk-only SWMS focus.

## Take 5: short pre-task check [#take-5-short-pre-task-check]

Take 5 (and similar names: Stop Take 5, personal risk assessment) is a short pause before work: look for changes, name a few hazards, confirm controls, start the task. It is useful when conditions change mid-day or when the SWMS covers the method but the crew needs a fresh eyes check.

A Take 5 does not replace a SWMS for high risk construction work. SafeWork NSW still wants the SWMS prepared before that work starts. A completed Take 5 card will not satisfy a principal who asked for Form 05.

Use a [national Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-take-5) for the short check, and keep the SWMS as the high risk planning document.

## Which document do you need on site? [#which-document-do-you-need-on-site]

**Which document do you need on site?**

- **Check the legal trigger - High risk construction work?** - If yes, a SWMS must exist or be updated before that work starts.
- **Match the pack's wording - SWMS, JSA, Take 5, Form 05** - Use the name they used so the site file closes cleanly.
- **Add the pre-start - Take 5 or toolbox talk** - Extra communication on top of the SWMS, never a substitute.
- **Re-check on change - Stop and review** - A new Take 5 catches the change. Update the SWMS if the method changed.

The legal duty and the principal's paperwork are answered separately, in that order.

## How they work together without triple data entry [#how-they-work-together-without-triple-data-entry]

A practical stack for a residential high risk task:

1. **Risk assessment (HIISP Form 04)** for the site walk and hazard list
2. **SWMS (HIISP Form 05)** for the high risk method
3. **Toolbox talk (Form 06)** or **Take 5** to communicate before the crew starts
4. **JSA** only if the client system still requires that format

You do not need every document on every job. You need the legal SWMS when high risk construction work applies, plus whatever the principal's pack requires.

See also [NSW WHS site pack: SWMS, risk assessment, toolbox](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-whs-site-pack-swms-risk-assessment-toolbox).

## Mistakes this mix causes [#mistakes-this-mix-causes]

- Sending a Take 5 when the gate asked for a SWMS
- Writing a long JSA that never names the high risk construction work type
- Filling three documents with three different methods for the same task
- Reusing a SWMS PDF and skipping the Take 5 when the site conditions changed that morning

Keep one method of work. Reflect it in the document the site filed, and keep the SWMS current when the high risk method changes.

## Example: electrical work on a two-storey renovation [#example-electrical-work-on-a-two-storey-renovation]

The crew will install new circuits and work near services that may remain energised until isolation is complete. Scaffold is up for first-floor work with a fall risk greater than two metres.

**Likely documents:**

- **SWMS:** high risk construction work for energised or near-energised electrical work (as applicable) and fall risk work, with isolation, prove-dead, barriers, and fall controls named before those steps start
- **Take 5:** each morning or after a redesign, confirming isolation status and scaffold condition
- **JSA:** only if the principal's system still files job steps under that name

If the principal only asked for "a JSA", still check whether high risk construction work applies. If it does, prepare a SWMS that meets SafeWork NSW content rules, even if you also fill their JSA template.

## Example: drainage trench on a housing lot [#example-drainage-trench-on-a-housing-lot]

Excavation will exceed 1.5 metres in places, with an excavator moving on site.

**Likely documents:**

- **SWMS:** trench and powered mobile plant high risk construction work, benching or shoring, exclusion zones, plant spotter rules
- **Risk assessment (Form 04):** wider site hazards including spoil placement and public access
- **Toolbox talk:** morning brief on plant movements and trench entry rules
- **Take 5:** if ground conditions change after rain

A Take 5 alone is not enough once the trench depth and plant movement hit the high risk list.

## What to hand the gate [#what-to-hand-the-gate]

Ask what document name the principal filed in the induction pack. Then:

1. Match that filename or form number if you can
2. Confirm high risk construction work still has a current SWMS
3. Keep one clear method across every document you submit

Keep the [NSW SWMS](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement), [national JSA](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-jsa), and [national Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-take-5) as separate PDFs so you are not forcing one layout to pretend to be another.

## Language cheat sheet for site meetings [#language-cheat-sheet-for-site-meetings]

When someone says:

- **"Have you got a SWMS?"** they usually mean the high risk construction work method document, often HIISP Form 05 on housing work
- **"Have you got a JSA?"** they may mean their company template. Check whether high risk construction work still needs a SWMS as well
- **"Just do a Take 5"** they want a short pre-task check. Useful, but not enough alone when the SafeWork NSW high risk list applies
- **"Send me your paperwork"** ask which form numbers or document names close their gate. Guessing wastes the afternoon

If you manage mixed crews, put the expected document names in the induction so subcontractors stop guessing at the gate and bring the right PDF the first time. Clear names save everyone a return trip to the ute.

## Official sources [#official-sources]

- [Prepare safe work method statement](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/construction/general-requirements/prepare-safe-work-method-statement)
- [Construction work](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/construction)
- [Housing industry site safety pack](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/house-construction/housing-industry-site-safety-pack)
- [Model Code of Practice: Construction work](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/resources-and-publications/model-codes-practice/model-code-practice-construction-work)

Company procedures and principal packs can add documents on top of the SWMS duty; they do not remove it for high risk construction work.

# Who needs a VIC pest control licence and how to check it (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/vic-pest-control-licence-guide)

Who needs a pest control licence in Victoria, the technician and trainee types, the four authorisations, how to check a licence, and the records to keep. | State: VIC | Trade: Pest Control | Template: vic-pesticide-application-record

A Victorian pest control licence belongs to the individual operator who uses pesticides in a pest control business. It is issued by the Victorian Department of Health under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008. It is not a general trade licence for the business name.

That distinction matters on site. A customer may recognise the company on the ute, but the person carrying out the treatment needs the right licence status and authorisation for the work. The licence also connects to the records made after each pesticide application.

This guide covers who usually needs a pest control licence in Victoria, the technician and trainee licence types, the four current authorisations, how to check an operator, and the pesticide records that sit beside the licence.

**Key takeaways**

- Victoria licenses the individual pest control operator, not only the pest control business
- The two licence types are fully qualified technician and trainee under supervision
- A licence can carry one or more of four authorisations, so check the authorisation as well as the expiry date
- Health Victoria publishes a searchable register of current licensed operators
- Licensed operators must keep pesticide application records for every application on every job

## Who needs a pest control licence in Victoria? [#who-needs-a-pest-control-licence-in-victoria]

Anyone who uses pesticides, or permits another person to use pesticides, in the course of a pest control operator's business in Victoria must hold a valid licence unless the work falls within a stated exception. The [Victorian Department of Health's pest control legislation guidance](https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/pest-control-legislation) defines a pest control operator as a person who carries on, or presents themselves as carrying on, the business of controlling, destroying or repelling pests.

The stated exceptions cover pesticide use for horticulture, agriculture, water treatment and weed control. They also cover some pest-animal control away from commercial buildings, domestic premises and privately owned land beside domestic premises. A different Victorian licensing scheme may still apply to some of that work. For example, a business offering certain agricultural chemical services for a fee may need a commercial operator licence.

For an ordinary domestic or commercial treatment, the practical question is simple: who will actually apply the pesticide? The department licenses individuals who operate or work for a pest control business and apply pesticides to control insects or pest animals. A company registration, business name or supervisor's licence does not automatically cover every worker.

The licence is tied to the pesticide classes and pest-control work the person is qualified to perform. Operators must only use the pesticides or classes shown on their licence. Work involving native wildlife, firearms, arsenic, cyanide or agricultural chemicals can also bring in separate permits and laws, so a Victorian pest control licence should not be treated as blanket approval for every control method.

If the job falls outside routine household or commercial insect and rodent work, check the current regulator guidance before quoting or starting it. The [VIC pest control page](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/vic/pest-control) brings together the live forms and practical resources for common Victorian pest work, but the regulator remains the source for licence scope.

## Licence types and authorisations [#licence-types-and-authorisations]

Health Victoria currently lists two pest control licence types: technician and trainee. Both are issued as photo ID, but they do not carry the same working conditions.

### Fully qualified technician [#fully-qualified-technician]

A technician has completed the appropriate prescribed qualification for the authorisation sought. Health Victoria's [licence application page](https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/pest-control-licence-applications) says technician licences expire three years after they are granted.

The licence card shows the authorisations held by that technician, and a technician can only carry out the pesticide work covered by those authorisations. Holding a technician licence does not by itself mean the person can perform timber-pest work, fumigation and pest-animal work.

### Trainee under supervision [#trainee-under-supervision]

A trainee is undertaking a prescribed course or units of competency and applies authorised pesticides under the supervision of an appropriately qualified technician with a valid licence.

Health Victoria's [trainee licence guidance](https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/pest-control-trainee-licences-and-conditions) distinguishes direct and indirect supervision. A trainee initially works within the direct sight and hearing of the supervisor for the pest being treated. The department requires evidence of at least four satisfactory applications for that pest before it considers the trainee competent for indirect supervision.

[Trainee licences expire 12 months after grant](https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/pest-control-licence-applications) and are generally limited to three issues unless exceptional circumstances apply. The job record should name the supervisor and include their licence number where supervision applies.

### The four licence authorisations [#the-four-licence-authorisations]

A technician or trainee licence may carry one or more authorisations. Health Victoria currently lists four:

- **General, excluding timber pests:** non-fumigant pesticides for pests such as insects and rodents, excluding pest animals and timber pests
- **General, including timber pests:** non-fumigant pesticides for general pests and timber pests, excluding pest animals
- **Pest animal:** pesticides formulated for pest animals in the domestic, adjoining private-land and commercial-building situations described by the department
- **Fumigant:** pesticides in the form of fumigants

Do not infer an authorisation from a job title or years in the industry. Check the licence card and current register entry against the work being booked. Health Victoria's [licence application page](https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/pest-control-licence-applications) lists the current qualification rules, application process, fees and expiry periods. Fees change, so use that page rather than an old application copy or a saved quote.

## How do you check a pest control licence in Victoria? [#how-do-you-check-a-pest-control-licence-in-victoria]

Use the register, then the card. Health Victoria maintains a [searchable register of current licensed pest control operators](https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/find-a-licensed-pest-control-operator) that shows the operator's name and licence expiry date for current Victorian licence holders. Search the person's name, not only the business name, because Victoria licenses the individual who applies the pesticide.

For a useful check, confirm:

- The operator's name matches the person who will do the treatment
- The licence appears as current and its expiry date has not passed
- The photo ID belongs to that operator
- The licence authorisation covers the proposed pest, pesticide class and treatment method

The public search confirms current holders, while the photo ID shows the licence details carried by the operator. If the search result, the card and the proposed scope do not line up, ask the operator to clarify before work begins. Health Victoria directs people who need more information than the register provides to contact the department.

For trainees, also confirm who the supervising technician is and that the supervisor holds the authorisation needed for the work. Supervision is a condition of the trainee licence, not an optional business arrangement.

Operators should run the same check inside their own business. Renewals, changed authorisations and trainee supervision all affect who is ready for a particular booking.

## What records must licensed operators keep? [#what-records-must-licensed-operators-keep]

A current licence is only one part of the job. Health Victoria says pest control operators must keep certain records for every pesticide application on every job under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 and the Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations 2019.

The application record connects the licensed person to the treatment. It covers operator and supervisor details, client and site details, the pesticide trade name and batch number, pests treated, specific application locations, method, quantity and rate, precautions and re-entry advice, job times, outdoor weather where relevant, and sign-off.

[Health Victoria says](https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/record-keeping-for-pest-controllers) records must be kept at the business address for at least three years, and electronic records must be stored securely and remain available for inspection. A file left in a downloads folder, or a product photo without the matching job details, is not a strong filing system.

Read the [on-site completion guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/vic-pesticide-application-record-on-site-guide) for the field-by-field rhythm, use the [digital record-keeping workflow](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/vic-pesticide-record-keeping-digital-workflow) to decide how the PDF is named and stored, and check the [common VIC pesticide record mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-vic-pesticide-application-record) for the gaps that weaken a record.

## Penalties and common licence slip-ups [#penalties-and-common-licence-slip-ups]

Breaching a pest control licence condition is an offence. Health Victoria says its response can include a formal warning, infringement notice, prohibition or improvement notice, extra licence conditions, licence cancellation or prosecution. The response depends on the breach, so a single dollar figure would be misleading.

**Licence slip-ups**

- **What the licence actually requires** - - The person applying the pesticide holds the licence, not just the business
  - The authorisation on the licence matches the work booked
  - Trainees work inside their approved supervision conditions
  - Products used sit within the licence classes and the label directions (Each one is checkable before the technician leaves the depot.)
- **Ordinary, not dramatic** - - Assuming the business name covers an unlicensed person applying pesticide
  - Sending a technician to timber-pest, pest-animal or fumigation work without the matching authorisation
  - Letting a trainee work outside their approved supervision conditions
  - Using a pesticide outside the classes on the licence or outside label directions (None of these look dramatic on the day they happen.)

Licence holders also carry ongoing conditions. Health Victoria says they must follow the Act and Regulations, use only the pesticide classes on the licence, follow label directions, keep current safety data sheets, store chemicals lawfully, maintain vehicles and equipment, and notify the department of changes to personal or business details within the required period.

Tradie Forms turns the official Health Victoria pesticide application record into sections you work through one at a time for use at the property. Saved operator, licence and client details reduce repeat typing, missing-field checks help catch gaps, and the preview shows the official PDF layout before download. It does not decide whether a person is correctly licensed or whether a treatment is appropriate. The licensed operator remains responsible for the work, the licence scope, the product label and the finished PDF.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start the [VIC pesticide application record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/vic-pesticide-application-record) while the product, batch and treated areas are still in front of you, or browse [VIC pest control forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/vic/pest-control) for the rest of the Victorian pest control templates. The [pest control forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/pest-control) covers the other states.

For the Western Australian business registration inspection, see the [WA pest management business inspection guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/wa-pest-management-business-inspection-checklist-guide).

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [Health Victoria pest control legislation](https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/pest-control-legislation) page for who needs a licence, the [licence applications page](https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/pest-control-licence-applications) for qualifications, fees and expiry, the [licensed pest control operator search](https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/find-a-licensed-pest-control-operator) to confirm a current holder, the [licence conditions page](https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/pest-control-licence-conditions) for ongoing obligations, the [record keeping for pest controllers page](https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/record-keeping-for-pest-controllers) for the application record, and the [Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008](https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/acts/public-health-and-wellbeing-act-2008/065) with the [Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations 2019](https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/statutory-rules/public-health-and-wellbeing-regulations-2019/007) for the legislation behind both.

# Common SWMS mistakes that fail NSW site audits (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-swms-mistakes-nsw)

Fix NSW SWMS mistakes before the principal or auditor asks: vague task rows, generic templates, missing consultation, and controls that are not on site yet. | State: NSW | Trade: Building | Template: nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement

Use this checklist before you download the [NSW WHS SWMS](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement). Clean task rows and real controls beat a long document nobody follows.

Most SWMS failures are not missing logos. They are vague rows, generic templates, and methods that never match what the crew does when the truck is unloaded.

SafeWork NSW wants a site-specific plan for high risk construction work, available to workers, with controls in place before the activity starts. This guide lists the mistakes that waste the most time with principals, clients, and auditors.

**Key takeaways**

- Vague task rows fail audits even when the PDF looks complete
- Generic SWMS documents need a site review every time
- Controls must be real and in place before high risk work starts
- Stop and update the SWMS when the method on the ground changes

For when a SWMS is mandatory, read [When is a SWMS required in NSW](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-swms-required-nsw). Field filling steps: [How to complete a NSW SWMS on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-swms-on-site-guide).

## 1. Starting high risk work before the SWMS exists [#1-starting-high-risk-work-before-the-swms-exists]

SafeWork NSW requires the SWMS prepared before high risk construction work commences. Printing it after the first sheets go on the roof is the wrong order.

**How to avoid it:** treat the SWMS like plant and materials. If the high risk step is on tomorrow's plan, finish the SWMS and the pre-start talk today.

## 2. Copy-paste SWMS that never meets this site [#2-copy-paste-swms-that-never-meets-this-site]

SafeWork NSW allows generic SWMS for regular activities, then requires a review for site-specific hazards. Auditors and principals look for:

- This site's address and activity description
- Nearby power, plant, traffic, voids, and other trades
- Controls that actually exist on this job today

**How to avoid it:** open last job's SWMS as a draft only. Change location, high risk description, and any row that does not match before download.

## 3. Task rows that say nothing useful [#3-task-rows-that-say-nothing-useful]

The SWMS must identify the high risk work, the hazards and risks, the controls, and how controls are implemented, monitored, and reviewed.

**A SWMS row**

- **This** - Task: install roof sheeting to east elevation, 6.2 m to ground. Hazard: fall from edge and through skylight void. Control: perimeter edge protection and void covers installed and checked by leading hand before sheeting starts. (Names the work, the fall mechanism, the control, and who checks it.)
- **Not this** - Task: general works. Hazard: injury. Control: PPE. (Does not meet SafeWork NSW minimums.)

| Mistake                                         | Fix                                                                                        |
| ----------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| "Working at heights" with no height or location | Name the elevation, void, or roof area and the fall distance risk                          |
| "Use PPE" as the only control                   | Prefer elimination and engineering controls first; name the specific PPE when it is needed |
| No owner for implementing controls              | State who installs, checks, and re-checks the control                                      |

## 4. Listing every task on site in the SWMS [#4-listing-every-task-on-site-in-the-swms]

SafeWork NSW says you do not need to include activities that are not high risk construction work. A 20-page SWMS full of ordinary tasks is harder for workers to use and easier for auditors to pick apart.

**How to avoid it:** keep the SWMS on high risk construction work. Use toolbox talks, JSA, or Take 5 for broader site communication where your system needs them.

## 5. Controls written on paper but missing on site [#5-controls-written-on-paper-but-missing-on-site]

SafeWork NSW requires controls in place before the activity starts. Edge protection, isolation, exclusion zones, and plant spotters only count when they are real.

**How to avoid it:** walk the controls before high risk work. If a control is not ready, do not start that step. Update the SWMS if the method has to change.

## 6. No consultation or communication record [#6-no-consultation-or-communication-record]

The SWMS must be understood by people using it. SafeWork NSW expects hazards, risks, and controls to be communicated to workers. A signature block without a conversation is a weak system.

**How to avoid it:** run a short walk-through against the task rows. Record consultation on Form 05 and, where your pack uses it, a [toolbox talk record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-06-toolbox-talk-record).

## 7. Wrong PCBU or principal details [#7-wrong-pcbu-or-principal-details]

Site packs fail simple checks when the ABN, business name, or principal contractor block is leftover from another job.

**How to avoid it:** check the header block every time. Saved licence and business details help, but you still confirm the principal and site for this project.

## 8. No copy for the principal when one is required [#8-no-copy-for-the-principal-when-one-is-required]

SafeWork NSW construction guidance expects the principal contractor to get a copy of the SWMS for high risk construction work, and updates when controls change.

**How to avoid it:** download the finished PDF, send or hand over the copy the principal needs, and keep one available on site for workers.

## 9. Work continues after the method changes [#9-work-continues-after-the-method-changes]

Weather, redesign, late plant, or another trade can break the planned controls. SafeWork NSW says if work is not in accordance with the SWMS, stop as soon as it is safe, review the SWMS, and only resume when work can follow it.

**How to avoid it:** treat method changes as a stop-and-update moment, not a "finish the day and fix paperwork later" moment.

## 10. Confusing SWMS with JSA or Take 5 [#10-confusing-swms-with-jsa-or-take-5]

A Take 5 is a short pre-task check. A JSA is a broader job safety analysis style document. A SWMS is the high risk construction work planning document SafeWork NSW describes for those defined activities.

Using the wrong document name on a principal's checklist creates rework even when the crew talked about the risks.

**How to avoid it:** read [SWMS vs JSA vs Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/swms-vs-jsa-vs-take-5) and give the site the document it asked for.

## 11. Unreadable PDFs on a phone at the gate [#11-unreadable-pdfs-on-a-phone-at-the-gate]

Some crews still photograph a paper SWMS or email a multi-megabyte scan. Gate checks fail when the text is unreadable, pages are missing, or the wrong revision is attached.

**How to avoid it:** keep a clean digital copy that matches the current method. Electronic storage is acceptable under SafeWork NSW guidance when workers can access it on site. A online form that downloads the HIISP layout reduces the "wrong scan of last month's job" problem.

## 12. No link between risk assessment and SWMS [#12-no-link-between-risk-assessment-and-swms]

HIISP Form 04 captures site hazards. Form 05 plans high risk construction work. When they contradict each other, auditors ask which document the crew actually follows.

**How to avoid it:** after Form 04, lift only the high risk items into Form 05. If Form 04 later finds a new high risk issue, update the SWMS before that work starts. See [NSW WHS site pack overview](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-whs-site-pack-swms-risk-assessment-toolbox).

## 13. Leaving review dates and responsible people blank [#13-leaving-review-dates-and-responsible-people-blank]

SafeWork NSW wants controls implemented, monitored, and reviewed. Empty reviewer fields and blank "last review" dates look like a document nobody owns.

**How to avoid it:** name the responsible person, record when the SWMS was provided to the principal where required, and set a review trigger after weather events, design changes, or control changes.

## Pre-download checklist [#pre-download-checklist]

Before you download the HIISP Form 05 PDF:

1. High risk construction work is named clearly
2. Location matches the site
3. Each row has task, hazards and risks, and usable controls
4. Implementation and monitoring are clear enough for supervisors
5. Consultation happened and is recorded
6. PCBU and principal details are current
7. Controls are available on site now
8. Workers can get the document on site (paper or electronic)
9. The method matches Form 04 and any toolbox talk for this stage
10. You know who holds the latest revision

Open the [NSW SWMS form](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement) and run that list before you leave for the next job. More NSW WHS templates: [NSW building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/building).

## What good looks like on a real job [#what-good-looks-like-on-a-real-job]

A strong SWMS is short enough for a leading hand to walk in five minutes, specific enough that a new worker knows where the edge protection is, and current enough that yesterday's weather change is already reflected.

If a stranger on site cannot tell which high risk work is covered, which controls must be up first, and who to call when something does not match, the document still needs work even if every field has text in it.

## Field habit that prevents most of these mistakes [#field-habit-that-prevents-most-of-these-mistakes]

Block fifteen minutes before high risk work:

1. Open yesterday's SWMS or a saved draft
2. Change site, activity, and any row that does not match
3. Walk the controls that must exist before the first high risk step
4. Talk the crew through the rows and record consultation
5. Download the PDF and store it where workers and the principal can find it

That habit beats rewriting the whole pack after a failed gate check. It also keeps electronic copies current, which SafeWork NSW allows when the document stays available on site.

If you only fix one thing this week, fix vague rows and missing site-specific review. Those two issues create most of the rework for residential subcontractors using HIISP Form 05 on real housing sites.

## Official sources [#official-sources]

- [Prepare safe work method statement](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/construction/general-requirements/prepare-safe-work-method-statement)
- [Construction work](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/construction)
- [Housing industry site safety pack](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/house-construction/housing-industry-site-safety-pack)
- [HIISP Form 05 PDF](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/52743/form-5-safe-work-method-statement.pdf)

You remain responsible for SWMS content and how work is carried out.

# How to complete a NSW SWMS on site (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-swms-on-site-guide)

Finish a SafeWork NSW Safe Work Method Statement before high risk work starts. Fill WHS Form 05 on site, keep task rows specific, and download the HIISP PDF. | State: NSW | Trade: Building | Template: nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement

High risk construction work should not start on a blank page or a phone PDF that jumps around the page. SafeWork NSW expects a SWMS prepared before the work begins, available to the people doing the job, and reviewed when the site changes.

This guide walks through the Housing Industry Site Safety Pack WHS Form 05 path: what belongs on the form, how to write task rows that workers can follow, and how to finish the PDF while the job is still in front of you.

**Key takeaways**

- Prepare the SWMS before high risk construction work starts, not after the first ladder goes up
- Keep every row site-specific: task, hazards and risks, and control measures workers can actually use
- Consult workers, make the document available on site, and stop work if the job drifts off the SWMS
- HIISP Form 05 is a fillable PDF layout for residential site packs; you still own the safety decisions

Open the [NSW WHS SWMS form](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement) when you are ready to fill. Related NSW building templates live on the [NSW building forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/building). For when a SWMS is mandatory, see [When is a SWMS required in NSW](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-swms-required-nsw).

## What is a SWMS in NSW? [#what-is-a-swms-in-nsw]

SafeWork NSW describes a SWMS as a safety planning document for high risk construction work under the WHS Regulation. It must be site-specific. Workers, supervisors, and others at the workplace need to understand the hazards, risks, and controls that keep people safe.

A SWMS is not a general WHS policy and not a full risk assessment for every task on site. It is the document that covers the high risk construction work activities for that job. SafeWork NSW says you do not need to include activities that are not defined as high risk construction work in the SWMS.

Use the official [prepare safe work method statement](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/construction/general-requirements/prepare-safe-work-method-statement) page as the source of truth when this guide and a site pack disagree.

## Who prepares the SWMS? [#who-prepares-the-swms]

SafeWork NSW says a PCBU that carries out high risk construction work must ensure a SWMS is prepared, or has already been prepared by another person such as another PCBU.

On many residential jobs that means:

- The subcontractor prepares the SWMS for the high risk work they will do
- The principal contractor receives a copy for the project file
- PCBUs consult, cooperate, and coordinate when more than one business is involved

If you are the sparky doing work near energised services, or the carpenter on a roof with a fall risk over two metres, do not assume the principal already wrote your method. Check what is already prepared for that activity and whether it matches how your crew will work.

## What must be on a SWMS? [#what-must-be-on-a-swms]

As a minimum, SafeWork NSW says the SWMS must:

- Identify the high risk construction work
- Specify the hazards and associated risks
- Describe the control measures
- Describe how controls will be implemented, monitored, and reviewed
- Be understood by the people using the document

When you develop the SWMS, consider site conditions: access, other structures, powerlines, ground conditions, other trades, and access to safety equipment.

HIISP Form 05 groups that duty into practical fields: PCBU details, principal contractor, work activity and location, contacts, consultation, task rows, compliance review, and worker sign-off. Fill those sections in order so you are not hunting PDF tabs on a phone.

## Collect these details before high risk work starts [#collect-these-details-before-high-risk-work-starts]

### PCBU and principal contractor [#pcbu-and-principal-contractor]

Enter the business name, ABN, address, and phone for the PCBU. Add the principal contractor name, ABN, and address when a principal is involved.

Saved business details help on the next job, but only if they stay current after a rebrand, ABN change, or office move.

### Work activity and high risk description [#work-activity-and-high-risk-description]

Write the activity in plain language a site supervisor can read in thirty seconds. "Roof work" is weak. "Install metal roofing on two-storey dwelling, fall risk greater than two metres on east elevation" is usable.

Name the high risk construction work type that applies. SafeWork NSW lists activities such as fall risk more than two metres, work near energised electrical installations, work near powered mobile plant, trenches deeper than 1.5 metres, and asbestos disturbance. Full list: [construction work page](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/construction).

When the powered mobile plant is a crane, keep the SWMS beside the [NSW mobile crane safety checklist guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-mobile-crane-safety-checklist-on-site-guide) so the work method and lift-site checks stay aligned.

### Location and contacts [#location-and-contacts]

Use the real site address, not the builder's office. Add the works manager and a phone number that will answer during the task.

### Consultation [#consultation]

Record how workers were consulted: toolbox talk, pre-start, walk-through of the method, or another agreed process. SafeWork NSW expects the document to be understood by the people using it. A signature without a conversation is a weak system.

## Write SWMS task rows people can follow [#write-swms-task-rows-people-can-follow]

HIISP Form 05 supports task rows with task, hazards and risks, and control measures. Keep each row focused on one step of the high risk work.

Three columns per row. The control measures column is the one that has to survive a gate check.

**SWMS row, roof work**

- **Stronger row** - Task: Fix sheets on east elevation. Hazard: Fall more than 2 m from incomplete edge. Controls: Edge protection installed and checked; harness only if edge protection not practicable; competent person inspects before work. (Names the location, the distance, and who checks it first.)
- **Weak row** - Task: Roofing. Hazard: Falls. Control: Be careful. (No elevation, no fall distance, no control that can be inspected.)

**SWMS row, switchboard work**

- **Stronger row** - Task: Terminate circuits in switchboard. Hazard: Contact with energised parts. Controls: Isolation and lock-out by licensed person; prove dead; barriers; no live work unless justified and controlled. (A sequence a supervisor can watch happen.)
- **Weak row** - Task: Electrical. Hazard: Shock. Control: Isolate. (Isolate by whom, proved how?)

SafeWork NSW also wants you to describe how controls are implemented, monitored, and reviewed. Put that in the row or in the compliance notes: who installs edge protection, who checks it, when it is re-checked after weather or other trades, and what happens if the method changes.

You can cover more than one high risk activity in one SWMS, or write separate SWMS documents. If activities interact, cross-reference them. Example: falls work during asbestos roof removal needs both fall and asbestos controls to work together.

## Generic SWMS templates need a site check [#generic-swms-templates-need-a-site-check]

SafeWork NSW allows a generic SWMS for high risk activities you do regularly. To stay compliant, review it against this site's hazards before work starts. A SWMS written for a single-storey slab home does not automatically fit a sloping block with live power nearby and a crane on the street.

If you reuse a SWMS template, change the location, activity description, and any row that does not match this site before you download.

## Implement, stop, and review [#implement-stop-and-review]

High risk construction work must be carried out in accordance with the SWMS. SafeWork NSW says the PCBU must ensure:

- Controls are in place before the activity starts
- Hazards, risks, and controls are communicated to workers
- Work stops if it is not following the SWMS, as soon as it is safe to stop
- The SWMS is reviewed when needed
- Work does not resume until it can follow the (reviewed) SWMS

Review when the high risk process changes, when the site environment changes, or when controls change. Consult other PCBUs, workers, and relevant health and safety representatives as part of that review.

## Where the finished SWMS lives [#where-the-finished-swms-lives]

Keep the SWMS available at the workplace where the high risk construction work will be carried out, until the work it relates to is completed. Electronic storage is fine if workers can get to it easily on site.

On many residential projects the principal contractor also needs a copy. SafeWork NSW construction guidance says the principal contractor must get a copy of the SWMS relating to high risk construction work and that the SWMS must be updated when control measures change.

Open the [NSW WHS SWMS template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement) when you are ready to fill Form 05 on site. It does not lodge the SWMS with SafeWork NSW and does not replace the principal's project WHS system.

Related forms for the same site file: [site-specific risk assessment (Form 04)](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-04-site-specific-risk-assessment), [toolbox talk record (Form 06)](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-06-toolbox-talk-record), plus [national JSA](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-jsa) or [Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-take-5) when the pack asks for a broader or shorter risk document.

More SWMS guides: [When is a SWMS required in NSW](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-swms-required-nsw), [common SWMS mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-swms-mistakes-nsw), [SWMS vs JSA vs Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/swms-vs-jsa-vs-take-5), and the [NSW WHS site pack walkthrough](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-whs-site-pack-swms-risk-assessment-toolbox).

## Official sources [#official-sources]

Check these before you rely on this guide for a specific job:

- [Prepare safe work method statement](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/construction/general-requirements/prepare-safe-work-method-statement)
- [Construction work](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/construction)
- [Housing industry site safety pack](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/house-construction/housing-industry-site-safety-pack)
- [HIISP Form 05 PDF](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/52743/form-5-safe-work-method-statement.pdf)

You remain responsible for the accuracy of the SWMS and for how work is carried out on site.

# When is a SWMS required in NSW (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-swms-required-nsw)

NSW SWMS rules for high risk construction work: who must prepare one, what activities trigger it, and what SafeWork NSW expects before work starts. | State: NSW | Trade: Building | Template: nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement

Open the [HIISP Form 05 SWMS](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement) once you know the work is high risk construction work, and finish it before that task starts.

"Do we need a SWMS for this?" is a site gate question. Get it wrong and you either start high risk work without a plan, or you bury the crew in paperwork for tasks that never needed a SWMS.

SafeWork NSW is clear on the trigger: high risk construction work. This guide maps that duty into plain job language so builders, supervisors, and trade subcontractors can decide before tools come out.

**Key takeaways**

- A PCBU needs a SWMS prepared before high risk construction work starts
- The trigger is the high risk construction work list, not every task on a residential site
- One SWMS can cover multiple high risk activities if the method stays clear
- Generic templates only work after a site-specific review

Browse other [NSW building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/building) for the wider HIISP pack. For filling Form 05 on site, use [How to complete a NSW SWMS on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-swms-on-site-guide).

## When is a SWMS required in NSW? [#when-is-a-swms-required-in-nsw]

SafeWork NSW says a PCBU is required to have a SWMS prepared for high risk construction work before that work commences.

That sentence has three parts:

1. **Who:** the PCBU carrying out the high risk work (or another person who already prepared the SWMS)
2. **What:** high risk construction work, not every construction task
3. **When:** before the work starts

If the job is not high risk construction work under the WHS rules, you still manage risks, but you do not automatically need a SWMS document for that activity.

## What counts as high risk construction work? [#what-counts-as-high-risk-construction-work]

SafeWork NSW lists high risk construction work on its [construction work page](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/construction). The list includes:

| High risk construction work                                    | Common site examples                                       |
| -------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- |
| Risk of a person falling more than two metres                  | Roof work, upper-storey framing, scaffold edges, void work |
| Work on a telecommunication tower                              | Tower maintenance and installation                         |
| Demolition of load-bearing or structural elements              | Structural demolition, load path changes                   |
| Disturbance of asbestos                                        | Removal or work likely to disturb asbestos materials       |
| Structural alterations needing temporary support               | Propping during load path changes                          |
| Work in or near a confined space                               | Tanks, pits, some roof voids and service ducts             |
| Shaft or trench deeper than 1.5 m                              | Deep drainage, footings, services trenches                 |
| Work in or near a tunnel                                       | Tunnelled services or civil works                          |
| Use of explosives                                              | Blasting and explosive work                                |
| Work on or near pressurised gas mains or piping                | Gas service work near live distribution                    |
| Work on or near chemical, fuel or refrigerant lines            | Plant rooms, service corridors                             |
| Work on or near energised electrical installations or services | Live switchboards, services that remain energised          |
| Contaminated or flammable atmosphere                           | Some remediation and industrial sites                      |
| Tilt-up or precast concrete                                    | Panel erection and temporary stability work                |
| Work on, in or adjacent to roads or traffic corridors in use   | Lane work, driveway traffic interfaces                     |
| Areas with movement of powered mobile plant                    | Crane, excavator, telehandler zones                        |
| Artificial extremes of temperature                             | Controlled hot or cold work environments                   |
| Work in or near water with drowning risk                       | Wharf, flood, pool excavation contexts                     |
| Diving work                                                    | Underwater construction tasks                              |

If your task sits on that list, plan the SWMS before the task starts. If you are unsure, read the SafeWork NSW list and the Construction work Code of Practice rather than guessing from habit.

## Who must act: PCBU, subcontractor, principal [#who-must-act-pcbu-subcontractor-principal]

### PCBU doing the high risk work [#pcbu-doing-the-high-risk-work]

SafeWork NSW says the PCBU that carries out high risk construction work must ensure a SWMS is prepared or already prepared by another person.

### More than one PCBU [#more-than-one-pcbu]

Each PCBU must consult, cooperate, and coordinate. SafeWork NSW gives the example of a subcontractor on a principal contractor site: the subcontractor develops the SWMS for their high risk work, taking into account site conditions and the project WHS management plan, and develops it in consultation with the principal so agreed controls are in place before the activity starts.

### Principal contractor [#principal-contractor]

For construction projects where a principal contractor applies, SafeWork NSW says the principal must get a copy of the SWMS relating to high risk construction work. The SWMS must be updated when control measures change.

Do not assume "the builder has a SWMS" covers your trade method. Check the document names the high risk work you will do and the controls your crew will use.

## Do you need one SWMS or many? [#do-you-need-one-swms-or-many]

SafeWork NSW says:

- One SWMS can cover several high risk construction work activities
- Or you can prepare a separate SWMS for each high risk activity
- If you split them, cross-reference activities that affect each other

Example: asbestos roof sheeting removal with a fall risk greater than two metres needs fall controls and asbestos controls to work as one system, whether they sit in one document or two linked documents.

## Can you use a generic SWMS template? [#can-you-use-a-generic-swms-template]

A generic SWMS can cover high risk activities you do often. SafeWork NSW still requires a review that takes site-specific hazards and risks into account.

Before you reuse last month's SWMS:

- Confirm the high risk activities still match
- Update location, access, nearby trades, plant, and services
- Change any control that is not available on this site
- Re-consult workers if the method changed

A template that never changes is a risk document, not a living SWMS.

## What does not need to be on the SWMS [#what-does-not-need-to-be-on-the-swms]

**What belongs in the SWMS**

- **Keep it in** - - The high risk construction work itself
  - Its hazards and risks
  - The controls, and how they are implemented, monitored and reviewed (Short enough that workers actually read it.)
- **Leave it out** - - Packing up and clean-up
  - Ordinary tasks that are not high risk construction work
  - Every hazard copied across from the Form 04 walk (A twenty-page SWMS is harder to use and easier to pick apart.)

SafeWork NSW says you do not need to include activities that are not defined as high risk construction work in a SWMS.

That keeps the document short enough for workers to use. Low-risk packing, clean-up, or ordinary tasks can sit in other site systems (inductions, toolbox talks, JSA or Take 5 where your site uses them) without bloating the SWMS.

## After the trigger: minimum content [#after-the-trigger-minimum-content]

Once a SWMS is required, SafeWork NSW expects it to identify the high risk work, hazards and risks, control measures, and how controls will be implemented, monitored, and reviewed. People using the document must understand it.

Full field walkthrough: [How to complete a NSW SWMS on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-swms-on-site-guide).

## Trade examples: when the trigger usually fires [#trade-examples-when-the-trigger-usually-fires]

These are common residential and light commercial situations. Always check the SafeWork NSW list for your exact task.

### Electricians [#electricians]

Work on or near energised electrical installations or services is on the high risk list. Isolation and prove-dead methods still need a clear SWMS when the activity meets that description. Roof solar work often also triggers fall risk more than two metres.

### Roofers and carpenters [#roofers-and-carpenters]

Fall risk more than two metres covers a large share of upper-storey and roof work. Edge protection, temporary work platforms, and access changes should appear in the method before sheets or frames go up.

### Plumbers and drainers [#plumbers-and-drainers]

Trenches deeper than 1.5 metres, work near pressurised gas, and some confined space pits trigger SWMS duties. Shallow service digs may not. Measure and check before you assume "it is only a house job".

### Plant and civil crews [#plant-and-civil-crews]

Movement of powered mobile plant, work adjacent to live traffic corridors, and deep excavation often sit on the list even on small housing estates when excavators, cranes, or road interfaces are present.

### Asbestos-related work [#asbestos-related-work]

Work that involves or is likely to involve disturbance of asbestos is high risk construction work. Licensed removal also brings control plan and clearance paperwork beyond the SWMS. Do not treat a SWMS alone as the full asbestos system.

## Stop-work rule when the method is ignored [#stop-work-rule-when-the-method-is-ignored]

If work is not being conducted in accordance with the SWMS, SafeWork NSW says work must cease immediately or as soon as it is safe to do so. Work must not resume until it can be carried out in accordance with the SWMS, after review if needed.

That is the practical test on site: if the edge protection is not up yet, the SWMS does not green-light starting the high risk step.

## Where to keep the SWMS while the answer is "yes" [#where-to-keep-the-swms-while-the-answer-is-yes]

When a SWMS is required, SafeWork NSW says keep it available at the workplace where the high risk construction work will be carried out until that work is completed. Electronic copies are fine if workers can get to them easily on site.

Principals often want a copy for the project file as well. Update them when control measures change so the site office copy matches what the crew is actually doing.

## HIISP Form 05 vs other SWMS templates [#hiisp-form-05-vs-other-swms-templates]

SafeWork NSW publishes multiple SWMS resources, including HIISP Form 05 for the housing industry site safety pack, a high risk construction work method statement example, and trade examples such as demolition.

Principals and clients often ask for the HIISP layout on residential work. The legal duty is still the high risk construction work SWMS content, not a particular filename. Use the layout your site pack requires, and make sure the content still meets SafeWork NSW minimums.

Use the [NSW WHS Form 05 SWMS](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement) when you need the HIISP layout. Related reading:

- [Common SWMS mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-swms-mistakes-nsw)
- [SWMS vs JSA vs Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/swms-vs-jsa-vs-take-5)
- [NSW WHS site pack overview](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-whs-site-pack-swms-risk-assessment-toolbox)

## Quick decision checklist [#quick-decision-checklist]

Use this before you start the next stage:

1. Does any planned task match the SafeWork NSW high risk construction work list?
2. If yes, is a current SWMS already prepared for that method on this site?
3. If you are reusing a template, have you reviewed it for this site today?
4. Are controls named in the SWMS actually available before the task starts?
5. Do workers know where to find the SWMS and what it says?
6. Does the principal need a copy for this project?

If step 1 is yes and step 2 is no, stop the high risk task plan until the SWMS is ready.

## Official sources [#official-sources]

- [Prepare safe work method statement](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/construction/general-requirements/prepare-safe-work-method-statement)
- [Construction work and high risk list](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/construction)
- [Safe Work Australia interactive SWMS guidance](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/default/files/SWMS/content/index.html)
- [Housing industry site safety pack](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/house-construction/housing-industry-site-safety-pack)

Confirm current requirements on the official pages for your job type and project size.

# NSW mobile crane safety checklist: complete it before the lift (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-mobile-crane-safety-checklist-on-site-guide)

Complete the SafeWork NSW Mobile Crane Safety for PCBUs checklist on site: crane pre-start, lift planning, set-up checks, No answers and clean PDF download. | State: NSW | Trade: Building | Template: nsw-mobile-crane-safety-checklist

> **Tradie Forms:** complete the SafeWork NSW Mobile Crane Safety for PCBUs checklist on site, check every answer, then download the official PDF layout for the job file.

A mobile crane can arrive on a site with a tight program, a crew waiting and a load ready to move. That is exactly when a paper checklist gets rushed, left in the ute or filled in from memory later.

The [NSW Mobile Crane Safety Checklist for PCBUs](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-mobile-crane-safety-checklist) gives principal contractors and site supervisors one place to record the pre-start, planning and site set-up checks before the lift. It follows the SafeWork NSW Mobile Crane Safety for PCBUs checklist and maps the completed details onto its official PDF layout.

This guide is for the person coordinating the site side of the lift. It is not a substitute for the crane operator's checks, the crane company's procedures, the lift plan, a SWMS, or current SafeWork NSW requirements. Use the official guidance for the job and make sure the finished PDF reflects what was actually checked on site. Browse related [NSW building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/building), including the [NSW SWMS on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-swms-on-site-guide) when high risk construction work needs a method statement.

**Key takeaways**

- Use the checklist before mobile crane activities begin, not after the lift is finished
- Check the records, crane, crew plan and work area that apply to the actual lift
- Record the compliance-plate serial number on the finished PDF when a plate is present
- Treat any No answer as a prompt to stop, record the gap and follow the right site process
- Keep the finished checklist with the lift plan, SWMS and crane-company documents

## What is the checklist for? [#what-is-the-checklist-for]

SafeWork NSW says its checklist can help principal contractors and site supervisors manage the risks of mobile crane activities on construction sites. The checklist focuses on three practical moments:

- crane pre-start checks and maintenance records
- pre-job planning with the crane crew
- site set-up and lifting equipment checks

The questions cover the records and conditions that are easy to assume are sorted until someone asks for them. Registration where applicable, logbooks, maintenance, the operator's manual, the load chart, crane condition, site consultation, the lift path, standing, services, powerlines, wind, exclusion zones and lifting gear all need attention before the work starts.

SafeWork NSW lists mobile-crane risks including falling loads, crane tip or roll-overs, and contact with people, structures, scaffolds or powerlines. A Yes answer is useful only when the person completing the checklist has actually checked the detail behind it. If something is missing or unclear, stop and resolve the issue through the right people and process before treating the checklist as complete.

## Who should complete it? [#who-should-complete-it]

The official checklist is aimed at principal contractors and site supervisors. On a real job, the form may be completed by the PCBU, a site supervisor or another person coordinating the mobile-crane activity for the site.

The person entering the details should be able to confirm what is happening at that site. That usually means they have spoken with the crane company and relevant crew, checked the site conditions and collected the relevant documents. It does not mean one person takes over everyone else's duties.

SafeWork NSW's guidance on hiring or using a mobile crane describes responsibilities for PCBUs, mobile crane suppliers and operators. A PCBU should have relevant documentation available on site, while the supplier and crew have their own responsibilities for crane information, operation and daily checks. Keep the checklist as part of that shared site record, not as a replacement for it.

## Get the job information together first [#get-the-job-information-together-first]

The quickest way to complete this checklist properly is to collect the right information before opening the form. Do that while there is still time to follow up a missing document or change the plan.

Bring together the site address and PCBU details, the crane company contact, crane registration details where applicable, logbook and maintenance information, load chart, operator's manual, crew licences and induction records, SWMS, lift planning information, exclusion-zone plan and lifting-equipment details.

You may also need information about ground conditions, underground services, nearby structures, overhead powerlines and weather. The exact records depend on the lift and site. If the work changes, check that the information still matches the job in front of you. If you still need a SWMS for high risk construction work, see [when a SWMS is required in NSW](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-swms-required-nsw).

## Work through the crane pre-start section [#work-through-the-crane-pre-start-section]

Start with the crane itself and its records. The form asks whether the crane is registered with SafeWork where it is over 10 tonne capacity, whether the logbook is available and up to date, whether maintenance and major-service inspections are recorded, and whether the operator has the manual and load chart.

It also asks whether a pre-start has been completed, whether the crane has a compliance plate and whether it appears serviceable. These are not questions to answer from an invoice or a previous job. Look at the records and crane that are on site for this lift.

If the crane has a compliance plate, enter its serial number in the form. Tradie Forms prints that serial number directly beside the compliance-plate question in the finished PDF. It gives the job file a clear link to the plate that was checked.

Use the comments field for useful specifics.

**Comments**

- **This** - - Load chart sighted in cabin
  - Maintenance record supplied by crane company (Names the specific thing that was checked.)
- **Not this** - All good (Records that someone looked, not what they saw.)

If there is a problem, record the issue and follow the site's process for dealing with it. Do not use a comment to make an unresolved No answer look acceptable.

## How do you plan the lift with the right people? [#how-do-you-plan-the-lift-with-the-right-people]

The pre-job planning section is where the site and crane crew need to line up. The official checklist asks about crew induction, consultation around job planning, load-path hazards, a crane-company site assessment, the SWMS, qualified people, crane suitability for the radius and load, and communication of the safe system of work.

This is the point to talk through access, delivery timing, other trades, pedestrians, public areas, traffic and nearby work. Check whether the lift path has changed since the original plan. A new scaffold, a parked delivery truck, a different set-down zone or a changed load can alter the controls you need.

SafeWork NSW guidance says crane operators and crew should plan the lift together, complete their daily inspection and logbook, inspect the area and monitor ground conditions. The site checklist complements that conversation by recording the PCBU or site-supervisor side of planning.

Keep the answer honest. If a site assessment has not happened or the SWMS is not available, select No and use the comments field to state what needs to occur. The right next step may be to pause the lift, speak with the crane company or update the site controls. Check the applicable requirements for the job before proceeding. Related site-pack context sits in the [NSW WHS site pack guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-whs-site-pack-swms-risk-assessment-toolbox).

## Check the set-up area before the lift [#check-the-set-up-area-before-the-lift]

The site set-up section turns the planning into a check of the actual work area. It covers suitable crane standing, overhead powerline controls, underground services, any required engineering or geotechnical advice, wind conditions, exclusion zones and the suitability and inspection status of lifting equipment.

Walk the area instead of relying only on an earlier plan. Ground can become soft after rain. A work area can be blocked by another trade. New services, temporary structures and changed access routes can all affect the set-up.

Powerlines and underground services deserve a clear conversation with the right people before the crane is positioned. SafeWork NSW provides dedicated guidance for mobile cranes. If the crane will operate near powerlines, do not rely on a generic note. Check the current requirements and controls for that site.

An exclusion zone needs to work in practice. Consider how people, vehicles, deliveries and other trades will be kept clear while the lift is happening. Check the lifting gear for the load being moved and confirm it has been inspected as required. If conditions change during the job, reassess rather than relying on the earlier tick.

## A simple on-site completion rhythm [#a-simple-on-site-completion-rhythm]

Use this order when the crane is scheduled to arrive:

1. Confirm the PCBU, site address, crane owner or company, date, time and person completing the checklist
2. Check crane records, logbook, maintenance evidence, operator's manual, load chart, pre-start and compliance plate
3. Speak with the crane crew about induction, site assessment, lift planning, SWMS, qualified people and the load path
4. Walk the set-up area for standing, services, powerlines, wind, exclusion zones and lifting equipment
5. Record any No answers and the action needed in the relevant comments section
6. Review every answer with the people coordinating the lift
7. Preview the official PDF layout, then download it to the job record

This is a better rhythm than chasing details once the operator is in the cab and the load is waiting. It also makes the record easier to understand later if the office, builder, client or another supervisor needs to review what was checked.

## Keep the completed PDF with the job [#keep-the-completed-pdf-with-the-job]

The checklist is most useful when it stays with the paperwork that supports the lift. Keep the finished PDF with the lift plan, SWMS, crane-company documents, job records, photos and any records of changed controls.

Name it so the job can be found later. Include the site, date and checklist type in your normal job-file naming pattern. If the lift is part of a longer project, keep it with the relevant activity rather than in a separate downloads folder.

Tradie Forms helps you enter the checklist one section at a time, reuse relevant details where available, catch missing required entries before download, preview the official PDF layout and download the completed record. It does not decide whether the checks are adequate or whether the work can proceed. The people responsible for the site and lift still need to check the job and follow current official guidance.

## Common mistakes to avoid [#common-mistakes-to-avoid]

### Completing it from the office [#completing-it-from-the-office]

Some details can be started before the crane arrives, but the final answers need to match the actual crane, crew and set-up area. Review it on site before download.

### Treating a No answer as admin only [#treating-a-no-answer-as-admin-only]

The comments box is for a clear record, not a workaround. Describe the gap and make sure the right action is taken through the site's safety process.

### Forgetting the compliance-plate serial number [#forgetting-the-compliance-plate-serial-number]

When the compliance plate is present, enter the serial number while you are standing at the crane. It is harder to chase later and it helps identify what was checked.

### Saving the PDF without the supporting records [#saving-the-pdf-without-the-supporting-records]

The checklist tells only part of the story. Store it beside the lift plan, SWMS, crane documents and notes that support the work. If the SWMS itself is the weak link, see [common SWMS mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-swms-mistakes-nsw).

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Open the [NSW Mobile Crane Safety Checklist for PCBUs](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-mobile-crane-safety-checklist) when you have the site and crane information ready. You can also browse [NSW building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/building) for the rest of the job paperwork, or start a [NSW SWMS](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement) when high risk construction work needs a method statement.

## Official references [#official-references]

For current safety requirements, use SafeWork NSW's [mobile cranes guidance](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/hazards-a-z/mobile-cranes), the [Mobile Crane Safety for PCBUs checklist](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/1091717/mobile-crane-safety-for-pcbus.pdf), its [guidance on roles and responsibilities when hiring or using a mobile crane](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/resource-library/construction/tower-cranes/roles-and-responsibilities-when-hiring-or-using-a-mobile-crane), and the [prepare safe work method statement](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/construction/general-requirements/prepare-safe-work-method-statement) page for SWMS duties that often sit beside the lift.

# AI for tradie paperwork: what it can and can't do (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/ai-for-tradie-paperwork-what-it-can-and-cant-do)

What AI can fill on trade compliance forms, what it cannot decide, and the checks that stay with the licensed person before PDF download.

Plenty of tradies have tried a general chatbot for job notes. It writes a tidy paragraph, and you still end up retyping the useful bits into the PDF. The assistant here is different because it runs inside the form: it can see supported fields, state-specific sections, saved licence blocks and connected job software in the same workflow.

This covers where it helps on site, where it should stay out of the way, and what you check before the document leaves your hands.

**Key takeaways**

- It moves details you already have into fields; it does not decide what happened on site
- Saved details, job imports and presets wait for your confirmation before changing the form
- Signatures, drawings, photo uploads and final declarations stay manual
- Nothing lodges automatically - preparing and submitting are separate steps
- You review every value and preview the layout before download

## What is AI good for on trade forms? [#what-is-ai-good-for-on-trade-forms]

Use it when the job details already exist in your head, your phone or your job software, and you do not want to tap through them again:

- Dictate a voice note after a board walk-through
- Paste text from a job SMS or email
- Attach a photo of a job card, label, permit sticker or handwritten note
- Ask what a field means, or pull help from the form guide for that template
- Run a form review pass to catch gaps before you preview
- Apply saved business details for repeat licence and company lines
- Search a connected ServiceM8, Fergus or Xero job and import customer, site and job fields
- Load a saved form preset after you confirm it

It writes into supported fillable fields on layout-driven templates. Signatures, photo upload fields, drawing fields and final checks stay manual.

## What is AI not for? [#what-is-ai-not-for]

The assistant does not lodge certificates with regulators, councils or portals. It does not certify that work complies with standards, licensing or regulator requirements. It does not replace your licence obligations or supervisor sign-off, does not email or submit the finished PDF, and cannot guarantee every photo or handwritten note is read correctly.

Tradie Forms helps you prepare the official PDF layout. You decide when it is accurate and ready to hand over. Official pathways still sit outside the form. For example, NSW electricians still use the published [electrical compliance requirements](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/electricians/electrical-compliance-requirements) and portals such as [BCNSW eCert](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal) when those pathways apply. AI does not complete that submission for you.

## Start with a clean source, not a clever prompt [#start-with-a-clean-source-not-a-clever-prompt]

The best input is what you would tell an apprentice helping with the paperwork: the site, the work completed, the equipment involved, the relevant numbers and the job reference.

A short voice note works well when it is specific.

**Voice note to the assistant**

- **This** - Replace failed 30 mA RCD at 14 King Street, board labelled, tested after replacement (Site, work completed, equipment, and the numbers that belong on the form.)
- **Not this** - Finished the safety switch job (The assistant is not guessing less when you are vague. It is guessing more.)

Saved business, licence and customer details cut typing on repeat clients, and they do not stay correct forever. A rental property may have a new owner, a project may use a different site address, a licence record changes. Review suggested details against the current job before confirming.

## A safe on-site routine [#a-safe-on-site-routine]

Use the assistant after the technical work has been checked, not as a substitute for checking it. Do your normal testing, measurements and visual inspection first, then gather what belongs on the form while the board, plant or work area is still in front of you. Testing and risk management obligations still sit with the people on site - see [SafeWork NSW electrical inspection and testing](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/hazards-a-z/electrical-and-power/electrical-inspection-and-testing) and [Safe Work Australia manage risks](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/safety-topic/managing-health-and-safety/identify-assess-and-control-hazards/managing-risks) for the broader safety context, not as AI feature claims.

1. Open the correct template and confirm the customer and work site
2. Add a clear note, voice message or photo for details you would otherwise type
3. Review every proposed field in the form itself, not only in the chat
4. Enter manual fields - signatures, drawings, photos, declarations - yourself
5. Run a review pass to find blank required fields or a mismatch worth checking
6. Preview the layout and compare it against the job before downloading

That keeps the assistant in its useful lane: moving known details into the right places. You remain the person deciding what happened on site and whether the record is accurate.

## Which jobs suit AI assistance? [#which-jobs-suit-ai-assistance]

The ones where job detail already exists but is scattered. A maintenance plumber has an SMS describing the call-out, a photo of an appliance label and the property manager's contact. An electrician has a dictated list of circuits and a saved business block. A custom company checklist starts from a standard scope and needs a job-specific description.

In each case the time saved is not a generated answer - it is avoiding a second round of typing from your own notes into individual fields. Treat the suggested entries the way you would treat an admin person's draft.

## Where should you slow down? [#where-should-you-slow-down]

Anywhere judgement is doing the work rather than transcription. Do not rely on the assistant to interpret a technical condition, choose a regulatory category, determine a test result, decide who can sign, or turn a vague customer message into a compliance statement.

Where a detail is uncertain, leave it blank until you have the source record or have spoken to the responsible person. A blank field is an honest gap; a plausible guess on a certificate is a problem that surfaces later.

The same applies to a form that arrives looking near-complete. A green review is not an approval. The assistant can flag missing fields and point you back to the guide - it cannot inspect the installation, check a portal, or certify that work satisfies a standard.

## Privacy is part of the job [#privacy-is-part-of-the-job]

Job paperwork holds names, addresses, access details, licence numbers and photos of private property. Use the same care with assistant inputs as with any other job system: share only what the form needs, follow your business privacy process, and watch for messages carrying unrelated customer details.

You can turn the assistant off under Settings → Features to hide the header launcher and form toolbar button for your account, and team members choose their own setting on shared workspaces. Chat runs through Tradie Forms infrastructure - see the [privacy policy](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/privacy) for how personal information is handled.

The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner publishes guidance for organisations using AI and handling personal information. It is not a substitute for your own privacy advice, but it is a fair reminder that useful automation still needs sensible data handling.

## Keep the job record useful [#keep-the-job-record-useful]

Attach the original notes, relevant photos and final document to the job the way your business normally stores records. Name files with the job reference, address or date so whoever answers a later call can find the source.

Where the assistant turned a voice note into a work description, keep the note when it matters to the story of the job. Good records make corrections easier too - if a customer queries an address line or an equipment detail, you can go back to the source instead of reconstructing it from memory. Download a corrected document only after reviewing the whole thing again.

## Before you hand over a form [#before-you-hand-over-a-form]

The last check belongs to the licensed tradie or responsible person. Read the work description, addresses, dates, licence details, test results and declarations on the layout. Make sure the document says what you are prepared to stand behind, then hand it over through the process that applies to that form.

Working through it one section at a time, with a layout preview, makes that check less painful. They do not lodge documents, replace a regulator portal, or take responsibility for the work.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Pick a live template from the [catalogue](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/templates), or read the [AI assistant feature page](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/features/fill-with-ai) and the [user docs](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/fill-with-ai) first.

If you are weighing this against your current method, [Tradie Forms vs PDF editors](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/tradie-forms-vs-pdfs) covers the wider comparison. For an example of a form workflow that still needs a human close-out, see [CCEW workflow for electrical businesses](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/streamlining-electrical-business-ccew-workflow) or [digital vs paper CCEW](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/digital-vs-paper-ccew-nsw-electricians).

## Official references [#official-references]

For privacy considerations when using AI with customer and job information, see the [OAIC guidance on privacy and artificial intelligence](https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/privacy-guidance-for-organisations-and-government-agencies/privacy-and-artificial-intelligence). For examples of official compliance and submission pathways that stay outside the assistant, see [NSW electrical compliance requirements](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/electricians/electrical-compliance-requirements), the [BCNSW eCert portal](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal), [SafeWork NSW electrical inspection and testing](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/hazards-a-z/electrical-and-power/electrical-inspection-and-testing), and [Safe Work Australia manage risks](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/safety-topic/managing-health-and-safety/identify-assess-and-control-hazards/managing-risks).

# Common TAS gratuitous work form mistakes for plumbers and gas-fitters (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-tas-gratuitous-work-certificate)

Mistakes Tasmanian plumbers and gas-fitters make on the CBOS gratuitous work form: relationship, work description, insurance answers and owner sign-off. | State: TAS | Trade: Plumbing | Template: tas-gratuitous-plumbing-work

Tasmanian gratuitous work can feel casual because the job is unpaid. The paperwork should not be casual. The CBOS gratuitous work form records who is doing the prescribed work, who owns the property, where the work will happen, what relationship exists, what work is being performed, how the insurance questions are answered and when the owner signs.

This guide covers common mistakes plumbers and gas-fitters make when the form is left until late or treated like a favour note. Use it before you download the [TAS Gratuitous Work form](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-gratuitous-plumbing-work). For the field workflow, read the [gratuitous work form guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-gratuitous-plumbing-gasfitting-work-guide), and browse [TAS plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/tas/plumbing) for related paperwork.

**Key takeaways**

- Gratuitous work still needs a clear CBOS form where the current process applies
- Certifier, owner, relationship, site, work and insurance details should be checked before download
- Capture the owner signature while the owner has reviewed the form
- Lodging or storing the PDF is a separate step from finishing the layout
- Tradie Forms prepares the official PDF; the certifier remains responsible for the form and current requirements

## Mistake 1: treating no-payment work as no-paperwork work [#mistake-1-treating-no-payment-work-as-no-paperwork-work]

CBOS guidance says a certified plumber must complete a Gratuitous Work Form and lodge it with CBOS for assessment by email or post. The official PDF is for Plumber and/or Gas-fitter (Certifier) only.

That means the form should be treated as part of the job setup, not something to remember after the work is done. Open it before the job details start to scatter. Confirm the current CBOS process, fill the owner and certifier details, answer the insurance questions and capture the owner signature while everyone is available.

For small jobs, do this before tools are packed away. For family or charity work, do it before the favour becomes a memory and nobody can remember the exact work description.

## Mistake 2: certifier details are old or incomplete [#mistake-2-certifier-details-are-old-or-incomplete]

The form asks for the certifier's personal and contact details, including licence number. Old saved details can create quiet errors if you do not review them.

Check full name, home and postal address, date of birth, licence number, phone numbers, email address and fax if used. Tradie Forms can save certifier details for reuse, but the final check matters. The finished PDF should reflect the current certifier, not whatever was in the last form.

## Mistake 3: the owner relationship is vague [#mistake-3-the-owner-relationship-is-vague]

The form asks for the relationship or association between the certifier and property owner. This field is easy to rush because the certifier may know the person well.

Do not write "known to me" if a clearer answer is available. Be plain: parent, sibling, friend, community organisation contact, neighbour or charity contact. Use the wording that honestly describes the relationship. If the relationship does not fit the current CBOS process, check the guidance before continuing.

## Mistake 4: the work site is not specific enough [#mistake-4-the-work-site-is-not-specific-enough]

The work site should identify where the prescribed work will be performed. For a standard suburban property, the street address may be straightforward. For rural properties, units, shared driveways or properties with multiple buildings, add enough detail to avoid confusion.

If the job is not easy to identify from the address alone, keep supporting notes with the job record. The form should not leave CBOS, the owner or your future self guessing where the work happened.

## Mistake 5: the prescribed work description is too broad [#mistake-5-the-prescribed-work-description-is-too-broad]

The official form asks what type of prescribed work will be performed. Describe the actual work.

**Prescribed work description**

- **Specific and short** - - Repair sanitary plumbing to bathroom basin waste
  - Install replacement gas appliance connection
  - Replace damaged section of water pipe at dwelling
  - Carry out prescribed drainage repair at rear of property (Matches the job, and stays matched if the job changes.)
- **Too broad** - - Plumbing work
  - Gas work (Claims more scope than the unpaid work covers.)

The description should match the unpaid work being done. Do not make it broader than the job. If the work changes, update the form before download.

## Mistake 6: insurance answers are guessed [#mistake-6-insurance-answers-are-guessed]

The official PDF includes insurance questions and references liability insurance for personal injury and property damage. Do not tick answers from habit.

Check the current form wording and your insurance position before download. If the property owner is answering part of the insurance section, make sure they understand what is being answered. Tradie Forms can make sure a field is not left blank. It cannot tell you what the correct insurance answer is.

## Mistake 7: owner signature is left until later [#mistake-7-owner-signature-is-left-until-later]

The form includes property owner sign-off. If the owner does not sign while the details are fresh, someone will have to chase them later.

Capture the signature once the owner has reviewed certifier details, owner name, work site, relationship or association, description of prescribed work and insurance answers. Do not use a future date. The signature should reflect when the owner signs the form.

## Mistake 8: the finished PDF is not lodged or stored [#mistake-8-the-finished-pdf-is-not-lodged-or-stored]

The job is not finished just because the PDF is downloaded. CBOS guidance refers to lodging the form with CBOS for assessment by email or post.

After download, record what happened, for example that the form was emailed or posted to CBOS, that the owner signed and you are waiting on an insurance check, or that the PDF is stored with the job record. Keep it with any lodgement email, owner communication, photos, insurance notes and related trade records.

If your business normally relies on invoices to find job files, create a job record anyway. Gratuitous work may not create an invoice, but it still needs a place for the form, owner signature and lodgement trail.

## How do you avoid these mistakes on site? [#how-do-you-avoid-these-mistakes-on-site]

Use a short rhythm that works on a Saturday favour job and still makes sense to the office later:

1. Confirm the pathway fits current CBOS gratuitous work guidance.
2. Enter certifier details and licence number.
3. Confirm the owner and site.
4. Describe the relationship and the prescribed work.
5. Check the insurance answers against the form wording.
6. Get the owner signature after review.
7. Preview the PDF.
8. Download and lodge or store it, then keep proof of what happened next.

Keep the language plain. Write names, addresses, relationship and work description in words the owner and CBOS can read without calling you. A clear PDF saves everyone time, especially when the job is unpaid and there is no normal invoice trail to explain the work.

Do not quietly overwrite a copy after it has been provided or lodged. Keep the original job evidence, identify what changed, and follow the current CBOS process for corrections. Tell the owner if their copy is affected. Give the corrected file a new version label and retain the original notes.

## Related Tasmanian plumbing paperwork [#related-tasmanian-plumbing-paperwork]

Gratuitous work is a separate pathway from normal start and completion paperwork. If the job is not gratuitous work, related Tasmanian templates include [TAS Form 60](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-60-start-work) for start work notification, [TAS Form 71B](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-71b-plumbing) for standard of work certification and [TAS Form 21](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-21-completion) for certificate of completion records.

Use the [TAS plumbing forms list](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-plumbing-forms-list-start-completion-handover) to find the right template before filling a PDF, or browse [TAS plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/tas/plumbing). Plumbing forms for every state sit on the [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing).

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Tradie Forms turns [TAS Gratuitous Work](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-gratuitous-plumbing-work) into sections you work through one at a time for certifier, property owner, work, insurance and owner sign-off.

You can fill the form on site from a phone, tablet or laptop, reuse certifier details where they still apply, use address search or manual address entry, catch missing fields before download, preview the official PDF layout, and download the finished form for CBOS and your job record.

The platform helps keep the paperwork in order. It does not replace checking the official requirements, deciding whether the work qualifies, or confirming insurance answers.

## The relationship and insurance answers [#the-relationship-and-insurance-answers]

Two fields account for a large share of the problems on this form, and both are about the arrangement rather than the plumbing.

The relationship answer is what establishes the work as gratuitous. A vague answer reopens the question the form exists to close. The insurance answer needs to reflect the actual position rather than the one that seems easiest, because it is the answer someone will rely on if anything goes wrong.

Neither takes long to get right, and both are difficult to correct afterwards without drawing attention to the correction.

## Records for work with no invoice [#records-for-work-with-no-invoice]

Unpaid work rarely generates a job file, which is why these certificates so often sit alone.

Give the job a reference and keep the certificate with any photos and a short note of what was done. The absence of an invoice is not a reason for the absence of a record.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start the [TAS gratuitous work form](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-gratuitous-plumbing-work) when the pathway is confirmed and the owner is available to review it. Read the full [gratuitous work form guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-gratuitous-plumbing-gasfitting-work-guide) for section-by-section detail, or return to the [TAS plumbing forms list](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-plumbing-forms-list-start-completion-handover).

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [CBOS gratuitous work guidance](https://www.cbos.tas.gov.au/topics/licensing-and-registration/licensed-occupations/plumbing/doing-work-for-no-payment-gratuitous-work), the official [CBOS gratuitous work form PDF](https://www.cbos.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/414062/Gratuitous-work-form.pdf), the [CBOS approved forms page](https://cbos.tas.gov.au/topics/resources-tools/Building-and-trades-forms%2C-publications-and-report/asset-listings/approved-forms), and the [CBOS guide to approved plumbing forms](https://www.cbos.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/404544/Guide_to_approved_forms_-_plumbing_work.pdf).

# TAS gratuitous work form guide for plumbers and gas-fitters (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-gratuitous-plumbing-gasfitting-work-guide)

Complete the TAS CBOS gratuitous work form for unpaid prescribed plumbing or gas work, including owner sign-off and insurance answers. | State: TAS | Trade: Plumbing | Template: tas-gratuitous-plumbing-work

> **Tradie Forms:** complete the Tasmania gratuitous work form for plumbers and gas-fitters one section at a time, capture owner sign-off, preview the official PDF layout and download the finished file for CBOS and your job record.

Gratuitous work sounds informal because no payment changes hands. The paperwork is still real. In Tasmania, the CBOS gratuitous work form captures the licensed certifier, property owner, work site, prescribed work, insurance answers and owner signature.

This is the kind of form that can be forgotten because the job is for family, a mate, or a charitable situation. That is exactly why it should be filled while everyone is still on site. The owner can sign, the work can be described clearly, and the finished PDF can be lodged or stored without chasing details later.

Use the [TAS Gratuitous Work template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-gratuitous-plumbing-work) when you want proper fields on the official PDF layout. For related forms, browse [TAS plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/tas/plumbing). For the mistakes checklist, see [common TAS gratuitous work mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-tas-gratuitous-work-certificate).

**Key takeaways**

- The form is for plumber and/or gas-fitter certifiers doing prescribed work without payment where the CBOS process applies
- Certifier, owner, relationship, work site, prescribed work and insurance answers need to be clear
- Capture the owner signature while everyone is still on site
- Lodging with CBOS is a separate step from downloading the PDF
- Tradie Forms prepares the official layout; the certifier remains responsible for checking requirements

## What is the gratuitous work form for? [#what-is-the-gratuitous-work-form-for]

CBOS guidance describes gratuitous work as work done for no payment and says a certified plumber must complete a Gratuitous Work Form and lodge it with CBOS for assessment by email or post. The official PDF is titled Gratuitous work - Plumber and/or Gas-fitter (Certifier) only.

In practical terms, the form is for the licensed certifier and property owner to record unpaid prescribed work clearly before it is relied on.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the official PDF layout. It does not decide whether your job qualifies as gratuitous work, whether the prescribed work can proceed, or whether your insurance position is correct. Check current CBOS guidance and the official form before lodging.

## When should you use it on site? [#when-should-you-use-it-on-site]

Use the form when the job fits the current CBOS gratuitous work process and the property owner needs to sign off on the prescribed work being performed without payment.

Common job moments include:

- A licensed plumber helping family with prescribed work
- A gas-fitter certifier doing unpaid work for a person they know
- Charitable work where the prescribed work still needs a clear record
- A job where owner relationship, work site and insurance answers need to be recorded before lodgement

Do not use the form to avoid the normal approval pathway. If you are not sure which process applies, check CBOS guidance before filling the PDF.

Because the work is unpaid, it can feel like something to handle with a handshake. The form is there to make the arrangement visible. It records the certifier, the owner, the work site, the relationship, the work description and the insurance answers in one place.

## Details to gather before filling [#details-to-gather-before-filling]

The form is easiest when the certifier and owner are both available. Before you start, get the current licence details, owner name, site address and insurance information ready. If the owner is not on site, decide how you will get a proper review and signature before relying on the form.

### Certifier details [#certifier-details]

The PDF captures surname, given names, residential and postal address, date of birth, licence number, phone, email and fax where used. Use current licence and contact details. This is not the place for an old business card address or a number you stopped using. Saved licence details can reduce repeat typing in Tradie Forms, but you still need to check them before download.

### Property owner and work site [#property-owner-and-work-site]

The owner section captures the property owner's surname and given names, the work site address, and the relationship or association between the certifier and owner. Be clear about the relationship. Do not write a vague note if the form asks for the association. The person reviewing the PDF should understand why the work is being treated as gratuitous.

For the work site, enter the actual Tasmanian address where the prescribed work will be performed. If the site is rural or hard to identify, add the detail the official form allows and keep supporting notes in the job record.

### Prescribed work description [#prescribed-work-description]

The work description should say what prescribed work will be performed. Keep it practical and specific.

**Prescribed work description**

- **Better** - - Replace section of sanitary plumbing at owner's dwelling
  - Install replacement gas appliance connection at property
  - Repair prescribed plumbing work associated with bathroom alteration (Matches what is actually being done, and no more.)
- **Weak** - - Plumbing
  - Gas work
  - Help with job (Claims more scope than the unpaid work covers.)

### Insurance section [#insurance-section]

The official gratuitous work form includes insurance questions. The PDF references liability insurance for personal injury and damage to property. Answer the questions against the current form wording and your real insurance position. Do not guess. If the insurance answer is unclear, check before lodging.

### Owner sign-off [#owner-sign-off]

The owner signature and date should be captured when the owner has reviewed the details. Do not leave this until after the work is done and everyone has gone home. Ask the owner to read the certifier details, work site, relationship, work description and insurance answers before signing. If they spot a wrong address, spelling error or work description issue, fix it before download.

## A simple gratuitous work workflow [#a-simple-gratuitous-work-workflow]

1. Confirm the job fits the current CBOS gratuitous work process.
2. Open the form before the work details are forgotten.
3. Add certifier details and licence number.
4. Add property owner details and work site address.
5. Describe the relationship or association.
6. Describe the prescribed work.
7. Answer the insurance questions against the current form.
8. Capture owner signature and date.
9. Preview the official PDF layout.
10. Download and lodge or store the finished PDF using the current CBOS process.

Store the finished PDF with any emails to CBOS, owner notes, job photos, insurance checks and related plumbing or gas-fitting records. That habit matters because gratuitous work often happens outside normal invoicing. Without a bill to anchor the record, the PDF and lodgement note become the main paperwork trail.

## Related Tasmanian forms [#related-tasmanian-forms]

Gratuitous work is separate from the usual start and completion flow. Other Tasmanian plumbing paperwork in Tradie Forms includes [TAS Form 60](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-60-start-work), [TAS Form 71B](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-71b-plumbing) and [TAS Form 21](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-21-completion). Use the [TAS plumbing forms list](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-plumbing-forms-list-start-completion-handover) to keep the form set visible as the platform grows, or browse [TAS plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/tas/plumbing). The [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing) has the national set if you work across borders.

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Tradie Forms turns [TAS Gratuitous Work](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-gratuitous-plumbing-work) into sections you work through one at a time for certifier, property owner, work, insurance and owner sign-off.

You can fill the form from a phone, tablet or laptop, reuse certifier licence and contact details, search Tasmanian addresses or type them manually, catch missing fields before download, preview the official PDF layout, and download the finished file for CBOS lodgement and your record.

The value is practical. The owner can review and sign while the work is being discussed, and the certifier can download a clean PDF instead of rebuilding details later. The certifier still checks the official requirements and lodges through the current CBOS pathway.

## Why the relationship question matters [#why-the-relationship-question-matters]

The form asks about the relationship because that is what makes the work gratuitous, and it is the field most often answered loosely.

A vague answer creates the question the form exists to settle. Describing the actual relationship, plainly, is what makes the rest of the document straightforward.

If the arrangement does not clearly fit the gratuitous work pathway, that is worth resolving before the form is completed rather than after. The pathway decides the paperwork, not the other way around.

## Keeping a record of unpaid work [#keeping-a-record-of-unpaid-work]

Work done for family or friends tends not to generate a job file, which is exactly why it causes problems later.

Give it the same job reference treatment as paid work: the form, any photos, and a note of what was done and when. The absence of an invoice is not a reason for the absence of a record, and the properties involved are often the ones you end up back at.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start the [TAS Gratuitous Work template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-gratuitous-plumbing-work) when the pathway is confirmed. Use the [common mistakes guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-tas-gratuitous-work-certificate) as a final checklist, or return to the [TAS plumbing forms list](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-plumbing-forms-list-start-completion-handover) for start and completion forms on paid jobs.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [CBOS gratuitous work guidance](https://www.cbos.tas.gov.au/topics/licensing-and-registration/licensed-occupations/plumbing/doing-work-for-no-payment-gratuitous-work), the official [CBOS gratuitous work form PDF](https://www.cbos.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/414062/Gratuitous-work-form.pdf), the [CBOS approved forms page](https://cbos.tas.gov.au/topics/resources-tools/Building-and-trades-forms%2C-publications-and-report/asset-listings/approved-forms), and the [CBOS guide to approved plumbing forms](https://www.cbos.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/404544/Guide_to_approved_forms_-_plumbing_work.pdf).

# Finish QLD Form 14 permit work sign-off on site (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-14-compliance-declaration-on-site-guide)

Field workflow for the QLD Form 14 compliance declaration: what to gather from the permit, how to separate action notice details, and who signs it off. | State: QLD | Trade: Plumbing | Template: qld-form-14-compliance-declaration

> **Tradie Forms:** complete Queensland Form 14 compliance declarations on the official PDF layout after permitted plumbing work is finished. Capture land, permit, action notice, work, completion, responsible person, and declaration details on site.

Form 14 is the sign-off saying the permitted work was performed and is ready for the next step in the compliance chain. Councils and permit authorities expect the land description, permit references, work performed, completion date, and licensed party details to line up with the job file.

This is the field workflow. For the error list, see [common Form 14 mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-qld-form-14-compliance-declaration); for storage and handover, see [Form 14 record keeping](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-14-compliance-declaration-record-keeping).

**Key takeaways**

- Prepare it from the current permit record, not an old job template
- The land description must identify all land the declaration covers
- Permit details and action notice details go in separate sections
- Describe the completed work, not the whole project
- Responsible person and contractor are distinct blocks

Use the [QLD Form 14 template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-14-compliance-declaration) on site, or browse [QLD plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/plumbing). Working interstate? The [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing) lists the lot.

## What is QLD Form 14 for? [#what-is-qld-form-14-for]

Queensland Form 14 is a compliance declaration for completed plumbing and drainage work under the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019. It confirms the work performed under the permit and supports council or permit authority records.

It is one record in the permit process. It does not replace inspections, testing reports, notices, or other forms that may apply, so use the official forms page and local government guidance to confirm what your job actually needs.

## Is the job ready for this declaration? [#is-the-job-ready-for-this-declaration]

Prepare it from the current permit records and the work actually completed. It is not a generic close-out sheet to be finalised from a saved template.

Before you fill anything in, bring together the issued permit, any action notice, site notes, testing or commissioning records, and the details of the person who performed or supervised the work. That gives you one place to check the declaration against the job, rather than reconstructing a permit number from memory.

## Get the property section from the permit record [#get-the-property-section-from-the-permit-record]

Form 14 asks for a description identifying all land subject to the declaration. Start with the issued permit, then complete the street address plus the extra identifying detail the form allows - lot and plan, tenancy, level, or local government area where relevant.

That extra detail earns its place on a unit, a commercial fit-out, a multi-building site, or a staged project. The delivery address gets you to the gate; it may not identify the part of the land the declaration covers. Do not paste an address from an earlier stage without comparing it against the current permit.

Where the work description names a particular building, tenancy, or component, check it does not conflict with the property information. The finished document should read as one record, not a set of independently completed fields.

## Separate the permit from any action notice [#separate-the-permit-from-any-action-notice]

The form provides a permit section and an action notice section. Read the paperwork carefully so the permit number and issue date land in the permit fields, and an action notice reference and issue date are entered only where an action notice applies.

Do not assume an empty notice field is an error - whether it applies depends on the job and current process. Equally, do not put a notice reference in a permit field because the notice was the document you were sent most recently. Where the correct pathway is unclear, ask the local government or responsible person before signing.

Save the actual permit and notice alongside the finished declaration, so an office handover has the original source for each number and date.

## Describe what was completed, not the whole project [#describe-what-was-completed-not-the-whole-project]

Three lines. That is the whole account of what was declared, so it is worth more than a project label.

The work section briefly describes the plumbing work performed. Use plain job language matching the permit scope and job records.

**Work performed**

- **This** - Install and test sanitary drainage to new ensuite and laundry, connected to existing sewer at boundary shaft (Uses the same language as the permit scope and job records.)
- **Not this** - Work complete (Tells nobody anything months later.)

Keep it accurate and bounded. Describe the completed plumbing or drainage work, not unrelated work elsewhere on the project. Where work is still in progress or the scope changed, stop and confirm which part is ready to be declared and whether another record is needed.

Do not use the declaration date as a substitute for checking the actual completion date. On a busy handover, write the description while the responsible person is still available - they can confirm it matches the work they performed or supervised, and you can correct it before a signature goes on.

## Check the people blocks before signing [#check-the-people-blocks-before-signing]

The responsible person is the licensed person who performed or supervised the work. The contractor section is for contractor details where the responsible person is not the contractor. They are separate blocks, not duplicate contact fields.

Use current licence, phone, email, and postal details. Saved details save typing and quietly carry an old business name or address into a fresh job.

Have the responsible person review the finished document - work description and dates included - then sign and date it once it is complete. This review matters even for someone who completes Form 14 every week. A signature makes a document look final, and catching a blank field or mismatched permit reference before that point is much simpler than sending a replacement.

## The on-site sequence [#the-on-site-sequence]

Use this order before you leave the job:

1. Open the current permit, any action notice, and the job records
2. Copy the full property details from the permit
3. Enter the permit number and issue date, then action notice details only where they apply
4. Write a clear description of the completed work and confirm the completion date
5. Check responsible person and contractor details against current records
6. Preview the document, have the responsible person review it, then sign and date the final version

The [QLD Form 14 template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-14-compliance-declaration) places property, permit, action notice, work, completion, people, and declaration fields into sections you work through one at a time, flags missing declaration fields, reuses saved licence details, and previews the official layout. The licensed person remains responsible for confirming the completed declaration and the relevant permit requirements.

## Completion checks [#completion-checks]

- Land description covers the full site as the permit describes it
- Permit number and issue date match council paperwork
- Action notice details included only where they apply
- Work description and completion date match the job records
- Responsible person licence details are current
- Declaration signature and date are complete

## What the declaration actually commits you to [#what-the-declaration-actually-commits-you-to]

The form is short, which makes it easy to treat as a formality. It is a declaration, and the person signing is stating something about the work.

That means the person named should be the person who can stand behind the claim, not whoever happened to be free when the pack was assembled. On a job where several people contributed, the declaration covers what the declarant is responsible for, and the scope wording is what keeps that boundary visible.

The practical habit is to read the declaration wording on the form itself before signing rather than relying on memory of what it says. Forms get revised. A declaration you signed twenty times last year may not say exactly what it said then.

## Getting it right when the job runs long [#getting-it-right-when-the-job-runs-long]

Jobs that stretch across weeks create a specific problem for a declaration made at completion.

Details drift. The licence renews, the responsible person changes, a variation alters the scope, and the declaration gets completed from the state of the job at the start rather than at the end. The fix is to build the declaration from the current job record on the day it is signed, not from the details captured when the job was quoted.

Where the responsible person changed mid-job, that needs resolving before the declaration is made rather than being papered over. Two people who each did part of the work and one signature covering both is a position nobody wants to explain later.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Store the finished Form 14 with the permit, notices, job records, and the documents supporting the declared work. Depending on the job that may include [QLD Form 1](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-1-permit-work), [QLD Form 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-5-testing), [QLD PDR Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-12-specialised-work), or [QLD Form 19](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-19-final-inspection).

Use a filename identifying the site and declaration date, then send it through the lodgement or handover route the job requires. Tradie Forms maps entries onto the official PDF layout; it does not lodge the form or make a permit decision.

See the [QLD plumbing forms list](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-plumbing-forms-list-permit-inspection-handover) for how Form 14 sits with the rest of the set.

## Official references [#official-references]

Business Queensland publishes Form 14 as the plumbing and drainage compliance declaration listed for lodgement with local government. Check the [Business Queensland plumbing forms page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/forms-templates), the [current Form 14 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/3753/form14plumbingdrainageregulation2019.pdf), and the [Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019](https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2019-0042) before you lodge.

# TAS Form 21 vs Form 71B: which plumbing certificate do you need? (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-21-vs-form-71b-plumbing-guide)

Compare TAS Form 21 and Form 71B for plumbing close-out, see when each certificate applies, and keep both records together for handover. | State: TAS | Trade: Plumbing | Template: tas-form-21-completion

> **Tradie Forms:** keep TAS Form 21 and Form 71B clear in the job record. Fill it in one section at a time, reuse plumber and permit authority details, preview the official PDF layouts and download clean files on site.

Tasmanian plumbing paperwork can get confusing near completion because Form 21 and Form 71B both sound like close-out forms. They are related, but they are not the same form and they should not be treated as interchangeable.

Form 71B is the standard of work certificate for plumbing work. Form 21 is the certificate of completion for plumbing work. On the tools, that difference matters because one points to the plumber's work certificate and the other to the completion certificate record.

This guide compares [TAS Form 21](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-21-completion) and [TAS Form 71B](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-71b-plumbing) from a field and office point of view. For the wider set, use the [TAS plumbing forms list](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-plumbing-forms-list-start-completion-handover) or browse [TAS plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/tas/plumbing).

**Key takeaways**

- Form 71B is the standard of work certificate; Form 21 is the certificate of completion
- Form 60 often sits before both as the start work notification
- Keep both PDFs with the same job when both apply, with matching site and permit details
- Do not use either form to guess the work category or regulatory pathway
- Tradie Forms prepares the official layouts; the responsible parties still check which forms apply

## What is the short difference between Form 21 and Form 71B? [#what-is-the-short-difference-between-form-21-and-form-71b]

The CBOS approved forms page lists Form 21 as Certificate of Completion - Plumbing Work and Form 71B as Standard of Work Certificate - Plumbing Work.

In plain language:

- Use Form 71B for the standard of work certificate from the plumber side of the completion record
- Use Form 21 for the certificate of completion record
- Keep both with the job where both apply
- Do not use either form to guess the work category or regulatory pathway

Name the job moment. If the question is "what standard of work has the plumber certified?", look at Form 71B. If the question is "what completion certificate record is being issued for the plumbing work?", look at Form 21.

## Where does Form 60 sit before both? [#where-does-form-60-sit-before-both]

Before comparing the two close-out forms, remember [TAS Form 60](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-60-start-work). The CBOS approved forms page lists Form 60 as the start work notification and authorisation for plumbing work. Existing Tasmanian workflows often start the paperwork before the work begins, then close it out with standard of work and completion records.

A clean job file may include:

1. Form 60 before work starts
2. Form 71B when the standard of work certificate is due
3. Form 21 for the certificate of completion record

The [Form 60 and Form 71B workflow guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-60-form-71b-plumbing-workflow-guide) covers running start and standard of work as one record. This page is only about telling Form 21 and Form 71B apart at close-out.

## What does Form 71B capture? [#what-does-form-71b-capture]

Form 71B records the standard of work certificate for plumbing work. The template in Tradie Forms captures recipient details, plumber details, owner copy details, work type, certificate of likely compliance references where applicable, work site, work description and certification.

For the plumber, Form 71B is often the close-out form that should be completed while the work details are still fresh. It asks for the work site and description of work, not just "job finished".

Good Form 71B habits include:

- Entering the owner details for the owner copy
- Checking plumber licence and contact details
- Matching work type to the job record
- Adding clear work site details
- Writing a work description that can be understood later
- Keeping the PDF with inspection notes and completion records

Form 71B: the standard of work certificate.

Because Form 71B is close to the work itself, fill it while readings, site notes and scope details are still fresh. A clear work description makes the later completion record easier to understand. Field detail lives in the [Form 71B standard of work guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-71b-standard-of-work-certificate-guide).

## What does Form 21 capture? [#what-does-form-21-capture]

Form 21 is the certificate of completion for plumbing work. The template in Tradie Forms captures owner or agent details, permit authority details, work classification, property, permit references, plumber details, certificate basis and sign-off.

Form 21 is useful when the completion certificate record needs to be prepared cleanly and stored with the job. It should match the permit file, work details and plumber record.

Good Form 21 habits include:

- Confirming the permit authority for the site
- Entering owner or agent details accurately
- Matching property and permit references to the job record
- Keeping plumber details consistent with related forms
- Previewing the certificate before you complete
- Storing the PDF with the rest of the close-out record

Form 21: the certificate of completion. Same job, later stage, different document.

Because Form 21 carries permit authority and sign-off details, check it against the authority's file, not just the plumber's field notes. The plumber's notes help, but the completion certificate record needs to match the official job pathway. See also the [Form 21 certificate of completion guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-21-certificate-completion-plumbing-guide).

## Side-by-side field check [#side-by-side-field-check]

### If you are recording plumber certification [#if-you-are-recording-plumber-certification]

Form 71B is more likely the form you are thinking of. It asks for plumber details, owner copy details, work type, work site and standard of work certification.

### If you are preparing completion certificate records [#if-you-are-preparing-completion-certificate-records]

Form 21 is more likely the form. It asks for owner or agent details, permit authority details, work and plumber details, and sign-off.

### If work has not started yet [#if-work-has-not-started-yet]

Do not start with either close-out form. Check whether Form 60 or another approved form is required before work begins.

### If the work is unpaid gratuitous work [#if-the-work-is-unpaid-gratuitous-work]

Check the [TAS Gratuitous Work](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-gratuitous-plumbing-work) form and current CBOS guidance for prescribed work done without payment. That pathway is separate from the normal Form 21 and Form 71B close-out pair.

## Common mix-ups [#common-mix-ups]

**Sending Form 21 when the owner asked for the plumber certificate.** If the owner asks for the plumber's certificate, they may be asking for Form 71B. Confirm the request before sending the wrong PDF.

**Preparing Form 71B but forgetting the completion record.** The standard of work certificate may not be the last document in the file. Check whether Form 21 is also needed.

**How the two forms identify the job**

- **This** - 14 Elphin Road, Launceston. Permit PP-2026-0418. Owner: A and J Jones. (Real property, permit and owner details tie both forms to one job record.)
- **Not this** - Jones bathroom, Tuesday (Two forms with two nicknames cannot be joined up at close-out.)

**Using job nicknames instead of permit references.** Both forms should connect to the same job record.

**Splitting the forms across different folders.** If both apply to the same job, keep them together so future close-out is easier.

## Questions to resolve before opening either form [#questions-to-resolve-before-opening-either-form]

Ask these on site or in the office before someone fills a PDF:

- What category of plumbing work is this under the current Tasmanian process?
- Is there a permit authority, permit reference or certificate of likely compliance that must appear in the record?
- Has the work started, reached a handover point or reached final completion?
- Which licensed person is responsible for the work described on this certificate?

If the answer is unclear, pause and check the CBOS guidance or the permit authority. Guessing from the form number is not a safe workflow. This guide is a field aid, not legal or regulatory advice.

## Make the forms agree without copying blindly [#make-the-forms-agree-without-copying-blindly]

Shared details should be consistent, but that does not mean every line belongs on every form. Check the owner name, site address, relevant job reference, plumber details and work description against the source record. Then read the completed PDF as if you were the permit authority or owner receiving it for the first time.

Tradie Forms keeps Form 21 and Form 71B as separate templates and maps each entry to its own official PDF layout. Saved details reduce repeated typing; they still need a job-specific check. Preview the document before download, then store it with the related evidence rather than leaving it in a downloads folder.

## Record keeping for both forms [#record-keeping-for-both-forms]

When both Form 21 and Form 71B apply, store them in one close-out folder with:

- Form 60 start work notification where relevant
- Permit or certificate of likely compliance references
- Inspection notes
- As-constructed drawings where relevant
- Owner completion emails
- Photos and site notes
- Any permit authority correspondence

Use filenames that make the difference clear, for example including the form number, site, date and job reference. Send the right document to the right person: the owner may need their copy of the standard of work certificate, and the permit authority may need the record specified by the applicable process. Confirm delivery requirements from current official guidance rather than treating email to one person as the complete process.

When the plumber sends details back to the office, name the form needed and the job stage. A useful note might say Form 71B is ready for the standard of work certificate and Form 21 is still waiting on permit authority sign-off. That is much clearer than "completion form needed".

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start [TAS Form 71B](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-71b-plumbing) when the plumber standard of work certificate is due, or [TAS Form 21](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-21-completion) when the certificate of completion record is being prepared. Use [TAS Form 60](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-60-start-work) before work starts where that notice applies.

For the full stage list, read the [TAS plumbing forms list](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-plumbing-forms-list-start-completion-handover). Browse [TAS plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/tas/plumbing) for the live templates. Working interstate? The [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing) lists the lot.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [CBOS approved forms page](https://cbos.tas.gov.au/topics/resources-tools/Building-and-trades-forms%2C-publications-and-report/asset-listings/approved-forms), the [CBOS guide to approved plumbing forms](https://www.cbos.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/404544/Guide_to_approved_forms_-_plumbing_work.pdf), the [CBOS Guide to the Building Act 2016](https://www.cbos.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/405039/Guide_to_the_Building_Act_2016.pdf), and the current [Building Act 2016](https://www.legislation.tas.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/act-2016-025).

# Common QLD Form 19 final inspection certificate mistakes (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-qld-form-19-final-inspection)

The Form 19 errors that cause Queensland plumbing rework: wrong scope, stale permit details, vague distinct-part wording, and drafts sent as the owner copy. | State: QLD | Trade: Plumbing | Template: qld-form-19-final-inspection

Form 19 problems almost always come from a mismatch: the certificate says all work is covered when only part was inspected, or the permit number points at a version of the job that no longer exists.

Use this alongside the [Form 19 certificate guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-19-final-inspection-certificate-guide) and the [Form 19 record keeping guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-19-final-inspection-record-keeping-handover).

**Key takeaways**

- The authority issues the certificate; the plumber does not sign it off
- Declaration scope must match the work actually inspected
- A distinct part needs an identifier a stranger can locate
- Permit details must come from the current permit, not the original one
- A preview is not the owner copy

Use the [QLD Form 19 template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-19-final-inspection) as your review checklist, or browse [QLD plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/plumbing). The [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing) covers the other states.

## Start with the right person and the right job moment [#start-with-the-right-person-and-the-right-job-moment]

Form 19 is used by the local government or public sector entity for a final inspection certificate. It is not the plumber's own declaration of completion.

The [Queensland inspection certificates guidance](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/inspection-certificates) says the certificate can be issued when all permit work, or a distinct part of it, is complete and the authority is satisfied it is compliant, operational, and fit for use. That distinction prevents the most common office mistake: asking a contractor to sign off a Form 19 as though it were a Form 14 or Form 5.

Before anyone opens the form, confirm the job is actually at final inspection. Where an action notice is unresolved, an appeal is running, or a required permit amendment has not happened, a local government cannot issue the certificate. That is a job-status problem, not a wording problem in the PDF.

## Mistake 1: Certifying the wrong scope [#mistake-1-certifying-the-wrong-scope]

Recording all work when only part of the permitted work was inspected creates a record that does not match the site, and it is the error most likely to surface years later during a sale or a fault.

Declare the scope actually inspected. Where coverage is partial, say so plainly and link the declaration to the specific part.

## Mistake 2: Confusing Form 19 with Form 21 [#mistake-2-confusing-form-19-with-form-21]

Similar completion-related forms in the Queensland set get mixed up, particularly by offices working across several jobs at once.

Confirm which certificate the job requires against the current forms page before filling anything in. The [Form 21 final inspection guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-21-final-inspection-certificate-guide) covers where that one applies.

## Mistake 3: Using old permit details [#mistake-3-using-old-permit-details]

On a long job, an amendment can change scope, address detail, or work description. A copied permit number still looks believable while pointing at the wrong version of the job.

Put the current permit and every amendment in front of whoever prepares the certificate. Compare the permit number, issue date, land description, and the work being certified. Where the certificate covers a distinct part, make the link to that part explicit.

## Mistake 4: Treating a distinct part as a vague partial job [#mistake-4-treating-a-distinct-part-as-a-vague-partial-job]

Queensland guidance gives one or more townhouses in a complex as an example of a distinct part. "Stage one" or "rear works" makes sense to the crew and means nothing to an owner, a council officer, or a service team five years from now.

Use an identifier from the permit pack: dwelling number, building, level, lot, unit, or an attached plan reference. Store the supporting plan or inspection note with the certificate. The form should never make a reader guess which finished portion was certified.

## Mistake 5: Weak property identification [#mistake-5-weak-property-identification]

A street number is useful on site, but the certificate has room for a fuller description of land. On new estates and multi-unit work, lot and plan details are what separate the right record from the one next door.

**Description of land**

- **This** - Lot 214 on SP 318776, 12 Hillcrest Rise, Ripley QLD 4306 (Ties the certificate to the title, not to a sign in the dirt.)
- **Not this** - 12 Hillcrest Rise (On a new estate, half the street has no letterbox yet.)

Check title or permit information rather than relying on a GPS pin or a builder's shorthand. Where the certificate covers part of a property, identify the land first, then the completed part of the permit work.

## Mistake 6: Assuming Form 19 is the first inspection record [#mistake-6-assuming-form-19-is-the-first-inspection-record]

Permit work has its own inspection process during the job. The responsible person must request inspection, and Queensland guidance indicates work generally needs inspection before it is covered, or within a short window after a stage is reached.

A final certificate at the end does not replace the records needed along the way. Keep the inspection booking, site notes, Form 3 or Form 5 where relevant, and any authority correspondence in the job folder so the final inspection meets a clean trail rather than a reconstruction.

## Mistake 7: Marking work fit for use in the wrong place [#mistake-7-marking-work-fit-for-use-in-the-wrong-place]

Queensland guidance says plumbing or drainage resulting from permit work must not be used unless an inspection certificate or final inspection certificate states it is operational and fit for use.

Do not treat an internal handover email, a work order status, or an unsigned draft as that certificate. Check the issued Form 19 itself before the job is marked complete, confirm the issuing authority, issue date, and the wording in the certification block, then keep the issued copy with the permit.

## Mistake 8: Issuing authority copied from another council [#mistake-8-issuing-authority-copied-from-another-council]

Authorities and public entities vary by local government area, and details carried over from the last job are wrong more often than they are right.

Use the issuing authority details for the current permit, every time.

## Mistake 9: Letting the certificate number become an afterthought [#mistake-9-letting-the-certificate-number-become-an-afterthought]

Where the issuing process provides a certificate number, record it exactly and make it searchable in the job file. Do not create an internal number that looks like the authority's number, and keep the two references clearly separate if you use both.

When a builder asks for a copy, a readable filename, a permit reference, and the issued certificate number beat a folder of unnamed PDFs.

## Mistake 10: Sending a draft as the owner copy [#mistake-10-sending-a-draft-as-the-owner-copy]

The guidance indicates the permit holder and owner receive copies. A preview is useful for checking blank fields and scope, but it is not the final record, and a draft saved on a phone gets attached to an email by mistake more often than anyone admits.

Use a release check: preview the document, confirm the certification details against the issued record, name the final file with the site and permit reference, then save it to the job folder before sharing. Log who received it if your business records handover.

## Mistake 11: Ignoring a conflicting site record [#mistake-11-ignoring-a-conflicting-site-record]

Where the date in the inspection note, the permit record, and the draft certificate do not line up, do not pick the one that looks most likely.

Find the source record, clarify the discrepancy with the issuing authority or job lead, and save the answer with the file. A quiet correction now beats an explanation after copies have gone out.

## The five-minute review [#the-five-minute-review]

Put the permit, site notes, and issued certificate details beside the document preview. Read the property and permit blocks out loud. Check all-work or distinct-part scope. Then check date, authority, and certificate number, and confirm this is the final version before it goes in the job folder.

It is short enough to use every time, and it keeps the certificate connected to what was actually inspected.

## The pattern behind most of these [#the-pattern-behind-most-of-these]

Almost all of these errors happen at handover, when the certificate is needed immediately and gets completed from memory or from a previous job.

Preparing it at the inspection, while the work and the job record are both in front of you, removes the majority. The description is accurate, the references are checkable, and anything outstanding is visible rather than assumed.

## Scope is the field worth slowing down on [#scope-is-the-field-worth-slowing-down-on]

If one field repays attention it is the description of what was inspected.

A thin description invites the assumption that the certificate covered everything, which is the assumption behind most later disputes. A description naming what was inspected and where the boundary sat is short to write and is the part that protects you.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Gather the current permit, any amendments, inspection notes, and the issued certificate, then compare property, permit, and scope once rather than trusting a previous draft. Make one final PDF the source of truth for the office, permit holder, and owner.

[QLD Form 19 in Tradie Forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-19-final-inspection) saves the usual property and authority details one section at a time, flags missing fields, and shows the official layout before you download. It does not inspect work, issue a certificate, or decide that a certificate is available. See the [QLD plumbing forms list](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-plumbing-forms-list-permit-inspection-handover) for how Form 19 sits with the rest of the set.

## Official references [#official-references]

Use the [Business Queensland plumbing and drainage forms page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/forms-templates) to find the current Form 19, and read the [inspection certificates guidance](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/inspection-certificates) with the current [Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019](https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2019-0042) for the job.

# Prepare QLD Form 12 specialist work statements on site (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-12-specialised-work-on-site-guide)

Field workflow for the QLD Form 12 specialist work compliance statement: what to gather from the permit pack, what order to fill it, and who signs it off. | State: QLD | Trade: Plumbing | Template: qld-form-12-specialised-work

> **Tradie Forms:** complete Queensland Form 12 specialist work compliance statements on the official PDF layout before attaching them to a permit application. Capture property, work scope, basis, references, and qualified person details on site.

Form 12 is not a tick-and-flick. It asks for the property, the specialist work scope, the technical basis for the statement, supporting references, and the suitably qualified person giving it.

This is the field workflow. If the first question is whether the permit needs this statement, read [when a QLD plumbing job needs Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-pdr-form-12-specialist-work-online-guide). For the error list, see [common QLD Form 12 mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-qld-form-12-specialised-work). If you are not sure which Form 12 the job needs, start with [PDR Form 12 vs building Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-pdr-form-12-vs-building-form-12-guide).

**Key takeaways**

- Form 12 supports specialist plumbing or drainage work under the plumbing regulation
- Start from the permit pack, not a blank PDF
- The basis section records the publications actually relied on, not a standard block
- The land description must cover the full application land
- Sign-off happens against the finished document, and the date follows the sign-off

Use the [QLD Form 12 template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-12-specialised-work), or browse [QLD plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/plumbing).

## What is QLD Form 12 for? [#what-is-qld-form-12-for]

Queensland Form 12 is a compliance statement for specialist plumbing or drainage work under the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019, used where a suitably qualified person gives a statement supporting specialist work as part of the permit process. The official PDF identifies it as being used for section 45(2)(b) of that regulation.

Business Queensland lists it among the plumbing and drainage forms lodged with local government, which is why the permit pack is the right starting point.

## Start with the permit pack, not a blank PDF [#start-with-the-permit-pack-not-a-blank-pdf]

Gather the current drawings, specifications, reports, and local government correspondence before you type anything. Check the document revision, issue date, and project name on each one - a document can look familiar while belonging to an earlier design change or a different stage of the same project.

The form does not need the whole project file copied into it. It needs a clear statement connecting the land, the specialist work, the basis, and the person giving it. Keep the source documents beside the finished statement so the record still makes sense in a year.

## Identify the land the statement covers [#identify-the-land-the-statement-covers]

Complete the address fields from the current permit material, including the local government area. Where the site has a tenancy, shop, or storey level, use those details.

This matters most on multi-unit sites and staged jobs. A delivery address gets the crew to the right gate while leaving the statement vague about which part of the development is covered. The work description should support the land details rather than substitute for them.

Before moving on, compare the completed property section against the permit - spelling, suburb, postcode, local government area. Then ask whether someone who never attended site could tell which land and which part of the job the statement relates to.

## Write a work description that matches the specialist scope [#write-a-work-description-that-matches-the-specialist-scope]

The work section is not a general project summary. Describe the extent of specialist plumbing or drainage work covered, in terms that match the current design documents. Clear and bounded beats broad.

**Specialist work description**

- **This** - Trade waste pre-treatment system to tenancy 4, as shown on hydraulic drawings H12 to H15, Rev B (Identifies the system and area without claiming more than the design supports.)
- **Not this** - Plumbing works (An invoice label. It links the statement to nothing.)

Three lines, which is the hint: a bounded scope, not a project summary.

## Explain the basis for giving the statement [#explain-the-basis-for-giving-the-statement]

The basis section is where the suitably qualified person records the basis for the statement and the publications relied on. Use the material actually used for the job: current drawings, specifications, reports, and the relevant laws, codes, or standards.

Be accurate rather than exhaustive. A long copied list of standards is less useful than a short list that genuinely relates to the specialist work. Where you name a drawing or report, include enough identifying information to distinguish it from older versions. If there is uncertainty about the technical basis, resolve it with the appropriate person before the statement is signed.

An online form can keep this in its own section so it is not buried in a notes field, but it cannot verify that a publication applies. The licensed person giving the statement owns that judgement.

The basis gets four lines of its own, separate from the work description above it.

## Record references and supporting documents [#record-references-and-supporting-documents]

Use the references section for the local government reference and supporting documentation details. Copy the reference from current correspondence or permit paperwork rather than memory.

This is the point to make the digital record tidy. Save the finished statement in the same folder as the document versions named in it, with a filename carrying the site and date. When a later question comes from the office, the local government, or the qualified person, the statement should not be separated from the material it relies on.

Do not invent a reference where the information is not yet available. Save a draft and confirm it through the permit process - a nearly complete form is easier to finish correctly than a sent PDF with a guess in it.

## Make the qualified person check meaningful [#make-the-qualified-person-check-meaningful]

The qualified person section captures name, company where applicable, licence information, and contact details. The declaration records qualification, signature, and date. Those details belong to the person actually giving the statement.

Use saved licence details as a starting point only, and check them against current records. That catches an old phone number, a changed company name, or a licence detail carried over from another staff member. It also gives the signer a genuine chance to confirm the scope and basis rather than signing a form they have not read.

The kind of qualified person is ticked here, and it has to describe whoever signs at the bottom.

The handover is simple: the person preparing the statement gathers the site, work, and document references; the suitably qualified person reviews the finished document against the permit material, confirms their declaration option, then signs and dates it.

## The on-site order [#the-on-site-order]

1. Check the current permit pack, drawings, and specifications
2. Complete the land details, including tenancy or level where needed
3. Describe the exact specialist work covered
4. Record the actual basis and publications relied on
5. Add the local government reference and supporting documents
6. Have the suitably qualified person review, sign, and date the final version

The [QLD Form 12 template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-12-specialised-work) follows that order one section at a time, reuses saved qualified-person details, catches missing required fields, and previews the official layout. Check the finished document before attaching it through the process the local government requires.

## Completion checks [#completion-checks]

- Property description covers the full application land
- Work scope matches the specialist design
- Basis and publications are listed clearly and currently
- Local government reference is included
- Qualified person qualification, signature, and date are complete

## What to check before you leave site [#what-to-check-before-you-leave-site]

The form is short enough that it gets completed in the ute, which is where the avoidable errors come from.

Complete it while the work is still in front of you. The description is more accurate, the extent of what you did is fresh, and anything you need to check is a few steps away rather than a phone call tomorrow.

Confirm the property and permit references against the job record rather than from memory. On a job with several lots or a staged permit, those are the fields most likely to be wrong and the ones that cause the pack to be sent back.

## When the scope changed during the work [#when-the-scope-changed-during-the-work]

Specialised work gets varied on site more often than the paperwork suggests, and the statement should describe what was actually done.

If the work differed from what was planned, describe the work as carried out rather than as designed. A statement that matches the plan but not the installation is worse than one that visibly records a variation, because the mismatch surfaces at the worst possible moment, which is usually during a later inspection.

Where the variation is significant enough to affect the approval, that is a conversation with the certifier rather than something to resolve in the description.

## Keep Form 12 with the next records [#keep-form-12-with-the-next-records]

The statement is one part of the project record. Store it with the permit application, the current specialist design documents, and the later records that apply to the work - a [QLD Form 1 permit work application](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-1-permit-work), [QLD Form 5 testing or commissioning report](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-5-testing), [QLD Form 14 compliance declaration](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-14-compliance-declaration), or [QLD Form 19 final inspection certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-19-final-inspection), depending on the job.

For the wider sequence, see the [QLD plumbing forms list](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-plumbing-forms-list-permit-inspection-handover) or browse [QLD plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/plumbing). Form choice and lodgement requirements depend on the work and the local government process, so check current official information before you submit. The [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing) has the national set if you work across borders.

## Official references [#official-references]

Business Queensland publishes Form 12 as the compliance statement for specialised work and lists it as a form lodged with local government. Check the [Business Queensland plumbing forms page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/forms-templates), the [current Form 12 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/3751/form12plumbingdrainageregulation2019.pdf), and the [Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019](https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2019-0042). Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the official PDF layout; it does not lodge the form or replace the qualified person's check.

# Common QLD Form 14 compliance declaration mistakes plumbers make (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-qld-form-14-compliance-declaration)

The Form 14 errors that slow Queensland plumbing sign-off: wrong permit numbers, thin land descriptions, missing action notices, and stale licence details. | State: QLD | Trade: Plumbing | Template: qld-form-14-compliance-declaration

Form 14 errors surface after the work is done: a wrong permit number, an incomplete land description, a missing action notice reference, or licence details carried over from an old job.

Use this alongside the [Form 14 on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-14-compliance-declaration-on-site-guide) and the [Form 14 record keeping guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-14-compliance-declaration-record-keeping).

**Key takeaways**

- Permit and action notice references must match the council file
- The land description must cover all land the declaration is about
- Work performed and completion date should match the real job timeline
- Responsible person and contractor are separate roles with separate fields
- Sign only once the record is actually complete

Use the [QLD Form 14 template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-14-compliance-declaration), or browse [QLD plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/plumbing). See the [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing) for the rest of the Australian set.

## Mistake 1: Using the wrong permit number [#mistake-1-using-the-wrong-permit-number]

Permit numbers get copied from the builder's email, an old Form 1, or a different stage of the job. All three produce a number that looks right.

Read the permit number and issue date from the current council issue paperwork, and check them together - a date that does not belong with the number is a reliable sign something has been carried over.

## Mistake 2: Describing only part of the land [#mistake-2-describing-only-part-of-the-land]

The declaration must identify all land the subject of the declaration, not just the street address line you remember first.

On a straightforward house, the street address may be recognisable enough. On a unit, multi-building site, shop tenancy, or staged project the permit record usually carries lot and plan information, tenancy, level, or local government area. Use the permit documents as the source of truth.

An address from a purchase order, job management system, or delivery docket gets the crew to site. It is not necessarily the description used in the permit record. Compare the finished declaration against the permit before it leaves the phone or the office.

Where the declaration covers a particular tenancy, building, or stage, let the work description reinforce the location without trying to replace the property details.

## Mistake 3: Mixing up permit details and action notice details [#mistake-3-mixing-up-permit-details-and-action-notice-details]

Form 14 has separate sections for the permit and for an action notice where one applies. Not every declaration needs every field, and a notice number does not belong in the permit field.

Read the current permit, any action notice, and local government correspondence together before starting. Where an action notice applies, copy its reference and date from the notice itself. Where the correct pathway is unclear, check with the local government or the responsible person rather than guessing.

Keep the source documents in the job record. A photo of a notice in a group chat is not a good source for final data - use the issued document or an approved digital copy, and make sure dates have not been carried over from a different stage.

## Mistake 4: Vague work performed descriptions [#mistake-4-vague-work-performed-descriptions]

A council officer reading the declaration months later has only this field to tell them what was covered.

**Work performed**

- **This** - Install and test sanitary drainage to new ensuite and laundry, connect to existing sewer at boundary shaft (Matches the permit wording and names what was tested.)
- **Not this** - Plumbing works complete (Does not distinguish this job from any other on the street.)

Describe the plumbing or drainage work actually installed, tested, or commissioned, in the same terms used in the permit documents. Short and specific works best. Where several components are involved, say enough to distinguish completed work from work still in progress.

## Mistake 5: Declaring before the completion details are known [#mistake-5-declaring-before-the-completion-details-are-known]

The form carries a work description, a completion date, and a declaration, and all three should describe work that has actually been performed.

Do not set the completion date from a booking date, a promised handover, or the day an invoice was drafted. On a job that has changed scope, take a moment with the responsible person and the job records to confirm which work is being declared, whether it is complete for the purpose of the declaration, and what supporting reports, test results, or inspection correspondence belong beside it.

The declaration does not replace the other records that apply to the job.

## Mistake 6: Confusing the responsible person and the contractor [#mistake-6-confusing-the-responsible-person-and-the-contractor]

The responsible person section is for the licensed person who performed or supervised the work. The contractor fields are separate, and they are not always the same party.

This goes wrong most often when the office pre-fills from the last job. Saved information helps, but it needs reviewing against the actual person, licence, and contact details involved in this work.

Make final sign-off a two-person check where it makes sense: whoever prepared the declaration compares property, permit, action notice, and work details, then the licensed person confirms the people, licence information, declaration, and date before signing. That is faster than unwinding a signed document later.

## Mistake 7: Stale licence details [#mistake-7-stale-licence-details]

Licence numbers and responsible person names get copied forward from the last job and quietly go out of date.

Apply saved licence details only after confirming they are current for this person and this work.

## Mistake 8: Signing before the form is complete [#mistake-8-signing-before-the-form-is-complete]

A signed declaration with missing permit or completion details creates rework under pressure, usually at the worst moment.

Complete the record, review it, then sign.

## Mistake 9: Not reading the document as a whole [#mistake-9-not-reading-the-document-as-a-whole]

Field-by-field completion hides problems that are obvious on the finished page. Preview the official layout and read the property, permit, notice, work, and declaration sections top to bottom, as someone who was never on the job.

Look for the simple mismatches: a suburb from the last project, a postcode that does not match the land description, a permit date that does not belong with the number, a blank action notice field where one applies, or a completion date falling after the declaration date.

## A clean close-out routine [#a-clean-close-out-routine]

Before you leave site or send the document to the office:

1. Match property details to the current permit, including lot, plan, tenancy, or level where relevant
2. Match permit number and issue date to the issued permit
3. Check whether an action notice applies and copy its reference and date from the notice
4. Describe the completed work in terms that match the job records
5. Confirm the completion date with the person responsible for the work
6. Check responsible person and contractor details against current licence and business records
7. Preview the document, then sign and date it once the details are final

Use the current permit documents as the source for every number and date. That discipline keeps the declaration tied to the actual job rather than to a copied template or an old email thread.

It also leaves the person signing one simple question: does this document describe this completed work, at this land, under this permit? If not, go back to the job documents and correct it before signing.

## Why most of these happen at the same moment [#why-most-of-these-happen-at-the-same-moment]

Nearly every item above occurs during close-out, when the declaration is remembered late and completed quickly from whatever details are to hand.

Preparing it when the work finishes rather than when the pack is due removes most of them. The details are current, the person responsible is contactable, and there is time to check a reference against the job record instead of typing it from memory.

Where a job genuinely closes out under pressure, run a short deliberate check rather than filling faster. The list above takes two minutes and catches the errors that otherwise come back as a query weeks later.

## Read it as the recipient will [#read-it-as-the-recipient-will]

The last check is opening the finished PDF on a phone.

Entries that looked complete in the form can land badly on the page: a description that overruns, a licence number that reads ambiguously, a date field that is empty because it was never required on screen. All of it is obvious on the PDF and invisible before it.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Save the finished document with the permit, notices, job photos, testing or commissioning records, and any later inspection certificates. Related paperwork may include [QLD Form 1](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-1-permit-work), [QLD Form 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-5-testing), [QLD PDR Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-12-specialised-work), and [QLD Form 19](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-19-final-inspection).

Start the [QLD Form 14](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-14-compliance-declaration), or see the [QLD plumbing forms list](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-plumbing-forms-list-permit-inspection-handover) for the wider set.

Tradie Forms organises Form 14 into property, permit, action notice, work, completion, responsible person, contractor, and declaration sections, flags required gaps, reuses saved licence details, and previews the official layout. It does not decide what the permit or notice requires, and the licensed person remains responsible for the declaration.

## Official references [#official-references]

Business Queensland publishes Form 14 as a compliance declaration among the plumbing and drainage forms lodged with local government. Check the [Business Queensland plumbing forms page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/forms-templates) and the [Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019](https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2019-0042), along with [Business Queensland inspection certificates guidance](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/inspection-certificates) for how the certificates fit together and the [QBCC guidance on common notifiable work errors](https://qbcc.qld.gov.au/worksite-building-practice/plumbing-work/avoid-common-notifiable-work-errors) for the errors the regulator sees most. Confirm the permit and local government requirements before lodging.

# QLD Form 19 completion: record keeping after final inspection (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-19-final-inspection-record-keeping-handover)

How to file a QLD Form 19 final inspection certificate so the scope is unmistakable later, what to keep with it, and how to word the owner and builder copy. | State: QLD | Trade: Plumbing | Template: qld-form-19-final-inspection

> **Tradie Forms:** prepare QLD Form 19 on the official PDF layout, then keep the final inspection certificate with the permit, inspection notes, and owner completion record.

A Form 19 is most useful when it is easy to find later. The certificate may be wanted by the owner, permit holder, builder, local government, public sector entity, office admin, or a future service crew - and rarely by the person who filed it.

Saved as a loose PDF, the job story gets hard to follow. Stored with the permit, inspection record, scope evidence, and completion notes, anyone can see what was certified and when.

This covers what happens after the certificate exists. For preparing it, see the [Form 19 certificate guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-19-final-inspection-certificate-guide).

**Key takeaways**

- The record must show whether the certificate covers all permit work or only part
- Keep the inspection notes, not just the certificate that resulted from them
- Put the scope in the filename, not only in a job note
- Log who received the owner and builder copies
- Update job software when the permit is amended

Prepare [QLD Form 19](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-19-final-inspection), or browse [QLD plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/plumbing). Browse the [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing) for job and safety paperwork that travels with you.

## Why the scope is the record keeping problem [#why-the-scope-is-the-record-keeping-problem]

Business Queensland says Form 19 is used by the local government or public sector entity to certify that permit work is compliant, operational, and fit for use, and that it can be issued when all work under the permit, or a distinct part of it, is complete.

That distinction is the whole filing challenge. On staged work - a development with several dwellings, a commercial job handed over by area, a permit reaching completion in pieces - an unlabelled part-work certificate reads exactly like a whole-job one.

Get it right and the owner understands what was certified, the permit holder can show what stage was reached, the builder can close out a dwelling, the office can answer certificate questions, and future work starts from the right permit history.

## What should you keep with the Form 19? [#what-should-you-keep-with-the-form-19]

### Permit and amendments [#permit-and-amendments]

Keep the original permit and any amendment with the certificate, and check that the permit number and date issued match.

Where an amendment changed the scope, read the certificate against the final permit record rather than an earlier one, and add a short note pointing to the right version. The note does not need to repeat the permit - it needs to stop someone reading the wrong one.

### Inspection details [#inspection-details]

Keep inspection booking records, outcome notes, and correspondence from the issuing authority. The certification section records the inspection date, certificate number where applicable, issuing authority, and date issued, and where those came from council or a public sector entity the source email or portal note belongs with the file.

The certificate tells you the result. The inspection notes explain how the job got there. Keep both.

### Evidence for a part-work scope [#evidence-for-a-part-work-scope]

Where the certificate applies to part of the work only, keep enough context to show which part: stage plans, unit or townhouse numbers, area descriptions, photos or inspection notes, builder completion notes, and any authority correspondence about partial certification.

That way "part of the work" does not become a mystery.

### Related certificates and declarations [#related-certificates-and-declarations]

Depending on the job, related records may include [QLD Form 3](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-3-covered-work-declaration), [QLD Form 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-5-testing), [QLD Form 9](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-9-backflow), [QLD Form 14](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-14-compliance-declaration), or [QLD PDR Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-12-specialised-work). Keep them together so the job history reads in order.

## How should you name the file? [#how-should-you-name-the-file]

Use a filename that tells the story without anyone opening it.

**File name**

- **Tells the story** - - `QLD Form 19 - Final Inspection - 12 Smith St - 2026-06-21.pdf`
  - `QLD Form 19 - Permit 12345 - All Work - Jones Dwelling.pdf`
  - `QLD Form 19 - Permit 12345 - Townhouse 3 - Part Work.pdf`
  - `Final Inspection Certificate - LGA Name - Certificate 456.pdf` (Form, site or permit reference, scope, and date.)
- **Tells you nothing** - - `Form 19.pdf`
  - `final cert scan.pdf` (Indistinguishable once there are twenty of them.)

Include the form, the site or permit reference, the scope, and the date. Then add one short completion note - "issued for all work under permit 12345", "issued for townhouse 3 only", "received from council and attached to job" - so the next person understands status without opening every file.

## The close-out check [#the-close-out-check]

Before the job is marked complete:

- The certificate is in the correct job folder
- Permit number and issue date match the permit
- Inspection date and issue date are both correct and not transposed
- Issuing authority is correct, and the certificate number is included where applicable
- All-work or part-work scope is clear in the document, the filename, and the job note
- Part-work descriptions are backed by notes, plans, or correspondence
- Owner, permit holder, and builder received it where the job process requires
- Related forms, photos, and inspection notes are stored nearby

This is practical admin rather than legal advice - check current Queensland and local government requirements for the job.

## Wording the owner and builder copy [#wording-the-owner-and-builder-copy]

Keep it plain. Identify the site, the permit reference, whether the certificate covers all work or part of the work, and attach it. Use the same wording for both recipients:

- "Attached is the QLD Form 19 final inspection certificate for all work under permit 12345."
- "Attached is the QLD Form 19 final inspection certificate for townhouse 3 only under permit 12345."

Short, direct wording avoids the worst kind of paperwork problem: two people reading the same certificate differently.

## Before you archive the job [#before-you-archive-the-job]

Open the final certificate beside the permit and the inspection note. Check the address, permit reference, all-work or distinct-part description, and authority details agree. Save the source email or portal confirmation showing where the issued certificate came from, and keep the issued version clearly separated from any drafts.

That check lets a new office contact see what was certified, which part of the permit it covered, and who received it, without relying on the original crew's memory.

## Who asks for it after the job closes [#who-asks-for-it-after-the-job-closes]

The certificate stops being your document the moment the job finishes, and the people who ask for it later are rarely the people you dealt with.

A buyer's conveyancer wants it during a sale, often years afterwards, and usually with a settlement date attached. An insurer asks for it after a claim, wanting to establish that the work was inspected and certified. A subsequent builder doing further work on the property wants to know what was signed off and by whom before they open anything up. Occasionally the owner themselves asks, because their own copy went missing in a house move.

None of those people will accept "it was definitely done". They want the document, and they want it quickly. That is the whole argument for filing it properly at the time rather than trusting that it can be reconstructed.

It is also the argument for keeping your own copy rather than relying on the builder or the certifier holding one. Businesses close, staff leave, and email archives get purged. Your copy is the one you control.

## When the certificate is queried later [#when-the-certificate-is-queried-later]

Occasionally the document itself comes into question, usually because something was found that the certificate appears to cover.

The certificate on its own rarely settles that. What settles it is the supporting material: the inspection notes, the photographs, and the scope wording that shows what was and was not included. A certificate with a precise scope and a photo set behind it answers the question. A certificate with a one-line description and nothing behind it invites an argument you cannot win on paper.

This is why the scope wording matters more than it looks. "Final inspection" is a label. A description that names what was inspected, and where the boundary sat, is a defence.

If a query does arrive, resist the urge to reissue a corrected certificate quietly. If something genuinely needs amending, do it as a dated amendment that explains what changed and why, and keep the original. A file with a visible correction trail reads as honest. A file where the only copy has been edited reads as something else.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Tradie Forms organises Form 19 into property, permit, declaration, and certification sections, saves issuing authority details for repeat work, flags missing fields, and previews the official layout. It does not inspect the work, issue the certificate, or decide whether a certificate can be issued - the licensed tradie, permit holder, owner, and issuing authority still check the work, the process, and the finished document.

See [common Form 19 mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-qld-form-19-final-inspection) for the errors worth catching before filing, or the [QLD plumbing forms list](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-plumbing-forms-list-permit-inspection-handover) for the wider set.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [Business Queensland inspection certificates guidance](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/inspection-certificates), the [Business Queensland plumbing forms page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/forms-templates), the current [QLD Form 19 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/3760/form19plumbingdrainageregulation2019.pdf), and the [Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019](https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2019-0042).

# TAS Form 21 Certificate of Completion: Plumbing Completion guide (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-21-certificate-completion-plumbing-guide)

TAS Form 21 certificate of completion explained: permit authority details and plumber records, then fill the official form free. | State: TAS | Trade: Plumbing | Template: tas-form-21-completion

> **Tradie Forms:** prepare TAS Form 21 on the official certificate of completion layout, reuse owner, permit authority and plumber details, catch missing fields and preview the PDF before you complete.

TAS Form 21 is the plumbing certificate of completion that helps close the job record when the relevant Tasmanian plumbing work reaches completion stage. It is the form you want clean before the owner, permit authority, plumber and office all start asking for the same information in different places.

The form needs owner or agent details, permit authority details, work details, plumber information and sign-off. It is not long, but it sits at a serious close-out moment. If the permit number, property address or plumber licence details are wrong, the completion record becomes harder to trust.

This guide is for Tasmanian plumbers, permit authorities, plumbing businesses and admins preparing [TAS Form 21](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-21-completion). For the wider form set, browse [TAS plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/tas/plumbing).

## What is TAS Form 21 for? [#what-is-tas-form-21-for]

The CBOS approved forms page lists "Form 21 - Certificate of Completion - Plumbing Work" and describes it as the form to use for a certificate of completion for plumbing work.

The CBOS Guide to the Building Act 2016 explains the Tasmanian framework for building, plumbing and demolition work. It describes a risk-based approach that includes low risk, notifiable and permit work, and explains the role of permit authorities in keeping records and issuing certificates where the Act framework requires it.

In plain site terms, Form 21 is a completion certificate record for plumbing work. It is different from Form 60, which sits before work starts, and different from Form 71B, where the plumber gives the standard of work certificate.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the official Form 21 PDF layout. It is not affiliated with CBOS or any permit authority, and it does not decide whether the certificate can be issued. The permit authority, plumber and business still need to check the current requirements and the downloaded PDF.

## When does Form 21 appear in the job flow? [#when-does-form-21-appear-in-the-job-flow]

Form 21 is usually part of the close-out record. The work has reached completion stage, the permit authority details need to be right, and the owner needs a clear record.

It may sit beside:

- Form 60 start work notification and authorisation
- Form 71B standard of work certificate
- Plumbing permit or certificate of likely compliance records
- Inspection notes
- As-constructed drainage plans where relevant
- Owner completion records

The point is to keep the start, standard of work and completion paperwork connected. A certificate of completion that is separated from the rest of the file is harder to use later.

On a busy week, this is where paperwork can go sideways. The plumber may have finished the practical work, the owner may be ready on site, and the office may be waiting on one missing permit reference. Preparing the Form 21 one section at a time helps everyone see what is still needed before the PDF is treated as complete.

## Details to gather before filling Form 21 [#details-to-gather-before-filling-form-21]

Have the job record open before you start.

For repeat builders or regular owner clients, resist the urge to fill from memory. Use the current permit authority record, current owner details and current work description. A completion certificate should describe this job, not the last one that looked similar.

### Owner or agent details [#owner-or-agent-details]

The form starts with the owner or agent receiving the certificate. Enter the name and address carefully. For agents, property managers or builders acting on behalf of the owner, make sure your job record explains the relationship.

Saved customer details help with repeat work, but do not blindly apply an old owner block. Check spelling, postal address and contact details before download.

### Permit authority details [#permit-authority-details]

Form 21 includes the permit authority name, address, phone, licence number where applicable and email.

If your business works across Hobart, Launceston, Devonport, Burnie or regional councils, confirm the authority against the job site. The permit authority should match the work record, not the last council you dealt with.

### Work type and property details [#work-type-and-property-details]

The work section identifies whether the certificate relates to permit work or notifiable work, then captures the property address, permit references and description of work.

One tick decides the pathway the rest of the certificate belongs to. Permit work and notifiable work are not interchangeable.

Use plain words in the work description. "Plumbing completed" is too thin. Better descriptions include:

- "Sanitary plumbing and drainage for new dwelling"
- "Alteration to bathroom plumbing and drainage under permit reference \[number]"
- "Notifiable stormwater plumbing work at rear addition"
- "On-site wastewater plumbing work connected to approved permit"

The form should make sense without someone opening every plan first.

### Plumber details [#plumber-details]

Enter the licensed plumber's name, class and category, address, phone, licence number and email. Check licence details against your current record.

If the same plumber appears on Form 60 and Form 71B, make sure the details line up across the file.

### Sign-off [#sign-off]

The sign-off section captures the permit authority print name, signature, date and title. Sign-off should happen only after the certificate details have been checked against the work and permit file.

**Key takeaways**

- TAS Form 21 is the approved certificate of completion form for plumbing work in Tasmania
- It is different from Form 60 start work notification and Form 71B standard of work certificate
- Owner, permit authority, property, work and plumber details should match the job file
- Tradie Forms prepares the official PDF layout, but the responsible people still need to check the certificate before you complete

## How Tradie Forms helps with Form 21 [#how-tradie-forms-helps-with-form-21]

Tradie Forms turns [TAS Form 21](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-21-completion) into sections you work through one at a time for owner, permit authority, work, plumber, certificate basis and sign-off.

You can:

- Complete the form from a phone, tablet or laptop
- Reuse owner, permit authority and plumber details where they apply
- Search Tasmanian addresses or enter them manually
- Catch missing required fields before download
- Preview the official PDF layout
- Download the finished certificate for the owner, authority and job record

The benefit is practical. You can prepare the completion record while the job details are still close, instead of trying to rebuild the story from emails later.

## A practical Form 21 completion process [#a-practical-form-21-completion-process]

Use the same steps every time:

1. Confirm Form 21 is the correct certificate for the job stage.
2. Open the permit and work records.
3. Enter owner or agent details.
4. Enter permit authority details.
5. Select the work type.
6. Enter the property, permit references and work description.
7. Add plumber licence and contact details.
8. Review the certificate wording shown in the PDF layout.
9. Complete sign-off after checking the record.
10. Preview and download the finished PDF.
11. Store the PDF with Form 60, Form 71B and other completion records where relevant.

For related paperwork, use [TAS Form 60](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-60-start-work) before work starts and [TAS Form 71B](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-71b-plumbing) when the plumber's standard of work certificate is due. Use [TAS plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/tas/plumbing) to keep the live form set together. The [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing) has the national set if you work across borders.

## Common Form 21 mistakes [#common-form-21-mistakes]

### Confusing Form 21 with Form 71B [#confusing-form-21-with-form-71b]

Form 21 is the certificate of completion. Form 71B is the standard of work certificate. They may both sit in the same job record, but they do not do the same job.

### Wrong permit authority [#wrong-permit-authority]

Permit authority details should match the site and permit record. This is easy to miss for businesses working across multiple councils.

### Thin work description [#thin-work-description]

Write enough for the owner and authority to understand the work. A vague description does not help future close-out.

### Plumber details copied without checking [#plumber-details-copied-without-checking]

Saved licence details save typing, but old licence or contact information can still sneak in. Review before download.

### No storage plan after download [#no-storage-plan-after-download]

Move the downloaded PDF into the job record straight away. Store it with Form 71B, inspection notes, as-constructed records and owner completion records where relevant.

## What to store with Form 21 [#what-to-store-with-form-21]

Keep the certificate with the records that explain it:

- Form 60 start work notification where relevant
- Form 71B standard of work certificate where relevant
- Plumbing permit or certificate references
- Inspection notes
- As-constructed drainage plans where relevant
- Owner completion email or portal receipt
- Any permit authority correspondence

That bundle helps the next person follow the work from start to completion without calling the plumber back for details.

## Before sending the PDF [#before-sending-the-pdf]

Preview the official PDF layout and ask a simple question: would this make sense to the owner or permit authority without your verbal explanation? If not, tighten the work description, check the permit reference and confirm the sign-off details before download.

If the answer depends on a phone call, the form probably needs clearer wording or a supporting note in the job file. Good completion paperwork should travel well without the plumber standing beside it.

## Use Form 21 as the end of a checked process [#use-form-21-as-the-end-of-a-checked-process]

Form 21 is easier to complete when close-out has a clear owner. On a small job, that may be the plumber who has the permit records open. On a larger project, it may be an office administrator preparing the record from field notes and having the responsible people check it before sign-off. Either way, set a point where the practical work, site address, permit reference and certificate details are checked together.

Do not make that point the final invoice run. By then, the person who knows the work may be on another site and a missing reference turns into a string of calls. A better habit is to set aside ten minutes at the completion visit: confirm the property, take any final job photos, identify the current paperwork pathway and list what is still needed for the close-out file.

## Match the description to the completed work [#match-the-description-to-the-completed-work]

A helpful description says what a future reader needs to know, not every part number from the invoice. Name the system or area, the kind of work and the property context. For example, an addition might be described as sanitary plumbing and drainage to a rear bathroom addition, with the applicable job or permit reference. A short repair should still say what was repaired and where.

**Completed work description**

- **This** - Sanitary plumbing and drainage to rear bathroom addition, permit reference PP-2026-0418 (Names the system, the area, and the permit it belongs to.)
- **Not this** - Plumbing completed (Cannot be connected to the drawings, test notes, or Form 71B.)

Avoid making claims in the description that belong in another certification field. The description should be factual enough to connect Form 21 to the drawings, test notes, Form 71B or permit material held in the job file.

## Separate preparation, checking and sign-off [#separate-preparation-checking-and-sign-off]

One person can enter details and another can be responsible for checking or signing the certificate. That is normal on busy work. The risk comes when no one owns the last check. Give the final reviewer a short list: owner or agent, work site, permit authority, work type, permit reference, plumber licence details, work description and sign-off fields.

Tradie Forms can flag missing entries and let the team preview the official Form 21 layout before download. It does not verify the legal pathway, licence status or completed work for you. The relevant responsible people need to compare the downloaded PDF with the actual job record before treating it as final.

## When related paperwork arrives late [#when-related-paperwork-arrives-late]

Sometimes the physical work is finished but a drawing, inspection note or authority detail is still outstanding. Do not fill the gap by guessing. Save the Form 21 as a draft, record what is missing in the job notes and assign the follow-up to one person. Once it arrives, update the form from the source record, preview it again and keep the final version with the supporting material.

This is also why one job reference helps. Use it on [Form 60](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-60-start-work-notification-plumbing-guide), [Form 71B](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-71b-standard-of-work-certificate-guide), Form 21, photos and correspondence where appropriate. It gives the office a clean trail without requiring staff to remember nicknames for a property or project.

## A final handover check [#a-final-handover-check]

Before sending the certificate, confirm who needs a copy and what the relevant process requires. The owner may need a plain-language note that the work is complete and the certificate is attached. The permit authority may have a different delivery requirement. Keep evidence of delivery or any authority correspondence with the job.

The practical aim is a close-out pack that survives staff changes and future property questions. A clean Form 21, stored with the records that support it, does that far better than a one-off PDF in an inbox.

If you are still deciding which certificate the job needs, compare them in [TAS Form 21 vs Form 71B](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-21-vs-form-71b-plumbing-guide). For the full start-to-handover sequence, see the [TAS plumbing forms list](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-plumbing-forms-list-start-completion-handover).

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [CBOS approved forms page](https://cbos.tas.gov.au/topics/resources-tools/Building-and-trades-forms%2C-publications-and-report/asset-listings/approved-forms), the [CBOS Guide to the Building Act 2016](https://www.cbos.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/405039/Guide_to_the_Building_Act_2016.pdf), the [CBOS guide to approved plumbing forms](https://www.cbos.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/404544/Guide_to_approved_forms_-_plumbing_work.pdf), and the current [Building Act 2016](https://www.legislation.tas.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-2016-025).

# QLD Form 14 record keeping: keep the declaration with the job (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-14-compliance-declaration-record-keeping)

How to store a QLD Form 14 compliance declaration so it can be traced later: what to keep with it, how to name it, and the gaps that lose paperwork. | State: QLD | Trade: Plumbing | Template: qld-form-14-compliance-declaration

> **Tradie Forms:** finish QLD Form 14 on the official PDF layout, then keep the declaration with the permit, action notice details, work records, and customer copy documents.

A Form 14 should not live as a random download. It is most useful sitting in the same job record as the permit, the action notice where relevant, completed work notes, photos, test reports, and completion emails.

If someone later asks what work was declared, who the responsible person was, or which permit it related to, the declaration should answer without a hunt through messages.

This covers the record keeping. For filling it in, see the [Form 14 on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-14-compliance-declaration-on-site-guide); for the errors, see [common Form 14 mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-qld-form-14-compliance-declaration).

**Key takeaways**

- Store the declaration with the permit, notice, work notes, and completion records
- The document should match the job record on site details, references, and dates
- Keep the action notice itself, not just its reference number
- A searchable filename and a short sent-log note do most of the work
- Move it out of downloads before you start the next job

Use [QLD Form 14](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-14-compliance-declaration), or browse [QLD plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/plumbing). See the [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing) for the rest of the Australian set.

## Why the record matters [#why-the-record-matters]

Business Queensland lists Form 14 as the compliance declaration in the Queensland plumbing and drainage forms set, and the official PDF says it is used for section 79(2)(c) of the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019.

The declaration records the land, permit, action notice details where relevant, work performed, completion date, responsible person, and contractor details, along with a declaration by the responsible person. Stored properly, it lets the office answer council or builder questions, lets the responsible person show what was declared, gives the owner or permit holder a completion record, connects the declaration to photos and testing, and gives future service work the right history to start from.

An online form produces a clean document. The record keeping habit still belongs to the business.

## What to store with it [#what-to-store-with-it]

Think of the declaration as one piece of a job folder, sitting with the evidence and communications that explain it.

The folder does not need to be sophisticated - a clear job folder, a field app, cloud storage, or the job system file area you already trust. What matters is that the declaration is not separated from the permit, photos, and completion trail, and that it can be found by job address, permit number, or customer name.

### Permit record [#permit-record]

Keep the permit number, issue date, and permit conditions with the finished declaration, and make sure the permit section matches them. Where the permit was amended, keep the amendment record nearby too - a declaration pointing at an old or incomplete permit reference confuses the completion.

### Action notice records [#action-notice-records]

Where an action notice applies, keep the reference number, issue date, and any correspondence about the work required. The action notice fields should match the actual notice rather than a note copied from a text message.

The official declaration refers to conformity with the relevant action notice and the regulation, which makes the notice part of the record.

### Work notes and photos [#work-notes-and-photos]

Store photos, daily notes, inspection notes, marked-up plans, and completion evidence where they help explain the work performed. You do not need to send the customer every internal file - the point is that your own record is complete enough for the declaration to be understood later.

### Test and commissioning reports [#test-and-commissioning-reports]

Where testing or commissioning records relate to the work, keep them nearby. On some jobs [QLD Form 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-5-testing) sits beside Form 14; on backflow jobs [QLD Form 9](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-9-backflow) may be part of the same history.

Those forms should not contradict each other. Dates, site details, and work descriptions should read as though they came from the same job, because they did.

### Completion emails or portal receipts [#completion-emails-or-portal-receipts]

Keep the email, upload receipt, or portal reference showing what happened after the document was finished. A clean declaration is useful; a record of where it went is often what the office actually needs.

Where the job runs through a builder portal, council portal, or shared inbox, put the reference in the job note. One line - "Form 14 uploaded to portal, reference ABC123" - turns a hard search into a lookup.

## Naming it so it can be found [#naming-it-so-it-can-be-found]

A useful filename saves an afternoon months later. Instead of leaving it as `download.pdf`, use a pattern your office can search:

- `QLD Form 14 - 12 Smith St - 2026-06-21.pdf`
- `Form 14 Compliance Declaration - Permit 12345 - Jones Dwelling.pdf`
- `QLD Form 14 - Action Notice AN456 - Completed Work.pdf`

Include the form name, the site or permit reference, and the date. The best pattern is the one the team will actually use.

## Where do the records go missing? [#where-do-the-records-go-missing]

Five gaps account for most of it.

**Where the declaration lives**

- **This** - Attached to the job record, with the action notice and test results beside it (Moved before the next task starts, not at the end of the month.)
- **Not this** - The downloads folder on one laptop (Downloads folders are where paperwork disappears.)

**The document is saved outside the job.** Move it into the job record before starting the next task.

**The work description only makes sense to the plumber.** A future office admin, council contact, or builder does not know the shorthand. Write it so someone outside the site conversation understands it.

**The action notice is not attached.** If the declaration refers to a notice, keep the notice with it.

**The responsible person details are old.** Saved details help on repeat work, and licence, phone, email, and business details all change. Review before finishing.

**Completion is not logged.** If it went to a builder, owner, or council, record how and when. A short job note is enough.

## A close-out checklist [#a-close-out-checklist]

Before the job is closed, check that the finished document is saved in the right job folder; the permit number and issue date match the permit record; the action notice reference is included where relevant; the work description identifies what was completed; the completion date matches site notes; responsible person and contractor details are current; the declaration is signed and dated; related photos, tests, or commissioning records are attached; and the customer, builder, permit holder, or local government has received it where the job process requires.

This is an office habit, not a regulatory substitute.

## A weekly office check [#a-weekly-office-check]

For busy shops, a short weekly pass stops declarations going missing. Look at completed jobs and confirm each one has a saved document, a permit reference, a completion date, responsible person details, any related action notice, and a sent-or-stored note.

The point is catching loose ends before the job is old and the person who remembers the details is on another site.

## Matching the declaration to the rest of the pack [#matching-the-declaration-to-the-rest-of-the-pack]

A declaration filed on its own answers very little. What makes it useful is that it sits with the documents it refers to.

That means the permit or approval reference, the plans or specification the work was carried out against, and any inspection or test records generated along the way. Someone reviewing the file later is checking that these agree with each other, and the most common problem is not a wrong declaration but a declaration that describes the job in different words to everything around it.

Align the work description across the pack where you can. It costs a minute at close-out and it removes the most frequent reason for a follow-up question.

## Corrections without rewriting history [#corrections-without-rewriting-history]

Occasionally a declaration goes out with something wrong on it, and the instinct is to fix the file quietly.

The better pattern is a dated correction that explains what changed, kept alongside the original. A file showing an error and its correction reads as a business that checks its own work. A file where the only version has been edited, with no trail, raises the question of what else was changed.

Where the correction is material, tell whoever received the original rather than only fixing your copy. A corrected document nobody was told about is not much of a correction.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Before filing, compare the land, permit, action notice fields, work description, and completion date against the source job records. The declaration is most useful when a later reader can trace it to the actual permit work, evidence, and handover without guessing which version is final.

Form 14 usually sits with [QLD Form 1](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-1-permit-work) at application, [QLD PDR Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-12-specialised-work) for specialist work, [QLD Form 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-5-testing) for testing or commissioning, and [QLD Form 19](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-19-final-inspection) for final inspection certification. The [QLD plumbing forms list](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-plumbing-forms-list-permit-inspection-handover) keeps the set visible as a job moves from permit to completion.

Tradie Forms maps entries onto the official PDF layout and flags missing fields. The responsible person still checks the declaration and the finished document.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [Business Queensland plumbing forms page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/forms-templates), the current [QLD Form 14 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/3753/form14plumbingdrainageregulation2019.pdf), and the [Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019](https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2019-0042).

# QLD Form 19 final inspection certificate: practical guide (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-19-final-inspection-certificate-guide)

Complete a QLD Form 19 final inspection certificate with the right permit, land and all-work or part-work scope, then download the finished PDF. | State: QLD | Trade: Plumbing | Template: qld-form-19-final-inspection

> **Tradie Forms:** prepare QLD Form 19 one section at a time, check the declaration scope, preview the official final inspection certificate layout, and keep the finished record with the job.

Form 19 is the final inspection certificate for Queensland plumbing and drainage permit work. It closes the loop once the relevant local government or public sector entity has decided to issue a final inspection certificate for the work described on it.

It usually appears at completion: the work has been inspected, the permit details need to be right, and the certificate has to say whether it covers all of the permit work or only part.

**Key takeaways**

- The local government or public sector entity issues it, not the plumber
- It certifies that permit work is compliant, operational, and fit for use
- It can cover all permit work or a distinct part, and the scope choice matters
- Inspection date and date issued are separate fields
- Copies go to the permit holder and owner

Prepare [QLD Form 19](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-19-final-inspection), or browse [QLD plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/plumbing). The [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing) covers the other states.

## What is QLD Form 19 for? [#what-is-qld-form-19-for]

Business Queensland says the local government or public sector entity uses Form 19 to certify that permit work is compliant, operational, and fit for use, and that it can be issued when all work under the permit, or a distinct part of the work, is complete.

The official PDF says it is used for section 81 of the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019, with sections for description of land, permit details, declarations, and certification.

So this is not a general completion note from the plumber. Plumbers and office staff may prepare details, but the issuing authority controls when the certificate can be issued.

## Where does Form 19 fit in the job? [#where-does-form-19-fit-in-the-job]

Form 19 sits near the end of the permit work pathway. Business Queensland's guidance explains that plumbing and drainage permit work is inspected by local government or a public sector representative, and that the regulation sets out the inspection process and the requirements for issuing inspection and final certificates.

In the job record it usually sits beside the original permit and any amendment, inspection booking or completion notes, covered work declarations where relevant, testing or commissioning reports, photos and job records, and the completion emails to the owner, builder, or permit holder.

For a small plumbing business the certificate may arrive from council or be prepared from details supplied by the issuing authority. For a builder or office admin it may be the document that unlocks a site pack. Either way, check it against the permit and inspection record before saving it as complete.

Do not let it float away from the work history. Whoever reads it later may not know the job, the stage, or why only part of the work was certified.

## Description of land [#description-of-land]

The land section captures street address, lot and plan, shop or tenancy number, storey or level, and local government area where applicable.

Use the same land details as the permit and inspection record. Where the job is staged, in a complex, or covers several dwellings, check whether the certificate applies to all land or to a distinct part of the work.

## Permit details [#permit-details]

The form asks for the permit number and date issued. Copy both from the permit itself, not from a job title or an invoice - permit numbers look similar across a builder's jobs, and the wrong one is difficult to spot later.

These details matter because the declaration turns on them: the certificate either applies to all work authorised under the permit, or to part of it.

## Getting the declaration scope right [#getting-the-declaration-scope-right]

This is the section to slow down on. The PDF gives two choices:

- The certificate applies to all of the work authorised to be carried out under the permit
- The certificate applies to part of the work authorised under a permit

Where it applies to part of the work, the form asks for a description of the work covered - and that description has to be specific. If it covers one townhouse in a complex, a stage, a portion of drainage, or a defined part of the permit, say so plainly. The person receiving the certificate should know what is fit for use without reading the whole permit file.

Use the same stage, area, fixture group, or work-package wording that appears in the permit and inspection records.

All of the work and part of the work are separate boxes, and only the second one opens up the description below.

Two lines to describe the part covered, which is why generic stage labels run out of room to be useful.

**Work inspected**

- **This** - Sanitary drainage and water supply rough-in to ground floor amenities, permit stage 1 (Uses the wording that already appears in the permit and inspection records.)
- **Not this** - Stage 1 (Clear to your team, meaningless to an owner in three years.)

## Certification details [#certification-details]

The certification section records the inspection date, the certificate number where applicable, the local government or public entity issuing the certificate, and the date issued.

These should match the authority's inspection and issuing records. Where the authority uses a certificate number, keep it consistent across the document, your job software, and correspondence. Treat the inspection date and the date issued as the separate events they are.

Saved issuing authority details save typing, but local government names, public entity details, and contact preferences still need checking against the actual job.

Inspection date and issued date are separate fields because they are separate events.

## A practical workflow [#a-practical-workflow]

1. Confirm a final inspection certificate can be prepared for this job stage
2. Open the permit record and inspection details
3. Enter the land description
4. Copy the permit number and issue date from the permit
5. Select whether the certificate applies to all permit work or part of it
6. Where it covers part only, describe the work covered
7. Enter inspection date, certificate number where applicable, issuing authority, and issue date
8. Preview the official layout and check it against the permit and inspection record
9. Store the finished certificate with the close-out pack

The [QLD Form 19 template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-19-final-inspection) organises property, permit, declaration, and certification into sections you work through one at a time, saves issuing authority details for repeat certificates, flags missing fields, and previews the official layout. It does not decide whether the certificate can be issued.

For the full error list, see [common Form 19 mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-qld-form-19-final-inspection).

## Keep the close-out pack together [#keep-the-close-out-pack-together]

Once issued, keep the certificate with the current permit, amendments, inspection notes, and any related testing or declaration records. Because it may cover all permit work or a distinct completed part, label the file with the site, permit, and scope - that stops a later reader mistaking a townhouse or stage certificate for whole-project completion.

Where the job has a builder, owner, and office contact, send or attach the certificate through the agreed channel and record it. Where it applies to part of the work only, put that in the message subject or job note so it is not read as full permit completion.

## What to do when the job is not ready [#what-to-do-when-the-job-is-not-ready]

Final inspection requests arrive on the day the builder wants to hand over, and sometimes the job is not there yet.

The pressure is always the same shape. The owner is moving in, the client is waiting on the certificate, and the outstanding items are small. Small outstanding items are still outstanding, and the certificate says the work was inspected and complies.

The workable answer is to identify precisely what is incomplete, agree a re-inspection, and say so on the day rather than in the paperwork a week later. Builders can usually work around a short delay if they know about it while there is still time to fix the item. What they cannot work around is finding out after they have booked the handover.

Where the item is genuinely trivial and does not affect the certification, that is a judgement call for the person signing. The test worth applying is whether you would be comfortable explaining the decision to someone reading the certificate in two years without you there to add context.

## The certificate is a statement, not a formality [#the-certificate-is-a-statement-not-a-formality]

It is worth being blunt about what the document does, because the volume of them makes it easy to treat as routine.

The certificate records that the final inspection happened and that the work complies to the extent the certificate covers. Your licence sits behind it. That is true on the hundredth one as much as the first, and it is why the scope wording and the date matter more than the speed of turning it around.

Signing a certificate for work someone else inspected, or backdating one to suit a handover, are the two shortcuts that turn a routine document into a serious problem. Neither is worth the convenience.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Related records may include [QLD Form 1](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-1-permit-work), [QLD Form 3](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-3-covered-work-declaration), [QLD Form 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-5-testing), [QLD Form 14](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-14-compliance-declaration), and [QLD Form 9](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-9-backflow), depending on the job.

For a filing routine, see the [Form 19 record keeping guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-19-final-inspection-record-keeping-handover), or the [QLD plumbing forms list](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-plumbing-forms-list-permit-inspection-handover) for the wider set.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [Business Queensland inspection certificates guidance](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/inspection-certificates), the [Business Queensland plumbing forms page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/forms-templates), the current [QLD Form 19 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/3760/form19plumbingdrainageregulation2019.pdf), and the [Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019](https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2019-0042).

# Common QLD Form 12 specialist work statement mistakes plumbers make (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-qld-form-12-specialised-work)

The Form 12 errors that weaken Queensland permit applications: thin basis sections, vague work scope, stale references and the wrong person signing. | State: QLD | Trade: Plumbing | Template: qld-form-12-specialised-work

Specialist work statements fail in predictable places: the basis section is thin, the qualified person details are stale, or the work scope does not match the design package sent to council.

For the step-by-step version, see [preparing Form 12 statements on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-12-specialised-work-on-site-guide). If you are unsure whether you need the plumbing Form 12 or the building one, start with [plumbing PDR Form 12 vs building Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-pdr-form-12-vs-building-form-12-guide).

**Key takeaways**

- A thin basis section is the most common weakness in a Form 12
- Work scope must match the specialist design actually being lodged
- Name the land the statement covers, not just the street address
- The person signing must be the person described in the declaration
- Check document revisions before you rely on them

Use the [QLD Form 12 template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-12-specialised-work) before attaching the statement to a permit application, or browse [QLD plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/plumbing). Working interstate? The [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing) lists the lot.

## Mistake 1: Treating Form 12 like a generic compliance tick [#mistake-1-treating-form-12-like-a-generic-compliance-tick]

Form 12 needs a real basis, the publications relied on, and qualified person details. A one-line work description with everything else left thin is not a statement, it is a cover sheet.

Complete the basis and references sections while the design package is still open in front of you.

## Mistake 2: Naming the wrong land [#mistake-2-naming-the-wrong-land]

The statement has to identify the land it covers. A street address alone is a weak record on a large site, a tenancy fit-out, or a staged development. The official form has room for street address, suburb, state, postcode, tenancy or level, and local government area - use the fields that identify the actual part of the site.

Start from the current permit package and check every address field against it. Do not take an address from a supplier delivery docket, a builder's estimate, or a previous stage. All three can be close enough to look right while describing a different parcel, tenancy, or building level.

On a site with more than one building, write the work description so it supports the address details.

## Mistake 3: A work description that says nothing useful [#mistake-3-a-work-description-that-says-nothing-useful]

The work line should say what specialist plumbing or drainage work the statement covers. It is not the place for a broad project label like "shop fit-out" with the drawings expected to do the rest.

**Work description**

- **This** - Design and installation of the trade waste pre-treatment system to tenancy 4, as shown on hydraulic drawings H12 to H15, Rev B (Names the specialist system, the part of the job, and the documents relied on.)
- **Not this** - Shop fit-out (A project label. The drawings are expected to do the rest.)

A useful description is short but names the system or specialist work and the part of the job covered, in the same language as the drawings and specifications. Before signing, put the form beside the current drawings and ask two questions: could someone reading only this statement understand the specialist work covered, and does the description match the documents and revision you are relying on?

If either answer is unclear, fix the wording. The form has a separate basis and documentation section for detail that would make the work line unwieldy.

## Mistake 4: Copying a standard without checking the current job [#mistake-4-copying-a-standard-without-checking-the-current-job]

The basis section asks for the basis for giving the statement and the publications relied on. That is a prompt to identify the real technical basis for this work, not a reusable block to paste into every job.

Start with the current drawing set, specification, approval documents, and the relevant laws, codes, or standards. Check the title, revision, and date of anything you name. If a consultant issued a revised drawing or the scope changed after design, make sure the statement does not point at a superseded version.

Avoid padding the space with standards that were not actually used. A shorter accurate list is more useful than a generic block, and easier to defend. Where you are unsure whether a publication applies, resolve the technical question through the right person before giving the statement.

## Mistake 5: Describing work that does not match the design [#mistake-5-describing-work-that-does-not-match-the-design]

Council officers compare the statement against the permit application and drawings. A mismatch reads as carelessness at best and as a scope problem at worst.

Describe the same specialist scope that is being lodged, in the same terms.

## Mistake 6: Treating the local government reference as an afterthought [#mistake-6-treating-the-local-government-reference-as-an-afterthought]

The reference field connects the permit conversation to the statement. Copy it from current local government correspondence or permit paperwork, not from a memory of the job number.

This matters most when several jobs share a similar street name, when an application has been amended, or when an office team is preparing paperwork for more than one stage. A quick cross-check against the document being lodged saves a phone call later.

## Mistake 7: The person signing is not the person described [#mistake-7-the-person-signing-is-not-the-person-described]

The declaration is about the person actually giving the statement. It should not be signed on behalf of someone who has not checked the final record.

Build a small handover routine. The person preparing the form collects the site, work, basis, and reference details. The suitably qualified person then checks the finished document against the current drawings, confirms their own details, chooses the appropriate declaration option, and signs and dates it.

Saved licence details help on repeat work but need a quick check every time. A changed phone number, company name, or licence detail is far easier to correct before the statement is attached to an application.

## Mistake 8: Attaching an unchecked document [#mistake-8-attaching-an-unchecked-document]

A Form 12 with a missing declaration date or signature creates immediate rework, usually under lodgement pressure.

Preview the whole statement, confirm every section is complete, and only then produce the final copy.

## A practical check before it goes out [#a-practical-check-before-it-goes-out]

Use this sequence while the plans are open and the job details are fresh:

1. Open the current permit application documents, drawings, and specifications
2. Identify the exact land, tenancy or level, and local government area covered
3. Write the specialist work description in the same terms as the current design package
4. Record the genuine basis, publications, and supporting documentation, with revisions
5. Add the local government reference from current correspondence
6. Have the suitably qualified person review their details, qualification, signature, and date

The [QLD Form 12 template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-12-specialised-work) organises those into property, work, basis, references, qualified person, and declaration sections, reuses saved person details, flags missing required fields, and previews the official layout. The licensed person still checks the completed statement before it is attached.

## Why these mistakes cluster at the end of the job [#why-these-mistakes-cluster-at-the-end-of-the-job]

Almost every item on this list happens at the same moment, which is the close-out rush.

The work finished, the pack is being assembled, someone realises the Form 12 is missing, and it gets completed quickly from whatever details are to hand. That is where the wrong person signs, where the description gets copied from a previous job, and where an unchecked attachment goes in unread.

The habit that removes most of them is preparing the statement when the specialist work is done rather than when the pack is due. The details are fresh, the person who did the work is still contactable, and there is time to check an attachment properly.

Where a job genuinely closes out in a hurry, the fallback is a short deliberate check rather than a faster fill. The list above takes a couple of minutes to run and it catches the things that otherwise come back as a query weeks later.

## The version that gets read is the PDF [#the-version-that-gets-read-is-the-pdf]

One habit prevents a share of the items above, and it is reading the finished PDF the way the recipient will.

Entries that look complete in a form can land badly on the page. A description that runs past its field, a licence number that reads ambiguously, or an attachment reference pointing at a document nobody included are all obvious on the PDF and invisible before it.

Give it thirty seconds on the screen you would actually read it on. That is usually a phone, which is also where most assessors open it.

## Keep the statement with its supporting documents [#keep-the-statement-with-its-supporting-documents]

Store the finished Form 12 with the permit application, the drawings and specifications it relies on, the correspondence, and the version of any supporting reports. That gives the office and the person signing a clear trail if scope changes later.

On a longer job, name the file so it is recognisable without opening it, then keep it beside related records such as the [QLD Form 1 permit work application](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-1-permit-work), [QLD Form 5 testing report](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-5-testing), [QLD Form 14 compliance declaration](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-14-compliance-declaration), or [QLD Form 19 final inspection certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-19-final-inspection) where those apply. The [QLD plumbing forms list](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-plumbing-forms-list-permit-inspection-handover) shows how they fit together.

## Official references [#official-references]

Business Queensland publishes Form 12 as the compliance statement for specialised work and lists it among forms lodged with local government. Check the [Business Queensland plumbing forms page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/forms-templates) for the current form and the [Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019](https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2019-0042) for the regulation the form refers to. [Business Queensland inspection certificates guidance](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/inspection-certificates) covers how the certificates around it are used, and the [QBCC guidance on common notifiable work errors](https://qbcc.qld.gov.au/worksite-building-practice/plumbing-work/avoid-common-notifiable-work-errors) sets out the mistakes the regulator sees most. Confirm local government requirements for the job as well.

# When does a QLD plumbing job need a Form 12? (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-pdr-form-12-specialist-work-online-guide)

When a Queensland plumbing permit application needs a Form 12 specialist work statement, who is allowed to sign it, and what the declaration options mean. | State: QLD | Trade: Plumbing | Template: qld-form-12-specialised-work

> **Tradie Forms:** complete QLD PDR Form 12 for specialist plumbing or drainage work one section at a time, then preview the official PDF layout before the statement goes with the permit paperwork.

Form 12 turns up at the point where a Queensland plumbing permit application needs a specialist work statement clear enough for council to read without chasing loose notes. The question most people actually have is not how to fill it in - it is whether this job needs one, and who is allowed to sign it.

This guide answers those two. For the field workflow, see [preparing Form 12 statements on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-12-specialised-work-on-site-guide).

**Key takeaways**

- Form 12 supports a permit application involving specialist plumbing or drainage work
- The declaration ties the statement to the permit applied for
- Several categories of person may sign, depending on the work and the local government
- Supporting documents may need the qualified person's name and original signature
- Completion of all applicable sections is mandatory

Open the [QLD PDR Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-12-specialised-work), or browse [QLD plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/plumbing). Working interstate? The [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing) lists the lot.

## What the form is [#what-the-form-is]

Business Queensland lists Form 12 as the "Compliance statement for specialised work" among the forms for the Plumbing and Drainage Act 2018. The official PDF says it is used for section 45(2)(b) of the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019, and that completion of all applicable sections is mandatory.

It is not the building Form 12 aspect inspection certificate - that belongs to a different form set entirely. If there is any doubt in your office about which one is being discussed, [PDR Form 12 vs building Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-pdr-form-12-vs-building-form-12-guide) sorts them out.

## When Form 12 turns up on a job [#when-form-12-turns-up-on-a-job]

Form 12 is most useful before the permit application goes in, or while the permit pack is being prepared. The job has a specialist element council needs to understand before assessment, the builder is asking whether the plumbing paperwork is ready, or the office is chasing the qualified person's licence and signature.

The moments it commonly appears:

- Specialist work details need to be attached to permit paperwork
- Engineering or other reference documents form part of the permit pack
- Council needs the local government reference and supporting documents to line up
- The work basis needs describing against standards, codes, rules, specifications, or other publications
- The person giving the statement needs to be identified clearly

If you are not sure whether it applies to a particular job, check the current Queensland guidance, the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019, the permit pathway, and local government instructions before preparing the statement. That question is worth resolving before anyone starts typing.

## What the person signing is actually declaring [#what-the-person-signing-is-actually-declaring]

The official form asks the person giving the statement to declare that the work will comply with the code requirements if it is carried out in compliance with the permit applied for.

That wording carries weight. The statement is tied to the permit and to the specialist work described on the form - not to the project generally, and not to work that later diverges from what was permitted. If the scope changes after the statement is given, the statement may no longer fit.

## Who is a suitably qualified person? [#who-is-a-suitably-qualified-person]

The form captures the person's full name, company name where applicable, occupational licence number if applicable, contractor licence number if applicable, phone, and email.

The declaration options on the official PDF include:

- An occupational plumber or drainer
- A person the local government considers competent to prepare and give the document
- A relevant QBCC licensee
- A registered professional engineer for an area of engineering relevant to the work
- Another person where specified

Do not treat that list as a menu to pick the most convenient option from. Confirm the right person for the specialist work and for the local government process before anyone signs.

The form also notes that the name and original signature of the suitably qualified person must be on relevant documentation, such as numbered structural engineering plans. That is easy to miss when drawings arrive from several consultants, and it is worth checking before the pack goes out.

## What council needs to be able to read [#what-council-needs-to-be-able-to-read]

Three sections carry most of the weight.

**The land.** The official PDF says the description must identify all land the subject of the application - street address, lot and plan, shop or tenancy number, storey or level, and local government area where they apply. A job nickname like "West End fit-out" is fine in the diary and useless on the form.

**The specialist work.** A council officer should be able to tell what the statement relates to without guessing.

**Description of specialist work**

- **Useful** - - Specialist sanitary drainage design and installation details for commercial tenancy amenities
  - On-site sewerage specialist design details for proposed dwelling
  - Fire service plumbing details for the permit application
  - Hydraulic design elements shown on plan set H01 to H04 (Uses the language that already appears in the permit documents.)
- **Weak** - - Plumbing works
  - Drainage
  - Specialist work as per plans (The officer has to open the plans to work out what was certified.)

Use the language that appears in the permit documents where you can, so the form, the plans, and the supporting documents all point the same way.

**The basis.** The PDF asks you to detail the basis for giving the statement and the extent to which tests, specifications, rules, standards, codes of practice, and other publications were relied on. Name them clearly enough that whoever reviews the permit pack can connect the form to the source material.

## Before the statement joins the pack [#before-the-statement-joins-the-pack]

Check that the street address, lot and plan, and local government area identify the land; the work description matches the permit application; the basis names the documents or standards relied on; reference documents are current and signed where required; the qualified person details are correct; the declaration option matches the person signing; and the date and signature are present.

Small errors here make the whole permit pack harder to follow. The goal is a statement council, the builder, and your office can match to the same job without a phone call. The full error list is in [common QLD Form 12 mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-qld-form-12-specialised-work).

## Where the Form 12 sits with the rest of the pack [#where-the-form-12-sits-with-the-rest-of-the-pack]

The statement rarely travels alone, and its value depends on what it arrives with.

On a typical job it sits alongside the permit documents, the plans the specialist work was designed against, any supporting certificates from the designer, and the inspection records that follow. Someone assessing the pack is checking that the statement matches those other documents, particularly on the description of the work and the identity of the person taking responsibility.

A statement that describes the work differently to the permit is the most common mismatch. It is usually harmless in intent, because the specialist wrote their description and the permit was written by someone else, but it means the pack does not obviously refer to one job. Aligning the wording is a small effort at the time and saves a query later.

Keep the statement with those documents rather than filing it as a standalone certificate. The pack is what gets assessed, not the individual pages.

## When the specialist is a subcontractor [#when-the-specialist-is-a-subcontractor]

Much specialist work is done by a subcontractor engaged by the head plumbing contractor, which creates a gap between the person who did the work and the person managing the paperwork.

The statement is made by the person taking responsibility for the specialist work, so it belongs to the subcontractor rather than the head contractor collecting the pack. A head contractor who fills the form in on the specialist's behalf and asks for a signature has created a document that says one thing and was prepared by someone else.

The practical arrangement is that the subcontractor completes and signs their own statement, and the head contractor collects it into the pack. That takes longer on the day and it is the only version that holds up.

Where a subcontractor is slow to provide it, chase the document rather than filling it in for them. A missing statement is a scheduling problem. A statement prepared by the wrong person is a different kind of problem entirely.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Confirm Form 12 is the right form for the job and that the right person is available to sign it, before the permit deadline rather than on the day.

Start [QLD PDR Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-12-specialised-work), or browse the [QLD plumbing forms list](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-plumbing-forms-list-permit-inspection-handover) for the wider permit, testing, and completion set. Related records include [QLD Form 1](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-1-permit-work), [QLD Form 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-5-testing), [QLD Form 14](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-14-compliance-declaration), and [QLD Form 19](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-19-final-inspection), depending on the job.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the official Queensland PDF layout. It does not decide whether Form 12 is required, whether a person is suitably qualified, or whether the work complies.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [Business Queensland plumbing forms page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/forms-templates), the current [QLD Form 12 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/3751/form12plumbingdrainageregulation2019.pdf), and the [Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019](https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2019-0042).

# QLD Form 3 covered work declaration: what to record before completion (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-3-covered-work-declaration-guide)

Practical field guide for Queensland plumbers and drainers completing Form 3 covered work declarations when local government allows the declaration pathway. | State: QLD | Trade: Plumbing | Template: qld-form-3-covered-work-declaration

> **Tradie Forms:** complete QLD Form 3 while the covered work, stage and inspection details are still clear. Working through it one section at a time captures the property, permit, action notice, stage, inspection arrangements, responsible person, contractor and declaration before downloading the official PDF layout.

QLD Form 3 is the form you do not want to be reconstructing from memory. It deals with covered work, inspection arrangements, the responsible person and a declaration that the work has been completed in conformity with the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019.

This guide is for Queensland plumbers and drainers at the awkward job-site moment where work has been covered before an inspector has inspected it, and local government has allowed the covered work declaration pathway. Use the [QLD Form 3 template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-3-covered-work-declaration) to prepare the official PDF layout online, or browse [QLD plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/plumbing) for related permit, testing and completion paperwork.

Tradie Forms helps with the paperwork flow. It does not decide whether local government will accept the declaration, whether the declaration is available for this job, or whether the work complies. The responsible person still needs to check the work, the local government process and the finished PDF.

## What is QLD Form 3 for? [#what-is-qld-form-3-for]

Business Queensland says some cases allow local government to accept a declaration or report instead of completing an inspection. Its inspection certificate guidance describes Form 3 as the covered work declaration to use if you cover work before an inspector has inspected it and local government has allowed the form to be used to certify the work is compliant.

The official Form 3 PDF says it is used for the purposes of sections 66(2) and 67(2) of the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019. It also says completion of all applicable sections is mandatory.

That makes the form narrow. It is not a general completion certificate. It is not a normal test report. It is not a way to avoid inspection planning. It belongs to the covered work pathway, and only where the local government process allows it.

## Why do the details matter? [#why-do-the-details-matter]

Covered work is hard to check later because the physical work is no longer visible. If the declaration is thin, everyone downstream has a worse record: local government, the owner, the builder, the plumber, the office and anyone who has to review the job later.

The declaration needs to show which land and permit the declaration relates to, whether an action notice applies, which stage of work is covered, where the covered work is located, what inspection arrangements were agreed, when the work was covered, who the responsible person is, whether contractor details are needed, and the declaration date and signature.

That is why Form 3 is best completed while the job is still live. If the trench has just been covered, the location, date, stage and circumstances are clear. If you wait until Friday afternoon, the details can blur across several jobs.

## How specific should the stage and location be? [#how-specific-should-the-stage-and-location-be]

The official Form 3 lists stages such as water supply pipes under a floor slab, water supply pipes below ground, water supply pipes installed in a building, sanitary drainage under a floor slab, sanitary drainage below ground, sanitary plumbing in a building, treatment plant installation, components of an on-site sewage facility, and other work.

Choose the stage that actually matches the work. If the form is about sanitary drainage below ground, do not tick a broad or convenient option just because it is close. If the job covers more than one stage, be clear about what the declaration covers.

The work description needs to identify the work and the specific location. The official form gives a commercial-property example using grid references. On a smaller job, the same thinking applies: name the side of the dwelling, the trench, the fixture group, the unit, the tenancy, the floor level or the relevant plan reference.

**Covered work description**

- **Strong** - - Sanitary drainage from ensuite group to inspection opening on north side of dwelling
  - Below-ground water supply pipe from meter location to western wall entry point (Names the run and both ends of it.)
- **Weak** - - Drainage
  - Water pipe
  - Covered work (Once it is backfilled, this is all the record says.)

The form does not need a novel. It needs enough detail for the record to mean something later.

## Inspection arrangements and action notices [#inspection-arrangements-and-action-notices]

Business Queensland says permit work generally must be inspected before being covered or no more than 5 days after a stage has been reached. It also says inspection certificates are issued after the inspection is complete or after local government receives a covered work declaration as an alternative to an inspection.

Form 3 asks for the time and date of the agreed inspection and the date the work was covered. Do not treat these as minor admin fields. They explain why the declaration exists and how the inspection pathway played out.

If there was an agreed inspection time, record it accurately. If work was covered on a different date, make that clear. Keep photos, site notes, inspection requests, council emails and other job-system entries beside the PDF so the declaration does not sit alone.

The official Form 3 also asks for action notice details if an action notice has been issued under section 66(2)(a) of the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019. If no action notice applies, do not invent one. If it does apply, capture the reference number and date issued, then keep the action notice in the same job record as the finished PDF.

**Key takeaways**

- Use QLD Form 3 only where local government has allowed the covered work declaration pathway
- Record the stage, location, inspection arrangements and covered date while the job details are fresh
- The responsible person is the licensed person who performs or supervises the work
- Keep photos, inspection requests and action notices with the finished PDF
- Tradie Forms helps capture the details, catch missing fields, preview the official PDF layout and download a clean PDF for lodgement or job records

## Responsible person, contractor and declaration [#responsible-person-contractor-and-declaration]

The official form says the responsible person is a person licensed to perform the work and who either performs or supervises the performance of the work. That person's details sit at the centre of the declaration.

Capture the full name, occupational licence number, contractor licence number if applicable, phone, email and postal address. If the responsible person is not the contractor for the work, provide the contractor details in the contractor section.

Saved licence and contractor details in Tradie Forms help reduce typing, especially when the same plumber handles several declarations. They are only useful if they are current. Check the licence number and contractor details before download.

The declaration should never be treated as a pre-ticked admin line. The official Form 3 declaration states that the work has been completed in conformity with the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019, that the information is true and accurate, and that the person is the responsible person.

Before signing, ask whether the form covers only work you performed or supervised, whether the stage of work is correct, whether the work location is clear, whether inspection arrangements are recorded accurately, whether any action notice reference is correct, and whether licence and contractor details are current.

## Common mistakes with Form 3 [#common-mistakes-with-form-3]

### Using it without local government allowing the pathway [#using-it-without-local-government-allowing-the-pathway]

Form 3 depends on the local government process. Do not assume it applies just because work has been covered.

### Giving a vague work location [#giving-a-vague-work-location]

Under slab may not be enough if the building has multiple zones. Put in a location that can be matched to the job.

### Missing the covered date [#missing-the-covered-date]

The date the work was covered is part of the story. It should not be guessed later.

### Mixing responsible person and contractor details [#mixing-responsible-person-and-contractor-details]

If the responsible person is not the contractor, use the contractor section. Do not squeeze the wrong party into the responsible person fields.

### No supporting record [#no-supporting-record]

Keep photos, inspection requests, action notices, as-constructed details and council correspondence with the PDF. A declaration is much stronger when the surrounding record is easy to find.

## How Tradie Forms helps on site [#how-tradie-forms-helps-on-site]

Tradie Forms turns [QLD Form 3](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-3-covered-work-declaration) into sections you work through one at a time. You can step through property, permit, action notice, stage of work, inspection arrangements, responsible person, contractor and declaration details without fighting the flat PDF on your phone.

The workflow is built for field use: save licence details for repeat jobs, fill the stage and location while the covered work is still clear, catch missing required fields before download, preview the official PDF layout before lodgement, download the finished PDF, and store the declaration with the job record.

Related Queensland plumbing forms include [QLD Form 1](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-1-permit-work) for the original permit application, [QLD Form 2](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-2-amend-permit) for amendments and extensions, [QLD Form 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-5-testing) for testing or commissioning reports, and [QLD Form 19](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-19-final-inspection) for final inspection certificates used by local government or a public sector entity.

Before the Form 3 PDF leaves the job, check the pack: finished Form 3 PDF, photos before cover-up where available, inspection request record, action notice if one applies, as-constructed sketch or plan reference where useful, permit number and issue date, responsible person licence details, contractor details if different, and a job-system note explaining why the covered work declaration was used.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start the [QLD Form 3 covered work declaration](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-3-covered-work-declaration) when local government has allowed the declaration pathway. If the job needs a permit amendment instead, use [QLD Form 2](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-2-amend-permit).

For other Queensland plumbing paperwork, browse [QLD plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/plumbing) or the [QLD plumbing forms list](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-plumbing-forms-list-permit-inspection-handover). For the certificate that closes the permit out, see the [QLD Form 19 final inspection guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-19-final-inspection-certificate-guide).. Related start and testing forms include [QLD Form 1](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-1-permit-work) and [QLD Form 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-5-testing). The [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing) has the national set if you work across borders.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [Business Queensland inspection certificates for plumbing and drainage guidance](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/inspection-certificates), the official [QLD Form 3 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0022/3766/form3plumbingdrainageregulation2019.pdf), the [Business Queensland plumbing and drainage forms and templates page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/forms-templates), and the current [Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019](https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2019-0042).

# TAS plumbing forms from start to completion and gratuitous work (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-plumbing-forms-list-start-completion-handover)

Match TAS plumbing forms to each job stage, from Form 60 start work through Form 71B, Form 21 and the CBOS gratuitous work record. | State: TAS | Trade: Plumbing | Template: tas-form-21-completion

> **Tradie Forms:** keep Tasmanian plumbing paperwork moving from start notice to completion close-out. Fill Form 60, Form 21, Form 71B and gratuitous work certificates one section at a time, reuse licence and business details, preview the official layout and download the finished PDF for the owner, permit authority or job record.

Tasmanian plumbing paperwork is easiest when each form is tied to the job stage. One form gets the start-work notice moving. Another records the standard of work. Another is the certificate of completion. A separate gratuitous work form applies when a certifier performs prescribed work for no payment.

This guide is a practical list for Tasmanian plumbers, gas-fitters where relevant, certifiers, permit authorities and office admins. It covers [TAS Form 60](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-60-start-work), [TAS Form 21](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-21-completion), [TAS Form 71B](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-71b-plumbing) and [TAS Gratuitous Work](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-gratuitous-plumbing-work). Browse [TAS plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/tas/plumbing) as the live library grows.

Tradie Forms maps entries onto official PDF layouts. It does not decide whether work is low risk, notifiable, permit work or gratuitous work, and it does not decide whether the work complies. The licensed person, certifier, owner and permit authority still need to check the form choice, work status and finished PDF.

**Key takeaways**

- Form 60 for start-work notification, Form 71B for standard of work, Form 21 for certificate of completion
- Gratuitous work uses a separate CBOS form for prescribed work done for no payment
- Notifiable and permit plumbing work need a standard of work certificate to the owner, plus inspection contact and as-constructed drainage plans where required
- Complete paperwork while permit authority, owner, licence and work-site details are fresh
- Tradie Forms helps with a section-by-section fill and PDF preview; you still check the pathway

## Why does form choice matter on site? [#why-does-form-choice-matter-on-site]

A plumbing job can move quickly from access, inspection and pipework into sign-off. If the paperwork is left until later, the details become harder to prove and harder to complete.

The CBOS Building Act guide says a licensed plumber can perform some low risk work without a plumbing permit or regulatory oversight, but also says notifiable work and permit work have more formal steps. It tells plumbers they need to be familiar with the categories of plumbing work to work out whether the work is low risk, notifiable or requires a plumbing permit.

That means the first paperwork decision is not which PDF you have saved. It is what category and job stage you are dealing with. Once that is clear, the form becomes easier: start work details before work starts, standard of work details once work is complete, certificate of completion details when the permit authority stage is ready, and the gratuitous work form where no payment is involved and the CBOS process applies.

## TAS Form 60: start work notification [#tas-form-60-start-work-notification]

Form 60 sits near the beginning of the work. The CBOS approved forms list describes it as the Start Work Notification and Authorisation - plumbing work form.

Practical details to collect:

- Permit authority name and address
- Type of work
- Work site address, lot number and permit or certificate reference
- Work categories
- Licensed plumber details
- Intended start date
- Applicant name, signature and date

In Tradie Forms, Form 60 is split into sections you work through one at a time so the notice does not become a scramble of names, dates and references. Saved permit authority and plumber details help when you deal with the same councils and licence details often. Preview the official PDF layout before download and make sure the work site, start date and permit authority are right. Field detail is in the [Form 60 start work notification guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-60-start-work-notification-plumbing-guide).

## TAS Form 71B: standard of work certificate [#tas-form-71b-standard-of-work-certificate]

The CBOS approved forms list describes Form 71B as the Standard of Work Certificate - plumbing work form. The Building Act 2016 includes standard of work certificate provisions for permit plumbing work, and the CBOS guide says a standard of work certificate must be provided to the owner when completing notifiable or plumbing permit work.

For a plumber, Form 71B is the close-out record that explains what was done and who is certifying the standard of work. The template guides recipient or permit authority details, licensed plumber details, owner details, type of work, certificate of likely compliance references where relevant, work site details, work description, and certification with print name, signature and date.

The work description should be plain and specific. Say what was done, where it was done and what part of the job it covers.

**Form 71B work description**

- **This** - Install sanitary drainage and sewer connection for unit 2, including inspection openings as constructed (Names the work, the location, and the part of the job covered.)
- **Not this** - Plumbing work completed (Indistinguishable from every other certificate on the site.)

If as-constructed drawings are needed, keep them with the PDF and job record. See the [Form 71B standard of work guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-71b-standard-of-work-certificate-guide) and the [Form 71B lodgement guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-71b-plumbing-lodgement-completion).

## TAS Form 21: certificate of completion [#tas-form-21-certificate-of-completion]

The CBOS approved forms list describes Form 21 as the Certificate of Completion - plumbing work form. The Building Act 2016 sets out certificate of completion provisions for permit plumbing work and notifiable plumbing work.

In practical terms, Form 21 is part of the completion record. It is not the same as Form 71B. Form 71B records the standard of work certificate. Form 21 is the certificate of completion record.

The template guides owner or agent details, permit authority details, work classification and property details, permit or compliance references, licensed plumber details, certificate basis and permit authority sign-off details. Because it is completion-stage paperwork, small errors stand out. The owner name, permit authority, licence number, address and reference numbers should match the job file.

If you are unsure which close-out PDF someone is asking for, use the [Form 21 vs Form 71B comparison](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-21-vs-form-71b-plumbing-guide).

## TAS gratuitous work: plumber and gas-fitter certifier [#tas-gratuitous-work-plumber-and-gas-fitter-certifier]

CBOS has specific guidance for doing work for no payment, also called gratuitous work. The CBOS page says a certified plumber must complete a Gratuitous Work Form and lodge it with CBOS for assessment by email or post. The official PDF says the form is for a plumber and/or gas-fitter certifier only, and says there are no fees to lodge the form.

This form is different from ordinary paid job paperwork. It records the certifier, property owner, work site, prescribed work description, insurance declaration and owner sign-off. Use it when the no-payment job fits the CBOS process. Because gratuitous work can be easy to treat casually, the paperwork should be especially clear. Read the [gratuitous work form guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-gratuitous-plumbing-gasfitting-work-guide) and [common gratuitous work mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-tas-gratuitous-work-certificate) before you fill it.

## A clean TAS plumbing job record [#a-clean-tas-plumbing-job-record]

A good job record depends on the work, but for Tasmanian plumbing paperwork it may include:

- Form 60 start-work notification and authorisation
- Permit or certificate of likely compliance details
- Inspection requests and inspection notes
- Form 71B standard of work certificate
- As-constructed drainage plan where required
- Form 21 certificate of completion
- Gratuitous work form where relevant
- Photos, owner emails and job-system notes

**Tasmanian plumbing paperwork in job order**

- **Form 60 - Before work starts** - Start-work notification, lodged with the permit authority.
- **Work and inspections - As the job runs** - Inspection requests, notes and any certificate of likely compliance references.
- **Form 71B - Plumber, at completion** - Standard of work certificate, with the as-constructed drainage plan where required.
- **Form 21 - With permit authority sign-off** - Certificate of completion, the separate close-out record from Form 71B.

Form 71B records the standard of work and Form 21 is the completion record, which is the distinction that decides which one a request is actually asking for.

The point is not to create paperwork for its own sake. It is to make sure the owner, permit authority and business record all tell the same story. The [Form 60 and Form 71B workflow guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-60-form-71b-plumbing-workflow-guide) walks start and standard of work as one sequence.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

**Treating Form 21 and Form 71B as the same thing.** They sit near each other in the completion flow, but they do different jobs.

**Leaving owner details until later.** The owner copy matters. Confirm the owner or agent details before the worker leaves the site.

**Using old licence details.** Saved details save time only when they are current. Check licence class, number, business name and contact details before download.

**Forgetting the job category.** Low risk, notifiable and permit plumbing work do not all follow the same process. Use official CBOS guidance and permit authority advice to decide which pathway applies.

**Splitting the records.** If Form 60 sits in email, Form 71B sits on a phone and Form 21 sits in a downloads folder, the job becomes harder to close. Store the finished PDFs with the job record.

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Tradie Forms turns Tasmanian plumbing paperwork into sections you work through one at a time. You can reuse permit authority, owner, plumber and certifier details, catch missing fields before download, preview the official PDF layout, download the finished PDF and store it with the job record.

That helps on the tools because the form can be completed while the work, owner, permit and inspection details are still fresh. It also helps the office because the finished PDF is easier to file, send and match to the job software.

Tradie Forms maps entries onto official PDF layouts. The licensed plumber, gas-fitter certifier, permit authority or responsible person still needs to check the regulatory pathway and the finished PDF.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start [TAS Form 60](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-60-start-work) before work begins, use [TAS Form 71B](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-71b-plumbing) when the standard of work certificate is due, prepare [TAS Form 21](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-21-completion) for certificate of completion records, or use [TAS Gratuitous Work](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-gratuitous-plumbing-work) for prescribed work done for no payment. Browse [TAS plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/tas/plumbing) for the live template set. Working interstate? The [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing) lists the lot.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [CBOS approved forms list](https://cbos.tas.gov.au/topics/resources-tools/Building-and-trades-forms%2C-publications-and-report/asset-listings/approved-forms), the [CBOS guide to approved plumbing forms](https://www.cbos.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/404544/Guide_to_approved_forms_-_plumbing_work.pdf), the [CBOS Guide to the Building Act 2016](https://www.cbos.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/405039/Guide_to_the_Building_Act_2016.pdf), the current [Building Act 2016](https://www.legislation.tas.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/act-2016-025), and the [CBOS gratuitous work guidance](https://www.cbos.tas.gov.au/topics/licensing-and-registration/licensed-occupations/plumbing/doing-work-for-no-payment-gratuitous-work).

# QLD Form 11 treatment plant service report: on-site guide (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-11-treatment-plant-service-report-guide)

QLD Form 11 service reports for on-site sewerage and greywater treatment plants: the 10 business day rule, what to test, and how to write a useful fault note. | State: QLD | Trade: Plumbing | Template: qld-form-11-treatment-plant

> **Tradie Forms:** complete the QLD Form 11 treatment plant service report while the plant, owner, readings, and service notes are still in front of you.

Form 11 looks quick until you are back in the ute trying to remember plant details, readings, alarm status, and the owner's email. The service is done; the report still has to be clear enough for local government, the owner, and your own records.

This is for Queensland plumbers and service technicians completing the service report for an on-site sewerage or greywater treatment plant. Use the [QLD Form 11 template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-11-treatment-plant), or browse [QLD plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/plumbing).

**Key takeaways**

- Submit to local government and give the owner a copy within 10 business days of servicing
- Capture the serial number, not just brand and model
- Where something is not functioning correctly, a detailed description is required
- "If applicable" is real - do not invent readings to fill a section
- Land application area status matters even when the plant itself runs fine

## What QLD Form 11 is for [#what-qld-form-11-is-for]

Business Queensland lists Form 11 as the service report for a treatment plant, and the official PDF says it is used for the purposes of section 106 of the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019.

The official PDF also says the form must be submitted to local government and a copy provided to the owner of the facility within 10 business days after servicing the facility.

It captures the site, plant, status, land application area, service tests, annual tests where applicable, owner details, technician details, and the declaration. It is not the original permit application, and it is not the treatment plant approval - Business Queensland's on-site sewage guidance notes that installing an on-site sewage treatment plant requires local government approval and treatment plant approval, which sit separately from this service record.

## Why finish it on site? [#why-finish-it-on-site]

A treatment plant service carries more detail than anyone should hold in their head, and waiting turns small gaps into guesswork.

On site you have the actual plant brand, model, and serial number; the status you observed; the land application area condition; test readings and alarm checks; arrival and departure times; the owner's details if they are present; photos while access panels are still open; and the chance to explain defects or follow-up work face to face.

If something is not functioning correctly, write the description while you are looking at it. If the system needs de-sludging, record it clearly. If the irrigation field could not be located, say so rather than leaving the field blank for the office to interpret.

## Property and treatment plant details [#property-and-treatment-plant-details]

The land description should identify the property - street address, lot and plan, local government area, and local government reference number where applicable.

The treatment plant section asks whether the report is for an on-site sewerage treatment plant or a greywater treatment plant, plus brand, model, and serial number.

Do not rely on what the job was booked as. Check the plate, the service history, owner documents, or the previous report. A wrong model or serial number makes the report hard to match to the asset later, which defeats the purpose of a service record.

## Plant status [#plant-status]

The status section asks whether the plant is functioning correctly and whether a system de-sludge is required. Simple fields, but they carry weight: where the answer is no, the official PDF asks for a detailed description.

Useful notes cover what you saw - pump not operating, audible or visual alarm issue, high sludge level, effluent leaving premises, land application area not functioning correctly, owner advised of follow-up work, or a manufacturer procedure not completed and why.

Do not overclaim. Where you have not diagnosed the cause, record the observation. The declaration says the information is a true and accurate record of the service visit.

## Land application area [#land-application-area]

Form 11 asks about the disposal method and land application area, with options including surface or spray, subsurface, covered surface, trench, and other. It also asks whether the irrigation field was located, whether effluent is leaving the premises, and whether the area is functioning correctly.

These get skipped when access is awkward or the owner is in a hurry, and they are exactly the fields explaining whether the treated effluent side of the system behaves as expected.

Where the land application area is not functioning correctly, the form asks for a detailed description. Write it in ordinary site language, and keep any photos with the job record.

## Tests every service [#tests-every-service]

The official form provides fields for pH, residual chlorine, clarity, temperature, air blower filter status, pump working, audible alarm working, visual alarm working, and chlorine tablets added - to be completed every service where applicable.

"If applicable" matters, because systems and service procedures differ. Follow the system requirements and the manufacturer procedures. Where a field applies, record the result rather than trusting memory to the end of the day.

## Annual tests [#annual-tests]

Annual testing fields cover the primary tank sludge test, secondary tank sludge test, and air blower back pressure test, again where applicable.

Where this is an annual service, have the equipment and previous record ready before the visit. Where annual testing does not apply, leave those fields rather than filling a number to make the form look complete.

## Service procedure [#service-procedure]

The form asks whether the service was completed in accordance with the manufacturer's operation and maintenance recommended procedures, and notes that technicians can access those procedures from the manufacturer.

Where the answer is yes, the job record should support it. Where it is no, the reason should be visible rather than buried - access blocked, a component needing replacement, the owner declining work, or a follow-up visit required.

## Owner and technician details [#owner-and-technician-details]

Owner details need to be current. Where a property manager booked the job but the facility owner must receive the copy, check which details belong in the report.

Technician details include the service date, arrival time, departure time, minutes on site, company or individual name, service technician name, and licence number. These repeat across jobs, so saved details help - check them whenever staff, licence, or company details change.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

**Missing the serial number.** Brand and model help; the serial number identifies the unit.

**Fault note**

- **This** - Aerator motor seized, no rotation on start. Isolated and tagged, replacement quoted. Land application area dry at time of visit. (What you observed, what you did, and the state you left it in.)
- **Not this** - Not working (Tells the owner, the local government, and the next technician nothing.)

**Vague fault notes.** Write what you observed, not the conclusion.

**Forgetting the owner copy.** A copy must be provided to the owner within 10 business days after servicing. Build it into the workflow rather than relying on memory.

**Skipping land application details.** The plant may run while the land application area does not.

**Leaving the report outside the job record.** It should sit with service notes, photos, owner communications, and any quotes or follow-up work.

## Servicing the same plant year after year [#servicing-the-same-plant-year-after-year]

Most treatment plant work is repeat business on the same properties, which changes what the report is for.

The single report matters less than the run of them. A plant with four years of service reports shows whether a problem is new or recurring, whether a component has been replaced twice, and whether the owner has been acting on recommendations. That history is more useful to you than to anyone, because it tells you what to expect before you drive out.

Keep the reports in date order under the property rather than by job number. Property is how you will look them up.

## Explaining findings to the owner [#explaining-findings-to-the-owner]

Owners of on-site treatment plants are often householders rather than facility managers, and the language that works with a plumber does not work with them.

Describe the consequence rather than the component. An owner who understands that a failing pump means effluent surfacing in the yard will act; one told the pump is drawing high current will file the report. That is the whole difference between a recommendation that gets actioned and one that shows up unresolved on your next visit.

Put the important items in writing on the report rather than only mentioning them at the door. The person who arranged the service is often not the person who reads it later.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start the [QLD Form 11 treatment plant service report](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-11-treatment-plant) while the service details are fresh, or browse [QLD plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/plumbing). Plumbing forms for every state sit on the [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing).

Related Queensland forms include [QLD Form 1](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-1-permit-work) for permit applications involving on-site sewerage work, [QLD Form 2](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-2-amend-permit) where treatment plant details change under an existing permit, and [QLD Form 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-5-testing) for testing or commissioning reports. The [QLD plumbing forms list](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-plumbing-forms-list-permit-inspection-handover). For the testing report that often sits beside it, see the [QLD Form 5 testing report guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-5-testing-commissioning-report-guide). shows the wider set.

Tradie Forms organises Form 11 into sections you work through one at a time for property, plant details, status, land application, service tests, annual tests, procedure, owner, technician, and declaration. It does not decide whether the plant is functioning correctly or whether further work is needed - the licensed person and service technician remain responsible for the work and the finished report.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the official [QLD Form 11 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0023/3749/form11plumbingdrainageregulation2019.pdf), the [Business Queensland forms and templates page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/forms-templates), [installing on-site sewage facilities](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/on-site-sewage), [applying for treatment plant approvals](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/treatment-plant-approvals), and the current [Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019](https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2019-0042).

# QLD PDR Form 12 vs building Form 12: choose the right form (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-pdr-form-12-vs-building-form-12-guide)

Queensland has two forms called Form 12. Tell the plumbing specialist work statement apart from the building aspect certificate, and fill the right one. | State: QLD | Trade: Plumbing | Template: qld-form-12-specialised-work

Queensland has more than one form called Form 12, and they are not interchangeable. Opening the wrong one is a quiet mistake - the form looks plausible, the fields get filled, and the problem only surfaces when someone at council asks why a building certificate is attached to a plumbing permit application.

This guide sorts out which is which, then covers the details the plumbing one actually needs.

**Key takeaways**

- The plumbing Form 12 is a compliance statement for specialist work
- The building Form 12 is an aspect inspection certificate from a different form set
- Name the form unambiguously in job software, filenames, and emails
- The land description must identify all land the subject of the application
- A local government may determine who is competent to give the statement

Use the [QLD PDR Form 12 template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-12-specialised-work) for proper fields on the official layout, or browse [QLD plumber forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/plumbing). See the [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing) for the rest of the Australian set.

## Telling the two apart [#telling-the-two-apart]

| Topic          | Plumbing PDR Form 12                                                   | Building Form 12                                                                      |
| -------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Full title     | Compliance statement for specialist work                               | Aspect inspection certificate                                                         |
| Form set       | Plumbing and drainage forms                                            | Building forms                                                                        |
| Job moment     | Supports a permit application for specialist plumbing or drainage work | Records an aspect inspection after the work is completed                              |
| Who signs      | A suitably qualified person for the specialist work                    | An appointed competent person who inspected the aspect                                |
| Main receiver  | Local government as part of the application                            | The building certifier                                                                |
| What it states | The work will comply if carried out under the permit applied for       | The inspected aspect is completed and complies with the building development approval |
| Live template  | [QLD PDR Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-12-specialised-work)                 | [QLD building Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-12-aspect-inspection)                 |

The plumbing and drainage Form 12 is titled "Compliance statement for specialist work". [Business Queensland lists it with the plumbing and drainage forms](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/forms-templates), and the official PDF says it is used for section 45(2)(b) of the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019.

The building Form 12 is titled "Aspect Inspection Certificate (Appointed Competent Person)". [Business Queensland lists it in the Building Act form set](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/forms-guidelines/forms), not the plumbing form set. For its field workflow, see the [QLD building Form 12 aspect inspection guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-12-aspect-inspection-certificate-guide).

## How to stop the mix-up happening again [#how-to-stop-the-mix-up-happening-again]

The fix is naming, not memory. Use "QLD PDR Form 12" or "Form 12 specialist work compliance statement" in your job software, your filenames, and your emails.

That one habit means the builder, the office, and the council are all talking about the same document. A file called `form-12.pdf` sitting in a job folder is a question waiting to be asked; `form-12-pdr-specialist-work-[site].pdf` is not.

## Which law and form set applies? [#which-law-and-form-set-applies]

The form title is the fastest check, but the legal reference settles it. The [plumbing Form 12 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/3751/form12plumbingdrainageregulation2019.pdf) says it is used for section 45(2)(b) of the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019. It belongs in the plumbing permit process and its declaration is about specialist work complying if it is carried out under the permit applied for.

The [building Form 12 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0022/18625/form12aspectinspectioncertificateappointedcompetentperson.pdf) says it is used under sections 74 and 77 of the Building Regulation 2021. It is inspection evidence for a component of a stage of assessable building work. The appointed competent person is certifying an aspect they inspected, not giving a plumbing specialist-work statement for a permit application.

If the job folder says only "Form 12", look at the governing approval. A plumbing permit application points to the PDR form. A building development approval and an aspect inspection request from a building certifier point to the building form.

## What job event triggers each form? [#what-job-event-triggers-each-form]

The plumbing Form 12 looks forward. Its declaration states that the specialist work will comply with the code requirements if it is carried out in compliance with the permit applied for. That makes it part of the evidence used to decide the application, alongside the work description, technical basis and supporting documents.

The building Form 12 looks back at an inspected aspect. The appointed competent person completes it after inspecting the aspect and being satisfied it has been completed and complies with the building development approval. [Business Queensland explains that the competent person gives it to the building certifier](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/approvals-inspections/competent-persons-cadets), who uses the inspection evidence when confirming the stage.

Those two moments should stop the mix-up. One supports approval for specialist plumbing or drainage work. The other reports an inspection of building work already completed.

## Who signs and who receives each form? [#who-signs-and-who-receives-each-form]

The plumbing declaration is made by a suitably qualified person for the specialist work. The official form lists occupational plumbers or drainers, people the local government considers competent, relevant QBCC licensees, registered professional engineers and an "other" option. The statement is collected by local government for deciding the application and monitoring compliance.

The building certificate is signed by an appointed competent person. The building certifier must assess and appoint that person for the relevant inspection help before the certificate can be used. The competent person gives the signed Form 12 to the building certifier, not to the plumbing permit team as a substitute for the PDR statement.

The same individual might hold qualifications relevant to both workflows, but that does not make the forms interchangeable. Check the role they are performing on this job and who requested the document.

## What evidence belongs with each form? [#what-evidence-belongs-with-each-form]

Both forms ask for the land, scope, technical basis and reference documents, which is why they look similar at a glance. The surrounding evidence is different.

Keep the plumbing statement with the permit application, current specialist design documents, specifications or calculations, local government reference and correspondence about the application. The [common Form 12 mistakes guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-qld-form-12-specialised-work) covers field-level checks such as land details, work scope, document revisions and signer information.

Keep the building certificate with the building development approval, the request to inspect, inspection notes, evidence for the aspect, building certifier reference and the stage inspection record. The building form asks for the building or structure class and the date the request to inspect was received, which are not the organising fields of the plumbing statement.

Filing each form with its own approval trail makes the choice visible months later. A loose PDF called `form-12.pdf` removes that context.

## How should the office label the two forms? [#how-should-the-office-label-the-two-forms]

Use the full workflow name in job software, filenames and emails:

- `QLD-PDR-Form-12-specialist-work-[site].pdf`
- `QLD-building-Form-12-aspect-inspection-[site].pdf`

Add the receiving role to the task as well.

**Task wording in the job system**

- **This** - - Send PDR Form 12 with plumbing permit application
  - Send building Form 12 to building certifier (Names the form and the receiving role in the same line.)
- **Not this** - Finish Form 12 (The next person has to reopen the job to work out which form was meant.)

Saved business and licence details can still reduce retyping, but keep separate presets for the two form sets. Before download, preview the title, legal reference, signer role and receiver. Those four checks catch the wrong-form mistake before a plausible-looking PDF leaves the office.

## Four quick job examples [#four-quick-job-examples]

**A specialist hydraulic design supports a plumbing permit application.** The designer or other suitably qualified person is stating that the proposed specialist work will comply if it is carried out under the permit applied for. That points to the PDR Form 12. Store it with the application, design documents and local government reference.

**A waterproofing aspect has been inspected during building work.** The building certifier appointed a competent person to inspect that aspect, and the person is satisfied it is complete and complies with the building development approval. That points to the building Form 12. Give it to the building certifier with the inspection evidence.

**The builder asks for “Form 12” before the plumbing permit is issued.** Do not choose from the number alone. Ask whether they need a specialist-work statement for the plumbing application or inspection evidence under the building approval. The answer decides the form set, signer, supporting documents and receiver.

**The office receives a signed Form 12 with no useful filename.** Check the full title and legal reference on the first page before filing it. A reference to the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation belongs with the plumbing application. A reference to sections 74 and 77 of the Building Regulation belongs with the building inspection record.

These examples are deliberately about the decision point. Once the correct form is open, use the field guide for the detailed land, scope, basis, document and signature checks.

## Related Queensland plumbing forms [#related-queensland-plumbing-forms]

Form 12 usually sits near [QLD Form 1](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-1-permit-work) for permit work applications, [QLD Form 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-5-testing) for testing or commissioning reports, [QLD Form 14](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-14-compliance-declaration) for compliance declarations, and [QLD Form 19](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-19-final-inspection) for final inspection certificates.

The [QLD plumbing forms list](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-plumbing-forms-list-permit-inspection-handover) keeps the set together as a job moves from application to inspection and completion.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start the [QLD PDR Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-12-specialised-work) when the plumbing permit application needs a specialist-work statement. Use the [QLD building Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-12-aspect-inspection) when an appointed competent person is reporting an inspected aspect to the building certifier.

For field-level help, read [preparing the PDR Form 12 on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-12-specialised-work-on-site-guide) or the [building Form 12 aspect inspection guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-12-aspect-inspection-certificate-guide).

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [Business Queensland plumbing forms page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/forms-templates), the current [PDR Form 12 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/3751/form12plumbingdrainageregulation2019.pdf), the [Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019](https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2019-0042), the [Business Queensland building forms page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/forms-guidelines/forms), the current [building Form 12 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0022/18625/form12aspectinspectioncertificateappointedcompetentperson.pdf), and the [Business Queensland competent person inspection guidance](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/approvals-inspections/competent-persons-cadets).

# QLD plumbing forms list: which form belongs at which job stage (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-plumbing-forms-list-permit-inspection-handover)

Which QLD plumbing form to use at each job stage: Forms 1, 2, 3, 5, 9, 11, 12, 14 and 19, what each one records, and who is actually allowed to issue it. | State: QLD | Trade: Plumbing | Template: qld-form-1-permit-work

> **Tradie Forms:** fill Queensland plumbing forms on the official PDF layouts with a section-by-section fill for permit, amendment, covered work, treatment plant, testing, backflow and certificate records, then preview and download the finished PDF.

Queensland plumbing paperwork looks like a pile of similar numbers until you tie each form to a moment on the job. One starts permit work. One changes a permit. One records work that got covered. One is not a plumber's form at all.

This is the field list: what each Queensland plumbing form is for, when it belongs, and who issues it. Use it to pick the right form, then follow the link for the detail. Remote permit work has a separate close-out path covered in the [QLD Form 6 remote area compliance notice guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-6-remote-area-compliance-notice-guide).

**Key takeaways**

- Pick the form by job stage, not by what you used last time
- Form 19 is issued by local government or a public sector entity, not by the plumber
- PDR Form 12 is the plumbing specialised work statement, not the building Form 12
- Form 9 and Form 11 both carry a 10 business day copy requirement
- Form 3 is an alternative pathway a local government allows, not a way around inspections

Browse [QLD plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/plumbing), or start with [QLD Form 1](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-1-permit-work).

## Which QLD plumbing form do I need? [#which-qld-plumbing-form-do-i-need]

Start with the stage of the work, not the last PDF the office used.

**The forms in job order**

- **Before the work - Forms 1, 2 and PDR 12** - Permit application, amendment or extension, and any specialised work statement.
- **During the work - Forms 3 and 5** - Covered work declaration where council allows it, and testing or commissioning.
- **Recurring device work - Forms 9 and 11** - Backflow devices and treatment plants, on their own annual cycles.
- **At completion - Forms 14 and 19** - Your compliance declaration, then council's final inspection certificate.

Form 19 is the only one here issued by the local government rather than by you.

- Permit work about to start: [Form 1](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-1-permit-work), the permit work application
- Permit already issued, scope or timing changed: [Form 2](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-2-amend-permit)
- Work covered before inspection: [Form 3](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-3-covered-work-declaration)
- Testing or commissioning done: [Form 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-5-testing)
- Testable backflow prevention device inspected or tested: [Form 9](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-9-backflow)
- On-site sewerage or greywater treatment plant serviced: [Form 11](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-11-treatment-plant)
- Specialised work statement needed for a permit application: [PDR Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-12-specialised-work)
- Work completed after a relevant action notice: [Form 14](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-14-compliance-declaration)
- Permitted work, or a distinct part of it, finished and certified: [Form 19](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-19-final-inspection)

## Before the work: Forms 1, 2 and 12 [#before-the-work-forms-1-2-and-12]

**Form 1 - permit work application.** Business Queensland says permit work needs a permit before it starts, and that the work is inspected against the relevant plumbing laws, the permit terms and the plans lodged with the application. The risk here is rarely the form number - it is stale job details, a missing lot and plan, or a fixture count that changed after a builder meeting. The supporting documents guidance says extra documents may be needed depending on the proposed work and building class. See the [Form 1 permit work application guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-1-permit-work-application-guide).

**Form 2 - amend a permit or extend time.** Use it when the real job has moved away from the approved job: fixtures changed, the treatment plant changed, a site condition forced a different run, or more time is needed. The Queensland guidance says an extension should be applied for at least 10 business days before the permit term ends, and that an amended permit needs to be approved and issued before the extra work starts. See the [Form 2 amendment and extension guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-2-amend-permit-extension-time-guide).

**PDR Form 12 - compliance statement for specialised work.** This is the plumbing and drainage Form 12, not the building one. The official PDF asks for the description of work, the basis of the statement, reference documentation and suitably qualified person details, so the statement can be attached to permit paperwork and reviewed. See [common PDR Form 12 mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-qld-form-12-specialised-work).

## During the work: Forms 3 and 5 [#during-the-work-forms-3-and-5]

**Form 3 - covered work declaration.** Business Queensland describes this as an alternative in some cases where local government may accept a declaration or report instead of completing an inspection. The guidance says it can be used where work is covered before an inspector has inspected it and the local government has allowed the form to be used to certify the work is compliant. It is a pathway a council permits, not a shortcut you choose. See the [Form 3 covered work declaration guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-3-covered-work-declaration-guide).

**Form 5 - testing or commissioning report.** It records what was tested or commissioned, and it often sits beside permit or inspection paperwork because the result explains whether the job can move forward. Fill it while gauges, readings and equipment details are still in front of you, not from a notebook on Friday. See the [Form 5 testing or commissioning guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-5-testing-commissioning-report-guide), then use the [Form 5 record-keeping and handover guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-5-testing-report-records-handover) when the report moves from the competent person to the responsible person and council.

## Recurring and device work: Forms 9 and 11 [#recurring-and-device-work-forms-9-and-11]

**Form 9 - backflow registration and report.** The registration and report on inspection and testing of testable backflow prevention devices. The device, location, owner, property, readings and tester details all need to match the asset and the council record. The official PDF says copies must be submitted to the relevant local government and the owner of the premises within 10 business days after inspecting or testing the device. See the [Form 9 record keeping and handover guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-9-backflow-record-keeping-handover).

**Form 11 - treatment plant service report.** A service report for an on-site sewerage or greywater treatment plant. The official PDF says it must be submitted to local government with a copy provided to the owner within 10 business days after servicing the facility. It covers plant details, system status, land application area, service tests, annual tests and owner details. See the [Form 11 treatment plant service report guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-11-treatment-plant-service-report-guide).

## At completion: Forms 14 and 19 [#at-completion-forms-14-and-19]

**Form 14 - compliance declaration.** Tied to completed work and a relevant action notice. The official PDF asks for permit details, action notice details, a description of the work performed, the completion date, the responsible person, contractor details where needed, and the declaration. The declaration has to match the action notice and the work actually done. See the [Form 14 on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-14-compliance-declaration-on-site-guide) and [common Form 14 mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-qld-form-14-compliance-declaration).

**Form 19 - final inspection certificate.** This one is not a plumber's declaration. Business Queensland says Form 19 is used by the local government or a public sector entity, that it certifies the permit work is compliant, operational and fit for use, and that it can be issued when all work under the permit, or a distinct part of the work, is complete. See the [Form 19 final inspection certificate guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-19-final-inspection-certificate-guide).

## What does every one of these forms need? [#what-does-every-one-of-these-forms-need]

Most rework comes from the same missing basics, whichever form you are on.

**Before any QLD plumbing form goes out**

- **Checked against the job record** - - Address, lot and plan, suburb, postcode and local government area
  - Permit number, issue date and action notice reference where relevant
  - Owner, applicant, contractor and responsible person in their own blocks
  - Fixture counts, plant details, test results or device details as they apply
  - Signature, date and the required declaration (Saved details cut the typing. They still need a look before the PDF goes out.)
- **Where rework comes from** - - A street address with no lot and plan or LGA
  - A permit number with no issue date or action notice reference
  - Details in the wrong blocks: owner where the applicant belongs
  - A work description too broad to identify location or scope (The same handful of gaps, whichever form number is on the page.)

Saved details cut the repeat typing on business, licence, owner and applicant blocks. They still need a look before the PDF goes out - a company name carried over from an old job makes a finished document look careless.

Keep the finished PDF with the evidence that explains it: plans, fixture schedules, test sheets, commissioning notes, backflow asset details, treatment plant service notes, photos, council emails, owner approvals and the job reference. When a job passes between the plumber, the office, the builder, the owner and council, that record saves the phone calls.

For how the permit, testing and backflow records hand off between people across one job, see the [Form 1, Form 5 and Form 9 handover guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-plumbing-form-1-form-5-form-9-handover-guide).

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start with [QLD Form 1](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-1-permit-work) for permit work applications, [QLD Form 2](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-2-amend-permit) for amendments or extensions, [QLD Form 3](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-3-covered-work-declaration) for covered work declarations, or browse all [QLD plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/plumbing). Browse the [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing) for job and safety paperwork that travels with you.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the official Queensland PDF layouts and lets you preview each one before you download it. It does not decide which form applies, whether work complies, or whether a person is authorised to sign or issue a certificate. That stays with the licensed person, the permit authority, the local government or the public sector entity responsible for the job.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [Business Queensland plumbing and drainage forms and templates page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/forms-templates), [permit applications for plumbing and drainage work](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/permits), [supporting documents for permit applications](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/permits/supporting-documents), [amending or extending a plumbing or drainage permit](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/permits/amending-extending), [inspection certificates for plumbing and drainage](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/inspection-certificates), and the [Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019](https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2019-0042).

# VIC pesticide record keeping: a digital workflow for pest controllers (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/vic-pesticide-record-keeping-digital-workflow)

How to run Victorian pesticide application records digitally: what to capture on site, how to name and store the finished PDF, and the three-year rule. | State: VIC | Trade: Pest Control | Template: vic-pesticide-application-record

> **Tradie Forms:** run Victorian pesticide application records digitally from the property. Fill it in one section at a time, reuse operator and client details, catch missing fields, preview the official PDF layout, and download a clean copy for the business record.

A digital pesticide record only helps if the finished file ends up somewhere the business can find it three years later. Filling the form on a phone is the easy half. The half that goes wrong is naming, storing and handing the record back to the office.

This guide covers the workflow around the record: what has to be captured, where the finished PDF lives, how repeat commercial sites are handled, and how the office answers a client question without ringing the technician. For the field-by-field detail, use the [VIC pesticide application record on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/vic-pesticide-application-record-on-site-guide). For the slips that weaken a record, see the [common VIC pesticide record mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-vic-pesticide-application-record).

Use the [VIC pesticide application record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/vic-pesticide-application-record) to fill the official PDF layout online, or browse [VIC pest control forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/vic/pest-control).

**Key takeaways**

- Victorian pest control operators must keep records for every pesticide application on every job
- Health Victoria says records must be kept at the business address for at least three years
- Electronic records must be kept securely and be available for inspection when required
- Capture the job-specific fields on site and let saved details carry the stable blocks
- Name and file the finished PDF against the job, not the technician's phone

## What does Victoria require you to keep, and for how long? [#what-does-victoria-require-you-to-keep-and-for-how-long]

[Health Victoria says](https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/record-keeping-for-pest-controllers) pest control operators must keep records for every pesticide application for every job, and that records must be kept at the business address for a minimum of three years. The requirement sits under the Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations 2019 and the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008.

The official guidance lists the details to record: pesticide trade name, batch number, precautions and re-entry period, date and times, pests treated, location and specific location of application, method, quantity, rate information, outdoor weather details where applicable, supervising person details where applicable, business details, client details and signature.

Health Victoria also says records should be accurate, up to date, clear, consistent and in English. That last standard is really a filing standard as much as a writing one. A record nobody can locate is not much use to the client, the next technician or an inspector.

## Build the record while doing the work [#build-the-record-while-doing-the-work]

The record should follow the treatment rather than trail it. Confirm the client, site address and target pests before you start. Note product details, label rate, batch and method during setup. Record weather conditions before outdoor application where applicable. After application, complete start and finish times, quantity, specific locations, precautions, re-entry period and signature.

**Filling the record in treatment order**

- **Before you start - At the door** - Client, site address and target pests confirmed.
- **During setup - While the product is out** - Product details, label rate, batch number and method.
- **Before outdoor application - At the treatment area** - Temperature, wind speed and wind direction.
- **After application - Before packing up** - Times, quantity, specific locations, precautions, re-entry period, signature.

Each step captures what is only visible at that moment. Nothing here is recoverable from the ute an hour later.

That order matters because the fields hardest to rebuild later - batch number, specific treated areas, weather - are all available at the moment they are needed and gone an hour afterwards.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the official PDF layout. It does not decide which product to use, what the label requires, or whether the treatment was appropriate. The licensed pest controller remains responsible for the application, the record and the finished PDF.

## Naming and storing the finished PDF [#naming-and-storing-the-finished-pdf]

Download the finished PDF after preview and attach it to the job the same day. The file name is doing real work here, because in three years nobody will remember the job number.

A pattern that survives:

- Date of application
- Client or site name
- Suburb
- Form name

Store the PDF beside the job booking or work order, the product label or SDS reference where your business keeps it, useful photos, the client communication, and any follow-up or next service date. If your business stores digital records, make sure the record system - not the technician's phone - is the place of record.

## Where do digital workflows usually break? [#where-do-digital-workflows-usually-break]

In five predictable places, and all of them are fixable with a habit rather than a new system.

**Product details**

- **This** - Trade name, APVMA number, batch 2026-0418, mixed at 25 mL per 10 L, applied by hand spray (Captured while the container is in hand.)
- **Not this** - Termite spray, standard rate (The batch number is unreadable once the container is back on the truck.)

**Product details are incomplete.** Trade name and batch number should be captured while the container is in hand, not recalled later.

**Precautions are too generic.** The record should include specific precautions and the re-entry period, drawn from the product label and the job context.

**Client details are copied from an old job.** Saved details help repeat commercial sites, but the person arranging the work, the phone number or the treated location can change between visits.

**Several products are squeezed into one record.** The official template is built around pesticide application details. If the job used more than one pesticide, check how your business records each product so all the required details are captured.

**The PDF never reaches the record system.** [Health Victoria says](https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/record-keeping-for-pest-controllers) records must be kept at the business address. A finished PDF sitting in a downloads folder does not meet that in any practical sense.

## Repeat commercial sites and saved details [#repeat-commercial-sites-and-saved-details]

Repeat commercial pest work is where a digital workflow pays for itself. Client details, trading name, business address and common treated locations often repeat, while the product, batch, pests, weather and application areas change every visit.

Use saved operator and client details for the stable blocks, then put your attention on the job-specific fields. That keeps repeat work fast without turning this month's record into a copy of last month's.

For schools, warehouses, food premises, strata sites and healthcare settings, be extra clear about specific application areas and precautions. The next person reading the record may not be the person who booked the job.

## Supervising and trainee details [#supervising-and-trainee-details]

The official guidance includes the name and licence number of the supervising person where applicable, for example where a trainee licence holder applied the pesticide. If that applies on the job, record it on site rather than leaving it for the office to work out afterwards.

Saved operator details help, but the technician still needs to check the actual person and licence details for that application. The [VIC pest control licence guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/vic-pest-control-licence-guide) explains technician, trainee and authorisation checks in more detail.

## Can the office answer client questions from the record? [#can-the-office-answer-client-questions-from-the-record]

That is the real test of the workflow. A client ringing about re-entry period, product name or treated area should be answerable from the stored PDF without calling the technician back.

The official requirement is about keeping records, but clients still ask what was applied. Before sharing a copy, check that the record is complete, plain enough to understand, and consistent with your business process for client communication. Keep a note of the sent copy with the job.

Avoid shorthand that only makes sense to the person who did the work. The record has to stand on its own once the job is closed.

## End-of-job check [#end-of-job-check]

Before leaving the property, confirm the product trade name and batch number, the pests treated, the specific application areas, the method, quantity and rate details, the precautions and re-entry period, weather details for outdoor application where applicable, the operator, licence and signature, and the client details.

It is a short list, but it covers the fields that are hardest to rebuild later. If the technician can confirm them on site, the record is strong enough to file and forget.

## Records that hold up months later [#records-that-hold-up-months-later]

The value of a pesticide record shows up long after the treatment, usually when somebody asks a question nobody anticipated.

That might be a client querying a treatment near a vegetable garden, a neighbour raising a complaint, or a regulator reviewing a business. In each case the useful record is one that shows exactly what was applied, where, at what rate, and under what conditions, written at the time rather than reconstructed.

Records written on the day carry detail that memory does not, particularly weather and the specific treated locations. Those are the two fields most likely to be queried and the two most likely to be vague when written up later.

## Making the file findable [#making-the-file-findable]

A digital record only helps if someone can find it under pressure.

Name files so the property and date are readable without opening them, and store them under the client or property rather than in a dated dump folder. The question is almost never "what did we do on the fourth of March", it is "what have we been doing at this address".

Keep the retention period in mind when choosing where the files live. A folder on one technician's phone is not a record system, however well named.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start the [VIC pesticide application record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/vic-pesticide-application-record) at the property, or browse [VIC pest control forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/vic/pest-control) for the live template library. Pest control forms for every state sit on the [pest control forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/pest-control).

Working in Western Australia as well? The [WA pest management business inspection guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/wa-pest-management-business-inspection-checklist-guide) covers the premises and vehicle side of the same trade.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [Health Victoria record keeping for pest controllers page](https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/record-keeping-for-pest-controllers) for what must be recorded and how long it is kept, the [Health Victoria pest control legislation and licensing page](https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/pest-control-legislation-and-licensing) for the framework behind it, the [Health Victoria pest control forms page](https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/pest-control-forms) for the current record sheet, and [Technical Note 3 Record Keeping](https://www.health.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2025-01/technical-note-3-record-keeping.pdf) for the detailed list of record details.

# QLD Form 2: amend a plumbing permit or request more time (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-2-amend-permit-extension-time-guide)

QLD Form 2 explained: how to amend a plumbing permit or request an extension of time, what the fixture and wastewater sections need, and when to apply. | State: QLD | Trade: Plumbing | Template: qld-form-2-amend-permit

> **Tradie Forms:** prepare QLD Form 2 one section at a time - property, permit, extension, fixtures, wastewater, owner and applicant - preview the official PDF layout, then download the finished form for lodgement and the job record.

QLD Form 2 usually appears when the job has moved since the permit was issued. The builder changes the fixtures. The owner picks a different treatment plant. Site conditions slow the work, or the permit is running out of term. The paperwork has to catch up before the extra work starts.

This guide is for the moment where a Queensland plumber, drainer, builder, owner or admin person needs to prepare an amendment or extension without dropping old details into the wrong box.

**Key takeaways**

- Form 2 amends an existing plumbing or drainage permit, including an extension of time
- Business Queensland says an amended permit must be approved and issued before additional work starts
- A permit is valid for 2 years unless a longer period is stated, and can be extended by up to 2 years
- Apply for an extension at least 10 business days before the permit term ends
- The applicant is responsible for the information and for being authorised to act for the owner

Prepare the [QLD Form 2 template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-2-amend-permit), or browse [QLD plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/plumbing). Plumbing forms for every state sit on the [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing).

## What is QLD Form 2 used for? [#what-is-qld-form-2-used-for]

Business Queensland says you can apply to local government to amend or extend an existing plumbing or drainage permit rather than starting a new application, and that Form 2 is used for an application to amend a permit, including an extension of time.

The official Form 2 PDF says it is used for the purposes of sections 44(1)(a) and 57 of the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019, and that completion of all applicable sections is mandatory.

In plain terms: Form 2 is for an existing permit that needs a formal update. It is not a fresh permit application - that is [Form 1](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-1-permit-work), covered in the [Form 1 permit work guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-1-permit-work-application-guide). It is not a test report and it is not an inspection certificate. Tradie Forms does not decide whether an amendment should be approved or whether more documents are needed. The applicant and the responsible licensed people still check the work, the local government requirements and the finished PDF.

## When does Form 2 come up on site? [#when-does-form-2-come-up-on-site]

Usually out of ordinary job changes rather than dramatic problems. You may need it when:

- The permit needs more time before the work can be completed
- The approved scope needs to change
- Fixture counts have changed
- Wastewater disposal or treatment plant details have changed
- A new brand, model or approval reference is needed for an on-site sewerage or greywater treatment plant
- Local government has asked for a formal amendment rather than a note on the file

Business Queensland says an amended permit needs to be approved and issued before the additional work starts. That matters on site. If the plumber keeps moving because "it is only a small change", the job gets ahead of the approval pathway.

There is a difference between a minor and a substantial inconsistency. Where an inspector finds only a minor inconsistency, the official guidance says the inspector may simply amend the approved plan to correctly represent the work done. Where there is a substantial inconsistency between the work observed at inspection and the approved work plan, the inspector may issue an action notice and stop the work until the required actions are done. That is why Form 2 is worth treating as a job-control document, not just admin.

## How much time can an extension buy you? [#how-much-time-can-an-extension-buy-you]

Business Queensland says a permit is valid for 2 years unless a longer period is stated on the permit, that you can apply to extend an existing permit by up to 2 years, and that you need to apply at least 10 business days before the end of the permit's term.

- **Permit validity: 2 years** - Unless a longer period is stated on the permit itself.
- **Maximum extension: 2 years** - Applied for on Form 2, not agreed informally with the local government.
- **Apply before the term ends: 10 business days** - The deadline a gradually slipping job is most likely to miss.

The extension section is easy to rush because the delay feels obvious to everyone on the job. It still needs a clear reason.

**Reason for extension**

- **This** - - Staged construction timing, stage 3 slab not poured until June
  - Delayed site access while the builder held the lot
  - Revised owner instructions changed the fixture layout (Explains what actually held the work up.)
- **Not this** - Delayed (Obvious to everyone on the job today, meaningless in six months.)

Keep an eye on the 10 business day mark as an office routine. Permit expiry dates rarely announce themselves from site.

## Writing the amendment [#writing-the-amendment]

The permit amendment section is where you describe the proposed change. Local government needs to understand what is changing from the approved permit, so keep it specific.

Good amendment notes usually cover what was approved, what is now proposed, where on the property the change applies, whether drawings or fixture schedules have changed, whether SEQ water or sewerage work consent is relevant, and whether the change affects wastewater disposal.

Business Queensland says that when applying to amend or extend a permit you need to provide any required documents, written consent for the work from the South East Queensland service provider if the application relates to SEQ water or sewerage work and local government is not the water service provider, and the local government application fee.

Do not paste a vague email into the form and hope it explains itself. Write the amendment so a person who has never been to site can understand what they are assessing.

## Fixture and wastewater changes [#fixture-and-wastewater-changes]

Form 2 includes a fixture section because fixture counts change after approval. A bathroom layout shifts, a laundry is added, a commercial tenancy revises its fit-out. Compare the current drawings and site instructions against the approved permit documents before you fill anything in. If the number of sinks, basins, urinals, baths, W\.C.s, showers, laundry tubs or other fixtures has changed, record the updated count carefully. If a count is not changing, do not invent a number.

The wastewater disposal section matters when the application involves a change to a treatment plant or related on-site disposal details. The official Form 2 asks for treatment plant type, brand, model, TPA or CEA number, ERA number where applicable, bedroom count, wastewater flow, and the site and soil evaluation attachment where relevant.

That is too much detail to reconstruct at the end of the day. Collect the latest treatment plant documents, designer notes, owner selections and approval references before you start. If the change is a substitution of brand or model, say so plainly. Treatment plant approval, chief executive approval and ERA numbers should come from current documents, not a phone photo. An online form can catch an empty field and show you the official layout, but it cannot tell you whether the substituted plant is suitable or approved. Ongoing servicing of that plant is a separate record - see the [Form 11 treatment plant service report guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-11-treatment-plant-service-report-guide).

## Owner and applicant details [#owner-and-applicant-details]

Form 2 separates the owner from the applicant, because the applicant may be the plumber, builder, agent or another person managing the application on the owner's behalf. The official PDF notes that the applicant is responsible for ensuring the information provided is correct and that they are authorised to manage the application on the owner's behalf.

For a small residential job this is usually simple. For builders, agents and multi-party jobs it gets messy fast. Check the correct owner, phone, postal address and email. Check the company name and contact details for the applicant. If the office is lodging, make sure the site notes and the applicant declaration agree.

Saved owner and applicant details cut repeat typing, but check each finished PDF before lodgement. Stale contact details are one of the easiest mistakes to carry from job to job.

## A practical Form 2 workflow [#a-practical-form-2-workflow]

1. Confirm the current permit number and issue date
2. Work out whether the request is an extension, an amendment, or both
3. Compare the site change against the approved plans and permit conditions
4. Collect supporting documents before filling the form
5. Fill Form 2 one section at a time and preview the official PDF layout
6. Download the finished PDF and lodge with local government through the required process
7. Store it with the job record and related documents

Preview matters because the official layout has fixed boxes. A long amendment description, owner address or wastewater note can become unreadable in the space provided. An amended permit will usually sit beside other Queensland plumbing paperwork later in the job - [Form 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-5-testing) for testing, [Form 3](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-3-covered-work-declaration) if work gets covered before inspection, and [Form 19](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-19-final-inspection) at completion. The [QLD plumbing forms list](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-plumbing-forms-list-permit-inspection-handover) maps how the set fits together.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Prepare the [QLD Form 2 amendment or extension application](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-2-amend-permit) when an existing permit needs a formal change. For the original permit application, use [QLD Form 1](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-1-permit-work). For the covered work pathway, see the [Form 3 covered work declaration guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-3-covered-work-declaration-guide).

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [Business Queensland guide to amending or extending a plumbing or drainage permit](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/permits/amending-extending), the official [QLD Form 2 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/3764/form2plumbingdrainageregulation2019.pdf), the [Business Queensland plumbing and drainage forms and templates page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/forms-templates), and the current [Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019](https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2019-0042).

# QLD Form 21 final inspection certificate: record keeping and owner copy (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-21-final-inspection-record-keeping-handover)

What QLD building certifiers keep with a Form 21 final inspection certificate: owner copies, completion records, related certificates, and rework traps. | State: QLD | Trade: Building | Template: qld-building-form-21-final-inspection

> **Tradie Forms:** complete QLD Form 21 one section at a time, preview the official final inspection certificate layout, then download a clean PDF for the owner, certifier file and project site pack.

QLD Form 21 sits at the serious end of a residential building job. The owner wants final paperwork, the builder wants close-out moving, and the building certifier needs a clear record that the final inspection certificate matches the building approval and inspection documentation.

The form itself is not long. The risk is the job record around it. A missing approval reference, unclear owner details, or a certificate issued before supporting inspection documents are lined up can create back-and-forth at the exact moment everyone wants the job closed.

Use the [QLD Form 21 template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-21-final-inspection) when you want a section-by-section fill, saved certifier or owner details, missing-field checks, official PDF preview and a finished PDF download. You can also browse [QLD building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/building), or use related forms such as [QLD Form 16](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-16-inspection), [QLD Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-12-aspect-inspection) and [QLD Form 43](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-43-aspect-certificate). For the field walkthrough, see the [Form 21 completion guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-21-final-inspection-certificate-guide). For the whole certificate set on a building job, see the [QLD building certificates on-site workflow](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-building-certificates-on-site-workflow)..

## What does Form 21 record? [#what-does-form-21-record]

The official Queensland Form 21 says it is made for sections 98 and 99 of the Building Act 1975. It is for single detached class 1a buildings and class 10 buildings or structures, excluding swimming pools and swimming pool fences. It says the building certifier for the work must give the signed form to the owner as the final inspection certificate certifying the work is compliant with the building development approval.

The form also notes that Form 17 is the final inspection certificate for a regulated pool under the Building Act 1975.

That wording matters. Form 21 is not a general completion note. It is the final inspection certificate for the relevant class 1a or class 10 work. The building certifier still needs to check that the job is at the right point for the certificate and that the inspection record supports the certificate.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the official PDF layout. It does not decide whether the final inspection certificate can be issued.

## Gather the record before filling [#gather-the-record-before-filling]

Form 21 is easiest when the certificate pack is already organised. Before filling the PDF, gather:

- Owner name and contact details
- Property street address, lot and plan, and local government area
- Building description and building class
- Building development approval number
- Building certifier reference number
- Final inspection date
- Any inspection certificates relied on
- Any aspect certificates relied on
- Certifier name, registration and contact details
- Signature and certificate date

Check these against the building approval and inspection notes, not against an old job folder. Owner names, lot details and approval numbers are easy to copy forward by accident.

## Keep related certificates close [#keep-related-certificates-close]

The owner usually cares about one question: do I have the paperwork I need? The certifier and builder need a more complete answer.

For a clean Form 21 completion, keep the related building certificates together:

- Stage inspection certificates such as Form 16
- Aspect inspection certificates such as Form 12
- QBCC licensee aspect certificates such as Form 43
- Accepted development aspect certificates such as Form 30, where relevant to other work
- Product technical statements or design references, where they support the file
- Photos, test results, inspection notes and plans used in the decision

This is where a digital workflow helps. The PDF can be attached or stored with the job record, while the supporting documents stay in the same closeout pack.

**Key takeaways**

- Form 21 is the final inspection certificate for eligible single detached class 1a and class 10 work, excluding regulated pools
- Match owner, property, approval and inspection details to the job record before download
- Keep related certificates and references with the Form 21 PDF so completion is not split across emails and folders
- Label the owner copy clearly and log when it was sent
- Tradie Forms helps with a section-by-section fill, saved details, missing-field checks, official PDF preview and finished PDF download

## Where do Form 21 filing mistakes happen? [#where-do-form-21-filing-mistakes-happen]

### Owner details are treated as admin [#owner-details-are-treated-as-admin]

The owner copy matters. If the owner is a company, trust, builder, developer or other entity, check the correct name and contact. The official form includes owner details for a reason.

### Pool work is mixed into Form 21 [#pool-work-is-mixed-into-form-21]

**Which final certificate**

- **This** - Form 21 for the building work, Form 17 for the regulated pool (Two certificates, because they cover two different things.)
- **Not this** - Form 21 for everything final on the property (The official Form 21 points regulated pool finals at Form 17.)

Do not use Form 21 as a catch-all for every final certificate on the property.

### Approval references are copied from another job [#approval-references-are-copied-from-another-job]

Building development approval numbers can look similar across staged projects or repeat builders. Check the approval reference against the current job file before download.

### Supporting certificates are scattered [#supporting-certificates-are-scattered]

If the Form 21 relies on stage or aspect documentation, keep those records findable. A final certificate with no clear supporting file makes later questions harder than they need to be.

### The PDF is not previewed [#the-pdf-is-not-previewed]

Small layout issues become real once the owner receives the certificate. Preview the official layout before sending. Check long names, addresses, lot details, certifier details and dates.

## A practical Form 21 closeout rhythm [#a-practical-form-21-closeout-rhythm]

Use the same rhythm on every eligible job:

1. Confirm the job is eligible for Form 21.
2. Check that required stage, aspect and inspection documents are in the job file.
3. Confirm owner and property details against the approval.
4. Confirm the final inspection date and certifier reference.
5. Fill the form one section at a time.
6. Preview the official PDF layout.
7. Download the final certificate.
8. Give the owner copy and store the PDF with supporting inspection records.

This keeps the form close to the work, not as a loose PDF created after the job has already moved on.

## Better completion for the owner and the office [#better-completion-for-the-owner-and-the-office]

Owners often do not know which certificate means what. They may have building, plumbing, electrical, gas and waterproofing documents arriving from different people.

When you send Form 21, label it clearly in the job record and email subject. Include the property address and certificate date. Keep related certificates in the same folder or job task. That makes future sales, warranty queries, insurance questions and owner requests easier to answer.

After download, the job record should show:

- The final Form 21 PDF
- Date sent to the owner
- How the copy was sent
- Building development approval reference
- Related Form 12, Form 16 or Form 43 certificates relied on
- Any final inspection photos or notes
- Any remaining non-certificate completion items, such as warranties or product manuals

This is especially useful when the owner asks a question months later. The office can see the PDF, the send record and the supporting inspection documents in one place.

## How Tradie Forms helps on site [#how-tradie-forms-helps-on-site]

Tradie Forms breaks QLD Form 21 into sections you work through one at a time for the owner, property, building work, inspection and certifier details. Instead of pinching a flat PDF on a phone, you work through the same order each time.

Saved details can reduce repeat typing for the certifier or business block. Validation catches missing required fields before download. The official PDF preview shows whether the certificate reads cleanly before it leaves the job.

After download, store the PDF with the job. If your office uses a job software, attach the Form 21 to the final inspection or completion task so the admin team can see exactly what went out.

The point is not to replace the certifier's judgement. The point is to make the final certificate easier to fill, check and complete while the file is still open. Read the owner name, land description, building approval number, certifier reference and inspection date against the source documents before the owner copy leaves. The official Form 21 is the final inspection certificate for the eligible class 1a and class 10 work described on it, excluding regulated pools. It is not a generic project close-out letter.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start [QLD Form 21](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-21-final-inspection) when the final inspection certificate is ready to prepare. If the job is still at a stage inspection, use [QLD Form 16](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-16-inspection). If the record is an aspect certificate, check [QLD Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-12-aspect-inspection) or [QLD Form 43](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-43-aspect-certificate).

For the field walkthrough, open the [Form 21 completion guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-21-final-inspection-certificate-guide). Browse [QLD building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/building) for related templates.

## Official references [#official-references]

For current requirements, check the [Queensland Form 21 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0029/9785/form21finalinspectioncertificate.pdf), the [Business Queensland building forms page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/forms-guidelines/forms), the [Queensland Building Regulation 2021 forms update](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/news-publications/legislation/building/building-regulation-changes/building-regulation-changes-building-regulation-2021), and the [QBCC completion and final documentation guidance](https://www.qbcc.qld.gov.au/home-owner-hub/build-renovate/finalising-work/handover-final-documentation).

# QLD Form 72 maintenance records for filing and retention (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-72-maintenance-record-keeping-guide)

How to keep QLD Form 72 hydrant and sprinkler maintenance records: what to file with the PDF, naming that works, defect follow-up, and five-year retention. | State: QLD | Trade: Fire Safety | Template: qld-fire-form-72-hydrant-testing-maintenance

> **Tradie Forms:** finish QLD Form 72 while the maintenance test is fresh, preview the official PDF layout, and download a record the occupier and the next technician can both use.

Filling QLD Form 72 is the easy half. The half that causes trouble later is the filing: where the finished PDF lives, what sits beside it, what it is called, and whether anyone can find it when the occupier asks about a defect eight months on.

Fire hydrant and sprinkler maintenance records get checked well after the visit. If the detail is spread across service sheets, photos, emails and memory, the record is doing less work than it should.

**Key takeaways**

- QDC MP 6.1 sets a five-year record for the person who carried out the maintenance
- The maintenance copy goes to the building occupier within 10 business days
- The Form 72 PDF is part of the record, not all of it - file the readings and notices with it
- Name the file with site, form, test type and date so it can be found without opening it
- Defects are only useful in a record if the follow-up is attached to the same visit

Prepare the [QLD Form 72 template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-fire-form-72-hydrant-testing-maintenance), or browse [QLD fire-safety forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/fire-safety).

## What belongs in a Form 72 record? [#what-belongs-in-a-form-72-record]

The finished PDF, plus everything that supports it. The official Form 72 says it is used for maintenance of water-based fire safety installations as required by Queensland Development Code Mandatory Part 6.1, in accordance with the fire hydrant and sprinkler system commissioning and periodic maintenance procedure. It also says it does not comprise all maintenance requirements and collects results for some sections of the Australian Standards referred to.

So the file needs more than the form:

- Site name and address, contractor details, test date and time
- Whether the test was annual or five-year, and whether it covered hydrant, sprinkler or combined systems
- Service sheets and raw readings behind the entered values
- Gauge or device references
- Photos, tags and marked-up notes
- Any critical defect notice and the repair or corrective action detail
- Licence and report number, signature and date
- A reference to the building maintenance record

The [Form 72 maintenance guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-72-hydrant-sprinkler-maintenance-guide) covers what each test section asks for. This guide is about what happens to the document afterwards.

## How long do you keep it? [#how-long-do-you-keep-it]

QDC MP 6.1 says the person who carries out commissioning or maintenance of a water-based fire safety installation keeps a record of the form for at least five years after completing the work. That is your obligation as the contractor, separate from whatever the building keeps.

MP 6.1 also says the relevant form is given within 10 business days after completing the work. For maintenance that copy goes to the building occupier. Business Queensland guidance places maintenance obligations on building owners or occupiers depending on who occupies the building, which is why the completion step matters as much as the test.

Five years is long enough that "it is in my sent items" will not hold. Store the finished PDF in the job record under the site, not only in an email thread.

## Name the file so it can be found [#name-the-file-so-it-can-be-found]

Owners and occupiers often need to produce fire safety records at short notice. Help them by naming the file properly: site name, form, test type and date.

**File name**

- **This** - Form 72 - 24 Smith Street - annual hydrant test - 13 June 2026 (Form, site, test type, and date, all searchable.)
- **Not this** - scan.pdf (Unfindable the moment there are twenty of them.)

Use the same discipline inside your own job software. The next technician should be able to find the last Form 72 for a building without searching across email, downloads and shared drives. It is the same habit that makes plumbing and building completions retrievable - the [QLD Form 19 records guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-19-final-inspection-certificate-guide) applies the same thinking to permit work.

## Connect defects to what happened next [#connect-defects-to-what-happened-next]

Maintenance records are most useful when defects do not vanish once the PDF is sent. If a defect is found, the job record should show:

- What was found and where
- Whether it affects hydrant, sprinkler or combined systems
- Who was told, and when
- The quote or repair task reference
- Photos or marked-up notes
- The date follow-up was booked or completed

Form 72 records the maintenance test. The job software should show what happened after the test. If a critical defect was identified, the notice given to the owner or occupier belongs in the same file as the form.

## Annual and five-year records need different care [#annual-and-five-year-records-need-different-care]

The Form 72 layout includes annual and five-year maintenance test options, and the record should make the choice obvious rather than leaving the owner to infer it.

For annual records, the site, system, test date, readings and contractor details need to be clear. For five-year records, be stricter about supporting documents, photos, comments and follow-up tasks - the interval is longer, so the record is more likely to be read by someone who was not there and cannot ask.

Either way, mark the correct test type and keep the supporting service documentation with the finished file.

## Keep it in the wider fire safety file [#keep-it-in-the-wider-fire-safety-file]

For many buildings, Form 72 is one part of a broader fire safety maintenance file. Keep it near logbook entries, service sheets, defect notices and any [Form 71 commissioning record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-71-hydrant-sprinkler-commissioning-guide) for new or extended installations. If you are not sure which of the two a past visit produced, the [Form 71 and Form 72 comparison](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-71-vs-form-72-fire-safety-handover-guide) sorts it out.

That gives the owner, occupier and contractor a cleaner picture of the system over time, and it makes repeat work faster because the previous record is ready before the next visit.

## Common record gaps [#common-record-gaps]

**Form 71 and Form 72 mixed up.** Commissioning and periodic maintenance are different job moments and belong on different forms.

**The record does not say what was tested.** Make the system type and the annual or five-year selection explicit.

**Readings live outside the form.** Put the required values into Form 72 and keep the raw notes beside it.

**Stale contractor details.** Saved details save typing, but the name, licence number and report details still need a check against the actual job.

**Defects with no follow-up.** A record that shows what was found but not what happened next is only half a record.

Before the PDF leaves the job, confirm the site, system, test type, date, results and defects match the service notes. Form 72 supports periodic maintenance under QDC MP 6.1. It does not by itself prove every maintenance obligation has been met, and the contractor remains responsible for checking the work and the finished PDF.

## Why the maintenance record outlives the job [#why-the-maintenance-record-outlives-the-job]

Fire safety maintenance records are kept because someone will need them when nobody who did the work is available.

That might be an insurer after an incident, a new building manager, or a certifier assessing the building's ongoing compliance. In each case the record is being read by someone with no context, which is why the building identity, the system scope, and the date carry as much weight as the technical findings.

A record that names the building precisely, says which systems it covers, and is dated is usable by a stranger. One that assumes the reader knows the site is not.

## Keeping the run readable [#keeping-the-run-readable]

Individual records matter less than the sequence, because the question is usually whether maintenance has been continuous rather than whether one visit happened.

File them in date order under the building, and keep any record of a defect alongside the record showing it was rectified. A defect noted in March with no closure in the file reads as an open item however long ago it was actually fixed.

Where a building changes contractors, the incoming one starts blind unless the history goes with the building. Handing over a clean set is worth doing even when you are the one leaving.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Prepare [QLD Form 72](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-fire-form-72-hydrant-testing-maintenance) when the maintenance test is ready to record. Use [QLD Form 71](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-fire-form-71-hydrant-sprinkler-commissioning) for commissioning work, or browse [QLD fire-safety forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/fire-safety). See the [fire safety forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/fire-safety) for the rest of the Australian set.

## Official references [#official-references]

For current requirements, check the [Queensland Form 72 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0026/9827/form72firehydranttestingandmaintenance.pdf), [QDC MP 6.1](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/4832/qdcmp6.1.pdf), the [Business Queensland fire safety installations guidance](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/laws-codes-standards/queensland-development-code/fire-safety-installations), and the [Business Queensland building forms page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/forms-guidelines/forms).

# QLD Form 9 backflow records for testing and handover copies (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-9-backflow-record-keeping-handover)

Keep QLD Form 9 backflow records clean: what to capture at the device, the 10 business day copy rule, and how to build a device history worth reading next year. | State: QLD | Trade: Plumbing | Template: qld-form-9-backflow

> **Tradie Forms:** record QLD Form 9 backflow testing details while the device, test kit, and owner information are still in front of you.

Backflow paperwork is easiest while the test kit is still out. The device location is fresh, the readings are in your notes, the owner or occupier details are available, and the tester can check the declaration before leaving site.

Leave it and the record frays. Was the bypass device tested? Which serial number was entered? Did the owner copy go out? Was the council copy sent in time?

Use the [QLD Form 9 template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-9-backflow), or browse [QLD plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/plumbing).

**Key takeaways**

- Copies go to the relevant local government *and* the owner within 10 business days
- Completion of all applicable sections is mandatory
- Capture device, readings, and test kit details before the kit is packed away
- Write a device location the next tester can actually find
- Treat each report as part of a device history, not a standalone PDF

## What is QLD Form 9 for? [#what-is-qld-form-9-for]

The official Queensland Form 9 is titled "Registration and report on inspection and testing of testable backflow prevention devices", and says it is used for sections 102(2) and 103(3) of the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019.

The PDF says completion of all applicable sections is mandatory, and that copies must be submitted to the relevant local government and the owner of the premises within 10 business days after inspecting or testing the device.

That gives the form two jobs: it records the technical test, and it generates the copies for council and the owner. For the testing detail itself, see the [Form 9 backflow testing guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-9-backflow-testing-guide); for cross-border work, [QLD Form 9 vs the SA backflow report](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-9-vs-sa-backflow-report).

## Capture it at the device [#capture-it-at-the-device]

Before you finish, collect:

- Description of land and street address
- Owner or occupier contact details
- Protection type and device type
- Device location
- Mains pressure and time of test
- Main device details and readings
- Bypass device details where applicable
- Pressure vacuum breaker or registered air gap details where applicable
- Test kit serial number and verification details
- Authorised tester name, licence, contact details, and test date
- Test outcome and declaration date

Where a device or section does not apply, make that clear in the job notes and on the form where the layout allows. Do not leave the office to infer it from photos.

## Where do the records go wrong? [#where-do-the-records-go-wrong]

**Device location**

- **This** - Building C, level 1 plant room, fire service riser 2, asset tag BF-114 (Matches the owner's site register, so the history stays joined up.)
- **Not this** - Plant room (No help next year on a property with several risers or multiple buildings.)

**Land, site, and owner details get mixed up.** The land, site, and owner or occupier details all need to make sense to council and the property contact. Check the postal address fields specifically.

**Bypass or special sections get skipped.** The form covers more than one device arrangement. Work through the applicable parts rather than the familiar ones.

**Test kit details are missing.** Enter the serial and verification details while the kit is in use, not after the next job.

**The owner copy is forgotten.** The form requires a copy to the owner as well as the local government.

## Track both copies [#track-both-copies]

Because the form names both the relevant local government and the owner, the workflow has to track both. After the report is finished, add a short job note recording:

- Council copy sent - by email, portal, post, or another accepted pathway
- Owner copy sent - by email, agent, portal, or printed copy
- Date sent
- Any reference or receipt number

That answers the simple question the office always ends up asking: did both copies go out?

**Where a finished Form 9 has to go**

- **Test at the device - Backflow prevention licensee** - Readings and test kit details captured while the kit is still connected.
- **Complete the Form 9 - Authorised tester** - Every applicable section, on the current version of the form.
- **Council copy - Within 10 business days** - Lodged the way that local government accepts it.
- **Owner copy - Within 10 business days** - Same window, separate obligation, easy to leave until last.

Both copies run off the same clock. A job note with the date and reference for each is what proves the pair went out.

## Make the device history useful next year [#make-the-device-history-useful-next-year]

Backflow testing is recurring work, so treat each report as part of a device history rather than a single document.

A useful history carries the site name and address, device location, make, model and serial where recorded, previous test date, current test date, result, repair or replacement notes, council submission record, owner copy record, and the next action or follow-up.

If the same tester returns, the job starts faster. If a different tester attends, the device is easier to identify and last year's result is not buried in an email thread.

Where a test leads to repair work or retesting, keep that tied to the same record - the failed or incomplete result, the repair quote, the follow-up booking, the retest result, and the final submitted copy should sit together.

## Write comments a non-plumber can read [#write-comments-a-non-plumber-can-read]

Owners, agents, and council staff read the report without standing at the device. Use plain language in the comments and outcome areas.

Where a device failed, needs repair, was replaced, or could not be fully tested, write it so the follow-up is obvious. Shorthand only one tester understands causes a phone call later. That does not replace the technical result - it makes the record usable by the office and the customer.

## An annual testing rhythm [#an-annual-testing-rhythm]

1. Confirm the device and site details before testing
2. Fill owner or occupier details while the contact is available
3. Record readings directly from the test
4. Add test kit details before packing away
5. Apply saved authorised tester details and check they are current
6. Review the official layout
7. Send copies to council and the owner through the required pathway
8. Store the report with the device history

Before the tester drives away, run the end-of-visit check: device identified and location clear, applicable readings entered, test kit details entered, tester details current, owner or occupier details checked, outcome and declaration completed, photos or repair notes attached, and the copy plan noted. It takes less time than a follow-up phone call.

## What to keep with it [#what-to-keep-with-it]

- Device photos or asset notes
- Test kit verification record
- Owner or agent correspondence
- Council submission email, portal receipt, or lodgement note
- Any repair quote or follow-up task
- Next test due note where your job software supports it

The form records the test. The job record shows what happened around it.

## When the device is replaced [#when-the-device-is-replaced]

A replacement resets the history, and that is the moment records most often break.

The new device has its own make, model, and serial, and testing it against the old serial number is how a device history quietly becomes fiction. Record the removal and the installation as separate events, with the date, the reason the old device came out, and the details of what went in.

Keep the old device's testing history rather than deleting it. The property has a record of what was protecting it and when, and a backflow prevention device that failed and was replaced is a more useful history than one that simply disappears from the file.

Where the replacement changes the hazard rating or the device type, that belongs in the record too. Someone testing it next year should not have to work out from the serial number that they are looking at a different class of device to the one in last year's report.

## Handing over to a new owner or manager [#handing-over-to-a-new-owner-or-manager]

Commercial properties change hands and change managers, and the backflow file is one of the things that gets lost in the handover.

When a new building manager takes over, the useful pack is the current test report, the device history, and the location detail that says where each device actually is. A new manager who cannot find the device cannot arrange the test, and the first they hear about it is a reminder from the local government.

Write the location so it survives the handover. "Front boundary, in ground box, north of driveway" is findable by someone who has never been on site. "Main line" is not.

If you are the tester who has serviced a property for years, you are often the only continuous record. Offering the history at handover is worth doing, both because it keeps the property compliant and because it is usually what keeps you on the job.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start [QLD Form 9](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-9-backflow) while the test kit is still out, or browse [QLD plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/plumbing). Browse the [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing) for job and safety paperwork that travels with you.

Related paperwork includes [QLD Form 1](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-1-permit-work) for permit work applications and [QLD Form 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-5-testing) for testing or commissioning reports. See [common Form 9 mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-qld-form-9-backflow) for the errors worth catching, or the [QLD plumbing forms list](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-plumbing-forms-list-permit-inspection-handover) for the wider set.

Tradie Forms organises Form 9 into sections you work through one at a time for land, owner or occupier, test criteria, device location, readings, test kit, authorised tester details, and declaration. The authorised tester remains responsible for the device, the readings, the declaration, and the finished report.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [Queensland Form 9 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0023/3776/form-9-plumbing-drainage-regulation-2019.pdf), the [Business Queensland plumbing and drainage forms page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/forms-templates), the [Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019](https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/sl-2019-0042), and [QBCC backflow guidance](https://qbcc.qld.gov.au/worksite-building-practice/plumbing-work/avoid-common-notifiable-work-errors).

# QLD Building Certificates: On-Site Workflow for Forms 12 15 16 21 30 and 43 (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-building-certificates-on-site-workflow)

A practical Queensland building certificate workflow for certifiers, competent persons, QBCC licensees and builders using Forms 12, 15, 16, 21, 30 and 43. | State: QLD | Trade: Building | Template: qld-building-form-12-aspect-inspection

> **Tradie Forms:** build a cleaner Queensland building certificate pack on site. Fill the right certificate, reuse licence and business details, catch missing fields, preview the official PDF layout, and download a finished copy for the builder, certifier, owner or job record.

Queensland building paperwork rarely arrives as one neat form. A job can involve design certificates before approval, aspect certificates during the build, stage inspection certificates before the next trade moves in, and a final inspection certificate at completion. If the forms are left until the end of the day, the details start to blur.

This guide is for the job-site moment where the builder is asking what can proceed, the certifier needs inspection documentation, and the person signing the certificate wants the PDF to match the work they actually inspected or certified. It covers the practical flow around [QLD Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-12-aspect-inspection), [QLD Form 15](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-15-design-spec), [QLD Form 16](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-16-inspection), [QLD Form 21](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-21-final-inspection), [QLD Form 30](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-30-accepted-development-aspect), and [QLD Form 43](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-43-aspect-certificate). You can also browse [QLD building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/building).

## Start with the job moment, not the PDF [#start-with-the-job-moment-not-the-pdf]

The fastest way to choose the wrong certificate is to start with a file name. Start with the job moment instead.

Form 15 is about design or specification. It is used before the relevant work is installed or carried out, so the building certifier can assess whether the design or specification will comply if followed.

Form 12 is about an aspect inspection by an appointed competent person. The official Queensland guidance says competent person inspection certificates for inspection aspects must use Form 12 and may be given to a building certifier after the aspect has been inspected and the competent person is satisfied it is complete and complies with the building development approval.

Form 16 is about a stage inspection. Queensland guidance describes it as the inspection certificate given after an inspecting person has inspected a stage of work and is satisfied the relevant aspects of that stage are complete and comply with the building development approval.

Form 21 is the final inspection certificate for single detached class 1a buildings and class 10 buildings or structures, excluding swimming pools and swimming pool fences. The official Form 21 says the building certifier must give the signed form to the owner as the final inspection certificate.

Form 43 is a QBCC licensee aspect certificate for aspect work subject to a building development approval for single detached class 1a buildings and class 10 buildings or structures. Form 30 is the related QBCC licensee aspect certificate for accepted development, where the prescribed work is not assessed under a building development approval.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the official PDF layout. It does not decide which certificate applies, whether a person is properly appointed, or whether the work complies. The person issuing the certificate still needs to check the work, appointment, licence class, basis, references and downloaded PDF.

## Which certificates go in the pack? [#which-certificates-go-in-the-pack]

Before you fill anything, collect the job references. This is where most wasted time starts.

For a clean Queensland building certificate pack, gather:

- Street address, lot and plan, local government area and property description
- Building description and class
- Building development approval number where one applies
- Building certifier reference number
- Stage, aspect, design, specification or final inspection scope
- Person signing, company, contact, registration or licence details
- Basis for certification, including inspections, tests, standards, specifications or other documents relied on
- Drawing numbers, revisions, product documents, photos and inspection notes
- Dates, signatures and any completion notes

Those details should match the approval, plans and job file. A certificate with a vague property description or old drawing reference creates rework for the certifier and confusion for the builder.

## Build the workflow around completion [#build-the-workflow-around-completion]

The form should follow the work, not sit in a separate admin pile.

**Certificate workflow that follows the work**

- **Identify the role - Who is signing** - Competent person, inspecting person, licensee or certifier. The role changes the form.
- **Record the exact scope - While you are still there** - Which stage, which portion, which rooms.
- **Name the documents - Numbers and revisions** - Entered while the plans are open, not reconstructed later.
- **Preview, then file - Official layout** - Small fields cut off long descriptions. Store the PDF with the job.

Each step is cheap on site and expensive from the office a week later.

First, identify the role of the person signing. Are they a competent person for design-specification help, a competent person for inspection help, an inspecting person, a QBCC licensee, or the building certifier? The role changes the form.

Second, record the exact scope. "Waterproofing" is not enough if the certificate covers only the ensuite shower walls and floor. "Frame" is not enough if the inspection was for one stage or one portion of the job.

Third, name the documents. Put drawing numbers, revisions and specification references into the certificate while they are open on the tablet or in the ute. Do not rely on "as per plans" unless the plans are identified somewhere else in the same job record.

Fourth, preview the official PDF layout before it leaves your hands. Queensland forms often have small fields and appendix wording. Previewing catches cut-off descriptions, missing dates and stale licence details.

Fifth, store the PDF with the job. Attach it to the job record, send it to the builder or certifier as required, and keep the supporting photos, notes and references nearby.

**Key takeaways**

- Choose the Queensland building certificate by the job moment: design, aspect inspection, stage inspection, final inspection or QBCC aspect certification
- Keep scope, basis and reference documents specific enough that a certifier or owner can understand the certificate later
- Preview the official PDF layout before you complete, especially where descriptions and reference documents can wrap or cut off
- Tradie Forms helps with a section-by-section fill, saved licence and business details, missing-field checks, PDF preview and clean download, but the person signing remains responsible for the certificate

## How Tradie Forms supports the pack [#how-tradie-forms-supports-the-pack]

Tradie Forms turns the forms into sections you work through one at a time instead of flat PDF boxes. That matters on site because the person filling the form can work through the same blocks every time.

For a QLD building certificate, that usually means:

- Property and building details
- Stage, aspect, design or final inspection scope
- Basis of certification
- Reference documentation
- Certifier, competent person or QBCC licensee details
- Signature and date

Saved business and licence details help cut repeat typing. Missing-field checks help catch gaps before download. The PDF preview lets you confirm the official layout before the certificate goes to the builder, certifier, owner or local government process.

The product benefit is simple: finish the paperwork while the work, drawings and inspection notes are still in front of you.

## Common workflow traps [#common-workflow-traps]

### Treating Form 12 and Form 16 as interchangeable [#treating-form-12-and-form-16-as-interchangeable]

Form 12 is for an aspect inspection certificate from an appointed competent person. Form 16 is for an inspection certificate for a stage of work. They sit close together in the job flow, but they are not the same document.

### Using Form 43 where Form 30 is the better fit [#using-form-43-where-form-30-is-the-better-fit]

Form 43 is tied to aspect work subject to a building development approval. Form 30 is for prescribed accepted development where the work is not assessed by a building certifier under a building development approval. Check the approval pathway before choosing the form.

### Letting references stay vague [#letting-references-stay-vague]

The form may be accepted on the day, but vague references make later questions painful. Name the plans, revisions, specifications and test records that support the certificate.

### Forgetting the owner copy [#forgetting-the-owner-copy]

Form 21 is a completion record as well as an inspection record. If the final certificate is issued, keep the owner copy and related inspection documentation clear in the job file.

### Reusing stale licence details [#reusing-stale-licence-details]

Saved details are useful only when they are current. Check licence class, registration, contact details and company name before signing.

## What to complete [#what-to-complete]

A good certificate site pack is not just the PDF. Depending on the job, include:

- The downloaded certificate
- Referenced drawings and revisions
- Product technical documents
- Test or inspection notes
- Photos or marked-up plans
- Builder, certifier or owner correspondence
- Any related certificates, such as plumbing, electrical or fire safety paperwork

This helps the office close the job without ringing the person who was on site. It also helps the next person understand what was certified and what was outside scope.

## Team habits that stop certificate drift [#team-habits-that-stop-certificate-drift]

If your building business, inspection practice or subcontractor team handles the same certificate types often, make the record habit repeatable. Use the same naming pattern for files, the same job-system folder, and the same completion note each time.

For example, the job record might use:

- Property address
- Certificate type
- Stage or aspect
- Certificate date
- Signer name

That makes it easier to find "Form 16 frame stage" or "Form 43 waterproofing" later. It also helps the office check whether a builder, certifier or owner has already received the PDF.

Saved details in Tradie Forms help with the repeat fields, but the deeper win is consistency. The same sections, the same preview step, and the same download habit mean certificates are not being rebuilt differently by each person in the business.

## When to pause before download [#when-to-pause-before-download]

Some certificate jobs should slow down for a second check. Pause before download if:

- The form type does not match the certifier's request
- The signer is unsure whether they have been appointed or can issue that certificate
- The aspect or stage wording covers work that was not inspected or certified
- The basis relies on a drawing or specification that is not in the job file
- The approval number, certifier reference or property details are missing
- The certificate includes a broad statement that the signer would not be comfortable explaining later

Tradie Forms can flag empty fields, but it cannot judge the professional decision behind the certificate. Use the product to make the paperwork cleaner, then use your trade and certification judgement before the PDF goes out.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start with the [QLD Form 12 aspect inspection certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-12-aspect-inspection) if the job is an appointed competent person aspect inspection. Use [QLD Form 15](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-15-design-spec) for design or specification, [QLD Form 16](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-16-inspection) for stage inspection, [QLD Form 21](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-21-final-inspection) for final inspection, [QLD Form 30](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-30-accepted-development-aspect) for accepted development aspect certification, or [QLD Form 43](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-43-aspect-certificate) for QBCC licensee aspect certification under a building development approval.

Use the [Form 12 vs Form 15 guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-12-vs-form-15-building-certificate-guide) when the job is sitting between inspection and design help. For QBCC licensee aspect work, compare the [Form 30 accepted development guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-30-qbcc-licensee-accepted-development-guide) with the [Form 43 aspect certificate guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-43-qbcc-licensee-aspect-certificate-guide) before choosing the certificate.

## Official references [#official-references]

For current requirements, check the [Business Queensland building forms page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/forms-guidelines/forms), the [Queensland Form 12 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0022/18625/form12aspectinspectioncertificateappointedcompetentperson.pdf), the [Queensland Form 21 PDF](https://www.hpw.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0029/9785/form21finalinspectioncertificate.pdf), the [Queensland Form 30 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0024/18627/form30qbccaspectcertificateforaccepteddevelopmentselfassessable.pdf), the [Queensland Form 43 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/18631/Form43AspectCertificateQBCCLicensee.pdf), the [Queensland competent persons newsflash](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0031/89176/building-and-plumbing-newsflash-636.pdf), and the [guidelines for inspection of class 1a and class 10 buildings](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/34234/inspection-guideline-class-1and10-29March2023.pdf).

# QLD Form 16 stage inspection certificate: record keeping and handover (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-16-stage-inspection-certificate-records)

What to file with a QLD Form 16 stage inspection certificate, how to name it, what to tell the builder, and when to hold off issuing the certificate at all. | State: QLD | Trade: Building | Template: qld-building-form-16-inspection

> **Tradie Forms:** complete QLD Form 16 one section at a time after the stage inspection, preview the official PDF layout, then download a clean certificate for the builder, certifier and job record.

A Form 16 that nobody can find is not much of a record. The certificate itself is short, and [filling it out](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-16-inspection-certificate-on-site-guide) is the easy half. The half that causes rework is everything around it: where the PDF lands, what sits beside it, what the builder was told it covered, and whether the office can reconstruct the stage six months later without ringing the person who did the inspection.

This guide is about that half.

**Key takeaways**

- Store the Form 16 PDF with the approval details, drawings, photos and aspect certificates it relied on
- Name the file by date, property, stage and form so the office can search it
- Tell the builder in writing which stage the certificate covers
- Hold the certificate if the stage, appointment or supporting documents are not settled
- The signer stays responsible for the certificate, whatever the filing system does

Use the [QLD Form 16 template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-16-inspection) to prepare the official PDF layout, or browse [QLD building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/building).

## What should you keep with a Form 16? [#what-should-you-keep-with-a-form-16]

Everything the certificate leaned on. The official Form 16 asks for a basis of certification and reference documentation, so the record is only complete when those referenced items are findable. In practice that means storing the finished PDF alongside:

- Building development approval details and certifier reference
- The inspection request or stage notice
- Drawings and revisions relied on
- Inspection photos and site notes
- Any Form 12 or Form 43 aspect certificates relied on
- Test reports or engineering documentation
- Any noncompliance follow-up handled outside this certificate

The official Form 16 appendix says the inspecting person may rely on aspect certificates from appointed competent persons, such as Form 12, or from QBCC licensees, such as Form 43. Where that happened, those PDFs belong in the same job record - not one in email, one as a phone photo and one in the builder's portal. The [Form 43 aspect certificate guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-43-qbcc-licensee-aspect-certificate-guide) covers what that certificate carries if you are chasing one.

## Name the file so the office can find it [#name-the-file-so-the-office-can-find-it]

Filing discipline is unglamorous and it is the thing that pays. Date, property address, stage and form name is enough for most teams. The point is that someone who was not on site can type the address into job software and see which stages have certificates and which do not.

Job software helps here for a second reason: it records when the certificate went out and to whom. A PDF sitting in a downloads folder proves the certificate exists. A PDF attached to the frame stage task, with a send date against it, proves what happened.

## Telling the builder what the certificate covers [#telling-the-builder-what-the-certificate-covers]

When you send Form 16, say what it covers in the message, not just in the PDF.

**Covering note to the builder**

- **This** - Form 16 attached: frame stage, ground floor only, 12 Smith St, inspected 21 June 2026, against drawings A03 Rev B. Does not cover the detached garage. (Stage, date, address, drawings, and what is excluded.)
- **Not this** - Form 16 attached (The most common way a stage certificate causes an argument later.)

That short note does real work. It stops the certificate being treated as broader than intended, which is the most common way a stage certificate causes an argument later. If the inspection covered one building of three, or excluded a detached structure, the covering note is where the builder sees it first.

## When should you hold off issuing a Form 16? [#when-should-you-hold-off-issuing-a-form-16]

Whenever the record would not be true yet. Speed is not the point if the certificate is wrong. Pause if:

- The stage is not complete enough for the certificate being requested
- The person signing has not confirmed their appointment or role
- The building development approval documents are not available
- A related aspect certificate is missing
- The work inspected does not match the stage description
- A noncompliance issue needs handling before a certificate can be issued

Queensland guidance includes restrictions around who can be appointed and who can sign in some circumstances, and saved business details in any system do not resolve that. Finish the inspection decision first, then use the online form to make the paperwork clean.

## Keep the stage boundary visible in the record [#keep-the-stage-boundary-visible-in-the-record]

A stage certificate is most useful when the file shows its edges. Before the builder moves on, check the certificate says which part of the building work was inspected and what component is certified - the official form asks for a clear description of the extent of work covered.

A short identifier, drawing revision or photo reference in the record adds more than a broad label ever will. If the stage covered only part of a building, the record should say which part, and the photos filed beside it should show that part. That is what makes the certificate readable by someone who joins the job later.

## What the office needs months later [#what-the-office-needs-months-later]

Stage records get pulled out for the same handful of reasons: a completion query, a warranty question, a sale, or a dispute about what was inspected. The office should be able to open the job and see the certificate, the stage it covers, the date it was issued, who it went to, and the documents behind it.

Where a job runs through several stages, keep them in one place rather than one folder per email thread. Aspect certificates such as [Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-12-aspect-inspection) and [Form 43](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-43-aspect-certificate) sit under stage certificates, and the [Form 21 final inspection certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-21-final-inspection) sits on top of the lot. The [QLD building certificates workflow](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-building-certificates-on-site-workflow) shows how the set stacks up across a job.

Tradie Forms helps with the preparation end of that: a section-by-section fill, saved licence and contact details, missing-field checks, an official PDF preview and a clean finished PDF you can attach to the job while the inspection is still fresh. It does not inspect, approve or lodge anything. The person signing remains responsible for their appointment, the inspection and the certificate.

## Multi-stage jobs and the certificate sequence [#multi-stage-jobs-and-the-certificate-sequence]

On a job with several inspection stages, the individual certificates matter less than the sequence they form.

Someone reviewing the approval trail is looking for a run of certificates that covers the job from footings through to final, with no stage missing and no overlap that suggests two people certified the same work. Gaps in that sequence are what prompt questions, and they are usually filing failures rather than inspection failures. The inspection happened; the certificate went to the builder and never came back to your file.

Keep your set in stage order under one job reference. When a stage needed a re-inspection, file both certificates so the sequence shows what happened rather than only showing the one that passed. A re-inspection in the record is normal. A silent gap where a re-inspection happened is not.

Where more than one certifier worked on a job, note which stages were yours. You are not responsible for the completeness of someone else's set, but you should be able to show where your part started and stopped.

## Retention and who holds the master [#retention-and-who-holds-the-master]

Several people end up holding a copy of the same Form 16, and it is worth being clear which one is the master.

The certifier or principal contractor holds the copy that feeds the approval trail. The builder holds one for their own records. You hold one as the person who signed it. In practice the one that gets produced later is whichever is easiest to find, which is an argument for yours being well filed.

Retention expectations vary and change, so confirm what currently applies to your licence and the work rather than working to a remembered number. The practical default is to keep digital copies longer rather than shorter, because storage is cheap next to reconstructing a stage inspection from memory.

Keep the certificate with the inspection notes and photographs that support it, not in a separate certificates folder. A certificate pulled out on its own answers less than half the questions anyone will ask about it.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Open [QLD Form 16](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-16-inspection) when a stage inspection certificate is ready to prepare, and use the [on-site completion guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-16-inspection-certificate-on-site-guide) for the field-by-field detail.

At the end of the job, move to the [Form 21 final inspection guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-21-final-inspection-certificate-guide) and the matching [Form 21 record keeping guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-21-final-inspection-record-keeping-handover) so the closeout record lines up with the stage record.

## Official references [#official-references]

For current requirements, check the [Queensland Form 16 PDF](https://www.hpw.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0028/9775/form16inspectioncertificateaspectcertificateqbcclicenseeaspectcertificate.pdf), the [Business Queensland building forms page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/forms-guidelines/forms), the [Queensland competent persons newsflash](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0031/89176/building-and-plumbing-newsflash-636.pdf), and [Building and Plumbing Newsflash 614](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/34201/building-plumbing-newsflash-614.pdf).

# NSW non-friable asbestos clearance certificate SW08272 guide (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-non-friable-asbestos-clearance-certificate-sw08272-guide)

Complete the SafeWork NSW SW08272 non-friable asbestos clearance certificate and keep clear post-removal completion and reoccupation records. | State: NSW | Trade: Building | Template: nsw-safework-sw08272-asbestos-clearance

> **Tradie Forms:** complete the SafeWork NSW SW08272 non-friable asbestos clearance certificate on the official PDF layout after the removal area has been visually inspected. Record client, removal work, inspection, visual outcome, declaration, qualifications, signature and date before the area is handed back.

The NSW non-friable asbestos clearance certificate, catalogue SW08272, is a short form with a big job. It records the clearance inspection details after non-friable asbestos removal work where the no air monitoring certificate is the right SafeWork NSW form.

The completion moment is usually practical and immediate. The removal work is done. The area needs to be checked. The client, builder, principal contractor, or property manager wants to know whether the specific area can be reoccupied. The job file needs a PDF that says what was inspected, who inspected it, what was declared, and when.

Use the [NSW asbestos clearance certificate template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-sw08272-asbestos-clearance) when you want a section-by-section fill, saved client and declarant details, address search, missing-field checks, signature capture, official PDF preview, and a clean PDF download. You can also browse [NSW building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/building) or open the related [NSW Class B asbestos removal control plan](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-asbestos-removal-control-plan-class-b) for the removal planning stage. For the full job file rhythm, see the [ARCP and clearance workflow](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-asbestos-removal-clearance-handover-workflow).

**Key takeaways**

- Use SW08272 for SafeWork NSW non-friable asbestos clearance where the no air monitoring form is the right certificate
- The clearance inspection happens after licensed removal work and before reoccupation
- For non-friable work, SafeWork NSW says a competent person or asbestos assessor may issue the clearance certificate
- Keep the finished certificate with the ARCP, photos and removal records
- Preview the official PDF layout before the area is handed back

## What is SW08272 for? [#what-is-sw08272-for]

The official SafeWork NSW SW08272 PDF is titled "Non-friable asbestos clearance certificate - no air monitoring". It records client details, removal work details, site address, licensed asbestos removalist details, clearance inspection date and time, visual inspection outcome, whether the area can be reoccupied, whether additional information is attached, and the clearance declaration.

The declaration says the asbestos removal work area and surrounding area are free from visible asbestos, the transit route and waste routes are free from asbestos, and all asbestos in the scope of the removal work has been removed.

SafeWork NSW guidance says a clearance inspection is required at the completion of all licensed asbestos removal work, before reoccupation. For non-friable asbestos removal work, SafeWork NSW says clearance certificates may be issued by either a competent person or an asbestos assessor.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the official SW08272 PDF layout. It does not decide whether you are competent, whether this no air monitoring form is the right certificate, whether the area is clear, or whether reoccupation is allowed. The person issuing the certificate remains responsible for the inspection and declaration.

## When does this certificate fit? [#when-does-this-certificate-fit]

This template is for the SafeWork NSW no air monitoring clearance certificate for non-friable asbestos.

It is not the Class B removal control plan. Use the [NSW Class B ARCP](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-asbestos-removal-control-plan-class-b) before removal work starts, and the [Class B ARCP guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-class-b-asbestos-removal-control-plan-guide) for planning detail.

It is not a friable asbestos clearance certificate. SafeWork NSW says independent asbestos assessors are required for clearance certificates for all friable asbestos removal work before reoccupation. The SW08272 form is the no air monitoring non-friable certificate.

If the job involves friable asbestos, air monitoring, or a clearance requirement outside this form's scope, check SafeWork NSW guidance and use the correct process.

## Who can issue the clearance? [#who-can-issue-the-clearance]

SafeWork NSW says for non-friable asbestos removal work, clearance certificates may be issued by either a competent person or an asbestos assessor. SafeWork NSW's asbestos professionals guidance says a competent person is someone with relevant training or experience and specified qualifications for asbestos assessment work.

SafeWork NSW also says the clearance inspection must be independent of the asbestos removal work. The person carrying out the clearance inspection must not be involved in the removal for that specific job or in a business involved in the removal for that specific job, unless a regulator exemption applies.

Do not treat the clearance certificate as a simple admin form. The independence and competency checks are part of the job.

## Details to collect before download [#details-to-collect-before-download]

Before completing SW08272, collect:

- Client name and contact details
- Date the removal work was carried out
- Site address, including lot or DP if applicable
- Specific asbestos removal work area or areas
- Licensed asbestos removalist name and licence number
- Supervisor name and contact details where different
- Clearance inspection date and time
- Visual inspection outcome
- Whether the area can be reoccupied
- Whether additional information is attached
- Declarant name, ABN, contact number, qualifications, experience, signature, and date

If photos, drawings, plans, or supporting notes are used, store them with the job record and mark the additional information field correctly.

## Client and removal work details [#client-and-removal-work-details]

The first section records the client and the removal work. Do not let the client details drift between the quote, the job booking, and the certificate.

The client may be the property owner, builder, principal contractor, project manager, or business that engaged the work. Use the correct name and contact details for the clearance record.

The removal work section needs the date of removal, site address, specific work area, licensed removalist details, and supervisor details where applicable.

**Removal work area**

- **Identifiable** - - Bathroom wall sheeting in unit 2
  - Rear eaves to western elevation (Specific enough that both areas can be identified later.)
- **Too broad** - - Bathroom
  - Eaves (The declaration refers to the work area and the surrounding area.)

The declaration later refers to the asbestos removal work area and surrounding area, so the area should be identifiable.

## Inspection details and visual outcome [#inspection-details-and-visual-outcome]

The inspection section records the date and time of the clearance inspection.

Three decisions, and the middle one is the whole point of the certificate: whether people can go back in.

The visual inspection section asks whether inspection of the specific area found no visible asbestos remaining as a result of the removal work, whether the area can be reoccupied, and whether additional information has been attached.

SafeWork NSW's code of practice says a clearance certificate should not be issued unless the independent licensed assessor or competent person is satisfied that the asbestos removal area and immediately surrounding area are free from visible asbestos contamination. The code says this is done through a visual inspection for evidence of dust and debris.

Use the form to record the decision, not to make a rough note. If the answer is "No", do not bury the reason. Keep supporting notes with the job record.

## The declaration [#the-declaration]

The declaration is the heart of SW08272. It says:

- The asbestos removal work area and surrounding area are free from visible asbestos
- The transit route and waste routes are free from asbestos
- All asbestos in the scope of the removal work has been removed

The declarant then records name, ABN, contact number, qualifications and experience, signature, and date.

Check this block carefully. If the certificate is being issued by a competent person, the qualifications and experience field should show why that person is the right person to issue it. If an asbestos assessor is issuing it, use their details.

## Common SW08272 mistakes [#common-sw08272-mistakes]

### The specific removal area is too vague [#the-specific-removal-area-is-too-vague]

The certificate needs to identify what was inspected. If the work area is vague, the clearance is hard to rely on later.

### Licensed removalist details are incomplete [#licensed-removalist-details-are-incomplete]

The official form asks for the licensed asbestos removalist name and licence number. Do not skip the licence number.

### The clearance person is not independent [#the-clearance-person-is-not-independent]

SafeWork NSW guidance points to independence for clearance inspections. Check this before inspection, not after the form is filled.

### Additional information is attached but not stored [#additional-information-is-attached-but-not-stored]

If photos, plans, or notes support the clearance, keep them with the PDF. Mark the form consistently.

### The wrong certificate is used for friable work [#the-wrong-certificate-is-used-for-friable-work]

This is the non-friable no air monitoring certificate. If the job involves friable asbestos or air monitoring requirements, check the right SafeWork NSW process.

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Tradie Forms turns SW08272 into sections you work through one at a time for client, removal work, inspection, visual inspection and declaration.

You can reuse saved client and declarant details, search the site address, catch missing visual inspection answers before download, sign on your device, preview the official PDF layout, and download the completed certificate.

That helps at completion because the clearance record is short but precise. You can finish it while the inspected area, photos, and removal details are still fresh, then attach the PDF to the job record.

## Record keeping and completion [#record-keeping-and-completion]

Keep the SW08272 PDF with:

- Removal work details
- Class B ARCP where relevant
- SafeWork notification details where relevant
- Photos, drawings, plans, or supporting notes
- Licensed removalist and supervisor details
- Clearance inspection notes
- Client completion record

Before you send the PDF, compare the certificate with the area you inspected. Does the site address match the removal job? Is the specific area narrow enough? Are the removalist licence details complete? Is the visual inspection answer consistent with the declaration? Are qualifications and experience recorded for the person issuing the certificate?

If the form says additional information is attached, make sure the photos, drawings, or notes are actually stored with the PDF. The clearance record should be useful to someone who was not standing there at the time.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start the [NSW non-friable asbestos clearance certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-sw08272-asbestos-clearance) when the removal area is ready for clearance. For the planning stage before removal starts, open the [NSW Class B asbestos removal control plan](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-asbestos-removal-control-plan-class-b), or browse [NSW building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/building).

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [SafeWork NSW SW08272 PDF](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/117376/Non-friable-asbestos-clearance-certificate-no-air-monitoring-SW08272.pdf), the [SafeWork NSW asbestos professionals guidance](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/hazards-a-z/asbestos2/what-is-asbestos/asbestos-professionals-who-does-what), the [SafeWork NSW asbestos assessor licence guidance](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/licences-and-registrations/licences/asbestos-assessor-licence), and the [SafeWork NSW asbestos removal Code of Practice](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/50082/How-to-safely-remove-asbestos-Code-of-Practice.pdf) before relying on this guide.

# Common NT gas works notification mistakes before work starts (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nt-gas-works-notification-common-mistakes)

Avoid late or incomplete NT gas works notifications: thresholds, 24-hour timing, site detail, gasfitter details, gas mains mix-ups and records to keep. | State: NT | Trade: Gasfitting | Template: nt-gas-works-notification

> **Tradie Forms:** complete the NT Gas Works Notification one section at a time before work starts. Save gasfitter and business details, catch missing fields, preview the official PDF layout, and download a finished copy for NT WorkSafe and the job record.

Northern Territory gas work can be ready on site before the notification record is tidy. The job is booked, the appliance or system details are known, the crew is moving, and the gasfitter still needs to make sure NT WorkSafe has the correct commencement details where notification is required.

The common mistakes are not fancy. They are practical: wrong threshold, late timing, unclear site details, missing gasfitter information, or no copy kept with the job. Each one creates avoidable follow-up.

Use the [NT Gas Works Notification template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nt-gas-works-notification) when you want a section-by-section fill, saved gasfitter details, missing-field checks, official PDF preview and a clean download. Browse [NT gasfitter forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nt/gasfitting), and use the [NT gas works notification guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nt-gas-works-notification-guide) for the full field list.

**Key takeaways**

- Fuel gas system commencement notification applies where the official storage or consumption thresholds are met
- Gas mains work has separate official guidance and a different timing requirement
- Fill the notification before work starts, unless emergency timing applies under the official guidance
- Keep the finished PDF with the submission record and job notes
- Tradie Forms helps with a section-by-section fill and PDF preview; it does not decide the pathway or lodge the form

## What the notification is for [#what-the-notification-is-for]

[NT WorkSafe's official notification of commencement of gas works page](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/forms-and-resources/forms/commencement-of-gas-works-notification-form) says the form is used to notify NT WorkSafe of commencement of gas works on fuel gas systems when the fuel gas stored in gas containers is more than 200 kilograms, or the fuel gas system is connected to a gas main and total gas consumption is more than 200 megajoules per hour.

[The same page says](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/forms-and-resources/forms/commencement-of-gas-works-notification-form) NT WorkSafe must be notified no later than 24 hours before commencement of work, or in an emergency as soon as practicable.

NT WorkSafe also has [separate gas mains notification guidance](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/forms-and-resources/forms/construction-or-repair-of-gas-main-notification-form). Under Regulation 178, it says a licence holder must notify the Competent Authority before commencing work on gas mains, and written notification is required at least 7 days before construction or repair of a gas main unless the work is an emergency repair, minor repair or routine maintenance.

This guide focuses on avoidable mistakes around the fuel gas system commencement notification. Check the current NT WorkSafe pages before relying on any form for a specific job.

## Mistake 1: treating every gas job the same [#mistake-1-treating-every-gas-job-the-same]

Not every gas job uses the same notification pathway. The fuel gas system commencement form has its own triggers. Gas mains work has separate guidance and timing.

Before filling the form, ask:

- Is this fuel gas system work that meets the storage or consumption threshold?
- Is this gas mains construction or repair?
- Is it emergency work?
- Is another gas compliance certificate or plate process involved?
- What record does the job file need after notification?

Tradie Forms helps you fill the official PDF layout. It does not decide whether notification is required or which NT WorkSafe pathway applies.

## Mistake 2: leaving notification until the job starts [#mistake-2-leaving-notification-until-the-job-starts]

[The official commencement page says](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/forms-and-resources/forms/commencement-of-gas-works-notification-form) NT WorkSafe must be notified no later than 24 hours before commencement, except emergency situations where notification is as soon as practicable.

That means the notification should be part of scheduling, not an afterthought. When the job is booked, gather the system details, commencement date, site address and licence details. If the job moves, check whether the notification record still matches the work.

## Mistake 3: thresholds are guessed [#mistake-3-thresholds-are-guessed]

The difference between more than 200kg and not more than 200kg matters. So does total gas consumption when connected to a gas main. Check the numbers against the system and current guidance. Commercial kitchens, industrial plant, temporary installations and storage-heavy sites can all vary quickly.

## Mistake 4: vague site and system details [#mistake-4-vague-site-and-system-details]

The person receiving the notice needs to know where the work is and what system is involved. A vague site description can cause follow-up and confusion.

For commercial, remote, industrial or multi-building sites, include enough detail to identify the work location. Add site name, building, area, access notes or other references where the form and job record allow.

Keep the finished PDF with the work order, quote, photos and any appliance or system notes. If a question comes back later, the office should not need to ring the gasfitter to remember which part of the site the notice covered.

## Mistake 5: stale gasfitter details [#mistake-5-stale-gasfitter-details]

Saved details are useful, especially for repeat work, but they still need checking. Licence numbers, business details, phone numbers and emails can change.

Before download, confirm gasfitter name, licence details, business name, contact phone and email, postal or business address where required, and signature and date. Tradie Forms can reuse the block, but the licensed gasfitter remains responsible for checking it before the PDF goes out.

## Mistake 6: gas mains work is treated like normal commencement [#mistake-6-gas-mains-work-is-treated-like-normal-commencement]

Gas mains work has separate timing and notification guidance. If the job involves construction or repair of a gas main, check the gas mains section of NT WorkSafe's guidance and the [construction or repair of gas main notification page](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/forms-and-resources/forms/construction-or-repair-of-gas-main-notification-form) before relying on the commencement form.

## Mistake 7: no copy in the job record [#mistake-7-no-copy-in-the-job-record]

The notification is not finished just because the PDF was sent. Keep a copy with the job record, along with any email receipt, portal reference or submission note.

A tidy record should include the finished notification PDF, NT WorkSafe submission or email record, work order, site contact, system or appliance details, photos or notes, and follow-up certificates or compliance records where applicable. When the owner, facility manager or regulator asks a question later, the record should be findable.

## Emergency work still needs a record [#emergency-work-still-needs-a-record]

The NT WorkSafe commencement page recognises emergency timing, but that does not mean the paperwork disappears. If the job is an emergency, record why the timing differed, when NT WorkSafe was notified, and who made the notification. Keep that note with the finished PDF.

## When to start a fresh notification [#when-to-start-a-fresh-notification]

If the work changes materially before commencement, do not assume the old PDF still describes the job. Check whether the notification needs to be corrected or replaced if the date, site, system, scope or gasfitter details change. Use speed to keep the record accurate, not to rush a stale form out the door.

## A better notification habit [#a-better-notification-habit]

**Before the notification goes in**

- **Check the threshold - Fuel gas system** - Whether the notification threshold applies at all for this job.
- **Check gas mains guidance - Instead, or as well** - Two pathways can apply to one job. Confirm which before filling anything.
- **Gather site and system details - Including commencement** - Saved gasfitter details still need checking against current registration.
- **Preview, then submit - Accepted NT WorkSafe pathway** - Download the official layout and send it the way NT WorkSafe accepts.

Most rework here comes from the first two steps, not the form itself.

8. Store the PDF and submission record with the job.

Use the site name and commencement date in the file name. Attach any NT WorkSafe receipt or email. Add a note if the job changed after notification. Keep later compliance paperwork beside the notification.

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Tradie Forms turns the NT Gas Works Notification into sections you work through one at a time. You can enter who is notifying, where the work is, the system details and commencement information without fighting a flat PDF on site.

Saved gasfitter and business details reduce repeat typing. Missing-field checks flag gaps before download. The official PDF preview lets you check that the notice reads correctly before submission. After download, attach the PDF to the job record.

The product is not affiliated with NT WorkSafe. It does not lodge the form for you. It helps you fill and download the official layout cleanly. For the full field walkthrough, use the [NT gas works notification guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nt-gas-works-notification-guide).

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start the [NT Gas Works Notification](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nt-gas-works-notification) when the work details are ready and the job pathway has been checked. Browse [NT gasfitter forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nt/gasfitting) for other Northern Territory trade paperwork, or return to the [notification guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nt-gas-works-notification-guide). Gasfitting forms for every state sit on the [gasfitting forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/gasfitting).

## Official references [#official-references]

For current requirements, check the [NT WorkSafe notification of commencement of gas works page](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/forms-and-resources/forms/commencement-of-gas-works-notification-form), the [NT WorkSafe gas work notification guidance](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/notify-nt-worksafe/gas-work-notification), the [NT WorkSafe gas safety page](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/safety-and-prevention/gas-safety), and the [NT WorkSafe construction or repair of gas main notification page](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/forms-and-resources/forms/construction-or-repair-of-gas-main-notification-form).

# NSW asbestos removal paperwork from ARCP to clearance and completion (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-asbestos-removal-clearance-handover-workflow)

A practical NSW asbestos paperwork workflow for Class B removal control plans, non-friable clearance certificates and job completion records on one job file. | State: NSW | Trade: Building | Template: nsw-asbestos-removal-control-plan-class-b

> **Tradie Forms:** prepare the NSW Class B asbestos removal control plan before work starts, then keep clearance and completion records with the same job. One section at a time, saved licence details, missing-field checks, official PDF preview and a clean download keep the paperwork close to the site.

NSW asbestos paperwork has two different job-site moments. Before removal starts, the removalist needs the control plan ready for the work area, workers, site controls, PPE, RPE, method and waste. After the non-friable removal area has been inspected, the clearance certificate needs to show what was checked and whether the area can be reoccupied.

Those moments are connected, but they should not be mashed into one rushed admin task. The plan is about doing the work safely. The clearance is about the condition of the area after the removal work.

Use the [NSW Class B asbestos removal control plan](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-asbestos-removal-control-plan-class-b) for the SafeWork NSW ARCP layout, and the [NSW non-friable asbestos clearance certificate SW08272](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-sw08272-asbestos-clearance) for the no-air-monitoring clearance layout. You can also browse [NSW building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/building).

**Key takeaways**

- Treat the ARCP and clearance certificate as two connected records, not one late admin task
- Complete the Class B ARCP before work starts and keep it site-specific
- Complete the clearance certificate after the relevant non-friable removal area has been inspected
- Store plan, clearance, photos and waste records in one job file
- Tradie Forms helps with a section-by-section fill, saved details, missing-field checks and official PDF preview

## Where does the ARCP fit? [#where-does-the-arcp-fit]

SafeWork NSW says a licensed asbestos removalist must prepare a site-specific asbestos removal control plan before work begins. The Class B template is for non-friable removal work and includes plan details, ACM identification, informing parties, nominated supervisors, workers, emergency planning, site plan, PPE, RPE, equipment, removal method, waste management and sign-off.

The official SafeWork NSW Class B asbestos licence guidance says a Class B licence is needed before removing more than 10 square metres of non-friable asbestos or asbestos-containing material, or asbestos-contaminated dust from that removal. Class A licence holders can also remove non-friable asbestos.

That does not mean every small task should be treated casually. It means the paperwork should match the licence, job type, work area and current official guidance. For a section-by-section fill guide, see the [Class B ARCP on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-class-b-asbestos-removal-control-plan-guide).

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the SafeWork NSW ARCP PDF layout. It does not decide whether the job is licensed asbestos removal work, whether the licence class is right, or whether all controls are adequate.

## Where does the clearance certificate fit? [#where-does-the-clearance-certificate-fit]

The non-friable asbestos clearance certificate is a later record. The SafeWork NSW SW08272 PDF records client details, removal work details, inspection details, visual inspection answers and the declaration by the competent person. The form includes a visual inspection section that records whether no visible asbestos remains as a result of the removal work and whether the area can be reoccupied for demolition or other work.

SafeWork NSW guidance says either a licensed asbestos assessor or a competent person can assess Class B asbestos removal work. The clearance person and removalist details need to be clear in the job file.

Use [NSW asbestos clearance SW08272](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-sw08272-asbestos-clearance) when the inspection and declaration details are ready to capture on the official layout. For field detail on that form, see the [SW08272 guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-non-friable-asbestos-clearance-certificate-sw08272-guide).

## How do you build one job record? [#how-do-you-build-one-job-record]

The best asbestos paperwork habit is to keep the start and finish records together.

Before removal starts, store:

- SafeWork notification details where required
- Site-specific ARCP
- Asbestos register details where relevant
- Photos of the removal area
- Site plan
- Worker and supervisor details
- Informing party records
- PPE, RPE and equipment details
- Waste management plan

After removal and clearance, add:

- Clearance certificate
- Inspection date and time
- Removalist and supervisor details
- Areas inspected
- Visual inspection outcomes
- Photos, waste docket or disposal notes where relevant
- Completion email or client copy

That record helps the office, client, supervisor and future reviewer understand what was planned, what was removed, who was involved and what was handed over.

## Common paperwork gaps [#common-paperwork-gaps]

### The control plan is generic [#the-control-plan-is-generic]

A control plan should match the actual site. Include the removal area, access, waste storage, decontamination area, emergency facilities, services and site controls. Generic text is not a substitute for site-specific planning.

### Informing parties are not recorded [#informing-parties-are-not-recorded]

The SafeWork NSW ARCP template includes informing parties and people. Capture who was informed while the site contacts are fresh.

### The site plan is left blank [#the-site-plan-is-left-blank]

The site plan is one of the most useful parts of the record. It helps show the removal area, waste route, security, signage and emergency equipment. In Tradie Forms, use the site plan section and attach or create the plan before download.

### The clearance is separated from the removal record [#the-clearance-is-separated-from-the-removal-record]

The clearance certificate should live with the ARCP and removal records. If it sits in a different email folder, the job file is harder to follow.

### Licence and contact details are stale [#licence-and-contact-details-are-stale]

Saved licence details help repeat jobs move faster, but they must be checked. Licence holder, removalist, supervisor and declarant details need to match the actual job.

## What should you write clearly in the ARCP? [#what-should-you-write-clearly-in-the-arcp]

The ARCP should help the crew understand the job before work starts. It should also help the licence holder show what was planned.

Pay close attention to:

- The exact asbestos or ACM identified for removal
- Location and quantity
- Condition of the material
- Who has been informed
- Supervisor and worker details
- Emergency facilities and first aid details
- Site plan controls
- PPE and RPE selections
- Equipment checks
- Removal method from preparation through completion
- Waste handling and disposal arrangements

If a section does not feel specific to the site, improve it before download. A plan that could belong to any job is not doing enough work for this job.

## What should you write clearly in the clearance record? [#what-should-you-write-clearly-in-the-clearance-record]

The clearance certificate should make the inspection moment clear. Identify the client, removal site, licensed removalist, inspection date and time, area inspected, and visual inspection answers.

If the clearance covers only one part of a property, say so in the work area details. If the removalist supervisor is different from the licensed removalist, keep that contact detail in the record. If photos or site notes support the clearance, store them beside the finished PDF.

The completion should let the client understand what area was inspected and what the clearance declaration says. It should also let your office find the certificate later without searching through phone photos.

## A better completion rhythm [#a-better-completion-rhythm]

Use a simple start-to-finish rhythm:

**Control plan to clearance**

- **Confirm pathway and licence - Before anything else** - The licence class decides which records the job needs.
- **Prepare the ARCP - Before removal starts** - Site plan, controls, worker and supervisor details, kept accessible on site.
- **Remove and record - During the work** - Supporting records built as the work happens, not reconstructed after.
- **Clearance inspection - After the area is inspected** - The clearance record closes the job, and only after the inspection.

The control plan has to exist before the work, not be written to match it afterwards.

7. Preview both official PDF layouts
8. Store the ARCP, clearance certificate, photos and waste records together

If the removal method, work area, supervisor, waste pathway or timing changes, the record should show what changed. Do not leave the finished ARCP looking like the original plan if the job moved in a meaningful way.

Name the clearance PDF with the site address, inspection date and certificate type. Store it beside the ARCP, not in a separate downloads folder. Asbestos jobs can be reviewed long after the work. A clear file name and one job record save a lot of searching later.

After download, keep a record of how the plan or certificate was handed over. That might be an email, job software activity, client portal entry or signed site document. For the ARCP, keep the record showing it was available before work started. For the clearance certificate, keep the record showing the client or relevant site contact received the finished PDF.

Tradie Forms helps you complete the official layouts. It does not replace safety judgement or regulatory decisions.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start the [NSW Class B asbestos removal control plan](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-asbestos-removal-control-plan-class-b) before the removal work begins. Use the [NSW asbestos clearance certificate SW08272](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-sw08272-asbestos-clearance) when the non-friable clearance inspection is ready to record, or browse [NSW building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/building). For work in Victoria, use the separate [WorkSafe Victoria asbestos removal notification guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/vic-asbestos-removal-notification-worksafe-guide) so the Victorian notice periods and form stay separate.

## Official references [#official-references]

For current requirements, check the [SafeWork NSW Class B asbestos removal licence page](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/licences-and-registrations/licences/class-b-asbestos-removal-licence), the [SafeWork NSW licensed asbestos removalist guidance](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/licences-and-registrations/licences/class-a-asbestos-removal-licence/working-as-a-licensed-asbestos-removalist), the [SafeWork NSW Class B ARCP template](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/596947/asbestos-removal-control-plan.pdf), the [SafeWork NSW non-friable clearance certificate SW08272](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/117376/Non-friable-asbestos-clearance-certificate-no-air-monitoring-SW08272.pdf), and the [SafeWork NSW licensed asbestos assessor guidance](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/licences-and-registrations/licences/asbestos-assessor-licence/working-as-a-licensed-asbestos-assessor).

# NSW fire safety certificate completion: records to keep before lodgement (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-handover-records)

What to gather, check and keep when completing a NSW fire safety certificate: the schedule, measure rows, qualified person details and the closeout record. | State: NSW | Trade: Fire Safety | Template: nsw-fire-safety-certificate

> **Tradie Forms:** complete the NSW Fire Safety Certificate on the official layout, check the property, owner and measure details before you download it, preview the PDF, and keep the finished certificate with the fire safety schedule and the completion record.

NSW fire safety paperwork lands in the final stretch of a job. The measures have been installed or upgraded, the owner wants to move forward, the builder wants the closeout finished, and the certificate has to match the fire safety schedule.

That is the worst moment to be hunting for measure descriptions, practitioner details and property references across three email threads. A clean completion starts before you open the form.

Use the [NSW Fire Safety Certificate template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-fire-safety-certificate) to fill the official PDF layout online, or browse [NSW fire safety forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/fire-safety). If you are not certain the certificate is the right document for this job, start with [when a NSW fire safety certificate is required](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-nsw-fire-safety-certificate-required).

**Key takeaways**

- A NSW Fire Safety Certificate is tied to new building work and the measures listed in the fire safety schedule
- Build the completion record around the schedule, the measure rows, the qualified person checks and the owner details
- Keep the finished PDF with commissioning records, reports, photos and the job file
- After the certificate is issued there are copy and display obligations that the PDF alone does not satisfy
- Tradie Forms gives you a section-by-section fill, saved business details, missing-field checks and an official PDF preview

## What does a NSW fire safety certificate record? [#what-does-a-nsw-fire-safety-certificate-record]

It records that new building work is complete and that the fire safety measures listed in the fire safety schedule have been installed and checked. NSW Planning says the certificate is issued by or on behalf of a building owner when new building work is complete, and that it confirms a properly qualified person has installed and checked the listed measures so they can perform to the minimum standard.

The same NSW Planning guidance says certificates must use the fire safety certificate template. That is why the layout matters: the certificate is a completion record for a specific building, a specific schedule and a specific set of measures, and it needs to be readable as one.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the official PDF layout. The owner, the practitioner and the responsible parties still have to check the work, the schedule and the finished certificate.

## Start with the fire safety schedule [#start-with-the-fire-safety-schedule]

The schedule is the anchor for everything else. It plays the key role in making sure a building's fire safety measures are installed and maintained to a minimum performance standard, and it specifies the measures and the standard for each one.

Before you fill the certificate, gather:

- The current fire safety schedule
- Building address and owner details
- Development or certificate references where applicable
- The essential fire safety measures that apply to the work
- The minimum standard of performance for each measure
- Details of the properly qualified person for each measure
- Installation, inspection or commissioning records
- Supporting reports, defect notes or photos

If the schedule and the certificate do not line up, nobody downstream can trust the closeout. The [on-site guide to the NSW fire safety certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-on-site-guide) walks through the same detail section by section if you are filling one now.

## What to check before you download the PDF [#what-to-check-before-you-download-the-pdf]

### Property and owner details [#property-and-owner-details]

Check the legal property address, building name, owner details and any references. A commercial site, a strata property or a staged project may have more than one building or address description, so be specific about which one the certificate covers.

### Fire safety measures [#fire-safety-measures]

Each measure row should match the schedule. Do not shorten measure names so far that a reader cannot connect them back to the schedule wording.

### Standards of performance [#standards-of-performance]

Take these from the schedule and the supporting documents. If a standard, specification or approval detail is referenced, keep that source document with the job record so the reference can be followed later.

### Qualified person details [#qualified-person-details]

Record the person who installed and checked the relevant measures. Check names, company details, accreditation or qualification details where required, contact details and signatures.

### Dates and signatures [#dates-and-signatures]

Dates tell the story of the closeout. Inspection, installation, certificate and completion dates should make sense read against each other and against the job file.

## What happens after the certificate is issued? [#what-happens-after-the-certificate-is-issued]

The paperwork does not stop at the download. [Section 85 of the Regulation](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/sl-2021-0689) says that as soon as practicable after a certificate is issued, the owner must give a copy of the certificate and the current fire safety schedule to the Fire Commissioner, give a copy to a building practitioner where the Design and Building Practitioners Act pathway requires it, and ensure the certificate and schedule are prominently displayed in the building.

**After the certificate is issued**

- **Certificate issued - With the current fire safety schedule** - The schedule travels with the certificate, not separately.
- **Copy to the Fire Commissioner - Owner, as soon as practicable** - Certificate and schedule together.
- **Copy to a building practitioner - Where the DBP Act pathway requires it** - Not every job, so confirm which pathway applies.
- **Displayed in the building - Owner** - Prominently, and kept displayed rather than filed.

Section 85 of the Regulation puts these on the owner. Keeping evidence of each is what makes the handover reconstructable later.

Keep evidence of each of those steps with the job. Downloading or emailing the finished PDF is not the same as completing the handover, and a record of where copies went is the thing that is hardest to reconstruct a year later.

## Store evidence measure by measure [#store-evidence-measure-by-measure]

Fire safety certificates are far easier to review when the evidence follows the same measure order as the certificate. If the schedule lists several measures, store documents under each measure rather than dropping every file into one folder.

For each measure, keep the measure name as it appears on the schedule, the standard of performance or reference, the installer or properly qualified person details, the commissioning or test record, photos where useful, any defect and rectification notes, and the date checked.

That structure makes the certificate easier to read and easier to defend. The owner sees the certificate, and the office can see the support behind each row.

## Is a fire safety certificate the same as a fire safety statement? [#is-a-fire-safety-certificate-the-same-as-a-fire-safety-statement]

No, and mixing them up is the most common reason a NSW fire safety pack has to be redone. The certificate relates to new building work when that work is complete. The fire safety statement is issued by or on behalf of the owner of an existing building and confirms that an accredited practitioner has assessed, inspected and verified each applicable measure.

[NSW Planning says](https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/the-planning-system/buildings/fire-safety-in-buildings/fire-safety-certification) annual fire safety statements are issued each year, while supplementary statements are issued at the shorter intervals in the fire safety schedule for critical measures. If the building is in that recurring cycle, use the [NSW Fire Safety Statement](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-fire-safety-statement) and the [annual fire safety statement guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-statement-afss-online-guide) for timing and lodgement instead. The [certificate versus statement guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-vs-statement-guide) covers the split in more detail.

If the same site will later need an annual statement, link the records in the job file but keep them separate. It should stay obvious what was issued at completion and what belongs to the yearly cycle. [AFSS record keeping and handover](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-afss-record-keeping-handover) covers the statement side of that filing.

## Common closeout gaps [#common-closeout-gaps]

**What leaves the business**

- **A pack** - - Certificate and the current schedule filed together
  - Measure wording copied from the schedule
  - Test records and photos stored with the finished PDF
  - Names, signatures, measure rows and dates checked on the official layout (The pack answers its own questions without a phone call.)
- **A gap** - - The certificate on its own, no schedule beside it
  - Measures reworded from the schedule
  - Commissioning reports and photos stored somewhere else
  - The PDF sent without a final read (Each gap surfaces months later, when nobody remembers the job.)

**The schedule is not in the pack.** The certificate is much easier to check when the schedule sits beside it. Keep both with the job.

**Measure wording does not match.** Rewording a measure makes the certificate harder to reconcile. Use the schedule language unless there is a clear reason to add detail.

**Supporting reports live somewhere else.** If commissioning reports, test records or photos support the certificate, store them with the finished PDF.

**Statement timing is confused with certificate timing.** Certificates and annual statements belong to different job moments. Use the right record for the moment you are in.

**The PDF goes out without a final read.** Preview the official layout and check names, signatures, measure rows and dates before the certificate leaves the business. The [common NSW fire safety certificate mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-nsw-fire-safety-certificate) guide has the full list.

## A practical closeout rhythm [#a-practical-closeout-rhythm]

1. Pull up the current fire safety schedule.
2. Confirm the property and owner details.
3. Match each measure row to the schedule.
4. Add properly qualified person details for each measure.
5. Attach or store the supporting records.
6. Preview the official PDF layout.
7. Download the finished certificate.
8. Store it with the schedule and the site pack, and record where copies went.

Before it leaves the business, run one last read. Does the property match the schedule? Are all listed measures included? Do the qualified person details match the supporting records? Are dates and signatures complete? Is the certificate clearly labelled in the job record? That check takes two minutes and catches the gaps that take a week to fix afterwards.

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Tradie Forms turns the NSW Fire Safety Certificate into sections you work through one at a time, so you can work through property, owner, measure, qualified person and certification details without wrestling with a flat PDF.

Saved business details stop you retyping the same company block on every job. Missing-field checks catch the blanks before you download. Preview shows the official layout as a reader will see it. The finished PDF can then be stored with the job record beside the commissioning sheets, reports and the fire safety schedule.

Tradie Forms does not certify fire safety measures, lodge anything or approve work. It helps the paperwork get filled, checked and downloaded cleanly.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start the [NSW Fire Safety Certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-fire-safety-certificate) when new building work and measure checks are ready for completion. For existing buildings in the annual or supplementary cycle, use the [NSW Fire Safety Statement](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-fire-safety-statement), or browse [NSW fire safety forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/fire-safety) for the rest of the set. Fire safety forms for every state sit on the [fire safety forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/fire-safety).

## Official references [#official-references]

For current requirements, check the [NSW Planning fire safety certification page](https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/policy-and-legislation/buildings/fire-safety-in-buildings/fire-safety-certification), the [Environmental Planning and Assessment (Development Certification and Fire Safety) Regulation 2021](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/sl-2021-0689), the [Fire and Rescue NSW fire safety statement lodgement guidance](https://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/fire-safety/building-fire-safety/service-type-tool/lodge-a-fire-safety-statement), and the [NSW guide to selecting an accredited practitioner](https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-03/selecting-an-accredited-practitioner-fire-safety.pdf).

# ACMA cabling compliance records: a digital TCA1 and TCA2 workflow (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-cabling-compliance-digital-records)

A digital workflow for ACMA cabling compliance records: what to capture on site, how to finish TCA1 and TCA2, and how to name and file the finished PDFs. | Trade: Electrical | Template: acma-tca1-attach-a

Cabling paperwork is a completion task, not a back-office puzzle. The customer is on site, the outlet or rack is labelled, the work location is fresh, and any pre-existing cabling issue can still be explained in plain words.

That is the moment to finish the record. Leave it and the detail thins out. Room names get guessed, employer details get copied off an old invoice, and outstanding matters end up buried in a phone gallery.

This guide is about the workflow rather than the fields: what a complete cabling record contains, the order to build it in, and how to file it so the office can find it later. For the fields themselves, use the [TCA1 on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca1-cabling-advice-on-site-guide).

**Key takeaways**

- ACMA requires a written certification statement when cabling work is completed for a customer, with a copy kept for one year
- TCA1 is the completed-work customer cabling advice record; TCA2 records non-compliant installations, including pre-existing or out-of-scope issues
- A digital record is only useful if it captures the work, the location, the copies sent and the copy kept
- Fill both forms while the work and the fault are still visible, not from memory afterwards
- A consistent file name does more for findability than any filing system

Use [ACMA TCA1](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca1-attach-a) for completed customer cabling advice and [ACMA TCA2](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca2) when outstanding cabling matters need recording. You can also browse [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical) by state for CCEW, CoTC, NT certificates and the cabling templates.

## What ACMA says about cabling advice [#what-acma-says-about-cabling-advice]

ACMA says that if you perform or supervise cabling work, you must prepare a written certification statement every time you complete a job for a customer, as soon as practicable after finishing the work. The statement must be given to the customer who engaged you, and to your employer or contractor if you have one, and a copy must be kept for one year after preparing it.

ACMA also says you can use the approved TCA1 and TCA2 forms or your own format, as long as it includes the required details. For TCA1, that means completing all sections, describing the type and location of the work, giving the customer a copy, giving the employer a copy where applicable, and keeping a copy for at least 12 months.

For TCA2, ACMA says to use it if you notice any non-compliant cable installations, including pre-existing issues or matters outside the contracted scope, and that it can be issued before work with a quotation or after completion if something needs attention.

## What should a digital cabling record contain? [#what-should-a-digital-cabling-record-contain]

Everything a future reader needs to understand the job without ringing you. A complete cabling completion record captures:

- Registered cabling provider details
- Employer or contractor details where they apply
- A description of the work
- The location of the work, such as room, floor, section, building or department
- Customer details
- The certification statement, signature and date
- Any outstanding matters and their priority
- The copy sent to the customer
- The copy kept with the job

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the official PDF layouts. It does not decide whether work complies with the Wiring Rules or whether a matter needs a TCA2. The registered cabler remains responsible for the work, the advice, and the finished document.

## A clean cabling completion rhythm [#a-clean-cabling-completion-rhythm]

The order matters more than the tooling. Work through it the same way every time and the record builds itself:

1. Complete the cabling work and your checks.
2. Fill TCA1 while the work location is still in front of you.
3. Issue TCA2 if outstanding matters need recording.
4. Preview the official PDF layout.
5. Give the customer their copy.
6. Give the employer or contractor a copy where applicable.
7. Store the PDF with the job record for the required period.
8. Attach photos, diagrams or notes where they explain the work.

That habit keeps cabling advice tied to the job instead of rebuilt from memory on a Friday afternoon.

## Why does the work description matter so much? [#why-does-the-work-description-matter-so-much]

Because it is the part of the record that decays fastest. ACMA says the certification statement should identify the cabling work completed in adequate detail, including where it was performed, with location examples such as room, floor, section, department and building. That detail is obvious on site and almost impossible to reconstruct a week later.

**Work description**

- **Still readable in a year** - - Installed two data outlets in front office, cabled to rack in comms room
  - Re-terminated customer cabling in tenancy 3 and tested outlet 3A
  - Replaced damaged lead-in termination at MDF and labelled customer side (Names the work, the count, and where it was performed.)
- **Decays in a week** - - Data cabling
  - New outlet
  - Repairs (Obvious on site, impossible to reconstruct later.)

Apply the same discipline to TCA2. If there is an outstanding matter, describe the location and the issue plainly enough that a customer or building manager can act on it without a technical translation. [Common ACMA TCA2 mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-acma-tca2) covers what usually goes wrong there.

## Recording outstanding matters without making the job awkward [#recording-outstanding-matters-without-making-the-job-awkward]

TCA2 can feel uncomfortable because it usually points at work outside your scope, or at somebody else's earlier install. Keep it practical. The form exists to give clear advice, not to assign blame.

State what you noticed, mark the urgency, hand the completed form to the customer or building manager, and keep any related notes with the job. If the issue leads to a quote, link the quote to the TCA2 so the paper trail holds together. [When is ACMA TCA2 required](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-acma-tca2-required) sets out the situations where it applies.

## Naming records so they can be found later [#naming-records-so-they-can-be-found-later]

Use a file name or job title that carries the customer, the site and the form type. Something like "TCA1 - Smith Office - Level 2 data outlets" is far easier to find than a default download name. For TCA2, include a reference to outstanding matters so the office can tell at a glance what the file covers.

Small naming habits matter here because cabling advice records are often needed long after the work is finished. The retention side of this, and who gets which copy, is covered in the [TCA1 and TCA2 record keeping guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca1-tca2-cabling-record-keeping-handover-guide).

## Sole traders and crews [#sole-traders-and-crews]

For a sole trader the record may be a PDF attached to the job or invoice, and that is enough. For a crew, the same job might need copies going to the customer, the employer, the project manager and the office.

Either way, set one rule for the business and stick to it:

- Customer copy sent
- Employer or contractor copy sent where applicable
- PDF stored with the job
- Photos or diagrams attached
- TCA2 outstanding matters linked to any quote or follow-up

That rule matters because copies can be asked for. The person who performed or supervised the work should not be scrolling a phone gallery looking for a signed form from months ago.

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Tradie Forms turns TCA1 and TCA2 into sections you work through one at a time that work on a phone, tablet or laptop. For TCA1 you fill provider, employer, work description, customer and certification details. For TCA2 you choose pre works or post works advice, tick the outstanding matters that apply, and set the priority level shown on the official form.

Missing-field checks catch the gaps before you download. The official PDF preview shows what the customer will receive. The finished PDF can then be downloaded and attached to the job, invoice, quote or completion email.

Cabling advice is one piece of a wider paperwork problem, and the same crew is often handling electrical certificates, fire forms and service reports too. The pattern is the same: fill it in one section at a time, reuse business details, catch missing fields, preview the official layout, download the finished record.

## What changes when the records go digital [#what-changes-when-the-records-go-digital]

The obligations do not change. What changes is how often a record goes missing.

Paper cabling records fail in familiar ways: the book stays in the van, the customer copy is never handed over, the office copy arrives illegible. Digital removes those and adds its own smaller risks around devices and access. The trade is usually worth it, but planning for the new failure modes is part of making the move.

## Keeping records findable across jobs [#keeping-records-findable-across-jobs]

Cabling work generates records that are needed years later, usually by someone else.

Store them against the site rather than the job number, because site is how they will be searched for. Name files so the site and date read without opening them. On multi-tenancy buildings, include the tenancy, since a building-level record does not answer a tenancy-level question.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start [ACMA TCA1](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca1-attach-a) for completed customer cabling advice, or use [ACMA TCA2](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca2) for outstanding cabling matters. Browse [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical) for the wider trade paperwork library.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [ACMA cabling advice forms guidance](https://www.acma.gov.au/cabling-advice-forms) and the [ACMA cabling provider rules](https://www.acma.gov.au/cabling-provider-rules) for the current requirements. The [ACMA TCA1 form page](https://www.acma.gov.au/publications/2019-06/form/form-tca1-compliance-telecommunications-customer-cabling-advice) and [ACMA TCA2 form page](https://www.acma.gov.au/publications/2019-06/form/form-tca2-telecommunications-cabling-advice) carry the official forms, and [ACMA Australian cabling standards](https://www.acma.gov.au/australian-cabling-standards) covers the cabling standards behind the certification statement. Confirm current requirements on the ACMA site before you issue advice.

# QLD Form 71 vs Form 72: which fire safety record do you need? (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-71-vs-form-72-fire-safety-handover-guide)

Compare QLD Form 71 commissioning and Form 72 maintenance records for water-based fire systems, then pick the right form and handover path. | State: QLD | Trade: Fire Safety | Template: qld-fire-form-71-hydrant-sprinkler-commissioning

> **Tradie Forms:** pick the right Queensland fire safety record before you start typing, then fill the official PDF layout on site and download it for the owner or occupier copy.

QLD Form 71 and QLD Form 72 look alike because they record many of the same hydrant and sprinkler readings. Both cover water-based fire safety installations, both sit under Queensland Development Code MP 6.1, and both have hydrostatic, flow, booster, sprinkler, compliance and signature sections.

They are still different forms, and picking the wrong one makes the job record harder to read months later when an owner, occupier, building manager or another contractor opens it.

**Key takeaways**

- Form 71 is for commissioning new or extended water-based fire safety installations
- Form 72 is for periodic testing and maintenance of existing installations
- Neither form replaces the full testing or maintenance requirements
- Commissioning copies go to the owner, maintenance copies go to the occupier
- The test details section is the fastest way to confirm you opened the right form

Prepare [QLD Form 71](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-fire-form-71-hydrant-sprinkler-commissioning) or [QLD Form 72](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-fire-form-72-hydrant-testing-maintenance), or browse [QLD fire-safety forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/fire-safety).

## Which form do you need? [#which-form-do-you-need]

Use Form 71 when you are recording commissioning for a new system or an extension to an existing system. Use Form 72 when you are recording periodic testing and maintenance for a system that already exists.

The official Form 71 PDF defines a commissioning test as a test required upon completion of a new system or extension to an existing system. The official Form 72 PDF defines a maintenance test as a test required under a maintenance standard such as AS1851.

That is the whole distinction. The fields overlap because the systems and readings overlap, but the job moment is different, and the job moment is what you choose on.

## What the two forms have in common [#what-the-two-forms-have-in-common]

Both sit under QDC MP 6.1, which covers commissioning and maintenance of fire safety installations. Business Queensland says MP 6.1 applies to Class 1b and Class 2 to 9 buildings, including existing buildings, and does not apply to Class 1a buildings or Class 10 buildings such as domestic sheds or garages.

Both are records for water-based fire safety installations, with fire hydrant, fire sprinkler or combined system options. Both ask for:

- Site name and address, and contractor details
- Test date and time
- Hydrant hydrostatic results
- Flow device and pressure gauge details
- Hydrant flow test readings and pump appliance booster readings
- Sprinkler hydrostatic and flow results
- Critical defect and repair details
- System pass or fail outcome
- Licensee name, signature, licence number and report number

Both also note that the form does not cover all testing or maintenance requirements. Each collects results for some sections of the relevant standards, and further testing is required in each case. That line is worth remembering when you hand the document over.

## Where Form 71 fits [#where-form-71-fits]

Form 71 is the commissioning record. Use it when the job is about bringing a new water-based fire safety installation, or an extension to an existing one, into service - a new hydrant system in a commercial building, a new sprinkler system, an extension to an existing system, or the initial flow and pressure results after installation work.

QDC MP 6.1 says the relevant form for commissioning should be given within 10 business days after completing the work to the building owner. Keep the finished PDF with the commissioning notes, drawings, block plans, gauge references, defect notices and corrective action records. The [Form 71 commissioning guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-71-hydrant-sprinkler-commissioning-guide) works through each part of that form in order.

## Where Form 72 fits [#where-form-72-fits]

Form 72 is the periodic testing and maintenance record. Use it for annual hydrant testing, five-year hydrant or sprinkler maintenance testing, periodic flow testing on an existing installation, or any maintenance result that goes to a building occupier.

QDC MP 6.1 says the relevant form for maintenance should be given within 10 business days after completing the work to the building occupier. Keep the finished PDF with maintenance job notes, critical defect notices, repair records and the building's maintenance record. The [Form 72 maintenance guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-72-hydrant-sprinkler-maintenance-guide) covers the test sections, and the [maintenance records guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-72-maintenance-record-keeping-guide) covers filing and retention.

## Why does choosing the wrong form matter? [#why-does-choosing-the-wrong-form-matter]

A commissioning job recorded on Form 72 reads as routine maintenance, when it was actually the first record for a new or extended system. A maintenance run recorded on Form 71 reads as though the system had just been commissioned, when it was only being tested on schedule.

Either way the confusion lands on someone else: the owner, the occupier, a body corporate, a building manager, or the next contractor trying to work out what the last visit actually was. It also sends the copy to the wrong party, because commissioning completions go to owners and maintenance completions go to occupiers.

The fix is small. Decide the form from the work done today, not the PDF you used last week, and decide before you start entering readings.

## The field clue that usually settles it [#the-field-clue-that-usually-settles-it]

If you are still unsure, look at the test details section.

**What the test details section asks**

- **You are in Form 71** - Commissioning test, with fire hydrant, fire sprinkler or combined options (Commissioning is a new system or an extension to an existing one.)
- **You are in Form 72** - Maintenance test, with annual and five-year options (If this is staring back at you on a brand new system, you have the wrong form.)

If an annual or five-year option is staring back at you and the job is the first record for a brand new system, you are in the wrong form. If the job is a scheduled inspection run on an existing building, Form 72 fits.

Where a site has both - a tenancy fit-out that extends a sprinkler section while the rest of the building stays on its maintenance schedule - use both forms and keep the records separate.

## Getting the completion right [#getting-the-completion-right]

Whichever form you are in, the same details decide whether the record holds up:

- **Site and contractor.** Use the building name and address the owner or occupier recognises. For multi-tenancy sites, add enough detail to match the record to the right building or area.
- **Test type.** Commissioning on Form 71; annual or five-year on Form 72. Do not leave this as a guessing game for the office.
- **Readings.** Enter pressures, flow rates, gauge numbers and test point locations while the system is still in front of you.
- **Defects and corrective actions.** Store the supporting notice, action, date and any photos so the finished PDF matches the rest of the job record.
- **Signature and report number.** Check the licence number, report number, system outcome and date before signing.

When you hand the document over, say what it is: the completed Form 71 or Form 72 mapped to the official PDF layout, with readings and outcomes entered by the responsible person. Do not tell an owner or occupier that the PDF alone proves every requirement has been met - the forms themselves say they do not cover everything. Tradie Forms is not affiliated with the Queensland Government and does not decide whether a system passes.

## Getting the sequence right on a live building [#getting-the-sequence-right-on-a-live-building]

Fire safety installations rarely sit still, which is what makes the handover between these records fiddly on an occupied site.

Work happens in stages, tenancies change, and systems get modified while the building is in use. The records need to show which system state each certificate relates to, because a certificate that cannot be tied to a point in time is difficult to rely on when the next contractor arrives.

The practical habit is to date and describe the system scope on every record, then keep them in sequence under one building reference. Anyone picking the building up later should be able to read forward through the file and see how the installation got to its current state.

## When the building changes hands [#when-the-building-changes-hands]

Fire safety records are among the first things a new owner or manager asks for and among the most commonly missing.

If you service a building regularly, you are often the continuity that survives an ownership change. Handing over a clean set at that moment protects the building and usually keeps you on the maintenance contract, because the incoming manager has something to work from instead of starting cold.

Keep your own copies rather than relying on the building's file. Building files get lost in handovers far more often than contractor files do.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Prepare [QLD Form 71](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-fire-form-71-hydrant-sprinkler-commissioning) for commissioning or [QLD Form 72](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-fire-form-72-hydrant-testing-maintenance) for periodic maintenance. For the wider template set, browse [QLD fire-safety forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/fire-safety). Fire safety forms for every state sit on the [fire safety forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/fire-safety).

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [Business Queensland building forms page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/forms-guidelines/forms), the [Queensland Form 71 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0024/9825/form71firehydrantandsprinklerssystemcommissioning.pdf), the [Queensland Form 72 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0026/9827/form72firehydranttestingandmaintenance.pdf), the [Business Queensland fire safety installations guidance](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/laws-codes-standards/queensland-development-code/fire-safety-installations), and [QDC MP 6.1](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/4832/qdcmp6.1.pdf) before relying on this guide.

# QLD Form 72 fire hydrant testing and maintenance guide (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-72-hydrant-sprinkler-maintenance-guide)

QLD Form 72 explained for fire protection contractors: the annual and five-year test sections, critical defect fields, sign-off, and the occupier copy. | State: QLD | Trade: Fire Safety | Template: qld-fire-form-72-hydrant-testing-maintenance

> **Tradie Forms:** complete QLD Form 72 on the official Queensland PDF layout during the maintenance visit - test type, readings, outcomes, defects, licensee details and report number, before you leave the building.

QLD Form 72 is the fire hydrant and sprinkler system periodic testing and maintenance record under Queensland Development Code MP 6.1. It is the form that usually gets finished somewhere between the pump room, the booster, the block plan and the building manager's desk.

It carries dense reading tables: annual or five-year test details, hydrant hydrostatic results, gauge details, hydrant flow readings, pump booster readings, sprinkler hydrostatic and flow results, critical defects, corrective actions, system outcome and licensee sign-off.

**Key takeaways**

- Form 72 is the periodic testing and maintenance record under QDC MP 6.1
- It includes annual and five-year test options across hydrant, sprinkler or combined systems
- The form says it does not comprise all maintenance requirements
- Critical defects trigger a notice to the owner or occupier
- MP 6.1 sets a copy to the occupier within 10 business days and a five-year record

Prepare the [QLD Form 72 template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-fire-form-72-hydrant-testing-maintenance), or browse [QLD fire-safety forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/fire-safety).

## What is QLD Form 72 used for? [#what-is-qld-form-72-used-for]

Form 72 records maintenance of water-based fire safety installations as required by QDC MP 6.1. The official PDF says it is to be used in accordance with the fire hydrant and sprinkler system commissioning and periodic maintenance procedure.

The same PDF says the form does not comprise all maintenance requirements. It collects results for maintenance for some sections of the Australian Standards referred to, and further testing is required in each case.

That is a boundary worth respecting when the document is handed over. Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the official PDF layout. It does not decide whether maintenance is complete, whether the system passes, or whether every applicable requirement has been met. The fire protection contractor or licensee responsible for the work checks the form, the readings and the finished PDF.

## When does Form 72 apply? [#when-does-form-72-apply]

Use Form 72 for periodic testing and maintenance of existing water-based fire safety installations. It is not the commissioning form for a newly installed system or an extension - that is [Form 71](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-fire-form-71-hydrant-sprinkler-commissioning), and the [Form 71 commissioning guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-71-hydrant-sprinkler-commissioning-guide) covers it.

On site, five quick questions usually settle it:

- Is this a periodic maintenance record for an existing installation?
- Are we recording annual or five-year test details?
- Are the hydrant, sprinkler or combined system readings ready?
- Are any critical defects or corrective actions documented?
- Is the licensee ready to sign after checking the PDF layout?

If the borderline cases are the problem - a fit-out that extends part of a system while the rest stays on schedule - the [Form 71 and Form 72 comparison](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-71-vs-form-72-fire-safety-handover-guide) works through them.

## What to collect before you leave the building [#what-to-collect-before-you-leave-the-building]

Before you pack up, make sure you have the site name and address, contractor name, test date and time, maintenance test type, and the hydrant, sprinkler or combined system selection. Then the readings: hydrant hydrostatic results, flow device and gauge details, hydrant flow readings and locations, pump appliance booster readings, sprinkler hydrostatic readings and sprinkler flow test point results.

Finish with the critical defect and repair details, the system pass or fail outcome, and the licensee name, signature, licence number and report number.

This is the practical argument for filling the form at the job. The numbers are right there, the building manager or occupier is usually nearby, and the pump room or test point locations can still be checked.

## Hydrant test sections [#hydrant-test-sections]

Part B records the hydrant hydrostatic test. The official form refers to the required pressure specification for periodic testing as applicable under AS2419.1 or AS1851. Confirm the current requirement against the current edition of the applicable standard rather than working from a number you remember.

Part C records the flow measuring device or gauge details. Do not leave this blank if you used devices that need to be identified. Serial numbers, calibration dates, correction certificates and increments all help the record make sense later.

Part D records the hydrant system flow test: locations, system requirements, static pressure, pump set information, pressure zone, nozzle or device readings, and system achieved. Write locations so a future contractor can follow them. If the record says "Hydrant 1" and the building has several possible starting points, either store the block plan with the file or say where the hydrant is.

## Booster and sprinkler sections [#booster-and-sprinkler-sections]

Part E records the pump appliance booster test, including system requirements, pump inlet and discharge pressures, boost pressure, calculated frictional loss and comments.

Part F records sprinkler hydrostatic test pressure and hold time. Part G records sprinkler flow test points and running test details. The official form notes that multiple test points may be required for some systems, and that a simulated running test may be required for certain older systems without a flow measuring device.

None of these are places for rough notes. If a reading does not meet the expected criteria, record what happened and keep the supporting detail in the job file.

## Critical defects and corrective actions [#critical-defects-and-corrective-actions]

Part H asks whether critical defects were identified, whether repairs or corrective actions were taken, and whether the system passed or failed. It is not a quick tick block.

If a critical defect is identified, the form says to give the owner or occupier a critical defect notice. If repairs or corrective actions were taken, attach the details, including the action and the date taken, as part of the licensee report.

Your Form 72 should agree with the rest of the job record. If the PDF says repairs were carried out, the job file should show what happened. If it says no action was required, that needs to match the test outcome and your notes.

## Who gets the completed Form 72? [#who-gets-the-completed-form-72]

QDC MP 6.1 says an appropriately qualified person who carries out commissioning or maintenance of a water-based fire safety installation completes the relevant form and gives a copy within 10 business days after completing the work. For maintenance, that copy goes to the building occupier. MP 6.1 also says the person keeps a record of the form for at least five years.

Business Queensland guidance says building owners or occupiers must know whether their building has prescribed fire safety installations and must comply with MP 6.1, and that maintenance records sit within broader building fire safety obligations.

For the contractor, the completion is simple: give the occupier the finished PDF, keep your own copy, and attach it to the job record with any critical defect notice or repair details. The [Form 72 maintenance records guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-72-maintenance-record-keeping-guide) covers naming, filing and the five-year retention habit in more detail.

## Common Form 72 mistakes [#common-form-72-mistakes]

**Treating it as a checklist only.** The form records test results and sign-off. It does not replace the maintenance procedure or every applicable requirement.

**Missing equipment details.** If a reading depends on a device, identify the device.

**Hydrant location**

- **This** - Hydrant 1, near main entry, east side of car park (Stands on its own when the record is read a year later.)
- **Not this** - Hydrant 1 (Only works if the block plan travels with the record.)

**Location labels that only make sense on the day.** Write a location that survives without the block plan.

**Annual and five-year mixed up.** Check the maintenance schedule before you select the test type.

**Defects with no follow-up record.** Keep the notice, notes, photos or repair details with the job.

**No copy kept.** The building manager's inbox is not your record.

## Recording defects so they get closed [#recording-defects-so-they-get-closed]

The maintenance record is only as useful as what it says about the things that were not right.

A defect noted without an action leaves an open item in the building's file, and nobody reading it later can tell whether it was rectified that afternoon or is still outstanding. Record what was found, what was done, and where a rectification is someone else's to arrange, who it was referred to.

Where the fix is a return visit, file the second record alongside the first so the closure is visible. A building file showing defects raised and closed reads as a maintained system; one showing only defects reads as a neglected one.

## Continuity across contractors [#continuity-across-contractors]

Fire safety systems outlast the contractors who maintain them, and the record is what carries forward.

If you take over a building, ask for the history rather than starting a fresh file. If you hand one over, provide the set. Both are small courtesies that keep the building's compliance trail intact, and both tend to be remembered when contracts come up for renewal.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Prepare [QLD Form 72](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-fire-form-72-hydrant-testing-maintenance) when the maintenance test details are ready. For commissioning work, use [QLD Form 71](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-fire-form-71-hydrant-sprinkler-commissioning), or browse [QLD fire-safety forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/fire-safety). The [fire safety forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/fire-safety) has the national set for contractors working across borders.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [Business Queensland building forms page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/forms-guidelines/forms), the [Queensland Form 72 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0026/9827/form72firehydranttestingandmaintenance.pdf), the [Business Queensland fire safety installations guidance](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/laws-codes-standards/queensland-development-code/fire-safety-installations), and [QDC MP 6.1](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/4832/qdcmp6.1.pdf) before relying on this guide.

# NSW Class B asbestos removal control plan: on-site guide (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-class-b-asbestos-removal-control-plan-guide)

A practical guide for NSW licensed asbestos removalists completing the SafeWork NSW Class B asbestos removal control plan before non-friable removal work. | State: NSW | Trade: Building | Template: nsw-asbestos-removal-control-plan-class-b

> **Tradie Forms:** complete the SafeWork NSW Class B Asbestos Removal Control Plan on the official PDF layout before non-friable removal work starts. Work through licence holder, site, identification, consultation, workforce, emergency, site plan, PPE, RPE, method, waste, distribution and sign-off while the job setup is still in front of you.

The NSW Class B Asbestos Removal Control Plan, often shortened to ARCP, is not a piece of paperwork to patch together after the job. [SafeWork NSW guidance says](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/licences-and-registrations/licences/class-b-asbestos-removal-licence/working-as-a-licensed-asbestos-removalist) a licensed asbestos removalist must prepare a site-specific asbestos removal control plan before licensed asbestos removal work begins.

For Class B work, that usually means the details need to be ready before the crew starts removing non-friable asbestos or asbestos-containing material. The plan should match the site, the asbestos identified, the workers, the controls, the waste path, and the people who need to know about the work.

Use the [NSW Class B ARCP template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-asbestos-removal-control-plan-class-b) when you want a section-by-section fill, saved licence holder details, site plan support, missing-field checks, official PDF preview, and a clean PDF download. You can also browse [NSW building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/building), or open the related [NSW asbestos clearance certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-sw08272-asbestos-clearance) when the removal area is ready for clearance. For the full start-to-finish file, see the [ARCP and clearance handover workflow](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-asbestos-removal-clearance-handover-workflow).

**Key takeaways**

- Prepare the Class B ARCP before licensed non-friable asbestos removal work starts
- Keep the plan site-specific, including asbestos identification, controls, site plan, method and waste details
- Do not use this Class B form for friable asbestos removal work
- Preview the official PDF layout and keep the finished plan available with the job record
- Sign-off should be complete before removal work begins

## What is the Class B ARCP for? [#what-is-the-class-b-arcp-for]

[SafeWork NSW says](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/licences-and-registrations/licences/class-b-asbestos-removal-licence/working-as-a-licensed-asbestos-removalist) the asbestos licence holder must prepare a site-specific asbestos removal control plan before starting work. The plan is meant to set out how the asbestos will be removed, including the method, tools, equipment, and PPE, and the type, location, and condition of the asbestos to be removed.

The SafeWork NSW Class B ARCP PDF is labelled for Class B non-friable removal work and refers to the Code of Practice for how to safely remove asbestos. [SafeWork's current guidance](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/licences-and-registrations/licences/class-b-asbestos-removal-licence/working-as-a-licensed-asbestos-removalist) says licensed removalists must notify it at least five calendar days before removing any amount of friable asbestos or more than 10 square metres of non-friable asbestos. It also says immediate removal requires a phone call to SafeWork and notification within 24 hours. The Class B form is for non-friable asbestos removal only, and friable asbestos must be removed by a Class A licence holder.

Tradie Forms maps entries onto the SafeWork NSW PDF layout. It does not decide whether the job is licensed asbestos removal, whether a Class B licence is enough, whether notification has been lodged, or whether the controls are adequate. The licensed asbestos removalist remains responsible for the plan and the work.

## When is a Class B licence needed? [#when-is-a-class-b-licence-needed]

[SafeWork NSW's licensed removalist guidance](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/licences-and-registrations/licences/class-b-asbestos-removal-licence/working-as-a-licensed-asbestos-removalist) says a Class B licence is needed before removing more than 10 square metres of non-friable asbestos.

The same guidance says Class B asbestos removal licence holders can remove non-friable asbestos, not friable asbestos.

That distinction is important. If the work is friable asbestos, this Class B ARCP template is not the right basis by itself. Check SafeWork NSW requirements and licence scope before work starts.

## What should you collect before you fill the plan? [#what-should-you-collect-before-you-fill-the-plan]

Before filling the ARCP, gather the facts that belong to this site:

- Asbestos licence holder and licence number
- Removal site address, including lot or DP if applicable
- Client name
- SafeWork NSW notification number
- Start date and completion date
- Asbestos or ACM identified, location, quantity, and condition
- People and parties to be informed
- Nominated supervisors and workers
- First aiders, kit location, and emergency facilities
- Site plan showing removal area, waste storage, barriers, signage, decontamination, access, and services
- PPE and RPE requirements
- Tools, equipment, vacuum details, and inspection notes
- Removal method across preparation, commencement, and completion
- Waste storage, disposal site, and WasteLocate details where relevant
- Distribution and sign-off

If you cannot answer those details, the plan is not ready.

## Identification and consultation [#identification-and-consultation]

The ARCP PDF has an identification table for asbestos or ACM to be removed, including location, description, quantity, and condition. This is where the plan starts to become site-specific.

Name the room, facade, roof, eaves, fence line, wall, or service area. Record quantity and condition as clearly as the job allows.

**Asbestos or ACM identification row**

- **This** - Bonded AC sheet lining to laundry walls and ceiling, approx 18 m², weathered but intact (Location, description, quantity, and condition, in one row.)
- **Not this** - Asbestos sheets (Useless when the site has several areas.)

The informing parties section records who will be told about the upcoming asbestos removal and the intended start date. The ARCP PDF lists parties such as the person who commissioned the removal, workers or representatives, other PCBUs, the homeowner, occupants, neighbouring properties, and the licensed asbestos assessor or competent person where applicable.

Do not leave consultation as a memory exercise. Record how people were told and keep consultation records with the job.

## Supervisors, workers, and emergency planning [#supervisors-workers-and-emergency-planning]

The ARCP asks for nominated supervisors approved by SafeWork NSW and workers involved in the removal. It also asks for trained first aiders, first aid kit location, nearest hospital, and emergency contact numbers.

This is not just paperwork for the sake of paperwork. If something goes wrong, the crew and client need the emergency plan to be clear. Fill it with real site details, not generic text.

If workers change, update the plan or keep a clear record of the change before work proceeds.

## Site plan, PPE, RPE, and equipment [#site-plan-ppe-rpe-and-equipment]

The ARCP PDF asks for a plan view showing the asbestos removal area, location of asbestos, entrances and exits, waste storage, site security, barriers, warning tape, emergency equipment, signage, decontamination area, and services such as electrical, gas, and water.

Tradie Forms supports the site plan section so you can put the plan into the official PDF layout instead of trying to draw inside a small PDF field.

The PPE and RPE sections need the actual controls for the job. The official template includes checkboxes for items such as disposable coveralls, footwear, gloves, eye protection, and respiratory protective equipment. It also includes fit testing and fit check details.

The equipment section records tool and vacuum details. If tools can generate dust, check the official SafeWork guidance and the plan controls before use.

## Removal method and waste [#removal-method-and-waste]

The removal method section breaks the work into preparation, commencement, and completion. Use it to describe what will happen on this site, not a generic method pasted from the last job.

For example, include how the area will be set up, how ACM will be wetted or removed, how breakage will be avoided, how waste will be contained, how tools will be decontaminated, and how the area will be cleaned for clearance.

The waste section asks whether asbestos waste will be held on-site for more than one working day, the proposed authorised disposal site, and the EPA WasteLocate consignment number. The official ARCP notes that asbestos transporters and receiving facilities in NSW must track and report certain asbestos waste loads through WasteLocate when the waste is more than 100 kilograms or more than 10 square metres of asbestos sheeting in one load.

Check the EPA and SafeWork requirements for the job. Do not invent a consignment number or disposal site.

## Distribution and sign-off [#distribution-and-sign-off]

[SafeWork's asbestos removal Code of Practice](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/50082/How-to-safely-remove-asbestos-Code-of-Practice.pdf) says a copy of the ARCP must be given to the person who commissioned the licensed asbestos removal work, kept at the workplace until the work is complete, and made readily accessible on site to other PCBUs, workers or their health and safety representatives, and occupants of residential premises where applicable. The plan must also be available for inspection under the WHS Act.

The sign-off section records that the information in the plan is accurate and developed in consultation with workers on site. Supervisors and workers sign.

Finish this before work starts. If the plan is still unsigned or half filled, it is not doing its job.

## Common ARCP mistakes [#common-arcp-mistakes]

### Reusing a generic method [#reusing-a-generic-method]

Each plan must address the specific requirements for each job. A generic method can be a starting point, but it needs the actual site, ACM, controls, waste route, and people for this removal.

### Site plan missing the waste route [#site-plan-missing-the-waste-route]

The SafeWork template asks for waste storage and decontamination details. Mark them clearly so the crew and any inspector can understand how the work area is controlled.

### Sign-off after work starts [#sign-off-after-work-starts]

The plan should be ready before removal work begins. If workers have not seen or signed the plan, stop and fix the record before the job moves.

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Tradie Forms turns the ARCP into sections you work through one at a time for plan details, identification, informing parties, supervisors, workers, emergency planning, site plan, PPE, RPE, equipment, removal method, waste management, distribution and sign-off.

You can save licence holder details, add repeatable table rows, include a site plan, catch missing site and licence details before download, preview the official PDF layout, and download the plan for the job file.

The plan still belongs to the licensed asbestos removalist. Tradie Forms helps you complete the official layout, not replace the safety work or regulatory judgement.

When licensed non-friable removal is finished and the area is ready for clearance, use the [NSW asbestos clearance certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-sw08272-asbestos-clearance) and the [SW08272 guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-non-friable-asbestos-clearance-certificate-sw08272-guide).

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start the [NSW Class B asbestos removal control plan](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-asbestos-removal-control-plan-class-b) before the removal work begins. When the area is ready for clearance, open the [NSW asbestos clearance certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-safework-sw08272-asbestos-clearance), or browse [NSW building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/building).

For how the whole removal day runs from plan to clearance pack, see [Class B asbestos day](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-class-b-asbestos-day-control-plan-to-clearance).

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [SafeWork NSW asbestos removal control plan PDF](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/596947/asbestos-removal-control-plan.pdf), [SafeWork NSW working as a licensed asbestos removalist guidance](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/licences-and-registrations/licences/class-a-asbestos-removal-licence/working-as-a-licensed-asbestos-removalist), the [SafeWork NSW Class B asbestos removal licence guidance](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/licences-and-registrations/licences/class-b-asbestos-removal-licence), the [SafeWork NSW asbestos notifications page](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/notify-safework/asbestos-notifications), and the [SafeWork NSW asbestos removal Code of Practice](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/50082/How-to-safely-remove-asbestos-Code-of-Practice.pdf) before relying on this guide.

# QLD Form 21 final inspection certificate: practical guide (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-21-final-inspection-certificate-guide)

How Queensland building certifiers complete Form 21 final inspection certificates for eligible class 1a and class 10 work with a cleaner final close-out. | State: QLD | Trade: Building | Template: qld-building-form-21-final-inspection

> **Tradie Forms:** complete QLD Form 21 on the official Queensland PDF layout at final inspection close-out. Record owner, property, approval, performance, inspection stage, certifier, signature and date details before the owner or office has to chase the finished certificate.

QLD Form 21 is the final inspection certificate for single detached class 1a buildings and class 10 buildings or structures in Queensland, excluding swimming pools and swimming pool fences. It is the form that lands at the end of the job, when everyone wants the paperwork finished cleanly.

That final stage can be busy. The owner wants confirmation. The builder wants closeout. The certifier is checking inspection documentation, related certificates, outstanding items, approval numbers and dates. A flat PDF does not make that easier on a phone.

Use the [QLD Form 21 template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-21-final-inspection) when you want a section-by-section fill, saved certifier and owner details, missing-field checks, official PDF preview and a clean download. You can also browse [QLD building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/building), or open related forms such as [QLD Form 16](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-16-inspection), [QLD Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-12-aspect-inspection) and [QLD Form 43](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-43-aspect-certificate) when they form part of the inspection documentation.

## What is Form 21 for? [#what-is-form-21-for]

The official Form 21 PDF says it is made for sections 98 and 99 of the Building Act 1975. It is for the building certifier for the work to give a signed final inspection certificate to the owner for single detached class 1a buildings and class 10 buildings or structures, excluding swimming pools and swimming pool fences.

The form records the owner, property, building, building development approval, any performance requirements used for performance-based solutions, inspection and certificate dates for stages, certifier details, signature and date.

The official appendix explains that Form 21 is completed when the building certifier is satisfied the final stage of building work complies with the building development approval and the inspection was carried out under best industry practice. It also notes that Form 17 is the final inspection certificate for regulated pools.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the official PDF layout. It does not decide whether the final stage complies or whether the required inspection documentation is complete. The certifier remains responsible for checking the work, supporting documents and finished PDF before issuing it.

This is building Form 21, not plumbing Form 19. Plumbing final inspection certificates follow a different pathway. Keep those forms distinct when a site pack mixes building and plumbing close-out.

## Why does final close-out get messy? [#why-does-final-close-out-get-messy]

Final inspection paperwork is not hard because the form is long. It is hard because it sits at the end of many smaller decisions.

The certifier may be relying on previous Form 16 inspection certificates, aspect certificates, compliance certificates, notices, photos and other inspection documentation. The job may have changed hands. The owner details may have been updated. The building approval number may have been copied across several emails. A performance-based solution may need to be listed clearly.

That is why Form 21 is best finished while the final inspection file is open. If the certifier has already checked the inspection documentation and all building work has been inspected, the form can be completed with the actual documents in front of you instead of from memory. For filing and owner handover habits, see the [Form 21 record keeping guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-21-final-inspection-record-keeping-handover). For the plumbing final inspection certificate, compare the [QLD Form 19 guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-19-final-inspection-certificate-guide)..

## What to collect before you start [#what-to-collect-before-you-start]

Before filling Form 21, get the job file into one view. You do not need to upload everything into Tradie Forms, but you do need the details handy.

Collect:

- Owner name, company name where applicable, contact person, phone, email and postal address
- Property street address, lot and plan, and local government area
- Building description and class
- Building development approval number
- Building certifier reference number
- Performance requirements if a performance-based solution is used
- Inspection and certificate dates for relevant stages
- Related inspection documentation relied on by the certifier
- Building certifier licence and contact details

That list sounds basic. On a busy job, it is exactly where the errors creep in.

## Owner, property, building and approval details [#owner-property-building-and-approval-details]

The official form asks for owner details first. If the owner is a company, the form asks for a contact person. It also says correspondence will be mailed to the address supplied.

Do not assume the site contact is the owner. On investor builds, small developments, company-owned sheds and family jobs, the person meeting you on site may not be the person who needs the final certificate.

The property block should identify all land subject to the application. Check the lot and plan against title documents, rates notice or approval information, not just the job address. A final inspection certificate with the wrong lot and plan detail can be painful to fix after sign-off.

The building description should tell a clear story.

**Building description**

- **This** - Class 1a dwelling with attached class 10a garage (Names the classes, so a shed, carport or garage is not left ambiguous.)
- **Not this** - House (Does not say what classes the certificate covers.)

If the final certificate relates to a class 10 shed, carport, garage or other structure, name it clearly.

The approval section asks for the building development approval number and the building certifier reference number. Check them before download, especially when the same builder has several jobs in one estate or when the office has reused an old file name.

## Performance standards and stage dates [#performance-standards-and-stage-dates]

If the building work uses a performance-based solution, the form asks you to list the performance requirements used. Do not invent wording here. Use the approval documents, performance solution documentation or certifier file as the source.

If no performance-based solution applies, handle the field consistently with the certifier's normal record keeping. The important point is that the finished certificate should match the approval file.

Form 21 includes a certification table for stages such as foundation and excavation, footing or slab, frame, final and other stages. It asks for inspection dates and certificate dates. These dates help connect the final certificate to the inspection trail. If the certifier relied on inspection certificates from earlier stages, use the dates from those records. If the dates are missing, sort that out before download. The final certificate is not the place to tidy a broken file by guessing.

**Key takeaways**

- Use Form 21 for the final inspection certificate for eligible Queensland class 1a and class 10 work, excluding pools and pool fences
- Check owner, property, approval, certifier and stage date details before download
- Keep Form 21 with the inspection documentation relied on by the building certifier
- Do not use Form 21 for regulated pool final certificates when Form 17 is required
- Preview the official PDF layout before issuing the final certificate to the owner

## Common Form 21 mistakes [#common-form-21-mistakes]

### Owner details copied from the wrong contact [#owner-details-copied-from-the-wrong-contact]

The owner block is not always the same as the builder, tenant or person who opened the gate. Confirm who the certificate is being issued to.

### Lot and plan details skipped [#lot-and-plan-details-skipped]

A street address alone may not identify the land properly. Use the title, rates or approval details.

### Stage dates entered from memory [#stage-dates-entered-from-memory]

Use actual inspection and certificate records. If a previous stage certificate is missing, find it before you sign the final certificate.

### Related certificates are not kept with the final PDF [#related-certificates-are-not-kept-with-the-final-pdf]

The official Form 21 appendix refers to inspection documentation relied on by the certifier, including examples such as Form 16, Form 43 and Form 12. Keep those records together.

### Pool fencing confusion [#pool-fencing-confusion]

The Form 21 PDF notes that Form 17 is the final inspection certificate for a regulated pool. Do not use Form 21 to cover pool or pool fence work if the official requirements point to a different form.

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Tradie Forms turns Form 21 into sections you work through one at a time instead of a flat PDF. The workflow follows the official layout: owner details, property description, building description, building development approval details, performance standards, certification stage dates, building certifier details, and signature and date.

You can save repeat certifier details and owner contact details, catch missing required fields before download, preview the official PDF layout, and download the finished Form 21 for the owner and job record. That helps the final inspection feel less like a scramble. You can finish the certificate while the certifier file is open, then attach the finished PDF to the job record or hand it over through the channel your business uses.

## Record keeping after Form 21 [#record-keeping-after-form-21]

The official Form 21 appendix says the building certifier is required to attach relevant inspection documentation relied on to certify the building work. It also says a private certifier must give relevant local government copies of inspection documentation within five business days after certain events, and notes building certifier record keeping requirements.

For day-to-day workflow, keep Form 21 beside Form 16 stage inspection certificates, Form 12 aspect inspection certificates, Form 43 QBCC licensee aspect certificates, compliance certificates, notices given about inspections, certificate of occupancy documents where relevant, and photos, reports, approval documents and correspondence relied on.

Do not make the office reconstruct the final close-out from five inboxes. A neat final PDF is useful, but the supporting file matters too. Before sending the certificate, open the PDF preview and read it like the owner or council file will read it later.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start the [QLD Form 21 final inspection certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-21-final-inspection) when the final inspection record is ready to issue. For owner copy and filing habits, read the [Form 21 record keeping guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-21-final-inspection-record-keeping-handover).

For earlier stage or aspect paperwork, open [QLD Form 16](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-16-inspection), [QLD Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-12-aspect-inspection) or [QLD Form 43](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-43-aspect-certificate), or browse [QLD building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/building).

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [Business Queensland building forms page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/forms-guidelines/forms), the [Queensland Form 21 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0029/9785/form21finalinspectioncertificate.pdf), the [Business Queensland stages of a building inspection guidance](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/approvals-inspections/stages), and the [Queensland Building Regulation 2021 forms update](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/news-publications/legislation/building/building-regulation-changes/building-regulation-changes-building-regulation-2021) before relying on this guide.

# QLD Form 30 QBCC licensee aspect certificate: accepted development guide (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-30-qbcc-licensee-accepted-development-guide)

Practical on-site guide for QBCC licensees completing Queensland Form 30 aspect certificates for accepted development, not building development approval jobs. | State: QLD | Trade: Building | Template: qld-building-form-30-accepted-development-aspect

> **Tradie Forms:** complete QLD Form 30 on the official Queensland PDF layout when your accepted development aspect work is ready to certify. Capture the scope, property, building, aspect, basis, references, QBCC licence details, signature and date while the job is still in front of you.

QLD Form 30 is for a specific Queensland building paperwork moment. It is not a general compliance letter and it is not the same as Form 43. It is the QBCC licensee aspect certificate for accepted development, previously known as self-assessable development.

That distinction matters on site. If the work is subject to a building development approval for a single detached class 1a building or class 10 building, [QLD Form 43](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-43-aspect-certificate) may be the better fit. If the work is accepted development under the Building Regulation 2021 and is not assessed by a building certifier under a building development approval, Form 30 may be the certificate the QBCC licensee gives to the builder or owner.

Use the [QLD Form 30 template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-30-accepted-development-aspect) when you want a section-by-section fill, saved QBCC licensee details, missing-field checks, official PDF preview and a clean download. You can also browse [QLD building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/building), or compare related aspect certificates such as [QLD Form 43](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-43-aspect-certificate), [QLD Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-12-aspect-inspection) and [QLD Form 16](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-16-inspection).

## What is Form 30 for? [#what-is-form-30-for]

The official Queensland Form 30 PDF says it is made for section 70(1)(b) of the Building Regulation 2021. It states that aspect work prescribed as accepted development complies with relevant provisions, including any standards or codes applicable to the work.

The form also says that accepted development is prescribed in Schedule 1 of the Building Regulation 2021 and that building work regulated under the Building Act 1975 as accepted development is not required to be assessed by a building certifier under a building development approval. It still must be constructed or installed in line with relevant provisions.

Business Queensland explains that some building work does not require approval, including accepted development, but owners are still responsible for ensuring work complies with applicable standards and should check local planning scheme requirements.

For the QBCC licensee, the practical point is this: Form 30 records the aspect work and the basis for saying it complies. It should match the job, the licence class and the accepted development pathway.

## Form 30 or Form 43: which certificate fits? [#form-30-or-form-43-which-certificate-fits]

Form 30 and Form 43 are easy to mix up because both are QBCC licensee aspect certificates.

Form 30 is for accepted development aspect work, not subject to a building development approval. The completed form may be given to the builder or the owner.

Form 43 is for aspect work subject to a building development approval for a single detached class 1a building or class 10 building or structure. The completed form may be given to the building certifier or competent person.

If the job has a building development approval and the certifier is asking for an aspect certificate, pause before using Form 30. If the work is accepted development, check the accepted development rules and the official Form 30 wording before you finish the PDF. For the Form 43 walkthrough, see the [Form 43 guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-43-qbcc-licensee-aspect-certificate-guide).

Form 12 is different again. That is an appointed competent person aspect inspection certificate, not a QBCC licensee accepted development certificate.

## What to collect before leaving site [#what-to-collect-before-leaving-site]

Form 30 is shorter than many government forms, but it still needs proper job information. Before you download, collect:

- The scope of the aspect work covered by your licence class
- Property street address, lot and plan, and local government area
- Building or structure description and class
- Clear description of the aspect or aspects certified
- Basis of certification, including standards, codes, tests, specifications, rules or publications relied on
- Reference documents such as drawings, product information, reports or engineering plans
- QBCC licensee name, company, contact, postal address, licence class and licence number
- Signature and date

Saved details can speed up the licence block, but do not treat saved details as a substitute for checking. Licences, company details and contact information change.

## Scope, property and aspect wording [#scope-property-and-aspect-wording]

The Form 30 PDF asks for the scope of aspect work covered by the licence class under the Queensland Building and Construction Commission Regulation 2018. It gives waterproofing as an example.

Keep the scope tied to the licence class and the work actually performed. A useful scope might identify the licence type and the practical work covered, without drifting into other trades or broader building work. If your business does several kinds of work, choose the wording that fits this certificate. Do not reuse a generic scope from another job if it does not match the aspect being certified.

The property section asks for details that identify all land subject to the application. Check street number and street name, suburb or locality, state and postcode, lot and plan details, and local government area. The building or structure description should also make sense to someone outside the job. Class 10a shed or class 1a dwelling wet area is clearer than house or bathroom when the certificate is read later.

The aspect description tells the reader what the certificate covers. It should be narrow enough to match the work completed. Wet area waterproofing to ensuite and main bathroom in single detached dwelling is more useful than waterproofing.

## Basis, references and licence details [#basis-references-and-licence-details]

The basis section is where you explain what you relied on. The official form asks for the basis for giving the certificate and the extent to which tests, specifications, rules, standards, codes of practice and other publications were relied upon by the QBCC licensee.

That means a vague line such as as per standards is weak. Name the relevant documents you actually used. If you relied on manufacturer installation instructions, drawings, product approvals, test records or engineering documents, list them properly.

The official form asks you to identify relevant documentation and notes that documents can be attached. Useful reference entries include drawing numbers and revision letters, engineering plan titles and dates, product data sheets or installation guides, test reports or inspection records, job photos where relevant, and client or builder scope documents.

Keep attachments with the job record. Tradie Forms maps the form entries to the official PDF layout. If the certificate relies on external documents, keep those documents in the job file as well.

Tradie Forms does not decide whether the work is accepted development or whether the aspect complies. The QBCC licensee remains responsible for checking the pathway, scope, supporting documents and finished PDF before the certificate is handed over.

**Key takeaways**

- Use Form 30 for QBCC licensee aspect certification of accepted development, not for every aspect certificate
- Check whether the work is accepted development before choosing this form
- Keep the scope, aspect, basis and references tied to the actual work and licence class
- Accepted development still has to comply with applicable standards
- Preview the official PDF layout before giving the certificate to the builder or owner

## Common Form 30 mistakes [#common-form-30-mistakes]

### Using Form 30 when Form 43 is needed [#using-form-30-when-form-43-is-needed]

If the aspect work is subject to a building development approval for the relevant class 1a or class 10 job, check whether Form 43 is the right form instead. See also [common Form 43 mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-qld-form-43-aspect-certificate).

### Treating accepted development as no standards apply [#treating-accepted-development-as-no-standards-apply]

Business Queensland says accepted development may not need approval, but it still has to comply with applicable standards. Do not use Form 30 as a shortcut around the work itself.

### Scope does not match the licence class [#scope-does-not-match-the-licence-class]

Use wording that fits the QBCC licence class and the aspect being certified. Broad wording can make the certificate look like it covers work you did not do.

### References are vague [#references-are-vague]

Use document names, drawing numbers, dates, revisions and product references where you have them.

**Reference documents**

- **This** - Structural drawings S01 to S06, Rev D, dated 4 June 2026, plus product statement TS-2210 (Still identifies the right set after the drawings are reissued.)
- **Not this** - Plans (Nobody can tell which revision was relied on.)

### Licence details are stale [#licence-details-are-stale]

Saved licence details help, but every download still needs a quick check. Name, licence class, licence number, company and contact details must fit the job.

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Tradie Forms turns Form 30 into sections you work through one at a time for scope, property, building, aspect, basis, references, licensee and signature.

You can reuse saved QBCC licensee details, catch missing fields before download, preview the official PDF layout, and download the finished Form 30 for the builder, owner or job record. That helps because Form 30 is usually completed close to the work. You can fill the certificate while the aspect is still visible, while the drawings are open, and before the job moves into the next phase.

After download, keep Form 30 with the accepted development basis you relied on, drawings and product information referenced, photos or inspection notes, licence details current at the time, the builder or owner completion record, and the finished PDF.

Before you download the PDF, run the form against the job in front of you. Ask whether the work is actually accepted development, whether the scope matches your licence class, whether the aspect description says where the work was done, and whether the references can be found later. Then check the recipient. Form 30 may be given to the builder for the building work or the owner of the building work. If the builder requested the certificate but the owner also needs a copy, make that completion clear in the job software.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start the [QLD Form 30 accepted development aspect certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-30-accepted-development-aspect) when the work and references are ready. If the work is subject to a building development approval, check the [QLD Form 43 template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-43-aspect-certificate) instead.

For the Form 43 walkthrough, read the [Form 43 guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-43-qbcc-licensee-aspect-certificate-guide). For the wider certificate map, open the [QLD building certificates workflow](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-building-certificates-on-site-workflow) or browse [QLD building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/building).

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [Business Queensland building forms page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/forms-guidelines/forms), the [Queensland Form 30 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0024/18627/form30qbccaspectcertificateforaccepteddevelopmentselfassessable.pdf), the [Business Queensland accepted development guidance](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/approvals-inspections/when-not-needed), and the [Queensland Form 43 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/18631/Form43AspectCertificateQBCCLicensee.pdf) before relying on this guide.

# QLD Form 71 hydrant and sprinkler commissioning guide (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-71-hydrant-sprinkler-commissioning-guide)

QLD Form 71 explained for fire protection contractors: what each part of the commissioning record asks for, who gets the copy, and how long to keep it. | State: QLD | Trade: Fire Safety | Template: qld-fire-form-71-hydrant-sprinkler-commissioning

> **Tradie Forms:** complete QLD Form 71 on the official Queensland PDF layout while the commissioning readings, test points, gauges and site details are still in front of you.

QLD Form 71 is the fire hydrant and sprinkler system commissioning record used under Queensland Development Code Mandatory Part 6.1. It looks like a short form, but it carries pressure readings, equipment details, pass and fail decisions, defect notes and a licensee sign-off.

The best time to fill it in is during the commissioning run, not later at the office. The gauges, test points, system requirements, site name and report number are all in front of you. Every hour that passes makes one reading or serial number more likely to go missing.

**Key takeaways**

- Form 71 is the commissioning record for new or extended water-based fire safety installations under QDC MP 6.1
- It is a testing record, not the whole commissioning process - the form itself says further testing is required
- Fill the readings while the gauges, test points and block plan are still in front of you
- MP 6.1 sets a copy to the building owner within 10 business days and a five-year record
- Preview the official layout before the finished PDF goes to the owner or the job file

Prepare the [QLD Form 71 template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-fire-form-71-hydrant-sprinkler-commissioning), or browse [QLD fire-safety forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/fire-safety).

## What is QLD Form 71 used for? [#what-is-qld-form-71-used-for]

Form 71 records the commissioning of water-based fire safety installations as required by QDC MP 6.1. The official PDF says it is to be used in accordance with the fire hydrant and sprinkler system commissioning and periodic maintenance procedure, which MP 6.1 defines as the relevant procedure.

It is not the whole commissioning process. The official PDF states that the form only collects testing results for some sections of the Australian Standards referred to, and that further testing is required in each case.

That boundary matters for how you talk about the finished document. Tradie Forms helps you fill and download the official Form 71 layout. It does not decide whether commissioning is complete, whether the test procedures were adequate, or whether the system passes. The qualified person responsible for the work checks the readings, the supporting documents and the finished PDF before issuing it.

## Do you need Form 71 or Form 72? [#do-you-need-form-71-or-form-72]

Use Form 71 for commissioning and [Form 72](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-fire-form-72-hydrant-testing-maintenance) for periodic testing and maintenance. The form itself defines a commissioning test as a test required upon completion of a new system or an extension to an existing system, so the job moment decides the form.

On site the split is usually clear:

- New hydrant or sprinkler system being brought into service: Form 71
- Extension to an existing water-based fire safety installation: Form 71
- Routine maintenance testing of an existing system: Form 72
- Annual or five-year maintenance test record: Form 72

If a site has both commissioning and maintenance work in the same visit, keep the records separate. One form should not try to do both jobs. The [Form 71 and Form 72 comparison](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-71-vs-form-72-fire-safety-handover-guide) works through the borderline cases, including tenancy fit-outs where a section is extended while the rest of the building stays on its maintenance schedule.

## What to collect before you start [#what-to-collect-before-you-start]

Form 71 is easiest when the details are gathered while testing is happening. Before you close the job, check you have:

- Site name and site address
- Contractor name
- Test date and time
- Whether the test covers fire hydrant, fire sprinkler or combined systems
- Hydrant hydrostatic test outcome and readings
- Flow measuring device type and gauge calibration details
- Hydrant flow test locations and readings
- Pump appliance booster test readings
- Sprinkler hydrostatic test readings
- Sprinkler flow test points and results
- Critical defects, repairs, corrective actions and system outcome
- Licensee name, signature, licence number and report number

That is too much to reconstruct from memory at the end of the week.

## Working through the test parts [#working-through-the-test-parts]

Part B records the hydrant hydrostatic test outcome, boost pressure, test pressure, duration, end pressure, any loss and comments.

Part C records the flow measuring device and pressure gauge details: device type, calibration dates, serial numbers, correction certificates, face type, digital reader and increments. These are easy to skim past, but if the readings depend on a gauge and the gauge is not identified, the record is harder to trust later. Where more devices are used than the table allows, the official form points you to notes or another form.

Part D records hydrant system flow test details, including hydrant locations, system requirements, static pressure, pump set, pressure zone, nozzle or portable device readings, and system achieved. Part E records the pump appliance booster test: hydrant locations, height of the highest hydrant above the booster, system requirements, static pressure, pump inlet and discharge pressures, boost pressure, calculated frictional loss and comments.

Part F records sprinkler hydrostatic test pressure, hold time, outcome and comments. Part G records sprinkler system flow test information. The official form notes that multiple testing points may be required for some systems, and that a simulated running test may be required for some systems without a flow measuring device.

Use location wording that still makes sense without the block plan open.

**Hydrant location**

- **This** - Hydrant 1 near main entry, Hydrant 2 north loading dock (Stands on its own in the test record.)
- **Not this** - H1, H2 (Only readable with the block plan sitting beside it.)

If pressure or flow rates do not meet design criteria, the official Form 71 wording points to contacting the relevant water service provider where there are no on-site problems. Record what you actually found and what action was taken.

## Compliance outcome and signature [#compliance-outcome-and-signature]

Part H records critical defects, repairs or corrective actions, and whether the system passed or failed. Part I is the licensee signature block.

By signing, the licensee confirms the information is correct to the best of their knowledge given the available information, and that Form 71 has been completed in accordance with relevant standards, codes and regulations. Check the report number, licence number and system outcome before you sign, not after.

If a critical defect or corrective action is recorded, keep the notice, action details, dates and photos with the job record. The finished PDF should match what actually happened on site.

## Who gets the copy and how long do you keep it? [#who-gets-the-copy-and-how-long-do-you-keep-it]

QDC MP 6.1 says an appropriately qualified person who carries out commissioning or maintenance of a water-based fire safety installation completes the relevant form and gives a copy within 10 business days after completing the work. For commissioning, that copy goes to the building owner. MP 6.1 also says the person must keep a record of the form for at least five years.

For the job file, keep the finished Form 71 PDF, the test notes and raw readings, gauge calibration references, block plans and test point locations, any critical defect notices or corrective action details, useful photos, and a note of the owner copy. The filing side is covered in more depth in the [Form 72 maintenance records guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-72-maintenance-record-keeping-guide), and the same habits apply to a commissioning file.

Do not let the finished PDF drift away from the readings and notes that support it, and do not tell an owner that the document alone proves every commissioning requirement has been met. The form says otherwise.

## Common Form 71 mistakes [#common-form-71-mistakes]

**Treating the form as the whole commissioning record.** The official PDF says it does not cover all commissioning testing requirements. Keep the wider notes and drawings with the job.

**Gauge details left blank.** If a reading depends on a device, identify the device. Missing calibration or serial details weaken the record.

**Unclear test point locations.** Write locations that tie back to the block plan without needing it open.

**Defects with no follow-through.** A recorded corrective action should have a matching notice, date and photo in the job file.

**Signing before checking.** The signature block is the last chance to catch a wrong report number or system outcome.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Prepare [QLD Form 71](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-fire-form-71-hydrant-sprinkler-commissioning) when the commissioning run is ready to record. If the job is periodic maintenance instead, the [Form 72 maintenance guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-72-hydrant-sprinkler-maintenance-guide) walks through that record, or browse [QLD fire-safety forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/fire-safety). The [fire safety forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/fire-safety) covers the other states.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [Business Queensland building forms page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/forms-guidelines/forms), the [Queensland Form 71 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0024/9825/form71firehydrantandsprinklerssystemcommissioning.pdf), the [Business Queensland fire safety installations guidance](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/laws-codes-standards/queensland-development-code/fire-safety-installations), and [QDC MP 6.1](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/4832/qdcmp6.1.pdf) before relying on this guide.

# Common mistakes with QLD Form 43 aspect certificates (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-qld-form-43-aspect-certificate)

Form 43 mistakes that send QBCC licensee aspect certificates back: wrong form choice, broad aspect wording, thin basis text, and stale licence details. | State: QLD | Trade: Building | Template: qld-building-form-43-aspect-certificate

QLD Form 43 is short enough to look easy and specific enough to punish sloppy wording. A QBCC licensee can finish the aspect work properly, then lose time because the certificate does not say what the certifier needs.

The usual problems are not dramatic. The wrong form was used. The aspect is too broad. The basis says as per plans with no plans named. The approval number came from another job. The licence class is stale. This article is about those rework traps. The field walkthrough lives in the [Form 43 completion guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-43-qbcc-licensee-aspect-certificate-guide).

**Key takeaways**

- Check that Form 43 is the right certificate before you start filling it
- Keep scope tied to the licence class and aspect wording tied to the actual job
- Name the drawings, standards, reports or product documents relied on
- Match approval and certifier numbers to the current job file
- Preview the official PDF before sending it to the building certifier or competent person

Use the [QLD Form 43 template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-43-aspect-certificate) when you want the official layout, browse [QLD building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/building), or open [QLD Form 30](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-30-accepted-development-aspect) if the work is accepted development rather than work under a building development approval.

## Using Form 43 for the wrong job moment [#using-form-43-for-the-wrong-job-moment]

The official Form 43 PDF says it is used to state that aspect work for a single detached class 1a building and class 10 building or structure is compliant with the building development approval. The appendix says it is used when the QBCC licensee carried out, or is authorised to certify, aspect work subject to a building development approval.

That means the first mistake is using Form 43 when the job is not a Form 43 job.

If the work is accepted development, Form 30 may be the correct QBCC licensee aspect certificate. If the certificate is about a stage inspection by a building certifier or appointed competent person, Form 16 may be the relevant stage record. If an appointed competent person is certifying an aspect inspection, Form 12 is the form for that appointment.

Do the form choice check before you start typing. It takes less time than fixing a completed PDF that was wrong from the first field. For the wider map of certificates, see the [QLD building certificates workflow](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-building-certificates-on-site-workflow).

## Treating scope and aspect as one field [#treating-scope-and-aspect-as-one-field]

Form 43 asks for both the scope of the aspect work and the description of the aspect or aspects certified. They are not duplicate boxes.

The scope should connect to the licence class. The aspect description should explain the actual work certified on this job.

**Description of the aspect certified**

- **Better wording** - - Wet area waterproofing to main bathroom, ensuite and laundry
  - Structural steel beams to rear patio roof, drawing S03 Rev B
  - Glazing installation to ground floor external doors and windows (Names the rooms, elements, or drawings actually covered.)
- **Weak wording** - - Waterproofing
  - Structural steel
  - Glazing
  - Building work (Reads like the whole trade was certified.)

The certificate should tell the certifier what is covered without a follow-up call.

## Certificate wording that covers work you did not certify [#certificate-wording-that-covers-work-you-did-not-certify]

Broad wording can make the certificate look like it covers more than intended. This is a problem even when the work itself is fine.

All waterproofing works might be too broad if you only certified the ensuite and laundry. Structural steel might be too broad if you only certified a defined beam or frame section. Glazing throughout might be wrong if only one facade was covered.

Tie the wording to the actual area, component, system or stage. If the builder or certifier needs more than one certificate, clear certificates beat one vague certificate that invites arguments later.

## Leaving the basis of certification thin [#leaving-the-basis-of-certification-thin]

The Form 43 PDF asks for the basis for giving the certificate and the extent to which tests, specifications, rules, standards, codes of practice and other publications were relied on by the QBCC licensee.

As per plans is usually too thin. Installed to code is not much better.

Good basis wording points to the material you actually relied on: relevant drawing numbers and revisions, product installation guides, engineering specifications, site inspection records, test records, and applicable standards or codes where they genuinely formed part of your assessment.

Do not pad the field with references you did not use. A certificate should be clear, not inflated.

## Reference documents that nobody can find [#reference-documents-that-nobody-can-find]

The reference documentation section is where you name the documents that support the certificate. A future reader should be able to find them.

Useful references include drawing numbers with revisions and dates, manufacturer installation guides with product name and version, engineering letter or report numbers, test report references, and marked-up plan or photo set references.

If you attach documents outside Tradie Forms, keep them with the finished PDF in the job record. The certificate and the supporting documents should not drift apart.

## Property details copied from the invoice [#property-details-copied-from-the-invoice]

An invoice address is not always the same as the land details needed for a building certificate. The official form asks for street address, state, postcode, lot and plan, and local government area.

Check the approval documents, title details, rates notice or certifier request. This matters on new estates, rural properties, duplexes and subdivisions, multiple jobs for the same builder, and properties with unit or lot details. Wrong property details make the certificate harder to match to the approval.

## Certifier numbers and licence details carried over from the last job [#certifier-numbers-and-licence-details-carried-over-from-the-last-job]

Form 43 asks for the building certifier reference number and building development approval number. These are small fields, but they connect the aspect certificate to the certifier file. If you use saved text snippets, old PDFs or a job software with repeat clients, check the numbers before download. One wrong digit can turn a clean certificate into office rework.

The official Form 43 appendix also says the QBCC licensee must hold an appropriate class of licence under the QBCC Regulation for the aspect work, or be authorised to give a QBCC licensee certificate for aspect work. Check full name, company name, licence class, licence number, postal address, email and phone before signing. Tradie Forms can save licence details for repeat work, but you still need to check them after renewals, business changes or staff changes.

The form also includes the date approval to inspect was received from the building certifier. Check the email, work order or certifier portal before finishing the PDF. Keep that request with the job file if it explains the scope or timing.

## What should you check before the certificate leaves site? [#what-should-you-check-before-the-certificate-leaves-site]

Before sending, read the PDF in preview and answer five questions:

1. Is this definitely Form 43, not Form 30, Form 12 or Form 16?
2. Does the aspect wording match the actual work?
3. Are approval and certifier numbers correct?
4. Are the licence details current?
5. Can the references be found by someone else in the business?

If any answer is shaky, fix it before the certificate leaves site. Rework is slower after the builder, certifier and office have all seen the wrong PDF.

Tradie Forms turns the flat PDF into sections you work through one at a time for scope, property, building, aspect, basis, references, certifier, licensee and signature. It can reuse saved QBCC licence details, flag missing fields, show the official PDF preview and let you download the completed certificate on site. That does not replace the QBCC licensee's judgement. It just makes the paperwork less fiddly when the details are fresh.

Keep the finished Form 43 with the building development approval details, certifier request or approval to inspect, drawings and product documents, photos or inspection notes, and related Form 16, Form 12 or Form 30 records where relevant.

## Where these errors come from [#where-these-errors-come-from]

The recurring cause is the certificate being completed away from the work, after the fact, from a previous job's wording.

Preparing it at the inspection fixes most of the list. The aspect is fresh, the references are checkable against the job record, and the description reflects what was actually assessed.

## Aspect wording is the field that matters [#aspect-wording-is-the-field-that-matters]

Form 43 is an aspect certificate, so the aspect is the whole point of the document.

Naming it to match the approval, rather than paraphrasing it, is what keeps the certificate connected to the rest of the trail. A paraphrased aspect is the most common reason a certificate is queried, and it is entirely avoidable.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start the [QLD Form 43 aspect certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-43-aspect-certificate) when your aspect work and references are ready. Read the full [Form 43 on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-43-qbcc-licensee-aspect-certificate-guide) if you want the field walkthrough.

If the job is accepted development, open [QLD Form 30](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-30-accepted-development-aspect). For appointed competent person aspect inspection, use [QLD Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-12-aspect-inspection). For wider building paperwork, browse [QLD building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/building).

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [Business Queensland building forms page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/forms-guidelines/forms), the [Queensland Form 43 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/18631/Form43AspectCertificateQBCCLicensee.pdf), the [Queensland Form 30 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0024/18627/form30qbccaspectcertificateforaccepteddevelopmentselfassessable.pdf), and the [Business Queensland competent persons guidance](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/approvals-inspections/competent-persons-cadets) before relying on this guide.

# QLD Form 16 inspection certificate: on-site guide (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-16-inspection-certificate-on-site-guide)

How to complete a QLD Form 16 stage inspection certificate on site, from naming the stage and components certified to the basis, references and inspector block. | State: QLD | Trade: Building | Template: qld-building-form-16-inspection

> **Tradie Forms:** complete QLD Form 16 on the official Queensland PDF layout while the stage inspection details are still fresh. Work through the stage, property, component, basis, reference, certifier, inspector, signature and date sections in one pass.

QLD Form 16 turns a site inspection into a formal stage record. It looks short until you are standing beside the slab edge, scrolling through drawings, checking lot and plan details and trying to describe exactly what the certificate covers.

Complete it while the inspection, photos, notes, plans and approval documents are still open and the record is usually sharp. Leave it until tonight and the stage description goes vague, reference documents shrink to "plans", and the office has to chase missing numbers before the next stage can move. This guide covers filling the certificate. For what happens to it afterwards, read [keeping the Form 16 stage inspection record clean](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-16-stage-inspection-certificate-records).

**Key takeaways**

- Form 16 certifies a stage of work against the building development approval
- Only a building certifier or an appointed competent person for inspection can sign it
- Stage and component wording should match the actual inspection, no wider
- The basis and reference fields are where rushed certificates fall over
- Preview the official PDF layout before the certificate goes to the builder or certifier

Use the [QLD Form 16 template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-16-inspection) for a section-by-section fill, saved inspector details, missing-field checks and an official PDF preview, or browse [QLD building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/building).

## What is QLD Form 16 for? [#what-is-qld-form-16-for]

Recording a stage inspection result. The official Queensland Form 16 PDF says it is the approved form used under section 10 of the Building Act 1975 and section 53 of the Building Regulation 2021, used by the relevant building certifier, another building certifier, or an appointed competent person to state that a stage of work is compliant with the building development approval.

Business Queensland describes building certification as independently checking and approving building work against the safety, health, amenity and sustainability standards set by legislation and building codes. Form 16 is the certificate that carries one stage of that. It is not a general site note - the form asks for the stage, property, building or structure, components certified, basis of certification, reference documents, certifier details, inspector details, signature, inspection date and certificate date, and each block has to match the actual inspection and approval.

## Who can complete and sign Form 16? [#who-can-complete-and-sign-form-16]

A building certifier for the work, another building certifier, or the appointed competent person for inspection. That is what the Form 16 appendix says, and Business Queensland guidance adds that a certifier may use a competent person to provide inspection help for aspects of a stage only after deciding the person is competent for that help.

For single detached class 1a buildings and class 10 buildings or structures, the appendix also notes restrictions around who can sign certificates for certain stages, including foundation or excavation, footings, slab and final stage work. On those jobs Form 16 is not a hand-off to whoever is nearby. Check the official form and the building approval before signing.

Before you fill anything, confirm you are the relevant building certifier, another building certifier, or an appointed competent person for this inspection help; that the stage on the certificate matches the inspection requested; that the work inspected matches the components certified; and that licence, registration, company and contact details are current.

## Where Form 16 sits in the job [#where-form-16-sits-in-the-job]

Business Queensland lists mandatory inspection stages for new houses including excavation, footings, slab, frame and final. It also notes that class 10 buildings and structures other than swimming pools have the final stage as the only mandatory stage under the Building Regulation 2021, though a building approval may list more.

So Form 16 usually sits between a finished stage and the next part of the job, with the builder wanting to move and the certifier needing the record. It also sits beside other certificates. The official appendix says the inspecting person may rely on aspect certificates from appointed competent persons, such as [Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-12-aspect-inspection), or from QBCC licensees, such as [Form 43](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-43-aspect-certificate). At the end of the job the certifier issues [Form 21](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-21-final-inspection). The [QLD building certificates workflow](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-building-certificates-on-site-workflow) maps how the set fits together.

## Filling the certificate section by section [#filling-the-certificate-section-by-section]

Before you leave site, have the approval number, certifier reference, property details, inspection request, photos, drawings, reports and related certificates in front of you.

### Stage of building work [#stage-of-building-work]

Name the stage in plain terms, aligned to the approval and the Building Regulation language. "Frame stage" or "final stage" may be enough on a small job. On a larger job you may need a location, area, building, unit or stage split. Avoid wording that makes the certificate look bigger than the inspection - if it covered a defined part of the job, say so.

### Property and building details [#property-and-building-details]

The property description should identify the land subject to the application. Do not rely on the job booking address. Check street address, suburb, state, postcode, lot and plan, and local government area against the approval or title details.

For the building or structure, include the class. "Class 1a dwelling and attached Class 10a garage" tells the story better than "new house". Where a job has multiple structures, use wording that ties the certificate to the right one.

### Components certified [#components-certified]

This is the section that matters most. The official form asks you to clearly describe the extent of work covered by the certificate. Write it so a builder, certifier, council officer or future inspector understands what you inspected without ringing you.

"Frame stage to single-storey dwelling, excluding detached garage" is clearer than "frame". "Footing reinforcement to retaining wall along western boundary" is clearer than "footings".

### Basis of certification [#basis-of-certification]

The form asks for the basis for giving the certificate and the extent to which tests, specifications, rules, standards, codes of practice or other publications were relied upon.

**Basis for giving the certificate**

- **This** - Frame inspected against structural drawings S04 to S08 Rev C, tie-down schedule TD-02, and the engineer's site note dated 11 June 2026 (Names the documents that supported the decision.)
- **Not this** - Checked on site (Says a decision was made, not what it rested on.)

Name the plans, engineering drawings, inspection notes, test results, specifications or related certificates that supported the decision. It does not need to be an essay, but it should stand on its own.

### Reference documentation [#reference-documentation]

Use document numbers, drawing revisions, dates, report references and certificate names where available. Where you relied on a Form 12 or a Form 43, include enough detail to identify that certificate later.

### Certifier and inspector details [#certifier-and-inspector-details]

Check the building certifier reference number and building development approval number before you send - these are easy to copy from the wrong job. The inspector block needs the correct name, company, contact details, postal address, licence class or registration type where applicable, and licence or registration number where applicable. Saved details in Tradie Forms cut the repeat typing, but the final check belongs to the person issuing the certificate.

## Where Form 16 goes wrong [#where-form-16-goes-wrong]

The recurring faults are all wording and role faults, not layout faults. The stage gets named too loosely, so "stage inspection" replaces the actual stage of work. The component wording covers the whole job when the inspection covered part of it. The basis is thin, with no reference to the tests, plans, standards, codes, reports or certificates relied on. The wrong person signs, because Form 16 gets treated as a generic builder sign-off. And the inspection date and certificate date - two separate fields - get carried across from an old PDF.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the official layout and flags missing required fields. It does not decide whether the stage complies, whether you are properly appointed, or whether the certifier can rely on the certificate. That stays with the inspecting person and the building certifier.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start the [QLD Form 16 inspection certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-16-inspection) when the stage inspection is ready to document, then follow the filing steps in the [Form 16 record keeping guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-16-stage-inspection-certificate-records).

If the record is an aspect certificate rather than a stage certificate, compare the [Form 12 aspect inspection guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-12-aspect-inspection-certificate-guide) and the [Form 43 QBCC licensee aspect certificate guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-43-qbcc-licensee-aspect-certificate-guide) before you prepare the wrong paperwork.

For the run sheet on the day itself, see the [Form 16 stage inspection day checklist](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-16-stage-inspection-day-checklist).

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [Business Queensland building forms page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/forms-guidelines/forms), the [Queensland Form 16 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0028/9775/form16inspectioncertificateaspectcertificateqbcclicenseeaspectcertificate.pdf), the [Business Queensland stages of a building inspection guidance](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/approvals-inspections/stages), and the [Business Queensland competent persons guidance](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/approvals-inspections/competent-persons-cadets) before relying on this guide.

# QLD Forms 1 5 and 9: who hands what to whom (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-plumbing-form-1-form-5-form-9-handover-guide)

How QLD Form 1, Form 5 and Form 9 pass between applicant, responsible person, competent person, tester, council and owner, and the deadlines on each handover. | State: QLD | Trade: Plumbing | Template: qld-form-1-permit-work

> **Tradie Forms:** complete QLD Form 1, Form 5 and Form 9 on the official PDF layouts, reuse saved licence and applicant details, and download a finished PDF you can hand to council, the owner or the office without rebuilding it later.

Most Queensland plumbing paperwork problems are not filling problems. They are handover problems. The form gets completed, then sits on a phone until the person who actually needs it chases it.

Form 1, Form 5 and Form 9 each leave your hands and go somewhere different, on different timing, to different people. This guide is about that movement - who holds each form, who receives it, when, and what has to stay consistent as it travels. For filling the fields, use the individual guides linked through this article.

**Key takeaways**

- Each form has a different recipient: council, the responsible person, or council and the owner
- Form 5 runs on a chain - competent person to responsible person within 5 business days
- Form 9 copies go to the local government and the owner within 10 business days
- Land description, permit number and action notice reference must match across all three
- Roles are not interchangeable - do not copy one contact into every party block

Start [QLD Form 1](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-1-permit-work), [QLD Form 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-5-testing) or [QLD Form 9](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-9-backflow), or browse [QLD plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/plumbing).

## Where does each form go? [#where-does-each-form-go]

Business Queensland lists Form 1, Form 5 and Form 9 under the plumbing and drainage forms for the Plumbing and Drainage Act 2018. They look like a set, but they travel differently.

Form 1 is the permit work application. It goes from the applicant to the local government, before permit work starts, and it carries attachments with it. Nothing else on the job moves until that application has been assessed and a permit issued.

Form 5 is a testing or commissioning report. It does not go straight to council from the person who did the test. The competent person gives it to the responsible person within 5 business days after the testing or commissioning is finished, and where the responsible person receives it, they give it to the local government within the timeframe the regulation sets.

Form 9 is the registration and report on inspection and testing of testable backflow prevention devices. The official PDF says copies must be submitted to the relevant local government and to the owner of the premises within 10 business days after inspecting or testing the device. Two recipients, not one.

## Why does the Form 5 middle step get missed? [#why-does-the-form-5-middle-step-get-missed]

The Form 5 chain has a step most crews skip: the report has to reach the responsible person before it reaches council.

On a small job the responsible person and the competent person may be the same person, and the chain collapses into one action. On a larger job they are different people, often different businesses, and the report can sit with the tester while the responsible person assumes it has already gone in.

If you are the competent person, your obligation is to get a usable report to the responsible person, not to file it. If you are the responsible person, you cannot pass on a report you have not read - you need it complete before it goes to local government. Name the person on the job who is receiving it, and confirm they have it.

The [Form 5 testing or commissioning guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-5-testing-commissioning-report-guide) covers the field detail behind that report.

## Why does Form 9 need two deliveries tracked? [#why-does-form-9-need-two-deliveries-tracked]

Form 9 is the form most likely to be half-delivered. The council copy goes out, the owner copy does not, and nobody notices until the next annual test.

Because the form names both recipients, the workflow has to track both. After the report is finished, record the council copy pathway and date, the owner copy pathway and date, and any reference or receipt number. That answers the question the office always ends up asking months later.

Backflow work also recurs, so the handover is not the end of the record. The [Form 9 record keeping and handover guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-9-backflow-record-keeping-handover) covers building a device history the next tester can use.

## What has to stay consistent across the three [#what-has-to-stay-consistent-across-the-three]

The three forms are connected by the site, not by the sequence. If the site details drift, every downstream document gets harder to match.

Keep these identical wherever they appear:

- The land description - street address, lot and plan, shop or tenancy, storey or level, local government area
- The permit number and issue date, once a permit exists
- The action notice reference and date, where one applies
- Licence numbers and business details for the people named on the forms

Use one verified source for the site details rather than a booking address. A title document, rates notice, approved plan set or council reference beats what was typed into the job when it was booked. On shopping centres, unit blocks, rural sites, subdivisions and industrial jobs, the address a plumber sees on arrival is often not enough for council to identify the land.

## Roles do not transfer between forms [#roles-do-not-transfer-between-forms]

Each form asks for different people, and the blocks are not spare space for whoever is handy.

Form 1 has owner details and applicant details. The applicant does not have to be the owner, but the applicant is responsible for the information being correct and for being authorised to manage the application on the owner's behalf.

Form 5 has a responsible person, a contractor block where the responsible person is not the contractor, and a competent person who carried out the testing or commissioning.

Form 9 has owner or occupier details, authorised tester details, and contractor licence details where applicable.

Saved details speed this up, but only if you pick the block by role first and the saved contact second. Copying one person into every field produces a PDF that looks finished and describes a job that did not happen that way.

## When a report replaces an inspection [#when-a-report-replaces-an-inspection]

Business Queensland's inspection certificates guidance says that in some cases local government may accept a declaration or report instead of completing an inspection, and it lists Form 5 as the testing or commissioning report used to certify that plumbing and drainage work was tested or commissioned in compliance with code requirements.

That raises the stakes on the handover. Where a report is carrying weight an inspection would otherwise carry, a late or incomplete report is not just admin. Check the current local government process before treating any report as a substitute for an inspection.

## A handover routine that holds up [#a-handover-routine-that-holds-up]

**One job, three forms**

- **Fix the land details once - From a verified source** - Lot and plan, tenancy and LGA, reused across all three forms.
- **Form 1, permit work - Council pathway** - Lodge it and save the receipt or reference against the job.
- **Form 5, testing - While the test record is open** - Name who receives it, then confirm it reached the local government.
- **Form 9, at the device - Before the kit is packed** - The backflow report is the one that cannot be written from memory.

Getting the land details right once is what stops three forms disagreeing with each other.

7. Send the Form 9 council copy and owner copy, and note both dates
8. Store each finished PDF with the evidence that explains it

The evidence that belongs alongside them varies by job: plans, owner approvals, connection approvals, soil reports, site and soil evaluation reports, test readings, photos, device serial numbers, test kit verification, action notices and council correspondence.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the official Queensland layouts and lets you preview each one before you download the finished PDF. It does not lodge a form, submit a copy, or decide which work needs a permit. The applicant, responsible person, competent person and authorised tester remain responsible for the record and for getting it where it needs to go.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start [QLD Form 1](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-1-permit-work), [QLD Form 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-5-testing) or [QLD Form 9](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-9-backflow) on the official PDF layout, or browse [QLD plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/plumbing). The [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing) covers the other states.

For the field detail on each form, read the [Form 1 permit work application guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-1-permit-work-application-guide), the [Form 5 testing or commissioning guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-5-testing-commissioning-report-guide) and the [Form 9 record keeping guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-9-backflow-record-keeping-handover). Later stages are covered by the [Form 14 compliance declaration guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-14-compliance-declaration-on-site-guide) and the [Form 19 final inspection certificate guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-19-final-inspection-certificate-guide). The [QLD plumbing forms list](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-plumbing-forms-list-permit-inspection-handover) maps the whole set by job stage.

## Official references [#official-references]

For current requirements, check the [Business Queensland plumbing and drainage forms page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/forms-templates), the [Business Queensland inspection certificates guidance](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/inspection-certificates), the [QLD Form 1 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/3762/form1plumbingdrainageregulation2019.pdf), the [QLD Form 5 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0024/3768/form5plumbingdrainageregulation2019.pdf), the [QLD Form 9 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0023/3776/form-9-plumbing-drainage-regulation-2019.pdf), and the [Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019](https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2019-0042).

# Common mistakes with QLD Form 15 design specification certificates (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-qld-building-form-15)

QLD Form 15 mistakes that send design and specification certificates back: wrong form choice, vague aspects, thin basis wording, stale competent person details. | State: QLD | Trade: Building | Template: qld-building-form-15-design-spec

QLD Form 15 is short enough to look harmless. That is part of the trap.

The certificate can carry design or specification information straight into the building certifier's decision. If the aspect is too broad, the reference documents are vague, or the competent person block was copied from old paperwork, the certificate creates questions instead of answering them. This article is about the errors that cause that - the step-by-step field walkthrough lives in the [Form 15 completion guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-15-design-specification-certificate-guide).

**Key takeaways**

- Form 15 is for design or specification, not for work that has already been inspected
- The individual appointed by the building certifier signs, not the company
- Vague aspect wording and thin basis text are the two most common rework triggers
- Reference documents need numbers, revisions and dates to stay findable
- Preview the official PDF layout before the certificate leaves your hands

Use the [QLD Form 15 template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-15-design-spec) for a fillable version of the official layout, browse [QLD building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/building), or compare the two forms side by side in the [Form 12 vs Form 15 guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-12-vs-form-15-building-certificate-guide).

## Using Form 15 when the job needs a different form [#using-form-15-when-the-job-needs-a-different-form]

The most basic mistake is reaching for Form 15 because it is familiar, not because it fits.

The official Form 15 is the compliance certificate for building design or specification. Its appendix explains that the information informs the building certifier's decision when assessing a building development application, issuing the building development approval, or amending the approval because updated aspect information has been received.

If the work has been built and inspected, the certificate is more likely Form 12, the aspect inspection certificate given by an appointed competent person. If the record is a stage inspection, that is Form 16. Before you start filling anything, ask whether the certificate is saying the aspect will comply if installed or carried out as stated - because that future tense is what makes it a Form 15.

## Who has to be appointed before Form 15 can be signed? [#who-has-to-be-appointed-before-form-15-can-be-signed]

The individual the building certifier has assessed and appointed as competent for that design-specification help. Business Queensland's competent persons guidance says a building certifier may use a competent person to provide help, but the certifier must first determine the person is competent to give it. The official Form 15 says the certificate must be signed by that assessed and appointed individual.

That rules out treating Form 15 as a generic company certificate. The signer matters, the appointment scope matters, and the design being certified has to sit inside that scope.

Manufacturers and suppliers trip people up here. The official appendix says a building certifier can accept Form 15 from a manufacturer or supplier the certifier has decided is a competent person for design-specification, and that a manufacturer or supplier can give the form where they have undertaken the design component for the product. If they did not do the design work, that path does not apply. Sort the appointment out before anyone signs.

## Writing the aspect too broadly [#writing-the-aspect-too-broadly]

Form 15 asks for the description of the aspect or aspects certified, and the official PDF asks you to clearly describe the extent of work covered.

Broad wording is where certificates become hard to use. "Structural design" does not tell the certifier which drawings, members, stage or product the certificate covers. "Glazing" does not say whether it is a whole building, one facade, a shopfront system or a product range.

**Aspect certified**

- **Readable a year later** - - Structural design of steel roof beams shown on drawings S04 to S08, Rev C
  - Glazing specification for shopfront system to tenancy 2, north elevation
  - Truss design package for the dwelling at the stated lot and plan (Names the element, the drawings, and the extent.)
- **Too broad** - - Structural design
  - Glazing
  - Trusses (The certifier cannot tell what is covered or what is not.)

The reverse mistake matters just as much. Do not let a narrow certificate read like a whole-project certificate. The wording should match what was actually assessed.

## Leaving the basis of certification thin [#leaving-the-basis-of-certification-thin]

The official Form 15 asks for the basis of certification and the extent to which tests, specifications, rules, standards, codes of practice and other publications were relied on. That is not a field for "as per plans".

The basis should tell the certifier what sits behind the certificate: drawing numbers, engineering calculations, test reports, Australian Standards, National Construction Code references, product technical statements, manufacturer specifications or project specifications. Keep it plain, but make it findable. If you cannot explain the basis clearly, the certificate is probably going out too early.

## Reference documents without revisions [#reference-documents-without-revisions]

Form 15 also asks you to clearly identify relevant documentation, and the official PDF gives numbered structural engineering plans as the example.

Project files move fast. Drawings get superseded, product selections change, reports get reissued. A certificate that says "engineering drawings" leaves the office guessing which set was relied on. Use document numbers, titles, revisions, dates, report numbers and project names wherever they exist.

**Reference documents**

- **This** - Structural drawings S01 to S06, Rev D, dated 4 June 2026 (Survives a year in a job file and a change of certifier.)
- **Not this** - Plans (Nobody can tell which revision was relied on.)

Where the field runs out of room, the official appendix says additional material can be created and referred to in an addendum or attachment. Use that instead of compressing the reference into something ambiguous.

## Skipping property details that actually apply [#skipping-property-details-that-actually-apply]

The official Form 15 says the property description section only needs completing if street address and property description are applicable, and gives examples where it may not - standard or generic pool design, shell manufacture, patio and carport systems.

That is not permission to skip the block whenever it is inconvenient. Where the certificate relates to a specific property, make the land clear: street address, suburb or locality, state, postcode, lot and plan details, and local government area. The official form notes lot and plan details are shown on title documents or a rates notice, and that previous lot and plan details should be provided if the plan is not registered by title. A builder's short site name is not a substitute.

## Numbers and details carried over from the last job [#numbers-and-details-carried-over-from-the-last-job]

Two blocks on Form 15 quietly absorb yesterday's job.

The first is the building certifier reference number and building development application number. Those fields exist so the certificate lands in the right file. When a builder, certifier or consultant has several jobs open, one digit from an old approval number sends the office hunting. Copy them from the current certifier request or approval record, not from the last certificate you sent.

The second is the appointed competent person block - name, company, contact person, phone, mobile, email, postal address, licence class or registration type, and licence or registration number where applicable. Saved details stop repeat typing, and Tradie Forms can reuse them for the next certificate, but saved details are not a licence check. Review them after a licence or registration renewal, a business name or postal address change, a staff role change, or whenever a different individual is signing.

## What should you check before the certificate leaves your hands? [#what-should-you-check-before-the-certificate-leaves-your-hands]

Run the same short pass every time, ideally against the PDF preview rather than the entry fields:

1. The certificate is for design or specification, not completed work.
2. The building certifier has appointed the signer for this scope.
3. The aspect wording matches what was assessed - no wider, no narrower.
4. The basis names the documents, tests, standards, codes or specifications relied on.
5. Reference documents carry numbers, revisions and dates.
6. Property details are present where the certificate relates to a specific site.
7. Certifier reference and approval numbers came from the current job.
8. Competent person details and signature are current.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the official Form 15 PDF layout and can flag missing required fields, but it does not decide whether the design complies, whether you are the right competent person, or whether the certifier can rely on the certificate. The appointed competent person and the building certifier stay responsible for the finished document.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start the [QLD Form 15 design specification certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-15-design-spec) when you need the official layout, or work through the field-by-field [Form 15 completion guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-15-design-specification-certificate-guide) first.

If the job is an inspected aspect of completed work, open [QLD Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-12-aspect-inspection) and read the [Form 12 aspect inspection guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-12-aspect-inspection-certificate-guide). To see where each certificate sits across a job, read the [QLD building certificates workflow](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-building-certificates-on-site-workflow).

## Official references [#official-references]

For current requirements, check the [Business Queensland building forms page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/forms-guidelines/forms), the [Queensland Form 15 PDF](https://www.hpw.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0026/9773/form15compliancecertificateforbuildingdesignorspecification.pdf), the [Business Queensland competent persons guidance](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/approvals-inspections/competent-persons-cadets), and the [Queensland Form 12 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0022/18625/form12aspectinspectioncertificateappointedcompetentperson.pdf).

# NSW Combined Notice and Certificate: record keeping and completion (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-combined-notice-coc-record-keeping-handover-guide)

Keep NSW Combined Notice of Work and Certificate of Compliance paperwork tied to the job: who gets which copy, the timing rules, and what to store with it. | State: NSW | Trade: Plumbing | Template: nsw-combined-notice-coc

> **Tradie Forms:** fill the NSW Combined Notice of Work and Certificate of Compliance on the official PDF layout, check the key fields, then store the finished document with the job record.

For NSW plumbers and drainers the paperwork trail matters as much as the pipework record. A job starts with a Notice of Work, finishes with a Certificate of Compliance, and needs copies for the owner, regulator, licensee, or local authority depending on where the work sits.

The Combined Notice brings those records into one form. It only helps if the finished document is complete, easy to match to the job, and stored where the business can find it later.

**Key takeaways**

- The form carries copies for the licensee, owner, and regulator
- Certificate timing is set by regulation, not by office habit
- Match work description, site details, dates, and responsible person across the whole job
- File the Sewer Service Diagram and inspection records alongside it
- A copy sitting in one person's downloads folder is not a record

Use the [NSW Combined Notice and Certificate template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-combined-notice-coc), browse [NSW plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/plumbing), or read the companion [Combined Notice compliance guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-combined-notice-certificate-compliance-plumbing-guide).

## What does the Combined Notice cover? [#what-does-the-combined-notice-cover]

NSW Government guidance says plumbers may be required to submit or provide Notices of Work, Certificates of Compliance, and Sewer Service Diagrams for plumbing and drainage work to meet legislative requirements.

A Notice of Work outlines the plumbing and drainage work to be carried out and the person carrying it out. Plumbers and drainers must submit one before starting work - either through Building Commission NSW via MyInspections for work requiring inspection in listed metropolitan areas, or to the local plumbing regulator using the Combined Notice for the type of work the relevant local regulator requires to be inspected.

A Certificate of Compliance confirms the work complies with the Act, Regulation, Plumbing Code of Australia, and Deemed-to-Satisfy requirements of AS/NZS 3500, and identifies the plumber or drainer as the responsible person for that work.

## Keep the notice and certificate tied to the same job [#keep-the-notice-and-certificate-tied-to-the-same-job]

The first habit is simple: make the form easy to match to the work.

"Smith job" is not enough for a busy business. Use the job address, owner or builder name, licence details, work type, inspection details, and dates consistently across your booking, invoice, photos, sewer service diagram, and the finished document. If the office has to match a certificate to a job later, they should not be comparing half-filled PDFs against SMS threads.

Before you finish, check the work site address and property details, the owner or builder who arranged the work, the responsible licensee details, licence or certificate details, the work description, the dates for notice, commencement, completion, inspection, or certificate sections where applicable, and which copies are needed.

## Notice of Work: what the record must answer [#notice-of-work-what-the-record-must-answer]

For record keeping, the notice should answer the practical questions - what work is planned, where, who is carrying it out, which regulator or local authority needs the notice, and what inspection path applies.

If those details are vague at the start, the certificate at the end is harder to line up. Keep a copy with the job record, and where scope changes, keep the updated paperwork and messages together. A plumber on site should never have to guess which version the office lodged.

## Certificate of Compliance and the timing rules [#certificate-of-compliance-and-the-timing-rules]

NSW guidance says that at completion of all plumbing and drainage work, plumbers and drainers must complete a Certificate of Compliance and provide a copy to the person who arranged the work, which may be a property owner or builder.

It is submitted to Building Commission NSW at completion, or before arranging a final inspection through MyInspections for work requiring inspection in the listed metropolitan areas, or to the local plumbing regulator using the Combined Notice for work the relevant regulator requires to be inspected. Where work does not require an inspection, the guidance says the Combined Notice can be used and a copy does not need to go to Building Commission NSW or the local plumbing regulator.

On timing, the NSW Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2017 sets the periods: 2 business days after work is completed, or 7 business days after completion where the work is not inspected by the plumbing regulator during the period it must be available for inspection. The copy period under section 15(2) is 7 business days after the person required to give the copy receives it.

Do not run those dates from memory. Where timing matters, check the current legislation and regulator guidance.

## Sewer Service Diagram and supporting records [#sewer-service-diagram-and-supporting-records]

NSW regional inspections guidance says plumbers and drainers must submit a Sewer Service Diagram to the local plumbing regulator and provide a copy to the owner of the land or the owner's agent. The broader inspection documents guidance also lists diagrams as part of the inspection document set.

Not every job carries the same documents, but the finished form is far more useful sitting beside the records that explain the work: the sewer service diagram, inspection booking and outcome records, photos taken before covering work, test notes, product or fixture details, owner or builder correspondence, and any regulator or council reference numbers.

Attach those to the same job in your job software or shared storage. A clean document is good; a clean document you can find with its supporting material is better. The [Combined Notice vs Sewer Service Diagram guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-combined-notice-vs-sewer-service-diagram) covers how the two relate.

## Where does completion go wrong? [#where-does-completion-go-wrong]

**Who holds which copy**

- **Licensee copy - Your job record** - Saved back to the job, not left in one person's sent folder.
- **Owner copy - Person who arranged the work** - Provided at completion, alongside any SSD that belongs with it.
- **Regulator copy - The pathway for this site** - Metro and local regulator pathways differ. Confirm before you send.

The form carries all three. Completing one path does not complete the others.

**The document is never checked against the site.** Before sending or lodging, confirm the work site, owner, licensee, dates, and work description appear where you expect them on the official layout.

**Owner copy and regulator copy get confused.** The form carries copies for licensee, owner, and regulator. Your process should say who gets what and when.

**The certificate is lost outside the job record.** Where it is sent by text, email, or portal upload, save a copy back to the job. The office should not be searching one person's phone.

**Saved details go unchecked.** They cut repeat typing; they do not remove the need to check responsible person, contractor, licence, contact, and address details.

**Follow-up documents are forgotten.** Where a sewer service diagram, inspection note, or council message belongs with the form, attach it while the job is fresh.

For the wider error list, see [common Combined Notice mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-nsw-combined-notice-coc).

## A practical record-keeping routine [#a-practical-record-keeping-routine]

1. Check the job address and owner or builder details
2. Confirm the responsible licensee details
3. Fill the notice or certificate sections that apply
4. Check dates against the actual job events
5. Store inspection records and photos with the job
6. Add the Sewer Service Diagram where required
7. Review the official layout
8. Name the finished document clearly
9. Provide the required copy to the person who arranged the work
10. Submit or store the regulator copy where the current process requires it

The point is not extra admin. It is that the next person opening the job can see what was done, what was handed over, and where the finished document went.

## Who asks for these records later [#who-asks-for-these-records-later]

The Combined Notice file is usually opened by someone other than the plumber who created it.

A conveyancer during a sale, a subsequent plumber working on the same property, an insurer after a failure, or an owner who has lost their copy. Each wants the document quickly and none of them will accept a description of what was done.

That is the case for keeping your own copy rather than relying on the regulator or the owner holding one. It is also the case for filing by property, because property is how every one of those people will search.

## When the job spans a long period [#when-the-job-spans-a-long-period]

Larger jobs create a gap between the notice and the certificate that can run for months.

Details drift across that gap. Licence renewals, changes to the responsible person, and scope variations all happen mid-job, and the certificate gets completed from the details captured at the start. Build the certificate from the current job record on the day it is completed rather than from the notice.

Where the scope changed materially, that should already have been reflected before completion rather than appearing for the first time on the certificate.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start the [NSW Combined Notice and Certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-combined-notice-coc), or browse [NSW plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/plumbing). Working interstate? The [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing) lists the lot.

For the main completion walkthrough read the [Combined Notice compliance guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-combined-notice-certificate-compliance-plumbing-guide), and for submission timing see [when to submit the Combined Notice](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-combined-notice-when-to-submit).

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the official PDF layout. It does not decide whether your work requires inspection, replace the regulator's process, or lodge the document for you.

## Official references [#official-references]

For current requirements, check the [NSW plumbing inspection documents guidance](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/plumbers-and-drainers/plumbing-inspection-documents), the [Combined Notice of Work and Certificate of Compliance form page](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/plumbers-and-drainers/regional-inspections/combined-notice-of-work-and-certificate-of-compliance), the [NSW regional plumbing and drainage inspections guidance](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/plumbers-and-drainers/regional-inspections), and the [NSW Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2017](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/sl-2017-0482).

# QLD Form 43 QBCC licensee aspect certificate: on-site guide (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-43-qbcc-licensee-aspect-certificate-guide)

Complete QLD Form 43 aspect certificates for class 1a or class 10 work, with clear scope, basis, references and QBCC licensee details. | State: QLD | Trade: Building | Template: qld-building-form-43-aspect-certificate

> **Tradie Forms:** complete QLD Form 43 on the official Queensland PDF layout before the aspect certificate leaves site. Capture scope, property, building, aspect, basis, references, certifier numbers, QBCC licence details, signature and date in a clear path through it.

QLD Form 43 is the QBCC licensee aspect certificate for certain Queensland building work. In plain terms, it lets a QBCC licensee state how the aspect work they carried out, or are authorised to certify, complies with the building development approval for a single detached class 1a building or a class 10 building or structure.

This is the form that often turns up at close-out. The certifier asks for the aspect certificate. The builder wants to keep moving. The licensee has the work, drawings, product documents and job notes in front of them, but a flat PDF is fiddly on a phone.

Use the [QLD Form 43 template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-43-aspect-certificate) when you want a section-by-section fill, saved QBCC licence details, missing-field checks, official PDF preview and a clean download. You can also browse [QLD building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/building), or compare related certificates such as [QLD Form 30](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-30-accepted-development-aspect), [QLD Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-12-aspect-inspection) and [QLD Form 16](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-16-inspection).

## What is Form 43 for? [#what-is-form-43-for]

The official Form 43 PDF says it is used for sections 68, 69 and 70(1)(a) of the Building Regulation 2021. It states that aspect work for a single detached class 1a building and class 10 building or structure is compliant with the building development approval.

The appendix says a QBCC licensee completes Form 43 if they carried out the aspect work, or are authorised under the QBCC Regulation, and the aspect work is subject to a building development approval for that class 1a or class 10 work. It also says the completed form may be given to the building certifier or competent person for inspections.

That makes Form 43 different from a general workmanship certificate. It is tied to the QBCC licence class, the aspect work, the relevant property and building, the building development approval, and the basis and references relied on.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the official PDF layout. It does not decide whether your licence class is right, whether the work complies, or whether the certifier can rely on the form. The QBCC licensee and certifier remain responsible for checking the certificate and supporting record.

## Form 43 or Form 30: which certificate fits? [#form-43-or-form-30-which-certificate-fits]

The easiest mistake is choosing the wrong QBCC aspect form.

Form 43 is for aspect work subject to a building development approval for a single detached class 1a building or class 10 building or structure. It is usually part of the certifier's inspection documentation.

Form 30 is for QBCC licensee aspect certification for accepted development, previously called self-assessable development, where the work is not assessed by a building certifier under a building development approval.

If there is a building development approval and the certifier is asking for an aspect certificate, check Form 43 first. If the job is accepted development, check Form 30 and the [Form 30 guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-30-qbcc-licensee-accepted-development-guide).

Form 12 is different again. That is the aspect inspection certificate from an appointed competent person, not a QBCC licensee aspect certificate under an approval. Keep those roles distinct when the certifier asks for paperwork.

## What to collect before you finish the PDF [#what-to-collect-before-you-finish-the-pdf]

Form 43 is easiest when you complete it while the work is still fresh. Before you leave site, collect:

- Scope of the aspect or aspects covered by your licence class
- Property street address, lot and plan, and local government area
- Building or structure description and class
- Description of the aspect or aspects certified
- Basis of certification
- Reference documentation
- Building certifier reference number
- Building development approval number
- Date approval to inspect was received from the building certifier
- QBCC licensee name, company, contact, postal address, licence class and licence number
- Signature and date

If you need supporting documents, keep them with the job file. The form can name references, but the full record usually sits in your job software, email folder or project file.

## How specific should scope and aspect wording be? [#how-specific-should-scope-and-aspect-wording-be]

The first field asks for the scope of the aspect work covered by the licence class. The aspect field asks you to describe the aspect or aspects certified.

Those are related, but they are not the same. Scope describes the licence class area. Aspect describes the actual work being certified on this job.

**Scope versus aspect**

- **Aspect, the work certified** - Wet area waterproofing to main bathroom, ensuite and laundry in a single detached dwelling (Narrow by necessity. It describes what this certificate covers.)
- **Scope, the licence class area** - Waterproofing (Broad by design. It describes what the licence permits.)

A structural steel certificate works the same way: the scope is the licence class, the aspect identifies the beams, location and drawing references.

Good wording protects everyone. It helps the certifier understand the certificate. It helps the builder know what has been handed over. It helps the office answer questions later. For the rework traps, see [common Form 43 mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-qld-form-43-aspect-certificate).

## Basis, references and licence details [#basis-references-and-licence-details]

The basis section asks for the basis for giving the certificate and the extent to which tests, specifications, rules, standards, codes of practice and other publications were relied on.

The reference documentation section asks you to identify relevant documents, such as numbered structural engineering plans.

Use both fields properly. The basis tells the reader why you are satisfied. The references tell the reader what documents support that basis. Useful references include engineering drawing numbers and revisions, manufacturer installation instructions, product technical documents, inspection or test records, photos or marked-up plans, and relevant specifications. Avoid vague entries like as per plans if you can name the plans.

The Form 43 PDF also says the QBCC licensee must hold an appropriate class of licence under the QBCC Regulation for the aspect work, or be able under that regulation to give a QBCC licensee certificate for aspect work. Check licensee full name, company name, contact person, phone and email, postal address, licence class, licence number, and the date approval to inspect was received from the building certifier.

Saved licence details in Tradie Forms help you avoid typing the same block on every job. They do not remove the need to check that the details still apply.

**Key takeaways**

- Use Form 43 for eligible QBCC licensee aspect work subject to a building development approval
- Keep the scope, aspect, basis and references specific to the job
- Check the certifier reference and building development approval number before download
- Do not use Form 43 for accepted development when Form 30 is the better fit
- Preview the official PDF layout before giving the certificate to the building certifier or competent person

## Common Form 43 mistakes [#common-form-43-mistakes]

### The certificate covers too much [#the-certificate-covers-too-much]

If the aspect only covers one area, stage, system or component, keep the wording narrow. Do not make the certificate sound like it covers work you did not carry out or inspect.

### The approval to inspect date is missing [#the-approval-to-inspect-date-is-missing]

The official form includes the date approval to inspect was received from the building certifier. Check the request from the certifier, the job booking or the project correspondence before finishing the PDF.

### The approval number is wrong [#the-approval-number-is-wrong]

Approval numbers and certifier references are often copied between jobs. Check them against the certifier request or approval documents.

### Form 43 is used for accepted development [#form-43-is-used-for-accepted-development]

If the work is accepted development and not subject to a building development approval, Form 30 may be the better fit.

### References are not identifiable [#references-are-not-identifiable]

Plans supplied by builder is weak. Use drawing numbers, revisions, dates and titles where possible.

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Tradie Forms turns QLD Form 43 into sections you work through one at a time for scope, property, building, aspect, basis, references, certifier, licensee and signature.

You can reuse saved QBCC licensee details, catch missing fields before download, preview the official PDF layout and download the finished certificate on site. The point is not to make the legal judgement for you. The point is to make the paperwork easier to finish correctly while the work, approval and references are still close.

Keep the finished Form 43 with building development approval details, the building certifier request or approval to inspect, drawings and specifications relied on, product documents or test records, photos or inspection notes, and related Form 16 or Form 12 records.

Before you send Form 43, read the preview like you are the certifier receiving it. Can you tell what aspect was certified? Can you see the approval number? Are the references specific enough? Does the licence class match the aspect? Tradie Forms can flag missing fields and show the official PDF preview, but it cannot know whether wet area should have said ensuite and laundry. That final judgement stays with the QBCC licensee.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start the [QLD Form 43 QBCC licensee aspect certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-43-aspect-certificate) when your aspect work is ready to certify. If the job is accepted development, check [QLD Form 30](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-30-accepted-development-aspect).

For rework traps, read [common Form 43 mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-qld-form-43-aspect-certificate). For the wider certificate map, open the [QLD building certificates workflow](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-building-certificates-on-site-workflow) or browse [QLD building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/building).

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [Business Queensland building forms page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/forms-guidelines/forms), the [Queensland Form 43 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/18631/Form43AspectCertificateQBCCLicensee.pdf), the [Queensland Form 30 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0024/18627/form30qbccaspectcertificateforaccepteddevelopmentselfassessable.pdf), and the [Business Queensland competent persons guidance](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/approvals-inspections/competent-persons-cadets) before relying on this guide.

# Common QLD certificate of testing and compliance mistakes electricians can catch on site (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-qld-electrical-cotc-mistakes)

Field checks for Queensland electricians before issuing a certificate of testing and compliance or testing and safety, plus the gaps that cause rework. | State: QLD | Trade: Electrical | Template: qld-electrical-cotc

A Queensland certificate of testing and compliance is easy to leave until the end of the day. The switchboard is back together, the customer wants to lock up, the apprentice is loading the ute, and the next job is already ringing.

That is exactly when small certificate mistakes creep in.

For Queensland electricians, the certificate is not just a receipt. WorkSafe Queensland says electrical contractors and workers completing work on behalf of an electrical contractor must provide either a certificate of testing and safety for work on electrical equipment or a certificate of testing and compliance for electrical installation work. The certificate needs the customer details, the installation or equipment tested, the test date, the electrical contractor licence number and the right certification wording.

This guide is about the common on-site mistakes that slow completion, confuse the customer or make the job record harder to defend later. Use it alongside the [QLD CoTC template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-electrical-cotc) when you want a section-by-section fill, saved licence details, PDF preview and a cleaner completion. You can also browse [QLD electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/electrical) or read the companion [QLD CoTC on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-electrical-cotc-on-site-guide).

## Picking the wrong certificate type [#picking-the-wrong-certificate-type]

The WorkSafe Queensland example certificate covers two different jobs. It has a certificate of testing and compliance for electrical installations, and a certificate of testing and safety for electrical equipment.

One tick, made before anything else on the certificate. Installation work and equipment work are not the same paperwork moment.

That choice matters because the certificate statement changes. Installation work needs the statement that the electrical installation, to the extent affected by the electrical work, has been tested to ensure it is electrically safe and in accordance with the wiring rules and other standards applying under the Electrical Safety Regulation. Equipment work needs the statement that the electrical equipment, to the extent affected by the work, is electrically safe.

On site, the mistake often happens when a saved PDF or old invoice wording is reused. A domestic switchboard upgrade, a new circuit or installation work is not the same paperwork moment as equipment work.

Tradie Forms starts with the certificate type so you choose it before the rest of the form is finished. That does not make the compliance call for you, but it does stop the certificate heading being treated as an afterthought. For when a CoTC is required, see [when is a QLD CoTC required](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-qld-cotc-required).

## Writing the wrong person in the customer block [#writing-the-wrong-person-in-the-customer-block]

WorkSafe Queensland says the certificate must include the name and address of the person for whom the work was performed. Their guidance explains that this is usually the person or organisation that engaged the licensed electrical contractor to perform the work, and usually the person or organisation you would invoice.

That sounds simple until the job has a builder, property manager, tenant, owner, body corporate or real estate agent involved.

If you were engaged by the builder for a renovation, WorkSafe Queensland says you would give the certificate to the builder unless you were engaged directly by the owner. If your job software has the site contact in one field and the bill-to contact in another, do not copy the wrong one into the certificate without checking.

Before download, check who engaged your electrical contracting business, the name you will invoice, the address tied to that person or organisation, and whether the work site address differs from the customer address. The [QLD CoTC template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-electrical-cotc) separates the customer block from the work tested block so the site details do not have to be squeezed into the wrong field.

## Describing the work too thinly [#describing-the-work-too-thinly]

WorkSafe Queensland says the certificate must include details of the electrical equipment or electrical installation tested. Their guidance says to provide as much detail as possible about the work done, such as the number and type of electrical equipment installed, because the certificate copy can serve as a useful job record.

Better descriptions name the affected installation or equipment and give enough site context to understand the job.

**Details of equipment or installation tested**

- **This** - - Replacement of main switchboard and testing of affected final subcircuits at rear workshop
  - Installation and testing of new 20 A dedicated circuit for split system air-conditioner
  - Testing of repaired commercial dishwasher electrical equipment after replacement lead and plug
  - Installation and testing of outdoor lighting circuit to front driveway and entry path (Names the equipment, the testing, and where on site it sits.)
- **Not this** - Electrical work completed (No help to the customer, the office, or the electrician called back later.)

Keep it factual. Do not turn the certificate into a quote, a whole job diary or a promise about work you did not touch. The point is to make the tested work clear.

## Leaving the test date or notice date loose [#leaving-the-test-date-or-notice-date-loose]

The certificate must include the day the electrical equipment or installation was tested. On a busy run, it is easy to use the job booking date, invoice date or the date the office sends the PDF. Use the test date.

This is especially important when work spans more than one visit. If rough-in, fit-off, testing and completion happen on different days, the certificate should not be filled from memory after the week has moved on. Finish it while the test result, job notes and scope are still fresh.

The WorkSafe Queensland example certificate also includes a Date notice given field. The guidance says you must give a certificate to the customer as soon as possible after completing the work. Leaving this date blank weakens the completion record. Make the notice date part of your site close-out: finish testing, fill the certificate, preview the official PDF layout, give or send the PDF to the person the work was performed for, and store the finished PDF with the job record.

**Key takeaways**

- Choose certificate of testing and compliance for installation work and certificate of testing and safety for equipment work
- Check who engaged the electrical contractor before filling the customer block
- Describe the installation or equipment tested in enough detail for the job record
- Use the actual test date and fill the notice date when the certificate is given
- Keep a findable contractor copy for five years

## Using an old or wrong licence number [#using-an-old-or-wrong-licence-number]

WorkSafe Queensland says the certificate must include the electrical contractor licence number under which the installation or equipment was tested.

This is one of the fields that should be easy, but it is also one of the fields that gets copied from old paperwork without a second look. If a business has multiple licences, a subcontracting arrangement, or changed details after renewal, stale licence information can follow the team around.

Saved licence details help when they are current. Tradie Forms lets you reuse contractor licence details, name on licence and phone details so the electrician is not typing the same block on every job. The habit is still to check those details before download, especially after renewals, new entities or changes in who performed or supervised the work.

## Treating testing notes as someone else's paperwork [#treating-testing-notes-as-someone-elses-paperwork]

WorkSafe Queensland's testing guidance says testing is electrical work under the Electrical Safety Act 2002. It lists testing work such as detecting faults, locating faults, measuring performance, verifying compliance with the wiring rules, determining whether equipment is energised, fulfilling test and tag requirements, and checking electrical work before connection or reconnection.

The certificate does not need every test reading. It does need the right certificate details, the tested work description and the certification statement. Your job file can carry the supporting test notes, photos, SWMS records where relevant and other completion material.

Do not let the certificate drift away from the testing record. If the certificate says one thing and your job notes say another, the office has a mess to clean up.

## Not keeping a findable copy [#not-keeping-a-findable-copy]

WorkSafe Queensland says electrical contractors must keep a copy of these certificates for five years. Their FAQ also says that once the certificate is issued, the licensed electrical contractor under whose licence number the certificate was issued must keep a copy for at least five years after it is given to the person for whom the work was performed.

That copy should be findable. Not buried in a camera roll. Not sitting as scan0007.pdf on one laptop.

Use a file name the office can search later. Include the date, customer or builder, site suburb and certificate type. Attach the PDF to the job in your job software or shared drive. If the customer rings six months later, the record should take seconds to find. For longer filing habits, see [QLD CoTC record keeping for five years](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-cotc-record-keeping-five-years).

## How Tradie Forms helps before download [#how-tradie-forms-helps-before-download]

Tradie Forms does not replace the electrician's judgement. It maps your entries onto the official PDF layout and helps catch missing fields before you download.

For QLD CoTC work, the form keeps the job in clear blocks: certificate type, work performed for, electrical installation or equipment tested, test and contractor details, and certification and notice date.

You can save licence and business details for reuse, fill the certificate at the switchboard or in the ute, preview how the official PDF will look, and download the finished PDF on site. The licensed electrician or contractor still needs to check the form before sending it.

Before you give the customer the certificate, read the PDF like a future reader would. Is the certificate type right? Is the customer or builder name the person the work was performed for? Is the address clear? Does the work tested description say what was actually tested? Is the test date right? Is the contractor licence number current? Is the notice date filled? Has the PDF been stored with the job record?

That check takes a minute. It can save the office a chase, and it gives the customer a cleaner completion.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start the [QLD Certificate of Testing and Compliance](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-electrical-cotc) when you need to fill the official PDF layout online, or browse [QLD electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/electrical) for more paperwork as coverage expands.

For a broader walkthrough, read the [QLD CoTC on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-electrical-cotc-on-site-guide). For when the certificate is required, open [when is a QLD CoTC required](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-qld-cotc-required). For five-year filing, see [QLD CoTC record keeping](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-cotc-record-keeping-five-years). Cross-border sparkies may also want [QLD CoTC vs NSW CCEW](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-cotc-vs-nsw-ccew).

## Official references [#official-references]

For current requirements, check [WorkSafe Queensland's issuing certificates of compliance guidance](https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/laws-and-compliance/electrical-safety-laws/issuing-certificates-of-compliance), the [WorkSafe Queensland certificate of testing PDF](https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/20809/es-testing-compliance-certificate.pdf), [WorkSafe Queensland's testing guidance](https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/safety-and-prevention/hazards/electricity/testing), and [Business Queensland electrical contractor safety duties](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/electrical-contracting/safety-duties).

# VIC Pesticide Application Record: Complete It On Site (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/vic-pesticide-application-record-on-site-guide)

A practical guide for Victorian pest controllers on completing pesticide application records at the job and keeping clean records on site. | State: VIC | Trade: Pest Control | Template: vic-pesticide-application-record

> **Tradie Forms:** complete the Victorian pesticide application record on the official Health Victoria PDF layout while you are still at the property. Capture operator, client, pesticide, pest, location, weather, and sign-off details before the job record goes cold.

Pesticide records are easiest to complete while the work is still happening. The product is still in front of you. The client details are still open on the job. The treated areas, weather, precautions, and re-entry advice are not buried under the next booking.

For Victorian pest controllers, the pesticide application record is not just office filing. Health Victoria says pest control operators must keep certain records for every pesticide application for every job. The record should be clear enough that the job can be understood later by your business, the client, or an inspector.

That is hard to do from memory at 7pm.

Use the [VIC pesticide application record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/vic-pesticide-application-record) to fill the official PDF layout online, or browse [VIC pest control forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/vic/pest-control) for the full library.

## What is the VIC pesticide application record for? [#what-is-the-vic-pesticide-application-record-for]

[Health Victoria's record keeping guidance](https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/record-keeping-for-pest-controllers) says pest control operators must keep certain records for every pesticide application for every job, and it provides a Pesticide Application Record Sheet for pest control traders and operators.

Health Victoria's Technical Note 3 on record keeping says pest control operators are required under Regulation 89 to make and keep certain records for each pesticide used at a job. It also says the records should be kept for the required period and should not be false.

In practical terms, the record connects the treatment to:

- The person who applied the pesticide
- The business responsible for the work
- The client and property
- The pesticide product and batch
- The pest or pests treated
- The treated locations
- The application method, quantity, and rate
- The precautions and re-entry advice
- The weather where outdoor application is involved
- The signature of the person completing the record

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the Health Victoria PDF layout. It does not decide whether the application was appropriate, whether the product label was followed, or whether the record is enough for a particular job. The licensed pest controller remains responsible for checking the work, the record, and the downloaded PDF.

## Why does on-site completion matter? [#why-does-on-site-completion-matter]

Pest jobs move quickly. You might treat a roof void, kitchen, fence line, garage, subfloor, office tenancy, or commercial loading bay, then jump straight to the next address.

The longer you wait to fill the record, the more you rely on fragments:

- A product photo in your camera roll
- A half-written note about the batch number
- A customer name from the booking system
- A memory of wind direction from two suburbs ago
- A guess about the treated room or outdoor area

On-site completion avoids that. You can fill the record while the product label, site notes, client, and treated areas are still in reach. If something is missing, you can check it before leaving.

## Details to collect before download [#details-to-collect-before-download]

The official record sheet is simple, but it asks for details that can be painful to chase later. Treat the record as part of finishing the treatment, not as a separate office task.

### Operator details [#operator-details]

Record the technician name, licence number, trading name, business address, phone, and signature details as required by the form. If you need to confirm the operator's status or authorisation first, use the [VIC pest control licence guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/vic-pest-control-licence-guide).

Saved operator details are useful for repeat jobs. You should not have to type the same licence and trading name every afternoon. But saved details still need review when a licence renews, a trading name changes, or a technician works under a different arrangement.

If the application is supervised, check the official record keeping guidance for supervisor details. Technical Note 3 includes name and licence number of the person supervising the application where applicable, such as when a trainee licence holder is involved.

### Job date, time, and client [#job-date-time-and-client]

The record should show when the application happened and who it was for. Technical Note 3 lists date of application, start and finish times, and client name, phone number, and address among the record details.

Do not assume the site contact is the client. On commercial work, real estate jobs, strata jobs, and rental properties, the person who opens the door may not be the person for whom the application was carried out.

### Property and specific application location [#property-and-specific-application-location]

Health Victoria's record guidance includes the location of the pesticide application, including street address where applicable, and the specific location within the property.

Specific locations are where the record becomes useful later. "House" is weak. "Kitchen skirting, laundry wet area, garage perimeter, and external southern fence line" gives the next person a much clearer record.

If you treated outdoor areas, name them. If you treated internal rooms, name the rooms. If it was a multi-tenancy site, identify the tenancy, level, room, plant area, kitchen, store, or loading dock.

### Pests treated [#pests-treated]

The record needs to say which pests were treated. The Health Victoria PDF uses pest selection fields and an "other" option. Use the pest names that match the job and product label.

If you select "other", describe the pest clearly. Do not leave it for the office to decode from photos.

Common pests get their own tick box, and anything outside the list goes on the other line beside it.

### Product trade name and batch [#product-trade-name-and-batch]

Technical Note 3 lists trade name and batch number as details to record. Capture these while the product is still out. A blurry product photo can help, but the record itself should carry the detail.

If more than one pesticide is used at a job, do not squash separate applications into one vague entry. Health Victoria's record keeping page says businesses using their own sheet must make sure it contains all sections covered by the template for each pesticide used. Keep the record tied to the pesticide actually applied.

### Method, quantity, and rate [#method-quantity-and-rate]

The technical note lists method of application, quantity applied, and rate of application or enough information to determine the rate from the label.

This is another reason to fill the record before packing up. The method and quantity are clear when the application has just happened. They get fuzzy later, especially on repeat maintenance jobs.

Trade name, batch, rate, quantity and method sit in one block, so a gap in any of them is visible at a glance.

### Precautions and re-entry advice [#precautions-and-re-entry-advice]

The record needs specific precautions, including the re-entry period. This is customer-facing information as much as record keeping. If the client, site manager, or tenant needs to know when they can re-enter an area, the record should not be vague.

Use plain wording that matches the product label and the job. If the site has pets, children, food areas, sensitive equipment, gardens, or neighbouring properties, make sure the advice is clear and kept with the job record.

### Weather for outdoor applications [#weather-for-outdoor-applications]

Technical Note 3 lists ambient temperature, wind direction, wind speed, and other relevant weather conditions for outdoor applications. It also gives guidance on weather, spray drift, and the use of the Beaufort Wind Scale where a wind-measuring instrument is not used.

Weather is hard to reconstruct accurately after the run. Record it during the job. If conditions change significantly during application, note the time and nature of the change.

Three short fields, and the Beaufort scale is what fills the wind speed one when you have no instrument.

**Key takeaways**

- Complete the pesticide record while product, batch, weather, and site details are still in front of you
- Keep one clear record for each pesticide used at the job
- Record specific treated locations, not just the property address
- Preview the official PDF layout before downloading or attaching it to the job record

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Tradie Forms turns the Victorian pesticide application record into sections you work through one at a time instead of a flat PDF.

You can:

- Fill operator, client, pest, product, weather, and sign-off details in order
- Reuse operator and client details where appropriate
- Search addresses instead of retyping suburb and postcode
- Catch missing required fields before download
- Preview the official PDF layout
- Download the finished PDF and attach it to your job record

That last step matters. A completed PDF is only useful if your business can find it later. Keep the downloaded record with the invoice, service report, photos, label notes, and any risk or job-site analysis your business uses.

## Simple on-site workflow [#simple-on-site-workflow]

Use the same rhythm every job:

**The record, built as you move through the property**

- **Product and batch - Off the label, before application** - The batch number is unreadable once the container is back on the truck.
- **Pests and locations - As you treat each area** - Specific location within the property, not the street address again.
- **Rate, method, weather - Before packing away** - Plus precautions and re-entry advice, ready for the client conversation.
- **Preview and attach - Before you drive off** - Fix gaps on the official layout, then file it against the job.

Weather and batch details are the two that never survive a rebuild from memory.

The workflow is not about adding admin. It is about finishing the job once, while the facts are still fresh.

## Record keeping after the job [#record-keeping-after-the-job]

[Health Victoria's record keeping page](https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/record-keeping-for-pest-controllers) says all records must be kept at the business address for a minimum of three years and should be accurate, up to date, clear, consistent, and in English.

[Technical Note 3](https://www.health.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2025-01/technical-note-3-record-keeping.pdf) also says that if records are completed on a smartphone or other electronic device, the pest control operator must make sure the records are kept securely and available for inspection when required.

That means your download and storage process matters. A PDF sitting in a phone downloads folder is easy to lose. Attach it to the job record, save it in the business filing system, or use whatever system your office relies on for repeat access.

File names help too. Use the date, client, suburb, and form name. That is enough for most small pest businesses to find the record without opening twenty PDFs.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start the [VIC pesticide application record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/vic-pesticide-application-record) when you need to complete the official PDF layout at the property, or browse [VIC pest control forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/vic/pest-control) for the live pest control library. See the [pest control forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/pest-control) for the rest of the Australian set.

You can also read the companion guide on [common VIC pesticide application record mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-vic-pesticide-application-record).

For official requirements, check the [Health Victoria pest control forms page](https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/pest-control-forms), the [Health Victoria record keeping for pest controllers page](https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/record-keeping-for-pest-controllers), [Technical Note 3 Record Keeping](https://www.health.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2025-01/technical-note-3-record-keeping.pdf), and the [Health Victoria pest control legislation and licensing page](https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/pest-control-legislation-and-licensing).

# ACMA TCA1 and TCA2: cabling record keeping and handover (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca1-tca2-cabling-record-keeping-handover-guide)

Who gets a copy of an ACMA TCA1 or TCA2, how long registered cablers keep the certification statement, and how to store cabling records with the job. | Trade: Electrical | Template: acma-tca1-attach-a

Cabling paperwork is easiest when it is finished before the customer has moved on, the ceiling tiles are back in, and the photos are buried in someone's phone.

For registered cablers and electricians doing customer cabling work, TCA1 and TCA2 cover different completion moments, and they have different handover and copy rules. This guide is about that copy trail: who receives what, how long you keep it, and how to store it so the office can produce it later.

[ACMA guidance is direct about the record](https://www.acma.gov.au/cabling-advice-forms). For completed cabling work, a written certification statement must be prepared as soon as practicable after finishing the work. Copies go to the customer and, where relevant, the employer or contractor. A copy must be kept for one year after preparing it.

**Key takeaways**

- TCA1 is the certification statement for completed customer cabling work; TCA2 records outstanding non-compliant matters
- Give TCA1 copies to the customer and to your employer or contractor where relevant, and keep a copy for one year
- ACMA says you are not required to keep a copy of TCA2, but most businesses keep one anyway
- Store finished PDFs alongside photos, job notes, test records, quotes, invoices and completion emails
- Prepare the statement as soon as practicable after the work, not from memory later

Start [ACMA TCA1](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca1-attach-a) for customer cabling advice, use [ACMA TCA2](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca2) for outstanding cabling matters, or browse [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical) by state for the full library.

| Record          | TCA1                                                                  | TCA2                                                |
| --------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------- |
| What it records | Completed customer cabling work and the cabler's compliance statement | Non-compliant cabling or another outstanding matter |
| Who receives it | Customer, plus the employer or contractor where relevant              | Customer or building manager                        |
| Cabler copy     | Keep for one year after preparing it                                  | ACMA does not require the cabler to keep a copy     |
| When both apply | Certifies the work you performed or supervised                        | Separately records the outstanding issue            |

## Who gets a copy of the TCA1? [#who-gets-a-copy-of-the-tca1]

The customer who engaged you, and your employer or contractor if you have one. ACMA is specific that once the certification statement is prepared, copies go to both, and that you keep a copy as well. That is three destinations on a subcontracted job and two on most direct ones.

The trap is the word customer. On a fit-out, the party who engaged your business is often the builder rather than the tenant who let you in. On a strata or managed site, it might be the managing agent. Confirm who engaged you before you hand anything over, because a record naming the wrong customer entity is difficult to match to the job later.

For what the statement itself has to contain, ACMA says it identifies the completed cabling work, includes your name, contact details and registration number, states whether you performed or supervised the work, and states that the work complies fully with AS/CA S009:2020 Installation Requirements for Customer Cabling. The [TCA1 on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca1-cabling-advice-on-site-guide) walks through those sections field by field.

## How long do you keep the certification statement? [#how-long-do-you-keep-the-certification-statement]

One year after preparing it, according to ACMA guidance. That is the retention period the business needs to plan around, and it is why a sent email is a weak record. Email folders get archived, staff leave, and phone galleries fill up.

Store the finished PDF with the job record instead. A stored copy answers the question directly when a customer asks what was certified, when an employer needs the record, or when a request lands months after the job.

If you are not sure whether the work needed a certification statement at all, ACMA lists some small cabling tasks that sit outside the requirement. [When is ACMA TCA1 required](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-acma-tca1-required) covers that boundary and what still applies to small jobs.

## Do you have to keep a copy of the TCA2? [#do-you-have-to-keep-a-copy-of-the-tca2]

No. ACMA says you give the completed TCA2 to the customer, and that you are not required to keep a copy. That is a genuine difference from TCA1 and it catches people out in both directions.

Most trade businesses keep one anyway. A stored TCA2 shows the office what was handed over, connects the outstanding matter to a quote or follow-up, and gives you something to point at if the same fault resurfaces later with your name on the last job. [ACMA TCA2 record keeping and handover](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca2-record-keeping-handover) goes further into how to handle that side.

## What TCA2 records and when it applies [#what-tca2-records-and-when-it-applies]

ACMA says to use TCA2 if you notice non-compliant cable installations, and to give it to the customer or building manager even where the issue is pre-existing or outside the contracted scope. It can be issued before you begin work, with a quotation, or after you complete the job if something needs attention.

The form asks you to show which issues you noticed and to decide how urgently the customer should address each one. That priority is the part that makes the advice actionable, and it is the part most often left blank.

TCA2 does not replace TCA1 for completed work. It sits beside it. When both apply, issue both and keep the completion clear.

## Building the record before you leave site [#building-the-record-before-you-leave-site]

The handover only works if the details were captured while the job was live.

**Registered cabling provider details.** Capture the cabler's name, address, contact details, registration number and expiry date. Saved details help on repeat forms, but registration details still need checking, particularly after a renewal or a change of entity.

**Work description.** ACMA says the statement should identify the cabling work completed in adequate detail, with location examples such as room, floor, section, department or building. "Data points" is thin. "Installed and tested four Cat 6 outlets in reception and comms cabinet patching for tenancy 2" is a record.

**Customer details.** Add the customer name and contact details while you are still with the customer or building manager, and check business names, site names and addresses.

**Certification, signature and date.** Sign and date after checking the work description and registration details. The signature sits directly against the compliance statement.

**Outstanding matters.** If you notice existing non-compliant cabling, record it on TCA2 with a clear issue and priority rather than leaving it in conversation.

## Record keeping that works back at the office [#record-keeping-that-works-back-at-the-office]

The office does not need a perfect filing system. It needs a record it can find. Use a file name that still makes sense in a year:

- Date
- Customer or site
- Form type
- Suburb or job number
- Cabler initials where that helps

Keep the TCA1 with the job record, invoice, quote, test results, photos and the customer copy email. If a TCA2 was issued, store it with the same job even though ACMA does not require you to keep it.

## Common handover mistakes [#common-handover-mistakes]

**Where each copy has to end up**

- **Complete on site - Registered cabler** - While the room, floor and outlet count are still in front of you.
- **Customer copy - Given or sent** - TCA1 for completed work, TCA2 for anything outstanding.
- **Business copy stored - Kept for one year** - A sent email is not storage. The kept copy is a separate obligation.

Completing the form and handing it over are two steps. Keeping it is a third.

**The customer copy is sent but the business copy is lost.** ACMA requires the kept copy for one year. Sent email is not storage.

**Registration details are stale.** Saved cabler details should not hide an expired or changed registration. Check the number and expiry before you download.

**TCA2 issues stay in conversation.** A spoken warning or a buried text message is hard for the customer, building manager or office to track later. [Common ACMA TCA1 mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-acma-tca1) covers the equivalent patterns on the certification side.

**TCA1 and TCA2 get mixed up.** One certifies completed work, the other records outstanding matters. Using the wrong form leaves the customer unclear about what has actually been certified.

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Tradie Forms turns the ACMA cabling forms into sections you work through one at a time. For [ACMA TCA1](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca1-attach-a) you work through registered cabling provider details, employer details, work description, customer details, certification, signature and date. For [ACMA TCA2](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca2) you choose the advice type and tick the outstanding matters that apply, including the priority level shown on the official form.

You can save provider details, catch missing fields before you download, preview the official PDF layout, download the finished PDF, and attach it to the job record. That keeps cabling completion tied to the work while the details are still fresh.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the official PDF layouts. It does not lodge anything with a regulator. The registered cabler remains responsible for the work, the outstanding matters, the customer copy and the finished documents.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start [ACMA TCA1](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca1-attach-a) when you need to prepare customer cabling advice for completed work, use [ACMA TCA2](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca2) when outstanding cabling matters need recording, or browse [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical) for more live templates.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [ACMA cabling advice forms guidance](https://www.acma.gov.au/cabling-advice-forms) for the copy and retention requirements, and the [ACMA TCA1 form page](https://www.acma.gov.au/publications/2019-06/form/form-tca1-compliance-telecommunications-customer-cabling-advice) and [ACMA TCA2 form page](https://www.acma.gov.au/publications/2019-06/form/form-tca2-telecommunications-cabling-advice) for the official forms. The [ACMA cabling provider rules](https://www.acma.gov.au/cabling-provider-rules) and [ACMA registered cabler guidance](https://www.acma.gov.au/find-registered-cabler) cover registration. Confirm current requirements on the ACMA site before you issue advice.

# Common mistakes with VIC pesticide application records (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-vic-pesticide-application-record)

The pesticide application record mistakes Victorian pest controllers make most: vague treated locations, missing batch numbers, guessed weather, and the fixes. | State: VIC | Trade: Pest Control | Template: vic-pesticide-application-record

Most pesticide application record mistakes are not dramatic. They are ordinary job-site slips.

The batch number is in a photo but not on the record. The client address is copied from the billing contact, not the treated property. The weather is guessed after the ute has moved three suburbs away. The record says "outside perimeter", but nobody can tell which areas were treated.

Those gaps matter because the record is meant to explain what happened on that job. Health Victoria says pest control operators must keep certain records for every pesticide application for every job. Its Technical Note 3 says records should include details such as product trade name, batch number, precautions, date and times, locations, pests, method, quantity, rate, weather for outdoor work, licence details, client details and signature.

Use the [VIC pesticide application record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/vic-pesticide-application-record) to fill the official PDF layout online, or browse [VIC pest control forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/vic/pest-control) for the current pest control templates.

**Key takeaways**

- Fill the pesticide record while the product, batch and treated areas are still in front of you
- Name the specific locations treated, not just the property address
- Record product, batch, method, quantity, rate, precautions and re-entry period for each pesticide used
- Add outdoor weather details during the job, not from memory later
- Store the finished PDF with the job so the office can find it for clients or inspection

## Why do most pesticide record mistakes happen? [#why-do-most-pesticide-record-mistakes-happen]

Almost all of them come from the same cause: the record is written after the work instead of during it. By the end of the day similar jobs blend together, so the details that only existed in the technician's head get approximated. Health Victoria's record keeping guidance says records should be accurate, up to date, clear, consistent and in English. Writing from memory works against every one of those.

The fix is not more admin discipline at night. It is moving the record into the job itself, which is what the [on-site completion guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/vic-pesticide-application-record-on-site-guide) walks through field by field.

## Mistake 1: completing the record after the run [#mistake-1-completing-the-record-after-the-run]

Was the batch number from the morning unit block or the afternoon townhouse? Was the wind light and steady at the factory job or the school job? Which rooms did the tenant ask you to avoid? Those answers fade fast.

Practical fix:

- Start the record before or during the treatment
- Capture product and batch while the container is in hand
- Record treated locations as you move through the property
- Add weather before you leave the site
- Preview the PDF before you close the job

Tradie Forms keeps the form one section at a time, so the record can be finished on a phone at the property instead of a flat PDF later.

## Mistake 2: the property address stands in for the treated location [#mistake-2-the-property-address-stands-in-for-the-treated-location]

The property address tells someone where the job happened. It does not tell them where the pesticide was applied.

Technical Note 3 lists both the location of the pesticide application and the specific location within the property. A later reader needs to know whether you treated the kitchen skirting, roof void, garage, subfloor, external fence line, bins area, loading dock or commercial kitchen cracks and crevices.

**Specific location within the property**

- **Stronger wording** - - Kitchen skirting, pantry, laundry and bathroom wet areas
  - External perimeter, south fence line, garage entry and bin area
  - Level 1 tenancy kitchen, dry store and rear loading dock
  - Roof void above bedrooms 1 and 2 (Tells a later reader where the product actually went.)
- **Weak wording** - - House
  - Outside
  - Commercial site
  - Restaurant (Repeats the address in different words.)

The goal is not long writing. It is enough detail for the client, your office or an inspector to understand the application.

## Mistake 3: product, batch, method and rate go missing [#mistake-3-product-batch-method-and-rate-go-missing]

Product details are easy to overlook when the job is busy. The trade name might be obvious to the technician, but the record needs the detail, not the memory.

Technical Note 3 lists trade name and batch number among the records to keep. It also lists method, quantity, and application rate or enough information to determine the rate from the label. Record all of it while the equipment is still out and the label is still readable.

Health Victoria's record keeping page says pest control businesses using their own record sheet must make sure it contains all sections covered by the template for each pesticide used. If the job involved more than one product, do not squeeze them into a single vague note.

One product block per record is what forces a second record when a second pesticide goes down.

## Mistake 4: precautions and re-entry advice left blank [#mistake-4-precautions-and-re-entry-advice-left-blank]

Specific precautions, including the re-entry period, are part of the record details listed in Technical Note 3. This is not just a box for the file. It is information the client may rely on after you leave.

Common gaps include a blank re-entry field, precautions copied from a previous job without checking the product, advice that does not match the treated areas, and no note about pets, children, food areas, sensitive equipment or access restrictions where they are relevant.

Check the product label and the job conditions, write the precautions in plain language, and make the re-entry advice clear enough for the client or site contact to act on. Tradie Forms maps that wording onto the official PDF layout, but the licensed pest controller still checks it before the record is handed over.

## Mistake 5: weather written from memory [#mistake-5-weather-written-from-memory]

Outdoor pesticide work needs weather details. Technical Note 3 lists ambient temperature, wind direction, wind speed and other relevant weather conditions where pesticide is applied outdoors.

The same technical note says monitoring wind speed, wind direction and temperature should be part of the job-site process for outdoor applications, and that if conditions change significantly during application, the time and nature of the changes should be noted. The mistake is waiting until later and writing "fine" or "calm".

Practical fix:

- Record temperature, wind direction and wind speed during the job
- Use the Beaufort Wind Scale as a guide if you do not have a wind-measuring instrument and it suits the job
- Note changes in conditions during application
- If wind is blowing toward sensitive areas or drift is noticed, follow the official guidance and your business process

Wind speed and direction are separate fields, so calm on its own does not fill either of them.

## Mistake 6: client and pest details that do not match the job [#mistake-6-client-and-pest-details-that-do-not-match-the-job]

The person at the property is not always the client. On rental, strata, body corporate, commercial and facility management jobs, the site contact, billing contact, tenant, owner and managing agent can all be different people. Technical Note 3 includes the name, phone number and address of the person for whom the application was carried out, so check the job booking rather than the invoice header.

The pest fields have the same problem in miniature. The Health Victoria PDF includes pest selection fields and an option for other pests. If you use "other", describe what was treated. An untitled "other" entry is a dead end for the next person reading the record, and broad wording can make the record look like it covers pests you did not treat.

## Where should the finished record be stored? [#where-should-the-finished-record-be-stored]

Wherever your business can produce it on request. Health Victoria says records completed on a smartphone or other electronic device must be kept securely and available for inspection when required. A PDF in a downloads folder, a text message thread or a camera roll is not a filing system.

Download the finished PDF after preview, attach it to the job in your job software or business filing system, and use consistent file names - date, client, suburb and form name works for most small teams. The [digital record-keeping workflow](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/vic-pesticide-record-keeping-digital-workflow) covers naming, storage and office handback in more detail.

## Does an online form check the job for you? [#does-an-online-form-check-the-job-for-you]

No. An online form can catch a missing field, but it cannot check whether the application suited the pest, site, product label, weather or client instructions. Tradie Forms gives you a section-by-section fill in PDF order, saved operator and client details, address search, missing-field checks, a preview of the official PDF layout, and a download on site.

The licensed pest controller remains responsible for the work and the finished PDF. Read the preview before handing it over or filing it. For licence status, supervision and authorisation checks, read the [VIC pest control licence guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/vic-pest-control-licence-guide).

## A close-out habit that catches all of this [#a-close-out-habit-that-catches-all-of-this]

At the property, before the ute moves:

1. Confirm the client and the treated property
2. Record the product trade name and batch
3. Add pests treated and specific locations
4. Add method, quantity and rate details
5. Add precautions and re-entry advice
6. Add weather where outdoor application is involved
7. Sign, preview, download and store the PDF with the job

That turns the record into part of finishing the job, not an evening admin chore.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start the [VIC pesticide application record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/vic-pesticide-application-record) at the property while the details are fresh, or browse [VIC pest control forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/vic/pest-control) for the rest of the Victorian pest control templates. Pest control forms for every state sit on the [pest control forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/pest-control).

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [Health Victoria pest control forms page](https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/pest-control-forms) for the current record sheet, the [Health Victoria record keeping for pest controllers page](https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/record-keeping-for-pest-controllers) for what must be recorded and how it is stored, [Technical Note 3 Record Keeping](https://www.health.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2025-01/technical-note-3-record-keeping.pdf) for the detailed list and weather guidance, and the [Health Victoria pest control legislation and licensing page](https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/pest-control-legislation-and-licensing) for the licensing framework behind the record.

# QLD Form 12 aspect inspection certificate: on-site guide (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-12-aspect-inspection-certificate-guide)

How appointed competent persons complete Queensland Form 12 aspect inspection certificates, capture the basis, and hand the PDF to the building certifier. | State: QLD | Trade: Building | Template: qld-building-form-12-aspect-inspection

> **Tradie Forms:** complete QLD Form 12 on the official PDF layout while the inspection details are still fresh. Work through the aspect, property, basis, reference documents, competent person details and signature before the certificate goes to the building certifier.

QLD Form 12 looks simple until you are trying to finish it between site noise, phone calls and a certifier waiting for the site pack.

The form is used by an appointed competent person for an aspect inspection certificate in Queensland. In plain site language, it records the aspect of building work you inspected, the property, the building or structure, the extent of work covered, the basis for your certification, the documents you relied on, and your details as the appointed competent person.

The best time to complete it is while the inspection is still in front of you. You know what you looked at. You know which plans, standards, test results or specifications were relied on. You can check the lot and plan, local government area and building certifier details before the job moves on.

Use the [QLD Form 12 template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-12-aspect-inspection) when you want a fillable version of the official PDF layout, or browse the full [QLD building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/building) library. For form choice against design certificates, read [Form 12 vs Form 15](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-12-vs-form-15-building-certificate-guide).

## What is Form 12 for? [#what-is-form-12-for]

The Queensland Government Form 12 PDF says it is the approved form to be used under sections 74 and 77 of the Building Regulation 2021. It is for an appointed competent person statement that an aspect of work has been completed and complies with the building development approval.

Business Queensland lists Form 12 as Aspect Inspection Certificate (Appointed Competent Person) on its building forms page. That same official forms page also lists related building forms, including Form 15 for design or specification and Form 16 for inspection certificates.

That matters because Form 12 has a specific job. It is not a general building certificate and it is not a note to the builder. It is the record a building certifier may rely on for an inspected aspect of building work.

Business Queensland's guidance on competent persons says a building certifier may use a competent person to help inspect aspects of a stage of building work, after the certifier has determined that the person is competent for that inspection help. The competent person gives Form 12 to the building certifier for the work they complete so the certifier can confirm the stage is complete.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the official PDF layout. It does not decide whether you are competent for the inspection, whether the aspect complies, or whether the building certifier can rely on the certificate. That judgement stays with the people responsible under the building approval and current law.

## Who completes Form 12? [#who-completes-form-12]

The Form 12 appendix explains that an individual must be assessed and appointed as a competent person before they can give inspection help to a building certifier. The appointment is not just a casual site request. The building certifier has to decide the person is competent for the type of inspection help.

For the person completing the certificate, the practical check is simple:

- Were you appointed by the building certifier for this inspection help?
- Does the aspect match the help you were appointed to give?
- Did you inspect the aspect, or are you relying on another certificate in a way the regulation allows?
- Are your licence, registration, experience and scope details current where they apply?
- Can you clearly state the basis for your certification?

If any of those questions are unclear, sort that out before downloading the PDF. A neat form is useful, but the certificate still has to match the real job.

## Where does Form 12 fit in the job flow? [#where-does-form-12-fit-in-the-job-flow]

Building jobs move in stages. The certifier may need certificates for relevant aspects before a stage can be confirmed. Business Queensland's inspection stages guidance explains that mandatory inspections apply to class 1a and class 10 buildings in different ways, and that building approvals may list additional stages that require inspection.

On site, Form 12 usually sits between an aspect inspection and the building certifier's record. It can cover aspects such as waterproofing, tiling, glazing, energy efficiency, emergency lights, exit signs, smoke detection or air-conditioning when that is the aspect being certified and the appointment fits.

Do not confuse Form 12 with Form 43. Form 43 is a QBCC licensee aspect certificate under a building development approval. Form 12 is the appointed competent person's aspect inspection certificate. Form 15 is design or specification, not completed aspect inspection. For the wider map, see the [QLD building certificates workflow](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-building-certificates-on-site-workflow).

## Details to collect while the inspection is fresh [#details-to-collect-while-the-inspection-is-fresh]

Form 12 is easiest when you treat it as part of the inspection, not as admin for later. Before you leave the site, check each block against the job record.

### Aspect of building work [#aspect-of-building-work]

Start with the aspect. The official form gives examples such as waterproofing, tiling, glazing, energy efficiency, emergency lights, exit signs, smoke detection and air-conditioning.

Do not write a broad label if the certificate only covers a narrow part of the work.

**Aspect of building work**

- **Matches what you inspected** - - Wet area waterproofing to level 2 bathrooms
  - Emergency lighting to tenancy fit-out, ground floor (Matches what you inspected and what you were appointed to inspect.)
- **Too broad** - - Waterproofing
  - Lights (Reads as though the whole trade was inspected.)

The aspect should match what you inspected and what you were appointed to inspect.

### Property, building and extent [#property-building-and-extent]

The official form asks for a property description that identifies all land subject to the application. It includes street address, state, postcode, lot and plan details, and local government area. Do not rely on the postal address from an invoice. Use the property details tied to the building approval.

Describe the building or structure and include the class. The Form 12 appendix points to the National Construction Code classification. Class 1a dwelling and attached garage tells a clearer story than house.

The extent of aspect work certified is a common rework point. The official form asks you to clearly describe the extent of work covered, including location where relevant. Good extent wording says what was inspected and where. It does not suggest you certified work you did not inspect.

### Basis, references and certifier details [#basis-references-and-certifier-details]

The form asks for the basis for giving the certificate and the extent to which tests, specifications, rules, standards, codes of practice or other publications were relied on. Use the standards, drawings, specifications, test results, product documents or other material that actually supported the inspection.

Clearly identify relevant documents. The official form gives numbered engineering plans as an example. Use document numbers, revisions, drawing titles, dates and report references where they are available. Plans is not enough on a busy project.

Record the building certifier's name, reference number and building development approval number. Check these against the approval documents or certifier request, not an old email subject line.

The form also needs the appointed competent person's name, company name where applicable, contact details, postal address, licence class or registration details where applicable, the date the inspection request was received from the certifier, signature and date. Saved details help, but still check them after licence renewals, business address changes or staff changes.

**Key takeaways**

- Complete Form 12 while the aspect, plans and inspection notes are still in front of you
- Make the extent of work narrow enough to match what you inspected
- Reference plans, standards, tests and documents clearly so the certifier can follow the basis
- Confirm you were appointed as a competent person for this inspection help
- Preview the official PDF layout before sending it to the building certifier

## Common Form 12 mistakes [#common-form-12-mistakes]

### The aspect is too broad [#the-aspect-is-too-broad]

Broad wording can make a certificate look like it covers more work than you intended. If you inspected only one area, stage, room, product or system, say so.

### The property details come from the wrong source [#the-property-details-come-from-the-wrong-source]

The job address in a booking system may not include lot and plan details or the correct local government area. Check the approval documents and site information before download.

### The basis is thin [#the-basis-is-thin]

As per plans does not tell the certifier much. Use the actual drawing numbers, standards, codes, product information, test results or specifications that support your statement.

### Reference documents are not identified [#reference-documents-are-not-identified]

If supporting documents matter, name them properly. Revision numbers and dates save arguments later.

### The certificate is finished away from site [#the-certificate-is-finished-away-from-site]

Waiting until later means you are relying on memory. Complete the certificate while the plans, photos, marked-up drawings and site conditions are still fresh.

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Tradie Forms turns Form 12 into sections you work through one at a time instead of a flat PDF. You work through aspect of building work, property description, building or structure, extent of aspect work certified, basis of certification, reference documentation, building certifier details, appointed competent person details, and signature and date.

The form can save competent person details for the next job, flag missing required fields before download, and show a preview of the official PDF layout before you download it. Download the PDF, send it to the certifier, and attach it to the job record your business uses.

Keep the final Form 12 with the building certifier request or appointment information, building development approval number, drawings and specifications relied on, photos or inspection notes, test reports or product documents, related certificates, and the finished Form 12 PDF.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start the [QLD Form 12 aspect inspection certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-12-aspect-inspection) when you need to finish the certificate on the official PDF layout. Compare design versus inspection certificates in [Form 12 vs Form 15](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-12-vs-form-15-building-certificate-guide).

If the certifier is waiting on a QBCC licensee aspect certificate instead, open [QLD Form 43](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-43-aspect-certificate). For the wider certificate map, browse [QLD building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/building) or the [QLD building certificates workflow](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-building-certificates-on-site-workflow).

## Official references [#official-references]

For official requirements, check the [Business Queensland building forms page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/forms-guidelines/forms), the [Queensland Form 12 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0022/18625/form12aspectinspectioncertificateappointedcompetentperson.pdf), the [Business Queensland competent persons guidance](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/approvals-inspections/competent-persons-cadets), and the [Business Queensland building inspection stages guidance](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/approvals-inspections/stages).

# TAS Form 60 and Form 71B: plumbing workflow from start notice to closeout (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-60-form-71b-plumbing-workflow-guide)

How Tasmanian plumbers run Form 60 and Form 71B as one job record: what to line up between the two PDFs, who gets each copy, and what to store with the job. | State: TAS | Trade: Plumbing | Template: tas-form-60-start-work

Most Tasmanian plumbing paperwork problems are not form problems. They are handover problems. Form 60 goes out in an email thread. Form 71B gets built from memory a week later. The owner address does not match. The permit reference on the certificate is one digit off the one on the start notice.

This guide is about running the two forms as a single job record rather than two unrelated PDFs. For the field-by-field detail, the [Form 60 start work notification guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-60-start-work-notification-plumbing-guide) and the [Form 71B standard of work certificate guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-71b-standard-of-work-certificate-guide) cover each form on its own.

**Key takeaways**

- Form 60 opens the job record, Form 71B closes it, and the details in between should agree
- The CBOS guide sends Form 60 to the council permit authority and Form 71B to the permit authority with a copy to the owner
- Set up the permit authority, site and licence details once at the start so closeout is a check, not a rebuild
- Fill Form 71B on site while the completed work and inspection notes are still in front of you
- Neither form decides the work pathway - that stays with the licensed plumber and the permit authority

## What do the official sources say about each form? [#what-do-the-official-sources-say-about-each-form]

[CBOS lists both forms on its approved forms page](https://cbos.tas.gov.au/topics/resources-tools/Building-and-trades-forms%2C-publications-and-report/asset-listings/approved-forms). The [CBOS guide to approved plumbing forms](https://www.cbos.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/404544/Guide_to_approved_forms_-_plumbing_work.pdf) says Form 60 is a Start Work Notification and Authorisation for plumbing work, completed by the plumber seeking authorisation to start plumbing work and sent to the council permit authority.

The same guide says Form 71B is the Standard of Work Certificate for plumbing work. It is completed by the plumber, sent to the council permit authority, and a copy is sent to the owner. The guide says it is used when permit or notifiable plumbing work is completed.

| Workflow point  | Form 60                                   | Form 71B                                             |
| --------------- | ----------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- |
| Main purpose    | Start work notification and authorisation | Standard of work certificate                         |
| When it is used | Before the plumbing work starts           | When permit or notifiable plumbing work is completed |
| Completed by    | Licensed plumber                          | Licensed plumber                                     |
| Main recipient  | Council permit authority                  | Council permit authority, with a copy to the owner   |
| Job-record role | Opens the approved work record            | Closes the work record against what was completed    |

The [Index of Forms Approved by the Director of Building Control](https://www.cbos.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/449303/Index-of-Approved-Forms-Building-Act-2016-and-Building-Regulations-2016-as-at-1-October-2024.pdf) says approved forms are templates for use in the administration of the Building Act 2016 and Building Regulations 2016, and that users should exercise care when completing forms and read the Act or regulations, including the section or regulation referred to, before use. That is worth taking literally. Tradie Forms helps you fill the official layout. It does not decide whether the job is permit work, notifiable work, low risk work or another category.

## Why should the two forms stay together? [#why-should-the-two-forms-stay-together]

Because they answer the two ends of the same question, and a permit authority or owner asking about the job six months later will want both halves.

Small crews lose time here more than anywhere else. Form 60 sits in an email. Form 71B sits on a laptop. Photos are in a phone gallery and inspection notes are in the job software. When someone asks what was approved and what was certified, the record has to be rebuilt from memory.

Treat the start notice as the moment you establish the job's facts: permit authority, site, lot, permit or certificate of likely compliance reference, licensed plumber. Then closeout becomes a check against those facts rather than a fresh round of data entry.

## What should line up between Form 60 and Form 71B [#what-should-line-up-between-form-60-and-form-71b]

These are the fields worth checking side by side before the certificate goes out.

**Permit authority.** Same council or authority, same address, unless the job genuinely moved pathways. Saved details help across repeat councils, but confirm the recipient against the site.

**Work site and lot details.** New subdivisions, rural properties and multi-unit sites need more than a street number. Whatever identified the site on the start notice should still identify it on the certificate.

**Permit or certificate of likely compliance reference.** Copy from the approval document both times, not from the earlier form and not from an old job with the same builder.

**Work type.** If Form 60 recorded permit work, the certificate should not quietly become notifiable work because it felt close enough. If the pathway changed, that is a job-record note, not a silent edit.

**Licensed plumber details.** Licence number, business name and contact details drift after a renewal or an address change. If a different licensed plumber carried out the work from the one who lodged the start notice, fix it before the certificate is issued.

**Owner details.** The CBOS guide has the owner receiving a copy of Form 71B, so the owner block is not filler. If your site contact was a builder, tenant or project manager, make sure the copy still reaches the legal owner.

## Where the workflow usually breaks [#where-the-workflow-usually-breaks]

**Form 60 gets treated as throwaway admin.** If the authority, site, work type or plumber details are wrong at the start, the office is fixing the same problem at completion.

**Form 71B work description**

- **This** - Install hot and cold water reticulation and sanitary drainage to new dwelling, tested and connected (Written while the work is still in front of you.)
- **Not this** - Plumbing work completed (What a certificate filled from memory looks like.)

**Form 71B gets filled from memory.** Write the description on site, not back at the office.

**The work description is written for the plumber, not the reader.** "Install sanitary plumbing and water supply rough-in for ensuite renovation at rear dwelling" survives six months. "Bathroom plumbing" does not.

**Owner details differ between quote, invoice, permit and form.** Pick the record that belongs on the form and keep it consistent.

**Sending is mistaken for filing.** A sent PDF is not a stored record. Keep Form 60, Form 71B, approval references, inspection notes, photos and completion emails in the same place.

## A practical job flow [#a-practical-job-flow]

1. Confirm the work pathway against current CBOS guidance and the permit authority.
2. Fill [TAS Form 60](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-60-start-work) before work starts, and save the permit authority and plumber details while you are there.
3. Lodge it through the permit authority process and store the finished PDF with the job.
4. Record inspections, photos, changes and site notes as the job runs.
5. Complete [TAS Form 71B](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-71b-plumbing) when the permit or notifiable plumbing work is finished, checking it against the Form 60 facts.
6. Preview the official layout, then download the finished certificate.
7. Send the copies the process requires, including the owner copy, and store everything together.

**Form 60 at the start, Form 71B at the end**

- **Form 60, before work starts - Plumber** - Permit authority and plumber details saved here get reused at the end.
- **Work runs - On site** - Inspections, photos, changes and site notes recorded as you go.
- **Form 71B, at completion - Plumber** - Checked against the Form 60 facts rather than filled from memory.
- **Copies sent and stored - Including the owner copy** - Both PDFs kept together against the same job.

The two forms bookend the job, which is why the details entered at the start are the ones worth getting right.

Where the job also needs a certificate of completion, [TAS Form 21](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-21-completion) is the separate document, and the [Form 21 vs Form 71B guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-21-vs-form-71b-plumbing-guide) explains which one you are actually being asked for.

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Both forms become sections you work through one at a time instead of flat PDFs. Form 60 runs through permit authority, type of work, plumbing work, work categories, licensed plumber and notification of intention to start. Form 71B runs through recipient, plumber, owner, type of work, compliance references, work site, standard of work description and certification.

Saved permit authority and plumber details carry across both, missing fields get flagged before you download, and you preview the official layout before anything leaves the job. Tradie Forms is not affiliated with CBOS or any Tasmanian permit authority, it does not lodge, inspect or approve anything, and downloading or emailing a PDF does not complete a permit authority process. The licensed plumber remains responsible.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start [TAS Form 60](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-60-start-work) before the plumbing work begins and [TAS Form 71B](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-71b-plumbing) when it is finished. The [TAS plumbing forms list](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-plumbing-forms-list-start-completion-handover) covers the full Tasmanian set including gratuitous work, and [TAS plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/tas/plumbing) has the live templates. See the [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing) for the rest of the Australian set.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [CBOS approved forms page](https://cbos.tas.gov.au/topics/resources-tools/Building-and-trades-forms%2C-publications-and-report/asset-listings/approved-forms) for the current Form 60 and Form 71B, the [CBOS guide to approved plumbing forms](https://www.cbos.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/404544/Guide_to_approved_forms_-_plumbing_work.pdf) for who completes and receives each one, the [CBOS Guide to the Building Act 2016](https://www.cbos.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/405039/Guide_to_the_Building_Act_2016.pdf) for the work categories and completion steps, and the [Index of approved forms](https://www.cbos.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/449303/Index-of-Approved-Forms-Building-Act-2016-and-Building-Regulations-2016-as-at-1-October-2024.pdf) for the current approved form list.

# QLD Form 15 design specification certificate: how to complete it (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-15-design-specification-certificate-guide)

Complete a QLD Form 15 design or specification certificate, from property and basis wording to competent person sign-off and PDF download. | State: QLD | Trade: Building | Template: qld-building-form-15-design-spec

> **Tradie Forms:** complete QLD Form 15 on the official PDF layout when a building certifier needs a design or specification certificate. Work through property, extent, basis, reference documents, certifier details, competent person block, signature and date in one pass.

QLD Form 15 turns up when the building certifier needs a proper certificate for a design or specification, not a half-readable note stapled to an email. The job is simple in theory: state the aspect or specification, explain the basis, list the drawings, standards, tests or product documents relied on, add the appointed competent person details, and sign.

The messy part is doing that cleanly while the project has moving drawings, revised specifications, product substitutions and approval numbers flying around. This guide walks the form section by section. If you want the failure modes instead, read [common Form 15 mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-qld-building-form-15).

**Key takeaways**

- Form 15 certifies a design or specification, not work that has been built and inspected
- The building certifier appoints an individual competent person, and that person signs
- Property details apply to site-specific certificates, not to generic product designs
- The basis and reference fields carry the weight - name documents, revisions and standards
- Preview the official PDF layout before the certificate goes to the certifier

Use the [QLD Form 15 template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-15-design-spec) for a fillable version of the official layout, or browse [QLD building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/building).

## What does QLD Form 15 actually certify? [#what-does-qld-form-15-actually-certify]

A design or specification, ahead of the work. The official Form 15 says it is the approved form used under section 10 of the Building Act 1975 and sections 73 and 77 of the Building Regulation 2021, and that it states an aspect of building work or specification will, if installed or carried out as stated in the form, comply with the building assessment provisions.

That forward-looking wording is what separates it from [Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-12-aspect-inspection), the aspect inspection certificate given after work has been completed and inspected. Form 15 helps the building certifier assess a building development application, issue the approval, or deal with updated aspect information such as glazing, truss specifications or revised excavation drawings. The [Form 12 vs Form 15 guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-12-vs-form-15-building-certificate-guide) sets the two out side by side if the choice is not obvious on your job.

## Who can complete and sign Form 15? [#who-can-complete-and-sign-form-15]

The individual the building certifier has assessed and appointed as competent for that design-specification help. The Form 15 appendix says a building certifier can accept the certificate from a competent person for design-specification work, and that the certifier must assess and decide to appoint the individual before accepting the help.

The official form also says the certifier must consider the person's experience, qualifications and skills, and ensure the person holds a licence or registration if required. The certificate must be signed by that assessed and appointed individual.

Before you start filling anything, confirm:

- The building certifier appointed you for this type of design-specification help
- The aspect or specification sits inside that appointment
- Your licence, registration, role and contact details are current where they apply
- You can explain the basis for the certificate
- The reference documents are the current drawings, specifications, test results or product documents

## Filling the form section by section [#filling-the-form-section-by-section]

### Property description [#property-description]

The property section only needs completing where street address and property details are applicable. The official form gives examples where it may not apply, such as standard or generic pool design, shell manufacture, or patio and carport systems.

When property details do apply, the description must identify all land subject to the application: street address, suburb or locality, state, postcode, lot and plan details, and local government area. The official form notes lot and plan details can be found on title documents or a rates notice, and that previous lot and plan details should be used if the plan is not registered by title. An invoice address is not a substitute, especially on staged sites, subdivisions, commercial buildings or body corporate work.

### Description of aspect or specification [#description-of-aspect-or-specification]

This field says what the certificate covers, and the official form asks you to clearly describe the extent of work. It gives structural steel roof beams as an example.

Write it narrow enough that the certifier, builder and owner can understand the scope later. Include the system, material, room, building area, plan reference, stage or product range where they help.

**Aspect certified**

- **This** - Structural design of steel roof beams to warehouse extension shown on drawings S04 to S08 (Gives the certifier the element, the area, and the drawings.)
- **Not this** - Structural design (Reads as though the whole structure was certified.)

If it is a standard product design, say so. If it covers one part of a staged project, say which part.

### Basis of certification [#basis-of-certification]

The basis field explains why you can give the certificate. The official form asks for the basis and the extent to which tests, specifications, rules, standards, codes of practice and other publications were relied on.

Use plain wording, but be specific. Name the standard, code, drawing set, report, design criteria or product documents that support the certificate. If you relied on a test result, say which result. If you relied on a specification, name it. "As per plans" is not a basis when drawing numbers, revision letters, calculations, product specifications, test reports and standards all exist.

### Reference documentation [#reference-documentation]

The reference section makes the paper trail findable. The official form asks you to clearly identify relevant documentation, such as numbered structural engineering plans.

Use document numbers, drawing titles, revisions, dates, project names, report numbers and product data where available. Where the space is not enough, the official appendix says additional material can be created and referred to in an addendum or attachment. That does not mean every file belongs in the form body - it means the form should point clearly at the documents behind the certificate.

### Certifier reference and approval numbers [#certifier-reference-and-approval-numbers]

The form asks for the building certifier reference number and the building development application number if available. These match the certificate to the approval file. Copy them from the certifier request, approval documents or job software, not from the last certificate. Old approval numbers travel easily when a builder has several projects open at once.

### Competent person details and signature [#competent-person-details-and-signature]

This block needs full name, company name where applicable, contact person, phone, mobile, email, postal address, licence class or registration type where applicable, and licence or registration number where applicable.

Tradie Forms can save competent person details so you are not retyping the same name, licence, address and contact block on every certificate. Check them before you send, especially after licence renewals, role changes or a business address update. The signature belongs to the appointed individual - the official form states the certificate must be signed by the person the building certifier assessed and appointed to give that design-specification help.

## Manufacturer and supplier certificates [#manufacturer-and-supplier-certificates]

Product-driven jobs raise this often. The official Form 15 appendix says the building certifier may accept Form 15 from a manufacturer or supplier if the certifier has decided they are a competent person for design-specification, and a manufacturer or supplier can give the form where they have undertaken the design component for the product.

Where the supplier did not do the design work, the appendix points to evidence of suitability such as a product technical statement instead. Do not dress a supply-only arrangement up as a design certificate.

## A clean completion habit [#a-clean-completion-habit]

For most teams, the same order works every time:

1. Confirm the certifier appointment and its scope.
2. Open the current drawings, specifications, product documents and approval references.
3. Fill the property section if it applies to this certificate.
4. Describe the exact aspect or specification covered.
5. Write the basis in plain, specific language.
6. Name the reference documents with dates and revisions.
7. Add the certifier reference and approval number.
8. Check the competent person details.
9. Preview the official PDF layout.
10. Store the finished PDF with the supporting job records.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the official Form 15 layout, reuses saved competent person details, flags missing required fields, and previews the PDF so you can see where long basis text and references land. It does not decide whether the design complies, whether you are the right competent person, or whether the certifier can rely on the certificate. That stays with the appointed competent person and the building certifier.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start the [QLD Form 15 design or specification certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-15-design-spec) when you are ready to prepare the official layout, or browse [QLD building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/building).

If the job is a completed and inspected aspect, use [QLD Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-12-aspect-inspection) and its [aspect inspection guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-12-aspect-inspection-certificate-guide). To see how design, aspect, stage and final certificates connect across a job, read the [QLD building certificates workflow](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-building-certificates-on-site-workflow).

## Official references [#official-references]

For current requirements, check the [Business Queensland building forms page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/forms-guidelines/forms), the [Queensland Form 15 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0026/9773/form15compliancecertificateforbuildingdesignorspecification.pdf), the [Business Queensland competent persons guidance](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/approvals-inspections/competent-persons-cadets), and the [Queensland Form 12 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0022/18625/form12aspectinspectioncertificateappointedcompetentperson.pdf).

# NSW Fire Safety Certificate vs Statement: Which Form Do You Need? (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-vs-statement-guide)

A practical comparison of NSW fire safety certificates, annual statements, and supplementary statements for owners, agents, and fire safety teams. | State: NSW | Trade: Fire Safety | Template: nsw-fire-safety-statement

> **Tradie Forms:** choose the right NSW fire safety form before you start filling. Use the Fire Safety Certificate for completion-stage certification, and the Fire Safety Statement for annual or supplementary existing-building obligations. Then fill the official PDF layout, preview it, and download a clean copy.

NSW fire safety paperwork uses similar words for different moments. Certificate. Statement. Annual. Supplementary. Final. Interim. They can all involve a fire safety schedule, fire safety measures, assessment records, and owner declarations.

Pick the wrong form and the job gets messy. A certificate might be prepared when the building actually needs an annual fire safety statement. A supplementary statement might be treated like the yearly AFSS. A final certificate might be used when only part of the building is complete.

This guide sorts the practical difference so owners, agents, fire safety teams, and building managers can start with the right form and keep the job record clean.

## What is the difference between a fire safety certificate and a statement? [#what-is-the-difference-between-a-fire-safety-certificate-and-a-statement]

Use a NSW Fire Safety Certificate when new building work, a completed part of building work, a change of use, or another completion-stage process needs fire safety measures certified against the current fire safety schedule.

Use a NSW Fire Safety Statement when an existing building is in its ongoing fire safety cycle. An annual statement covers essential fire safety measures each year. A supplementary statement covers critical fire safety measures at shorter intervals specified in the current fire safety schedule.

Both forms matter. They just belong to different points in the building life cycle.

## What the official guidance says [#what-the-official-guidance-says]

NSW Planning says a fire safety certificate is issued by or on behalf of a building owner when new building work is complete. It confirms that a properly qualified person has installed and checked the measures listed in the fire safety schedule, helping verify that the measures can perform to the minimum standard.

NSW Planning says a fire safety statement is issued by or on behalf of the owner of an existing building. It confirms that an accredited practitioner (fire safety) has assessed, inspected, and verified the performance of each fire safety measure that applies to the building.

The Environmental Planning and Assessment (Development Certification and Fire Safety) Regulation 2021 then sets out the detail for final and interim fire safety certificates, annual fire safety statements, supplementary fire safety statements, timing, information to include, and completion duties.

Use the [NSW Planning fire safety certification page](https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/policy-and-legislation/buildings/fire-safety-in-buildings/fire-safety-certification), [Fire and Rescue NSW lodgement guidance](https://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/fire-safety/building-fire-safety/service-type-tool/lodge-a-fire-safety-statement), and the [current Regulation](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/sl-2021-0689) as official references.

## Fire Safety Certificate [#fire-safety-certificate]

The Fire Safety Certificate is the completion-stage form.

The Regulation defines a final fire safety certificate as a certificate issued for a building by or on behalf of the owner. It defines an interim fire safety certificate as a certificate issued for part of a building by or on behalf of the owner.

A final certificate suits the whole building work. An interim certificate suits a completed part.

The certificate should be built from the current fire safety schedule and the assessment records for the measures being certified. The official layout asks for building details, owner details, fire safety measures, minimum standards of performance, dates assessed, certificate type, and the matching declaration.

The certificate, with final and interim as its two type options.

In Tradie Forms, start here:

[NSW Fire Safety Certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-fire-safety-certificate)

## Annual Fire Safety Statement [#annual-fire-safety-statement]

The Annual Fire Safety Statement is the yearly existing-building form.

NSW Planning says annual fire safety statements must be issued each year and include all essential fire safety measures that apply to a building. The Fire and Rescue NSW page says an annual statement is issued by or on behalf of the owner and covers the assessment of essential measures and the inspection of the building condition in relation to Part 15.

The Regulation says the owner must give the annual fire safety statement to council within the relevant yearly timing. It also says that as soon as practicable after the annual statement is issued, the owner must give a copy of the statement and current fire safety schedule to the Fire Commissioner and ensure a copy of both is prominently displayed in the building.

The [Annual Fire Safety Statement NSW guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-statement-afss-online-guide). For each document on its own, see the [fire safety certificate on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-on-site-guide) and [when is a NSW fire safety statement required](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-nsw-fire-safety-statement-required). covers AFSS due dates, accredited practitioners, costs, council and FRNSW submission, and the building display copy.

The statement, with annual and supplementary as its two type options. Different document, different obligation, similar-looking page.

In Tradie Forms, use the statement template and choose annual:

[NSW Fire Safety Statement](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-fire-safety-statement)

## What is a supplementary fire safety statement? [#what-is-a-supplementary-fire-safety-statement]

The Supplementary Fire Safety Statement is for critical measures.

NSW Planning says supplementary statements are issued at more regular intervals specified in the fire safety schedule for critical fire safety measures. The Regulation says if a critical measure is specified in the schedule, the owner must ensure council is given a supplementary statement for that measure at intervals of less than 12 months specified in the schedule.

Do not treat a supplementary statement as a spare annual statement. It is tied to critical measures and the intervals shown on the current fire safety schedule.

In Tradie Forms, use the same statement template and choose supplementary:

[NSW Fire Safety Statement](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-fire-safety-statement)

**Key takeaways**

- Use the NSW Fire Safety Certificate for completion-stage certification, with final and interim options
- Use the NSW Fire Safety Statement for existing-building obligations, with annual and supplementary options
- The current fire safety schedule drives the measures, standards, critical measure intervals, and supporting records
- Fire and Rescue NSW, council, display, owner, certifier, and building practitioner completion points depend on the form and job pathway

## How to choose the right form [#how-to-choose-the-right-form]

Ask these questions before filling anything:

1. Is this tied to new building work, occupation, a completed part, a fire safety order, or a completion-stage certificate? Start with the NSW Fire Safety Certificate.
2. Is this the yearly fire safety statement for an existing building? Use the NSW Fire Safety Statement and choose annual.
3. Is this for critical fire safety measures at shorter intervals shown in the schedule? Use the NSW Fire Safety Statement and choose supplementary.
4. Is the scope only part of a building? Check whether interim certificate or part-building statement details are needed.
5. Has the current fire safety schedule changed since the last form? Update the measure rows from the current schedule.

If the answer is still unclear, check the certifier, council, current fire safety schedule, and official guidance before issuing a PDF.

## Common mix-ups [#common-mix-ups]

**Which document the moment calls for**

- **Right document** - - Certificate at completion-stage certification
  - Annual statement for the yearly existing-building cycle
  - Supplementary for critical measures at shorter intervals, alongside the annual
  - Interim certificate when only part of the work is complete (Match the document to the job moment, not to what is on the desktop.)
- **Wrong document** - - A certificate used for the annual cycle
  - A supplementary statement treated as the AFSS
  - A final certificate covering only part of the building (Usually chosen because the other form was harder to find.)

### Certificate used for an annual cycle [#certificate-used-for-an-annual-cycle]

A certificate belongs to completion-stage certification. An annual statement belongs to ongoing existing-building maintenance and yearly reporting. Do not use one because the other form is harder to find.

### Supplementary statement treated like the AFSS [#supplementary-statement-treated-like-the-afss]

Supplementary statements cover critical measures at specified shorter intervals. They do not replace the annual statement for all essential measures unless the official pathway says so for that building and schedule.

### Final certificate used for part of the building [#final-certificate-used-for-part-of-the-building]

If only part of the building is complete, the interim certificate may be the relevant certificate type. Make the scope clear in the building description and supporting records.

### Schedule ignored [#schedule-ignored]

Every form starts with the current schedule. Measure names, minimum standards, critical intervals, and building scope should not be guessed from old PDFs.

### Completion stops at download [#completion-stops-at-download]

Download is not the end. The form may need council, Fire and Rescue NSW, display, owner, certifier, or building practitioner handling depending on the form and pathway.

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Tradie Forms gives each NSW fire safety form its own path.

For the [NSW Fire Safety Certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-fire-safety-certificate), you can choose final or interim, add building and owner details, list fire safety measures, fill declarant details, sign, preview, and download the official PDF layout.

For the [NSW Fire Safety Statement](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-fire-safety-statement), you can choose annual or supplementary, add building and owner details, list measures, add fire exit inspections for annual statements, record APFS practitioner rows, fill the matching declaration, preview, and download the official Version 4 PDF.

Across both, you can:

- Reuse saved owner, building, and declarant details
- Use address search for NSW buildings
- Catch missing fields before download
- Preview the official PDF before you complete
- Download or complete the finished PDF
- Attach or store it with the building record where your job software keeps evidence

Tradie Forms maps entries onto official NSW PDF layouts. It is not affiliated with NSW Planning, Fire and Rescue NSW, any council, or any certifier. The owner, authorised representative, and relevant practitioners remain responsible for checking the form, supporting evidence, and downloaded PDF.

## What to keep in the building record [#what-to-keep-in-the-building-record]

Keep the form with the evidence that explains it:

- Current fire safety schedule
- Completed certificate or statement PDF
- APFS assessment and inspection records
- Owner or agent authority
- Council, Fire and Rescue NSW, certifier, or building practitioner completion records where relevant
- Display copy note or photo where useful
- Any related development consent, construction certificate, occupation certificate, fire safety order, or certifier instruction

That record helps at the next annual cycle, during sale or lease due diligence, when council follows up, or when a practitioner needs to confirm what was previously certified.

The practical rule is to make the form choice visible in the job file. Name the PDF clearly, store the schedule beside it, and keep the lodgement on site proof in the same record. That way the next person does not have to guess whether they are looking at completion-stage certification or an annual cycle document.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

For completion-stage certification, start the [NSW Fire Safety Certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-fire-safety-certificate).

For annual or supplementary statements, start the [NSW Fire Safety Statement](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-fire-safety-statement).

You can also browse [NSW fire safety forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/fire-safety) or [fire safety forms by state](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/fire-safety).

## Official references [#official-references]

For current requirements, check the [NSW Planning fire safety certification page](https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/policy-and-legislation/buildings/fire-safety-in-buildings/fire-safety-certification), [Fire and Rescue NSW fire safety statement lodgement guidance](https://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/fire-safety/building-fire-safety/service-type-tool/lodge-a-fire-safety-statement), the [Fire and Rescue NSW AFSS submission page](https://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/fire-safety/building-fire-safety/service-type-tool/lodge-a-fire-safety-statement/afsssubmission), the [NSW fire safety statements FAQ](https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-03/fire-safety-statements-faq.pdf), and the [Environmental Planning and Assessment (Development Certification and Fire Safety) Regulation 2021](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/sl-2021-0689).

# QLD Form 12 vs Form 15: Which Building Certificate Fits the Job? (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-12-vs-form-15-building-certificate-guide)

A practical comparison of Queensland Form 12 aspect inspection certificates and Form 15 design or specification certificates for building completion. | State: QLD | Trade: Building | Template: qld-building-form-12-aspect-inspection

> **Tradie Forms:** use this guide when a Queensland building job needs a certificate and the team is choosing between Form 12 and Form 15. Pick the right job moment, fill the official PDF layout, preview it, and hand the certifier a clean record.

QLD Form 12 and QLD Form 15 sit close together in the building paperwork pile, so they are easy to mix up when a certifier, builder, designer, or subcontractor is pushing to close a job stage.

Both forms involve appointed competent persons. Both can support a building certifier's decision-making. Both ask for clear descriptions, basis of certification, reference documents, competent person details, and a signature. But they are not the same form.

The practical split is this: Form 12 is about an aspect of building work that has been completed and inspected. Form 15 is about a building design or specification that will comply if installed or carried out as stated in the certificate.

That one difference changes what you collect, when you complete the form, and what evidence belongs in the job record.

Start the [QLD Form 12 aspect inspection certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-12-aspect-inspection) for completed aspect inspection work, or start the [QLD Form 15 design or specification certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-15-design-spec) when the certificate is about design-specification help. You can also browse all [QLD building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/building).

## What is the difference between Form 12 and Form 15? [#what-is-the-difference-between-form-12-and-form-15]

The official Form 12 PDF says it is an aspect inspection certificate for an appointed competent person statement that an aspect of work has been completed and complies with the building development approval.

The official Form 15 PDF says it is a compliance certificate for building design or specification. It states that an aspect of building work or specification will, if installed or carried out as stated in the form, comply with the building assessment provisions.

So the first question is not "which PDF looks right?" It is "what job moment are we certifying?"

Use Form 12 when the work has been inspected and the certificate records the aspect of completed work. Use Form 15 when the certificate is about the design, specification, material, system, method of building, or other design-related matter before or beside the work being installed or carried out.

If the answer is still unclear, check the building certifier's request and the current approval documents before downloading anything.

## Where Form 12 fits [#where-form-12-fits]

Business Queensland's competent persons guidance says a building certifier may use a competent person to provide inspection help for aspects of a stage of building work, after the certifier determines that the person is competent for the inspection help.

Form 12 is the aspect inspection certificate for that job. The official form asks for:

- The aspect of building work
- The property description
- The building or structure description and class
- The extent of aspect work certified
- The basis of certification
- Reference documentation
- Building certifier details
- Appointed competent person details
- Signature and date

The Form 12 appendix explains that the person assessed and appointed as a competent person for inspection must complete the form and give it to the building certifier after inspecting the aspect and being satisfied the aspect has been completed and complies with the building development approval.

On site, Form 12 often belongs after a waterproofing, glazing, smoke detection, energy efficiency, emergency lighting, structural, or similar aspect inspection, where the appointment and scope match the job.

## Where Form 15 fits [#where-form-15-fits]

Form 15 is for design-specification help. The official Form 15 appendix says a building certifier can accept from a competent person a certificate stating the competent person has assessed the building design or specification for the aspect of building work and that it will, if installed or carried out under the certificate, comply with the building assessment provisions.

The form asks for:

- Property description where applicable
- Description of aspect or specification certified
- Basis of certification
- Reference documentation
- Building certifier reference and building development application number
- Appointed competent person details
- Signature and date

The Form 15 appendix also says the certificate information informs the building certifier's decision-making when assessing a building development application, issuing the approval, or amending an approval because of updated aspect information.

In job language, Form 15 belongs with the design package or specification record. It might support structural design, glazing specs, truss documentation, excavation drawing revisions, product design, or other design-specification material where the certifier has appointed the person for that help.

## Why do the two get mixed up? [#why-do-the-two-get-mixed-up]

The forms look related because they share a similar logic. Both need a competent person. Both ask for basis and references. Both go to the building certifier. Both can mention standards, codes, drawings, tests, specifications, and publications.

The risk comes from using the same wording in the wrong job moment.

If you use Form 15 for completed work inspection, the certificate may not match what actually happened on site. If you use Form 12 for design-specification material, it can sound like an inspection happened when the certificate was really about a design or product specification.

The fix is to start with the evidence:

- Inspection notes, photos, site walk, and completed work point toward Form 12
- Drawings, calculations, product specs, design reports, standards, and specifications point toward Form 15
- A certifier's appointment should say whether the help is inspection or design-specification

## What to collect for Form 12 [#what-to-collect-for-form-12]

For Form 12, collect the details that prove the inspected aspect is clear:

- Aspect of building work
- Property address, lot and plan, and local government area
- Building or structure description and NCC class
- Exact extent and location of the aspect inspected
- Basis for certification
- Reference documents, test results, standards, or plans relied on
- Building certifier name, reference number, and approval number
- Competent person details and signature

The strongest Form 12 descriptions say what was inspected and where. "Wet area waterproofing to ensuite, bathroom, and laundry in unit 3" is clearer than "waterproofing". "Smoke detection installation to level 1 common corridor and tenancy 1.02" is clearer than "smoke alarms".

Keep supporting photos, inspection notes, marked-up drawings, test reports, and related certificates with the downloaded PDF.

## What to collect for Form 15 [#what-to-collect-for-form-15]

For Form 15, collect the details that make the design or specification traceable:

- Property details, if they apply
- The aspect or specification being certified
- The basis for certification
- Drawings, calculations, tests, standards, product documents, specs, or other publications relied on
- Building certifier reference number and building development application number where available
- Competent person details and signature

The strongest Form 15 descriptions are specific about the design or specification. "Structural design of steel roof beams shown on drawings S04 to S08, Rev C" is better than "steel". "Glazing specification for shopfront system to tenancy 2, drawing A23, Rev B" is better than "glazing".

If the form does not have enough room for all supporting material, the official Form 15 appendix allows additional material to be created and referred to in an addendum or attachment, provided the approved form section text is not altered.

**Key takeaways**

- Form 12 is for an inspected aspect of completed building work
- Form 15 is for building design or specification that will comply if installed or carried out as stated
- The building certifier appointment should match the type of help being given
- Store the downloaded PDF with the evidence that supports the certificate

## Form 12 and Form 15 in the certification flow [#form-12-and-form-15-in-the-certification-flow]

Business Queensland's inspection stages guidance says building certification involves independently checking and approving building work against safety, health, amenity, and sustainability standards in legislation and building codes. It also says the building approval addresses the inspection schedule and the builder must notify the certifier when building work is ready for inspection.

In that flow, the certifier may need different records at different points.

Form 15 can help before or during approval and design changes, where the certifier needs design-specification support. Form 12 can help after an appointed competent person inspects an aspect of work and gives the certifier the aspect inspection certificate.

Neither form replaces the certifier's role. They give the certifier structured information to consider.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

### Picking the form from habit [#picking-the-form-from-habit]

Some teams use whatever form they used last time. That is risky. Ask whether this certificate is for completed inspected work or design-specification help.

### Writing broad descriptions [#writing-broad-descriptions]

Broad descriptions create review questions. Use exact locations, stages, documents, systems, or products. The certificate should not sound bigger than the work or design you assessed.

### Missing the appointment scope [#missing-the-appointment-scope]

The competent person appointment matters. A person appointed for inspection help is not automatically appointed for design-specification help, and the reverse is also true. Check the certifier request.

### Weak reference documents [#weak-reference-documents]

Use drawing numbers, revisions, dates, report titles, product specs, standards, and test records where they apply.

**Reference documents**

- **This** - Hydraulic drawings H01 to H04, Rev C, dated 12 June 2026, plus product technical statement TS-4471 (Survives a reissued drawing set.)
- **Not this** - Plans (The office cannot tell which set was relied on.)

### Losing the supporting evidence [#losing-the-supporting-evidence]

A PDF without the job evidence is harder to trust later. Keep the certificate with the drawings, specs, notes, reports, photos, and certifier correspondence.

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Tradie Forms gives each form its own path.

For [QLD Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-12-aspect-inspection), you work through aspect, property, building, extent, basis, references, certifier, competent person, and signature sections.

For [QLD Form 15](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-15-design-spec), you work through property, extent, basis, references, certifier, competent person, and signature sections.

In both forms, saved competent person details reduce repeat typing. Address search helps with Queensland property details. Missing-field checks catch key gaps before download. The preview shows the official PDF layout before the certificate is downloaded and sent.

Tradie Forms maps entries onto the official PDF layouts. The appointed competent person and building certifier remain responsible for checking the work, the certificate type, the supporting evidence, and the downloaded PDF.

## A quick decision checklist [#a-quick-decision-checklist]

Before you download, ask:

1. Is this certificate about completed work that has been inspected?
2. Is this certificate about design or specification?
3. Has the certifier appointed the person for the right type of help?
4. Does the description match only the work, design, or specification being certified?
5. Are the basis and references specific enough?
6. Are the certifier reference and approval details correct?
7. Will the office be able to find the supporting evidence later?

If the answers point to completed aspect inspection, use Form 12. If they point to design-specification material, use Form 15.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start [QLD Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-12-aspect-inspection) for aspect inspection certificates, start [QLD Form 15](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-building-form-15-design-spec) for design or specification certificates, or browse the full [QLD building forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/building) library.

For the field-level walkthroughs, use the [Form 12 aspect inspection guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-12-aspect-inspection-certificate-guide) or the [Form 15 design and specification guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-15-design-specification-certificate-guide). The [QLD building certificates workflow](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-building-certificates-on-site-workflow) shows where both records sit beside Forms 16, 21, 30 and 43.

## Official references [#official-references]

For current requirements, check the [Queensland Form 12 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0022/18625/form12aspectinspectioncertificateappointedcompetentperson.pdf), the [Queensland Form 15 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0026/9773/form15compliancecertificateforbuildingdesignorspecification.pdf), the [Business Queensland inspection stages guidance](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/approvals-inspections/stages), and the [Business Queensland competent persons guidance](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/approvals-inspections/competent-persons-cadets).

# TAS Form 60 start work notification: get plumbing work ready to begin (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-60-start-work-notification-plumbing-guide)

Complete TAS Form 60 start work notification with the permit authority, work categories, licence details and intended start date, then download the PDF. | State: TAS | Trade: Plumbing | Template: tas-form-60-start-work

> **Tradie Forms:** complete Tasmania Form 60 on the official start work notification and authorisation layout before plumbing work begins. Fill the permit authority, work type, site, categories, licensed plumber and start date sections, then preview and download the finished PDF.

The job is booked, the materials are on site and the owner is chasing a start date. The permit number is buried in one email, the certificate of likely compliance reference is in another, and the licence details get copied off an old document at the last minute. That is how a short form turns into a morning of hunting.

Form 60 is the bridge between approval and the first day on the tools. This guide covers what it is for, where it sits in the job, what to gather before you open it, and the mistakes that send it back.

**Key takeaways**

- Form 60 is the approved Start Work Notification and Authorisation for Plumbing Work in Tasmania
- It belongs before the work starts, not at completion
- Match the permit authority, work type, site and permit reference to the approval documents already issued
- Tick every work category that applies rather than one broad heading
- Form 60 pairs with Form 71B at completion, and neither substitutes for the other

## What is TAS Form 60 used for? [#what-is-tas-form-60-used-for]

Form 60 is the approved form for a Start Work Notification and Authorisation for Plumbing Work, listed by Consumer, Building and Occupational Services on its approved forms page. The CBOS guide to approved plumbing forms describes it as the form used by the plumber seeking authorisation to start plumbing work, sent to the council permit authority, which gives the authorisation to start.

The same guide explains it in job terms: the plumber hired by the owner uses Form 60 to notify that they are ready to start the work on a certain day.

So Form 60 is not a completion certificate. It records who is starting, where the work is, what type of work it is, and when the plumber intends to begin. Start it on the [TAS Form 60 template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-60-start-work), or see the whole Tasmanian set in the [TAS plumbing forms list](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-plumbing-forms-list-start-completion-handover).

## Where does Form 60 sit in the job? [#where-does-form-60-sit-in-the-job]

It sits after the approval or certificate details are known and before anyone turns a tool. CBOS guidance explains that some low risk plumbing work may need notification before or after work depending on the type of work, and that medium risk work, called notifiable work, requires notification to the plumbing permit authority before work starts and again when the work is completed.

Some work requires plumbing design and a certificate of likely compliance from the plumbing permit authority before work starts. For permit plumbing work, the CBOS guide describes the plumber notifying the permit authority before commencing work, and notes that the permit authority may notify the responsible person that work is not to commence if it is not satisfied the necessary steps have been taken.

That last point is the reason to treat Form 60 as part of the start-work rhythm rather than an afterthought. Tradie Forms does not decide which risk category applies or whether a job needs Form 60. Check current CBOS guidance, the Building Act framework and the permit authority instructions for the job.

## Details to collect before you open Form 60 [#details-to-collect-before-you-open-form-60]

The form is short. It is only painful when the job pack is not ready.

### Permit authority [#permit-authority]

The permit authority is usually the council or authority receiving the notice. Add the authority name and address accurately.

If your business works across several Tasmanian councils, do not reuse a saved block without checking. The permit authority should match the job site and approval pathway, not the plumber's usual council area.

### Type of work [#type-of-work]

Form 60 separates permit work and notifiable work. Choose the classification that applies to this job, and make it match the authorisation and approval documents already issued.

If the classification is not clear, stop and check with the official guidance or the permit authority. Do not make the category decision by guesswork on a PDF.

### Work site details [#work-site-details]

The work details section captures the site address, lot number, and the permit number or certificate of likely compliance number.

For rural properties, unit sites, new subdivisions and larger commercial properties, a street address is rarely enough. Add lot information and references that let the permit authority match the notice to the right approval. The permit or certificate number is one of the easiest details to mistype, so copy it from the approval document rather than an email chain.

### Work categories [#work-categories]

The Form 60 layout includes categories such as reticulated water, sewerage, stormwater, gratuitous work, on-site wastewater management system, roof plumbing, and other work where specified.

Tick the categories that match the work being started. If the job covers stormwater and roof plumbing, or sewerage and on-site wastewater, say so. If "other" applies, describe it clearly enough that the permit authority understands the scope.

### Licensed plumber and start date [#licensed-plumber-and-start-date]

The licensed plumber section identifies the plumber lodging the notice: name, licence number, business name, address, phone and email where applicable. Saved licence details speed up repeat jobs, but review the licence number and contact details before you download.

The intended start date should line up with the day the plumber actually intends to begin. A notice prepared weeks early and never revisited causes confusion later, so if access, materials or crew timing shifts, check the notice still reflects the work program.

## Common Form 60 mistakes [#common-form-60-mistakes]

**Permit authority**

- **This** - The permit authority named on this job's approval documents (Checked against the job site and the approval, not habit.)
- **Not this** - The council you dealt with last job (Easy to do across council areas, and it invalidates the notice.)

**References are copied from an old job.** Repeat work with the same builder makes numbers feel familiar. Copy the current permit number or certificate of likely compliance number from the latest document.

**Work type is guessed.** Permit work and notifiable work are not labels to pick casually. If the category is unclear, check before issuing the notice.

**Categories are too broad.** One tick rarely covers a multi-trade plumbing scope. Tick what actually applies.

**The start date is aspirational.** If the schedule moves, the notice should reflect the real plan.

## How does Form 60 connect to Form 71B and Form 21? [#how-does-form-60-connect-to-form-71b-and-form-21]

Form 60 belongs before work starts. Form 71B belongs at completion. The CBOS guide describes Form 71B as the Standard of Work Certificate for Plumbing Work, and says that when permit or notifiable plumbing work is completed the plumber is required to complete that certificate and send it to the permit authority, with a copy to the owner.

Form 21 is the separate Certificate of Completion for plumbing work. A clean Tasmanian job record can hold all three, and the [Form 60 and Form 71B workflow guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-60-form-71b-plumbing-workflow-guide) walks the pair end to end. If you are unsure which completion document you need, the [Form 21 vs Form 71B comparison](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-21-vs-form-71b-plumbing-guide) sorts them out.

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Tradie Forms turns Form 60 into sections you work through one at a time for permit authority, type of work, plumbing work details, work categories, licensed plumber and notification of intention to start.

You can save permit authority and plumber details for repeat Tasmanian jobs, use address search for site and authority addresses, catch missing required fields, preview the official PDF layout, and download the finished Form 60 for the permit authority and the job record.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the Tasmania Form 60 PDF layout. It is not affiliated with CBOS or any Tasmanian permit authority, it does not lodge anything on your behalf, and it does not decide whether your job is permit, notifiable or another category of work. Downloading or emailing the PDF is not the same as completing the permit authority process. The licensed plumber remains responsible for the pathway and the finished document.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start [TAS Form 60](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-60-start-work) before the work begins. When the work is finished, move to [TAS Form 71B](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-71b-plumbing) for the standard of work certificate and [TAS Form 21](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-21-completion) for the certificate of completion where they apply. The [Form 71B guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-71b-standard-of-work-certificate-guide) covers the closeout detail, and [TAS plumber forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/tas/plumbing) lists the live Tasmanian templates. The [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing) covers the other states.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [CBOS approved forms page](https://cbos.tas.gov.au/topics/resources-tools/Building-and-trades-forms%2C-publications-and-report/asset-listings/approved-forms) for the current Form 60, the [CBOS guide to approved plumbing forms](https://www.cbos.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/404544/Guide_to_approved_forms_-_plumbing_work.pdf) for how the form is used, the [CBOS Guide to the Building Act 2016](https://www.cbos.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/405039/Guide_to_the_Building_Act_2016.pdf) for the work categories and notification steps, and the [Index of approved forms](https://www.cbos.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/449303/Index-of-Approved-Forms-Building-Act-2016-and-Building-Regulations-2016-as-at-1-October-2024.pdf) for the current approved form list. Permit authority processes vary between councils, so confirm the local method before you lodge.

# ACMA TCA2 outstanding matters: record cabling issues you did not fix (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca2-outstanding-matters-cabling-guide)

How registered cablers record outstanding cabling matters on ACMA TCA2: what counts, when to issue it, setting priority, and handing it to the right person. | Trade: Electrical | Template: acma-tca2

Cabling jobs turn up problems nobody booked you to fix. You are installing a new outlet and find poor separation. You are cleaning up a rack and spot unsupported cable, worn cabling, or an old issue well outside the quoted scope.

A verbal warning vanishes the moment the customer rings the landlord. A form filled out after hours misses the priority or the location. ACMA TCA2 is the recognised way to put outstanding cabling matters on paper, and this guide is about the judgement side of it: what belongs on the form, when to issue it, and how to write it so someone acts.

**Key takeaways**

- Use TCA2 when you notice non-compliant cabling, including pre-existing issues and matters outside your scope
- TCA2 is advice about outstanding matters, not a certificate for work you completed and not a quote to fix it
- Set a priority against every matter you flag, because the urgency is what the customer acts on
- Give the completed form to the customer or building manager, whoever can actually authorise the work
- Keep TCA2 separate from the TCA1 certification statement so the completion record stays clear

Open the [ACMA TCA2 form](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca2) if you are writing one up now, or browse [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical) for the wider library.

## What counts as an outstanding matter? [#what-counts-as-an-outstanding-matter]

A non-compliant cable installation you noticed and are not fixing as part of this job. ACMA says to use the TCA2 form if you notice any non-compliant cable installations, and to complete it and give it to the customer or building manager even where the issue is pre-existing or outside the contracted scope of work.

That framing is deliberately wide. It does not matter who installed it, when, or whether you were paid to look at it. If you saw it and it does not meet the standard, TCA2 is the tool for telling the person who can do something about it.

The TCA2 layout groups these into rows you tick, covering things like separation and support faults, non-compliant product or equipment, and pre-existing cabling that is worn or otherwise non-compliant. For a row-by-row walkthrough, use [how to fill out the ACMA TCA2](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca2-cabling-advice-form-how-to-fill-out).

## When should you issue one? [#when-should-you-issue-one]

ACMA says TCA2 can be issued before you begin any work, with a quotation, or after you complete the cabling job if something needs attention. That covers most of the situations where it actually comes up:

- You inspect before quoting and find existing cabling that needs attention
- You start the booked job and identify an issue outside the contracted scope
- You finish the new work and notice an older installation problem nearby
- A building manager needs a written record before approving remedial work
- A customer needs something to pass to the landlord, strata manager, builder or office

The strongest TCA2 is issued while the issue is still visible. You can point at the rack, riser, tenancy, ceiling space or cable route and write the advice against what you are looking at. [When is ACMA TCA2 required](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-acma-tca2-required) sets out the trigger in more detail.

## How is TCA2 different from TCA1? [#how-is-tca2-different-from-tca1]

TCA1 and TCA2 sit close together on the same job but do opposite things. TCA1 is the certification statement for cabling work you completed or supervised. It identifies the completed work, your registration details, whether you performed or supervised it, and states that the work complies with the Wiring Rules.

TCA2 is advice about work you did not do. It is not a certificate, not a defect repair, and not a quote.

On a real site you might issue both: TCA1 for the cabling work you completed, and TCA2 for a separate pre-existing issue that needs the customer's attention. Do not use TCA1 to bury a problem you did not fix, and do not use TCA2 as the completion statement for the work you did. The [TCA1 and TCA2 record keeping guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca1-tca2-cabling-record-keeping-handover-guide) covers how the two records sit together afterwards.

## Write it so the customer can act [#write-it-so-the-customer-can-act]

The best TCA2 is useful to a non-technical person. A customer or building manager may not follow cabling shorthand, but they can understand a clear issue, a location and an urgency level.

When you complete the form, think about the person deciding what happens next. They need to know:

- What you found
- Where it is
- Whether it is urgent, needs non-urgent attention, or is a longer-term matter
- Whether it affects the current job or sits outside the booked scope
- Who to talk to if they want remedial work quoted

Keep the wording plain.

**Outstanding matter wording**

- **A customer can act on it** - - Existing data cabling unsupported above tenancy 4 comms rack
  - Separation issue in ceiling space above reception desk (Names the condition and the place, so it can be quoted.)
- **Cabler shorthand** - - Mess in ceiling
  - Bad run (Another cabler might follow it. The person approving the repair will not.)

Another cabler might follow your shorthand, but the person signing off on the repair probably will not.

## Setting the priority [#setting-the-priority]

ACMA's TCA2 instructions ask you to show which issues you noticed and to decide how urgently the customer should address each one. That urgency column is what turns an observation into advice.

Set it on what you actually saw, not on how awkward the conversation might be. An urgent hazard recorded as a long-term matter is worse than not raising it, because now there is a written record showing you judged it low risk. Every matter you tick needs a level against it before the form leaves your hands.

Tradie Forms flags rows that are missing a priority before you download, so the PDF does not go out half finished. [Common ACMA TCA2 mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-acma-tca2) covers the other patterns that undermine a good form.

## Handing it over and keeping the trail [#handing-it-over-and-keeping-the-trail]

Give the completed form to the customer or building manager. On a tenanted or strata site that is often not the person who booked you, because the cabling belongs to the building rather than the tenancy.

ACMA says you are not required to keep a copy of TCA2. Your business may still want one, and most do. Keeping these together makes follow-up work much easier:

- The completed TCA2 PDF
- Photos of the issue and its location
- The related TCA1 for completed work, where one was issued
- Quote notes or scope exclusions
- Customer approval or refusal notes
- Building manager or strata contact details

That record helps when the customer calls two weeks later, when the office prepares a quote, or when another cabler returns to site. [ACMA TCA2 record keeping and handover](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca2-record-keeping-handover) goes into the storage side.

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Tradie Forms turns ACMA TCA2 into checks instead of a dense PDF table. You choose pre works or post works advice, mark the outstanding matters, set the priority level as each row opens, preview the official PDF layout, and download the finished form.

You can complete it on a phone while the issue is still visible, keep issue rows and priority levels together, catch missing priorities before you download, and store the finished PDF with photos, quote notes and the related TCA1 where your job software supports attachments.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the ACMA TCA2 layout. It is not affiliated with ACMA and it does not decide whether cabling is compliant. The registered cabler remains responsible for the observation, the priority and the finished document.

## When the customer disputes the advice [#when-the-customer-disputes-the-advice]

A TCA2 describes work you were not engaged to do, which occasionally lands badly with a customer who reads it as an upsell.

The way through is to be clear about what the form is. It is advisory. It records non-compliant cabling you noticed so the customer can decide what to do, and it does not oblige them to engage you or anyone else. Saying that plainly usually defuses the reaction, because the objection is almost always about being sold to rather than about the finding.

Keep the language factual. A description of what is there and where it is carries better than a characterisation of how bad it is.

## When conditions change on a later visit [#when-conditions-change-on-a-later-visit]

Cabling gets altered between visits, sometimes by other people, and a TCA2 you issued last year may no longer describe the site.

If you re-attend and the condition has changed, issue a new dated TCA2 rather than editing the old one. Keeping both gives the customer and any later cabler a readable history, and it avoids the problem of a single document that quietly says something different to what it said when it was handed over.

Note which document is current when you hand the new one over. Customers file both and then cannot tell which applies.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start [ACMA TCA2](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca2) when you need to record outstanding cabling matters, or use [ACMA TCA1](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca1-attach-a) for the certification statement covering work you completed. Browse [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical) for electrical and telecommunications paperwork you can fill on site.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [ACMA cabling advice forms guidance](https://www.acma.gov.au/cabling-advice-forms) and the [ACMA TCA2 form page](https://www.acma.gov.au/publications/2019-06/form/form-tca2-telecommunications-cabling-advice) for the current form and instructions. The [ACMA cabling provider rules](https://www.acma.gov.au/cabling-provider-rules) and [ACMA Australian cabling standards](https://www.acma.gov.au/australian-cabling-standards) set the registration requirement and the cabling standards, and [ACMA registered cabler guidance](https://www.acma.gov.au/find-registered-cabler) explains who is authorised to do the work. Confirm current requirements on the ACMA site before you issue advice.

# NSW annual fire safety statements: prepare and lodge the AFSS (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-statement-afss-online-guide)

How to lodge a NSW annual fire safety statement: who must give one, the due date, the accredited practitioner, and who gets a copy after issue. | State: NSW | Trade: Fire Safety | Template: nsw-fire-safety-statement

> **Tradie Forms:** complete the NSW Fire Safety Statement on the official Version 4 layout. Work through the statement type, building and owner details, fire safety measures, practitioner rows and declaration before you lodge, display and store the PDF.

An annual fire safety statement brings the building owner, fire safety schedule, accredited practitioners, council and Fire and Rescue NSW into one job. The form is short compared with the inspection and assessment work behind it, but every name, measure, date and accreditation number still needs to line up.

This guide answers the main AFSS questions first, then gives you a practical way to prepare the official form without rebuilding the job from scattered reports and last year's PDF.

**Key takeaways**

- An AFSS is the owner's yearly statement for essential fire safety measures in an existing NSW building
- Use the current fire safety schedule and assessments from appropriately accredited practitioners
- Give the statement to council, provide a copy and current schedule to Fire and Rescue NSW, and display both in the building
- The FRNSW submission has no charge, but practitioner and council costs can vary

For the wider set, browse [NSW fire safety forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/fire-safety). See the [fire safety forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/fire-safety) for the rest of the Australian set.

## What is an annual fire safety statement (AFSS)? [#what-is-an-annual-fire-safety-statement-afss]

An annual fire safety statement is a document issued by or on behalf of a NSW building owner confirming that the essential fire safety measures applying to the building have been assessed by an accredited practitioner and can perform to the required standard.

It is ongoing building paperwork, not the completion-stage fire safety certificate used when new building work is finished. The annual statement also includes the required inspection of the building's fire exits and paths of travel.

The current fire safety schedule is the working source. It identifies the measures that apply and the minimum standards of performance. Do not rebuild the statement from memory. A reissued schedule, building work or fire safety order can leave last year's statement out of date.

The official NSW form also has a supplementary statement option. That option covers critical fire safety measures at the shorter intervals set by the schedule. It is not a second name for the yearly AFSS.

## Which buildings need an AFSS? [#which-buildings-need-an-afss]

Buildings with a fire safety schedule and essential fire safety measures generally need an AFSS, with those measures commonly found in Building Code of Australia Class 1b and Class 2 to 9 buildings.

That can include apartment buildings, boarding houses, offices, shops, warehouses, health buildings and public buildings. The class alone does not tell you the whole obligation. Check whether the property has a current fire safety schedule and what that schedule requires.

The NSW guide for building owners explains that fire safety measures are commonly found in Class 1b to 9 buildings. The [current Regulation](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/sl-2021-0689) sets the legal framework, while the schedule for the actual building identifies the measures and timing you need to work from.

If you have taken over a building and cannot find the schedule, ask the owner, building manager or relevant council for the current record before starting the form. A previous AFSS can help locate names and references, but it should not replace the schedule.

## Who can assess and sign an AFSS? [#who-can-assess-and-sign-an-afss]

The measures and exit systems must be assessed or inspected by an accredited practitioner (fire safety), while the statement itself is issued by or on behalf of the building owner.

The declaration is made by the owner or an authorised agent. An accredited practitioner who assessed the measures cannot tick either box.

These roles must stay clear. Practitioners assess, inspect and verify the parts covered by their accreditation. The owner or a properly authorised agent issues the statement and makes the declaration. A practitioner involved in the assessment cannot make the owner's declaration, and the restriction also applies to their employer, employee or direct associate.

Use the [NSW guide to selecting an accredited practitioner](https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-03/selecting-an-accredited-practitioner-fire-safety.pdf) to plan the work. The [FPA Australia register](https://www.fpaa.com.au/Web/Web/Registers/FPAS_Fire_Systems_Certification_National_Register.aspx) lets you check practitioners and their current accreditation categories. One person may not hold every category needed for a building, so match the practitioner to each measure rather than assuming one accreditation covers the lot.

Keep each practitioner's name, contact details, accreditation number, assessment date and signature or separate signed document with the job. The official form can list multiple practitioners where different people assessed different measures.

## How do you lodge an AFSS in NSW? [#how-do-you-lodge-an-afss-in-nsw]

[Sections 89 and 91 of the Regulation](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/sl-2021-0689) require the relevant annual or supplementary statement to go to council. As soon as practicable after issue, the owner must also give the Fire Commissioner a copy with the current fire safety schedule and ensure both documents are prominently displayed in the building.

Council is the first pathway to confirm because its portal, email, fee and supporting-document process can differ. Use the council that applies to the building, not the owner's postal address.

For the FRNSW copy, follow the current [Fire and Rescue NSW lodgement guidance](https://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/fire-safety/building-fire-safety/service-type-tool/lodge-a-fire-safety-statement). FRNSW now directs owners and agents to its online Annual Fire Safety Statement submission form. Its current contact address for help is `firesafety@fire.nsw.gov.au`.

After submission, keep the council receipt or email, FRNSW confirmation and a note confirming the display copy was replaced. The displayed statement and schedule should be the same current documents held in the job record.

Tradie Forms prepares the official PDF. It does not lodge the statement, choose the correct council or replace the owner's responsibility to complete every required step.

## When is an AFSS due? [#when-is-an-afss-due]

[The Regulation requires](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/sl-2021-0689) the annual statement to be given to council within the later of 12 months after the previous annual statement was given, or 12 months after a fire safety certificate issued within the previous 12 months.

Do not set the diary reminder from the inspection invoice or PDF download date. Check the last statement, council record and current schedule. Start gathering practitioner assessments early enough to resolve failed measures or missing reports before the due date.

[The Regulation also limits](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/sl-2021-0689) how old the supporting work can be when the statement is issued. For an annual statement, the relevant assessments and inspection must have been carried out within the previous three months. For a supplementary statement, the assessment must have been carried out within the previous month.

[Critical fire safety measures have supplementary statement intervals shorter than 12 months](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/sl-2021-0689), as specified in the current fire safety schedule. A supplementary cycle does not remove the separate annual statement obligation.

For a repeat building, store the issue date, next due date, schedule version and practitioner contacts together. That gives the next cycle a reliable starting point.

## How much does an AFSS cost? [#how-much-does-an-afss-cost]

There is no single NSW AFSS price because practitioner fees depend on the building, the number and type of measures, the records available and the work needed before measures can be verified.

Ask for a scope that separates assessment work, rectification, return visits and statement preparation. A small building with a clear schedule and complete service records will not have the same job as a large site with many measures and missing evidence.

[Fire and Rescue NSW states](https://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/fire-safety/building-fire-safety/service-type-tool/lodge-a-fire-safety-statement) that there is no charge for its fire safety statement lodgement service. Council charges are separate and can vary, so check the relevant council's current fees before quoting the whole job as fee-free.

The form itself is only one part of the cost. Owners should allow for the qualified assessment work and any repairs required to bring measures back to the schedule's standard. Avoid promising a fixed total before the schedule and site scope have been checked.

## Annual vs supplementary vs interim or final fire safety certificate [#annual-vs-supplementary-vs-interim-or-final-fire-safety-certificate]

Use an annual statement for the yearly assessment of essential measures, a supplementary statement for critical measures on shorter schedule intervals, and an interim or final fire safety certificate for completion-stage work.

An interim certificate can apply to a completed part of building work. A final certificate applies at final completion. Those certificates are not substitutes for an existing building's annual cycle.

Read the [NSW fire safety certificate vs statement guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-vs-statement-guide) for the full comparison. If the question is specifically whether a certificate should be interim or final, use the [final and interim certificate guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-final-interim-guide).

## Fill the AFSS form online [#fill-the-afss-form-online]

Fill the [NSW Fire Safety Statement online](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-fire-safety-statement) when you are ready to map the building record onto the official Version 4 PDF layout.

Before you start, collect:

- The current fire safety schedule
- The previous statement and issue date
- Building, lot and plan details
- Owner details and agent authority where applicable
- Measure names, minimum standards and assessment dates
- Practitioner contacts, accreditation numbers and signatures
- Exit inspection details for an annual statement

Tradie Forms breaks the PDF into sections you work through one at a time for statement type, building, owner, measures, exits, practitioners and declaration. Add repeat rows without working inside tiny PDF cells, catch missing required entries, preview the finished layout and download the PDF for review.

The final check still belongs to the owner, authorised agent and practitioners. Read the downloaded PDF against the schedule. Confirm the building scope, measure wording, assessment dates, practitioner allocation, declaration and signatures before anyone lodges or displays it.

## Common AFSS mistakes before lodgement [#common-afss-mistakes-before-lodgement]

The most common errors are mismatched schedule wording, the wrong statement type, old assessment dates, incomplete practitioner details and a declaration made by the wrong person.

Another easy miss is treating council lodgement as the end of the job. The FRNSW copy, current schedule, display copy and business record still need to be completed.

Use the [common NSW Fire Safety Statement mistakes guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-nsw-fire-safety-statement) as a pre-download check. For certificate jobs, the [fire safety certificate handover guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-handover-records) covers the supporting records to keep together.

## What to keep after the statement is issued [#what-to-keep-after-the-statement-is-issued]

Keep the signed AFSS, current schedule, practitioner assessment evidence, separate signed practitioner documents, owner authority, council receipt, FRNSW confirmation and display completion note in one building record.

Use a filename with the building, statement type and issue date. Record the next annual due date and any shorter supplementary dates. If a measure required repair or a repeat visit, keep that trail beside the final assessment rather than leaving it in a separate inbox.

Tradie Forms is not affiliated with NSW Planning, Fire and Rescue NSW, FPA Australia or any council. It maps your entries onto the official NSW statement layout. Check the current official requirements and the downloaded PDF before lodgement.

## The measure records behind the statement [#the-measure-records-behind-the-statement]

The practitioner endorsing your statement is signing off measures that were tested through the year, not on the day. Emergency and exit lighting sits on almost every schedule, and the six-monthly results are what the assessment leans on. Keep them as you go in an [emergency lighting test register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-emergency-lighting-test-register), and use a [smoke alarm service record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-smoke-alarm-service-record) where alarms are listed on the schedule.

Chasing twelve months of test sheets the week the statement is due is what makes an AFSS painful. Contractors doing the testing can browse the [fire safety forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/fire-safety) for the rest of the set.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [NSW Planning fire safety certification page](https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/the-planning-system/buildings/fire-safety-in-buildings/fire-safety-certification), [Fire and Rescue NSW lodgement guidance](https://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/fire-safety/building-fire-safety/service-type-tool/lodge-a-fire-safety-statement), [NSW practitioner selection guide](https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-03/selecting-an-accredited-practitioner-fire-safety.pdf) and the [current Regulation](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/sl-2021-0689) before relying on this guide for a live building.

# QLD Form 5 testing or commissioning report: finish it on site (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-5-testing-commissioning-report-guide)

QLD Form 5 testing or commissioning reports: the five-business-day handover chain, the three party roles, and the test dates that must not be copied across. | State: QLD | Trade: Plumbing | Template: qld-form-5-testing

> **Tradie Forms:** complete QLD Form 5 on the official testing or commissioning report layout while the gauges, dates, permit number, and responsible person details are still in front of you.

Testing paperwork turns messy fast. The test is done, the equipment is packed, the next job is calling, and the Form 5 is still sitting on a clipboard.

That is when dates get guessed, permit numbers get copied from the wrong text thread, and the responsible person and competent person blocks blur together. A simple report becomes a phone call from the office or the council because one field does not line up.

**Key takeaways**

- The competent person has 5 business days to give the report to the responsible person
- Responsible person, contractor, and competent person are three distinct roles
- Enter a date against the installation type actually tested, not across every line
- Leave a section blank because it does not apply, not because nobody checked
- Completion of all applicable sections is mandatory

Start [QLD Form 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-5-testing), or browse [QLD plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/plumbing).

## What is QLD Form 5 for? [#what-is-qld-form-5-for]

Business Queensland lists Form 5 as "a testing or commissioning report" under the plumbing and drainage forms. The official PDF says it is used for section 77(2) of the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019, and that completion of all applicable sections is mandatory.

In job-site terms, it records that plumbing or drainage work, or the relevant part of it, has been tested or commissioned. It is not the permit application - it sits later in the flow, once the testing has happened and the report needs to move from the competent person to the people who rely on it.

## Why does completion timing matter? [#why-does-completion-timing-matter]

The regulation sets a reporting chain. The competent person must give the report to the responsible person within 5 business days after the testing or commissioning is finished. Where the responsible person is given the report, they must then give it to the local government within the timeframe the regulation sets.

That makes Form 5 a completion record rather than a document for the drawer. If you are the competent person, the responsible person needs a usable report quickly. If you are the responsible person, you need to know the report is complete before it goes to local government.

The field habit is simple: do the test, finish the form, review it, and hand it on before the job slips into yesterday's pile.

## Who is involved [#who-is-involved]

Three party blocks, easy to mix up at speed.

**The responsible person** is the licensed person who performs or supervises the work. Their details include name, occupational licence number, contractor licence number where applicable, phone, email, and postal address.

**The contractor block** applies when the responsible person is not the contractor for the work. Where that is the case, the contractor's company or individual details need to be included.

**The competent person** is the person who carried out the testing or commissioning - described on the official form as someone who holds a licence authorising it, or someone the local government considers competent to carry it out.

On a small job one person may fill more than one role. On a larger job the roles sit with different workers or businesses. Do not assume a saved contact block is right for every section: check the role first, then fill the details.

## Description of land [#description-of-land]

The official form says the description must identify all land the application covers - usually street address, lot and plan, shop or tenancy number, storey or level, and local government area where applicable.

Do not rely on the customer's nickname for the job. "Bakery fit-off" makes sense to your crew and nothing to local government or a future record. Unit sites, shopping centres, industrial estates, rural blocks, and new subdivisions all need the extra identifiers.

## Permit and action notice details [#permit-and-action-notice-details]

Add the permit number and date issued where known. Where the report relates to work under a permit, this is the link between the testing result and the approved work pathway. Compare the number against the job file, council portal, or approval paperwork before you finish - a single wrong digit sends the office hunting later.

Form 5 also includes an action notice section where applicable. Where the report connects to an action notice, include the reference number and date issued. Leave it blank because it does not apply, not because nobody checked.

## Details of testing [#details-of-testing]

This is the core of the form. The official PDF provides date fields for testing or commissioning against installation types including water plumbing installation, hot water service, hot water below 50 degrees Celsius, sanitary plumbing, sanitary drainage, floor waste gully branches, reticulated water static pressure testing below 500 kPa other than fire service, and other testing details.

Enter the date against the installation type actually tested or commissioned. Do not copy one date across every line when only one part of the work was tested that day. Where "other" applies, describe it clearly.

The form notes that testing and commissioning is done in accordance with the relevant part of AS/NZS 3500. A online form helps you get the details onto the official layout; it does not decide whether the test was adequate. The competent person still checks the report.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

**One date copied everywhere.** Different installation types get tested at different stages. Use the test record, not memory.

**Responsible person and competent person swapped.** One is tied to performing or supervising the work, the other to carrying out the testing. Read the role descriptions before filling the contact blocks.

**Contractor details skipped.** Where the responsible person is not the contractor, those details must be provided.

**The site is not identified well enough.** If someone later needs to match the report to a permit, inspection, or site record, a vague address slows everyone down.

**No review before handover.** Online forms reduce missed fields; they do not replace the licensed person's check. Confirm names, licence numbers, test dates, declaration date, and any sections marked not applicable.

## A clean on-site workflow [#a-clean-on-site-workflow]

**Form 5, in the order that holds up**

- **Fix the land and permit - From a verified source** - Lot and plan, tenancy, LGA, matched to the permit or action notice.
- **Record the dates - While the test record is open** - Each relevant testing or commissioning date, not one date for the lot.
- **Confirm the roles - Responsible person, contractor, competent person** - Saved licence details still get checked before they go on.
- **Read the declaration - Before signing** - Then review the finished report and keep a clean copy.

The declaration is the part most often signed without being read.

8. Hand it to the responsible person, or ready it for the local government pathway

That rhythm keeps the report close to the work, and lets the office attach it to the job record without chasing photos, notes, or old messages.

## What to keep with the finished report [#what-to-keep-with-the-finished-report]

- Test sheets, readings, or commissioning notes
- Permit number and approval documents
- Action notice details where applicable
- Photos of test points, plant, fixtures, or site conditions where useful
- Licence and contractor details used on the form
- Completion email, upload receipt, or lodgement record

This matters when a council officer asks for the report, when the responsible person needs to show what was handed over, or when the next plumber wants to know what was already tested.

## Writing results someone else can use [#writing-results-someone-else-can-use]

A testing and commissioning report is read by people who were not there, so the readings need enough context to mean something.

That means recording what was tested, the result, and the conditions or basis where they matter, rather than a bare number. A reading without its basis is difficult to compare against a later test, which is the main thing anyone will want to do with it.

## Keeping the report with the system it describes [#keeping-the-report-with-the-system-it-describes]

The report belongs with the rest of the system's documentation rather than in a reports folder.

Someone assessing the installation later wants the report, the specification it was tested against, and any defect or rectification record that followed, together. Filed separately, each one answers less than it should.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start [QLD Form 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-5-testing) while the testing details are fresh, or browse [QLD plumber forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/plumbing). Working interstate? The [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing) lists the lot.

Related forms include [QLD Form 1 permit work application](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-1-permit-work) before permit work starts, [QLD Form 9 backflow](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-9-backflow) for testable backflow device reporting, and [QLD Form 14](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-14-compliance-declaration) at completion. The [QLD plumbing forms list](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-plumbing-forms-list-permit-inspection-handover) shows the whole sequence, and the [Form 1, Form 5 and Form 9 handover guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-plumbing-form-1-form-5-form-9-handover-guide) covers how they pass between people.

For the two reporting deadlines and the copy trail after testing, use the [Form 5 record-keeping and handover guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-5-testing-report-records-handover).

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the Queensland Form 5 layout. It does not decide whether the work passes testing or commissioning - the competent person and licensed tradie remain responsible for the work and the finished report.

## Official references [#official-references]

For current requirements, check the [Business Queensland plumbing forms page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/forms-templates), the [Queensland Form 5 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0024/3768/form5plumbingdrainageregulation2019.pdf), and the [Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019](https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2019-0042).

# NSW Combined Notice and Certificate: Complete Plumbing Paperwork On Site (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-combined-notice-certificate-compliance-plumbing-guide)

A practical guide for NSW plumbers and drainers on the Combined Notice of Work and Certificate of Compliance, copies, inspections, and PDF completion. | State: NSW | Trade: Plumbing | Template: nsw-combined-notice-coc

> **Tradie Forms:** complete the NSW Combined Notice of Work and Certificate of Compliance on the official layout. Fill the property, owner, licensee, work type, fee, dates, and certification sections at the job, then preview and download the finished PDF for the right copies.

NSW plumbing and drainage jobs can finish physically before the paperwork is ready. The fixture is in, the drain is tested, the customer wants the job closed, and the office still needs the notice and certificate details.

That gap causes the usual rework. The owner address is missing. The licence expiry date is out of date. The certificate copy does not match the notice copy. A drainage job needs a sewer service diagram, but the closeout pack is split across photos and emails.

The Combined Notice of Work and Certificate of Compliance is built for that completion moment. It brings the notice, work details, licensee details, and certificate copies into one document. Tradie Forms turns that official layout into sections you work through one at a time so a NSW plumber or drainer can finish the form while the job is still fresh.

## What is the NSW Combined Notice? [#what-is-the-nsw-combined-notice]

Building Commission NSW publishes the Combined Notice of Work and Certificate of Compliance form for plumbing and drainage. The NSW Government page says the form includes copies for the licensee, owner, and regulator.

The wider NSW plumbing inspection documents explain the two main pieces:

- A Notice of Work outlines plumbing and drainage work to be carried out and the person carrying out the work.
- A Certificate of Compliance confirms the work complies with the Act, Regulation, Plumbing Code of Australia, and Deemed-to-Satisfy requirements of AS/NZS 3500, and identifies the plumber or drainer as the responsible person for that work.

The form is not a magic compliance stamp. It is the official paperwork layout for recording the work, who did it, who receives copies, and what was certified. The licensed plumber or drainer still needs to check the work, the declaration, and the finished PDF.

Use the [NSW Government combined form page](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/plumbing-and-drainers/regional-inspections/combined-notice-of-work-and-certificate-of-compliance), the [plumbing inspection documents guidance](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/plumbing-and-drainers/plumbing-inspection-documents), and the [regional inspections guidance](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/plumbing-and-drainers/regional-inspections) as official references.

## Notice first, certificate at completion [#notice-first-certificate-at-completion]

The NSW guidance says plumbers and drainers must submit a Notice of Work before starting work. For work requiring inspection in Sydney, the Illawarra, Blue Mountains, Newcastle, and Hunter, the guidance points to Building Commission NSW via MyInspections. For local plumbing regulator areas, it points to the Combined Notice of Work and Certificate of Compliance for the type of work the relevant local plumbing regulator requires to be inspected.

At completion, the Certificate of Compliance side matters. NSW guidance says plumbers and drainers must complete a CoC at the completion of all plumbing and drainage work, provide a copy to the person who arranged the work, and submit it through the relevant pathway where required.

That means the same combined document may touch two different job moments:

- Before work begins, as the notice of work
- At completion or final inspection, as the certificate record

Do not leave the whole document until the end if the notice was needed before starting. Use the form as part of the job flow, not an afterthought.

## Which NSW inspection pathway applies? [#which-nsw-inspection-pathway-applies]

NSW plumbing inspection pathways depend on location and work type. The NSW regional inspections page says regional inspection and enforcement are delegated to local councils and authorities, and that the information on that page applies outside the Sydney, Illawarra, Blue Mountains, and Newcastle areas.

For regional NSW, the guidance says plumbers and drainers must submit documents at specific stages of the work, including the Notice of Work before work begins, Certificate of Compliance on completion of the final inspection to the local plumbing regulator and the person for whom the work was carried out, and a Sewer Service Diagram to the local plumbing regulator and owner or owner's agent.

For metropolitan and listed areas, MyInspections may be part of the process for work requiring inspection. Local regulator requirements can also matter. Before sending the form, check the pathway for the site, not just the pathway your last job used.

## Details to collect before you leave [#details-to-collect-before-you-leave]

The combined notice is easier when you gather the closeout details before the customer leaves and before the trench, wall, or plant room disappears from view.

### Property and owner details [#property-and-owner-details]

Start with the property address and owner details. Include the house number, street, suburb, postcode, lot and DP or strata details where relevant, nearest cross street, and municipality or shire.

For apartments, shopping centres, rural blocks, and new subdivisions, the basic street address may not be enough. Match the site details to the approval, council record, or work order. If the owner is a company, strata body, builder, or managing agent, enter the legal or business name that belongs on the paperwork.

### Licensee details [#licensee-details]

The licensee block should identify the plumber or drainer carrying out the work. Check the full name, address for notices, phone number, qualified supervisor number, licence number, and expiry dates.

The notice page. The same licensee and property blocks appear again on the certificate page, so details entered once have to be right for both.

Saved licence details help, but they are only useful if they are current. Review them when a licence renews, a supervisor changes, or the business address has moved.

### Water supply work [#water-supply-work]

The water supply section should match the work actually carried out. The official layout includes options such as water supply installation, irrigation, on-site alternative water services, thermostatic mixing valve work, connection to water supply, backflow prevention device work, and other water supply work.

Use the description field to write something a regulator, customer, or office admin can understand later. "Bathroom" is weak. "Alter hot and cold water supply to ensuite fixtures" is better.

### Sanitary plumbing and drainage work [#sanitary-plumbing-and-drainage-work]

The sanitary plumbing and drainage section covers the drainage side of the job. It can include sanitary plumbing or drainage work, sewer connection, sewer disconnection, trade waste drainage, or other relevant work depending on the site.

If the work required a sewer service diagram, keep that document with the same job record. NSW guidance treats SSDs as a separate document that may need to be provided to the relevant regulator and owner.

### Inspection fee, dates, and reference number [#inspection-fee-dates-and-reference-number]

The combined form includes fee, date paid, commencement date, estimated completion date, amount, and reference number fields. These details help match the notice and certificate to the regulator's record.

Do not let the office recreate those from bank records later if they are known on the job. Put the reference into the form and job record while it is still easy to find.

### Certificate details [#certificate-details]

The certificate section is the serious part. It records the contractor's certification about the authorised work, testing, relevant standards, and completion date. Read the declaration before signing. If there was identified pre-existing defective plumbing or drainage work and a written notice was required under the legislation, do not skip that field.

Tradie Forms can map entries onto the official PDF layout, but it does not decide whether the work is compliant. That responsibility stays with the licensed person issuing the certificate.

**Key takeaways**

- Use the combined form to keep NSW notice and certificate details in one official layout
- Check the site pathway before sending copies because MyInspections, local regulators, and inspection requirements vary by location and work type
- Complete the Certificate of Compliance at job completion and provide copies through the required pathway
- Keep the finished PDF with any sewer service diagram, inspection record, and job completion notes

## Common mistakes with the combined notice [#common-mistakes-with-the-combined-notice]

### The wrong regulator pathway is assumed [#the-wrong-regulator-pathway-is-assumed]

The NSW pathway depends on location and work type. A process that worked for one council or metro job may not apply to the next. Check the current NSW guidance and local regulator instructions before relying on habit.

### Notice details are completed after work starts [#notice-details-are-completed-after-work-starts]

If a Notice of Work is required before starting work, filling it out at completion is too late for that job flow. Prepare the notice side before the work starts and keep the same document ready for certificate closeout.

### Certificate copies do not match [#certificate-copies-do-not-match]

The combined form includes copies for different parties. If a detail is corrected on one copy but not another, the record becomes messy. Fill once, preview the full PDF, and confirm the repeated details land correctly.

### Work descriptions are too vague [#work-descriptions-are-too-vague]

Describe the water supply, sanitary plumbing, and drainage work clearly. A short but specific description helps the customer, regulator, and next tradesperson understand what was done.

### SSD is forgotten [#ssd-is-forgotten]

A Certificate of Compliance does not replace a Sewer Service Diagram where one is required. If drainage work needs an SSD, keep it in the same site pack as the combined notice and certificate.

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Tradie Forms turns the NSW Combined Notice of Work and Certificate of Compliance into sections you work through one at a time for the property, owner, licensee, water supply, drainage, inspection fee, dates, and certificate.

You can:

- Reuse saved licensee details instead of retyping the same licence block
- Use address search for NSW sites and owner addresses
- Catch missing required fields before download
- Preview the official PDF layout, including the repeated certificate copies
- Download the finished PDF for the owner, licensee, regulator pathway, and job record
- Attach or store the PDF with the job so the office can close the loop without chasing site notes

Tradie Forms maps entries onto the official NSW combined form layout. It is not affiliated with Building Commission NSW or any local regulator. The licensed plumber or drainer remains responsible for checking the work, the pathway, and the downloaded PDF.

## A better on-site closeout habit [#a-better-on-site-closeout-habit]

Use the combined form as part of the job, not as a separate admin task:

1. Confirm the regulator pathway for the site.
2. Prepare the Notice of Work details before the work starts where required.
3. Save or check the licensee details before the first download.
4. Record water supply, sanitary plumbing, or drainage work clearly.
5. Add fee, commencement, completion, and reference details as soon as they are known.
6. Complete the certificate after testing and final work checks.
7. Preview the official PDF layout.
8. Keep the PDF with SSDs, inspection notes, photos, and completion emails.

That habit keeps the paperwork tied to the job-site reality. It also helps the office send clean copies without ringing the plumber after hours.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start the [NSW Combined Notice of Work and Certificate of Compliance](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-combined-notice-coc) at the job, or browse [NSW plumber forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/plumbing) for live NSW plumbing and drainage paperwork. The [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing) has the national set if you work across borders.

Check [when to submit the Combined Notice](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-combined-notice-when-to-submit) before work starts, then use the [record-keeping and handover guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-combined-notice-coc-record-keeping-handover-guide) when the copies move between the licensee, owner and regulator. For drainage work, the [Combined Notice and sewer service diagram guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-combined-notice-vs-sewer-service-diagram) keeps the two records separate.

If your business works across states, related plumbing paperwork includes [QLD Form 5 testing or commissioning reports](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-5-testing) and [TAS Form 71B standard of work certificates](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-71b-plumbing).

## Official references [#official-references]

For current requirements, check the [NSW Government combined form page](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/plumbing-and-drainers/regional-inspections/combined-notice-of-work-and-certificate-of-compliance), the [NSW plumbing inspection documents guidance](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/plumbing-and-drainers/plumbing-inspection-documents), the [NSW regional inspections guidance](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/plumbing-and-drainers/regional-inspections), and the [NSW Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2017](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/sl-2017-0482).

# NSW fire safety certificate: final vs interim certificate guide (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-final-interim-guide)

How to choose between a final and interim NSW fire safety certificate, build the measure table from the current schedule, and handle copies after it is issued. | State: NSW | Trade: Fire Safety | Template: nsw-fire-safety-certificate

> **Tradie Forms:** complete the NSW Fire Safety Certificate on the official layout for final or interim certification. Add the building, owner, fire safety measures, declarant details and the right declaration block, then preview and download the finished PDF.

Fire safety certificates sit at a high-pressure point in a build. The work is complete or partly complete, the owner or certifier needs paperwork, and the fire safety schedule has to match what is being certified.

A final certificate and an interim certificate look similar, but they do not mean the same thing. Measure rows need the right standard and assessment date. Owner details need to match the building record. Copies have to go where the rules require after the certificate is issued.

Use the [NSW Fire Safety Certificate template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-fire-safety-certificate) to assemble the certificate at the building or in the site office while the schedule and assessment details are still in front of you, or browse [NSW fire safety forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/fire-safety). The [fire safety forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/fire-safety) covers the other states.

**Key takeaways**

- Use the NSW Fire Safety Certificate for completion-stage certification, not the yearly AFSS process
- Choose final for the whole building work, or interim for a completed part of the building
- Build the measure table from the current fire safety schedule and the assessment records
- Assessments must have been carried out within the previous three months before the certificate is issued
- Copies and display obligations continue after the PDF is downloaded

## What is the NSW fire safety certificate for? [#what-is-the-nsw-fire-safety-certificate-for]

It certifies that the fire safety measures for completed building work meet the standard set in the fire safety schedule. NSW Planning says a fire safety certificate is issued by or on behalf of a building owner when new building work is complete, and confirms that a properly qualified person has installed and checked the measures listed in the schedule.

The Environmental Planning and Assessment (Development Certification and Fire Safety) Regulation 2021 defines two certificate types:

- A final fire safety certificate, issued for a building by or on behalf of the owner
- An interim fire safety certificate, issued for part of a building by or on behalf of the owner

The same Regulation says a final or interim certificate certifies that each relevant essential fire safety measure in the current fire safety schedule has been assessed as capable of performing to at least the standard required by the schedule. If you are still working out whether the certificate applies at all, start with [when a NSW fire safety certificate is required](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-nsw-fire-safety-certificate-required).

## Do you need a final or an interim certificate? [#do-you-need-a-final-or-an-interim-certificate]

Choose final when the relevant building work as a whole is complete and the measures being certified apply to the building. Choose interim when only a completed part of the building is being certified and the certificate is not for the whole of the building work.

Two boxes at the top of the form. The declaration section later changes to match whichever one you tick.

The decision matters because the declaration section changes with it. Tradie Forms shows the final declaration for a final certificate and the interim declaration for an interim certificate, so you do not fill both by mistake.

If you are unsure which type belongs to the job, check the development consent, the construction certificate, the occupation certificate pathway, the fire safety schedule and the certifier's instructions before issuing the PDF. Getting the type wrong creates confusion about the scope that was actually certified.

## Start with the current fire safety schedule [#start-with-the-current-fire-safety-schedule]

The schedule drives the certificate. The Regulation says a fire safety schedule must specify the fire safety measures for the building and the minimum standard of performance for each measure.

Have the current schedule open before you start filling, and confirm:

- The building or part of building covered
- Each fire safety measure that needs to be addressed
- The minimum standard of performance for each measure
- Whether measures are new, existing or modified where the form asks for status
- The assessment records and dates behind each measure

Do not copy the measure table from an old certificate unless you have checked it against the current schedule. Building work, orders, reissued schedules or corrected records can all change what belongs on the certificate.

## What to collect before you fill the form [#what-to-collect-before-you-fill-the-form]

### Building details [#building-details]

The certificate asks for the building address, lot number, DP or SP details where known, building name where applicable, and a short description of the building or part.

Be specific if the certificate covers part of a building. Level, tenancy, stage, wing or building section details help the owner, certifier and any later building manager understand the scope. "Warehouse" or "office" may be fine for a small building, but not for a staged project or a mixed-use site.

### Owner details [#owner-details]

Add the owner name and address. If the owner is a company, owners corporation, trust or other entity, use the entity name that belongs on the project record. The certificate is issued by or on behalf of the owner, so the owner block is not a spare contact field.

### Fire safety measures [#fire-safety-measures]

The measure table needs the fire safety measure, the minimum standard of performance, the assessment date and the status. The Tradie Forms template supports up to 14 measure rows, matching the official layout.

Use the schedule wording and standard where practical. If a measure is an original measure, or the schedule wording needs clarification, check with the certifier or the current regulatory guidance before issuing rather than inventing a description.

### Declarant details [#declarant-details]

The certificate includes contact details for the person making the final or interim declaration: full name, organisation, title, address, phone, email and signature details as the layout requires.

Read the declaration before signing. Tradie Forms can place the signature onto the official PDF line, but the person issuing the certificate remains responsible for the declaration.

## What has to happen after the certificate is issued? [#what-has-to-happen-after-the-certificate-is-issued]

The obligations continue past the download. [Section 84 of the Regulation](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/sl-2021-0689) says a person must not issue a fire safety certificate unless the assessments required for the certificate have been carried out within the previous three months. [Section 85](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/sl-2021-0689) says that as soon as practicable after a certificate is issued, the owner must give a copy of the certificate and current fire safety schedule to the Fire Commissioner, give a copy to a building practitioner where required under the Design and Building Practitioners Act pathway, and ensure the certificate and schedule are prominently displayed in the building.

That means the closeout pack does not stop at the PDF. Keep the certificate, the current schedule, the assessment evidence and the completion record together, along with a note of where copies were sent or displayed. The [certificate handover records guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-handover-records) covers how to structure that evidence measure by measure.

## What to keep with the certificate [#what-to-keep-with-the-certificate]

Store the certificate alongside:

- The current fire safety schedule
- Assessment evidence and practitioner records
- Development consent, construction certificate, fire safety order or certifier instructions where relevant
- Owner or agent authority
- The Fire Commissioner submission record
- The building practitioner completion record where relevant
- The display copy record
- Photos or site notes supporting the building or part description

That record helps when the project moves to occupation certificate, when the first annual statement becomes due, or when the next practitioner needs to understand what was certified. Common gaps in this pack are covered in [common NSW fire safety certificate mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-nsw-fire-safety-certificate).

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Tradie Forms turns the NSW Fire Safety Certificate into sections you work through one at a time: certificate type, building or part of building, owner details, fire safety measures, declarant details, and the final and interim declarations.

You choose final or interim first and see the matching declaration. NSW address search fills the building, owner and declarant blocks. Measure rows are added like a job sheet instead of fought with as PDF cells. Declarant details save for repeat certificate work, missing required fields are flagged before you download, and preview shows the official layout as a certificate reader will see it.

Check the certificate type, measure rows, assessment dates, declaration block and signature in that preview. If the preview does not match the file evidence, fix the entry before the certificate is issued.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the NSW Fire Safety Certificate PDF layout. It is not affiliated with NSW Planning, Fire and Rescue NSW, any council or any certifier, and it does not lodge or approve anything. The owner, authorised representative and relevant practitioners remain responsible for the certificate, the supporting evidence and the finished PDF.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start the [NSW Fire Safety Certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-fire-safety-certificate), or read the [on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-on-site-guide) for a section-by-section walk through.

If the building is already in the annual or supplementary cycle, use the [NSW Fire Safety Statement](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-fire-safety-statement) instead and check the [annual fire safety statement guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-statement-afss-online-guide) for timing and lodgement. The [certificate versus statement guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-vs-statement-guide) covers the difference if you are choosing between them.

## Official references [#official-references]

For current requirements, check the [NSW Planning fire safety certification page](https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/policy-and-legislation/buildings/fire-safety-in-buildings/fire-safety-certification), the [Environmental Planning and Assessment (Development Certification and Fire Safety) Regulation 2021](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/sl-2021-0689), the [Fire and Rescue NSW fire safety statement lodgement guidance](https://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/fire-safety/building-fire-safety/service-type-tool/lodge-a-fire-safety-statement) where statement work is involved, and the [NSW guide to selecting an accredited practitioner](https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-03/selecting-an-accredited-practitioner-fire-safety.pdf).

# TAS Form 71B standard of work certificate: fill it before you leave site (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-71b-standard-of-work-certificate-guide)

Field-by-field guide to TAS Form 71B, the standard of work certificate for plumbing work: recipient, owner copy, work type, references and work description. | State: TAS | Trade: Plumbing | Template: tas-form-71b-plumbing

> **Tradie Forms:** complete TAS Form 71B on the official Standard of Work Certificate layout while the job, owner and licence details are still in front of you. Preview the PDF, catch gaps, and download a clean copy for the owner, permit authority and job record.

Tasmanian plumbing work does not finish when the tools go back in the ute. The certificate still has to match the work, the owner, the site and the pathway the job actually followed.

Form 71B is the paperwork that gets pushed to the end of the day, which is exactly when details go missing. The owner address comes off an old booking. The permit authority is copied from the last council job. The work description says "plumbing works" when it should say what was completed. This guide walks the certificate field by field so it can be finished before you leave.

**Key takeaways**

- Form 71B is the approved Standard of Work Certificate for Plumbing Work in Tasmania
- It applies when permit or notifiable plumbing work is completed
- It goes to the permit authority with a copy to the owner, so the owner block is not optional
- The work description is the field that decides whether the certificate is useful later
- Form 71B is not Form 60 and not Form 21 - each answers a different question about the job

## What does TAS Form 71B certify? [#what-does-tas-form-71b-certify]

Consumer, Building and Occupational Services lists Form 71B as the approved Standard of Work Certificate for Plumbing Work. The CBOS guide to approved plumbing forms says the certificate is completed by the plumber, sent to the council permit authority, and copied to the owner, and that when permit or notifiable plumbing work is completed the plumber is required to complete it.

The CBOS Guide to the Building Act 2016 sets out the completion flow. For permit plumbing work, the plumber submits a standard of work certificate to the permit authority on completion of the work. For notifiable plumbing work, the plumber must provide the owner and permit authority with a standard of work certificate within 5 business days of the work finishing, with an as-constructed drainage plan if appropriate.

The [Form 71B lodgement and completion guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-71b-plumbing-lodgement-completion) covers the timing and lodgement side in more detail. This guide is about getting the fields right.

## What to collect before you fill it [#what-to-collect-before-you-fill-it]

Open the job pack first. Everything below is easier when the approval, site, owner and plumber details are in one place.

### Recipient or permit authority [#recipient-or-permit-authority]

The form needs the name and address of the recipient, usually the permit authority or council receiving the certificate. If you work across several Tasmanian council areas, check the authority against the site and approval documents. A saved block is useful only when it matches this job.

### Plumber details [#plumber-details]

Add the plumber name, category, address, phone, licence number and email where applicable. Saved details save real time on repeat jobs, but check the licence number, business name and contact details, especially after a renewal or a business address change.

### Owner copy details [#owner-copy-details]

The Form 71B layout carries a note that a copy of the certificate must be forwarded to the owner. Confirm the owner name, phone and address. If your site contact was a tenant, builder, project manager or agent, make sure the owner copy still lands with the legal owner.

### Type of work [#type-of-work]

Select whether the work is permit work or notifiable work. The certificate should describe the pathway that actually applies. If the classification is unclear, check the approval, current CBOS guidance and the permit authority process before you certify anything.

### Certificate of likely compliance references [#certificate-of-likely-compliance-references]

Where the job has a certificate of likely compliance or permit reference, add the correct numbers, copied from the current approval or permit authority record rather than an old email chain. These references are what tie the certificate to the approval pathway.

### Work site and title details [#work-site-and-title-details]

The work site section captures the address, lot number and certificate of title number where relevant. For rural properties, units, subdivisions, commercial buildings and multi-stage jobs, write enough that the permit authority, owner or next plumber can identify the work later.

### Work description [#work-description]

The certificate is only as good as this field.

**Standard of work description**

- **This** - Install sanitary plumbing and drainage to rear bathroom addition, connected to existing stack (Names the work and its location.)
- **Not this** - Plumbing work completed (Too thin to connect the certificate to the job.)

Name the work and its location:

- "Install hot and cold water reticulation for new dwelling"
- "Complete sanitary drainage and sewer connection for unit 2"
- "Install roof plumbing and stormwater connection to approved layout"
- "Complete on-site wastewater system installation and commissioning"

Keep it short, but make it clear enough to read cold in six months.

## Where Form 71B goes wrong [#where-form-71b-goes-wrong]

**Owner details get skipped.** The owner copy matters. If the owner is not the person who met you on site, confirm the right name and address.

**The description is too vague.** Use plain words and name the work, not just the trade.

**Permit work and notifiable work get mixed up.** If the approval documents say permit work, do not tick notifiable work because it feels close enough.

**References come from the wrong job.** Similar jobs with the same builder blur together. Copy from the current approval, certificate of likely compliance or permit document.

**As-constructed records drift away from the certificate.** CBOS guidance refers to as-constructed drainage plans where appropriate. Keep them with the certificate so the job file tells the full story.

## What should you keep with the finished certificate? [#what-should-you-keep-with-the-finished-certificate]

The certificate should not sit on its own. Store it with the records that explain the job: the [Form 60 start work notification](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-60-start-work-notification-plumbing-guide) where one was used, permit or certificate of likely compliance details, inspection notes and permit authority correspondence, the as-constructed drainage plan where appropriate, photos of the completed work, the owner delivery note, and any direction or variation that changed the work.

That record is what answers a permit authority query, gives the owner a second copy without a hunt, and tells the next plumber what was completed before they touch the site.

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Tradie Forms turns [TAS Form 71B](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-71b-plumbing) into sections you work through one at a time in the official order: recipient or permit authority, plumber details, owner details, type of work, certificate of likely compliance references, work site details, standard of work description, and certification and signature.

You can save permit authority and plumber details for repeat Tasmanian jobs, use address search for site and owner blocks, catch missing required fields, preview the official layout, and download the finished certificate for the owner, permit authority and job record. On bigger jobs, treat the preview as a final read-through with the permit file open.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the Tasmania Form 71B PDF layout. It is not affiliated with CBOS or any permit authority, it does not lodge, inspect or approve anything, and downloading or emailing the PDF does not complete a permit authority process. The licensed plumber remains responsible for the work, the pathway and the finished document.

## Where Form 71B sits against the rest of the job [#where-form-71b-sits-against-the-rest-of-the-job]

The certificate is one document in a sequence, and most confusion about it comes from looking at it alone.

Form 60 opens the job as the start work notification. Form 71B is the plumber's statement about the standard of the work. Form 21 is the certificate of completion. They are separate documents doing separate jobs, and they are frequently prepared by different people at different moments.

Keeping one job reference across all of them is what makes the sequence readable later. Without it, the office is matching documents by address, which fails as soon as a property has two jobs or a street has similar numbers.

## Getting the work description right [#getting-the-work-description-right]

The description is the field that decides whether the certificate is useful in two years.

"Plumbing work" is technically a description and practically useless. Something like "sanitary plumbing and drainage to new dwelling, including stormwater connection" tells a reader what the certificate actually covers without them opening the permit.

Write it for someone who was not there. That is the test, and it applies to every certificate in the set rather than only this one.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start [TAS Form 71B](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-71b-plumbing) before you leave the job. For the start-work step, use [TAS Form 60](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-60-start-work), and if a completion certificate is also required, [TAS Form 21](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/tas-form-21-completion) is the separate document - the [Form 21 vs Form 71B guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-21-vs-form-71b-plumbing-guide) explains the difference. Browse [TAS plumber forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/tas/plumbing) for the live Tasmanian templates. Plumbing forms for every state sit on the [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing).

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [CBOS approved forms page](https://cbos.tas.gov.au/topics/resources-tools/Building-and-trades-forms%2C-publications-and-report/asset-listings/approved-forms) for the current Form 71B, the [CBOS guide to approved plumbing forms](https://www.cbos.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/404544/Guide_to_approved_forms_-_plumbing_work.pdf) for who completes and receives it, the [CBOS Guide to the Building Act 2016](https://www.cbos.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/405039/Guide_to_the_Building_Act_2016.pdf) for the completion flow, and the [Building Act 2016 (Tasmania)](https://www.legislation.tas.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/act-2016-025) for the standard of work certificate provisions.

# Common NSW fire safety statement mistakes before AFSS lodgement (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-nsw-fire-safety-statement)

The errors that hold up a NSW annual fire safety statement: wrong type, stale measure tables, assessment dates, APFS details, declarations and FRNSW copies. | State: NSW | Trade: Fire Safety | Template: nsw-fire-safety-statement

Most AFSS mistakes are not dramatic. They are small mismatches that make the statement harder to lodge, display or defend later.

The wrong statement type. A measure copied from last year's schedule. APFS details missing from the table. The owner declaration signed by someone too close to the assessment. The Fire and Rescue NSW copy forgotten after council lodgement.

The statement sits between the owner, council, Fire and Rescue NSW, accredited practitioners, building managers and the people using the building, so a clean one saves a lot of chasing. For due dates, practitioner roles and the current submission steps, read the [annual fire safety statement guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-statement-afss-online-guide) first, then use this checklist. If you are not sure the statement is due at all, check [when a NSW fire safety statement is required](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-nsw-fire-safety-statement-required).

**Key takeaways**

- Start every NSW fire safety statement from the current fire safety schedule, not last year's PDF
- Check the annual and supplementary timing rules before issuing
- Keep APFS details, signatures and supporting documents with the statement
- The assessing practitioner cannot make the owner declaration
- Council lodgement, the FRNSW copy and the display copy are three separate steps

## Which statement type does this building need? [#which-statement-type-does-this-building-need]

That depends on the fire safety schedule, not on what was issued last time. NSW Planning says annual fire safety statements must be issued each year and include all essential fire safety measures that apply to a building. Supplementary fire safety statements are issued at more regular intervals, as specified in the fire safety schedule, for critical fire safety measures.

The current schedule tells you which measures are essential, which are critical and what intervals apply. Do not pick annual or supplementary from memory. In Tradie Forms you choose the statement type first, and the app then shows the matching declaration section and keeps the annual fire exit section tied to annual statements.

## Mistake: copying last year's measure table [#mistake-copying-last-years-measure-table]

Last year's PDF is a useful reference, but it is not the source of truth. The fire safety schedule specifies the measures and the minimum standards of performance, and it may have been reissued, corrected, changed after building work or affected by an order.

Before filling the measure table, check the measure name, the minimum standard of performance, whether the measure is essential or critical, the critical measure intervals where applicable, and the building or part of building covered. Then fill the statement from that current schedule.

## Mistake: assessment dates fall outside the window [#mistake-assessment-dates-fall-outside-the-window]

The timing rules are easy to miss when practitioner reports arrive over several weeks. The Regulation says an annual fire safety statement must not be issued unless the assessment and inspection have been carried out within the previous three months. It says a supplementary fire safety statement must not be issued unless the assessment has been carried out within the previous month.

If a report is old, do not quietly drop it into the table. Check the current rules and get the dates right before issuing.

## Mistake: APFS details are incomplete [#mistake-apfs-details-are-incomplete]

The NSW Planning FAQ says the statement form must contain the details and signature of each accredited practitioner who assessed the fire safety measures, or the person issuing the statement can obtain and attach a separate signed document from each practitioner.

Names alone are not enough. Keep the APFS details, accreditation numbers, signatures or signed supporting documents, and contact details together. In Tradie Forms, APFS rows sit in their own section so practitioner details are captured properly rather than buried in a notes field.

## Who is allowed to sign the owner declaration? [#who-is-allowed-to-sign-the-owner-declaration]

The owner, or an authorised agent acting for the owner. The NSW Planning FAQ says the statement is issued by or on behalf of the owner. It also says an accredited fire safety practitioner must not make the declaration if they assessed a fire safety measure or inspected the building's exit system for the annual statement, and that the restriction extends to their employer, employee or direct associate.

This one catches people when the practitioner has done the hard work and everyone wants the form finished quickly. Keep the roles separate:

- The APFS assesses, inspects and verifies the relevant measures
- The owner or authorised agent issues the statement
- The declarant signs the annual or supplementary declaration

If an agent signs, keep the owner's authority with the building record.

## Mistake: the building scope is unclear [#mistake-the-building-scope-is-unclear]

The official form asks whether the statement applies to the whole building or part of the building. That choice matters on mixed-use buildings, staged sites, strata properties, shopping centres and buildings with multiple tenancies.

If it applies to part of a building, describe the part clearly using level, tenancy, building name, wing, stage or area details.

**Building or part described**

- **This** - Part of building: Building B, levels 1 to 3, retail tenancies 4 to 9. Does not cover Building A or the basement car park. (States what is covered and, just as usefully, what is not.)
- **Not this** - The building (A future reader cannot tell whether the whole site is covered.)

A future reader should not have to guess whether the statement covers the whole site or one section of it.

## Mistake: Fire and Rescue NSW completion is missed [#mistake-fire-and-rescue-nsw-completion-is-missed]

Council lodgement is only one part of the completion. Fire and Rescue NSW says the owner of a building with a fire safety schedule is required to provide a copy of the fire safety statement to the Commissioner of FRNSW. The FRNSW lodgement guidance also says the owner must ensure the statement and the current fire safety schedule are prominently displayed in the building.

**Where the statement has to go**

- **Assess and sign - APFS and owner** - Every measure assessed inside the allowed window.
- **Council - Owner lodges** - The step most people treat as the whole obligation.
- **Fire and Rescue NSW - Copy to the Commissioner** - A separate pathway, not a copy of the council lodgement.
- **Displayed in the building - Owner** - Statement and current schedule, prominently displayed.

Downloading or emailing the PDF is not the same as completing these pathways.

Keep the FRNSW submission record, the council lodgement record and the display copy record together.

## Mistake: the standard form is altered [#mistake-the-standard-form-is-altered]

The NSW Planning FAQ says the Regulation requires a fire safety statement to be in the form approved by the Planning Secretary, and that changes to the standard form, including adding or altering letterheads and logos or adding and removing sections, may contravene the requirements.

That is one reason the official layout matters. Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the NSW statement PDF layout instead of turning the form into a custom letter.

## Mistake: the evidence is split across inboxes [#mistake-the-evidence-is-split-across-inboxes]

The final PDF is important, but it is not the whole record. Keep these together:

- The completed NSW Fire Safety Statement PDF
- The current fire safety schedule
- APFS reports and signatures
- Owner or agent authority
- The council lodgement receipt
- The Fire and Rescue NSW submission record
- The display copy record
- Photos, job notes or building manager completion notes where useful

When the next annual cycle starts, that record saves the team rebuilding the story from scratch. [AFSS record keeping and handover](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-afss-record-keeping-handover) covers how to structure it.

## Mistake: nobody reads the finished PDF [#mistake-nobody-reads-the-finished-pdf]

The form catches missing fields, but the PDF still needs a human review. Before lodgement, preview the official layout and read it as the council, Fire and Rescue NSW, the owner or the building manager will see it.

Check the building address on every page, the owner name, the statement type, the measure rows, the APFS rows, the declaration date and the signature. If the schedule is attached separately, confirm the version in the job record is the current one. This is much faster than correcting a form after copies have already gone out.

## A cleaner check before you download [#a-cleaner-check-before-you-download]

1. The statement type matches the due obligation.
2. Measure rows match the current fire safety schedule.
3. Assessment and inspection dates fit the current timing rules.
4. APFS details and signatures or signed documents are ready.
5. The declarant is the owner or authorised agent, not the assessing APFS.
6. The building scope is clear.
7. Council, Fire and Rescue NSW and display copies are planned.
8. The PDF has been previewed on the official layout.

Keep a dated note of that check with the job record. It gives the next annual cycle a clearer starting point and answers most follow-up questions without a search.

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Tradie Forms turns the NSW Fire Safety Statement into sections you work through one at a time: statement type, building and scope, owner details, fire safety measure rows, fire exit inspection rows for annual statements, APFS practitioner rows, declarant details, and the annual or supplementary declaration.

You can save declarant details for repeat buildings, use NSW address search for the building, owner and declarant blocks, add measure and practitioner rows without fighting PDF cells, catch missing fields early, preview the official Version 4 layout, and download the finished PDF for council, Fire and Rescue NSW, display, owner records and job storage.

Tradie Forms is not affiliated with NSW Planning, Fire and Rescue NSW or any council, and it does not lodge or approve anything. The owner, authorised agent and relevant practitioners remain responsible for the statement, the evidence, the lodgement pathway and the finished PDF.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start the [NSW Fire Safety Statement](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-fire-safety-statement), or browse [NSW fire safety forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nsw/fire-safety). The [fire safety forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/fire-safety) has the national set for contractors working across borders.

For completion-stage certificates on new building work, use the [NSW Fire Safety Certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-fire-safety-certificate) and the [certificate versus statement guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-vs-statement-guide) if you are choosing between the two.

## The mistake that starts twelve months earlier [#the-mistake-that-starts-twelve-months-earlier]

Most late statements are not a lodgement problem. The measure records were never kept properly, so the assessment stalls while someone reconstructs a year of testing. Emergency and exit lighting is the usual culprit because the six-monthly discharge test is easy to skip and hard to prove later. An [emergency lighting test register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-emergency-lighting-test-register) filled on site keeps the trail intact, and a [smoke alarm service record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/national-smoke-alarm-service-record) does the same for alarms.

## Official references [#official-references]

For current requirements, check the [NSW Planning fire safety certification page](https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/policy-and-legislation/buildings/fire-safety-in-buildings/fire-safety-certification), the [Fire and Rescue NSW fire safety statement lodgement guidance](https://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/fire-safety/building-fire-safety/service-type-tool/lodge-a-fire-safety-statement), the [Fire and Rescue NSW AFSS submission page](https://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/fire-safety/building-fire-safety/service-type-tool/lodge-a-fire-safety-statement/afsssubmission), the [NSW fire safety statements FAQ](https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-03/fire-safety-statements-faq.pdf), and the [Environmental Planning and Assessment (Development Certification and Fire Safety) Regulation 2021](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/sl-2021-0689).

# NT gas works notification: finish the 24-hour notice before you start (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nt-gas-works-notification-guide)

Northern Territory gasfitters: when the NT WorkSafe gas works notification applies, the 24-hour rule, thresholds, and what to capture before work starts. | State: NT | Trade: Gasfitting | Template: nt-gas-works-notification

> **Tradie Forms:** complete the NT Notification of Commencement of Gas Works on the official PDF layout before the work starts. Capture the business, gasfitter, site, gas system, technical details, site plan and declaration without fighting a flat PDF.

Gas work notifications are timing-sensitive. If the job needs NT WorkSafe notice, the form should not be a last-minute scramble while the crew is already on the way.

The details are technical enough that guessing from memory is risky. You need the location, licence details, type of gas, gas source, withdrawal details, system purpose, storage or container details, compliance checklist and site plan information. Those pieces often live across plans, photos, supplier notes and the gasfitter's head.

The best time to finish the notification is before the job moves from planning to work. That gives you time to check the threshold, complete the PDF and keep a clean record with the job. Use the [NT Gas Works Notification template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nt-gas-works-notification), browse [NT gasfitter forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nt/gasfitting), and keep the [common mistakes guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nt-gas-works-notification-common-mistakes) handy.

**Key takeaways**

- Check whether the job meets the more than 200kg or more than 200MJ per hour threshold
- Notify NT WorkSafe no later than 24 hours before scheduled commencement where required
- Keep gasfitter, site, gas source, technical and site plan details together before download
- Gas mains work has a separate Regulation 178 pathway and timing
- Tradie Forms prepares the official PDF layout; it does not decide whether the job is notifiable

## What is the NT gas works notification for? [#what-is-the-nt-gas-works-notification-for]

[NT WorkSafe says](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/forms-and-resources/forms/commencement-of-gas-works-notification-form) the notification form applies when the fuel gas stored in gas containers is more than 200kg, or when the fuel gas system is connected to a gas main and the total gas consumption is more than 200MJ per hour.

NT WorkSafe's gas work notification guidance also refers to Regulation 176 of the Dangerous Goods Regulations 1985. It says a licence holder must notify the Competent Authority before commencing gas works for installation of a fuel gas system, connection of a gas appliance, or repair other than minor repair, alteration, or removal of an existing fuel gas system.

Use the official [NT WorkSafe gas work notification guidance](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/notify-nt-worksafe/gas-work-notification) and the [Notification of commencement of gas works form page](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/forms-and-resources/forms/commencement-of-gas-works-notification-form) as the current references.

## What is the 24-hour timing rule? [#what-is-the-24-hour-timing-rule]

[NT WorkSafe says](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/forms-and-resources/forms/commencement-of-gas-works-notification-form) it must be notified no later than 24 hours before the commencement of work, or in an emergency as soon as practicable.

That means this paperwork belongs in the job planning rhythm, not after the gasfitter has started. For scheduled work, finish the notification early enough that the 24-hour requirement is not squeezed by travel, supplier delays, customer access or crew changes.

For emergency situations, keep the record clear. If you notify as soon as practicable, the form and job notes should still explain what work was involved and why the timing was different.

## When may this form not be required? [#when-may-this-form-not-be-required]

[NT WorkSafe guidance says](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/notify-nt-worksafe/gas-work-notification) a notification is not required when the quantity of fuel gas connected to the system will not exceed 200kg, or the fuel gas system is connected to a gas main with total energy consumption of no more than 200MJ per hour.

Those thresholds are important, but do not rely on a rough guess when a job is close. Check the current guidance, the system design, the connected load, the container quantity and your licence obligations.

Also note the separate gas mains pathway. NT WorkSafe says Regulation 178 applies to work in respect of gas mains, with written notification required at least 7 days before construction or repair of the gas main, except for emergency repairs, minor repairs or routine maintenance. Do not use the 24-hour commencement form as a substitute for the separate gas mains notice where that pathway applies. See the [construction or repair of gas main notification page](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/forms-and-resources/forms/construction-or-repair-of-gas-main-notification-form).

## Details to collect before you start the form [#details-to-collect-before-you-start-the-form]

The NT gas works notification is easiest when the job record is ready. Pull the plans, customer details, licence details, gas load information and site information together before you sit down to finish the PDF.

**Commencement date**

- **This** - The date work will actually commence, at least 24 hours ahead for scheduled work (If the program moves, check whether the notification still makes sense.)
- **Not this** - The date you filled the form in (A notification that no longer matches the program is not a notification.)

**Commencement date.** The form needs the date the work will commence, lined up with the 24-hour notice requirement for scheduled work.

**Business details.** Add the business name, ABN, address, phone and email details accurately. Saved business details are useful for repeat jobs, but still check them after any licence, address or contact change.

**Gasfitter details.** Include the gasfitter's name, licence number, address, phone and email. Do not assume the person preparing the notification is the same person carrying out the work.

**Location of gas works.** Identify the premises or caravan where the gas work will be carried out. A remote property, mining camp, caravan park, commercial kitchen, workshop or multi-building site may need more than a street address. Add building names, bay numbers, tenancy names, compound references or site notes where useful.

**Nature of work.** Show what type of gas work is being started, such as new installation, appliance connection, repair, alteration or removal. Match the section to the actual scope. If it is a repair, decide whether it is minor repair or a type of work that needs notice under the current guidance.

**Installation type, gas withdrawal, gas type and source.** Capture whether the installation is domestic, commercial, industrial, caravan, marine or another type, plus gas withdrawal and work pressure details from the system design or measured job information. Record the gas type and source clearly, because they connect directly to the threshold question.

**System purpose, piping, storage and containers.** Explain what the gas system serves in plain words. Check piping sizing details, gas usage, storage tank information and gas container details before signing off. If supplier details are still being finalised, do not guess.

**Compliance checklist and site plan.** Treat these as part of the job record, not as a nuisance at the end. The site plan should help identify the installation and its relationship to the premises.

## What should you keep with the notification? [#what-should-you-keep-with-the-notification]

Keep the notification with the records that explain the job:

- Completed notification PDF
- Plans, marked-up site plans or site plan images
- Gas container, storage tank or gas main load details
- Licence and business details used for the notification
- Customer approval, scope or work order
- Any NT WorkSafe submission or acknowledgement record
- Photos of the installation area where useful

That record helps the office, the gasfitter and the next person who picks up the job understand exactly what was notified. For the traps that cause follow-up, read [common NT gas works notification mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nt-gas-works-notification-common-mistakes).

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Tradie Forms turns the NT gas works notification into sections you work through one at a time. You can move through commencement, business, gasfitter, location, nature of work, installation type, gas withdrawal, gas type, gas source, system purpose, piping sizing, storage tanks, gas containers, compliance checklist, site plan and declaration.

You can save business and gasfitter details for repeat notifications, fill technical sections from the job record without editing a flat PDF, add site plan details before download, catch missing required fields, and preview the official PDF layout before submitting or storing the record.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the NT WorkSafe PDF layout. It is not affiliated with NT WorkSafe, and it does not decide whether the job is notifiable. Always check the current NT WorkSafe requirements and review the finished PDF before using it. It does not lodge the form for you.

## Planning the notification around the job [#planning-the-notification-around-the-job]

The notification has a timing requirement, which means it has to be planned rather than remembered.

The practical approach is to lodge it when the job is booked rather than when the work is about to start. Booking is when the site details, the scope, and the dates are being settled anyway, and it removes the risk of a notification going in late because a job moved forward.

Where a job date shifts, check whether the notification still holds rather than assuming it does.

## Keeping the record after the work [#keeping-the-record-after-the-work]

The notification is part of the job record, not a step that disappears once lodged.

Keep a copy with the job, along with anything the notification referenced. If a question arises later about whether the work was notified and when, that copy is the answer, and it is much easier to keep at the time than to retrieve afterwards.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start the [NT Gas Works Notification](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nt-gas-works-notification) before work begins, or browse [NT gasfitter forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/nt/gasfitting) for Northern Territory trade paperwork. Use the [common mistakes guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nt-gas-works-notification-common-mistakes) as a pre-send checklist. The [gasfitting forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/gasfitting) covers the other states.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check [NT WorkSafe's gas work notification guidance](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/notify-nt-worksafe/gas-work-notification), the [Notification of commencement of gas works form page](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/forms-and-resources/forms/commencement-of-gas-works-notification-form), the [NT WorkSafe gas safety page](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/safety-and-prevention/gas-safety), and the [construction or repair of gas main notification page](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/forms-and-resources/forms/construction-or-repair-of-gas-main-notification-form).

# QLD Form 1 permit work application: fill it so council can assess it (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-1-permit-work-application-guide)

Complete QLD Form 1 permit work application sections for land, proposed work, building class and attachments, then download the finished PDF. | State: QLD | Trade: Plumbing | Template: qld-form-1-permit-work

> **Tradie Forms:** prepare a QLD Form 1 permit work application on the official PDF layout, working through land details, proposed work, building class, soil reports, fixtures, owner details and the declaration in one pass.

A Form 1 rarely fails because the plumbing is wrong. It stalls because the land is described loosely, the proposed work could mean anything, or a soil report everyone assumed was attached is not.

The form itself is not hard. The problem is that its answers are scattered across plans, a rates notice, the builder's messages and the owner's memory. Gather them once, while the site and the customer are still in front of you.

**Key takeaways**

- Form 1 is the permit work application, lodged before permit work starts
- Completion of all applicable sections is mandatory
- The land description has to identify the land, not the job nickname
- Soil, articulation and site and soil evaluation reports are the attachments most often missed
- Fixture counts and work descriptions must match the current plan set

Start [QLD Form 1](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-1-permit-work), or browse [QLD plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/plumbing).

## What is QLD Form 1 used for? [#what-is-qld-form-1-used-for]

Form 1 is the permit work application for plumbing, drainage and on-site sewerage work. Business Queensland lists it under the plumbing and drainage forms, and the official PDF says it is used for sections 44(1)(a) and 52(2) of the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019, with completion of all applicable sections mandatory.

In site terms, it is the cover sheet for the work you are asking local government to assess. Business Queensland says permit work needs a permit before it starts, that you must comply with the permit and its conditions, and that the work is inspected against the relevant plumbing laws, the permit terms and the plans that came with the application.

Not every job is permit work. Queensland plumbing and drainage work can also be notifiable, minor or unregulated depending on what is being done. If the job sits on the edge, check the current Queensland guidance, the regulation and the relevant local government process before lodging. A online form completes the PDF layout; it does not decide whether your work is permit work.

## Description of land [#description-of-land]

The form asks for a description of all land the application covers. That usually means the street address, lot and plan, shop or tenancy number, storey or level, and local government area where relevant. The form notes that lot and plan details appear on title documents or a rates notice.

A job nickname is not a land description.

**Description of land**

- **This** - Lot 214 on SP 318776, Shop 4, Level 1, 12 Hillcrest Rise, Ripley QLD 4306, Ipswich City Council (Lot and plan from the title or rates notice, plus the LGA for the land itself.)
- **Not this** - Smith bathroom reno (Fine in the diary, tells council nothing.)

Units, tenancies, mixed-use sites, rural blocks and new subdivisions all need the extra identifiers.

Boundary suburbs, new estates and commercial properties also make the local government area easy to get wrong. The LGA on the form should match the land subject to the application, not the billing address or the builder's office.

## Permit application details and proposed work [#permit-application-details-and-proposed-work]

This section asks whether the application is for a new building or work to an existing building, whether distributor-retailer approval has been granted where applicable, whether a copy of the connection approval is attached where applicable, and whether the site is sewered or unsewered.

Then it asks what you propose to do. This is where most applications get thin. "Plumbing work" could describe any job in Queensland. Descriptions that let council match the form to the plans read more like these:

- New sanitary drainage and water service for class 1a dwelling
- Alter existing sanitary drainage for tenancy amenities upgrade
- On-site sewerage system installation for unsewered rural dwelling
- Water supply connection and fixture installation for commercial tenancy fit-out

The goal is not a long description. It is a description specific enough to identify the location and scope.

## Building classification and application type [#building-classification-and-application-type]

Form 1 asks for the building class under the National Construction Code, such as class 1a, class 2 or class 10a. If the class is not obvious, confirm it against the building approval documents rather than guessing. The form also asks for a plain description of the proposed building, with examples such as a single dwelling, bakery, distillery or mechanical workshop.

The form then includes fast-track questions for certain new class 1a or 10a buildings. The PDF notes that local governments may opt out of the fast-track process or include extra types of permit work, and that you should check with the relevant local government for changes.

Slow down here. The form asks specific questions about direct and separate connections to reticulated water and sewerage, trade waste approval, on-site treatment facilities and local government fast-track declarations. If the job is unsewered, involves trade waste, combined or community sanitary drainage, or an on-site sewerage facility, read the form notes and check the council process before selecting a pathway.

## What attachments does the application need? [#what-attachments-does-the-application-need]

Attachments are the most common reason a complete-looking Form 1 stalls. For sanitary drainage work, the form says a copy of the soil classification report must be supplied, and for classes H, E and P an articulation report must be supplied as well. Business Queensland's supporting documents guidance says extra documents may be needed depending on the proposed work and the building class.

Before lodgement, confirm what is actually attached rather than accepting "the builder has that":

- Current plan set, matching the work description
- Soil classification report
- Articulation report where the soil class requires it
- Site and soil evaluation report for on-site sewerage where required
- Connection approval or distributor-retailer evidence where applicable
- Owner authorisation or project approval notes

## Fixtures, water supply and wastewater [#fixtures-water-supply-and-wastewater]

The fixtures section asks for the number of fixtures to be installed, including sinks, basins, urinals, baths, WCs, showers, laundry tubs, other fixtures and the total. Count from the latest plan set, not from memory or an old quote. If the builder has issued revised drawings, update the form before it is lodged.

The water supply section captures new connections, alterations or disconnections, and whether the purpose is domestic, industrial, commercial or fire. The Form 1 PDF notes that some South East Queensland local governments cannot grant a permit unless the distributor-retailer approval position is satisfied for relevant water infrastructure work.

For unsewered areas, the wastewater disposal section captures treatment plant details, approval numbers, environmentally relevant activity information where applicable, bedrooms or flow details, and whether the site and soil evaluation report is attached. A missing treatment plant approval number can hold up an application even when the plumbing design is sound.

## Owner and applicant details [#owner-and-applicant-details]

Form 1 has separate owner and applicant blocks. The applicant does not have to be the owner, but the applicant is responsible for ensuring the information is correct and that they are authorised to manage the application on the owner's behalf.

Get the company name, contact person, phone, mobile and email right before the declaration is signed. Saved details help with repeat lodgements, but a licence number or company name carried over from an old job makes a finished PDF look careless. Check them each time.

## A clean pre-lodgement check [#a-clean-pre-lodgement-check]

1. Confirm the land description against title documents, a rates notice or the plans
2. Confirm the local government area for the land, not the office
3. Write a proposed work description that matches the plan set
4. Confirm the building class and building description
5. Answer the fast-track questions from the form, not from habit
6. Confirm soil class, articulation and site and soil evaluation requirements
7. Count fixtures from the current drawings
8. Complete water supply and wastewater sections where they apply
9. Check owner and applicant details, then read the declaration
10. Review the finished PDF, then lodge it through the pathway the council accepts

Council processes vary. Some use online portals, some ask for extra documents, and some have local lodgement instructions. Prepare the Form 1 cleanly, then follow the relevant council's process.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start [QLD Form 1](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-1-permit-work) before lodgement, or browse [QLD plumber forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/plumbing). Browse the [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing) for job and safety paperwork that travels with you.

If the approved scope later changes, [QLD Form 2](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-2-amend-permit) covers amendments and extensions - see the [Form 2 guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-2-amend-permit-extension-time-guide). Where a specialist statement supports the application, see [common Form 12 mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-qld-form-12-specialised-work). For the stages after the permit, read the [Form 5 testing or commissioning guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-5-testing-commissioning-report-guide) and the [Form 19 final inspection certificate guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-19-final-inspection-certificate-guide). The [Form 1, Form 5 and Form 9 handover guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-plumbing-form-1-form-5-form-9-handover-guide) shows how the records pass between people, and the [QLD plumbing forms list](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-plumbing-forms-list-permit-inspection-handover) covers the wider set.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the Queensland Form 1 layout and lets you preview it before you download the finished PDF. It does not lodge the application, decide whether your job is permit work, or approve anything. The applicant and the licensed person remain responsible.

## Official references [#official-references]

For current requirements, check the [Business Queensland plumbing forms page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/forms-templates), [permit applications for plumbing and drainage work](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/permits), [supporting documents for permit applications](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/permits/supporting-documents), the [Queensland Form 1 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/3762/form1plumbingdrainageregulation2019.pdf), and the [Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019](https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2019-0042).

# ACMA TCA1 cabling advice: finish the form on site (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca1-cabling-advice-on-site-guide)

How registered cablers fill ACMA TCA1 on site: provider and employer details, work description, customer block, certification and date, then download the PDF. | Trade: Electrical | Template: acma-tca1-attach-a

Cabling work can finish quickly, but the advice form is easy to leave until later. You tidy the rack, test the outlet, pack the gear, and tell yourself you will do the paperwork back at the ute.

That is when the small mistakes creep in. The room name gets vague. The customer contact is copied off the wrong job. The registration number comes from an old PDF saved on a phone. On a bigger electrical fit-out, the cabling advice disappears under the rest of the site paperwork.

TCA1 is simple when you complete it at the job. You know what you installed or supervised, you know where it is, and the customer is usually still there. This guide runs through the form section by section so you can finish it before you leave.

**Key takeaways**

- TCA1 is an approved ACMA form for the written certification statement covering cabling work you performed or supervised
- Describe the work and its location in enough detail that a customer or auditor can understand it later
- Check the registration number and customer details before you download, not after the PDF is sent
- Use TCA2 separately for non-compliant cabling you noticed but did not fix
- Give copies to the customer and your employer or contractor, and keep a copy for one year

Open the [ACMA TCA1 form](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca1-attach-a) if you are filling one now, or browse [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical) for the wider state library.

## What is ACMA TCA1 used for? [#what-is-acma-tca1-used-for]

TCA1 is the form registered cablers use to give a customer the written certification statement for completed cabling work. It records who carried out or supervised the work, what was done and where, who the customer is, and the statement that the work complies with the Wiring Rules.

ACMA says that if you perform or supervise cabling work, you must prepare a written certification statement every time you complete a job for a customer, as soon as practicable after finishing the work. ACMA also says you can use your own format instead of TCA1, as long as it contains the required details. Most cablers still reach for TCA1 because it gives the job a recognised layout and removes the guesswork of building a statement from scratch.

For the full picture of when the statement is required and which small cabling tasks sit outside it, read [when is ACMA TCA1 required](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-acma-tca1-required).

## Registered cabling provider details [#registered-cabling-provider-details]

Start with the cabler block: name, contact details, address, and the registration number for the registered cabling provider. If you work across several businesses or contracting arrangements, check that the details match this job rather than the last one.

Registration number and its expiry sit together, which is the prompt to check both rather than copy both.

Registration numbers are easy to copy from an old PDF. That is fine when the saved details are current. It is risky when a registration has renewed, a trading name has changed, or a worker is filling from a stale form on a phone.

Saved details make the next TCA1 faster, but the check still belongs to the person issuing the advice. Review them before you download whenever anything about your registration or business has changed.

## Employer or contractor details [#employer-or-contractor-details]

The employer section matters when someone above you also needs a copy. ACMA guidance says once the certification statement is prepared, you give a copy to the customer who engaged you, and to your employer or contractor if you have one.

For a solo cabler this section may not apply at all. For a crew, a subcontractor, or an electrician doing cabling under a business, it helps the office file the record against the right job. Add the company name, contact person, address and contact details where they apply, do it properly once, and reuse it.

## How much detail does the work description need? [#how-much-detail-does-the-work-description-need]

Enough that someone who was not there can work out what was done and where. ACMA says the statement should identify the cabling work completed in adequate detail, including where the work was performed, and its guidance gives location examples such as room, floor, section, department and building.

A description that works names the area, room, floor, tenancy, rack or building section; whether you installed, altered, repaired, relocated, tested or supervised; the number and type of outlets or cables where that helps; and the service the cabling supports if it identifies the work.

Seven lines. Enough room to answer where and what, which is exactly what ACMA asks for.

**Description of cabling work**

- **This** - Install two data outlets in office 3, terminate to rack U12, test and label both points (Answers the question a customer, builder or auditor will actually ask.)
- **Not this** - Office data (Does not say where, how many, or what was done to them.)

## Customer details [#customer-details]

Confirm the customer name and contact details before you leave. The customer might be a tenant, builder, managing agent, business owner or homeowner, and the person who let you in is not always the person who engaged you.

If your job software keeps a billing contact and a site contact in separate fields, pick the right one for the advice form. On commercial jobs, make the site address and customer details clear enough that the form can be matched back to the work order months later. Getting this wrong is one of the most common patterns in [common ACMA TCA1 mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-acma-tca1).

## Certification, signature and date [#certification-signature-and-date]

The certification section is where you state that the cabling work complies with the relevant wiring rules. Read it before you sign it. It is not a tick box, and it sits directly against the work description you just wrote.

The date should reflect the statement you are giving for this job. A copied date from an old PDF makes the whole record look careless, and it is the first thing that looks wrong if the record is ever reviewed.

## When should you issue TCA2 instead? [#when-should-you-issue-tca2-instead]

Issue TCA2 when you notice a non-compliant cable installation, rather than folding it into the TCA1 description. ACMA says TCA2 can be used for non-compliant issues even if they are pre-existing or outside the contracted scope, and it can be issued before work with a quotation or after the job if something needs attention.

Both forms often come up on the same site. You complete the work you were engaged to do and issue TCA1 for it. You also notice an older problem in the same building and hand over a TCA2 so the outstanding matter is clear and dated.

Do not use TCA1 to quietly cover something you did not fix. Keep each form in its lane, and use the [ACMA TCA2 form guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca2-cabling-advice-form-how-to-fill-out) when you need to walk through the matters and priority levels.

## After you sign off [#after-you-sign-off]

A good cabling record is more than the final PDF. Keep the pieces that explain the work together:

- The completed TCA1 PDF
- Any TCA2 given for non-compliant issues
- Test results or certification notes
- Photos of outlets, rack labels or problem areas
- Customer approval or scope notes
- The job or invoice reference

ACMA guidance says the TCA1 copy must be kept for one year after preparing it. If you only hand over a paper copy and keep nothing, you will have a painful afternoon when the customer, employer, contractor or an auditor asks. The [TCA1 and TCA2 record keeping guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca1-tca2-cabling-record-keeping-handover-guide) covers the copy trail in more detail.

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Tradie Forms turns ACMA TCA1 into sections you work through one at a time instead of a flat PDF you pinch and scroll on a phone. You work through provider details, employer details, work description, customer details and certification in order, and missing required fields are flagged before you download.

You can save provider details so the next TCA1 starts faster, write the work description while the outlets and rack are still in front of you, preview the official PDF layout, and download the finished TCA1 for the customer and your records.

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the ACMA TCA1 PDF layout. It is not affiliated with ACMA and it does not decide whether your work complies. That judgement stays with the registered cabler responsible for the work.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start [ACMA TCA1](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca1-attach-a) on site, or open [ACMA TCA2](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/acma-tca2) when you need to record non-compliant cabling issues. Browse [electrical forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/electrical) for the rest of the library.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [ACMA cabling advice forms guidance](https://www.acma.gov.au/cabling-advice-forms) and the [ACMA TCA1 form page](https://www.acma.gov.au/publications/2019-06/form/form-tca1-compliance-telecommunications-customer-cabling-advice) for the current form and requirements. The [ACMA TCA2 form page](https://www.acma.gov.au/publications/2019-06/form/form-tca2-telecommunications-cabling-advice) covers the outstanding matters form, and the [ACMA cabling provider rules](https://www.acma.gov.au/cabling-provider-rules) and [ACMA Australian cabling standards](https://www.acma.gov.au/australian-cabling-standards) set the registration requirement and the cabling standards. Confirm current requirements on the ACMA site before you issue advice.

# Common CCEW mistakes that cost NSW electricians time and money (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-ccew-mistakes-nsw-electricians)

The CCEW errors that trigger rework for NSW sparkies: missing test results, vague circuit labels, stale licence details, and how to catch them on site. | State: NSW | Trade: Electrical | Template: nsw-ccew

Most CCEW mistakes happen after the electrical work is done: a missing test result, a vague circuit label, an old licence detail, or an address copied from the wrong job. The fix is not more paperwork. It is a better check while you are still standing at the board.

Use this as your on-site review before the certificate leaves your hands.

**Key takeaways**

- Incomplete testing documentation is the error that causes the most rework
- Circuit descriptions must match the board labelling, not the original plans
- Record results as you test; paperwork written from memory is where numbers drift
- Licence, tester, and signature details must be current and match the person who did the work
- The certificate has to make sense to someone who was never on site

Use your job and test records as the on-site checklist. [The NSW CCEW lodgement rules](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-ccew) set out what the certificate has to carry, then complete it in the [BCNSW eCert portal](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal). More context sits in the [NSW CCEW guides](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/forms/nsw-ccew).

> **Warning**
>
> The old Tradie Forms NSW CCEW is retired. Tradie Forms does not currently provide the new CCEW or direct eCert lodgement.

## Why does CCEW accuracy matter so much? [#why-does-ccew-accuracy-matter-so-much]

Because the cost of an error is never just the correction. The certificate is the record that the work was completed and tested, and it gets read by people who were not there - customers, certifiers, insurers, and whoever inspects the property years from now.

**Where the certificate goes after you leave**

- **Test and certify - You, at the board** - The only point where a wrong number is cheap to fix.
- **Lodge - eCert portal or Service NSW** - Errors surface here as a rejection, not a question.
- **Read by others - Customer, certifier, insurer** - None of them were on site and none can ring the board.
- **Kept as the record - Your business** - Produced years later when someone asks what was done.

Every step after the first one costs more to correct than the step before it.

An error found late means a delayed sign-off and a delayed payment, time pulled away from the next job, and a harder conversation with a client who thought the job was finished. Repeated errors do slower damage to the relationships that generate the work in the first place. An incomplete or inaccurate certificate also carries a professional exposure that no amount of good field work cancels out.

The mistakes below are the ones that generate return visits.

## 1. Incomplete testing documentation [#1-incomplete-testing-documentation]

- **What goes wrong** - Missing insulation resistance, earth continuity, or RCD results - the most common reason a certificate cannot stand on its own.
- **How to avoid it** - Use a testing checklist per installation type and record results as you test, not back at the ute.

### Why it happens [#why-it-happens]

- Rushing testing under time pressure, then reconstructing results later
- Test equipment that does not capture or store all the required measurements
- Uncertainty about which tests apply to a specific installation type
- Results living in a notebook, a photo, or a head instead of the certificate

> **Warning**
>
> **An incomplete certificate** often means a return visit and re-testing - even when the installation itself is sound.

### How to avoid it [#how-to-avoid-it]

Build a testing checklist for the work types you actually do, so the required set is a habit rather than a recall exercise. A domestic checklist typically covers insulation resistance, earth continuity, RCD operation, and polarity. Commercial work usually adds earth fault loop impedance, phase sequence, and load testing where relevant. Industrial installations add equipment-specific requirements on top.

Know the acceptance values you are working to. The figures commonly applied are insulation resistance of at least 1 MΩ for circuits up to 500 V, earth continuity at or below 0.5 Ω for final circuits, and RCD operation within 300 ms for general use. Check them against the current edition of the applicable standard rather than the numbers you memorised during your apprenticeship - editions change, and a threshold recalled from a decade ago is not a defence.

Record as you test, while the instrument is still connected. Note the test voltage alongside insulation results, and if a circuit could not be tested, write down that it was not tested and why. A blank looks like a pass.

- **Domestic testing checklist** - - Insulation resistance, with test voltage recorded
  - Earth continuity
  - RCD operation and trip time
  - Polarity verification
- **Commercial additions** - - Earth fault loop impedance
  - Phase sequence
  - Load testing where required

## 2. Circuit descriptions that do not match the board [#2-circuit-descriptions-that-do-not-match-the-board]

- **What goes wrong** - Descriptions that do not match the installed board, wrong circuit numbers, or generic labels like "power points".
- **How to avoid it** - Describe circuits to match the distribution board as installed, and update the record when the job changes in the field.

### Why it happens [#why-it-happens-1]

- Working from plans that stopped matching reality halfway through the job
- Field changes never making it back into the circuit schedule
- Generic descriptions chosen for speed
- On larger jobs, two people labelling the same board differently

### How to avoid it [#how-to-avoid-it-1]

Be specific enough that the description locates the circuit. Include circuit numbers that match the labelling actually installed, not the numbering on the original drawing.

**Circuit description**

- **This** - Kitchen power outlets, north wall (C4) (Someone at the board can find the circuit without you.)
- **Not this** - Power points (Matches half the board. The next person has to guess or ring you.)

The same test applies to lighting: "lighting" could be anything, "bedroom 1 and 2 LED downlights" is one circuit.

The job details table is where those descriptions and meter records land, one row per meter.

Every row that carries a tick needs its number, status and reading filled in beside it.

Reconcile changes when they happen rather than at certificate time. The gap between the plan and the installation is easiest to close while you are still holding the screwdriver.

Where several people work the same job, agree on one numbering convention across the schedule, the board, and the certificate before anyone starts labelling.

## 3. Test values recorded wrong [#3-test-values-recorded-wrong]

### What goes wrong [#what-goes-wrong]

Values that do not meet the requirements of the current standard, results recorded in the wrong units, transcription errors between the instrument and the form, or tests run under the wrong conditions.

### Why it happens [#why-it-happens-2]

- Uncertainty about the currently acceptable values
- Calibration drift producing readings nobody questions
- Copying numbers by hand from a screen into a form later
- Testing with loads still connected when the test requires them disconnected

### How to avoid it [#how-to-avoid-it-2]

Work from the current standard for acceptance values rather than memory, and keep the test conditions with the result - a reading without its conditions is hard to defend.

Keep test equipment calibrated and keep the calibration certificates where you can produce them. Instruments that record and store results remove a whole class of transcription error.

On complex installations, have a second person verify critical measurements before the certificate goes out. It costs minutes and prevents return visits.

## 4. Defects described too vaguely to act on [#4-defects-described-too-vaguely-to-act-on]

### What goes wrong [#what-goes-wrong-1]

Existing defects not identified, or identified in language nobody can quote, price, or find.

### Why it happens [#why-it-happens-3]

- Time pressure at the end of a job
- Genuine uncertainty about what is reportable
- Reluctance to write something that complicates completion
- No systematic inspection routine, so findings depend on what caught the eye

### How to avoid it [#how-to-avoid-it-3]

Run the same inspection route every time: connections for tightness and condition, cable insulation for damage, earthing and bonding, then the safety devices.

Write findings that name the component, the location, the observed condition, and the required action.

**Defect description**

- **This** - Active conductor insulation damaged at junction box above laundry ceiling. Requires cable replacement. (Component, location, condition, action. A quote can be written straight from it.)
- **Not this** - Wiring issues (Cannot be priced, cannot be found, cannot be signed off.)

The full method is in [reporting electrical installation defects on a CCEW](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/electrical-installation-defects-ccew-reporting).

Record minor defects too. An item written down and deferred by the customer is a documented decision; an item noticed and never written down is exposure.

## 5. Wrong installer or tester details [#5-wrong-installer-or-tester-details]

### What goes wrong [#what-goes-wrong-2]

Incorrect licence numbers, missing supervisor details, or contact information that prevents anyone verifying who did the work.

### Why it happens [#why-it-happens-4]

- Details copied forward from an older certificate
- Confusion over who is the responsible person on the job
- Details never updated after a licence renewal or business change
- Supervision requirements not reflected on the document

> **Warning**
>
> Stale or expired licence details can block sign-off until a licensed electrician re-inspects and re-certifies the work.

These are the four boxes that carry it, and the certificate needs one pair or the other filled in correctly.

Qualified supervisor or contractor licence, each with its own expiry date.

### How to avoid it [#how-to-avoid-it-4]

Confirm licence status and expiry before the job rather than at certificate time. Where apprentices or trainees are involved, record the supervising electrician correctly and make sure the supervision actually happened as recorded.

Update your saved details immediately after a renewal, business name change, or contact change, so the next certificate does not inherit the old ones. See [NSW electrical licence and CCEW responsibilities](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-electrical-licence-ccew-responsibilities) for who can sign what.

## 6. Address, signature, and equipment details [#6-address-signature-and-equipment-details]

Small errors, large delays.

**Addresses:** missing unit numbers, wrong postcodes, and vague rural descriptions make a certificate hard to match to a property. Verify against a reliable address source before you finish, and include lot and plan numbers on new estates.

The installation address block. Lot and RMB sit beside the street number for rural and new estate jobs, and the NMI and meter number row is easy to leave blank.

**Installation address**

- **This** - Unit 2, 14 Smith Street, Penrith NSW 2750. Lot 118 DP 1274392. (Locates the property and the specific installation on it.)
- **Not this** - 14 Smith St, rear shed (Cannot be matched to a title or a meter.)

**Signatures and dates:** unsigned documents, wrong completion dates, and a name that does not match the licence holder all block sign-off. Sign after testing, use the real completion date, and never pre-sign a blank.

**Equipment and cable specs:** wrong RCD ratings, missing model numbers, and vague cable descriptions create questions later. Record nameplate details during the install and photograph labels you will not be able to reach afterwards. Note cable type, conductor size, and installation method while the ceiling is still open.

## 7. Skipping the final review on site [#7-skipping-the-final-review-on-site]

Submitting without a last pass is how several small errors stack into one rejection.

Before you leave, read the certificate the way a stranger would: address, scope, circuits, tests, licence numbers, signature, date. If it needs a phone call from you to make sense, it is not finished. On complex commercial boards, a second pair of eyes is cheaper than a callback.

## Quick reference: CCEW completion checklist [#quick-reference-ccew-completion-checklist]

- **Installation details** - - [ ] Complete and accurate property address
  - [ ] Correct installation description and scope
  - [ ] Circuit information matches the installed board
  - [ ] Equipment specifications accurate and complete
- **Testing documentation** - - [ ] All required tests completed and recorded
  - [ ] Results checked against the current standard
  - [ ] Test equipment calibration current
  - [ ] Test conditions recorded, untested circuits flagged
- **Personnel and compliance** - - [ ] Correct installer and tester licence numbers
  - [ ] Signature and completion date present and correct
  - [ ] Defects identified and described specifically
  - [ ] Submission pathway completed and confirmation stored

## What does manual CCEW admin actually cost you? [#what-does-manual-ccew-admin-actually-cost-you]

The visible cost is the rework. The invisible cost is retrieval - hunting equipment serial numbers, rebuilding an address from a text message, and running a correction loop after you have left site.

That cost is worth measuring rather than guessing. For one month, track how long each certificate takes end to end, including gathering details, filling the document, corrections, and finding old certificates when someone asks for one. Most electricians are surprised by the retrieval time rather than the filling time.

NSW requires electrical certification records to be kept, and paper folders and email threads work fine until someone asks for last month's certificate. Keep the eCert confirmation, test results, photos, and job notes together against the job reference. The [CCEW workflow guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/streamlining-electrical-business-ccew-workflow) covers how to structure that, and [digital vs paper CCEWs](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/digital-vs-paper-ccew-nsw-electricians) explains the move to the portal.

> **Note**
>
> An online form helps catch missing fields before the certificate leaves your hands, but it cannot check whether the number you typed is the number the instrument showed.

## Staying current with NSW requirements [#staying-current-with-nsw-requirements]

Requirements change, and certificates written from a stale mental model are a slow-building risk. Watch SafeWork NSW and NSW Government electrical compliance updates, keep current copies of the standards you rely on, and use industry association membership and training to hear about changes before they reach your paperwork.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Before the certificate leaves site, run one last check: address, work description, licence details, tester details, test results, signature, and date. If the document cannot stand on its own without a phone call, fix it while you are still there.

Tradie Forms does not currently provide or lodge the new NSW CCEW. Complete it in the [BCNSW eCert portal](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal), or browse [other Australian trade forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/templates).

## Official references [#official-references]

Check [NSW electrical compliance requirements](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/electricians/electrical-compliance-requirements), the [BCNSW eCert portal](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal), [Service NSW submit a CCEW](https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/submit-certificate-compliance-electrical-work), [SafeWork NSW electrical inspection and testing](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/hazards-a-z/electrical-and-power/electrical-inspection-and-testing), and the [Standards Australia Wiring Rules](https://www.standards.org.au/flagship-projects/wiring-rules) for current requirements and acceptance values.

# QLD Certificate of Testing and Compliance: Finish CoTC On Site (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-electrical-cotc-on-site-guide)

How Queensland electricians can complete the certificate of testing and compliance on site, catch gaps before download, and hand the customer the cert. | State: QLD | Trade: Electrical | Template: qld-electrical-cotc

> **Tradie Forms:** finish the QLD certificate of testing and compliance on the official PDF layout before you leave the job. This guide covers what belongs on the CoTC and how to avoid the rework that costs sparkies billable hours.

When a Queensland customer asks for the certificate of testing and compliance, they usually want it before you pack up the van. Leaving it until you are home means re-opening the job in your head, hunting licence numbers, checking old messages, and risking typos that slow payment or inspection.

The certificate is not the place to rely on memory. Fill it while the installation, test gear, switchboard labels, and customer details are still in front of you.

## What the QLD CoTC is for [#what-the-qld-cotc-is-for]

WorkSafe Queensland explains that an electrical contractor performing electrical installation work must provide a certificate of testing and compliance to the person the work was done for when an electrical installation is connected to a source of electricity. The same WorkSafe page distinguishes that from the certificate of testing and safety, which applies to electrical equipment work.

In plain job-site terms:

- **Installation work** generally needs a certificate of testing and compliance.
- **Equipment work** generally uses a certificate of testing and safety.
- The person receiving the work needs a copy.
- You should keep your own record in case the customer, builder, insurer, or regulator asks later.

Check [WorkSafe Queensland's guidance on issuing certificates of compliance](https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/laws-and-compliance/electrical-safety-laws/issuing-certificates-of-compliance) for the current requirements before relying on this guide for a specific job.

## CoTC or certificate of testing and safety? [#cotc-or-certificate-of-testing-and-safety]

Queensland sparkies often talk about a "certificate of test", but the certificate type matters. If the job is electrical installation work, you are usually dealing with the certificate of testing and compliance. If the job is electrical equipment work, WorkSafe's guidance points to the certificate of testing and safety.

The practical check is: what did you work on, and what does the customer need evidence for? A switchboard, fixed wiring, new circuit, or altered installation usually needs installation-focused wording. Equipment repair or equipment work usually needs the equipment certificate path.

If the job has both installation and equipment parts, do not guess from habit. Check the WorkSafe guidance, your licence obligations, and your business process before issuing the paperwork.

## What the certificate needs to prove [#what-the-certificate-needs-to-prove]

The certificate tells the customer that the electrical installation, to the extent affected by the electrical work, was tested and complies with the wiring rules and other applicable standards under the Queensland electrical safety regulations. That is a serious statement. The details you put on the certificate need to match the work you actually completed and tested.

The WorkSafe certificate template includes the core blocks most sparkies expect:

- Customer or person for whom the work was done
- Location of the electrical installation
- Description of the electrical work
- Electrical contractor and licence details
- Test and compliance declaration
- Date notice was given
- Signature or authorised details

Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the Queensland certificate PDF layout. It does not decide whether the work is compliant. That call stays with the licensed person or contractor responsible for the work.

## Collect these details before you leave site [#collect-these-details-before-you-leave-site]

The fastest CoTC is the one you finish while everything is still in reach. Before you jump in the ute, check you have the pieces that usually cause rework.

### Customer and site details [#customer-and-site-details]

Confirm the customer's name, business name where relevant, phone or email, and the exact installation address. Do not rely on the booking address if the job has a separate unit, tenancy, shed, lot, or pump room.

For strata, commercial, and rural jobs, add the detail someone else will need to find the installation later. "Back shed switchboard" is more useful than a vague property address when the customer calls in six months.

### Description of work [#description-of-work]

Write the work description so a customer, inspector, or office admin can understand what was done without ringing you.

One block carries the whole scope of what you tested, so it is worth more than three words.

**Electrical installation or equipment tested**

- **This** - Install two double GPOs in kitchen island, replace damaged circuit breaker, test affected final sub-circuit (A customer, inspector, or office admin can follow it without ringing you.)
- **Not this** - Power points (Does not say what was tested, or how much of the installation is covered.)

Match the wording to the job. A certificate for a new circuit, switchboard upgrade, solar-related electrical work, EV charger circuit, or repair after a fault should make the scope clear enough that the certificate does not look like it covers more than it should.

### Contractor and licence details [#contractor-and-licence-details]

Licence details are easy to copy wrong from a photo, old cert, or note in your phone. Check the electrical contractor licence and any worker or responsible person details against the business record you actually use for Queensland work.

Name on the licence, not the trading name someone answers the phone with.

If the business has multiple licensed people or crews, make sure the certificate names the right contractor and person connected to the job. Saved details are useful, but only if you keep them current after renewals or staff changes.

### Test results and sign-off [#test-results-and-sign-off]

Record the test details while the tester is still out. If a result looks odd, retest before you pack up. The certificate should reflect the testing you performed, not a best guess after the fact.

Where the job involves safety switches, earthing, polarity, insulation resistance, or fault loop checks, keep the supporting notes with the job record. The certificate is the completion record, but the supporting test detail is what helps if anyone asks how you reached the sign-off.

## Why on-site completion wins [#why-on-site-completion-wins]

Finishing the CoTC at the switchboard keeps job details fresh. You have the test readings, labels, photos, and customer conversation in the same moment. That is when the certificate is easiest to complete accurately.

Waiting until later creates the usual paperwork mess:

- Re-reading photos to work out which board or circuit the note referred to
- Copying addresses from the job software into a PDF by hand
- Asking the office which customer name to put on the cert
- Finding licence details from an older certificate
- Sending a corrected PDF because a required field was missed

On-site completion also improves the completion. The customer can ask what the certificate means while you are there. The office can attach the finished PDF to the job before invoicing. You can move to the next call-out without carrying the form in your head.

**Key takeaways**

- Complete the CoTC while test gear and job notes are still in front of you
- Reuse licence and business saved details instead of re-typing every certificate
- Validate before download so missing fields are caught before the customer sees the PDF
- Complete the certificate on site to speed sign-off and payment

## Common CoTC mistakes to avoid [#common-cotc-mistakes-to-avoid]

### Wrong installation address [#wrong-installation-address]

This is the classic one. The customer address, billing address, and installation address are often the same for a house job, but not always. Investment properties, strata sites, body corporate work, retail tenancies, sheds, farms, and industrial sites can all split those details.

If the address is wrong, the certificate may not line up with the job, the invoice, or the customer's records.

### Vague work description [#vague-work-description]

The work description needs to fit the certificate. Avoid wording that is so broad it suggests you certified more than you touched. Also avoid wording so vague that no one can tell what was tested.

Useful descriptions name the area, the equipment or circuit, and the type of work. Keep it short, but make it specific.

### Old licence or business details [#old-licence-or-business-details]

Many electricians copy licence blocks from an old PDF. That works until a licence renews, a trading name changes, or a supervisor leaves. Save the details, but review them regularly.

### Date mismatch [#date-mismatch]

The date on the certificate should make sense against the work performed, testing, completion, and notice given. A date copied from an old form is a small mistake that can make the whole certificate look sloppy.

### Not keeping a copy [#not-keeping-a-copy]

WorkSafe's [2023 certificate amendment guidance](https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/news-and-events/newsletters/esafe-newsletters/esafe-editions/esafe-electrical/2023-newsletters/june-2023/certificate-of-test-amendment) reminds contractors to keep copies of certificates. A clean digital record saves a painful search later, especially when the job was finished months ago and the customer asks for another copy.

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Tradie Forms turns the QLD certificate into an online form instead of a flat PDF you pinch and zoom around on your phone.

You can:

- Fill customer, site, contractor, and certification sections in order
- Reuse business and licence details from saved details
- Catch missing required fields before download
- Preview the finished PDF layout before you hand it over
- Download the completed certificate for the customer and your records

The important part is that the form fits the on-site moment. You do not need to wait until the laptop is open at home. Open the certificate, work through each section, check the preview, then complete the PDF when the job is ready.

## Record-keeping habits that save headaches [#record-keeping-habits-that-save-headaches]

The certificate is only one part of the job record. Keep the supporting material with it:

- Test readings or tester downloads
- Switchboard and installation photos where useful
- Customer approval or scope notes
- Any defect or remedial notes
- The completed PDF certificate

Use consistent file names if you download and store PDFs outside Tradie Forms. A simple pattern like date, customer, suburb, and form name makes it easier for the office to find the record without opening every file.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Open the [QLD CoTC form](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-electrical-cotc) to start a certificate on site, or browse [QLD electrician forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/electrical) for other live templates.

Before download, use the [common QLD CoTC mistakes guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-qld-electrical-cotc-mistakes) as a final field check. After handover, the [five-year CoTC record-keeping guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-cotc-record-keeping-five-years) covers the customer copy and job file.

For official requirements, check [WorkSafe Queensland's certificate guidance](https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/laws-and-compliance/electrical-safety-laws/issuing-certificates-of-compliance), the [WorkSafe certificate of testing or compliance form](https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/20809/es-testing-compliance-certificate.pdf), the [2023 certificate amendment guidance](https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/news-and-events/newsletters/esafe-newsletters/esafe-editions/esafe-electrical/2023-newsletters/june-2023/certificate-of-test-amendment), and [Business Queensland electrical contractor safety duties](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/electrical-contracting/safety-duties).

# QLD Form 9 backflow testing: finish the report at the device (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-9-backflow-testing-guide)

On-site QLD Form 9 guide covering device details, test readings, test kit records, pass or fail comments, and council and owner copies. | State: QLD | Trade: Plumbing | Template: qld-form-9-backflow

Annual backflow tests generate a steady pile of paperwork for Queensland plumbers. Each device needs accurate location, test kit and pass or fail results. When those details live in camera roll photos, half-filled PDFs and scribbled site notes, lodgement can slip to the next week.

The easiest Form 9 is the one you complete while the kit is still connected and the device is still in front of you. Use the [QLD Form 9 template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-9-backflow) or browse [QLD plumbing forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/plumbing). For copies, archive and device history, use the [Form 9 record keeping and handover guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-9-backflow-record-keeping-handover). If you work across more than one state, see the [Australian backflow test report guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/backflow-test-report-template-australia).

**Key takeaways**

- Record device location and test results while the kit is still connected
- Keep test kit verification dates current on every finished report
- Confirm local government area, owner contacts and tester details before you leave
- Completion of all applicable sections is mandatory on the current form
- Annual testing is minor work; installation, replacement or removal may also need Form 4

## What is QLD Form 9 for? [#what-is-qld-form-9-for]

The Queensland Form 9 is the approved form for registration and report on inspection and testing of testable backflow prevention devices, registered air gaps and registered break tanks.

The current Form 9 says it is used for sections 102(2) and 103(3) of the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019. It also says completion of all applicable sections is mandatory and that copies must be submitted to the relevant local government and the owner of the premises within 10 business days after inspecting or testing the device.

That makes the form more than a worksheet. It is the record that connects the device, the premises, the test result, the authorised tester and the people who need a copy.

## Which backflow job are you reporting? [#which-backflow-job-are-you-reporting]

Form 9 is not only for a simple annual test. Before filling it, identify what happened on the job so the right sections make sense.

Use the job type to decide what you need to capture and whether other paperwork applies:

| Job at the premises              | What Form 9 needs to show                                         | Form 4 check                                                                   |
| -------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Annual inspection and test       | Current device details, readings, test kit details and result     | Testing alone is minor work and does not need Form 4                           |
| New testable device              | Registration, device, location and test details                   | Installation can be notifiable work, so check the Form 4 requirement           |
| Device replacement or removal    | Which device changed and the resulting council record             | Replacement or removal can be notifiable work, so check the Form 4 requirement |
| Registered air gap or break tank | The applicable inspection or testing fields on the current Form 9 | Confirm the work category before closing the job                               |

The job type affects the details you need. A new installation may need clearer device registration information. A repeat annual test still needs fresh readings and current test kit verification. A removal or replacement needs enough detail for council records to track what changed at the premises.

The job type is a tick box on the form, so the record says which of these four the visit was.

## Annual tests, new devices and Form 4 [#annual-tests-new-devices-and-form-4]

The job type also decides which paperwork applies. The Plumbing and Drainage Regulation requires the owner to arrange for a backflow prevention licensee to maintain and test a registered testable device at least once each year. The tester records the result on Form 9 and submits it to the relevant local government within 10 business days.

- **Testing a registered testable device: At least yearly** - Arranged by the owner with a backflow prevention licensee.
- **Submitting the result to council and owner: 10 business days** - After inspecting or testing the device.

An annual test on its own is minor work. The [QBCC guide to notifiable work](https://www.qbcc.qld.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/guide-notifiable-work-for-licensees.pdf) lists testing a backflow prevention device as minor work with no Form 4. Installing, replacing or removing a testable backflow prevention device can be notifiable work instead. On those jobs the plumber may need to lodge Form 4 with the QBCC as well as Form 9 with council. Confirm the work category before you close the job rather than attaching Form 4 to every annual test by habit.

Use the current Form 9. [Queensland Building and Plumbing Newsflash 627](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0022/58306/building-and-plumbing-newsflash-627.pdf) says the form was amended on 15 May 2024 to reference AS/NZS 2845.3:2020 and improve the test fields. The previous form could continue only where it was signed before 15 May 2024, with the amended form expected to be the sole version used after 31 August 2024. Download the current file from Business Queensland rather than reusing an old copy.

## Who needs to receive the form? [#who-needs-to-receive-the-form]

Under the Regulation, the backflow prevention licensee must give notice of relevant work in the approved form to the local government and the owner of the premises within the required timeframe. For practical job planning, leave the site with enough detail to send both copies without having to chase the customer later.

Before you leave, confirm:

- Which local government area applies to the premises
- Owner or occupier contact details
- Email or postal details for the owner copy
- How that council accepts Form 9 lodgement
- Whether the job involves a new device, replacement, removal, maintenance, annual test, registered air gap or registered break tank

Council processes can vary. Some accept email, some use portals, and some have extra local requirements. Tradie Forms prepares the PDF layout, but you still lodge it the way the relevant council accepts. The [record keeping guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-9-backflow-record-keeping-handover) covers tracking both copies after the test.

## What does Form 9 capture? [#what-does-form-9-capture]

Typical sections include:

- Property and local government area
- Owner or occupier contact details
- Testable device type and protection level
- Device location and mains pressure
- Main device, bypass device, PVB, registered air gap or break tank details
- Test kit serial number and verification date
- Authorised tester licence and contact details
- Contractor licence details where needed
- Pass, fail, comments, signature and date

A single missed pressure reading, wrong local government area or stale kit verification date can hold up acceptance.

Device type drives which readings block you complete further down the form.

Pass and fail are separate boxes. Leaving both clear reads as an unfinished test rather than a pass.

## Finish the test report on site [#finish-the-test-report-on-site]

Testing at the device is the right time to complete Form 9. You have the serial number, device size, differential pressure readings and site access details in front of you. You can also confirm the owner details with the person on site instead of hoping the booking record is correct.

The on-site habit is simple:

**Form 9 at the device**

- **Property and device - Before the kit comes out** - Local government area, then device identity and protection level from the tag.
- **Test and record - While the kit is connected** - Results, plus the test kit serial and verification details.
- **Tester and contractor - Authorised tester** - Details that let someone verify who did the test.
- **Preview before you leave - On the official layout** - A serial one digit out is invisible until someone checks the register.

Every step happens at the device. None of it reconstructs well from the ute.

7. Send or lodge the form through the correct council process.

## Frequent Form 9 field errors [#frequent-form-9-field-errors]

**Local government area does not match the premises.** Backflow reporting is tied to the relevant local government. Check the premises, not just the billing address, especially on boundary suburbs, industrial estates and jobs booked by head offices outside the local area.

**Device location is too vague.** Plant room might be enough for you on the day, but it may not be enough for the next plumber, the owner or council records. Better examples include ground floor pump room, east wall; behind tenancy 3, beside cold water meter; car park level B1, fire services cupboard; or roof plant deck, northern riser.

**Bypass or PVB section left blank when it applies.** If a bypass device, pressure type vacuum breaker, registered air gap or break tank is part of the installation, the matching section needs attention. Do not let the main device pass result hide a missing related section.

**Test kit verification date is missing or stale.** Add the serial number and verification date while the kit is in your hand. If the verification date is out of date, fix that problem before the form goes out.

**Contractor details are missing.** The form separates authorised tester details and contractor licence details where required. Check that the correct block is complete.

**Pass or fail comments do not explain the result.** A failed result should not be a mystery. Write enough for the owner or council to understand what failed and what happens next. If remedial work is needed, say that clearly and keep supporting notes with the job.

For a focused mistakes list, see [common QLD Form 9 mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-qld-form-9-backflow). If your crews also work in South Australia, compare both reports in the [QLD Form 9 vs SA backflow report guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-9-vs-sa-backflow-report).

## Annual testing without last year's copy-and-paste [#annual-testing-without-last-years-copy-and-paste]

Repeat annual tests are where Form 9 can either run smoothly or become a paper chase. The details are similar each year, but the results, test kit verification, dates and owner contacts still need checking.

A good repeat workflow looks like this:

- Start from the same device record or saved details.
- Confirm the owner or occupier contact has not changed.
- Check the device location still matches what is on site.
- Enter fresh readings, not last year's result.
- Confirm the test kit verification date.
- Download the new Form 9 PDF.
- Send copies to council and the owner within the required timeframe.

Saved details help with tester and business details, but do not blindly copy the job-specific fields. Annual forms are only useful if they reflect this year's inspection or test.

## What to keep with the completed Form 9 [#what-to-keep-with-the-completed-form-9]

Keep a copy of the final PDF, and also keep the notes that support the result:

- Photos of the device and serial plate
- Test kit details and verification evidence
- Readings taken during the test
- Notes about access issues or site conditions
- Council lodgement confirmation
- Customer or owner email trail

This matters when a customer asks for last year's result, council queries a device record, or another plumber needs to understand what happened before. The [record keeping guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-9-backflow-record-keeping-handover) covers building a device history the next tester can use.

## How Tradie Forms helps [#how-tradie-forms-helps]

Tradie Forms turns Form 9 into sections you work through one at a time instead of a flat PDF. That makes it easier to complete the report from the device, especially on a phone.

You can work through property, owner, device, test kit, tester, contractor and declaration sections, save tester and business details for repeat annual work, catch missing required fields before download, preview the official PDF layout before lodgement, and download the finished form for council and owner records.

Tradie Forms is not affiliated with the Queensland Government or local government. Always verify the finished PDF before lodgement. The authorised tester remains responsible for the device, the readings, the declaration and the finished report.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Start [QLD Form 9 backflow](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/qld-form-9-backflow) on site, or see all [QLD plumber forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/qld/plumbing) in one place. For archive and owner or council copies, use the [Form 9 record keeping guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-9-backflow-record-keeping-handover). For field traps, use [common Form 9 mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-qld-form-9-backflow). Plumbing forms for every state sit on the [plumbing forms hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/plumbing).

## Official references [#official-references]

Check the [Queensland Form 9 PDF](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0023/3776/form-9-plumbing-drainage-regulation-2019.pdf), the [Business Queensland plumbing and drainage forms page](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/forms-templates), the [Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019](https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/sl-2019-0042), [Queensland Building and Plumbing Newsflash 627](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0022/58306/building-and-plumbing-newsflash-627.pdf), the [QBCC notifiable work guide](https://www.qbcc.qld.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/guide-notifiable-work-for-licensees.pdf), and [Brisbane City Council backflow prevention and testing](https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/building-and-planning/getting-started-on-your-project/plumbing-and-drainage/backflow-prevention-and-onsite-sewage-facilities). Council processes vary, so confirm the local lodgement method and your current backflow endorsement before you certify a device.

# From job finish to CCEW without the office chase (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/streamlining-electrical-business-ccew-workflow)

A crew-level CCEW workflow for NSW electrical businesses: who owns each step, where handoffs break, and how to close the job out on the same visit. | State: NSW | Trade: Electrical | Template: nsw-ccew

The best time to finish a CCEW is while the work is still fresh: results in front of you, photos on the phone, customer still on site. Leave it and the office starts chasing details that were obvious at the switchboard.

This is the business-level workflow. For the paper-versus-digital decision itself, see [digital vs paper CCEWs](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/digital-vs-paper-ccew-nsw-electricians).

**Key takeaways**

- Treat certification as part of the job, not an after-hours task
- Name who owns each step before the job starts, not at pack-up
- One job reference across every system removes most double entry
- Status labels must reflect what actually happened, not what exists as a draft
- Submission is its own step with its own owner and its own confirmation

Get the [NSW CCEW lodgement path](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-ccew) straight first, then work through the [BCNSW eCert portal](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal). Browse [other Australian trade forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/templates) and [NSW CCEW guides](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/forms/nsw-ccew) for more field habits.

> **Warning**
>
> The old Tradie Forms NSW CCEW is retired. Tradie Forms does not currently provide the new CCEW or direct eCert lodgement.

## The short version [#the-short-version]

A clean workflow has one rule: nothing important lives only in your head or in a blurry photo on the camera roll.

On a typical NSW job that means running and recording the required tests while the board is open, capturing installation details, circuit labels and nameplate photos before you pack up, completing the eCert while customer and site details are in front of you, and filing the portal confirmation with the test notes in the job folder the office actually uses.

**Same-day close-out**

- **Test while the board is open - Licensed electrician** - Required tests run and recorded before anything is closed up.
- **Capture before you pack up - On site** - Installation details, circuit labels and nameplate photos.
- **Complete the eCert - Same visit** - While customer and site details are still in front of you.
- **File the confirmation - In the folder the office uses** - Portal confirmation stored with the test notes, not on the camera roll.

Every step here happens on the same visit. The office chase starts wherever one of them slips to tomorrow.

The BCNSW portal holds the current CCEW. It does not replace your judgement about the work or who is allowed to certify it. The licensed electrician remains responsible for checking the installation and the submitted details.

## Before you arrive on site [#before-you-arrive-on-site]

Good habits start in the van. Pull the job details you already have - client name, site address, scope, and who is signing. If an apprentice did part of the install, confirm supervisor details before you test. If a subcontractor ran the rough-in, confirm who is certifying before you assume it is your name on the form. [Who can sign an NSW CCEW](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-electrical-licence-ccew-responsibilities) covers where that authority sits.

Keep a job kit ready: testing notes or a digital form that matches the certificate fields, calibrated test gear with current calibration, circuit labels that match how you will describe the work, and a way to photograph the board, RCDs, and any non-standard gear.

Tell the customer when the certificate will be submitted. Most domestic clients care that the power is safe and they receive the required copy. One line at the start saves an argument at the end.

## On-site testing and capture [#on-site-testing-and-capture]

Run tests in an order that matches your gear setup rather than a wander around the house. A practical residential sequence is the visual check at the board, insulation resistance on new circuits before energising where required, earth continuity and bonding, RCD trip tests with times recorded, then polarity and any loop impedance tests the job needs. The [NSW testing checklist](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-electrical-testing-requirements-2025) has the detail.

Write results in the units and format you will enter on the certificate. If your tester stores readings, still note circuit numbers alongside them so you are not guessing which result belongs where.

Take photos while the context is obvious: board overview, new circuits, RCD labels, anything unusual you might need to describe. A photo of the tester display next to the board beats trying to remember a marginal reading three days later.

> **Warning**
>
> If a test fails or looks odd, investigate before you leave. Discovering it during certificate completion at home usually means a return trip.

## Where does the office chase actually come from? [#where-does-the-office-chase-actually-come-from]

Almost always from four gaps between field and paperwork: test results still on the tester or in random phone notes, circuit descriptions that do not match the board labels, old licence numbers copied from a previous job, and a customer address missing a unit or lot detail.

None of those are paperwork problems. They are capture problems that only become visible at paperwork time. Fixing the capture removes the chase; buying a better form does not.

Prepare the certificate details on site where you can. Enter results while the board is open, check the customer and licence details, then complete the eCert as soon as possible. If the job needs another person's review, send the job record the same day with test photos attached. Waiting until Friday afternoon is how certificates sit in limbo over the weekend.

## Set clear handoffs for a crew [#set-clear-handoffs-for-a-crew]

Use simple status labels rather than a long office process: testing in progress, ready for review, submitted, customer copy sent. The label has to reflect what actually happened. Do not mark a certificate complete until the eCert submission succeeds.

At the end of a multi-person job, the installer sends circuit information, test results, photos, and any variation notes under the job reference. The reviewer should see that evidence without chasing it through personal messages, and should ask questions while the crew is still on site. That is cheaper and safer than recreating the job on Friday.

Solo operators and crews fail differently. Solo sparkies lose time to retrieval - hunting photos, rebuilding addresses, retyping licence details - which saved details and on-site completion mostly fix. Crews lose time to handoffs, which only agreements fix.

Contractors certifying subcontractor work need more than a signature: inspection notes, photos of critical stages, and test results linked to the job reference. Your certification authority is only as strong as the file behind it.

## Add the portal step to the same-day close-out [#add-the-portal-step-to-the-same-day-close-out]

The field record and the regulator submission are related, but they are not the same thing. NSW requires CCEWs to be submitted through the BCNSW eCert portal. Site notes and test records support the submission but do not complete it.

Put that distinction in the team checklist with an owner against each line. The person preparing field details marks the record ready for review. The authorised person checks the work and the certificate information. The responsible person completes the current eCert process and saves the confirmation against the job reference.

Everyone should know who owns each step before the job starts, particularly where an apprentice, a subcontractor, or a remote supervisor is involved.

## One source of truth for details that repeat [#one-source-of-truth-for-details-that-repeat]

Business names, licence information, customer contact details, and common work descriptions are good candidates for saved details. They only save time when someone owns the check - review them against the current job after a staff change, licence update, new customer, or new property.

For field evidence, choose one location for tester output, photos, and notes. The folder does not need to be sophisticated. It needs a shared job reference, sensible permissions, and a routine everyone follows. An office administrator should be able to find the same information the electrician used to prepare the certificate.

Pick a reference format such as `2026-0312-Smith-Resi-Upgrade` and use it on the certificate filename, tester output, customer emails, and job software attachments. Keep the issued certificate, test results, photos, portal confirmation, and correspondence together for the period required under current NSW rules and your own obligations - check current regulator guidance for retention rather than relying on an old team rule.

When an audit or warranty call comes in, you should open one folder and have the full story.

## Recover quickly when a job is not ready [#recover-quickly-when-a-job-is-not-ready]

Some certificates cannot be completed before packing up. A permit detail may be missing, a result may need investigation, or a supervisor may need to inspect the work.

Record the exact gap before leaving and assign one person to close it. Save the draft under the job reference, but do not treat it as a final certificate or promise the customer it has been lodged. When the missing information arrives, go back to the source record, update the form, review the whole document again, and complete the submission. That discipline stops old draft details surfacing in a final record.

## Client handover on the same visit [#client-handover-on-the-same-visit]

Hand the customer a clear copy when the work is done and explain in plain language what was tested and what the certificate covers. If remedial work is still required, say so before they read a defect list.

Tell the client what you can say with confidence: the work completed, the testing done, any further action, and the record they will receive. If submission is still pending, say it is pending. That reduces the chance a client mistakes an emailed copy for a finished compliance process. [Explaining a CCEW to your customer](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/ccew-client-communication-best-practices) has the scripts.

If they need the certificate for a builder, strata manager, or insurer, ask where they want it sent while you are still on site.

## Measuring whether the workflow is working [#measuring-whether-the-workflow-is-working]

You do not need a dashboard. Track three numbers for a month: minutes from last test to issued certificate, return visits caused by missing documentation, and office time spent chasing sparkies for test results.

Measure your own baseline rather than trusting an industry average. Once you know what a certificate actually costs you end to end, the value of removing a step is a real number rather than a guess - and the goal is fewer callbacks, not a prettier process chart.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Fix the biggest capture gap first: wherever test results, photos, or customer details get lost between the job and the office. Once that is reliable, move the certificate into the same on-site routine.

Tradie Forms does not currently provide or lodge the new NSW CCEW. Open the [BCNSW eCert portal](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal) or browse [Australian trade forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/templates).

## Official references [#official-references]

Before setting your process, read the current [NSW electrical compliance requirements](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/electricians/electrical-compliance-requirements), [BCNSW eCert portal information](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal), and [Service NSW submit a CCEW](https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/submit-certificate-compliance-electrical-work).

# Identifying and reporting electrical installation defects on a CCEW (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/electrical-installation-defects-ccew-reporting)

How NSW electricians classify, word, and evidence installation defects on a CCEW so the note holds up months later without a return visit. | State: NSW | Trade: Electrical | Template: nsw-ccew

"Wiring issue" is not a defect note. It does not tell the customer what to fix, does not tell the office what to quote, and does not tell the next electrician where to look. Six months later it does not tell anyone what you actually saw.

This guide covers how to classify a defect, how to word it, and what evidence to keep with it. For the conversation side of the same job, see [how to explain a CCEW to your customer](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/ccew-client-communication-best-practices).

**Key takeaways**

- Classify by what the defect forces you to do next, not by how bad it sounds
- An immediate danger must be made safe before you certify the work as compliant
- Name the component, the location, the observed condition, and the required action
- Only cite a standards clause when you have the current text in front of you
- Photos live in the job record attached to the certificate, not in your camera roll

Document defects in your job record while you are still on site. [The NSW CCEW process](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-ccew) covers how a defect sits alongside the certificate, which you complete in the [BCNSW eCert portal](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal). Read more in the [NSW CCEW guides](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/forms/nsw-ccew).

> **Warning**
>
> The old Tradie Forms NSW CCEW is retired. Tradie Forms does not currently provide the new CCEW or direct eCert lodgement.

- **Immediate danger** - Make safe before certifying. Work stops.
- **Non-compliant** - No immediate danger, but departs from current standards. Rectify before completion.
- **Note for later** - Functional and safe, worth recording for the next upgrade.

## How should you classify a defect? [#how-should-you-classify-a-defect]

Classify by the action the defect forces, not by how alarming the words sound. Three bands cover almost every finding, and each one has a different consequence for the certificate.

**Immediate danger** means someone could be hurt before the issue is fixed - exposed live parts, missing or ineffective earthing, a failed safety switch on a circuit in service. Work stops and the installation is made safe before you certify anything as compliant.

**Non-compliant, no immediate danger** covers departures from current standards that are not going to hurt anyone today. Older wiring methods that were acceptable when installed, undersized or inappropriate protection, poor terminations that are still mechanically sound. These get recorded, explained, and scheduled.

**Note for later** is the band people skip, and it is the one that protects you. A functional installation with poor labelling, no working space at the board, or an undocumented modification is worth a written line even though nothing needs to happen this week.

The band matters more than the label. Whatever vocabulary your business uses, be consistent across your certificates so an office reviewer can sort a defect list without ringing you.

## Where the defects actually are [#where-the-defects-actually-are]

Run the same route every time and the misses drop. Start at the main switchboard and work outward.

At the board, check labelling, whether protective devices suit the connected loads, and whether anyone has been in there without documenting it. Signs of overheating, corrosion, and physical damage are all visible before you connect a tester. Missing barriers and inadequate working space belong in your notes even when the installation is functioning.

Through the installation, follow cable routes to junction points and terminations. Penetrations through structural elements are the classic damage location, along with anywhere a cable has been pulled hard or supported badly. Check that cable types actually suit the application rather than what was on the van that day.

At outlets and switches, verify earthing connections, polarity, and mounting. Overheating marks and loose connections at accessories are common and easy to photograph.

On the earthing system, check the electrode connection, main earthing conductors, and equipotential bonding. Corrosion at the electrode connection is a recurring find on older properties and a genuine safety issue rather than a paperwork one.

## Writing a defect note that still makes sense in six months [#writing-a-defect-note-that-still-makes-sense-in-six-months]

The note has to survive being read by someone who was not there. Four elements do that work.

**The component.** Name it and identify it. "Circuit 3 RCD" beats "a safety switch".

**The location.** Precise enough that another electrician walks straight to it. Room name, circuit number, equipment identifier, distances where they help. "Plant room" is not a location on a multi-building site.

**The observed condition.** What you actually saw or measured, in technical but plain terms. "Main earthing conductor shows corrosion at the connection to the earth electrode" is a fact. "Earthing not up to standard" is an opinion with no content.

**The required action.** Specific and quotable. "Replace the damaged cable section with appropriate cable, ensuring support and protection through the wall penetration" tells the customer what they are paying for. "Repair required" does not.

On standards references: a correct, current clause reference makes a note harder to argue with, and a half-remembered one makes it easier. If you have the current standard open, cite it. If you are working from memory, describe the condition instead. An accurate description of what you observed is always defensible; a wrong clause number invites someone to dismiss the whole finding.

## What testing tells you before you write anything [#what-testing-tells-you-before-you-write-anything]

Suspected defects become recorded defects once a test backs them up. Note the equipment used, the conditions, and anything that limited the result.

Insulation resistance testing surfaces cable damage, moisture ingress, and deteriorating insulation. Record the test voltage alongside the reading - a result without its voltage is not much use to the next person.

Earth continuity and fault loop impedance testing verifies the protective earthing path. High readings point at loose connections, corroded joints, or conductors that were never adequate.

RCD testing has to cover operation and timing, not just whether it clicks. Record any device that fails to operate or operates outside acceptable parameters, and remember a failed test may be telling you about the connected circuit rather than the device.

Polarity testing catches reversed connections that indicate either poor workmanship or an undocumented modification upstream. For the wider picture on safety switch testing, see [electrical safety switches and CCEW testing](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/electrical-safety-switches-ccew-testing).

Where a limitation stopped you from testing something - an occupied tenancy, a load that could not be dropped, an inaccessible section - write the limitation down. An untested circuit recorded as untested is honest. An untested circuit left blank looks like it passed.

## Can you issue the certificate when you have found defects? [#can-you-issue-the-certificate-when-you-have-found-defects]

It depends on whether the defect sits inside the work you are certifying and whether it is an immediate danger. Those two questions decide it, and the answer is not the same for every finding on the list.

An immediate danger inside your scope stops certification until the installation is made safe. That is not a paperwork judgement. Non-compliant items inside your scope generally need rectification before the work is complete, and the certificate should reflect the finished state rather than the state you found. Pre-existing issues outside the work description are usually recorded and reported to the customer rather than treated as blockers on your certificate - you did not create them and you are not certifying them, but you did see them.

The failure mode to avoid is silently widening or narrowing your scope to make the paperwork easier. Certify the work you described, report what else you found, and keep the two clearly separated on the record.

## Prioritising remediation for the customer [#prioritising-remediation-for-the-customer]

Customers make better decisions when the list is ranked rather than dumped. Sort findings into must fix now, fix soon, and note for later, and explain the consequence attached to each band rather than the standard behind it.

Where a list is long or the budget is tight, stage the work in a sequence that puts safety first and avoids doing the same access twice. Point out where addressing several items in one visit is cheaper than three separate call-outs - that is a genuine saving, not a sales pitch.

Give the customer the findings in writing, not only verbally at the board. If they choose to defer non-critical items, note that decision in the job file. That record is what protects you if the deferred item causes a problem later.

Schedule the re-inspection where remediation was required, and make sure the certificate documentation reflects the work as completed rather than the state before the fix.

## Keeping the evidence with the job [#keeping-the-evidence-with-the-job]

Photos, test results, and defect notes are only useful if they stay together and stay findable. Capture them on site rather than reconstructing them in the van.

Take photos while the board is open, with enough context to show where the component sits. Attach them to the job record rather than leaving them in the camera roll where they get lost in a month of site photos. Enter test results while the tester is still connected, then check the eCert details before submission.

The records supporting a certificate can be requested long after the job. Systematic storage against the job reference is the difference between answering a query in two minutes and spending an afternoon in a photo library. The [CCEW record keeping and workflow guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/streamlining-electrical-business-ccew-workflow) covers how to structure that at a business level.

Keep defect notes, photos and test results with the same job record as the eCert confirmation so you can trace what was found at the board.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Before you issue the certificate, check every defect note names the component, the location, the observed condition, and the required action. Pair each one with the photo or test result that explains it.

Open the [BCNSW eCert portal](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal) or browse [other Australian trade forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/templates). See [common CCEW mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-ccew-mistakes-nsw-electricians) for the errors that send certificates back.

## Official references [#official-references]

Check [NSW electrical compliance requirements](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/electricians/electrical-compliance-requirements), the [BCNSW eCert portal](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal), [Service NSW submit a CCEW](https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/submit-certificate-compliance-electrical-work), [SafeWork NSW electrical inspection and testing](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/hazards-a-z/electrical-and-power/electrical-inspection-and-testing), and the [Standards Australia Wiring Rules](https://www.standards.org.au/flagship-projects/wiring-rules) for current requirements before relying on this guide for a live job.

# Who can sign an NSW CCEW (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-electrical-licence-ccew-responsibilities)

Which NSW electrical licence lets you sign a CCEW, how contractor and qualified supervisor authority differ, and when the certificate is not yours to issue. | State: NSW | Trade: Electrical | Template: nsw-ccew

> **Current CCEW process:** record the job and test details at the board, then complete and submit the certificate in the BCNSW eCert portal. Tradie Forms does not currently provide or lodge the new CCEW.

Before you sign a NSW CCEW, make sure the work sits inside your licence scope and that the right contractor, supervisor, installer, and tester details are on the certificate. A clean job still turns into rework when the person signing is not the person who can stand behind the work.

Use this as an authority check before you hand the certificate over.

**Key takeaways**

- Only appropriately licensed people may issue certificates for work in scope
- Contractors can certify supervised work; supervisors and tradespersons have narrower authority
- Supervision has to be real and evidenced, not a name added at the end
- Signing outside your authority exposes you to penalties and licence action
- Sort out who certifies before the quote is accepted, not on the day

If you are issuing a certificate today, start with [how the NSW CCEW is lodged](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-ccew), then open the [BCNSW eCert portal](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal). Browse [other Australian trade forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/templates) or read more in the [NSW CCEW resource hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/forms/nsw-ccew).

- **Contractor licence** - Broadest certification authority, with real supervision and quality control behind it.
- **Tradesperson / supervisor** - Certify work you performed or genuinely supervised, within your licence class.

## NSW licence types and certification authority [#nsw-licence-types-and-certification-authority]

NSW electrical licensing sets who can perform work and who can certify it, and your licence class controls both.

**Electrical contractor licences** sit at the top of the chain. A contractor can take responsibility for work performed by employees or subcontractors, provided the supervision and quality checks are real rather than a name on a form. Contractors routinely issue certificates for work they did not physically install.

**Qualified supervisor licences** can supervise work and certify it, but only where that oversight genuinely happened. You cannot sign off a job you never inspected.

**Electrician licences** let you perform electrical work and certify work you personally completed and tested. Certifying someone else's installation requires a licence class and supervision role that allows it.

The distinction that catches people out is performing work versus taking responsibility for work. Your signature is a statement that the installation complies with the applicable requirements, regardless of who pulled the cable.

NSW lists distinct pathways for contracting, supervising, and carrying out electrical work, and company or partnership contractors also need proper nominated qualified supervisor arrangements. These details change, so work from current regulator information and your actual licence conditions rather than a team rule someone set years ago.

## Who can sign what [#who-can-sign-what]

### Work you completed yourself [#work-you-completed-yourself]

If you installed and tested it, any appropriately licensed electrician can issue the certificate for that job, subject to licence scope. Your signature certifies you did the work and that it meets the applicable requirements.

Check scope before you start. High-voltage authority, restricted classes, and specialist endorsements still apply. Do not certify work outside your licence even when you are confident on the tools.

### Work you supervised [#work-you-supervised]

Contractors and qualified supervisors may certify supervised work where the oversight was genuine: present for critical stages, workmanship reviewed, test results verified before sign-off.

Supervision is not signing a form at the end of the week because the apprentice said it went fine. Keep the notes and photos that show what you checked.

### Subcontractor work [#subcontractor-work]

Contractors who issue the certificate for subcontracted work accept full responsibility for the installation, not just the paperwork. Before you sign, confirm subcontractor licensing, review test results and board labelling, inspect critical terminations and protection devices, and keep the evidence in the job file.

If you would not put your name on the work after a walk-through, do not put your name on the certificate.

## Contractor obligations in practice [#contractor-obligations-in-practice]

Contractors carry the heaviest load because they often certify work they did not touch. Day to day that means verifying subcontractor licences before they start, defining who completes test records and who signs, storing supervision evidence with the job file, and checking that insurance covers work you certify for others.

Company policy matters as much as licence class. Some businesses centralise all certification through the contractor licence holder; others delegate to qualified supervisors on site. Either works, provided the authority matches the licence and the file supports the signature.

## Qualified supervisor boundaries [#qualified-supervisor-boundaries]

Qualified supervisors sit between solo tradespersons and contractors - more flexibility than an electrician working alone, less than a contractor taking company-wide responsibility.

In practice: be on site for the critical phases you will certify, document what you inspected and when, never sign for work you only heard about second-hand, and keep training current so your certification reflects current standards.

If you are employed by a contractor, follow their process even where your licence allows independent certification. Mixed processes create the gaps that show up when something goes wrong.

## How do you make supervision visible in the record? [#how-do-you-make-supervision-visible-in-the-record]

Real supervision leaves a trace, and that trace is what you produce when someone asks. It does not mean documenting every conversation. It means the responsible person can explain what they checked: critical installation stages, test results, defects, scope changes, and the final inspection.

Put the job reference on photos, notes, and tester output so they do not end up as a loose collection in someone else's phone. For apprentices and provisional certificate holders, do not use a certificate as a shortcut around the supervision arrangement - check the conditions that apply to that individual and have the authorised person take the required steps before sign-off. If the person who normally certifies the crew's work is away, resolve that before the customer is promised a completion date.

## Common authority mistakes [#common-authority-mistakes]

**Signing for work you did not see.** Helping a mate finish paperwork is not supervision.

**Certifying outside licence scope.** Match the job to your licence class and endorsements, not to your confidence.

**Weak files.** Compliant work with no test records or supervision notes is hard to defend when someone asks questions later.

**Assuming the subcontractor handled compliance.** The person signing owns the certificate.

**Retrospective certification.** Issuing weeks after energising, without fresh verification, is risky. Memories fade and site conditions change.

For the document-level version of these errors, see [common CCEW mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-ccew-mistakes-nsw-electricians).

## Work carried out by another business [#work-carried-out-by-another-business]

Subcontracting does not remove the need for a clear responsibility line. Agree at the start who performs the work, who tests, who gathers the evidence, and who issues the record. A contractor should not be surprised by a form that needs signing at the end of the day - the person taking responsibility needs the opportunity to inspect and verify.

When a handover is unavoidable, send the work description, address, circuit information, test results, photos, and defect notes together. The receiving supervisor can then review real evidence instead of a verbal summary. If the evidence is insufficient, return to site or get the missing information before certification.

## Regulators and enforcement [#regulators-and-enforcement]

NSW authorities treat certification seriously, and the pattern across them is consistent: they want evidence that the person who signed understood the work and verified compliance.

SafeWork NSW investigates electrical safety incidents and audits work practices, and will ask for test records, photos, and the issued certificate. Licensing authorities can impose conditions, suspension, or cancellation for inappropriate issuance. Councils and certifiers compare certificate details to the installation during approvals, where mismatched addresses or work descriptions delay sign-off. Insurers may review certification when processing a claim, and a certificate that does not match the installation creates problems for everyone.

## Check the licence record before the job becomes urgent [#check-the-licence-record-before-the-job-becomes-urgent]

Licence questions are easiest to solve before the quote is accepted. Confirm the business arrangement, who is doing the wiring work, who is supervising it, and who will be responsible for certification.

If the job sits outside your normal scope, do not wait until the board is live to discover the nominated person is unavailable. Read the current [NSW electrical licence information](https://www.nsw.gov.au/business-and-economy/licences-and-credentials/building-and-trade-licences-and-registrations/electrical) for the licence or certificate that applies to the work.

## Solar, batteries, and newer install types [#solar-batteries-and-newer-install-types]

NSW jobs increasingly include solar, batteries, EV chargers, and smart gear. Licence scope and supervision rules still apply.

Where the job sits outside your usual work, check current NSW guidance and your licence conditions before you sign. When in doubt, escalate to the contractor licence holder or decline to certify until the right person reviews the installation. A delayed certificate is cheaper than a licence investigation.

## Certification and submission are separate steps [#certification-and-submission-are-separate-steps]

The authority to do or supervise electrical work and the act of completing the certificate are connected. The person who performed the safety and compliance tests must submit the current CCEW through the BCNSW eCert portal. Keeping the portal confirmation with the work records closes the loop.

## Practical habits before you sign [#practical-habits-before-you-sign]

Run this check at the board:

- Licence number and expiry are current
- Installer, tester, and supervisor fields match who actually did the work
- Work description matches what is installed, not the quote title
- Test results are complete and recorded on the certificate
- You could produce photos and notes if asked next week

Tradie Forms does not currently provide or lodge the new NSW CCEW. It also does not determine your licence authority or inspect the work. The responsible licensed person checks the work, completes the portal fields and follows the current process.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Confirm the authority before the work starts and the evidence before you submit. Open the [BCNSW eCert portal](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal), or browse [other Australian trade forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/templates).

## Official references [#official-references]

Check [NSW electrical compliance requirements](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/electricians/electrical-compliance-requirements), [NSW electrical licence types](https://www.nsw.gov.au/business-and-economy/licences-and-credentials/building-and-trade-licences-and-registrations/electrical), the [BCNSW eCert portal](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal), and [Service NSW submit a CCEW](https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/submit-certificate-compliance-electrical-work) before certifying a job.

# Electrical safety switch testing: CCEW requirements and procedures (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/electrical-safety-switches-ccew-testing)

RCD and safety switch testing for the NSW CCEW: the standard test sequence, what to record at the board, and how to handle a device that will not pass. | State: NSW | Trade: Electrical | Template: nsw-ccew

Safety switch testing is one of the first places a CCEW comes unstuck. If an RCD result is missing, unclear, or out of range, you are back at the board instead of handing over the certificate.

This guide covers what to record while the tester is still in your hand: device identity, the measured results, the conditions, and any follow-up work before you issue the certificate.

**Key takeaways**

- The test button proves the mechanism moves; it does not prove electrical performance
- Record measured trip times, not just pass marks
- A failed device is rectified and re-tested before you certify the work as compliant
- Confirm acceptance values against the current standard rather than memory
- Note the test equipment, its calibration status, and anything that limited the test

Log RCD results in the job record before you leave site. [What changed with the NSW CCEW](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-ccew) explains where those results go now, then enter the certificate details in the [BCNSW eCert portal](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal). Read more in the [NSW CCEW resource hub](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/forms/nsw-ccew).

> **Warning**
>
> The old Tradie Forms NSW CCEW is retired. Tradie Forms does not currently provide the new CCEW or direct eCert lodgement.

## What the certificate needs from your safety switch testing [#what-the-certificate-needs-from-your-safety-switch-testing]

The certificate has to show that each safety switch was tested, how it performed, and that the result was assessed against the applicable requirements. That is a higher bar than "RCD: OK".

Residential work generally means 30mA devices on final subcircuits, with device type mattering as much as rating - electronic loads and the kind of leakage they produce are the reason type selection is not interchangeable. Commercial installations bring in more complex arrangements, including series devices where discrimination between upstream and downstream protection has to be considered.

The device requirements themselves come from the wiring rules and the relevant installation standards, and they change between editions. Work from the current edition for which circuits require protection and what the acceptance limits are, rather than the rules you learned during your apprenticeship.

## Equipment and setup [#equipment-and-setup]

You need an RCD tester suited to the devices you are testing, and it needs to be within calibration. Out-of-calibration equipment is a quiet way to invalidate an entire day of results, and it usually surfaces long after the certificates have gone out. Keep the calibration certificates where you can produce them.

Plan the isolation before you start. In installations with multiple RCDs you will need to isolate circuits to prevent nuisance tripping during testing, which often means temporarily disconnecting sensitive equipment - computers, alarm systems, medical devices - that test currents could disrupt or damage. On an occupied site, agree that disruption with the customer before you begin rather than after something reboots.

Environmental conditions matter to both the device and the instrument. Temperature in particular affects RCD response. Where conditions are unusual enough to influence results, note them with the result.

Set up the record before you start the sequence. Give each device a location and circuit label that another electrician can match at the board, note the tester used, and keep the calibration reference with the job. That turns a row of trip times into evidence tied to the right device and instrument.

## The testing sequence [#the-testing-sequence]

### Visual inspection first [#visual-inspection-first]

Check for physical damage, correct labelling, appropriate rating, and installation consistent with the manufacturer's requirements. Look for overheating, corrosion, and mechanical damage.

Verify the device type and rating actually suit the circuit. Fitting a device of the wrong type for the load is a recurring find, and it is the kind of error that passes a trip test while leaving the circuit inadequately protected.

### Test button [#test-button]

Press it. The device should trip immediately, then reset cleanly without sticking or excessive force.

That confirms mechanical operation only. It tells you nothing about trip time or electrical performance, which is why a certificate backed by nothing but a button press does not hold up.

### Electrical performance tests [#electrical-performance-tests]

Connect the tester per its instructions, with correct phase and neutral connections. On three-phase installations, test each phase-to-neutral combination separately, because performance can vary between phases.

The standard sequence runs in three parts. The figures below are the ones commonly applied to a general-purpose 30 mA device:

**Half rated current** (15 mA on a 30 mA device). The device should *not* trip, typically over a test duration of around two seconds. A device that trips here is operating too sensitively and needs replacement.

**Rated current** (30 mA on a 30 mA device). A general-purpose RCD is commonly expected to trip within 300 ms. Record the actual measured trip time rather than a pass mark - the number is the evidence.

**Five times rated current** (150 mA on a 30 mA device). Commonly expected to trip within 40 ms. This verifies performance under fault conditions and is the test that speaks most directly to shock protection.

Treat those as working figures rather than the last word. Confirm the current values and time limits against the current edition of the applicable standard for the device type and rating in front of you. Selective (Type S) devices are allowed longer times than general-purpose ones, and testing them against the same numbers produces false failures.

### Ramp testing [#ramp-testing]

Many testers offer a ramp function that gradually increases current until the device trips, giving the actual trip threshold. It is diagnostic rather than mandatory, but it is genuinely useful for identifying a device drifting toward the edge of tolerance before it fails outright.

## What to record for each device [#what-to-record-for-each-device]

- Device type, manufacturer, and model
- Rated trip current and device type designation
- Location and circuit identification
- Test equipment used and its calibration status
- Measured results for each test, with the actual values
- Pass or fail against the applicable limit
- Any remedial action taken and the re-test result

Photographs of the tester display showing measured values are not required, but they are cheap insurance on a job where results might later be disputed.

Record results that sit inside the limits but outside normal ranges, too. A device that passes today while behaving unusually is worth a note for whoever tests it next year.

## What goes wrong at the board [#what-goes-wrong-at-the-board]

### Nuisance tripping during testing [#nuisance-tripping-during-testing]

Other RCDs tripping while you test one is usually background leakage rather than a fault. Measure leakage on individual circuits and add it up - cumulative leakage across several circuits can sit close to a trip threshold before you inject any test current.

The fixes are circuit rearrangement to spread the leakage, or device selection better suited to the loads actually connected. Equipment producing DC leakage components is a common cause on modern installations.

### Inconsistent trip times [#inconsistent-trip-times]

Varying results between tests point at internal wear or contamination, and temperature can shift response times as well. Record the range you observed and compare it against the manufacturer's specification.

Where variation is outside acceptable limits, replace the device. Adjusting RCD sensitivity is not a legitimate option and voids manufacturer warranties.

### Failed reset after testing [#failed-reset-after-testing]

Before condemning a device that will not reset, disconnect all test equipment and check for a genuine earth fault on the protected circuits. Use an insulation resistance tester to verify circuit integrity first. Moisture ingress and contamination can also prevent proper reset, and both are fixable without replacing the device.

## Series devices and electronic RCDs [#series-devices-and-electronic-rcds]

Where RCDs sit in series, only the device closest to a fault should operate, leaving unaffected circuits energised. Verifying that behaviour means applying test currents at different points and confirming upstream devices stay stable while downstream devices trip. Document the result as part of your records for the job.

Electronic RCDs can behave differently under test to electromagnetic devices, and some include self-test features that need verifying at commissioning. Check the manufacturer's testing requirements and confirm your tester is suitable - older instruments do not always give accurate results on newer electronic devices.

On installations with variable speed drives, switching power supplies, or extensive electronic equipment, expect higher background leakage and plan the testing around it rather than treating each nuisance trip as a surprise.

## Can you issue the certificate with a failed RCD? [#can-you-issue-the-certificate-with-a-failed-rcd]

Not for work you are certifying as compliant. A safety switch that fails its test is a defect that has to be rectified and re-tested before the certificate goes out, and the sequence of fail, replace, re-test belongs in your notes.

The judgement call is scope. A failed device on a circuit inside your work description blocks completion of that work. A pre-existing failure on an unrelated circuit outside your scope is reported to the customer as a defect rather than silently absorbed into your certificate. Either way it gets written down - see [reporting electrical installation defects](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/electrical-installation-defects-ccew-reporting) for how to word it, and [common CCEW mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-ccew-mistakes-nsw-electricians) for the errors that follow a rushed re-test.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Record safety switch results while you are still on site, then check the eCert before you submit it. Every device should have a measured value against it, not a tick.

Tradie Forms does not currently provide or lodge the new NSW CCEW. Complete it in the [BCNSW eCert portal](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal), or browse [other Australian trade forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/templates).

## Official references [#official-references]

Confirm current requirements and acceptance values against the [Standards Australia Wiring Rules](https://www.standards.org.au/flagship-projects/wiring-rules), [SafeWork NSW electrical inspection and testing](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/hazards-a-z/electrical-and-power/electrical-inspection-and-testing), and [NSW electrical compliance requirements](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/electricians/electrical-compliance-requirements). Submit through the [BCNSW eCert portal](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal) or via [Service NSW](https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/submit-certificate-compliance-electrical-work).

# How to explain a CCEW to your customer (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/ccew-client-communication-best-practices)

Plain-language scripts for NSW electricians: explain what a CCEW proves, walk customers through test results, and raise defects without losing the job. | State: NSW | Trade: Electrical | Template: nsw-ccew

Customers rarely know what a CCEW proves or why a missing test result matters. Explain it in plain English while the job is fresh and you reduce arguments, speed up sign-off, and make the finished certificate feel useful instead of like padded paperwork.

This guide is about the conversation, not the form fields. For the technical side, see the [NSW CCEW on-site testing guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/electrical-safety-switches-ccew-testing) and [common CCEW mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-ccew-mistakes-nsw-electricians).

**Key takeaways**

- Customers hear cost risk before they hear safety - lead with what the certificate protects them from
- Set the expectation at booking so certification is not a surprise line on the invoice
- Walk through the results at the board before the eCert copy lands in their inbox
- Match the depth of explanation to the audience: homeowner, builder, or strata manager
- Never imply the certificate has been submitted just because you emailed a copy

Tell the customer what a certificate is before you send one. [How the NSW CCEW works now](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-ccew) covers the lodgement path in plain terms, and the certificate itself goes through the [BCNSW eCert portal](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal). Browse [other Australian trade forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/templates) or read more in the [NSW CCEW guides](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/forms/nsw-ccew).

> **Warning**
>
> The old Tradie Forms NSW CCEW is retired. Tradie Forms does not currently provide the new CCEW or direct eCert lodgement.

> **Note**
>
> **Script tip:** "This certificate records that the work we did was tested to the applicable standards. Here is what we checked and what the results mean."

## What is the customer actually worried about? [#what-is-the-customer-actually-worried-about]

Most homeowners and small business owners are not across electrical compliance, so the certificate arrives loaded with assumptions. The four concerns that surface most often are extra cost if you find problems, delays before they can use the power, whether the certificate is legally required or optional, and whether you are padding the job with paperwork.

Address those early. A thirty-second explanation at the switchboard beats a defensive email a week later.

## Set expectations before you open the board [#set-expectations-before-you-open-the-board]

The best handover starts before the work does. At booking, tell the client the job includes testing and certification steps. You do not need a speech: "once the work is finished I will test it, explain anything that needs attention, and send through the certificate record" is enough.

That small warning does real work later. It covers you when the job runs long because a fault turned up, and it makes the certificate feel like a normal part of the trade rather than a document that appeared after the invoice.

## Explain the certificate in plain language [#explain-the-certificate-in-plain-language]

Start with what the document is for, not with clause numbers.

"A Certificate of Compliance Electrical Work is the record that your electrical work was installed and tested to the applicable standards. It is what councils, insurers, and future buyers expect to see when someone asks whether the job was done properly."

Then walk through what you actually did:

1. **Visual check** - looked for obvious damage, correct labelling, and safe terminations
2. **Testing** - used calibrated gear to check insulation, earthing, and safety switches where required
3. **Documentation** - recorded the results on the official NSW certificate
4. **Handover** - checked the customer email and explained how they receive their eCert copy

Translate test names into outcomes. Instead of "insulation resistance at 500 V DC", say "we checked that the cabling will not leak current in a way that could cause a fire or a shock."

## How should you talk through test results at the board? [#how-should-you-talk-through-test-results-at-the-board]

Show your working before you submit the eCert. Customers trust electricians who point at the thing they tested, and the explanation takes under a minute if you keep it to three moves: point to the RCD or safety switch and say whether it tripped in time, give insulation and earth results in plain terms, and confirm the address and work description match what they expect on the invoice.

If everything passed, keep it short: "all required tests are recorded, and the installation is safe to use." If something failed, explain the severity in your own words before they see the formal record. The written finding should never be the first time they hear about a problem.

## Raising defects without losing the room [#raising-defects-without-losing-the-room]

Hard conversations go better when you lead with safety and specifics. Start with what you found and where: "the RCD protecting the outdoor power points did not trip within the required time. That means the safety switch may not protect someone if there is a fault."

Then give priority in order:

1. **Must fix now** - shock or fire risk, exposed live parts, failed safety switch on a critical circuit
2. **Fix soon** - non-compliant but not an immediate danger
3. **Note for later** - minor items to schedule with the next upgrade

Expect pushback. "It has worked for years" is the standard reply, and your answer can stay factual: "older installations often worked day to day but do not meet current standards. The certificate records what we found today so you can decide what to fix and when."

You are required to document non-compliant work honestly. That protects the customer and your licence. For the detail on how findings get recorded, see [reporting installation defects on a CCEW](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/electrical-installation-defects-ccew-reporting).

## Match the explanation to the audience [#match-the-explanation-to-the-audience]

A homeowner wants to know whether the work is safe to use and what they should keep. A builder wants the job reference, work description, and delivery timing. A strata manager needs the site detail and a copy for their records.

Ask one question before you start explaining: "who needs this record after today?"

Then match the conversation to that person. For a homeowner, do not turn a five-minute handover into a standards lecture. For a project manager, say what is complete, what is outstanding, and who owns the next action. If a defect is unresolved, be precise about location and urgency, and follow your business process for making the installation safe.

## Do not promise what the certificate does not prove [#do-not-promise-what-the-certificate-does-not-prove]

Clients can read a lot into a document with an official name. Avoid describing the certificate as a general warranty for the whole property, an insurance approval, or proof that unrelated older work has been inspected. Explain the scope actually covered by the work description and the testing you carried out.

The same caution applies to submission. Do not tell a customer the certificate has been lodged with the regulator because you downloaded or emailed a copy. NSW advises that CCEWs are submitted through the BCNSW eCert portal. The responsible person completes the current required process and keeps the confirmation with the job record. Customer handover and regulator submission are two separate steps, and conflating them in front of a client creates a promise you have not kept.

## Closing out the certificate [#closing-out-the-certificate]

Complete the customer handover while you are still on site where you can:

- Review the eCert details on your phone or tablet
- Confirm the customer email before submission
- Tell them where to store it: with settlement papers, strata files, or the job folder for a commercial tenant

For builders and project managers, ask who else needs a copy - certifier, site supervisor, or office admin. Sending copies the same day prevents "can you resend the cert?" calls three weeks later.

Before you leave, confirm the recipient and job reference, and save the sent copy alongside the test records, photos, and final certificate. A subject line like "Electrical work record, 14 King Street, 10 July" makes the file findable a year later when a conveyancer asks for it.

## Two scripts you can reuse [#two-scripts-you-can-reuse]

For an uncomplicated completed job:

> "The work we did today has been tested. This record identifies the job and the checks we completed. Keep the copy with your property paperwork. If you are sending it to a builder or strata manager, use this job reference so it stays with the right site."

For a job with further work required:

> "I cannot treat this part as complete until the issue at \[location] is resolved. I have recorded what I found and will send the next step in writing."

Do not soften a safety issue to make the conversation easier. The customer is better served by a clear description and a clear plan.

## Follow-up that does not feel like a sales pitch [#follow-up-that-does-not-feel-like-a-sales-pitch]

A short check-in a few days later works for jobs with remedial work outstanding. "Did you have any questions about the RCD replacement we quoted?" is enough. You are not chasing work for its own sake; you are closing the safety loop.

Keep a note in the job file if the client chose to defer non-critical items. That documents the conversation if the issue resurfaces.

## Does completing the certificate on site change the conversation? [#does-completing-the-certificate-on-site-change-the-conversation]

Yes, and mostly in your favour. Preparing the certificate details at the board means you can check the record while the job is still in front of you. Filling it in the van at 7pm means reconstructing the conversation from memory and hoping the customer remembers it the same way.

Useful habits: enter test results while the tester is still connected, attach defect photos to the job record rather than the camera roll, review the eCert before submitting, and close out from site so the conversation and the certificate land together. The comparison in [digital vs paper CCEWs](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/digital-vs-paper-ccew-nsw-electricians) covers the workflow trade-offs in more detail.

Tradie Forms does not currently provide or lodge the new NSW CCEW. Use your job records to check the technical details, then complete and submit the certificate in the BCNSW portal.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Talk through the result before the customer receives the certificate. Point out the work completed, the tests recorded, and any follow-up actions. Then complete the eCert in the same visit where you can.

Open the [BCNSW eCert portal](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal) or browse [other Australian trade forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/templates). If you also work Queensland jobs, the [QLD CoTC vs NSW CCEW comparison](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-cotc-vs-nsw-ccew) explains why the customer conversation differs across the border.

## Official references [#official-references]

See [NSW electrical compliance requirements](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/electricians/electrical-compliance-requirements), the [BCNSW eCert portal](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal), [Service NSW submit a CCEW](https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/submit-certificate-compliance-electrical-work), and [SafeWork NSW electrical inspection and testing](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/hazards-a-z/electrical-and-power/electrical-inspection-and-testing) for the current certification and testing process.

# Digital vs paper CCEW for NSW electricians (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/digital-vs-paper-ccew-nsw-electricians)

Paper or digital CCEW for NSW sparkies: where each one actually costs you time, what changed with portal submission, and how to tell which suits your jobs. | State: NSW | Trade: Electrical | Template: nsw-ccew

Paper CCEWs are no longer accepted in NSW. From 1 July 2026, every CCEW must go through the BCNSW eCert portal. The useful comparison now is between loose field notes and a reliable capture-to-portal process.

This is the practical comparison. For rolling a process out across a crew, see the [CCEW workflow guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/streamlining-electrical-business-ccew-workflow).

**Key takeaways**

- The BCNSW portal is the current CCEW, not an extra step after a paper or PDF form
- The time saving comes from removing double entry, not from the tool
- Field records need to stay with the eCert confirmation
- Validation cannot catch a wrong reading
- Offline tolerance decides whether a phone-first workflow survives real sites

Paper CCEWs are not the lodgement method any more. [How NSW CCEW lodgement works](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/forms/nsw-ccew) walks through what replaced them, and the certificate is completed in the [BCNSW eCert portal](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal). You can also browse [NSW CCEW articles](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/forms/nsw-ccew).

> **Warning**
>
> The old Tradie Forms NSW CCEW is retired. Tradie Forms does not currently provide the new CCEW or direct eCert lodgement.

## Submission has changed the question [#submission-has-changed-the-question]

NSW requires CCEWs to be submitted through the BCNSW eCert portal. Handwritten and PDF CCEWs are no longer accepted, so the portal record is the certificate process.

This ends the paper-versus-PDF debate. The practical question is how you capture accurate field data, give the responsible electrician a chance to review it, complete the portal submission, and keep the confirmation with the job. Check the current [NSW electrical compliance requirements](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/electricians/electrical-compliance-requirements) and [BCNSW eCert portal](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal) guidance before changing systems.

## Side-by-side [#side-by-side]

| Topic                     | Weak field capture                     | Reliable eCert workflow                    |
| ------------------------- | -------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------ |
| Site details              | Rebuilt later from messages            | Confirmed while the job is in front of you |
| Test results              | Transcribed from loose notes or photos | Recorded while the tester is connected     |
| Missing information       | Found after you have left site         | Checked before portal submission           |
| Customer email            | Copied from an old job or invoice      | Confirmed with the customer                |
| Submission proof          | Left in an inbox                       | Saved against the job reference            |
| Retrieval two years later | Camera roll and email search           | Job record with the eCert reference        |

## Where digital actually saves time [#where-digital-actually-saves-time]

The gain is skipping double entry, and it only exists if you currently do double entry.

A weak path runs: write results in loose notes, rebuild the customer and licence details later, discover a missing field after leaving site, then search messages when the office asks for proof. Most of those steps are re-recording something you already knew.

The portal path runs: capture the job and test details on site, enter them in eCert, review the declaration, submit, then attach the confirmation to the job.

That difference compounds with volume. On one certificate a fortnight it barely registers. On several a week, with an office that needs the confirmation on the job card the same day, it can become most of your evening admin.

## Accuracy on site [#accuracy-on-site]

The recurring capture errors are predictable: cable size or protection rating copied from an old job, results transcribed with the wrong unit, a missing date or licence number, and circuit descriptions that do not match the board.

The portal catches some missing fields. It does not replace knowing how to test the installation, and no validation catches a number that was measured wrong or typed in from the wrong circuit. You still verify every value before you submit. See [common CCEW mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-ccew-mistakes-nsw-electricians) for the errors that survive a digital workflow.

## What does it cost to find a certificate from two years ago? [#what-does-it-cost-to-find-a-certificate-from-two-years-ago]

That question decides more than the printing cost. NSW expects certification records to be kept for years, and the retrieval test is the honest one: can you produce a specific certificate from a specific address, right now, without ringing anyone?

Storage only wins if you file consistently. An eCert reference in an inbox is not useful if nobody can find it against the job.

## Deciding what "digital" means for your business [#deciding-what-digital-means-for-your-business]

Digital is not one thing. A phone photo, a job app, field test records and the regulator portal each solve a different part of the job.

Your field method captures the source details accurately. Your job system keeps the customer, site, test notes and attachments together. Your review gives the responsible electrician a chance to check what will be submitted. The portal handles the certificate and confirmation.

Work out where each piece belongs before telling the crew to go digital.

## What matters on site [#what-matters-on-site]

The test is simple: can you finish the certificate before you leave?

Phone-first capture only works when missing results surface while the tester is still connected and the details can be checked before portal submission. Beyond that, the useful features are offline tolerance, reliable job records and one storage location the whole crew uses.

Team consistency matters as much as the tool. One sparkie using loose notes and another using personal messages produces two versions of the truth and no reliable review trail.

## Trying it without disrupting the crew [#trying-it-without-disrupting-the-crew]

You do not need a transformation project. Pick one job type, such as switchboard upgrades or standard domestic finals, and tighten the close-out while the rest of the work carries on as normal. Agree the filing rules up front: same job reference, same folder, eCert confirmation attached on the day of submission.

Time one live job end to end, then run the next similar job through the current eCert process and compare the real numbers rather than guessing.

Expand once everyone can finish at the board without an office chase. The [workflow guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/streamlining-electrical-business-ccew-workflow) covers the crew-level rollout in detail.

## Keep the customer conversation simple [#keep-the-customer-conversation-simple]

Tell the customer the work has been tested, explain any follow-up plainly, and send the record they need. Do not say a certificate has been lodged unless the responsible person has completed the required submission. For builders and strata managers, confirm the recipient and job reference before you leave. [Explaining a CCEW to your customer](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/ccew-client-communication-best-practices) covers the scripts.

## Make the portal process stick [#make-the-portal-process-stick]

Give the crew one close-out rule: the job is not complete until the eCert submission succeeds and its reference is saved against the job. Decide where field results, photos and supporting notes live before the first submission.

Plan for a flat battery, no signal at a rural job and an account password problem. Those are reasons to keep reliable field notes and a clear fallback for later portal entry. They are not reasons to use the retired paper or PDF certificate.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

The choice is not paper versus technology for its own sake. It is whether the certificate gets finished while the job is still fresh, with the submission completed and filed.

Tradie Forms does not currently provide or lodge the new NSW CCEW. Open the [BCNSW eCert portal](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal) or browse [Australian trade forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/templates).

## Official references [#official-references]

Read the current [NSW electrical compliance requirements](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/electricians/electrical-compliance-requirements), [BCNSW eCert information](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal), and [Service NSW submit a CCEW](https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/submit-certificate-compliance-electrical-work) before changing a CCEW process.

# NSW electrical testing checklist for CCEW sign-off (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-electrical-testing-requirements-2025)

A field checklist for NSW electrical testing before you certify: what to test, what to record with each reading, and when an odd result should stop the job. | State: NSW | Trade: Electrical | Template: nsw-ccew

> **Current CCEW process:** record the test details at the board, then complete and submit the certificate in the BCNSW eCert portal. Tradie Forms does not currently provide or lodge the new CCEW.

Electrical testing is easier to document while the job is still in front of you. Wait until later and circuit labels, RCD results, and photos turn into guesswork, and the certificate becomes harder to defend.

Use this as a field prompt for NSW electrical work. It is a prompt, not a substitute for the current wiring rules, the RCD testing standard, equipment instructions, or job-specific engineering information.

**Key takeaways**

- Record results at the board, before the certificate is completed
- Use calibrated equipment and keep the calibration status with the result
- Match tests to the installation: domestic, commercial, and solar jobs differ
- A reading that cannot be tied to a real circuit makes the record incomplete
- An unusual result is a stop point, not a rounding decision

Record test results in the job record while you are still on site, then complete the current certificate in the [BCNSW eCert portal](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal). Browse [other Australian trade forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/templates) or the [NSW CCEW guides](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/forms/nsw-ccew).

## Before you switch the tester on [#before-you-switch-the-tester-on]

Preparation prevents the rework loop.

- Review the scope of work and any variations from the original plan
- Confirm test gear is calibrated and suitable for the installation voltage
- Isolate or disconnect equipment that must not see test voltage
- Note ambient conditions where they could affect readings
- List every circuit you will certify and how it is labelled on the board

Keep calibration certificates accessible. When a result is questioned, that is the first thing anyone asks for.

## Insulation resistance [#insulation-resistance]

Insulation resistance testing shows whether cabling and equipment insulation is intact. For many low-voltage circuits up to 500 V, a minimum of 1 MΩ is the figure commonly applied, unless a particular standard allows otherwise for that circuit or equipment. Confirm it against the current edition before you rely on it - minimum values depend on the circuit and the standard that applies to it.

Record the test voltage used, the circuit or zone tested, the measured value, and whether equipment was disconnected or isolated. The test voltage is not optional context - a resistance figure without it is incomplete.

Low readings usually mean moisture, damaged insulation, or a connection problem. Investigate on site before you enter a pass.

Temperature affects readings on long runs. Note the conditions if you are working in cold storage, plant rooms, or other extreme environments.

## Earth continuity and earthing [#earth-continuity-and-earthing]

Verify the earthing system, not just a single resistance number. That means the main earthing conductor size and its connection to the earthing terminal, earth electrode connections where accessible, equipotential bonding to water, gas, or structural steel where required, and supplementary bonding in wet areas, pools, and special locations.

Record earth fault loop impedance or continuity results as required for the circuit type, and check final subcircuit values against the limits that apply to the protective device actually installed.

## RCD and safety switch testing [#rcd-and-safety-switch-testing]

This is where certificates most often come back.

Verify manual test button operation first, then run the electrical sequence. For a general-purpose 30 mA device the commonly applied figures are no trip at half rated sensitivity (15 mA), trip within 300 ms at rated sensitivity (30 mA), and trip within 40 ms at five times rated sensitivity (150 mA) where that test applies. Socket-outlet circuits may carry tighter expectations, and selective (Type S) devices are allowed longer. Confirm the limits against the current standard for the device type in front of you.

Record actual trip times rather than "pass". Device type matters as much as rating - some circuits with electronic loads require a device type that handles the leakage those loads produce, and fitting the wrong type passes a trip test while leaving the circuit inadequately protected.

Installations with solar PV need extra care, because DC equipment can affect RCD behaviour. Follow the manufacturer and standard requirements for the combined system, and document any special tests you performed.

> **Warning**
>
> A missing or out-of-range RCD result is a common reason certificates get sent back. Record trip times on site while the tester display is still in front of you.

The full sequence and the failure modes are covered in [safety switch testing for CCEWs](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/electrical-safety-switches-ccew-testing).

## Circuit protection and polarity [#circuit-protection-and-polarity]

Check that protective devices match the installation: correct current rating and breaking capacity for the fault level, RCD protection where required, correct polarity on single-phase circuits, and correct phase sequence on three-phase motor circuits.

Document adjustable device settings where breakers have dials or DIP switches. A mismatch between the label and the actual setting is an easy audit failure and an easy fix while you are standing there.

## Voltage drop and load checks [#voltage-drop-and-load-checks]

Where voltage drop limits apply, record the calculations or measurements for long runs and heavy loads.

Note harmonic-rich loads where they affect your readings - LED drivers, variable speed drives, and switch-mode supplies are standard on modern sites. If connected equipment has a tighter voltage tolerance than the general installation limit, record that you checked compatibility.

## What makes a test record another electrician can follow? [#what-makes-a-test-record-another-electrician-can-follow]

The number on its own is rarely enough. A usable record links the reading to the circuit, the method, and the state of the installation at the time.

Use the circuit identifier actually visible at the switchboard. Where the job has temporary labelling or a variation from the drawings, note it rather than making the certificate look tidier than the site. For each reading, keep enough context to answer a later question: what was tested, which instrument, which setting where it matters, and whether connected equipment was isolated.

Retain the tester record, photo, or field sheet in the job folder under the same job reference. That is useful when the office is preparing a customer pack, and far more useful when a result is queried months later.

## Treat an unusual result as a stop point [#treat-an-unusual-result-as-a-stop-point]

A result that does not look right needs investigating before it becomes an entry on a certificate. Do not select a pass because the job needs to finish, or because the equipment passed on a previous visit.

Recheck the setup, examine the circuit, and resolve the cause in line with the standards and manufacturer instructions for the job. Some installations need tests well beyond a domestic final - three-phase equipment, medical or hazardous locations, solar, batteries, EV equipment, pools, and complex commercial controls each bring their own requirements.

## Keep testing and certification separate in your head [#keep-testing-and-certification-separate-in-your-head]

Testing establishes the facts. The certificate records the certification information required for the job. The eCert portal cannot tell you that a test was appropriate or that the installation is compliant. Read the completed record against your field notes before you make a declaration.

[NSW's electrical compliance requirements](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/electricians/electrical-compliance-requirements) say electrical work must be done by, or under the supervision of, a licensed electrician. From 1 July 2026, all CCEWs must be submitted through the BCNSW eCert portal, and the person who carries out the electrical test must submit as soon as practical but no later than seven days after the test is completed. Portal copies can then go to the distributor where required, the customer where their email is provided, and the electrician's employer or principal contractor where their email is provided. Keep the submission confirmation with the job record and do not treat a downloaded copy as the submission itself. See [NSW electrical licence and CCEW responsibilities](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-electrical-licence-ccew-responsibilities) for who can certify what.

## A close-out checklist for the van [#a-close-out-checklist-for-the-van]

- Match every recorded reading to a real circuit or item of equipment
- Check labels, work description, and site address against the installation
- Save the tester output, notes, and photos under the same job reference
- Review the certificate before the responsible person submits it

If a circuit, label, or reading cannot be tied back to the installation, the record is incomplete. Go back to the source, resolve it, and record the correction as part of the job evidence before the certificate is finalised.

If a customer asks what the figures mean, explain the outcome in plain language and leave the technical record intact. [Explaining a CCEW to your customer](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/ccew-client-communication-best-practices) covers how to do that without overpromising what the certificate proves.

## Keeping current with standards [#keeping-current-with-standards]

Standards change, and amendments affect device types, cable selection, and special locations. Check you are working from the current edition cited on the job, follow SafeWork NSW and industry association updates for NSW-specific process changes, and get refresher training when new equipment types start appearing on your jobs.

Tradie Forms does not currently provide or lodge the new NSW CCEW. You remain responsible for choosing the correct tests, verifying results against the standards in force and entering the current details in eCert.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

Run the tests, record the numbers at the board, then complete the certificate in the same visit. Open the [BCNSW eCert portal](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal) or browse [other Australian trade forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/templates).

## Official references [#official-references]

For the current NSW certification and portal requirements, see [NSW electrical compliance requirements](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/electricians/electrical-compliance-requirements), the [BCNSW eCert portal](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal), [Service NSW submit a CCEW](https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/submit-certificate-compliance-electrical-work), [SafeWork NSW electrical inspection and testing](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/hazards-a-z/electrical-and-power/electrical-inspection-and-testing), and the [Standards Australia Wiring Rules](https://www.standards.org.au/flagship-projects/wiring-rules).

## Product Docs
# Billing (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/account/billing)

Tradie Forms has Free, Solo, and Team plans.

**Free**

**Free** is for trying public templates and occasional downloads.

- Fill and preview public templates
- Local autosave in this browser
- 3 PDF downloads per calendar month
- Last 3 completed records visible in history
- Save your details on any plan. Prefilling them into new forms needs Solo or Team
- Up to 3 active jobs when **Auto-create job on complete** is turned on
- Try PDF tools, but downloading tool output requires Solo or Team

**Solo**

**Solo** is for one tradie working from a personal account.

- Unlimited form PDF downloads
- Cloud drafts across devices
- Full completed history
- Prefill saved details
- Save and prefill your account signature on forms
- Save and load presets
- Fill with AI on supported forms
- Address, ABN, and licence search where supported
- Licence check under Tools for supported public registers
- PDF tools download
- ServiceM8, Fergus, and Xero integrations
- Create and manage unlimited jobs
- Share completed PDFs and signature requests by link

Display pricing: **$12/month** or **$120/year**.

**Team**

**Team** is for a shared business workspace.

- Everything in Solo for team work
- 4 members included
- Extra team members available
- Shared cloud drafts, completed history, saved details, and presets
- Fill with AI for team members
- Team-managed integrations
- PDF audit trail (full history) for stored download history
- Create and manage unlimited jobs
- Share completed PDFs and signature requests by link

Display pricing: **$36/month** or **$360/year**, plus **$12/month** or **$120/year** per extra member beyond four.

## Feature comparison [#feature-comparison]

| Feature                                           | Free                             | Solo                         | Team                         |
| ------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------- | ---------------------------- | ---------------------------- |
| Fill public templates                             | Yes                              | Yes                          | Yes                          |
| Preview PDFs                                      | Unlimited                        | Unlimited                    | Unlimited                    |
| Form PDF downloads                                | 3/month                          | Unlimited                    | Unlimited                    |
| Local autosave                                    | Yes                              | Yes                          | Yes                          |
| Cloud autosave                                    | No                               | Yes                          | Yes                          |
| Completed history                                 | Last 3                           | Full                         | Full                         |
| Prefill saved details                             | No                               | Yes                          | Yes                          |
| Saved signature                                   | No                               | Yes                          | Yes                          |
| Presets                                           | No                               | Yes                          | Yes                          |
| Address, ABN, and licence search                  | No                               | Yes                          | Yes                          |
| Licence check                                     | No                               | Yes                          | Yes                          |
| PDF tools download                                | No                               | Yes                          | Yes                          |
| Job system integrations (ServiceM8, Fergus, Xero) | No                               | Yes                          | Yes                          |
| Fill with AI                                      | No                               | Yes                          | Yes                          |
| Jobs                                              | Up to 3 auto-created active jobs | Unlimited, create and manage | Unlimited, create and manage |
| Share links for completed PDFs and signatures     | No                               | Yes                          | Yes                          |
| Shared workspace                                  | No                               | No                           | Yes                          |
| Stored PDF copies                                 | No                               | Yes (latest)                 | Yes (all)                    |
| PDF audit trail (full history)                    | No                               | Not included                 | Yes                          |

## Free download limit [#free-download-limit]

Free includes 3 PDF downloads per calendar month. Regenerating a PDF from a completed record also counts.

Preview is unlimited and does not count as a download.

## Billing portal and invoices [#billing-portal-and-invoices]

Open [**Billing**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/billing) for your personal plan. Open [**Team**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/team) for team checkout and team members.

Use the billing portal link in the app to update card details, view invoices, or manage a subscription.

## Workspace matters [#workspace-matters]

Solo applies to your personal workspace. A team needs its own Team plan for shared Solo features in the business workspace.

- **[Teams](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/teams)** - Shared workspace, team members, and PDF audit trail (full history).

- **[Connections](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/integrations)** - Connect ServiceM8, Fergus, or Xero on Solo and Team.

# Managing your account (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/account/managing-your-account)

Account pages control your sign-in, profile, workspace, and saved form settings.

## Account and security [#account-and-security]

Open [**Account**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/account) to manage your profile, email, and sign-in options.

You can fill and preview public templates without an account, but downloads, saved details, cloud drafts, PDF tools download, private forms, and team work require sign-in.

## State and trade profile [#state-and-trade-profile]

Onboarding asks for your state and trade. Tradie Forms uses this to recommend forms on Overview, Templates, and New form.

Update it later in [**Settings**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/settings).

Supported profile trades are Electrical, Plumbing, Draining, Gasfitting, Building, Fire Safety, and Pest Control.

## Settings [#settings]

Settings groups your trade profile, available features, form preferences, and saved-data controls.

Open [**Settings**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/settings) for:

| Setting                                       | What it does                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| --------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Store completed form data**                 | Saves completed records when you download a PDF                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| **Jobs**                                      | When available on your account, shows Jobs in the sidebar and keeps each job's forms and completion steps together. Auto-create on complete is off by default; Free can have up to 3 active jobs, while Paid plans can create and manage jobs without a limit |
| **AI assistant**                              | Paid plans: app header launcher and Fill with AI on forms; on by default, turn off here to hide it for your account                                                                                                                                           |
| **Cloud autosave**                            | Paid plan cloud drafts sync to the active workspace                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| **Draft retention**                           | Paid plan cloud drafts can auto-delete after 7, 14, 30, 60, or 90 days                                                                                                                                                                                        |
| **Stored PDF copies / PDF audit trail**       | Solo (latest copy) or Team (full history), stores downloaded PDF copies for re-download                                                                                                                                                                       |
| **Automatically apply saved logo**            | Paid plans: empty logo fields on new forms fill from your workspace logo (on by default)                                                                                                                                                                      |
| **Automatically apply saved signature**       | Paid plans: empty signature fields on new forms fill from your account signature (on by default)                                                                                                                                                              |
| **Automatically apply default saved details** | Paid plans: empty business, person, and licence blocks on new forms fill from your defaults (on by default). Customer and site stay blank                                                                                                                     |
| **Share links**                               | Paid plans: view, copy, or revoke links for completed PDFs and signature requests                                                                                                                                                                             |

Turning off completed storage stops new completed records from being saved. The app may ask whether to archive or delete existing saved records.

Turning off stored PDF copies or PDF audit trail stops new PDF copies from being stored. Completed form data is unchanged. You can choose whether to keep or delete existing stored PDFs.

Turning off the AI assistant hides it in the app header and **Fill with AI** on forms, and blocks chat requests. Other team members can choose their own setting.

Jobs is still being rolled out. If **Jobs** is not listed under Features, it is not available on that account yet.

## Archive or delete a form [#archive-or-delete-a-form]

Choose **Archive** when you want to remove a draft or completed record from the main lists without losing it. Archived records move to [**Settings -> Archived forms**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/settings/archived), where you can restore or permanently delete them.

**Delete** is a separate action and cannot be undone. In a team workspace, members can delete drafts they created. Only team admins can delete completed team forms. Archiving is the safer choice when you may need the record again.

## Team accounts [#team-accounts]

Use the account menu to switch between personal and business workspaces. Use [**Team**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/team) for team plan checkout and [**Organisations**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/organisations) for team members.

- **[Workspace](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/workspace)** - Sidebar pages and saved form areas.
- **[Install the app](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/install-the-app)** - Add Tradie Forms to your phone home screen.
- **[Billing](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/account/billing)** - Plans, limits, invoices, and team members.

# FAQ (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/faq)

- **What is Tradie Forms?** - Tradie Forms helps Australian tradies fill in forms online and download finished PDFs. It is built around compliance forms, daily job paperwork, and customer-facing documents.
- **Which forms are available now?** - The public library has 69 templates across national telecommunications and electrical, NSW, NT, QLD, SA, TAS, VIC, and WA forms. See [Form guides](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides) for the current list and section help.
- **Do I need an account?** - You can fill and preview public templates without signing in. You need an account to download PDFs, save details, use cloud drafts, and access paid features.
- **How does autosave work?** - Guest and Free forms save on this browser only. Local drafts can appear on **Overview** and **Drafts** on the same device for up to 7 days. Paid plan cloud drafts save to your active workspace while cloud autosave is enabled.
- **How many PDFs can I download on Free?** - Free signed-in accounts include **3 PDF downloads per calendar month**. New downloads and regenerations from completed records both count. Preview is unlimited.
- **What is the difference between Solo and Team?** - **Solo** is for one person and adds unlimited downloads, cloud drafts, full completed history, saved details prefill, presets, Fill with AI, lookups, Licence check, PDF tools download, and integrations.
  
  **Team** adds a shared business workspace, 4 included members, shared drafts and library items, Fill with AI for members, team integrations, and PDF audit trail (full history).
- **What are saved details?** - Saved details are named snapshots of a form section: business and licence blocks you reuse across forms, plus catalogues like work type on the forms that support them. Free users can save. Prefilling on a new form needs a paid plan.
- **What are presets?** - Presets are full-form snapshots for one template. They are useful when many jobs start from the same baseline. Presets are a paid feature.
- **How do Jobs work on Free?** - Turn on Jobs in Settings, then turn on Auto-create job on complete if you want finished standalone forms grouped automatically. Free can view up to 3 active auto-created jobs. Paid plans can create jobs themselves and manage forms, steps, and job details without an active-job limit.
- **How does Fill with AI work?** - On a paid plan, **Fill with AI** opens a chat panel on supported forms. Describe the job, paste notes, attach a photo, or use voice dictation. The assistant can fill supported fields and apply saved details when you ask, but you must review the form and PDF preview before download.
- **Can I use address, ABN, or licence search?** - Paid users can use smart lookups where a template supports them. They can also use **Licence check** under Tools for supported public registers. Free users can still type details manually.
- **Can I connect ServiceM8, Fergus, or Xero?** - Yes. ServiceM8, Fergus, and Xero are available on a paid plan. Use the link icon Import from connection beside a field to pull in one value, or use the import bar to map fields once and import a whole job, contact, or project. Each connection can also attach completed PDFs to the linked job or contact when PDF upload is enabled.
- **Does Tradie Forms lodge official forms for me?** - No. Direct lodgement is not currently available. Tradie Forms helps you prepare and download the PDF. You are responsible for checking it and lodging, emailing, or handing it over through the correct process.
- **Can I share a completed PDF or request a signature?** - Yes, on a paid plan. Create a time-limited share link for a completed PDF, or send a link for someone to sign an empty signature field on a cloud-saved draft. You can add a password and revoke the link whenever needed. See [Share links](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/share-links).
- **Can I request a template?** - Yes. Use **Request a template** from Templates, New form, or Support. You can suggest a shared public template or ask for a private template for your business.
- **Can I install Tradie Forms on my phone?** - Yes. Add it to your home screen so it opens like an app icon. Use Safari on iPhone or Chrome on Android. See [Install the app](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/install-the-app) for the full steps.
- **Who do I contact for support?** - Email [support@tradieforms.com.au](mailto:support@tradieforms.com.au) or use [Feedback](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/support/feedback).

- **[Quick start](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/quickstart)** - Start your first form and download a PDF.

- **[Connections](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/integrations)** - Connect ServiceM8, Fergus, or Xero on a paid plan.

# Completing a form (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/completing-a-form)

Each template opens in a full-screen form editor. Work through the sections, check the warnings, preview the PDF and download it when it is ready.

Save for reuse and Prefill sit beside the section title. Prefill is searchable when several named snapshots are stored.

## Sections and progress [#sections-and-progress]

Each section card shows:

- Required fields and validation messages
- Progress for that section
- A help link when docs exist for the section
- **Save for reuse** and **Prefill** in the section header when that section supports saved details
- Job system import buttons beside supported fields, plus a whole-job import bar
- Rich fields such as signatures, photos, or diagrams when that template needs them

The progress panel lists every section so you can jump straight to missing items.

## Validation [#validation]

Select **Check form** before download. It checks required fields and template rules, such as dates, contact formats, required choices, and linked sections.

When a check finds a problem, fix the highlighted section and select **Check form** again.

## Review [#review]

Select **Review** to see a read-only summary across the form. This is the fastest way to catch wrong names, addresses, licence numbers, readings, serial numbers, and dates before you open the PDF preview.

## Toolbar actions [#toolbar-actions]

| Action           | What it does                                                                                                                 |
| ---------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Check form**   | Checks the form and highlights problems                                                                                      |
| **Review**       | Opens a summary of entered answers                                                                                           |
| **Preview**      | On PDF templates, generates an in-app preview without using a download allowance                                             |
| **Download**     | Saves the finished PDF to your device                                                                                        |
| **Sample**       | Adds demo data where Fill with AI is not shown, for testing only                                                             |
| **Fill with AI** | Paid plans: opens chat to fill supported fields from notes, photos, or voice dictation ([help](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/fill-with-ai)) |
| **Clear**        | Resets the current form where the template exposes it                                                                        |
| **Presets**      | Saves or loads full-form snapshots on a paid plan                                                                            |
| **Email**        | Opens template email options where supported                                                                                 |
| **Portal**       | Opens template submission portal links where supported                                                                       |

## Autosave [#autosave]

- Local save works in the browser for guest and Free public forms.
- Cloud autosave works on a paid plan while enabled in Settings.
- The save indicator shows whether the latest local or cloud save has completed.

Do not rely on local drafts across devices, private browsing, or cleared browser data.

## Reusing details [#reusing-details]

Supported templates can use:

- **Saved details** for reusable business, licence, customer, or catalogue sections such as work type
- **Presets** for full-form starting points
- **Address search** for Australian address blocks
- **ABN lookup** for business names and ABNs
- **Licence search** inside supported form fields, plus **Licence check** under Tools for supported public registers
- **Integration import** for supported fields on ServiceM8, Fergus, or Xero: the link icon Import from connection beside a field pulls in one value, and a saved field mapping imports a whole job, contact, or project at once
- **Fill with AI** on a paid plan to describe job details and fill supported fields from chat ([help](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/fill-with-ai))

Imported and reused details still need a final check.

When one saved set matches a section, **Prefill** applies it straight away. When several match, **Prefill** opens a searchable list. Use **Undo** in the success message if a prefill replaced something you wanted to keep.

## Finishing with warnings [#finishing-with-warnings]

If required details are missing, the finish action asks you to fix them. On PDF templates, some warnings can be bypassed with **Download anyway** after you confirm responsibility.

> **Warning**
>
> Always check the PDF preview before sending, lodging, or handing over a form. Tradie Forms does not verify the real-world job details for you.

- **[Connections](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/integrations)** - Connect ServiceM8, Fergus, or Xero and import details into supported fields.

# Custom forms (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/custom-forms)

If the form you need is not in the public library, use **Request a template**.

You can request:

- A shared template suggestion that may become public
- A private custom template for your business

Custom templates can be compliance, daily operational, or customer-facing paperwork.

Choose who the template is for, set the state and trade, then name the form. Scroll the dialog for Details, where you describe the use case and link a sample PDF.

## Where to request a template [#where-to-request-a-template]

Use **Request a template** from:

- [**Templates**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/templates)
- **New form** when there is no good match
- [**Support**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/help)
- Related template pages

You need to be signed in.

## Request types [#request-types]

| Type                                | Who can use it                    | Notes                                                                    |
| ----------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Shared template**                 | May become available to all users | Best for common state, trade, or industry paperwork                      |
| **Custom template for my business** | Private to your account or team   | One-off build quote from $59 AUD, plus a paid plan while you need access |

Final build pricing depends on the PDF, number of fields, signatures, tables, calculations, and special download needs. Your plan keeps the template available for your workspace.

## What to include [#what-to-include]

Add:

- State and trade
- Template name
- Why you need it
- Who receives or lodges the finished PDF
- Whether it should be public or private
- A PDF sample if you have one

PDF attachments must be 10 MB or smaller.

## What happens next [#what-happens-next]

1. Tradie Forms receives the request
2. We review the PDF, scope, and pricing
3. We follow up if anything is unclear
4. Once ready and added to your workspace, the template appears in **Templates**

Private templates require a paid plan because they use cloud drafts and account access.

> **Note**
>
> Custom templates are built by the Tradie Forms team. They do not appear instantly after request.

# AI assistant (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/fill-with-ai)

The **AI assistant** helps you fill forms and move around Tradie Forms on a paid plan. Give it job notes in plain language, attach a clear photo or file, dictate your notes, or choose one of the suggested jobs.

While a form is open, the same assistant appears as **Fill with AI**. It can fill matching fields, explain a section, find missing details, apply saved information, and help prepare the form for preview or download.

The floating panel keeps the form behind it. Use the controls along the top to change the layout or size.

> **Warning**
>
> Treat every AI update as a draft. Check the form fields and PDF yourself. The assistant does not decide whether work complies or lodge forms with regulators, councils, customers, or network operators.

## Open the assistant [#open-the-assistant]

You can open it in three ways:

- Select the sparkle button AI assistant in the app header from any app page
- Select **Fill with AI** in the form toolbar while filling a supported form
- Press **Command + I** on a Mac or **Ctrl + I** on Windows

The header assistant can find templates, drafts, completed forms, saved details, and app pages. Open it from a form when you want it to read or update that form.

Closing the panel does not clear the conversation. After you have sent a message, use the **New chat** icon New chat to clear that conversation and start again.

## Change the layout [#change-the-layout]

While filling a form on a larger screen, choose:

| Layout       | Best for                                                     |
| ------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Floating** | Keeping the form wide and moving between chat and fields     |
| **Sidebar**  | Keeping the assistant visible beside the form while you work |

On a phone, the assistant always opens as a floating panel.

To change the current layout, select the **side panel** icon Switch to side panel or **floating panel** icon Switch to floating panel at the top of the assistant.

To set the layout used next time, open [**Settings -> Features**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/settings) and change **Chat display**.

Settings controls whether the assistant is available, whether saved details and job imports apply immediately, and the default chat layout.

### Resize or move it [#resize-or-move-it]

- In **Floating** layout, select the expand icon Expand panel to cycle through **Compact**, **Medium**, and **Expanded** sizes. The expanded icon changes to a shrink icon Shrink panel.
- In **Sidebar** layout, select the left alignment icon Move panel left or right alignment icon Move panel right to move the assistant to the other side.
- Tradie Forms remembers the floating size and sidebar side in that browser.

## What each icon does [#what-each-icon-does]

Hover over an icon on desktop to see its name.

### Along the top [#along-the-top]

| Icon                                          | What it does                                                            |
| --------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Side panel** Switch to side panel / **floating panel** Switch to floating panel | Switches the chat layout while a form is open                           |
| **Expand** Expand panel / **shrink** Shrink panel             | Cycles the floating panel through Compact, Medium, and Expanded         |
| **Align left** Move panel left / **right** Move panel right          | Moves a sidebar chat to the other side                                  |
| **Information** Information                          | Explains what AI processes and reminds you to check its work            |
| **New chat** New chat                             | Appears after the conversation starts; clears it and opens a fresh chat |
| **Close** Close                                | Closes the panel and stops a reply that is still being generated        |

### In the message box [#in-the-message-box]

| Icon                     | What it does                                                                  |
| ------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Photo with plus** Add photo or file | Adds one photo or a supported small file                                      |
| **Microphone** Start dictation      | Starts dictation; select the stop square Stop dictation when you have finished speaking |
| **Arrow** Send message           | Sends your message                                                            |
| **Stop square** Stop response     | Stops the assistant while it is working on a reply                            |

### On messages [#on-messages]

| Icon                                    | What it does                                                       |
| --------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Edit** Edit message                           | Edits and resends a message you sent                               |
| **Copy** Copy message                           | Copies an assistant reply                                          |
| **Retry** Retry message                          | Asks the assistant to answer again and creates another version     |
| **Previous** Previous version / **next** Next version       | Appears when a reply has more than one version; moves between them |
| **Helpful** Helpful / **not helpful** Not helpful | Sends feedback about an assistant reply                            |

## What it can do anywhere in the app [#what-it-can-do-anywhere-in-the-app]

- Search the template library and help start a form
- Find and open recent drafts or completed forms
- Open app pages such as Templates or Saved details
- Find saved details and supported customer or site records
- Look up an ABN when enough information is provided
- Search these user docs when you ask how something works
- Explain your current plan and available account features

The assistant only works inside Tradie Forms. It is not a general-purpose advice service.

## What it can do on a form [#what-it-can-do-on-a-form]

- Fill or change supported text, dates, choices, and checkboxes
- Split a name or address across the matching form fields
- Read what is already filled and tell you what still needs attention
- Open a section, focus a field, and explain what the field is asking for
- Review missing, invalid, or suspicious values
- Apply saved details or a form preset
- Find a connected ServiceM8, Fergus, or Xero job and import supported details
- Read visible text from an attached photo or supported small file
- Check whether the form is ready to preview or download
- Start a PDF download after showing you a confirmation
- Help save current details for next time after showing you a confirmation
- Open secure share-link settings for a saved form after showing you a confirmation
- Clear the form only after you explicitly ask and confirm

When **Auto-apply saved details and jobs** is on in Settings, those two actions apply immediately. Turn it off if you want a confirmation in chat first.

## What it cannot do [#what-it-cannot-do]

- Add or draw signatures
- Add photos or diagrams to the form's own photo or drawing fields
- Invent a licence number, test result, address, date, or other missing fact
- Confirm that real-world work or information is correct
- Decide whether work complies
- Lodge, email, certify, or submit a form for you
- Guarantee that an AI reading of a photo or note is accurate

## A good way to fill a form [#a-good-way-to-fill-a-form]

### Give it the job details [#give-it-the-job-details]

Paste or dictate the notes you already have. Include the customer, site, work, dates, readings, and results that should go on the form.

### Let it update the supported fields [#let-it-update-the-supported-fields]

The assistant fills the fields it can match. If something is unclear, it may ask one short follow-up question.

### Check what changed [#check-what-changed]

Scan the filled sections. Ask **What's already filled?** or **What's missing?** when you need a quick summary.

### Finish the manual parts [#finish-the-manual-parts]

Add signatures, form photos, diagrams, and any details the assistant could not confirm.

### Check the PDF [#check-the-pdf]

Select **Check form**, then use **Review** and **Preview** before downloading or sharing the PDF.

## Prompts that work well [#prompts-that-work-well]

Give it the same concrete notes you would give an office admin:

```text
Customer is Jordan Lee, 0412 345 678. Job was at 12 High Street, Ballarat. Service date was 28/07/2026. Replaced the damaged cover and tested the unit. Main device passed.
```

You can also ask:

- "Fill the customer and service sections from these notes"
- "Use my saved contractor details"
- "Show me presets for this form"
- "Find job 1842 in ServiceM8 and import it"
- "Take me to the test results section"
- "Why is this field still marked incomplete?"
- "Review this form and tell me what needs attention"
- "What have I already filled in?"
- "Change the service date to 28/07/2026"
- "Is this ready to preview?"

Be specific when correcting something:

```text
Change the Client Name to Jordan Lee. Leave the Business section as it is.
```

## Quick commands [#quick-commands]

Type `/` in the message box to open a list of commands. Available commands depend on whether a form is open.

Common commands include:

- Search templates
- Find drafts or completed forms
- Review form
- Explain section
- Apply saved details
- Import job
- Check download readiness
- Clear form

Selecting a command sends the matching request for you. Actions that replace or clear information still show a confirmation where required.

## Photos, files, and pasted content [#photos-files-and-pasted-content]

Use the photo/file icon Add photo or file for a job card, equipment label, meter photo, handwritten note, or small data file.

- Photos work best when text is close, upright, well lit, and in focus
- You can send one photo per message
- You can send one PDF per message, up to 3 MB and 20 pages
- Supported photos include JPEG, PNG, and WebP
- Supported small files include PDF, plain text, Markdown, CSV, and JSON
- Camera photos are resized before sending
- You can also paste an image or text into the message box

The assistant may show the values it read and how confident it is before applying uncertain details. Check serial numbers, dates, readings, names, and addresses carefully.

If a file is blocked, use a closer crop, send a smaller file, or type the important values into the message.

## Voice dictation [#voice-dictation]

Select the microphone Start dictation, speak your notes, then select the stop square Stop dictation. Review the transcript in the message box before sending it with the arrow Send message.

Your browser must have microphone permission. If dictation does not start, allow microphone access for Tradie Forms or type the notes instead.

## Saved details, presets, and connected jobs [#saved-details-presets-and-connected-jobs]

Ask the assistant to list available items before applying them when you are unsure which one you need:

- "Show my saved business details"
- "List presets for this form"
- "Show jobs I can import from Fergus"

Saved details fill the matching reusable fields. Presets replace the current form values after confirmation. Connected job imports use the mapping saved for that connection where available.

Always update job-specific details such as the customer, address, dates, readings, serial numbers, and work performed.

## What the assistant can see [#what-the-assistant-can-see]

While you chat, the assistant can receive:

- The current form and answers already entered
- The section you are working near
- Messages and attachments you send
- Voice audio while it is being transcribed
- Saved details, presets, and connected job information when you ask it to use them

That information is processed by our AI provider to respond and suggest form updates. Do not send information you are not comfortable sharing for that purpose.

Select the information icon Information in the panel for the in-app reminder. Turning the assistant off under [**Settings -> Features**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/settings) hides the launcher and **Fill with AI**, and blocks assistant requests for your account.

## If something goes wrong [#if-something-goes-wrong]

| Problem                              | What to do                                                                                   |
| ------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Upgrade required**                 | Sign in on a paid plan                                                                       |
| **Button missing**                   | Check that the AI assistant is enabled under Settings -> Features and that you are signed in |
| **Wrong field changed**              | Name the exact field and correct value, or edit it directly on the form                      |
| **It misunderstood several details** | Start a New chat and send shorter, clearly labelled notes                                    |
| **Attachment blocked**               | Try a smaller JPEG, PNG, WebP, text, Markdown, CSV, or JSON file                             |
| **Photo read incorrectly**           | Send a closer, clearer crop and provide the correct value in text                            |
| **Microphone blocked**               | Allow microphone permission for the site, then try again                                     |
| **Assistant is still working**       | Select the stop square Stop response, then resend a shorter request                                   |
| **Too many requests**                | Wait briefly and try again                                                                   |

> **Warning**
>
> Always review the form and PDF preview before download. The assistant can miss context, choose the wrong field, or misread an attachment.

- **[Completing a form](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/completing-a-form)** - Sections, form checks, review, and toolbar actions.
- **[Saved details](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/saved-details)** - Reusable business, licence, and customer blocks the assistant can apply.
- **[Billing](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/account/billing)** - Paid features, including Fill with AI.

# Form types (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/form-types)

Tradie Forms is built around **three kinds of paperwork** tradies use every week. Templates all work the same way: one section at a time, anything missing flagged, details you reuse, and a PDF you check before you download.

```text
                    ┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
                    │           Tradie Forms              │
                    └──────────────────┬──────────────────┘
           ┌───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────┐
           ▼                           ▼                           ▼
   ┌───────────────┐           ┌───────────────┐           ┌───────────────┐
   │  Compliance   │           │    Daily &    │           │   Customer    │
   │     forms     │           │  operational  │           │     forms     │
   └───────┬───────┘           └───────┬───────┘           └───────┬───────┘
           │                           │                           │
           ▼                           ▼                           ▼
   Regulators &               Run the job on site          Hand to the client
   official PDFs              checklists, JSAs, etc.       sign-off, completion
```

## Compliance forms [#compliance-forms]

**Compliance forms** are regulatory or authority paperwork - usually an **official PDF** you need to check carefully and keep with the right job records.

Examples:

- NSW electrical and plumbing certificates
- QLD electrical and plumbing certificates
- NT gas notifications
- TAS plumbing certificates
- National telecommunications cabling advice forms

Typical features on compliance templates:

- Strict validation against certificate rules
- **Licence lookup** where registers exist
- **Form guides** in docs for every section (see [Form guides](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides))

> **Note**
>
> **Available now:** 69 public templates across national telecommunications and electrical, NSW electrical, plumbing, fire safety, building, and WHS forms, NT electrical and gasfitting, QLD electrical, plumbing, building, and fire safety, SA plumbing, TAS plumbing and gasfitting, VIC building and pest control, and WA pest control. See [Form guides](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides) for the current list.

## Daily operational forms [#daily-operational-forms]

**Daily operational forms** are how you **run jobs day to day** - internal or crew-facing paperwork that keeps work safe, organised, and auditable.

Available examples:

- National Test and Tag Register
- National RCD Test Record
- National Emergency Lighting Test Register
- National Smoke Alarm Service Record
- NSW Mobile Crane Safety Checklist
- NSW WHS site safety forms, including risk assessments, SWMS, toolbox talks, and registers

You can also request custom site diaries, pre-start records, or internal completion paperwork for your business.

These use the same app areas (**Drafts**, **Completed**, **Saved details**) as compliance forms. They are built for **quick use on mobile** and reusing saved details across similar jobs.

## Customer forms [#customer-forms]

**Customer forms** are documents you **give to the client** - proof of work, approvals, or job communication, not forms you lodge with government.

Examples you might request as custom forms:

- Job completion and sign-off paperwork
- Variation or scope acknowledgements
- Customer-facing checklists or acceptance records

Customer forms still download to **PDF** for email or print. Wording and layout should match how you present work to homeowners, builders, or facility managers.

> **Idea**
>
> **Customer forms** are about **who receives the PDF**. **Compliance forms** are about **who regulates the work**. A single job might need both.

## Custom builds (any type) [#custom-builds-any-type]

Need a PDF that is not in the public library? **Request a template** from the app. We can turn your PDF into an online form and enable it on your account, whether it is compliance, operational, or customer-facing.

See [Custom forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/custom-forms).

## Where to start [#where-to-start]

- **[Form guides](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides)** - Section help for compliance templates available today.
- **[Browse templates](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/templates)** - Public library in the app
- **[Request a template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/custom-forms)** - Shared or private custom templates

# Install the app (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/install-the-app)

Add Tradie Forms to your home screen so it opens full screen from an icon, like a normal app. You do not need the App Store or Google Play.

This works on iPhone, Android, and most computers. You can also open the short steps from [**Settings**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/settings) when you are signed in.

## Why install it [#why-install-it]

- One-tap open from your home screen
- Opens into the app hub, not a browser tab full of chrome
- Feels more like an app when you are on site
- No separate store download

## What it does not change [#what-it-does-not-change]

- It is still the same Tradie Forms website under the icon
- You need a connection for cloud drafts, downloads, lookups, and most features
- Guest and Free drafts stay in that browser on that device for up to 7 days
- Clearing site data or uninstalling the home screen icon can remove local drafts
- Paid cloud drafts still need a Solo or Team plan and a connection

## Install steps [#install-steps]

**iPhone**

Use **Safari**. Chrome and many in-app browsers do not offer **Add to Home Screen** the same way.

**Open the site in Safari.** Go to [tradieforms.com.au](https://tradieforms.com.au) or open [**the app**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app) if you already use it.

**Open Share.** Tap the **Share** button (square with an arrow) in Safari.

**Add to Home Screen.** Scroll the share sheet and tap **Add to Home Screen**. Confirm the name, then tap **Add**.

**Open from the icon.** On your home screen, tap **Tradie Forms**. Sign in if you need cloud features or downloads.

**Android**

Use **Chrome** when you can.

**Open the site in Chrome.** Go to [tradieforms.com.au](https://tradieforms.com.au) or [**the app**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app).

**Open the browser menu.** Tap the **three-dot** menu.

**Install or add to home screen.** Tap **Install app** or **Add to Home screen**, then confirm. Menu labels vary slightly by Chrome version. If you do not see install, open the site in full Chrome (not an in-app browser from email or social apps).

**Open from the icon.** Tap the new **Tradie Forms** icon on your home screen or app drawer.

**Computer**

Chrome and Edge can install the site as a desktop app.

**Open the site.** Go to [tradieforms.com.au](https://tradieforms.com.au) in Chrome or Edge.

**Install.** Click the **install** icon in the address bar if it appears, or open the browser menu and choose **Install Tradie Forms** (wording may vary).

**Open the installed app.** Launch it from your dock, Start menu, or applications list. It opens without the usual browser tabs.

## After you install [#after-you-install]

1. Open from the **home screen icon** (not a Safari tab) so it runs full screen
2. Sign in when you need downloads, cloud drafts, or paid features
3. Set your state and trade if the app asks on first use
4. Start a form from **Templates** or **New form**

On Android, long-press the home screen icon for shortcuts to **New form**, **Drafts**, and **Jobs**.

See [Quick start](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/quickstart) for the full fill and download walkthrough.

You can also open install help from [**Settings**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/settings) under **App on this phone**. When you are already in the installed app, that card confirms you are set up.

## Common problems [#common-problems]

- **No Add to Home Screen on iPhone:** Use Safari, not Chrome or Facebook/Instagram’s built-in browser. Open the site in Safari, then try again.
- **No Install on Android:** Use Chrome, leave any in-app browser, and check you are not already installed.
- **Blank screen when opening the home screen icon:** Delete the icon, open the site in Safari again, then **Add to Home Screen** once more. iPhone caches the launch screen when you first add the icon.
- **Draft missing after install:** Guest and Free drafts are tied to that browser profile. The home screen icon uses the same site data in normal cases. If you cleared site data or used private browsing, local drafts may be gone. Paid cloud drafts appear under **Drafts** when you are signed in and online.
- **Looks like a normal tab:** You opened the website in the browser instead of the home screen icon. Tap the icon you added.

## Related [#related]

- **[Quick start](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/quickstart)** - Fill your first form and download a PDF.
- **[Workspace](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/workspace)** - Overview, drafts, completed forms, and the app sidebar.
- **[Troubleshooting](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/support/troubleshooting)** - Fix common save, access, and download issues.
- **[FAQ](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/faq)** - Plans, drafts, and how the product works.

# Fergus (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/integrations/fergus-integration)

Fergus lets you bring job and site details into supported Tradie Forms fields without retyping them on site.

Read the overview on the [Fergus integration page](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/integrations/fergus).

## Requirements [#requirements]

- Paid plan
- Fergus account
- A supported template and field

## Connect Fergus [#connect-fergus]

### Open Fergus in Connections [#open-fergus-in-connections]

In Tradie Forms, open [**Connections**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/integrations) and choose **Fergus**.

### Sign in to Fergus [#sign-in-to-fergus]

Select **Connect with Fergus** and complete the Fergus login when prompted.

### Approve access [#approve-access]

Approve access so Tradie Forms can import job details into supported fields.

Disconnect in Connections anytime to revoke access.

On a **team workspace**, only a team admin can connect Fergus for the crew.

## Import into a form [#import-into-a-form]

### Per-field import [#per-field-import]

### Open a supported form [#open-a-supported-form]

Start the form while signed in on a paid plan.

### Pick the Fergus job [#pick-the-fergus-job]

Select the link icon Import from Fergus beside a supported field, then search for the Fergus job.

### Import and check the value [#import-and-check-the-value]

Choose the field value to import, then check it before download.

### Import a whole job at once [#import-a-whole-job-at-once]

A bar appears at the top of supported forms, where you map fields once and reuse that mapping on every later job.

### Pick a sample job [#pick-a-sample-job]

Open a supported form and select **Set up mapping** in the bar at the top. Choose a sample job so you can see real Fergus values while you map.

### Map the fields [#map-the-fields]

In the mapping panel, match each form field to the correct Fergus value. Every supported field on the form is listed in one place.

### Save and reuse the mapping [#save-and-reuse-the-mapping]

Select **Save mapping**. On later forms of the same type, pick a job in the bar and select **Import job** to fill every mapped field at once.

The link icon Import from Fergus stays on every supported field, so you can still pull in a single value at any time.

## Reconnect Fergus [#reconnect-fergus]

Disconnect Fergus in Connections, then **Connect with Fergus** again.

## API token (advanced) [#api-token-advanced]

If you cannot connect with Fergus for your setup, you can use an API token instead.

### Generate a Fergus token [#generate-a-fergus-token]

In Fergus, open **Settings -> Integration Centre -> Fergus API -> Generate new token**.

### Connect with the token [#connect-with-the-token]

Copy the token. In Tradie Forms, choose **Use an API token**, paste the token, and connect.

If the Fergus user who created the token leaves your company, disconnect and reconnect with a new token or connect with Fergus.

## Attach PDFs to Fergus jobs [#attach-pdfs-to-fergus-jobs]

Turn on **Upload PDFs to Fergus jobs** on the Fergus integration page in Connections.

You can attach PDFs in two ways:

- From the **Your PDF is ready** sheet after download, when you imported at least one Fergus field during that session
- From **Completed**, using **Send to Fergus**

If a stored PDF is available (Solo stored copies or Team audit trail), the stored copy can be used. Otherwise Tradie Forms regenerates the PDF from saved form data.

Finished PDFs land in **Files & Photos** on the Fergus job.

Contact support if you need help connecting Fergus.

# Connections (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/integrations)

Connections (integrations) reduce retyping. Connect ServiceM8, Fergus, or Xero, pick a job, contact, or project, then import supported values into your form.

Connect job systems from one place, then import supported details while filling a form.

## Requirements [#requirements]

- Paid plan
- A supported ServiceM8, Fergus, or Xero account
- Permission to connect that system for your personal or team workspace

## Available now [#available-now]

| Integration                                                                                              | What it does                                                                             |
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [**ServiceM8**](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/integrations/servicem8-integration) ([overview](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/integrations/servicem8)) | Sign in with ServiceM8, per-field and whole-job import, optional PDF attach to job cards |
| [**Fergus**](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/integrations/fergus-integration) ([overview](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/integrations/fergus))          | Connect with Fergus, per-field and whole-job import, optional PDF attach to jobs         |
| [**Xero**](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/integrations/xero-integration) ([overview](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/integrations/xero))                | Sign in with Xero, per-field and whole-record import, optional PDF attach to contacts    |

Connect from [**Connections**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/integrations). ServiceM8 can also be installed from the **ServiceM8 Add-on Store**.

## How field import works [#how-field-import-works]

After you connect an integration, you can import one field at a time, a whole job at once, or both on the same form.

### One field at a time [#one-field-at-a-time]

1. Connect from [**Connections**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/integrations)
2. Open a supported form
3. Select the link icon Import from connection beside a supported field
4. Pick a job, contact, or project
5. Choose the value to import

Imported values replace what is currently in the field. The job you pick is remembered for the rest of the browser session, so later fields skip straight to the value list.

This is available whenever your integration is connected. ServiceM8 also needs job import turned on when you connect.

### A whole job at once [#a-whole-job-at-once]

Map the form's fields to your integration once, then reuse that mapping on every later job.

1. Open a supported form and select **Set up mapping** in the bar at the top
2. Match each form field to an integration field, then **Save mapping** (once per template)
3. Pick a job, contact, or project in the bar and select **Import job**

The link icon stays on every supported field, so you can still pull in a single value after a whole-job import.

See the [ServiceM8](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/integrations/servicem8-integration), [Fergus](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/integrations/fergus-integration), or [Xero](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/integrations/xero-integration) guide for setup notes.

## Team workspaces [#team-workspaces]

Connections are workspace-specific:

- Personal connections belong to your account
- Team connections belong to the selected business workspace
- Team admins connect, reconnect, or disconnect shared integrations
- Team admins manage field mappings for the team
- Members use the shared connection and saved mappings while the team workspace is active

- **[ServiceM8 integration](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/integrations/servicem8-integration)** - Connect ServiceM8, import single fields or whole jobs, and attach PDFs to jobs.
- **[Fergus integration](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/integrations/fergus-integration)** - Connect with Fergus, import single fields or whole jobs, and attach PDFs to jobs.
- **[Xero integration](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/integrations/xero-integration)** - Connect Xero, import customer and project details, and attach PDFs to contacts.

# ServiceM8 (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/integrations/servicem8-integration)

ServiceM8 lets you bring job details into supported Tradie Forms fields without retyping them on site.

Read the overview on the [ServiceM8 integration page](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/integrations/servicem8).

## Requirements [#requirements]

- Paid plan
- ServiceM8 account
- A supported template and field

## Install from the ServiceM8 Add-on Store [#install-from-the-servicem8-add-on-store]

### Find Tradie Forms [#find-tradie-forms]

In ServiceM8, open the **Add-on Store** and select **Tradie Forms**.

### Sign in [#sign-in]

Select **Connect** or **Install**, then sign in to Tradie Forms or create an account.

### Check your plan [#check-your-plan]

If you are on Free, upgrade to a paid plan on the activation page.

### Approve access [#approve-access]

Approve the access Tradie Forms requests, then return to ServiceM8 or start a form in Tradie Forms.

The add-on install is free. Importing job details and attaching PDFs requires a paid plan. See [Billing](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/account/billing).

On a **team workspace**, only a team admin can complete the ServiceM8 connection for the crew.

## Connect ServiceM8 in Tradie Forms [#connect-servicem8-in-tradie-forms]

### Open ServiceM8 in Connections [#open-servicem8-in-connections]

Open [**Connections**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/integrations) and choose **ServiceM8**.

### Choose the access [#choose-the-access]

Select the job details and PDF upload access you want.

### Connect the account [#connect-the-account]

Select **Connect with ServiceM8**, sign in to ServiceM8, and approve access.

The connection is saved to your active workspace. On a team workspace, team admins manage the connection.

## Access options [#access-options]

| Option                              | What it is used for                                                                        |
| ----------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Import job and customer details** | Job number, job address, site contact, billing contact, customer company, and job category |
| **Job schedule**                    | Scheduled visit start and end                                                              |
| **Assigned technician**             | Staff name and contact details                                                             |
| **Job notes**                       | Notes for remarks, access, or job context fields                                           |
| **Your business details**           | Company name, email, and ABN where supported                                               |
| **Upload PDFs to job cards**        | Attach completed PDFs back to ServiceM8                                                    |

To add access, turn it on and reconnect. To remove access, disconnect and reconnect with fewer options selected.

Store installs connect with import and business details by default. Reconnect from Connections to add PDF upload or other optional access.

## Import into a form [#import-into-a-form]

### Per-field import [#per-field-import]

### Open a supported form [#open-a-supported-form]

Start the form while signed in on a paid plan.

### Pick the ServiceM8 job [#pick-the-servicem8-job]

Select the link icon Import from ServiceM8 beside a supported field, then search for the ServiceM8 job.

### Import and check the value [#import-and-check-the-value]

Choose the field value to import, then check it before download.

Supported values can include job number, site address, customer name, phone, email, billing details, assigned technician, notes, ABN, and business details.

Support is field-by-field. If a field can import from ServiceM8, it shows the link icon Import from ServiceM8 while you fill the form.

### Import a whole job at once [#import-a-whole-job-at-once]

A bar appears at the top of supported forms, where you map fields once and reuse that mapping on every later job.

### Pick a sample job [#pick-a-sample-job]

Open a supported form and select **Set up mapping** in the bar at the top. Choose a sample job so you can see real ServiceM8 values while you map.

### Map the fields [#map-the-fields]

In the mapping panel, match each form field to the correct ServiceM8 value. Every supported field on the form is listed in one place.

### Save and reuse the mapping [#save-and-reuse-the-mapping]

Select **Save mapping**. On later forms of the same type, pick a job in the bar and select **Import job** to fill every mapped field at once.

The link icon Import from ServiceM8 stays on every supported field, so you can still pull in a single value at any time.

## Attach PDFs to ServiceM8 jobs [#attach-pdfs-to-servicem8-jobs]

Enable **Upload PDFs to job cards** when connecting or reconnecting ServiceM8.

You can attach PDFs in two ways:

- From the **Your PDF is ready** sheet after download, when you imported at least one ServiceM8 field during that session
- From **Completed**, using **Send to ServiceM8**

If a stored PDF is available (Solo stored copies or Team audit trail), the stored copy can be used. Otherwise Tradie Forms regenerates the PDF from saved form data.

## Platforms and regions [#platforms-and-regions]

Tradie Forms runs in your web browser on desktop and mobile. Use it alongside the ServiceM8 Online Dashboard while you fill forms on site. Tradie Forms is not embedded inside the ServiceM8 iOS app.

Templates and compliance forms are built for **Australia**. Your ServiceM8 data stays tied to your own account and workspace.

## Disconnect [#disconnect]

Open the ServiceM8 integration page and select **Disconnect**. For team workspaces, only team admins can disconnect the shared connection.

You can also disable the add-on from the ServiceM8 Add-on Store to revoke access.

## Troubleshooting [#troubleshooting]

| Issue                   | What to do                                                                                 |
| ----------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Paid plan required**  | Upgrade, then connect again from Connections or the store activation page                  |
| **Team admin required** | Ask a team admin to connect ServiceM8 for your business workspace                          |
| **Connection expired**  | Open Connections, then reconnect ServiceM8                                                 |
| **Missing access**      | Reconnect with the options you need (for example PDF upload)                               |
| **Import icon missing** | Confirm you are on a paid plan, ServiceM8 is connected, and the form field supports import |

> **Warning**
>
> Imported job data is a shortcut, not a final check. Confirm all names, addresses, dates, and job details before issuing the PDF.

# Xero (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/integrations/xero-integration)

Xero lets you bring customer, business, and project details into supported Tradie Forms fields without retyping them on site.

Read the overview on the [Xero integration page](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/integrations/xero).

## Requirements [#requirements]

- Paid plan
- Xero account with access to the organisation you want to link
- A supported template and field

## Connect Xero [#connect-xero]

### Open Xero in Connections [#open-xero-in-connections]

In Tradie Forms, open [**Connections**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/integrations) and choose **Xero**.

### Sign in to Xero [#sign-in-to-xero]

Select **Connect with Xero**, then complete the Xero sign-in.

### Approve access [#approve-access]

Approve read-only access for contacts, organisation settings, and projects.

### Choose the organisation [#choose-the-organisation]

If your login has more than one Xero organisation, pick the one you want to link.

On a **team workspace**, only a team admin can connect Xero for the crew.

## OAuth scopes [#oauth-scopes]

Tradie Forms requests only the Xero access needed for import and optional PDF attach:

| Scope                        | What it is used for                                                          |
| ---------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `openid`, `profile`, `email` | Sign in and identify your Xero user during connect                           |
| `offline_access`             | Keep the connection active without signing in every 30 minutes               |
| `accounting.contacts.read`   | Search contacts and import customer names, phones, and addresses             |
| `accounting.settings.read`   | Import your business name, ABN, and contact lines from organisation settings |
| `projects.read`              | Import project names and references when Projects is enabled in Xero         |
| `accounting.attachments`     | Attach completed PDFs to the linked Xero contact when upload is on           |

We do not request write access to invoices, bills, bank transactions, or payroll.

## Import into a form [#import-into-a-form]

### Per-field import [#per-field-import]

### Open a supported form [#open-a-supported-form]

Start the form while signed in on a paid plan.

### Pick the Xero record [#pick-the-xero-record]

Select the link icon Import from Xero beside a supported field, then search for a Xero contact or project.

### Import and check the value [#import-and-check-the-value]

Choose the field value to import. Check the result before download because contact addresses are often billing addresses.

### Import a whole contact or project at once [#import-a-whole-contact-or-project-at-once]

A bar appears at the top of supported forms, where you map fields once and reuse that mapping on every later contact or project.

### Pick a sample record [#pick-a-sample-record]

Open a supported form and select **Set up mapping** in the bar at the top. Choose a sample contact or project so you can see real Xero values while you map.

### Map the fields [#map-the-fields]

In the mapping panel, match each form field to the correct Xero value. Every supported field on the form is listed in one place.

### Save and reuse the mapping [#save-and-reuse-the-mapping]

Select **Save mapping**. On later forms of the same type, pick a contact or project in the bar and select **Import job** to fill every mapped field at once.

The link icon Import from Xero stays on every supported field, so you can still pull in a single value at any time.

## Attach PDFs to Xero contacts [#attach-pdfs-to-xero-contacts]

Turn on **Upload PDFs to Xero contacts** on the Xero integration page in Connections.

You can attach PDFs in two ways:

- From the **Your PDF is ready** sheet after download, when you imported at least one Xero field during that session
- From **Completed**, using **Send to Xero**

If a stored PDF is available (Solo stored copies or Team audit trail), the stored copy can be used. Otherwise Tradie Forms regenerates the PDF from saved form data.

PDFs attach to the **linked Xero contact**. If you imported from a project, Tradie Forms uses that project's contact.

## Disconnect [#disconnect]

Open the Xero integration page in [**Connections**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/integrations) and select **Disconnect**. For team workspaces, only a team admin can disconnect the shared connection.

You can also revoke Tradie Forms from your Xero connected apps list. Disconnect removes the stored connection credentials and turns off import and PDF upload. Saved Connect field mappings remain available if you reconnect the same workspace. Clear a mapping from the form's Connect mapping screen if you no longer want it.

## Troubleshooting [#troubleshooting]

| Issue                      | What to do                                                                                   |
| -------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Paid plan required**     | Upgrade, then connect again from Connections                                                 |
| **Team admin required**    | Ask a team admin to connect Xero for your business workspace                                 |
| **Connection expired**     | Open Connections, then reconnect Xero                                                        |
| **Wrong address imported** | Contact addresses are often billing addresses. Confirm the site line on site before download |
| **Import icon missing**    | Confirm you are on a paid plan, Xero is connected, and the form field supports import        |

Xero suits tradies who already invoice in Xero and want customer, business, and project details in forms. Contact addresses are often billing addresses, so confirm the site line on site before download.

# Jobs (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/jobs)

Jobs keep the forms and completion steps for one site or customer job in one place. Each job is one checklist with the next step up front.

Signed-in users can turn Jobs on. Free accounts can automatically create and view up to 3 active jobs when a form is completed. Paid plans add manual job creation and full job management.

Tradie Forms does **not** lodge forms with regulators or councils for you. Jobs help you finish forms on site, download PDFs, and keep track of what you lodged, emailed, handed over, or kept on file. Always check the official requirements that apply to your work.

## Turn on Jobs [#turn-on-jobs]

Open [**Settings**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/settings), then turn on **Jobs** under **Features**. This shows **Jobs** in the sidebar.

Jobs is still being rolled out and may not be available on every account yet. If **Jobs** is not listed under Features, it is not available on that account yet.

Optional: turn on **Auto-create job on complete** if you want a job created automatically when you finish a form that is not already on a job. This is off by default so standalone downloads stay as completed forms only. Free accounts can have up to 3 active auto-created jobs. Paid plans have no active-job limit.

## Create a job on a paid plan [#create-a-job-on-a-paid-plan]

### Open Jobs [#open-jobs]

Open [**Jobs**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/jobs) in the sidebar.

### Start a new job [#start-a-new-job]

Select **New job**.

### Choose the job type [#choose-the-job-type]

Job types add the usual forms for that kind of work. Pick **Custom job** when you want to choose the forms yourself.

### Add the job details [#add-the-job-details]

Enter the job title, customer, job number, and site address, or import the job from ServiceM8, Fergus, or Xero.

### Create the job [#create-the-job]

Check the details, then select **Create job**.

Free accounts can view the jobs that auto-create from completed forms. Upgrade to create a job yourself, add forms, update completion steps, or manage the job.

## What a job includes [#what-a-job-includes]

Each job holds:

- **Forms** for the job, from new forms to drafts and finished forms
- **Completion steps** for each form, such as email, portal upload, post, complete on site, or keep on file
- **Job history** showing status changes and references you record
- **Job notes** for access details, builder requests, or anything to remember

## Work through the checklist [#work-through-the-checklist]

The checklist lists each form with its completion steps. Open a linked form to finish it or review a completed one. Download the PDF, then update each step as you send, lodge, post, hand over, or file the copy. Some steps include shortcuts, like emailing the PDF straight from the job.

The job status rolls up from the steps, from **Not started** through **In progress**, **Ready to send**, **Part sent**, and **Done**. Anything that needs you shows as **Action needed**. The job page also shows the next step up front when there is one.

On the Jobs page, filter your list with **Needs attention**, **In progress**, **Done**, or **All**. Open a job with **View job** to see progress, linked forms, next steps, and updates. Use the **More actions** menu More job actions on a row to edit, add forms, close, archive, or delete.

## Add an existing form [#add-an-existing-form]

If you already started a form:

### Open the form actions [#open-the-form-actions]

Find the form under **Drafts** or **Completed**, then open its **More actions** menu More form actions.

### Choose the job [#choose-the-job]

Select **Add to job**, then pick the job.

You can also add forms from the job page with **Add form** or **Add existing form**.

## Close a job [#close-a-job]

When everything is done, open **More job actions** More job actions on the job page and select **Close job**. Closed jobs stay in your list for reference.

## Archive and restore a job [#archive-and-restore-a-job]

When you no longer need a closed job in your list, open **More job actions** More job actions and select **Archive job**. An archived job is read only. Open it to review forms and history, or select **Restore job** to make changes again.

# PDF downloads (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/pdf-export)

Tradie Forms maps your answers onto the template's PDF layout. Preview first, then download when the PDF is ready to use.

Use Check form first, then Review and Preview before you download the finished PDF.

## Preview and download [#preview-and-download]

| Action                        | Guest            | Free                 | Paid      |
| ----------------------------- | ---------------- | -------------------- | --------- |
| **Preview public templates**  | Yes              | Unlimited            | Unlimited |
| **Download form PDFs**        | Sign-in required | 3 per calendar month | Unlimited |
| **Regenerate from Completed** | Sign-in required | Counts toward limit  | Unlimited |

Preview opens in the app and includes a Tradie Forms preview watermark. It does not use a Free download allowance.

Private templates require sign-in before preview or download.

PDF tool downloads are handled separately from form template PDF downloads. See [PDF tools](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/pdf-tools) for organise, merge, sign, convert, and mark-up tools.

When the PDF is ready, the final sheet lets you **Save PDF** or **View PDF**. Paid plans may also see **Share link** or an attach button for ServiceM8, Fergus, or Xero when those actions are available.

## Download checklist [#download-checklist]

1. Select **Check form**
2. Open **Review** and scan the answers
3. Open **Preview** and check every page
4. Download the PDF
5. Lodge, email, attach, or complete the PDF through the right process

Check names, addresses, dates, licence numbers, readings, serial numbers, signatures, diagrams, and page layout.

## Completed records [#completed-records]

When **Store completed form data** is enabled in [**Settings**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/settings), downloading a PDF saves the record under [**Completed**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/completed).

From a completed record you can:

- Open and edit saved answers
- Rename the record
- Duplicate it
- Regenerate the PDF
- Download the stored PDF when stored PDF copies (Solo) or PDF audit trail (Team) is enabled
- View PDF history / stored PDF when enabled
- Create a share link on a paid plan
- Archive or delete it
- Send to ServiceM8, Fergus, or Xero where that integration is connected and PDF upload is enabled

Free accounts show the last 3 completed records. Paid plans show full history.

## Share a completed PDF [#share-a-completed-pdf]

On a paid plan, select **Share link** from the PDF-ready screen or open **More form actions** More form actions on a completed form. Choose an expiry and optional password, then copy the link for the recipient. The link opens the finished PDF and can be revoked at any time.

See [Share links](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/share-links) for expiry, signature requests, and safe sharing steps.

## Stored PDF copies and PDF audit trail [#stored-pdf-copies-and-pdf-audit-trail]

Solo workspaces can enable **Stored PDF copies** to keep the most recent completed PDF for easy re-download from history.

Team workspaces can enable **PDF audit trail** to keep the full history of downloaded PDFs and re-download any previous version via **PDF history**.

When the feature is off (or on Free), completed form data can still be saved. The app regenerates a new PDF from the saved answers when needed.

## Email, portal, and integrations [#email-portal-and-integrations]

Some templates provide extra actions:

- **Email** builds a message where supported. Attach the downloaded PDF yourself before sending.
- **Portal** opens relevant submission portal links where supported.
- **Attach to ServiceM8, Fergus, or Xero** appears on the PDF-ready sheet when a linked job or contact is available and PDF upload is enabled
- **Send to ServiceM8, Fergus, or Xero** is also available from Completed where the connected integration supports PDF upload

These actions help move the PDF. They do not replace your responsibility to check, lodge, issue, or keep the form correctly.

> **Warning**
>
> Tradie Forms prepares PDFs. It does not lodge certificates, notices, or reports with regulators or network operators for you.

# PDF tools (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/pdf-tools)

[**Tools**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/tools) helps with licence checks and everyday PDF jobs outside the form templates.

Most PDF tools run in your browser. You can try it without signing in. Downloading PDF tool output requires a paid plan. Licence check requires a paid plan before search.

Tools are grouped by job. Scroll past Compliance and Pages for the Prepare, Sign, and Convert groups. Each tool opens its own focused workspace.

## Compliance [#compliance]

| Tool                                                                    | What it does                                                                                |
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [**Licence check**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/tools/licence-check) | Search supported official public registers by licence number, business name, or holder name |

Licence check searches live register data for **NSW**, **QLD**, **VIC**, **ACT**, and **WA**. Tradie Forms does not currently search the SA, TAS, or NT registers.

Results can include current, expired, and inactive records. Use the result as a starting point, then check the official register before you rely on it for site access, hiring, paperwork, or compliance decisions.

## Pages [#pages]

| Tool                                                                | What it does                                                    |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [**Organise pages**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/tools/organise) | Reorder, rotate, duplicate, reverse, remove, or add blank pages |
| [**Merge PDF**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/tools/merge)         | Combine multiple PDFs into one file                             |
| [**Split PDF**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/tools/split)         | Split a PDF into separate pages or a page range                 |
| [**Extract pages**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/tools/extract)   | Save one page range as a new PDF                                |

### Organise pages [#organise-pages]

After you add a PDF, each page appears as a card:

- Drag a page card to change its position. The number on the card shows its new output position.
- Select Rotate Rotate page to turn that page clockwise.
- Select Duplicate Duplicate page to add another copy directly after it.
- Select Remove Remove page to leave that page out of the output PDF. At least one page must remain.
- Use the labelled **Add blank**, **Reverse**, or **Interleave halves** buttons when you need those changes across the document.

Check the page order, rotation, and page count in the preview before you download.

## Prepare [#prepare]

| Tool                                                                | What it does                                        |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------- |
| [**Flatten PDF**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/tools/flatten)     | Lock form fields so values cannot be edited         |
| [**Add watermark**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/tools/watermark) | Stamp DRAFT, COPY, or custom text on every page     |
| [**Annotate PDF**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/tools/annotate)   | Add text, drawings, images, and signatures          |
| [**Sign PDF**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/tools/sign)           | Draw or upload a signature and place it on the page |
| [**Add logo**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/tools/add-logo)       | Place a JPG, PNG, or WebP business logo on a PDF    |

## Convert [#convert]

| Tool                                                                    | What it does                                       |
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------- |
| [**Images to PDF**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/tools/images-to-pdf) | Combine JPG, PNG, or WebP photos into one PDF      |
| [**PDF to images**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/tools/pdf-to-images) | Download pages as PNG, JPG, or WebP files in a zip |

## Billing [#billing]

- Guests and Free users can open tools and preview edits
- Paid users can search Licence check and download PDF tool output
- PDF tool downloads are separate from form template PDF downloads

## Privacy and care [#privacy-and-care]

Use a trusted device for sensitive documents. Do not close the tab until the output has downloaded, especially for large PDFs or many images.

- **[PDF downloads from forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/pdf-export)** - Preview and download PDFs from the form templates.

# Presets (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/presets)

Presets save a whole form snapshot for one template. Use them when many jobs start from the same answers.

## When to use a preset [#when-to-use-a-preset]

Use a preset for:

- Repeat job types with the same starting selections
- Standard business defaults on a template
- A known baseline that you edit per job

Use saved details instead when you only need one reusable section, such as licence or business details.

Each preset shows the template it came from and when it was last updated. Create one from the form toolbar, then rename or delete it here.

## Save a preset [#save-a-preset]

### Prepare the reusable values [#prepare-the-reusable-values]

Open a cloud-saved form on a paid plan, then fill the values you want to reuse.

### Open Presets [#open-presets]

Select **Presets** from the form toolbar, then select **New preset**.

### Name and save it [#name-and-save-it]

Use a clear name that will make sense on the next job, then select **Save preset**.

You can also manage saved presets from [**Presets**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/presets) in the sidebar.

## Load a preset [#load-a-preset]

### Open the matching template [#open-the-matching-template]

Presets belong to one template, so start the same form you used when saving it.

### Choose the preset [#choose-the-preset]

Open **Presets**, select the saved preset, then confirm the load.

### Check this job [#check-this-job]

Update customer, site, dates, readings, serial numbers, and any other job-specific values before download.

> **Warning**
>
> Loading a preset replaces current form values. Use it before you do detailed job-specific entry.

## Personal and team presets [#personal-and-team-presets]

- Personal presets are yours only
- Team presets belong to the active business workspace
- Presets do not move between unrelated templates

- **[Saved details](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/saved-details)** - Reuse smaller blocks such as business or licence details.

# Business logo (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/saved-details/business-logo)

Save your business logo once for the workspace, then reuse it on supported logo fields. On a team, everyone shares the same logo. It is not stored inside each business form-details row.

**Paid plan required.**

## Where to manage it [#where-to-manage-it]

Open [**Saved details**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/saved-details) and use the **Business logo** card at the top of the page to:

- View your current logo
- Upload or replace it
- Remove it

Use a **JPG**, **PNG**, or **WebP** file up to **5 MB**.

## Use on a form [#use-on-a-form]

On a supported logo field:

1. Start a new form on a paid plan, or open **Prefill** on a business form-details block that stamps the logo
2. Check the logo before download if this job needs a different stamp

On some forms, your workspace logo may prefill automatically when you start a new form (paid plans). Turn that off under [Settings](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/settings) with **Automatically apply saved logo**.

## Workspace logo [#workspace-logo]

- On a personal Solo account, the logo belongs to your personal workspace
- On Team, the logo belongs to the active business workspace and is shared with members
- Changing the logo updates what new forms can prefill. Check existing drafts if the job already has a different image

## Clear or change for a job [#clear-or-change-for-a-job]

If a form needs a different logo for this job, replace or clear the field before download. Uploading a new logo on Saved details overwrites the previous workspace logo.

## PDF tools [#pdf-tools]

To stamp a logo onto an existing PDF outside a form, use [Add logo](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/pdf-tools) under Tools. That tool accepts a file for that job and does not change your saved workspace logo.

- **[Form details](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/saved-details)** - Reusable licence, business, and contact blocks.
- **[Saved signature](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/saved-details/saved-signature)** - Save and prefill your personal signature.
- **[Settings](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/account/managing-your-account)** - Auto-apply logo and other account preferences.
- **[PDF tools](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/pdf-tools)** - Add a logo to an existing PDF.

# Saved details (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/saved-details)

Saved details are named snapshots of a section. Use them for business and licence blocks you reuse across forms, and for catalogues on a single form such as work type. You can keep many named variants of the same section.

Manage them on [**Saved details**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/saved-details), next to your [signature](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/saved-details/saved-signature) and [business logo](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/saved-details/business-logo). Use the Templates filter to show all records, one form, or one section.

Your signature and logo sit at the top. Filter the list by template or section, then pick a named record.

## Where they appear [#where-they-appear]

Form details appear only on sections that support them. Common examples include:

- NSW fire safety declarant details
- NSW asbestos clearance client and declarant details
- ACMA TCA1 provider details
- NT Gas Works business and gasfitter details
- QLD plumbing responsible person, contractor, applicant, or tester details
- QLD building competent person, inspector, certifier, owner, or licensee details
- QLD fire safety contractor and licensee details
- TAS plumbing plumber details
- VIC pesticide operator and client details

The exact fields depend on the template.

## Save form details [#save-form-details]

New form details are created from a form, not from the Saved details page. That way the fields go through the same validation as the form section.

### Fill the supported section [#fill-the-supported-section]

Enter the business, licence, person, or provider details you want to reuse.

### Select Save for reuse [#select-save-for-reuse]

Select **Save for reuse** in the section header.

### Name and save it [#name-and-save-it]

Give the details a clear name, then select **Save for reuse**. To replace an existing entry, choose **Update existing**, select the entry, then select **Update details**. Details are saved to your personal or active team workspace.

You must be signed in to save form details.

If you are signed out, the section header shows **Save for reuse** instead. It opens sign-up so you can keep the details.

## Edit and delete [#edit-and-delete]

Open [**Saved details**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/saved-details) to rename, edit field values, set defaults, or delete existing entries.

## Prefill form details [#prefill-form-details]

### Open a supported section [#open-a-supported-section]

Start the new form and open the section you want to fill.

### Choose the saved details [#choose-the-saved-details]

Select **Prefill** in the section header. If one set is stored, it fills straight away. If several are stored, search and choose from the list.

### Check this job [#check-this-job]

Confirm every imported value and update anything that is specific to the customer, site, or job before download.

Free users can save form details, but prefilling them on new forms requires a paid plan.

**Prefill** appears only when the current section has matching saved details. Free users see it as an upgrade option; a paid plan is needed to apply the details.

Prefill replaces the stored fields in that section. Use **Undo** in the success message if you need to restore what was there before. The Prefill menu also links to **Manage saved details** when you need to edit the stored entry.

## Defaults [#defaults]

If you save more than one set of details for the same section, mark the one you use most as the default. The prefill picker shows the default first, but you can still choose another saved detail when the job needs it.

On a paid plan, empty **business**, **person**, and **licence** blocks on new forms can fill from your defaults automatically when that section has a declared identity map with a name or ABN. Turn that off under [Settings](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/settings) with **Automatically apply default saved details**. Customer and site details still need Prefill so each job stays intentional. A business block on another form may only fill the shared fields (name, ABN, phone, email, address). Form-specific extras stay for you to check.

## Personal and team form details [#personal-and-team-form-details]

- Personal form details belong to your account
- Team form details belong to the selected business workspace
- Team members can use shared form details while the team workspace is active

## Form details vs presets [#form-details-vs-presets]

|          | Form details                                 | Presets                               |
| -------- | -------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------- |
| Scope    | One section                                  | Whole form                            |
| Best for | Licence, business, catalogues like work type | Repeat job setup on the same template |
| Plan     | Save on Free, apply on a paid plan           | Paid plan                             |

- **[Saved signature](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/saved-details/saved-signature)** - Save and prefill your personal signature.
- **[Business logo](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/saved-details/business-logo)** - Save your workspace logo and stamp it on forms.
- **[Presets](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/presets)** - Save and load full-form snapshots.
- **[Form guides](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides)** - Template-specific saved details notes.

# Saved signature (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/saved-details/saved-signature)

Save your signature once on your account, then reuse it on supported forms. Your saved signature is personal to you. It is not shared with teammates.

**Paid plan required.**

The Saved signature card sits at the top of Saved details. Once a signature is stored it shows here with the date it was last updated, ready to update or remove.

## Where to manage it [#where-to-manage-it]

Open [**Saved details**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/saved-details) and use the **Saved signature** card at the top of the page to:

- View your saved signature
- Update or remove it
- Add one if you have not saved yet

You can also save from a signature field while filling a form.

## Use on a form [#use-on-a-form]

On a signature field:

1. Select **Use saved signature** to add your saved signature to the field
2. Or draw, type, or upload as usual, then select **Save for reuse** to store the signature on your account

You can select **Save for reuse** whether or not you already have a saved signature. Saving again replaces the signature currently stored on your account.

On some forms, your signature may prefill automatically when you start a new form (paid plans). Turn that off under [Settings](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/settings) with **Automatically apply saved signature**. Check the field before download if the job needs a different signature.

## Personal account [#personal-account]

Your saved signature follows your user account in personal and team workspaces. It is not a team-shared asset like team saved details.

## Clear or change for a job [#clear-or-change-for-a-job]

If a form needs a different signature for this job, clear the field and sign again before download. Saving to your account overwrites the previous stored signature.

## Ask someone else to sign [#ask-someone-else-to-sign]

On a paid plan, an empty signature field in a cloud-saved draft can show **Share link**. This sends a time-limited link for that person to review the form details and sign the field. It is separate from your saved account signature.

See [Share links](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/share-links) for the steps, expiry, and revocation options.

- **[Form details](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/saved-details)** - Reusable licence, business, and contact blocks.
- **[Business logo](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/saved-details/business-logo)** - Save your workspace logo and stamp it on forms.
- **[Settings](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/account/managing-your-account)** - Account preferences and data controls.
- **[Share links](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/share-links)** - Send a completed PDF or request a signature by link.

# Share links (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/share-links)

Share links let you send a completed PDF or ask someone to sign a form without giving them access to your Tradie Forms account.

They are available on paid plans. Every link expires, and you can revoke it whenever you need.

> **Warning**
>
> Anyone with a completed-PDF link can view that PDF. Check the recipient and the finished form before you copy the link.

## Share a completed PDF [#share-a-completed-pdf]

### Open Share link [#open-share-link]

Download the finished form, then select **Share link** on the PDF-ready screen. You can also open the form in [**Completed**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/completed) and choose **Share link** from its actions.

### Set the access [#set-the-access]

Choose an expiry of 1, 3, 7, or 14 days. Turn on **Password** when the recipient should need a password as well as the link.

### Send the link [#send-the-link]

Create the link, copy it, and send it through your usual channel.

The recipient can open the finished PDF in their browser. They cannot edit the PDF through the link.

## Request a signature [#request-a-signature]

Use this when you need someone else to sign an empty signature field on a cloud-saved draft.

### Save the draft [#save-the-draft]

Start the form while signed in on a paid plan, then let it save as a cloud draft.

### Create the signature request [#create-the-signature-request]

Select **Share link** on the empty signature field. Set the expiry and optional password, then copy the link.

### Ask the recipient to sign [#ask-the-recipient-to-sign]

The signer checks the form details, enters their name, adds a signature, and selects **Submit signature**.

### Check the returned signature [#check-the-returned-signature]

Return to the draft, check the signer name and signature, then finish your normal review and PDF preview.

The recipient can draw, type, or upload their signature. They only sign the requested field. If you change the draft after sending the link, create a new request before relying on the signature.

## Manage or revoke a link [#manage-or-revoke-a-link]

Open [**Settings -> Share links**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/settings/share-links) to see active and past links for the current personal or team workspace. You can copy an active link, check its expiry and view count, or revoke it.

Revoking a link stops access straight away. A revoked or expired link cannot be reopened. Create a new one if you still need to share the form or request a signature.

## Use links carefully [#use-links-carefully]

- Send links only to people who should see the form
- Use a password for sensitive paperwork and share it separately
- Set the shortest expiry that suits the job
- Revoke the link if it was sent to the wrong person or is no longer needed
- Check the completed PDF and any returned signature before you issue, lodge, or hand over the form

- **[PDF downloads](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/pdf-export)** - Preview, download, store, and share finished PDFs.
- **[Saved signature](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/saved-details/saved-signature)** - Reuse your own account signature on supported forms.
- **[Managing your account](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/account/managing-your-account)** - Settings, storage, and workspace controls.

# ABN lookup (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/smart-search/abn-lookup)

ABN lookup appears on supported business fields, such as NT Gas Works business details. Search by business name or ABN, then check the matched business name and ABN before download.

The lookup opens from the Search button on a supported business field. Enter a business name or an ABN, then pick from the matching register records.

## How it works [#how-it-works]

1. Open a supported business section
2. Tap **Search** on the ABN or business name field
3. Enter a business name or ABN
4. Pick a result and check the filled details

## If lookup fails [#if-lookup-fails]

If a business is not found, type the ABN and business name manually. You can still finish and download the form.

Save confirmed business details as a **saved detail** to prefill the next job.

## Requirements [#requirements]

ABN lookup requires a paid plan and a template with a supported business field.

- **[Smart search overview](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/smart-search)** - See address search and licence search.

# Address search (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/smart-search/address-search)

Address search appears on supported address blocks. Start typing, pick a suggestion, then check the fields it fills.

Type part of the address, then pick the matching suggestion. Similar street names in nearby suburbs appear together, so check the suburb before you choose.

## Where to use it [#where-to-use-it]

Use address search for:

- Customer addresses
- Installation or site addresses
- Business or licence holder postal addresses
- Premise addresses on notification forms

## After you pick an address [#after-you-pick-an-address]

Check unit, level, lot/RMB, suburb, state, postcode, and any cross street or local government area fields.

> **Note**
>
> Search suggestions can miss rural, lot, tenancy, and multi-unit details. Use **Show address fields** to type or correct the manual fields.

## Requirements [#requirements]

Address search requires a paid plan and a template with a supported address block.

If search is unavailable or does not return the right match, type the address manually.

- **[Smart search overview](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/smart-search)** - See ABN lookup and licence search.

# Smart search (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/smart-search)

Smart search helps you fill common fields faster on supported templates. Lookups are available on paid plans where the template supports them.

Free users can still type details manually.

## Search types [#search-types]

| Lookup                                                           | What it does                                                                     |
| ---------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [**Address search**](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/smart-search/address-search) | Search Australian addresses and fill street, suburb, state, and postcode         |
| [**ABN lookup**](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/smart-search/abn-lookup)         | Search by business name or ABN and fill matched business details                 |
| [**Licence search**](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/smart-search/licence-search) | Search supported trade registers inside a form, or use Licence check under Tools |

Each lookup appears only on templates and fields that support it.

## Manual fallback [#manual-fallback]

You can complete and download supported forms without lookup. Type values into the manual fields when search is unavailable, gated by plan, or not returning the right match.

> **Note**
>
> Always check names, addresses, ABNs, licence numbers, and expiry dates before download. Search results are a starting point, not a substitute for your job requirements.

- **[Billing](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/account/billing)** - Paid plans include supported smart lookups and Licence check.

# Licence search (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/smart-search/licence-search)

Licence search helps you find licence holder details faster. It appears only where a supported register is wired into the template.

## In-form licence search [#in-form-licence-search]

On supported templates, tap **Search** on the licence area to query a public register and prefill licence fields.

After you pick a result, check:

- Name
- Licence or contractor number
- Qualified supervisor number where relevant
- Expiry date
- The person actually responsible for the work on site

Registers can lag renewals or contain names that need careful matching. If search fails, type the details manually.

## Licence check tool [#licence-check-tool]

Open [**Tools -> Licence check**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/tools/licence-check) when you want to check a licence outside a form. Search by licence number, business name, or holder name.

Licence check is available on paid plans for live public registers in **NSW**, **QLD**, **VIC**, **ACT**, and **WA**.

Tradie Forms does not currently search the SA, TAS, or NT registers. Open the relevant official register directly when you need to check a licence in one of those states.

Results can help you find the right record faster, but they are not a substitute for checking the official register and your job requirements.

## Requirements [#requirements]

In-form licence search and Licence check require a paid plan. The exact registers depend on the template or state you select.

- **[Smart search overview](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/smart-search)** - See address search and ABN lookup.

# Starting a form (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/starting-a-form)

You can start a form from **New form**, **Templates**, **Overview**, or a public form landing page.

Search the template library or narrow it by state, trade, and form type.

## Start points [#start-points]

| Start point      | Best for                                                                                                                              |
| ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **New form**     | Quick start from recommended or recent templates                                                                                      |
| **Templates**    | Search, filter by state, trade, category, or visibility, and browse public forms plus any private forms added to the active workspace |
| **Overview**     | Resume recent work or start recommended forms                                                                                         |
| Public form page | Start a template from the marketing site                                                                                              |

Use **Search** in the sidebar when you know the form or app page you need. It can find templates, app pages, actions, and PDF tools.

## What happens by plan [#what-happens-by-plan]

| Situation                | Save behaviour                                             |
| ------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------- |
| Guest on public template | Local draft in this browser only                           |
| Free signed-in user      | Local draft in this browser only                           |
| Solo personal workspace  | Cloud draft in your account                                |
| Team workspace selected  | Cloud draft in the business workspace                      |
| Private template         | Requires sign-in, a paid plan, and access to that template |

Local drafts can be found on the same device for up to 7 days. Cloud drafts appear under [**Drafts**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/drafts) and sync while cloud autosave is enabled.

## Recommended templates [#recommended-templates]

Tradie Forms uses your state, trade, and recent templates to put likely forms first. If your profile has no matching template yet, the app shows popular forms and a **Request a template** prompt.

You can update your state and trade in [**Settings**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/settings).

## Start fresh [#start-fresh]

If the app finds an old local draft for the same template, choose **Start fresh** to begin a new form. Choose resume when you want to keep the existing browser draft.

## Private and custom forms [#private-and-custom-forms]

Private forms are visible only after they are added to your personal account or team. They require a paid plan because they use cloud drafts.

Private templates do not appear in the public library or public docs. If one has been added for you, it appears in **Templates** while the correct personal or team workspace is active.

If an expected private form is missing, switch to the workspace that requested it. If it is still missing, contact [support@tradieforms.com.au](mailto:support@tradieforms.com.au).

- **[Custom forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/custom-forms)** - Request a shared form or a private form for your business.

# Teams (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/teams)

Team is for businesses that want shared paperwork under one workspace.

## What changes in a team [#what-changes-in-a-team]

When your business workspace is active:

- New cloud drafts belong to the team
- Completed records are saved under the team
- Team saved details and presets are shared
- Integration connections are shared
- Team billing controls access for members
- PDF audit trail (Team) or stored PDF copies (Solo) can keep downloaded PDFs for re-download

Each user can belong to one Tradie Forms team.

## Switching workspace [#switching-workspace]

Use the account menu to switch between:

- **Personal** for your own drafts, saved details, presets, and billing
- **Your business** for shared team work

Check the active workspace before starting a job. The draft and saved details go wherever the workspace is set.

## Team roles [#team-roles]

Team admins manage billing, team members, invites, integrations, and field mappings for the team. Members can fill forms, import jobs with the saved mapping, and use shared team library items while the team workspace is active.

Team member management opens through [**Organisations**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/organisations).

## Team plan [#team-plan]

Team includes:

- 4 members in the base price
- Extra team members available
- Unlimited PDF downloads for team members in the team workspace
- Cloud drafts and full completed history
- Shared saved details and presets
- PDF tools download
- ServiceM8, Fergus, and Xero integrations
- PDF audit trail

Display pricing is:

- Team: $36/month or $360/year
- Extra member: $12/month or $120/year beyond the included four

Check the app checkout for the current billing screen before subscribing.

The Team page compares personal and shared workspaces. Switch the toggle to Annual to see each price as a monthly equivalent of the annual rate.

## Solo vs Team [#solo-vs-team]

|                                | Solo                  | Team                         |
| ------------------------------ | --------------------- | ---------------------------- |
| Workspace                      | Personal              | Shared business              |
| Members                        | One user              | 4 included, extras available |
| Drafts                         | Personal cloud drafts | Shared team cloud drafts     |
| Saved details and presets      | Personal              | Shared with members          |
| Connections                    | Personal              | Shared, admin-managed        |
| Stored PDF copies              | Yes (latest)          | Yes (all)                    |
| PDF audit trail (full history) | Not included          | Yes                          |

- **[Billing](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/account/billing)** - Compare Free, Solo, and Team.

- **[Connections](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/integrations)** - Connect ServiceM8, Fergus, or Xero for shared team import.

# Workspace (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/workspace)

The app sidebar is your map. It is split into **Forms**, **Library**, and **Account**.

The sidebar splits into Forms, Library, and Account. Support and Documentation links sit below these, at the bottom of the sidebar.

## Forms [#forms]

| Page                                                      | What you do there                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| --------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [**Overview**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app)            | See recent activity, download usage on Free, recommended templates, local draft prompts, and recent work                                                                                                                                            |
| [**Jobs**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/jobs)           | Shown once Jobs is enabled on your account, so it is not in the sidebar for everyone yet. Keeps each job's forms, next steps, notes, and references together. Free can view up to 3 auto-created active jobs; Paid plans can create and manage jobs |
| [**Drafts**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/drafts)       | Resume cloud drafts on a paid plan, or local drafts from this device on Free                                                                                                                                                                        |
| [**Completed**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/completed) | Open finished records, rename, duplicate, regenerate PDFs, view PDF history, archive, or send to ServiceM8                                                                                                                                          |

## Library [#library]

| Page                                                              | What you do there                                                                                                                                       |
| ----------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [**Templates**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/templates)         | Browse public forms, filter the library, and open enabled private forms                                                                                 |
| [**Saved details**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/saved-details) | Manage reusable business, licence, and contact blocks                                                                                                   |
| [**Presets**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/presets)             | Save and load full-form snapshots on a paid plan                                                                                                        |
| [**Tools**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/tools)                 | Run Licence check and PDF tools such as organise, merge, split, extract, flatten, watermark, annotate, sign, add logo, images to PDF, and PDF to images |

## Account [#account]

| Page                                                           | What you do there                                                                                                                                            |
| -------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| [**Settings**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/settings)        | Set state/trade profile, cloud autosave, completed storage, Fill with AI, draft retention, stored PDF copies / PDF audit trail, and home-screen install help |
| [**Account**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/account)          | Manage sign-in, email, profile, and security                                                                                                                 |
| [**Team**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/team)                | Start or manage a shared Team plan                                                                                                                           |
| [**Billing**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/billing)          | View plan, download usage, invoices, and checkout                                                                                                            |
| [**Connections**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/integrations) | Connect ServiceM8, Fergus, or Xero                                                                                                                           |

Footer links open [**Support**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/help) and these docs.

## New form and search [#new-form-and-search]

Use **New form** at the top of the sidebar to start quickly. It shows recommended forms based on your state, trade, and recent picks. Use **View all templates** if the form you need is not shown.

Use **Search** to find app pages, actions, forms, and PDF tools without hunting through the sidebar.

If **Jobs** appears under **Features** in Settings, turn it on to show Jobs in the sidebar. Jobs is still being rolled out and may not be available on every account yet. Free can view up to 3 active jobs created automatically when forms are completed. Paid plans can create and manage jobs without an active-job limit.

Open the AI assistant from the app header on any app page, or **Fill with AI** from the form toolbar while filling. You can turn it off for your account under **Settings -> Features**.

## Local and cloud work [#local-and-cloud-work]

- **Guest and Free:** public forms save locally in this browser. Local drafts can appear on the same device for up to 7 days.
- **Solo:** cloud drafts save to your personal account and sync across devices.
- **Team:** cloud drafts save to the selected business workspace.

Switch workspace from the account menu. What you create follows the active personal or team workspace.

## Completed forms [#completed-forms]

A record appears under **Completed** when you download a PDF and **Store completed form data** is on in Settings.

From a completed record you can:

- Open saved answers and download again
- Rename the record
- Duplicate it as a starting point for similar work
- Regenerate the PDF
- Download the stored PDF when stored PDF copies (Solo) or PDF audit trail (Team) is available
- View **PDF history** on Team (or stored PDF on Solo) when enabled
- Send the PDF to ServiceM8 when connected with PDF upload enabled
- Send the PDF to Fergus or Xero where that integration is connected and PDF upload is enabled
- Create a share link on a paid plan
- Archive or delete the record, subject to workspace permissions

Free accounts can see the last 3 completed records. Paid plans can see full history.

## Archived forms [#archived-forms]

Archived records live under [**Settings -> Archived forms**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/settings/archived). You can restore a record or permanently delete it.

- **[Starting a form](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/starting-a-form)** - Guest fill, local drafts, cloud drafts, and Start fresh.
- **[PDF downloads](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/pdf-export)** - Preview, download, regeneration, and PDF history.
- **[Teams](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/teams)** - Shared business workspace and team members.
- **[Connections](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/integrations)** - Connect ServiceM8, Fergus, or Xero and import job details.
- **[Install the app](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/install-the-app)** - Add Tradie Forms to your phone home screen.
- **[Troubleshooting](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/support/troubleshooting)** - Fix common save and access issues.

# Hot Works Permit (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/national/national-hot-works-permit)

A Hot Works Permit records work that creates flame, heat, or sparks, the controls in place, and the fire watch. Fill it before work starts. Download the issued copy, keep the draft, then reopen it after the post-work fire watch to record the cleared time and close-out.

This is a Tradie Forms designed record based on common Australian hot work practice. It is not a government form and does not certify compliance with AS 1674.1. Check the site, client, insurer, and work procedure for the permit and fire-watch rules that apply.

Need general task authorisation without the hot works and fire-watch controls? Use [Permit to Work](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/national/national-permit-to-work)

> **Warning**
>
> Do not start until the combustible-material, extinguisher, and fire-watch controls are confirmed Yes. A completed close-out also needs the actual fire-watch cleared time.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

- **The hot work and exact area** - Know whether the task is welding, oxy cutting or heating, grinding or cutting, brazing or soldering, or another open-flame task.
- **The fire controls** - Check combustibles, extinguishers, openings, flammables, fire systems, screens, and people nearby.
- **The fire watch** - Name the person watching during the work and confirm whether the site requires a 30 or 60 minute post-work watch.
- **The validity window** - Set the date and time the permit starts and expires.
- **The two signatories** - The authorised issuer and the person doing or supervising the hot work.

## Permit [#permit]

Define the hot work, location, and time window before anyone signs.

- **Business Logo (Shown top right on the downloaded permit) (Photo, Optional)** - Upload your business logo if you want it on the finished PDF.
- **Business Name (Text, Required)** - The business issuing or controlling the permit.
- **Permit Number (Text, Optional)** - Your site or business reference, such as `HWP-2026-018`.
- **Site or Address (Text, Required)** - Name the exact work area, such as a ceiling space, plant room, workshop bay, or roof zone.
- **Work Description (Textarea, Required)** - State the task, equipment, and area covered by the permit.
  
  - **Useful** - Braze copper pipework for the relocated hot water service in the Unit 4 ceiling space.
  - **Too vague** - Plumbing hot work
- **Type of Hot Work (Select, Required)** - Choose Welding, Oxy cutting or heating, Grinding or cutting discs, Brazing or soldering, or Other open flame.
- **Valid From Date (Date, Required)** - The day the permit becomes active.
- **Valid From Time (Text, Required)** - Use a clear time such as `13:00`.
- **Valid To Date (Date, Required)** - The permit cannot end before its start date.
- **Valid To Time (Text, Required)** - The time the authorised hot work ends, such as `15:30`.

**Saved detail: Business** - save this section to prefill it on your next hot works permit.

## Controls [#controls]

Answer all eight checks. Items 1, 2, 7, and 8 must be **Yes**. Use N/A only on the other controls when they genuinely do not apply.

- **Hot Works Controls (ChecklistItems, Optional)** - Confirm combustibles are removed or shielded, an extinguisher is ready, openings and flammables are controlled, fire systems are managed, screens protect people nearby, and the fire watch covers the work and post-work period.

## Fire Watch [#fireWatch]

Name the watch person before issue. Add the cleared time only after the full post-work watch ends.

- **Fire Watch Name (Text, Required)** - The person watching the area during the hot work and required post-work period.
- **Post-work Watch (Select, Optional)** - Choose 30 or 60 minutes. The form defaults to 60 minutes. Follow any stricter site, client, insurer, or procedure rule.
- **Fire Watch Cleared Time (Text, Optional)** - Leave blank on the issued copy. When the watch ends, enter the actual time, such as `16:30`. It becomes required when Close-out Status is Work complete.

## Hazards [#hazards]

Add hazards and controls that are not already clear from the checklist. Long lists continue onto extra PDF pages.

- **Hazards and Additional Controls (TableRows, Optional)** - Each row needs both the hazard and the matching control. Include site-specific fuel, heat transfer, access, ventilation, or people risks here.

## Authorisation [#authorisation]

Both signatures are required on the issued copy.

- **Issued By Name (Text, Required)** - The person authorised to issue hot works permits for the site or business.
- **Issued By Date (Date, Required)** - The issue date. The issuer can use a saved signature.
- **Issued By Signature (Signature, Required)** - Sign after checking the work, controls, and fire watch with the worker.
- **Accepted By Name (Text, Required)** - The person doing or supervising the hot work.
- **Accepted By Date (Date, Required)** - The date the worker accepts the permit.
- **Accepted By Signature (Signature, Required)** - Capture on the spot. It does not prefill from the issuer's saved signature.

## Close-out [#closeOut]

Leave this section empty on the issued copy. After the work and post-work watch, reopen the draft and close or cancel the permit.

- **Close-out Status (RadioGroup, Optional)** - Choose **Work complete, area left safe** or **Permit cancelled**. Once selected, the close-out name, date, and signature become required.
- **Close-out Name (Text, Optional)** - The person checking and closing or cancelling the permit.
- **Close-out Date (Date, Optional)** - The day the permit ended.
- **Close-out Time (Text, Optional)** - The time the permit was closed or cancelled.
- **Close-out Signature (Signature, Optional)** - Required once a close-out status is selected. A completed status also requires Fire Watch Cleared Time.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Treating the last spark as the end of the permit.** - The fire watch must continue for the selected period. Record the actual cleared time before marking the work complete.
- **Using N/A on a critical fire control.** - Combustible control, the extinguisher, and both fire-watch checks must be confirmed Yes.
- **Ignoring heat travel beyond the work face.** - Check gaps, wall openings, drains, concealed spaces, and the opposite side of the surface where heat or sparks may travel.
- **Assuming one watch period fits every site.** - Use the site's required period when it is stricter than the options or process in this template.

## Before download [#before-download]

- The hot work type, task, area, and validity window are specific
- All eight controls are answered and the four critical controls are Yes
- The fire watch person and post-work period are confirmed
- Every added hazard has a matching control
- The issuer and worker names, dates, and signatures are complete
- The first download leaves the cleared time and Close-out empty

## After download [#after-download]

Give the issued copy to the worker and fire watch. Keep the draft. After the selected watch period, inspect the area, add the cleared time and close-out, download the final PDF, and keep both copies with the job records.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Permit to Work](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/national/national-permit-to-work)** - Use the shared permit lifecycle for controlled work that does not need hot works fire-watch fields.
- **[Job Safety Analysis](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/national/national-jsa)** - Record job steps, hazards, risk ratings, and controls before the task starts.

# Invoice (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/national/national-invoice)

Use this template to invoice a customer for completed trade work. It creates a PDF only. It does not collect payment, track overdue invoices or send reminders.

## Your business [#business]

Add the business name and the contact details you want printed. Add your ABN when you are registered for GST. A logo is optional.

## Customer [#customer]

Add the customer name. Billing, contact and job site details are optional and stay off the PDF when empty.

## Invoice details [#document]

Enter your invoice number and issue date. Add a due date or job reference when useful.

## Items and pricing [#items]

Add labour, materials and other charges. Choose GST or GST-free for each line. The preview and PDF calculate totals from the entered prices.

## Job notes and terms [#details]

Describe the completed work. Turn on exclusions or terms only when you need those sections.

## Payment details [#payment]

Turn this section on to print bank account details and a payment reference. Tradie Forms does not process or track the payment.

# Job Handover (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/national/national-job-handover)

A job handover records what was completed, which practical handover steps were done, and what remains outstanding. Fill it after the walkthrough, before the final job file is closed. The tradie signs the record. Customer name, date, and signature are optional.

This is a Tradie Forms designed customer record, not a government form or compliance certificate. Keep any required certificates, commissioning records, warranties, contract notices, and invoices as separate documents.

Recording a maintenance or service visit with findings and recommendations rather than a completed job handover? Use [Service Report](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/national/national-service-report)

> **Warning**
>
> This handover does not replace a compliance certificate, commissioning record, practical completion notice, or contract document the job still requires.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Have the final scope and loose ends in front of you before the walkthrough.

- **The completed scope** - The quote, work order, approved variations, and a plain description of what was actually completed.
- **Customer and site details** - The person receiving the handover and the address where the work was done.
- **Handover documents** - Manuals, warranties, compliance certificates, commissioning records, and care instructions being provided separately.
- **Outstanding items** - Each unfinished or third-party item, who owns it, and a realistic target date.
- **Who can accept the work** - The homeowner, customer, agent, builder, or site representative available for the walkthrough.

## Business [#business]

Your business details and the job reference the customer will recognise.

- **Business Logo (Shown top right on the downloaded handover) (Photo, Optional)** - Upload your business logo if you want it on the finished PDF.
- **Business Name (Text, Required)** - Your trading name as it appears on the quote or invoice.
- **Contact Name (Text, Optional)** - The person the customer should contact about the handover or outstanding work.
- **Phone (Tel, Optional)** - The contact number for follow-up.
- **Licence Number (Text, Optional)** - A licence, registration, or competency number when it belongs on the customer record.
- **Email (Email, Optional)** - The address the customer should use for handover questions.
- **Job Reference (Text, Optional)** - The work order, purchase order, or internal job number used on the quote and invoice.

**Saved detail: Business** - save this section to prefill it on your next job handover.

## Customer [#customer]

Who receives the handover and where the work was completed.

- **Customer Name (Text, Required)** - The homeowner, client, agent, builder, or site representative the PDF is for.
- **Phone (Tel, Optional)** - A contact number for the handover and outstanding items.
- **Email (Email, Optional)** - The address the final PDF, warranties, or follow-up can be sent to.
- **Street address (Address, Optional)** - Search the Australian address where the work was completed. Confirm it against the work order before moving on.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm it when entering the address by hand.
- **Postcode (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Check it against the job record when typing manually.

## Job [#job]

Describe the completed work in plain language and set the completion date.

- **Description of Works (Textarea, Required)** - Summarise what was completed, including the main rooms, systems, or stages. Keep pricing and invoice amounts out of this field.
  
  - **Useful** - Completed bathroom renovation plumbing, including new shower, vanity, toilet, floor waste, and hot and cold water connections.
  - **Too vague** - Bathroom done
- **Date Started (Date, Optional)** - The first day of the job or defined stage when it helps explain the handover period.
- **Date Completed (Date, Required)** - The day the described work reached handover. Future dates are blocked.

## Completion Checklist [#completionChecklist]

Answer every item **Yes** or **N/A**. Use N/A only when the item genuinely does not apply to this job. Add an item note when the answer needs context.

- **Completion Checklist (ChecklistItems, Optional)** - The six checks cover quoted work, cleaning, the walkthrough, operation or demonstration, manuals or certificates, and the follow-up or warranty process. Unfinished work belongs in **Outstanding Items**, not under an inaccurate Yes.

## Outstanding Items [#outstanding]

Leave this empty for a clean handover. Otherwise add one row per loose end. Long lists continue onto extra pages in the PDF.

- **Outstanding Items (TableRows, Optional)** - **Item** says what remains. **Who Resolves** is Us, Customer, or Third party. **By When** is a clear target such as `Fri 14 Aug`. Every row needs the item and owner before it counts.

## Acceptance [#acceptance]

The tradie signs the handover. Customer acceptance is optional, so the PDF can still be completed when the customer will sign later.

- **Tradie Name (Text, Required)** - The person signing for the business after checking the scope, checklist, and outstanding items.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The tradie sign-off date. Check it aligns with the completion date.
- **Tradie Signature (Signature, Required)** - Draw, upload, or use your saved signature after the handover record is final.
- **Customer Name (Text, Optional)** - The person accepting the work. Leave blank if they will sign later.
- **Customer Date (Date, Optional)** - The day the customer accepted the handover.
- **Customer Signature (Signature, Optional)** - Capture on the phone when the customer is ready, or leave blank and send the PDF for signing later.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Copying the quote instead of describing completed work.** - A quote can include options or work removed by variation. Write what was actually completed and keep the quote and variations beside the handover.
- **Marking every checklist item Yes automatically.** - Walk through the site and documents. Use N/A when an item does not apply, and put unfinished work in the outstanding list.
- **Writing one vague outstanding item.** - `Finish bits` has no owner or target. Name the item, who resolves it, and when it is expected.
- **Using customer acceptance as a compliance certificate.** - A signature does not replace testing, certification, commissioning, or regulator paperwork required for the work.
- **Adding invoice amounts to the handover.** - Keep money in the quote, contract, variations, and invoice. This PDF records the work and acceptance.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Business, customer, site, and job reference match the final job file
- Description of Works matches the completed scope and approved variations
- Every completion check is answered Yes or N/A
- Outstanding items have a clear owner and target date where known
- Required certificates, manuals, and warranties are prepared separately
- Tradie name, date, and signature are complete
- Customer details and signature are included only when the customer is ready to accept

## After download [#after-download]

Give the customer a copy and keep one with the quote, variations, compliance or commissioning records, warranties, photos, and invoice.

- **Name the file by customer and date.** `Job Handover - Jordan Lee - 2026-08-02.pdf` is easy to find later.
- **Track every loose end.** Carry outstanding items into the booking or job system so the handover list does not become a dead end.
- **Send the missing documents.** Provide manuals, warranties, and certificates named during the walkthrough.
- **Keep customer acceptance optional.** If they sign later, retain the final signed copy with the original handover trail.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Service Report](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/national/national-service-report)** - Record a maintenance or service visit, findings, recommendations, parts, and optional customer sign-off.
- **[PDF downloads](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/pdf-export)** - Preview, download, regenerate, and send finished PDFs.

# Job Safety Analysis (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/national/national-jsa)

A Job Safety Analysis (JSA) breaks one task into ordered steps and records hazards, risk ratings, and controls before work starts. Prepare it with the people who will do the job, walk the steps, collect crew sign-on, then download the signed PDF for the site pack and job file. Sites often ask for a JSA by that name even when the legal high-risk document is a SWMS, so match what the pack filed.

This is a Tradie Forms designed record, not a government form. There is no official layout to match, so the PDF is a clean job safety analysis that grows extra pages as you add steps and crew sign-on.

Doing a short pre-task stop-look-assess check rather than a full step breakdown? Use [Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/national/national-take-5)

Preparing a Safe Work Method Statement for high risk construction work on a NSW residential pack job rather than a general JSA? Use [NSW WHS SWMS](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement)

> **Warning**
>
> A JSA does not replace a Safe Work Method Statement when high risk construction work applies. [Check the high risk construction work triggers](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/duties-tool/construction/hazards-information/high-risk-construction-work-requiring-swms) and the requirements for the job's state or territory before you treat a JSA as enough on its own.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Generic steps and last week's address are how most JSAs get rejected. Have these ready before you open the form.

- **The real task for this package** - What the crew will actually do today, in enough detail to break into ordered steps.
- **Client and site identity** - The client or principal name and the worksite address the gate or PO already uses, not last suburb's job.
- **Permits and PPE the site requires** - Isolation, hot work, confined space, access, or site-specific permits, plus the PPE list for this package.
- **Who is supervising on the day** - The supervisor or site contact who owns the crew while the task runs.
- **The people who will do the work** - Crew present for the walk-through so sign-on matches attendance, not an old roster.
- **Whether a SWMS is also required** - High risk construction work still needs a SWMS under model WHS rules, even when the pack also asks for a JSA.

Six fields gate the download on an empty form: Business Name, Prepared By, Job Date, Task Description, at least one complete Task Steps row, and declaration Name and Date. Signature is part of the sign-off block but does not block download on its own.

## Business [#business]

Your business and who prepared this JSA. These fill the record header on the finished PDF.

- **Business Logo (Shown top right on the downloaded record) (Photo, Optional)** - Upload your logo if you want it on the finished PDF. It lands top right on the downloaded record.
- **Business Name (Text, Required)** - Your trading name as the principal and site file should recognise it. Use ABN lookup to fill the business name and ABN together when you have either value.
- **ABN (Text, Optional)** - Optional trading number. ABN lookup fills the matching business name when you enter a valid ABN.
- **Prepared By (Text, Required)** - The person who wrote this JSA, usually the supervisor, leading hand, or owner responsible for the package. The declaration can mirror this name later with **Same as prepared by**.
- **Position (Combobox, Optional)** - Role title such as **Licensed electrician**, **Site Supervisor**, **Leading Hand**, or **Foreman**. You can type a custom value. Useful when the site pack expects a role next to the preparer name.
- **Phone (Tel, Optional)** - Contact number for the site or office if the principal needs to call about the method or a change on the day.

**Saved detail: Business** - save this section to prefill it on your next JSA.

## Job [#job]

Who and where the task is for. Keep this tied to today's job so a duplicated draft cannot keep last suburb's address.

- **Client Name (Text, Optional)** - The builder, principal contractor, or customer the pack is for. Fill it whenever the PDF will leave your van; without it the JSA is hard to file in a multi-contractor pack.
- **Job Reference (Text, Optional)** - Work order, purchase order, or internal job number such as `HV-24071`. Use the same reference you put on other records for this package.
- **Street address (Address, Optional)** - The worksite, not the builder's office. Address search is Australia-wide and fills the street line, suburb, state, and postcode. Confirm the result against the induction address or PO when the postal address differs from the worksite name, or when you duplicated last week's JSA.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm it when you type the address by hand.
- **Postcode (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm it against the job record when typing manually.
- **Job Date (Date, Required)** - The day this JSA covers. Use **Today** or **Yesterday** on site. The field does not accept a future date. Backdating after the first attendance is a common pack reject.
- **Supervisor or Site Contact (Text, Optional)** - Who is looking after the crew on the day, for example `Sam Lee`. Fill when someone other than the preparer owns the task live on site.

## Task [#task]

What you are about to do, and what must be in place before the first step starts.

- **Task Description (Textarea, Required)** - One clear sentence for the work package, specific enough that a new crew member knows which face and system you mean. The PDF holds about 220 characters, so keep it tight.
  
  - **Useful** - Install a new submain and distribution board for the ground-floor tenancy
  - **Too vague** - Electrical works
- **Permits Required (Text, Optional)** - Permits that must be live before the task starts, for example isolation, hot work, confined space, ceiling access, or a site-specific permit. Leave blank only when none apply. Steps that mention hot work or isolation with a blank permits line are a common reject.
- **PPE Required (CheckboxGroup, Optional)** - Tick every item the crew needs for this package: **Hard hat**, **Hi-vis**, **Safety glasses**, **Gloves**, **Hearing protection**, **Steel-cap boots**, **Harness**, **Respirator**, and **Other**. Selected items print as a comma-separated list on the PDF. Match the PPE the step controls assume.
- **Other PPE (Text, Required when you tick Other under PPE Required)** - Say what the extra PPE is, for example `Face shield and welding gauntlets`. It prints alongside the ticked items. The form blocks download when Other is ticked and this line is empty.

## Steps [#steps]

The body of the JSA: one row per job step in the order the work will run. This is what the crew walk through before tools come out.

Use **Add step** and reorder rows so the list matches how the job will run. You can add up to **50** steps; long lists continue onto extra pages on the PDF. Leave unused rows out rather than adding blanks. At least one full step is required before download.

[Safe Work Australia’s risk guidance](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/safety-topic/managing-health-and-safety/identify-assess-and-control-hazards/managing-risks) uses four steps: identify hazards, assess risks, control risks, then review the controls. Prefer elimination and higher-order controls before relying only on procedures or PPE.

- **Task Steps (TableRows, Required)** - Each row is one stage of the work. Columns are:
  
  **Job Step** - what happens in this step, in plain language the crew will follow, for example `Set up the work area and position the new distribution board`.
  
  **Hazards** - the thing or situation that could cause harm, not a vague outcome word. `Fall from an unprotected edge` and `Manual handling and other trades entering the work area` beat `injury`.
  
  **Risk** - **Low**, **Medium**, **High**, or **Extreme** for that step on this site today. Ratings that never move, or every step rated Low on a plant and height job, look false to a principal.
  
  **Controls** - how you will manage the hazards, written as something the crew can put in place and check. `Install edge protection before access` beats `take care`. Prefer controls that exist on the ground before that step starts.
  
  **Who** - optional name or role that owns the controls for that step, for example `Alex Smith` or `Leading hand`. Fill it on high risk steps so isolation, exclusion zones, and plant interfaces have an owner.
  
  - **Useful** - Step: Isolate the supply and connect the new submain. Hazards: electric shock, arc flash, unexpected re-energisation. Risk: High. Controls: follow approved isolation, lock-out and test-for-dead before touching conductors. Who: Alex Smith.
  - **Too vague** - Step: Electrical. Hazard: injury. Control: PPE. Who: blank.

On the finished PDF each step is a stacked record: step, hazards, risk, and controls on the first line, responsible person on the second when filled. Check the preview when the list is long so pagination still reads cleanly.

## Crew [#crew]

Workers who reviewed this JSA before starting. Add each person after the walk-through, not from an old attendance list.

You can add up to **30** sign-on rows. Leave unused rows out. Late starters sign when they arrive and get the briefing before they join the task. A signature records sign-on; it does not replace the conversation about the steps, hazards, and controls.

- **Crew Sign-On (TableRows, Optional)** - Optional as a block, but a site pack that expects consultation needs real names. Columns are **Name**, **Company**, **Date**, and **Signature**. Use **Today** on the date while people are still at the brief. Signatures can be drawn or use a saved signature. On the PDF the sign-on list is a simple table that continues onto extra pages when the crew is large.

Only list people present for the review who will work the package. Names of workers on leave or on another site undermine the pack when checked against the gate list.

## Declaration [#declaration]

Sign off before download. The declaration text confirms the JSA was prepared for the task and discussed with the workers listed.

- **Name (Text, Required)** - Who is signing the finished JSA for the business. Often the same person as **Prepared By**. Use **Same as prepared by** when that is true so the two names cannot drift.
- **Same as prepared by (MirrorFields, Optional)** - Copies **Prepared By** into **Name** and locks the name field while it is on. Turn it off if someone else is signing.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The date of sign-off. **Today** and **Yesterday** shortcuts are available. The field does not accept a future date. Check that preparer, crew, and declaration dates tell the same story before you sign.
- **Signature (Signature, Optional)** - Draw, upload, or use your saved signature. Sign when the steps, controls, and crew list are correct for this job, not as a blank stamp on a template you plan to edit later. The image lands in the declaration signature area on the PDF.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Keeping last suburb's address on a duplicated draft.** - Principals cross-check the site field against induction and the PO. Wrong suburb is an instant reject even when the steps happen to fit. Change job fields first, then rewrite every step that does not match this package.
- **Writing one vague step for the whole package.** - `General construction` with hazard `injury` and control `PPE` says nothing a supervisor can check. Break the work into ordered steps and name the mechanism of harm and the control that will exist before that step starts.
- **Rating every step Low, or every step Extreme.** - Flat ratings look false on plant, height, and live-services jobs. Rate for this site today, and make High or Extreme steps earn stronger controls.
- **Writing controls that are not on the ground.** - `Edge protection installed` only counts when it is installed. Walk controls before the related step starts; if a control is not ready, do not start that step, and update the JSA if the method must change.
- **Collecting sign-on without a real walk-through.** - Names that do not match attendance, or signatures collected while people load the truck, undermine the pack. Only sign people present for the review, and add late starters when they arrive.
- **Uploading a JSA where the pack filed a SWMS.** - Detail alone does not convert a JSA into a SWMS for high risk construction work. Prepare the named document the principal filed, and still complete a JSA when that format is required as well.
- **Backdating the JSA after the first day's work.** - Dates that sit after the first attendance train the crew that the document is admin only, and advisors reject them. Date and sign before start; mark mid-job reviews honestly when the method changes.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Client, site address, and job date match this job and this day
- Task description names the real package, not a generic trade label
- Permits and PPE match what the steps assume
- Every step has a specific hazard, honest risk rating, and usable control
- Crew sign-on matches people who received the briefing
- A SWMS is in place as well if high risk construction work applies
- Declaration name and date are filled, and the PDF preview matches the method

## After download [#after-download]

Give a copy to the site contact if required and keep one with the job record. Tradie Forms does not lodge JSAs with any regulator. A site, client, or principal contractor may have its own JSA layout or retention rules, so check what they expect.

- **Name the file so the site and task are obvious.** `JSA - 12 Wharf Rd - submain install - 2026-07-14.pdf` is easier to find than a generic download name when the pack is reopened later.
- **File it with the briefing trail.** Keep the JSA with any SWMS, permits, and toolbox notes for the same package so the method and the consultation sit together.
- **Stop and review when the method changes.** If the work method, crew, site conditions, or controls change, stop work as soon as it is safe, update the record, and collect fresh sign-on where the change affects the crew.
- **Carry late starters into the same record.** Add them when they arrive rather than reconstructing attendance at the end of the day.

Check [Safe Work Australia’s risk guidance](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/safety-topic/managing-health-and-safety/identify-assess-and-control-hazards/managing-risks) and your state or territory regulator for the SWMS and record requirements that apply to this job.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Take 5 Safety Check](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/national/national-take-5)** - A short pre-task check when a full step breakdown is not what the site asked for.
- **[NSW WHS SWMS (Form 05)](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement)** - Housing Industry Site Safety Pack SWMS for high risk construction work on NSW residential jobs.
- **[When is a JSA required](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-a-jsa-required-construction)** - How principal packs, company systems, and SWMS duties sit next to each other.
- **[SWMS vs JSA vs Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/swms-vs-jsa-vs-take-5)** - Which safety record fits the gate question and the legal high-risk trigger.

# Permit to Work (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/national/national-permit-to-work)

A Permit to Work authorises a defined task at a defined place for a set time. Fill it with the worker before the task starts. Download the issued copy, keep the draft, then reopen it after the work to record the close-out.

This is a Tradie Forms designed record, not a government form. Check the client, principal contractor, and site procedure before use. A permit does not replace a SWMS, JSA, isolation procedure, or specialised permit the work still needs.

Doing welding, cutting, grinding, brazing, soldering, or open-flame work? Use [Hot Works Permit](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/national/national-hot-works-permit)

> **Warning**
>
> Do not issue the permit until the three critical controls are confirmed Yes: the area is assessed, workers are briefed, and the SWMS or JSA is in place.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

- **The exact work area** - Use a practical location such as `Roof plant room` or `Level 2 switch room`, with the site address when useful.
- **The authorised task** - A short, specific description of the work covered by this permit. Leave unrelated tasks out.
- **The validity window** - The date and time the permit starts and the date and time it expires.
- **The task controls** - The SWMS or JSA, isolations, PPE, barriers, emergency arrangements, and any other permit needed.
- **The two signatories** - The person issuing the permit and the worker or supervisor accepting the work.

## Permit [#permit]

Set the scope and validity before anyone signs.

- **Business Logo (Shown top right on the downloaded permit) (Photo, Optional)** - Upload your business logo if you want it on the finished PDF.
- **Business Name (Text, Required)** - The business issuing or controlling the permit.
- **Permit Number (Text, Optional)** - Your site or business reference, such as `PTW-2026-041`.
- **Site or Address (Text, Required)** - Name the exact work area. A full postal address is not required.
- **Work Description (Textarea, Required)** - State the task this permit authorises. Keep it narrow enough that the worker can tell when the scope changes.
  
  - **Useful** - Replace damaged roof sheeting beside the northern plant platform.
  - **Too vague** - Roof work
- **Valid From Date (Date, Required)** - The day the permit becomes active.
- **Valid From Time (Text, Required)** - Use a clear 24-hour time such as `7:00` or `07:00`.
- **Valid To Date (Date, Required)** - The permit cannot end before its start date.
- **Valid To Time (Text, Required)** - The time the permit expires, such as `15:30`.

**Saved detail: Business** - save this section to prefill it on your next permit.

## Controls [#controls]

Answer all eight checks. Items 1, 2, and 8 must be **Yes**. Use N/A only on the other controls when they genuinely do not apply.

- **Controls Checklist (ChecklistItems, Optional)** - Check the area assessment, worker briefing, isolations, barricades, PPE, emergency arrangements, other permits, and the SWMS or JSA with the worker before issue.

## Hazards [#hazards]

Add hazards and controls that are not already clear from the checklist. Long lists continue onto extra PDF pages.

- **Hazards and Additional Controls (TableRows, Optional)** - Each row needs both the hazard and the matching control. Write what can cause harm, then the action that reduces that risk.

## Authorisation [#authorisation]

Both signatures are required on the issued copy.

- **Issued By Name (Text, Required)** - The person authorised to issue the permit for the site or business.
- **Issued By Date (Date, Required)** - The date the permit is issued. The issuer can use a saved signature.
- **Issued By Signature (Signature, Required)** - Sign after checking the scope, validity, and controls with the worker.
- **Accepted By Name (Text, Required)** - The person doing or supervising the authorised work.
- **Accepted By Date (Date, Required)** - The date the worker accepts the permit.
- **Accepted By Signature (Signature, Required)** - Capture this signature on the spot. It does not prefill from the issuer's saved signature.

## Close-out [#closeOut]

Leave this section empty on the issued copy. After the work, reopen the saved draft and complete the close-out.

- **Close-out Status (RadioGroup, Optional)** - Choose **Work complete, area left safe** or **Permit cancelled**. Once selected, the close-out name, date, and signature become required.
- **Close-out Name (Text, Optional)** - The person checking and closing or cancelling the permit.
- **Close-out Date (Date, Optional)** - The day the permit ended.
- **Close-out Time (Text, Optional)** - The time the permit ended. This stays useful even though only the name, date, and signature are conditionally required.
- **Close-out Signature (Signature, Optional)** - Required once a close-out status is selected.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Writing a broad scope.** - `General maintenance` does not define the authorised task. Name the equipment, work, and area.
- **Using N/A on a critical control.** - The area assessment, worker briefing, and SWMS or JSA must all be confirmed Yes.
- **Treating the permit as the risk assessment.** - Keep the SWMS or JSA and any isolation or specialised permit with the job.
- **Never returning for close-out.** - Keep the draft open until the work area is checked and the final permit is downloaded.

## Before download [#before-download]

- The task, location, and validity window are specific and correct
- All eight controls are answered and the three critical controls are Yes
- Every added hazard has a matching control
- The issuer and worker names, dates, and signatures are complete
- The first download leaves Close-out empty

## After download [#after-download]

Give the issued copy to the worker or supervisor and keep it with the job. When the work ends, reopen the draft, add the close-out, download the final PDF, and keep both copies together.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Hot Works Permit](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/national/national-hot-works-permit)** - Add fire controls and the fire watch lifecycle for welding, cutting, grinding, brazing, or open flame.
- **[Job Safety Analysis](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/national/national-jsa)** - Record job steps, hazards, risk ratings, and controls before the task starts.

# Quote (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/national/national-quote)

Use this template to prepare a customer quote for proposed trade work. It creates a PDF only. It does not collect payment or track acceptance.

## Your business [#business]

Add the business name and the contact details you want printed. Add your ABN when you are registered for GST. A logo is optional.

## Customer [#customer]

Add the customer name. Billing, contact and job site details are optional and stay off the PDF when empty.

## Quote details [#document]

Enter your quote number and issue date. Add a validity date or job reference when useful.

## Items and pricing [#items]

Add labour, materials and other charges. Choose GST or GST-free for each line. The preview and PDF calculate totals from the entered prices.

## Scope and terms [#details]

Add the scope of work. Turn on exclusions or terms only when you need those sections.

# Service Report (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/national/national-service-report)

A service report is a customer-facing record of the visit: what you did, what you found, and what should happen next. Fill it on site, sign as the technician, optionally capture the customer signature, and download a clean PDF before you leave. It is handover paperwork, not a compliance certificate, commissioning record, or regulator form for the work.

This is a Tradie Forms designed record, not a government form. There is no official layout to match, so the PDF is a clean service report that grows extra pages as you add parts rows and photo appendices.

> **Warning**
>
> This report does not replace a certificate of compliance, commissioning record, or any regulator form the work still needs. Keep those as separate documents in the job file.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Vague work notes and a client name copied from last week's job are how most weak reports start. Have these ready before you open the form.

- **Client and site for this visit** - The customer name, contact, and worksite the invoice and job file already use, not last suburb's draft.
- **What you actually completed** - The work done on this visit, written so the client can see what they paid for without a phone call.
- **Equipment or system details** - Make, model, or system type when you worked on plant, a board, or a fixed installation.
- **Findings and recommendations** - Condition notes, test results, and the next action with a timeframe when something still needs attention.
- **Parts fitted on this visit** - Item names and quantities from the van stock or supplier docket if materials went into the job.
- **Before and after photos** - Shots that show the condition you found and the finished work when a photo will explain more than text alone.

Nine fields gate the download on an empty form: Business Name, Technician Name, Client Name, Service Date, Service Type, Work Performed, Follow-up Required, sign-off Technician Name, and Date. Follow-up Details is required when follow-up is Yes.

## Business [#business]

Your business and who attended. These fill the report header on the finished PDF.

- **Business Logo (Shown top right on the downloaded report) (Photo, Optional)** - Upload your logo if you want it on the finished PDF. It lands top right on the downloaded report.
- **Business Name (Text, Required)** - Your trading name as the client should recognise it on the invoice and the report. Use ABN lookup to fill the business name and ABN together when you have either value.
- **ABN (Text, Optional)** - Optional trading number. ABN lookup fills the matching business name when you enter a valid ABN.
- **Technician Name (Text, Required)** - The person who did the work on this visit, for example `Alex Smith`. This is the name the sign-off section can mirror later with **Same as technician above**.
- **Licence Number (Text, Optional)** - Licence, registration, or competency number when the client or site expects it on the report, for example `ARC AU12345` or a state licence number.
- **Phone (Tel, Optional)** - Contact number for follow-up quotes, access, or questions about the visit. Use the number the client should actually call.

**Saved detail: Business** - save this section to prefill it on your next service report.

## Client [#client]

Who you did the work for, where, and when. Keep this tied to today's job so a duplicated draft cannot keep last suburb's address.

- **Client Name (Text, Required)** - The customer, body corporate, or site contact the report is for, for example `Harbourview Apartments`. Match the name on the work order or invoice so the PDF files with the right account.
- **Contact Phone or Email (Text, Optional)** - How to reach the client about findings or follow-up, for example `Priya Nair, 02 4955 0100`. Fill it when recommendations or a quote will need a reply.
- **Job Reference (Text, Optional)** - Work order, purchase order, or internal job number such as `HV-SVC-8841`. Use the same reference you put on the invoice and other records for this visit.
- **Street address (Address, Optional)** - The worksite, not the accounts office. Address search is Australia-wide and fills the street line, suburb, state, and postcode. Confirm the result against the work order when the postal address differs from the site name, or when you duplicated last week's report.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm it when you type the address by hand.
- **Postcode (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm it against the job record when typing manually.
- **Service Date (Date, Required)** - The day the visit happened. Use **Today** or **Yesterday** on site. The field does not accept a future date.

## Service [#service]

What you did, what you found, and what the client should do next. Keep **Work Performed** factual; put unresolved conditions in **Findings** and the next action in **Recommendations**.

- **Service Type (Combobox, Required)** - Choose **Maintenance**, **Repair**, **Installation**, **Inspection**, or **Fault callout**, or type a custom type when none of those fit. This is how the client and your office sort the visit later.
- **Equipment or System (Combobox, Optional)** - What you worked on, with make and model when known, for example `Ducted split system, Daikin FDYAN160`. Pick a common system type from the list or type a custom value. Fill it whenever the plant or system will matter on the next visit.
- **Work Performed (Textarea, Required)** - What you completed on this visit, written so a non-tradie can see the scope. Name the tasks and systems, not only the outcome. The PDF holds about 320 characters, so keep it tight and check the preview if the text is long.
  
  - **Useful** - Replaced return air filters, cleaned the indoor coil and condensate tray, checked refrigerant pressures and electrical connections, then ran heating and cooling modes.
  - **Too vague** - Serviced unit
- **Findings (Textarea, Optional)** - Condition observed, faults found, or test results worth recording, for example a capacitor that measured below its rated capacitance. The PDF holds about 220 characters. Leave blank only when there was nothing material to note.
- **Recommendations (Textarea, Optional)** - What the client should do next, and by when, for example replace a failing part within three months. Match **Follow-up Required** to this note so the PDF does not say No follow-up while the recommendations still ask for action. The PDF holds about 220 characters.
- **Before Photo (Photo, Optional)** - Optional photo of the condition before the work. It is added as a full-page appendix labelled **Before photo** at the end of the downloaded report. Use a clear, well-lit shot of the relevant plant or area, not a random site selfie.
- **After Photo (Photo, Optional)** - Optional photo of the finished work. Same full-page appendix treatment as the before photo, labelled **After photo**. Check both photos in the PDF preview so they show this job and do not include unrelated personal information.
- **Follow-up Required (RadioGroup, Required)** - **Yes** or **No**. Choose **Yes** whenever a quote, return visit, or client action is still outstanding, even if the work on this visit is finished. Leaving this unset blocks download.
- **Follow-up Details (Text, Required when you select Yes)** - Who will do what next, for example `Send Priya a quote for the outdoor fan capacitor replacement`. Required when follow-up is **Yes**; the form blocks download if this line is empty. Leave it hidden when follow-up is **No**.

## Parts [#parts]

Parts or materials fitted on this visit. Leave the list empty when nothing was used.

Use **Add item** for each line. You can add up to **50** rows; long lists continue onto extra pages on the PDF. Leave unused rows out rather than adding blanks. Each row needs an item name before it counts.

- **Parts and Materials (TableRows, Optional)** - Optional as a block. Columns are **Item**, **Qty**, and **Notes**. **Item** is the part or material name, for example `Return air filter 495x495`. **Qty** is how many, for example `2`. **Notes** is optional context such as `Replaced during scheduled service`. On the finished PDF the list is a simple table that paginates when it grows.

## Sign-Off [#signOff]

Technician sign-off before download, plus an optional customer name and signature.

- **Technician Name (Text, Required)** - Who is signing the report for the business. Often the same person as **Technician Name** in Business. Use **Same as technician above** when that is true so the two names cannot drift.
- **Same as technician above (MirrorFields, Optional)** - Copies the business-section technician name into this field and locks it while the toggle is on. Turn it off if someone else is signing the report.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The date of sign-off. **Today** and **Yesterday** shortcuts are available. The field does not accept a future date. Check that the service date and sign-off date tell the same story before you sign.
- **Technician Signature (Signature, Optional)** - Draw, upload, or use your saved signature. Sign when the work, findings, and follow-up lines are correct for this visit, not as a blank stamp on a draft you still plan to edit. The image lands in the technician signature area on the PDF.
- **Customer Name (Text, Optional)** - Optional. Capture on the spot when the client is available, for example `Sam Lee`. You can also send a signature request link from the saved draft if they will sign later.
- **Customer Signature (Signature, Optional)** - Optional customer sign-off. Capture on the phone when they are present, or leave blank and follow up with a signature request from the saved draft. The image lands in the customer signature area on the PDF when filled.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Keeping last suburb's client or address on a duplicated draft.** - Clients cross-check the name and site against the invoice. Wrong suburb or last week's account makes the PDF hard to file and easy to dispute. Change client fields first, then rewrite work and findings for this visit.
- **Writing work performed as a one-word outcome.** - `Serviced unit` or `Fixed leak` does not show the client what they paid for, and it is useless on the next visit. Name the tasks and systems you actually completed.
- **Mixing findings into work performed.** - Completed tasks belong in **Work Performed**. Unresolved conditions and test results belong in **Findings**, and the next action belongs in **Recommendations**, so the handover is scannable.
- **Marking follow-up No while recommendations still ask for action.** - A report that recommends a part replacement within three months but says no follow-up confuses the client and your office. Set **Follow-up Required** to **Yes** and say who will do what next.
- **Leaving follow-up details blank after choosing Yes.** - The form blocks download until you say what happens next. Write a concrete action such as who gets the quote or when the return visit is planned.
- **Attaching the wrong before or after photo.** - Full-page photo appendices travel with the PDF the client keeps. Check both shots show this job and plant, and that they do not include unrelated personal information, before you download.
- **Signing before the work and follow-up lines are final.** - A signature on a half-finished draft freezes the wrong story for the job file. Finish work, findings, recommendations, and follow-up, then sign.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Business, technician, client, and service date match this visit
- Service type and work performed describe what was completed, not a vague outcome
- Findings and recommendations are separate from work performed when something still needs attention
- Follow-up Required matches the recommendations, and follow-up details are filled when Yes
- Parts rows name real items fitted on this visit, or the list is empty
- Photos show this job and do not include unrelated personal information
- Sign-off name and date are filled, and the PDF preview matches what you want the client to receive

## After download [#after-download]

Give a copy to the client and keep one with the job record. Tradie Forms does not lodge service reports with any regulator. This PDF is a handover record only.

- **Name the file so the client and date are obvious.** `Service report - Harbourview Apartments - 2026-07-14.pdf` is easier to find than a generic download name when the job is reopened later.
- **File it with the invoice and photos.** Keep the report with the work order, any compliance or commissioning PDFs for the same visit, and the before and after shots so the visit has one trail.
- **Track outstanding follow-up.** When follow-up is Yes, carry the action into your quote or booking list so the recommendation is not lost after the client receives the PDF.
- **Do not treat this as a compliance certificate.** If the work needs a CoC, commissioning record, or regulator form, complete that document as well and file both.

If the job also needs a step-by-step hazard and control record, use the Job Safety Analysis guide linked below.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Job Safety Analysis](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/national/national-jsa)** - Step-by-step hazards, controls, and crew sign-on when the site pack needs a JSA as well as the service report.
- **[Take 5 Safety Check](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/national/national-take-5)** - A short pre-task stop-look-assess check when a full JSA is not what the job needs.

# Site Diary (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/national/national-site-diary)

A site diary is the daily record of who was on site, what work happened, and what affected the day. Fill one diary per site per day, while the crew, conditions, delays, and deliveries are still easy to confirm. Sign it, check the PDF, and keep it with the job file.

This is a Tradie Forms designed record, not a government form. It records the day. It does not replace a JSA, Take 5, incident report, variation notice, or any contract notice the job also requires.

Need to break a task into steps, hazards, risk ratings, and controls before work starts? Use [JSA](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/national/national-jsa)

Need a short safety check before starting the task? Use [Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/national/national-take-5)

> **Warning**
>
> A diary entry can support the job record, but it does not replace a notice required by your contract or a full incident or hazard report. Send those separately when they apply.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Have the day's real details ready. Do not rebuild them from memory at the end of the week.

- **The site and diary date** - The site name, lot, address, or project reference the crew and client already use.
- **Who attended** - Names, company or trade, and approximate start and finish times for people on site.
- **Work completed** - The actual work done today, including areas, stages, or systems that make the note useful later.
- **Delays and conditions** - Weather, access, late deliveries, unavailable plant, instructions, or other events that affected work.
- **Visitors and deliveries** - Inspectors, engineers, clients, suppliers, and major deliveries worth keeping with the daily record.
- **Safety cross-references** - The separate incident or hazard record number when something happened today.

## Site [#site]

Business, supervisor, site, date, weather, and conditions for this diary.

- **Business Logo (Shown top right on the downloaded diary) (Photo, Optional)** - Upload your business logo if you want it on the finished PDF.
- **Business Name (Text, Required)** - Your trading name as the client or principal contractor should recognise it.
- **Supervisor (Text, Required)** - The person responsible for the site record that day.
- **Site or Address (Text, Required)** - Use the project name, lot, or address the job file already uses, for example `Lot 14, Riverbank Estate`.
- **Diary Date (Date, Required)** - The day covered by this record. Use **Today** or **Yesterday** on site. Future dates are blocked.
- **Weather (Select, Optional)** - Choose the closest condition: Fine, Overcast, Rain, Wind, Extreme heat, or Frost.
- **Temperature (Text, Optional)** - A useful approximate temperature, for example `28°C`, when heat, cold, or curing conditions matter.
- **Conditions Affecting Work (Text, Optional)** - A short factual note, for example `Rain stopped external works 10am-12pm`.

**Saved detail: Business** - save this section to prefill it on your next site diary.

## Attendance [#attendance]

Use **Add person** for each person you want on the daily record. The list can be empty for a rained-out or no-access day. Long lists continue onto extra PDF pages.

- **Attendance (TableRows, Optional)** - Each row needs **Name** and **Company or Trade**. Add **Time On** and **Time Off** when the job needs an attendance trail. This is a diary list, not a site induction or per-person sign-on.

## Work [#work]

Write the day so someone who was not there can still follow it.

- **Work Performed Today (Textarea, Required)** - Name the work, location, and stage completed. `First-floor frames stood and braced; roof trusses delivered` is more useful than `Worked on framing`.
- **Delays or Stoppages (Textarea, Optional)** - Say what caused the delay, when it happened, and what work it affected. Keep contract notices separate when the job requires them.
- **Visitors and Deliveries (Textarea, Optional)** - Record important visitors, inspections, and major deliveries. Leave out routine crew already listed under Attendance.

## Safety [#safety]

Choose whether there were incidents, near misses, or new hazards today. When you choose **Yes**, add a short cross-reference in **Safety Notes**.

- **Incidents, Near Misses, or New Hazards Today (RadioGroup, Required)** - Choose **No incidents or new hazards** or **Yes, recorded below**.
- **Safety Notes (Textarea, Required when you select Yes)** - Briefly identify what happened and the separate report, for example `Near miss raised as incident report IR-104`. Do not use this small field as the full incident investigation.

## Sign-Off [#signOff]

Confirm the diary is a true record for the date shown.

- **Name (Text, Required)** - The supervisor or tradie signing the daily record.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The sign-off date. Check it tells the same story as the diary date.
- **Signature (Signature, Required)** - Draw, upload, or use your saved signature after the attendance and daily notes are final.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Writing the whole week on Friday.** - Dates, visitors, and short delays get mixed up. Complete one diary per site per day before the details disappear.
- **Using vague work notes.** - `General works` does not help the client, office, or contract administrator. Name the stage, area, and useful result.
- **Listing a delay without its effect.** - Record what caused it, the time or duration, and what work stopped. Send any required contract notice separately.
- **Treating attendance as an induction register.** - This list records who was on site. Use the site's induction or sign-on process when individual declarations or signatures are required.
- **Putting a full incident report in Safety Notes.** - Cross-reference the separate incident or hazard form. The diary keeps the daily link, not the investigation.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Site, supervisor, and diary date match this day
- Attendance names and trades are complete, or the empty day is explained
- Work performed says what happened and where
- Delays, conditions, visitors, and deliveries are factual
- Any safety issue points to the separate report
- Name, date, and signature are complete

## After download [#after-download]

Keep the signed PDF with the job record and any matching photos, dockets, instructions, incident reports, variation notices, or delay notices. Give it to the client or principal contractor when the contract or site process asks for daily records.

- **File it by site and date.** `Site Diary - Riverbank Estate - 2026-08-02.pdf` is easy to find later.
- **Keep supporting records together.** Match delay notes with delivery dockets, instructions, photos, and any formal notice.
- **Do not rewrite a signed day silently.** If you need to correct the record, make the correction clear and keep the original trail.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Job Safety Analysis](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/national/national-jsa)** - Break a task into steps, hazards, risk, and controls before work starts.
- **[Take 5 Safety Check](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/national/national-take-5)** - Complete a short pre-task safety check before starting work.

# Take 5 Safety Check (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/national/national-take-5)

A Take 5 is a short pre-task safety check: stop, look, assess, control, then proceed. One worker fills it for the task they are about to start, answers ten yes or no questions, notes any hazards that still need a control, and downloads a signed PDF before tools come out. It is a personal pause for this start, not a full job analysis or a substitute for high risk construction planning.

This is a Tradie Forms designed record, not a government form. There is no official layout to match, so the PDF is a clean pre-task record that grows extra pages as you add hazard rows.

Breaking the whole job into steps with hazards and crew sign-on rather than a two-minute pre-start? Use [JSA](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/national/national-jsa)

> **Warning**
>
> A Take 5 does not replace a Safe Work Method Statement when high risk construction work applies. Follow the SWMS and the site process that apply to the task.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

The form only works if you fill it standing at the work face, not later from the ute. Have these ready.

- **The task about to start** - The specific step you will do next, not the whole project name.
- **Where you are standing** - Building, floor, room, riser, or lot so a stranger can place the check later.
- **Two minutes before tools come out** - A Take 5 written after the work is a diary note, not a pre-task check.
- **Site conditions as they are now** - Work area, plant, weather, access, permits, and people nearby for this start, not yesterday's job.
- **Whether a SWMS or JSA already covers the method** - High risk construction work still needs its planning document. Take 5 sits on top, not instead.

Seven fields gate the download on an empty form: Name, Site or Address, Date, Task, Safe to Proceed?, the sign-off Name, and the sign-off Date. Answer every checklist question and complete any hazard row you add so the PDF is usable when a supervisor asks for it.

## Worker [#worker]

Who is doing the task and where. These values identify the check in the site file and on the PDF header.

- **Business Logo (Shown top right on the downloaded record) (Photo, Optional)** - Upload your logo if you want it on the finished PDF. It lands top right on the downloaded record.
- **Name (Text, Required)** - The person filling this Take 5, usually the same name used for site induction. One worker per form. Three people on the same step need three checks, not one name with extra signatures later.
- **Company (Text, Optional)** - Employer or trading name when the site file or principal wants it on the record. Leave blank rather than inventing a company the induction does not know.
- **Site or Address (Text, Required)** - Where you are standing for this task. A full postal address is not required. Use the building, floor, room, riser, or lot the principal already uses so the PDF can be matched to attendance later. Example: `Level 2 riser cupboard, 12 Wharf Road`.
- **Supervisor (Text, Optional)** - Who is looking after the crew on the day when the pack wants a named contact on the pre-start. Useful when the check later needs escalation for an isolation or permit.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The day of this check. Use **Today** on site. The form will not accept a future date. Do not reuse yesterday's date for a fresh start after conditions change.
- **Task (Text, Required)** - The step you are about to start, specific enough that a supervisor can place it without the job file. Name the work, the location on site, and any access detail that matters for this start.
  
  - **Useful** - Replace the 100 A main switch in the tenancy distribution board
  - **Too vague** - Electrical

**Saved detail: Worker** - save this section to prefill it on your next Take 5.

## Checklist [#checklist]

Ten fixed yes or no questions about this start. Work them at the work face so the answers match the ground, not last week's job.

- **Pre-task Checks (ChecklistItems, Optional)** - The checklist itself does not block download if left blank, but a usable Take 5 answers every item. Each row is **Yes** or **No**. When the answer is **No**, add a short note on what is wrong. Those notes print together under Checklist notes on the PDF.
  
  The ten items are: understand the task and whether you have done it before; right tools and equipment in good condition; required PPE; work area clear of slip, trip, and fall hazards; people nearby protected; work-at-height and falling-object risks controlled; electrical, gas, and stored-energy hazards controlled; required permits, isolations, and supervisor sign-offs in place; weather, lighting, and access acceptable; fit for the task (alert, hydrated, not rushing).
  
  **Bulk pass** marks remaining unanswered questions as Yes when they apply. Use it only after you have walked the face, not as a shortcut for questions you never looked at.
  
  A **No** is not a fail of the form. It is a flag that something needs a note and a control before you mark safe to proceed. Do not flip a No to Yes just to finish. Put the control in place, then answer based on the condition after the control. Use the hazards table for the written control that fixes the problem.

## Hazards [#hazards]

Optional table for hazards that need a control before you start. Empty is fine when every check is Yes and nothing else needs recording.

- **Hazards (TableRows, Optional)** - Add a row with **Add hazard** when a check is No, or when you see a risk that still needs a written control even if every check is Yes. Up to 50 rows. Leave unused rows out rather than adding blanks. Long lists continue onto extra pages on the PDF.
  
  **What one row is.** One hazard for this start, with its risk rating and the control you will use today.
  
  **Hazard** - the thing or situation that could cause harm, in plain language. Write the hazard, not the injury. `Incoming supply conductors remain live until upstream isolation` beats `injury` or `electrics`.
  
  **Risk** - **Low**, **Medium**, **High**, or **Extreme** for that hazard as it stands before the control.
  
  **Control** - what you will put in place and can check before start. Make it specific enough that another trade could verify it. `Set a 2 m exclusion zone with cones and electrical work signage` beats `be careful`.
  
  - **Useful** - Incoming supply live until isolation; High; obtain isolation permit, isolate upstream, lock out and prove de-energised
  - **Too vague** - Electrical risk; Medium; take care

Writing a control on the form does not put the control in place. Implement first, then record.

## Sign-Off [#signOff]

Confirm it is safe to start after the checks and any controls match the ground.

- **Safe to Proceed? (RadioGroup, Required)** - **Yes, controls in place** or **No, do not start**. Choose **Yes** only when every open No is closed and any hazard controls are real on the ground. Choosing **Yes** while scaffold is incomplete, isolation is unproven, or a permit is missing is the worst kind of complete form.
- **What needs to happen first? (Text, Required when you choose No, do not start)** - What must change before work can begin, for example `Wait for isolation permit from supervisor` or `Builder to complete west edge protection before access`. Required when safe to proceed is No. It tells the next person reading the PDF why the start did not happen.
- **Name (Text, Required)** - Who is signing this check. Use **Same as worker above** when the signatory is the worker named in Worker.
- **Same as worker above (Toggle, Optional)** - Copies the worker **Name** into sign-off **Name** and locks the name field while it is on. Turn it off if someone else is signing.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The date you sign. Use **Today** on site. No future date is accepted. Match the day of the check, not a backfill after tools are packed.
- **Signature (Signature, Optional)** - Sign on screen, upload an image, or use your saved signature after the checks and safe-to-proceed answer match the ground. The signature attests that this worker stopped, checked, and made the proceed call for this start.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Writing the card after the tools are packed.** - A Take 5 filled at smoko is a diary note. Auditors match dates against attendance and photos. Open the form before the first tool comes out.
- **Tick and flick every answer to Yes.** - Ten Yes answers with no notes look efficient and often mean nobody looked. Walk the work face. Mark No when something is wrong, write the note, and fix it before safe to proceed.
- **Safe to proceed while a No is still open.** - The signature says go while the site still says stop. Leave the form on No, do not start until the control is real, or escalate so the crew is not standing around after a false start.
- **Task line that never changes.** - `Building works`, `plumbing`, or the client name cannot be tied to a moment on site. Name the step, location, and access detail for this start.
- **Reusing yesterday's answers with a new date only.** - Conditions move. Copy only as a draft, then change site, task, checklist answers, and hazards for this start and re-sign for this day.
- **Handing over a Take 5 when the pack asked for a SWMS.** - Longer hazard text does not convert a Take 5 into a Safe Work Method Statement. High risk construction work still needs the planning document the law and the pack require.
- **Vague controls that nobody can check.** - `Be careful` and `use PPE` do not prove a control is in place. Write something another person can verify on the ground, then put it in place before you sign.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Name, site or address, date, and task identify this worker and this start
- Every checklist question is answered from the work face, not from memory of another job
- Every No has a short note, and the control sits in hazards or is already fixed
- Each hazard row has a hazard, risk rating, and a specific control
- Safe to proceed matches the ground, including every open No
- Sign-off name and date are filled, and you are not using this PDF to stand in for a missing SWMS or JSA
- The PDF preview shows the task, site, answers, and proceed call you intend to keep

## After download [#after-download]

There is no national lodgement for a Take 5. Keep the finished PDF where your business or site process requires it, and give a copy to the principal, site manager, or safety advisor when the pack asks for pre-task evidence.

- **Name the file so site, task, and date are obvious.** `Take 5 - 12 Wharf Rd - main switch - 2026-07-14.pdf` is easier to find after a near miss than a generic download name.
- **File it with the related safety pack for the job.** Keep it with the SWMS, JSA, permits, and photos for the same task so the short check meets a clean trail rather than a reconstruction.
- **Start a new Take 5 when conditions change.** Weather, plant, other trades, access, or method changes mid-shift need a fresh pause. Do not stretch yesterday's PDF across a different start.
- **Send only the scoped set when someone asks for records.** After a near miss or audit, send the dated PDFs for the people and times named, not the whole company history.

Check [Safe Work Australia’s construction risk guidance](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/safety-topic/industry-and-business/construction/managing-risks) and your state or territory regulator for SWMS and site safety duties that sit beside this record.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Take 5 on site walkthrough](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/take-5-safety-check-on-site-guide)** - A fuller run through the ten checks, hazard rows, and when to fill the form.
- **[Common Take 5 mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-take-5-mistakes-site-safety)** - Timing, tick-and-flick, open Nos, and wrong-document handovers that fail toolbox audits.
- **[SWMS vs JSA vs Take 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/swms-vs-jsa-vs-take-5)** - Which safety document the pack actually wants before you start.

# NSW ARCP Class B (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-asbestos-removal-control-plan-class-b)

The Class B Asbestos Removal Control Plan (ARCP) records how licensed non-friable asbestos will be removed on this site: licence holder, ACM scope, consultation, controls, method, waste path, and sign-off. The licensed asbestos removalist prepares it before work starts, then downloads the official December 2019 SafeWork NSW PDF for the site file. [SafeWork NSW says](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/licences-and-registrations/licences/class-b-asbestos-removal-licence/working-as-a-licensed-asbestos-removalist) licensed removalists must notify it at least five calendar days before removing more than 10 square metres of non-friable asbestos, and that a site-specific control plan is prepared before work begins.

This is the current SafeWork NSW Asbestos Removal Control Plan for Class B (non-friable) removal work. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Recording visual clearance after non-friable removal is finished, not planning how the asbestos will be removed? Use [NSW Asbestos Clearance (No Air)](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-sw08272-asbestos-clearance)

> **Warning**
>
> This form prepares the ARCP PDF. It does not notify SafeWork NSW, replace the site-specific SWMS, or confirm that removal can start. Friable asbestos needs a Class A licence holder and is outside this Class B form.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every ARCP problem comes from filling from the last job instead of from this site's register, notification and crew list. Have these in front of you.

- **Asbestos licence and licence holder** - Class B licence holder name and number for this removal, as on the current licence or NSW register.
- **Site, client and notification** - Removal site address, who commissioned the work, SafeWork NSW notification number, and planned start and completion dates.
- **Asbestos identification** - Register, survey or inspection notes naming each ACM item, location, quantity and condition.
- **Consultation and crew** - Who was told about the removal and start date, nominated supervisors, workers, first aiders and nearest emergency facilities.
- **Site plan, method and waste** - Plan view of the removal area, preparation through completion tasks, overnight storage if any, disposal site and WasteLocate where required.

Asbestos licence holder, state and postcode gate the download. A usable plan still needs site, ACM, method and sign-off filled for the job file.

## Plan Details [#plan-details]

Licence holder, removal site, client, notification and project dates for this Class B removal. These open page 1 of the official PDF and must match the notification and engagement for the same job.

Two standing notices appear here: documents that must be available for inspection (notification, worker asbestos training, first aid certificates, health monitoring confirmation), and that all licensed asbestos removal work must be notified to SafeWork NSW five days before work starts. This form is for non-friable (Class B) removal only.

Use address search for the removal site. Search is limited to New South Wales and fills street number, street name, suburb, state and postcode. Include lot or DP in the street number field when they apply. Check the result against the notification, because search returns the current postal address and a job can predate a street rename.

- **Date (Date, Optional)** - Date this plan is prepared. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are available. Future dates are not accepted. Use the day you finalise the plan for this site.
- **Asbestos Licence Holder (Text, Required)** - Licensed removal business on the Class B licence for this job, for example `SafeStrip Asbestos Pty Ltd`. Match the licence and notification spelling. If you are on site without the card, use Licence check on the licence number field, then confirm the returned name against the current register.
- **Licence Number (Text, Optional)** - Asbestos removal licence number as printed, for example `AD123456`. Licence check searches the NSW Asbestos and Demolition Register and can fill the holder name. Compare both fields with the current licence record.
- **State (Address, Required)** - Filled by address search. Confirm `NSW` when typing by hand so the plan matches the notification.
- **Postcode (Address, Required)** - Filled by address search. Confirm against the notification or rates notice when typing manually.
- **On Behalf of (Client) (Text, Optional)** - Person or business that commissioned the licensed removal, for example `Harbour Holdings Pty Ltd`. Match who will receive a copy of the ARCP.
- **SafeWork NSW Notification Number (Text, Optional)** - Number from the SafeWork NSW notification confirmation. Leave blank rather than inventing a number.
- **Start Date (Date, Optional)** - Planned first day of licensed removal. Only today or a future date is accepted. Align with the notified window and Informing Parties dates.
- **Completion Date (Date, Optional)** - Expected last day of this removal for the identification scope. When dates shift, update and re-download.

**Saved detail: Licence Holder** - save this section to prefill it on your next Class B ARCP for this licence holder.

## Identification [#identification]

Asbestos or ACM identified for removal, including inaccessible areas in scope. One row is one ACM item. Add up to 14 items. Page 2 of the official PDF has 14 fixed rows; leave unused rows out. Rows beyond 14 are not written to the PDF.

Take every value from the asbestos register, survey or a competent site inspection. If material or condition is uncertain, get competent advice rather than guessing.

Each item uses **Description**, **Date**, **Location**, **Quantity** (m²), **Condition** (**Poor**, **Fair** or **Good**), and **Condition Notes**. Description offers common ACM types and accepts free text. Name the facade, room, eaves line or unit so a later reader can find the item. Useful: `External fibre cement sheeting, northern wall, 25 m², fair, minor cracks to sheeting`. Too vague: `Asbestos sheets`.

## Informing Parties [#informing-parties]

Consultation records for people informed about the upcoming removal and intended start date. One row is one party contact. Add up to 12 records. Page 3 has 12 fixed rows; leave unused rows out. Only parties you actually informed belong here.

The form lists who must be informed where they apply: person who commissioned the removal, workers, PCBUs, home owner or occupant, neighbours, and licensed asbestos assessor or competent person.

Each row uses **Name**, **Date**, **Entity**, **Address**, **How**, and **Comments**. Entity and How offer common options and accept free text. How includes phone, email and letterbox drop. Address search is available on the address column.

## Supervisors [#supervisors]

Nominated supervisors approved by SafeWork NSW for this removal. One row is one supervisor. Add up to six. Page 4 has six name and contact slots; leave unused rows out.

Each row uses **Name** and **Contact Number**. Use people approved for and available on this job, with a number that reaches them during the removal window, for example `Alex Morgan` and `0412 345 678`.

**Saved detail: Supervisors** - save this section to prefill it on your next Class B ARCP when the same nominated supervisors apply.

## Workers [#workers]

Workers involved in the asbestos removal work. One row is one worker. Add up to six. Page 4 has six slots under supervisors; leave unused rows out.

Each row uses **Name** and **Contact Number**. List people who will carry out or support the removal under this plan, with a mobile that works on site. If the crew changes before work starts, update the rows and re-download.

## Emergency Planning [#emergency-planning]

First aiders, kit location and nearest emergency facilities for this site.

First aider and emergency facility tables each allow up to six rows matching page 4. Leave unused rows out. First aider rows use **Name** and **Contact Number**. Facility rows use **Emergency Facility** and **Contact Number**; facility offers common types and accepts a named place such as `Westmead Hospital`.

- **First aiders (Table, Optional)** - Trained first aiders on site for the removal, with numbers that reach them during the job window.
- **First Aid Kit Location (Text, Optional)** - Where the kit sits on this site, for example `Site office near main gate`, written so a new worker can find it without a walk-through.
- **Emergency facilities (Table, Optional)** - Nearest hospital and other emergency facilities with a current contact number. Prefer the facility the crew would use from this address.

## Site Plan [#site-plan]

Plan view for page 5. The form asks you to show the asbestos removal area, asbestos location, entrances and exits, waste storage, site security, emergency equipment, signage, decontamination area, and services such as electrical, gas and water.

- **Site plan format (Choice, Optional)** - **Starts on Photo**, so leaving this alone expects an uploaded image. Switch to **Diagram** to draw in the app editor. Only the selected format is included in the download; the other is cleared when you switch.

A usable plan is readable at print size, with removal area, ACM location, waste storage, decontamination and access obvious. Check the PDF preview so the image or diagram sits cleanly in the site plan area on page 5.

## PPE [#ppe]

Personal protective equipment required in the asbestos removal area. The form states this PPE must be worn at all times during work in the removal area. Checkboxes record what this plan requires; they do not select PPE for you. Base selections on the risk assessment, SWMS and current SafeWork NSW guidance. Empty PPE still downloads, so treat it as unfinished planning.

- **Disposable Coveralls (Type 5/Category 3) (Checkbox, Optional)** - Mark when Type 5 / Category 3 disposable coveralls are required.
- **Safety Footwear (Laceless or Gumboots) (Checkbox, Optional)** - Mark when laceless safety footwear or gumboots are required.
- **Anti-slip Disposable Overshoes (Checkbox, Optional)** - Mark when disposable overshoes form part of the PPE set.
- **Disposable Nitrile Gloves (Checkbox, Optional)** - Mark when disposable nitrile gloves are required for handling ACM.
- **Eye Protection (Checkbox, Optional)** - Mark when eye protection is required for the removal tasks.

## RPE [#rpe]

Respiratory protective equipment arrangements. The form notes disposable RPE may be used but is not preferred, and workers must be clean shaven unless using a powered air purifying device and hood or similar. These checkboxes are not evidence that fit testing occurred; keep fit test records with the job file.

- **All Workers Have Undertaken Fit Testing (AS/NZS 1715:2009) (Checkbox, Optional)** - Mark only when fit testing for the RPE used on this job is complete under AS/NZS 1715:2009 for the workers named on the plan.
- **All Workers Will Perform a Fit Check Before Commencing Work (Checkbox, Optional)** - Mark when every worker will perform a fit check each time the respirator is put on. The form notes a fit check is required each time the respirator is used.

## Equipment [#equipment]

Tool inspection confirmation and HEPA filtered H class industrial vacuum details. The form warns that dust-generating tools must not be used on asbestos except with dust suppression or extraction controls. Up to two vacuums fit page 6. Copy make, model and last test date from the equipment register or unit plate; do not estimate a test date.

- **Tools and Equipment Inspected Before and After Removal Work (Checkbox, Optional)** - Mark when tools and equipment are inspected for damage before work and cleaned and inspected after.
- **Vacuum 1 Make (Text, Optional)** - Make of the first HEPA H class vacuum, for example `Nilfisk`.
- **Vacuum 1 Model (Text, Optional)** - Model from the plate, for example `GD930`.
- **Vacuum 1 Last Test Date (Date, Optional)** - Last test date from the register. Future dates are not accepted.
- **Vacuum 2 Make (Text, Optional)** - Second vacuum make when two units are used. Leave blank for one vacuum.
- **Vacuum 2 Model (Text, Optional)** - Second vacuum model when used.
- **Vacuum 2 Last Test Date (Date, Optional)** - Last test date for vacuum 2 when used.

## Removal Method [#removal-method]

How the asbestos will be removed, in the three stages on the SafeWork NSW PDF: **Preparation**, **Commencement**, and **Completion**. Each stage shows a static example task card matching the printed PDF (not your form data), then editable task rows.

One row is one task with **Task**, **Tools and Equipment**, and **Method and Controls**. Write the method for this site, not a paste from the last job. Rows map to fixed slots on page 7.

**Preparation** starts empty. Add up to two tasks.

**Commencement** starts with locked task **Set up decontamination area**. Fill tools and method. You can add one more task (maximum two). The first task name cannot be edited.

**Completion** starts with locked tasks **Decontaminate tools and equipment.** and **Decontaminate PPE/RPE.** Fill tools and method for both. You can add up to two more tasks (maximum four). The first two task names cannot be edited.

Leave unused optional rows out. Completion includes the PDF footer note: all disposable PPE in a labelled asbestos waste bag, goose necked and taped, then double bagged. Useful method wording: `Wet ACM, remove fixings, lift whole sheets with minimum breakage into a 200 µm lined skip`. Too vague: `Remove asbestos carefully`.

## Waste Management [#waste-management]

On-site storage, authorised disposal site and EPA WasteLocate details on pages 7 and 8. The form states asbestos waste over 100 kg or 10 m² must be tracked using EPA WasteLocate in NSW. Do not invent a consignment number before one is issued.

- **Will Removed Asbestos Waste Be Held On-site for More Than One Working Day? (Choice, Optional)** - **Yes** or **No**. **Yes** reveals on-site storage details. Overnight or multi-day storage needs a clear location and sealing arrangement.
- **On-site Storage Details (Text, Required when you select Yes for waste held on-site more than one working day)** - How labelled asbestos waste will be stored and where within the removal area. Align the text with the site plan mark.
  
  - **Useful** - Lined lockable skip beside the northern gate, sealed at the end of each shift
  - **Too vague** - Skip on site
- **Waste Stored in a Designated Location Marked on the Site Plan (Checkbox, Optional)** - Mark when waste storage is shown on the site plan. If marked, the plan must show that location.
- **Used Disposable PPE and RPE Stored in Bags or Sealed Container Before Leaving Site (Checkbox, Optional)** - Mark when used disposable PPE and RPE will be bagged or sealed before leaving site.
- **Proposed Authorised Asbestos Waste Disposal Site (Text, Optional)** - Authorised facility that will receive the waste, for example `Licensed facility - Eastern Creek`, from the disposal booking.
- **EPA WasteLocate Consignment Number (Text, Optional)** - WasteLocate consignment number when tracking applies. Leave blank until a real number is issued.

## Distribution [#distribution]

Who receives a copy of this ARCP and who can readily access it at the workplace. The form also states the ARCP must be available for inspection by a SafeWork NSW inspector. Mark only groups that apply, then make the plan available before work starts.

- **Copy Provided to the Person Who Commissioned the Work (Checkbox, Optional)** - Mark when the person who commissioned the licensed removal has been given a copy.
- **Readily Accessible to Other PCBUs at the Workplace (Checkbox, Optional)** - Mark when other PCBUs on the workplace can readily access the plan.
- **Readily Accessible to Health and Safety Representatives (Checkbox, Optional)** - Mark when HSRs can readily access the plan where they apply.
- **Readily Accessible to Occupants (if Residential) (Checkbox, Optional)** - Mark on residential work when occupants can readily access the plan.

## Sign Off [#sign-off]

Supervisor and worker declaration signatures. The official declaration states the information in this plan is accurate and was developed in consultation with workers on site.

One row is one signatory. Add up to six. Page 8 has six name, signature and date slots; leave unused rows out. Each row uses **Name**, **Signature**, and **Date**. Sign after the signatory has reviewed the plan and the controls that apply to their work. You can use a saved signature; check the preview so each stamp sits cleanly. Date does not accept a future date.

The form notes a SWMS is required for high risk construction work, including work likely to involve disturbing asbestos (WHS Regulation 2017 clauses 291 and 299). This ARCP does not replace that SWMS.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Treating the ARCP as the clearance certificate.** - The ARCP plans how non-friable asbestos will be removed before work starts. SW08272 records visual clearance after inspection.
- **Reusing last job's method without site-specific ACM and waste details.** - SafeWork expects a site-specific plan. Generic text that never names this facade, quantity or skip location fails against the site.
- **Inventing a notification or WasteLocate number.** - Empty is better than a fabricated reference that reads as completed tracking when the file is checked.
- **Site plan without waste storage or decontamination.** - The template asks for waste storage, decontamination, barriers and access, not only a circle around the building.
- **Marking fit testing complete when records are not held.** - The checkbox is not a fit test certificate. Keep AS/NZS 1715 records with the job file.
- **Collecting signatures before the plan is reviewed.** - Signatures on an empty method or identification list do not fix missing controls.
- **Describing ACM as asbestos sheets only.** - Identification rows need location, description, quantity and condition so method and waste can be checked.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Licence holder and licence number match the current Class B licence and notification
- Removal site address, including state and postcode, matches the notification and engagement
- ACM identification rows name location, description, quantity and condition for this site
- Informing parties, supervisors and workers reflect who was told and who is on this job
- Site plan shows removal area, waste storage, decontamination and access, and is readable in preview
- Removal method stages describe this job's tasks, tools and controls, including locked decontamination rows
- Waste storage details appear when waste is held overnight, and WasteLocate is only filled with a real number
- Signatories have reviewed the plan, and the PDF preview shows signatures, dates and page 5 site plan as intended

## After download [#after-download]

Make the finished PDF readily accessible at the workplace before licensed removal starts, and give a copy to the person who commissioned the work when that distribution applies. Keep it with the notification, SWMS, worker training, first aid and health monitoring records the form says must be available for inspection.

- **Name the file with the site and start date**, for example `ARCP Class B - 42 George St - 2026-06-10.pdf`.
- **Update and re-download if the method, crew, dates or waste path change** before work continues under the new arrangements.
- **File the plan with the notification confirmation and consultation records**, not as a lone PDF.
- **When non-friable removal is finished**, arrange independent visual clearance and use SW08272 for that step rather than reusing this plan as clearance.

Tradie Forms does not lodge the ARCP or the asbestos notification with SafeWork NSW.

> **Warning**
>
> Downloading this PDF does not notify SafeWork NSW or make the removal ready to start. Check the current notification, licensing, SWMS and clearance requirements for the job.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Class B ARCP field walkthrough](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-class-b-asbestos-removal-control-plan-guide)** - A fuller run through the control plan, licence scope, and what SafeWork expects before work starts.
- **[ARCP and clearance workflow](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-asbestos-removal-clearance-handover-workflow)** - How the Class B plan and the SW08272 clearance certificate sit on one job file.
- **[NSW Asbestos Clearance (No Air)](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-sw08272-asbestos-clearance)** - Visual clearance certificate after non-friable removal, not the control plan.

# NSW Mobile Crane Safety Checklist (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-mobile-crane-safety-checklist)

The Mobile Crane Safety for PCBUs checklist records the pre-start, planning and site set-up checks a principal contractor or site supervisor makes before mobile crane work starts. SafeWork NSW publishes it for construction sites; the finished PDF is the official layout for the site safety file. Complete it before the lift, not after the load has already moved.

This is the current SafeWork NSW Mobile Crane Safety for PCBUs checklist. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

> **Warning**
>
> SafeWork NSW says this checklist is not exhaustive. If you answer **No** to any question, you may be in breach of duties under WHS legislation or its Codes of Practice. Record the gap, control it, and do not treat a comment as a workaround for an unresolved **No**.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every weak checklist comes from ticking answers in the office instead of checking the crane, crew and set-up area. Have these in front of you.

- **PCBU and site identity** - Registered business name and the job address the principal's file expects for this lift.
- **Crane company and plant records** - Owner or hire company name, registration where the crane is over 10 tonne, logbook, maintenance and major-service evidence, operator's manual, load chart and compliance plate.
- **Crew and competence evidence** - Induction records, high risk work licences for the operations being done, and who is coordinating the lift on site.
- **Lift plan and SWMS** - Site-specific method for the lift, the crane company's SWMS, and any load path or exclusion-zone plan already agreed.
- **A walk of the set-up area** - Ground and standing, overhead powerlines, underground services, wind exposure, nearby plant and people, and the lifting gear for this load.
- **A decision on any No answers** - What must be fixed, who owns the action, and whether the lift pauses until it is controlled.

Seven detail fields gate the download: PCBU name, date, time, who completed the checklist, their position, street address, and crane owner or company. Every yes/no checklist answer **starts on Yes**, so leaving a row alone still prints **Yes** on the PDF.

## Checklist Details [#details]

Identifies who owns the checklist entry, when it was done, where the lift is, and which crane company is on site. Fill this from the job and plant records for this lift, not from last week's hire.

The form opens with SafeWork NSW's notice: a **No** answer may mean a breach of WHS duties or associated Codes of Practice.

- **PC / PCBU Registered Name (Text, Required)** - The principal contractor or PCBU registered name for this site, as it appears on contracts, insurance and the site pack. Use the same spelling the principal already has on file so the crane checklist sits with the rest of the job records. If you trade under a different name from the legal entity, use the registered name the authority and principal expect on safety paperwork.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The date this checklist is completed for the lift. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there for on-site completion. The field does not accept a future date, so you cannot pre-date a checklist for a lift that has not been checked yet.
- **Time (Time, Required)** - The time of the check, in 24-hour form such as `07:15`. Useful when more than one crane activity is recorded for the same site on the same day.
- **Checklist Completed By (Text, Required)** - The person who actually walked the records, crew and set-up area. Prefer the site supervisor or PCBU representative coordinating the lift, not someone who only received a phone update from the yard.
- **Position (Combobox, Required)** - Their role on this job. Choose from **Site Supervisor**, **Crane Operator**, **Dogman / Rigger**, **Project Manager**, or **Leading Hand**, or type a custom value when none of those fit. Match the role the person holds for this lift.
- **Street address (Address, Required)** - The job site where the crane is working, not the crane company's depot. Address search is limited to New South Wales and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. Check the result against the contract or site sign; new estates can lag search, and the finished PDF prints the address as one line.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Defaults to `NSW`. Confirm it stays `NSW` when you type the address by hand.
- **Postcode (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm it against the job file when typing manually.
- **Crane Owner / Company (Text, Required)** - The company that owns or is supplying the mobile crane for this lift, as it will appear on their SWMS and plant documents, for example `Hunter Crane Hire Pty Ltd`. Do not put your own builder name here unless you own the crane.

## Crane Pre-start [#cranePrestart]

Covers crane registration, logbook and maintenance evidence, manuals, load chart, pre-start, compliance plate and visual condition. Answer from the plant and records on site for this lift, not from an invoice or a previous hire.

Every yes/no question in this section **starts on Yes**. A Yes is only useful when someone has checked the evidence. Switch to **No** when something is missing or unclear, and write what must happen in Comments. The finished PDF places these answers on the Crane Pre-start page; the compliance-plate serial number is printed beside that question when you have entered one.

- **Is the Mobile Crane Registered With SafeWork? (If Over 10 Tonne Capacity) (Choice, Required)** - **Starts on Yes.** For plant over 10 tonne capacity, confirm registration with SafeWork from the plant item registration evidence, not from memory. Under 10 tonne, use **Yes** only when registration is not required for this plant, or record the actual status if the site expects a different answer.
- **Is the Crane Logbook Available and Up to Date? (Choice, Required)** - **Starts on Yes.** Sight the logbook with the crane and check recent entries match this plant and today's operation, including daily inspection entries the crew rely on.
- **Are Periodic Maintenance Inspections Recorded? (Could Be Manually or Digitally Recorded) (Choice, Required)** - **Starts on Yes.** Look at the maintenance record the crane company supplies, paper or digital. A verbal "we service it" is not a record.
- **Is There Evidence of the Major Service Inspection Being Completed? (Choice, Required)** - **Starts on Yes.** Confirm the major service evidence for this crane is available on site or with the documents the crew brought for the job.
- **Is the Operator's Manual With the Crane? (Choice, Required)** - **Starts on Yes.** Check the cabin or the documents the operator has with the plant, not a copy that stayed in the office.
- **Is the Load Chart for the Crane Available to the Operator? (Choice, Required)** - **Starts on Yes.** The chart for this crane configuration must be available to the operator for the proposed lifts, not a generic chart for another model.
- **Has a Pre-start Check Been Completed, Including Testing Emergency-stop Button? (Choice, Required)** - **Starts on Yes.** Confirm the daily pre-start for this shift has been done, including emergency-stop testing, before you treat the plant as ready.
- **Does the Crane Have a Compliance Plate? Serial Number: (Choice, Required)** - **Starts on Yes.** Confirm the plate is on the crane. When the answer is **Yes**, the serial number field appears and must be filled before download.
- **Crane Compliance Plate Serial Number (Text, Required when you answer Yes to the compliance plate question)** - Read the serial number from the plate on the crane while you are standing at it. The finished PDF prints that number beside the compliance-plate question so the job file is tied to the plant that was checked. If the plate is missing, answer **No** on the plate question instead of inventing a number.
- **Does the Crane Appear To Be Well Serviced With No Visual Signs of Damage/Excessive Wear Around Outriggers, Boom/Jib, Winch Rope/s, Cabin, or Operators' Controls? (Choice, Required)** - **Starts on Yes.** Walk the plant: outriggers, boom or jib, winch ropes, cabin and controls. Mark **No** for damage, excessive wear or anything that needs a competent person before use.
- **Comments (Textarea, Optional)** - Use for what you actually checked or what must be fixed. Name the record, defect or follow-up action. Do not use a comment to paper over an unresolved **No**.
  
  - **Useful** - Annual inspection current. Replace the damaged outrigger pad before the next lift.
  - **Too vague** - All good

## Pre-job Planning [#preJobPlanning]

Records whether the site and crane crew have lined up on induction, consultation, load path, site assessment, SWMS, competence, crane suitability and communication of the safe system of work. This is the PCBU or site-supervisor side of planning; it does not replace the operator's checks or the crane company's procedures.

Every yes/no question **starts on Yes**. Answer from the conversation and documents for this lift. If the site assessment has not happened or the SWMS is not available, select **No** and state what needs to occur before work proceeds.

- **Has the Crane Crew Been Inducted Onto the Site? (Choice, Required)** - **Starts on Yes.** Confirm induction for the crew who will run this lift, not only the hire company's usual people on other jobs.
- **Is There Evidence of Adequate Consultation Between the Principal Contractor, Crane Company and Workers Regarding Job Planning? (Consider Loads To Be Lifted, Lifting/Landing Zones, Ground Conditions and Site Setup) (Choice, Required)** - **Starts on Yes.** Official form notes loads, lifting and landing zones, ground conditions and site set-up as part of that consultation. Look for a real planning conversation or record, not an assumption that everyone knows the plan.
- **Have Hazards Within the Load Path Been Considered? (Choice, Required)** - **Starts on Yes.** Cover overhead powerline clearances, surrounding structures, scaffolds, public areas and anything that has changed since the first plan.
- **Did a Representative From the Crane Company Visit and Assess the Site Prior to the Crane Arriving? (Choice, Required)** - **Starts on Yes.** Confirm a site assessment happened before delivery. A phone quote alone is not a site assessment.
- **Has a Site-specific SWMS Been Prepared and Do You Have a Copy of the Crane SWMS? (Choice, Required)** - **Starts on Yes.** You need both the site-specific method for this work and a copy of the crane company's SWMS on site. High risk construction work still needs a SWMS before that work starts.
- **Have You Ensured That There Is a Qualified Person for the Crane Operations Being Undertaken? (Dual Lifts, Concrete Tilt Up Panels, Steel Erection Etc) (Choice, Required)** - **Starts on Yes.** Match the high risk work licence class to the work: dual lifts, concrete tilt-up, steel erection and similar may need dogger, rigger basic, intermediate or advanced as applicable. Check the licence, not only a verbal claim.
- **Is the Crane Appropriate for the Radius and Load of the Proposed Lifts? (Choice, Required)** - **Starts on Yes.** Confirm capacity and radius against the actual loads and set-up, using the load chart and lift plan for this configuration.
- **Has the Safe System of Work/Plan Been Communicated With the Workers Onsite, Including the Crane Operator, Dogger(s) and Truck Drivers Before They Attend the Site? (Choice, Required)** - **Starts on Yes.** Official form expects the plan to reach the crane operator, dogger(s) and truck drivers before they attend the site. A plan that only sits in the site shed is not communicated.
- **Comments (Textarea, Optional)** - Record who was consulted, what changed in the plan, or what still must happen before the lift. Keep it specific enough that another supervisor can act without reopening every file.
  
  - **Useful** - Lift plan reviewed at pre-start. Spotter assigned to the eastern exclusion zone.
  - **Too vague** - Discussed with crew

## Site Set-Up and Equipment [#siteSetUp]

Turns planning into a check of the actual standing, services, wind, exclusion zone, lifting equipment and whether the lift plan is being followed. Walk the area rather than relying only on an earlier plan; ground, access and nearby work can change after rain or when another trade moves in.

Every yes/no question **starts on Yes**. Recheck if weather, ground, access, load or nearby work changes after you first complete the page.

- **Is the Crane Standing Suitable? (On Solid Ground With Adequate Space for Outrigger Extensions, Packing Under Outriggers, Hard Wood Timbers, Road Plates, Adequate Room for Slewing and Jib/Boom Movements) (Choice, Required)** - **Starts on Yes.** Official form expects solid ground, space for outrigger extensions, packing under outriggers, hard wood timbers or road plates where needed, and room to slew and move the boom or jib. Soft or restricted standing is a **No** until it is controlled.
- **Are There Adequate Controls in Place for Overhead Powerlines? (Clearance Distances, Energy Supplier Approvals, Isolation, De-energised, Tiger Tails, Close Approach Training for Operators and Spotters) (Choice, Required)** - **Starts on Yes.** Cover clearances, energy supplier approvals, isolation or de-energising, tiger tails, and close approach training for operators and spotters where they apply. Check [SafeWork NSW mobile crane guidance](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/hazards-a-z/mobile-cranes) for the current expectations on your site type rather than relying on a generic note.
- **Have Underground Services Been Identified and Considered? (Choice, Required)** - **Starts on Yes.** Use Dial Before You Dig, visual checks and drawings to identify existing and new services, and compare asset locations with outrigger and wheel positions.
- **Has an Engineer's Report Been Prepared and Available Regarding the Crane Standing? (Choice, Required)** - **Starts on Yes.** Where structural or geotechnical advice is needed (for example suspended slabs, back-propping, outrigger positions, compaction), confirm the report is available and matches this set-up. If the site does not need an engineer's report, only answer **Yes** when that is a deliberate, competent decision for this standing, not because the field defaulted.
- **Have Wind Conditions Been Considered? (Type of Load, Source of Wind Data, Crane Fitted or Handheld Anemometer, BOM, Wind Conditions, Controls, Crane Manufacturers Wind Limits) (Choice, Required)** - **Starts on Yes.** Consider the load type, wind data source (crane anemometer, handheld, BOM), manufacturer wind limits and the controls you will use if conditions change during the lift.
- **Is There an Exclusion Zone in Place Around the Crane? (Choice, Required)** - **Starts on Yes.** The zone must work for people and for plant protection from site traffic, forklifts and other CPE, with traffic control or TMP arrangements where the site needs them.
- **Is the Lifting Equipment Suitable for the Loads To Be Lifted? (Choice, Required)** - **Starts on Yes.** Capacity must cover reductions for choke hitches, sling angles and load shape, with the correct gear type and protection against sharp or abrasive edges.
- **Has Lifting Equipment Been Inspected and in Good Working Order? (Choice, Required)** - **Starts on Yes.** Confirm pre-use checks, periodic inspection in line with industry practice (tagged as required), and independent inspection where that applies.
- **Is the Safe System of Work/Plan e.g. Lift Plan, Being Followed On Site? (Choice, Required)** - **Starts on Yes.** Answer from what is happening now, not from the plan agreed last week if the site has drifted. If the crew is improvising, mark **No** and stop the drift before the load moves.
- **Comments (Textarea, Optional)** - Note ground confirmation, powerline controls, barricades, gear checks or any recheck after conditions change.
  
  - **Useful** - Ground bearing pressure confirmed. Barricades installed around the full slew radius.
  - **Too vague** - Site OK

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Leaving every answer on Yes without checking the plant or site.** - The form starts each checklist question on **Yes**, so an untouched page still downloads as a clean pass. Walk the records, crane and set-up area, then change any row that is not true for this lift.
- **Completing the checklist from the office after the lift.** - SafeWork NSW designed this for principal contractors and site supervisors managing mobile crane activities before they start. Final answers need the actual crane, crew and standing in front of you.
- **Using a comment to soften an unresolved No.** - Comments record the gap and the action. They do not make an unsafe or incomplete condition acceptable. Control the issue through the site process before treating the checklist as done.
- **Forgetting the compliance-plate serial number.** - When the plate is present, the serial number is required before download and is printed on the PDF next to that question. Read it at the crane; chasing it later is harder.
- **Putting the builder name in Crane owner / company.** - That line is the crane supplier or owner for this plant. Mixing it with the PCBU name makes the site file look like the builder owns plant they hired.
- **Treating the checklist as a substitute for the SWMS or lift plan.** - The PDF is a site record of checks. It does not replace the crane company's procedures, the lift plan, or a SWMS for high risk construction work.
- **Skipping the crane-company site assessment because the quote looked detailed.** - The official form asks whether a representative assessed the site before the crane arrived. A remote quote does not cover ground, access or load path for this address.
- **Filing the PDF without the supporting lift documents.** - Keep the finished checklist with the lift plan, SWMS, plant records and notes of any changed controls. Alone, the ticks do not show what was planned or what was fixed.

## Before download [#before-download]

- PCBU name, crane owner or company, site address, date, time, completer and position match this lift
- Every Yes answer is backed by records or a walk of the plant and set-up area, not by the default
- Any No has a clear comment and a control or stop decision before the lift proceeds
- Compliance-plate serial number is entered when the plate answer is Yes
- Crew induction, consultation, SWMS copy, competence and load path have been checked for this job
- Standing, services, powerlines, wind, exclusion zone and lifting gear match the area you walked
- The PDF preview shows the address line, comments and compliance serial where expected

## After download [#after-download]

Keep the finished PDF in the site safety file with the lift plan, SWMS, crane-company documents and any photos or notes of controls. Tradie Forms does not lodge this checklist with SafeWork NSW or decide whether the lift can proceed.

- **Resolve or control every recorded No** before the crane activity continues. The checklist is evidence of what was checked, not a permit to ignore gaps.
- **Brief the people involved** on the lift plan, SWMS, exclusion zones and communication method before the load moves.
- **Name the file with the site and date** so it sits with the job, for example `Mobile-crane-checklist - 14 Hunter St - 2026-07-13.pdf`.
- **Recheck and re-download if conditions change** after the first pass: weather, ground, access, load or nearby work can invalidate earlier Yes answers.
- **Keep the supporting trail with the PDF** so a principal, client or inspector can see the plan and plant evidence behind the ticks.

Check the current [SafeWork NSW mobile cranes guidance](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/hazards-a-z/mobile-cranes) and the requirements that apply to your site and plant. What the principal requires on that job sits with the principal and the authority, not with this page.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Mobile crane checklist on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-mobile-crane-safety-checklist-on-site-guide)** - Fuller walkthrough of pre-start, planning and set-up checks before the lift.
- **[NSW WHS SWMS (Form 05)](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement)** - Safe work method statement for high risk construction work that often sits beside the lift.
- **[When a SWMS is required in NSW](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-swms-required-nsw)** - When high risk construction work needs a method statement as well as this checklist.

# NSW Asbestos Clearance (No Air) (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-sw08272-asbestos-clearance)

SW08272 records the visual clearance inspection after non-friable asbestos removal where the no air monitoring certificate is the right SafeWork NSW form. The competent person or asbestos assessor who inspected the area fills it, then downloads the official PDF for the licensed removalist and the job file. [SafeWork NSW says](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/hazards-a-z/asbestos) a clearance inspection is required at the completion of licensed asbestos removal work before reoccupation, and for non-friable work a competent person or an asbestos assessor may issue the certificate.

This is the current SafeWork NSW Non-friable Asbestos Clearance Certificate - No Air Monitoring (catalogue SW08272). Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Planning how the asbestos will be removed before work starts, not recording clearance after inspection? Use [NSW ARCP Class B](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-asbestos-removal-control-plan-class-b)

> **Warning**
>
> Completing the fields is not the clearance inspection. The person issuing the certificate must inspect the area and be satisfied with the result before signing. SafeWork NSW also requires the clearance person to be independent of the removal work for that specific job.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every SW08272 problem comes from filling from memory instead of from the inspection and the removal records. Have these in front of you.

- **Client name and contact** - Who engaged the removal or is receiving the clearance, as you would write on the paper form.
- **Removal job facts** - Date the removal was carried out, the site address, and the specific work area or areas that were cleared.
- **Licensed removalist details** - Business name and asbestos removal licence number, plus supervisor name and contact when that person differs from the removalist.
- **Clearance inspection timing** - The date and time you actually carried out the visual clearance inspection.
- **Inspection outcome and attachments** - Whether no visible asbestos remains, whether the area can be reoccupied, and any photos, drawings or plans that support the certificate.
- **Declarant identity and credentials** - The competent person or asbestos assessor who inspected the area: name, contact, qualifications and experience, and readiness to sign.

Client name and contact, removal date, work area, removalist name and licence number, inspection date, and declaration name, qualifications and date gate the download.

## Client [#client]

Records who the clearance is for. Use the client on the removal engagement or booking, not a site contact who only met the crew at the gate.

- **Name of Client (Text, Required)** - The property owner, builder, principal contractor, project manager or business that engaged the work. Match the spelling used on the ARCP, quote and job booking so the clearance and the plan read as one job. If you are on site without the booking sheet, the removalist supervisor or the principal contractor can confirm the client name.
- **Client Contact Details (Text, Required)** - Phone, email, or both, written as you would on the paper form, for example `02 9123 4567, facilities@harbourview.example`. Put a number or inbox that reaches the person who needs the finished certificate, not a site-only burner that changes every job.

## Removal Work [#removalWork]

Records when and where the non-friable asbestos was removed, which areas were cleared, and who held the removal licence. These lines must match the removal records and the ARCP for the same job.

Use address search for the site address. Search is limited to New South Wales and fills property number, street name, suburb, state and postcode. Include lot or DP numbers in the property number field when they apply. Check the result against the ARCP or notification, because search returns the current postal address and a job can predate a street rename or subdivision. State defaults to `NSW` if you skip it.

On the finished PDF, the licensed removalist name and licence number share one line. Fill both fields in the app so that line is complete.

- **Date Removal Work Carried Out (Date, Required)** - The date the licensed removal actually happened, taken from the job diary, ARCP or crew notes, not the booking date or the day you write the certificate. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there because this is often filled on site or the next morning. The field does not accept a future date.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Defaults to `NSW`. Confirm it when you type the address by hand. Address search fills this for NSW sites.
- **Postcode (Address, Required)** - Filled by address search. Confirm it against the ARCP or rates notice when typing manually.
- **Details of the Specific Asbestos Removal Work Area(s) (Text, Required)** - The exact areas you inspected, written so a later reader can identify them without the job file. Name the room, elevation, unit or storey, not only the trade room type. The declaration later refers to the work area and the surrounding area, so vague wording weakens the whole certificate.
  
  - **Useful** - Level 2 east wing store room and adjoining corridor
  - **Too vague** - Bathroom
- **Name of Licensed Asbestos Removalist (Text, Required)** - The licensed removal business that carried out the work, as on the asbestos removal licence and the ARCP. Use Licence check on the licence number field to search the NSW Asbestos and Demolition Register by number or business name, then confirm the returned name against the licence record for this job.
- **Licence Number (Text, Required)** - The removal licence number as printed on the licence, for example `AD211234`. Take it from the licence card or the current register result, not from a quote footer that may lag a renewal. Incomplete removalist details are one of the most common reasons a certificate is sent back.
- **Name and Contact Details of Licensed Asbestos Removalist Supervisor (If Different to Removalist) (Text, Optional)** - Fill this when the on-site supervisor is not the same person or entity as the named removalist. Use a name and number that reach them, such as `Alex Morgan, 0412 345 678`. Leave blank when the removalist entry already covers the supervisor.

## Inspection [#inspection]

Records when the clearance inspection was carried out. These values come from the inspection itself, not from the removal day unless both events really happened on the same day.

- **Date of Clearance Inspection (Date, Required)** - The date you visually inspected the cleared area. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there for on-site completion. The field does not accept a future date, so the certificate cannot be prepared ahead of the inspection.
- **Time of Clearance Inspection (Time, Optional)** - The time of that same inspection, in 24-hour form such as `14:30`. Fill it when you have it; the official PDF has a dedicated time line and it helps separate same-day removal and clearance events.

## Visual Inspection [#visualInspection]

Captures the three yes/no outcomes from the visual clearance. Answer from what you found on the inspection, not from what the client hopes to hear. Nothing in this section blocks download on its own, which is why an empty or wrong answer still produces a PDF that looks finished.

- **Inspection of the Specific Area Detailed in Section 1 Found No Visible Asbestos Remaining as a Result of the Asbestos Removal Work Carried Out (Choice, Required)** - **Yes** or **No**. Answer after you have inspected the specific areas named in Removal Work. [SafeWork NSW](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/licences-and-registrations/licences/class-b-asbestos-removal-licence/working-as-a-licensed-asbestos-removalist) expects the area to be free of visible asbestos contamination before a clearance certificate is issued. If the answer is **No**, do not issue a positive clearance; re-clean, re-inspect, and record both rounds.
- **Can the Area Be Reoccupied? (Choice, Required)** - **Yes** or **No**. This is the outcome the client, builder and principal contractor will act on. Only answer **Yes** when the inspection supports reoccupation. Leaving this blank still allows download, so treat it as a real decision, not a tick box.
- **Has Additional Information Been Attached? (For Example Photos, Drawings, Plans) (Choice, Required)** - **Yes** when photos, drawings, plans or supporting notes travel with the certificate. Mark **Yes** only if those files are actually stored with the job record and will go out with the PDF. A **Yes** with nothing attached undermines the certificate later.

## Declaration [#declaration]

The official form declaration is: the asbestos removal work area and the surrounding area are free from any visible asbestos; the transit route and waste routes are free from any asbestos; and all asbestos in the scope of the removal work has been removed.

This section is completed by the person who carried out the clearance inspection and is issuing the certificate. [SafeWork NSW says](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/hazards-a-z/asbestos) for non-friable removal that may be a competent person or an asbestos assessor, and the clearance inspection must be independent of the asbestos removal work for that specific job. Do not sign if you did the removal, or if you work for the business that did the removal, unless a regulator exemption applies.

- **Name (Text, Required)** - The full name of the competent person or asbestos assessor who inspected the area and is issuing this certificate. Match the name on any assessor licence or competency record you would produce if asked.
- **ABN (Text, Optional)** - Your business ABN when you issue clearances under a business entity. Use ABN lookup to fill the name when the number is known, then check the result is the entity that should appear on this certificate.
- **Contact Number (Tel, Optional)** - A number that reaches the declarant, for example `0412 345 678`. Prefer the mobile answered during site hours.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The date you make this declaration, usually the inspection day. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there for on-site sign-off. The field does not accept a future date.
- **Qualifications and Experience (Text, Required)** - Why you are the right person to issue this clearance. For a licensed asbestos assessor, state that licence. For a competent person, state the training, qualifications and relevant clearance experience. A blank or vague line does not show competency when the file is reviewed later.
  
  - **Useful** - Licensed asbestos assessor (NSW). 12 years clearance inspection experience on commercial refurbishment projects.
  - **Too vague** - Experienced with asbestos
- **Signature (Signature, Optional)** - Sign after the inspection and the visual outcomes are correct. The signature stamps into the signature box on page 2 of the PDF. You can use a saved signature; check the preview so the stamp sits cleanly. Do not sign for someone else, and do not sign before the inspection is finished.

**Saved detail: Declarant** - save this section to prefill it on your next clearance you issue as the same competent person or assessor.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Treating SW08272 as the Class B ARCP.** - The ARCP is prepared before removal and sets out how the work will be done. SW08272 is the later clearance record after visual inspection. Use the control plan first, then this certificate when the inspection is complete.
- **Describing the work area as Bathroom or Eaves only.** - The declaration refers to the specific work area and the surrounding area. Name the unit, elevation or storey so both can be identified later without the job file.
- **Leaving the removalist licence number blank.** - The official form expects the licensed asbestos removalist name and licence number. Name alone is not enough when the certificate is checked against the licence record.
- **The clearance person is not independent of the removal.** - SafeWork NSW requires the clearance inspection to be independent of the removal for that specific job. Check independence before you inspect, not after the PDF is filled.
- **Answering Yes on reoccupation when the area is not clear.** - A positive clearance over a marginal area is the document you least want to hold later. Re-clean, re-inspect, and record both rounds instead.
- **Marking additional information attached when nothing is filed.** - Photos, drawings and plans only support the certificate if they travel with it. Store them with the job record before you mark Yes.
- **Using this no air monitoring form for friable work.** - This edition is the non-friable certificate without air monitoring. Friable removal and air monitoring clearances follow a different SafeWork NSW process.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Client name and contact match the removal engagement or booking
- Removal date, site address and work area match the ARCP and job records
- Licensed removalist name and licence number are both filled and current
- Clearance inspection date and time match when you actually inspected
- Visual inspection answers match the inspection result, including reoccupation
- Declarant is independent of the removal and qualifications support who is signing
- Any attachments marked on the form are stored with the job record
- The PDF preview shows the declaration, signature and work area as you intend to issue them

## After download [#after-download]

[SafeWork NSW](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/licences-and-registrations/licences/class-b-asbestos-removal-licence/working-as-a-licensed-asbestos-removalist) says the licensed asbestos removalist must ensure a clearance inspection is carried out and a clearance certificate issued before the workplace or residential property is reoccupied. Give the finished PDF to the licensed removalist and any other recipients the job requires, rather than assuming one party will pass it on.

- **Name the file with the site and inspection date** so it sits with the ARCP for the same job, for example `SW08272 - 12 George St - 2026-06-10.pdf`.
- **File it with the ARCP, notification, SWMS, waste records and photos.** The certificate alone does not show what was planned or removed. The set is what answers a question later.
- **Keep supporting attachments with the PDF** when the form says additional information is attached.
- **Start a new form for each separate clearance inspection.** Do not reuse a signed certificate for another area or another day.

Tradie Forms does not lodge SW08272 with SafeWork NSW. Check the current SafeWork NSW asbestos guidance for your job. Retention and who must receive a copy sit with the licensed removalist, the person who commissioned the work, and the authority's current requirements.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[SW08272 field walkthrough](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-non-friable-asbestos-clearance-certificate-sw08272-guide)** - A fuller run through the certificate, who can issue it, and how the visual outcomes work.
- **[ARCP and clearance workflow](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-asbestos-removal-clearance-handover-workflow)** - How the Class B control plan and the clearance certificate sit on one job file.
- **[NSW ARCP Class B](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-asbestos-removal-control-plan-class-b)** - The removal control plan prepared before licensed non-friable work starts.

# NSW WHS Organisation (Form 01) (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-01-organisation-details)

WHS Form 01 records the business, insurance, contact and subcontracting details that open the Housing Industry Site Safety Pack. The PCBU or site manager fills it when setting up the site safety file for a residential construction job. The finished PDF is the SafeWork NSW layout; keep it on site with the rest of the pack and attach current insurance certificates of currency where the principal asks for them.

This is the current SafeWork NSW WHS Form 01 from the Housing Industry Site Safety Pack. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every Form 01 problem comes from typing from memory instead of from current business and policy records. Have these in front of you.

- **Your business identity** - Trading name, ACN or ABN, and the contract licence number you work under.
- **Current insurance certificates of currency** - Workers compensation, public liability, professional indemnity, and sickness and accident where you hold them. The form is not proof that a policy is current.
- **Director or manager and site WHS contact** - Who signs, and who is responsible for managing WHS on this site, with a number that reaches them.
- **A decision on subcontracting** - Whether you will subcontract any of the works, and if so the intended subcontractor business and contact.
- **Optional company logo** - A clear JPG or PNG if you want it stamped into the logo box on the PDF.

Business or trading name and the sign-off date gate the download.

## Organisation [#organisation]

Captures the business that owns this site pack entry: who you are, how many people you run, and what work this pack covers.

- **Business or Trading Name (Text, Required)** - The name on your ABN record and insurance certificates. Use the same spelling across every HIISP form for this job so the principal's file reads as one pack, not three different companies. If you trade under a different name from the legal entity, use the trading name the site knows you by and keep the ABN consistent.
- **Company Logo (Photo, Optional)** - Upload a JPG or PNG. The logo stamps into the logo box on the downloaded PDF. Skip it if you do not have a clean file on the phone; blank is better than a stretched screenshot.
- **ACN/ABN (Text, Optional)** - From your ABN record or the header of a current certificate of currency. Use ABN lookup to fill the business name when the number is known. Check the result against your licence and insurance, because a group structure can return a related entity rather than the one on site.
- **No. of Employees (Numeric, Optional)** - Headcount for the business, not the crew on this one site. Use the figure you would give a principal or insurer if they asked today.
- **Scope of Works (Text, Optional)** - The work this business does under the pack, written so a principal reading the site file understands the trade without opening the contract. Name the trade and the usual residential work types.
  
  - **Useful** - Residential alterations and new builds
  - **Too vague** - Building work

**Saved detail: Organisation** - save this section to prefill it on your next Housing Industry Site Safety Pack for this business.

## Insurances [#insurances]

Four rows on the official form: **Workers compensation**, **Public liability**, **Professional indemnity**, and **Sickness and accident**. Each row uses the same five columns. Leave a row blank when that cover does not apply. Copy every value from a current certificate of currency or policy schedule, not from last year's site pack.

The form notes that you should attach copies of certificates of currency. The PDF fields alone are not proof that a policy is still in force.

- **Organisation (Text, Optional)** - The insurer or underwriting organisation named on the certificate, such as `GIO` or `QBE`. Same column on every insurance row.
- **Policy Number (Text, Optional)** - The policy or certificate number on the currency document. Do not invent a job reference here; a number in this column reads as the insurer's own.
- **Limit per Claim (Text, Optional)** - The per-claim limit from the certificate, in dollars. The field shows a `$` prefix; enter the figure as on the schedule, for example `10,000,000`.
- **Limit Year (Text, Optional)** - The aggregate or annual limit where the certificate states one. If the schedule only shows a per-claim limit, leave this blank rather than repeating the same figure by guesswork.
- **Expiry Date (Date, Optional)** - The expiry on the current certificate. The form only accepts today or a future date, so an already-expired policy cannot be entered as current. When a policy is due to renew mid-job, update this row and re-download once the new certificate arrives.

## Contact [#contact]

Licence, director, business address, phones, and the person who manages WHS on this site. These are the lines a principal dials when something goes wrong.

- **Contract Licence Number (Text, Optional)** - Your NSW contractor licence number as printed on the licence, including the class letter when it forms part of the number, such as `123456C`. Take it from the licence card or the NSW Fair Trading record, not from a quote footer that may lag a renewal.
- **Name of Director or Manager (Text, Optional)** - The person who will sign at the bottom of the form. Match the name on the sign-off signature so the pack does not show two different people in charge.
- **Street address (Address, Optional)** - The business address, not the job site. Address search is limited to New South Wales and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. Check the result against your letterhead or ABN record if the business has moved recently.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm `NSW` when you type the address by hand.
- **Postcode (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm it against the business record when typing manually.
- **Telephone (Tel, Optional)** - The office landline as you publish it to principals, for example `02 9123 4567`.
- **Mobile (Tel, Optional)** - A mobile that is answered during site hours. Prefer the number that reaches the director or office, not a site-only burner that changes every job.
- **Facsimile (Tel, Optional)** - Only when you still publish a fax number. Leave blank rather than inventing one to fill the box.
- **Email (Email, Optional)** - The inbox that receives site pack and insurance requests. Use a monitored business address, not a personal account that leaves with a staff member.
- **Person Responsible for Managing WHS on Site (Text, Optional)** - The named person who owns WHS on this site day to day. Can be the director, a site manager, or another appointed person. This is who the principal and SafeWork will expect to speak to on site.
- **Contact Details (Text, Optional)** - How to reach that WHS person quickly, usually a mobile number. Put the number that works on site, not only the office switchboard.

## Subcontracting [#subcontracting]

Records whether you intend to subcontract all or part of the works on this site, and who you intend to use. The official form also states that you must ensure those subcontractors provide an SWMS for specialised high risk construction work, and that you will participate in reviewing and amending that SWMS with the PCBU and the workers it covers.

- **We intend to subcontract all or part of the works (Select, Optional)** - Choose **do** or **do not**. Answer for this site, not for the business in general. Leaving it blank makes the pack look unfinished when a principal checks the first page.
- **Business (Text, Optional)** - Required in practice when you selected **do**. Name the intended subcontractor business as it will appear on their SWMS and insurance, for example `Spark Right Electrical Pty Ltd`.
- **Contact Details (Text, Optional)** - A named person and number for that subcontractor, such as `Sam Lee, 0400 111 222`. Enough that the site can reach them without opening another file.

If more than one subcontractor is intended, put the primary or first-engaged business here and keep the full subcontractor list with their SWMS in the site file. Form 01 is a single pair of business and contact lines on the official PDF.

## Sign-off [#signOff]

Director or manager signature and date. This closes Form 01 on the official layout.

- **Signed (Director or Manager) (Signature, Optional)** - The director or manager named above. Sign when the organisation, insurance and contact details are correct for this site pack, not as a blank template for later jobs. You can use a saved signature; check the preview so the stamp sits cleanly in the signature box on page one.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The date this Form 01 is completed for the pack. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there because this is usually filled when the site file is opened. The field does not accept a future date.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Treating the insurance rows as proof of cover.** - The form tells you to attach certificates of currency. Policy numbers alone do not prove a policy is still current when a principal or SafeWork checks the file.
- **Copying last year's site pack without checking renewals.** - Trading names, licence numbers and insurance expiry dates change. A pack that still shows a lapsed policy or an old licence is worse than an incomplete page, because it looks current.
- **Selecting do for subcontracting and leaving Business blank.** - The official form expects the intended subcontractor when you will use one. Empty business and contact lines under **do** read as unfinished.
- **Using a different business name on every HIISP form.** - Form 01 sets the identity for the pack. Forms 04, 05 and 06 that show another trading name make the file look like three contractors, not one.
- **Putting the job site address in Business address.** - Business address is your office or registered place of business. The site address belongs on the site-specific forms later in the pack.
- **Naming one person as director and signing as someone else.** - Name of director or manager and the signature should match. Two different names on the same page undermine who is accountable for the pack.
- **Leaving Person responsible for managing WHS on site empty.** - That is the contact a principal or inspector expects on the ground. If the director is not on site daily, name the person who is.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Business or trading name matches the ABN, licence and insurance certificates
- Each insurance row that applies is taken from a current certificate of currency
- Expiry dates are still in force for the period the site pack will cover
- Contract licence number and director name match the sign-off person
- Business address is the business, not the job site
- Subcontracting intent is answered, and Business is filled when the answer is do
- Date is the day this pack entry is completed, and the signature is the named director or manager
- The PDF preview shows the logo and signature in the right boxes, and you still need to attach certificates of currency separately

## After download [#after-download]

Keep the finished PDF in the site safety file on site and retain a copy with your business records. Tradie Forms does not lodge Form 01 with SafeWork NSW or any other authority.

- **Attach current certificates of currency** to the handover pack whenever the principal or contract requires them. The insurance table on the form is not a substitute.
- **Name the file with the business and date** so it sits with Forms 02 to 10 for the same site, for example `WHS-01 - Mitchell Building - 2026-06-15.pdf`.
- **Reuse the Organisation saved detail** on the next pack for the same business, then re-check licence and insurance expiry before you sign again.
- **Move on to the rest of the pack** the job needs. Form 01 alone does not replace roles, policy, risk assessment, SWMS, toolbox talks or registers.

Check the current SafeWork NSW Housing Industry Site Safety Pack guidance for your job type. What the principal requires on that site sits with the principal and the authority, not with this page.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[NSW WHS Roles (Form 02)](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-02-roles-responsibilities)** - Next page in the pack: who holds which WHS responsibilities on site.
- **[NSW WHS SWMS (Form 05)](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement)** - Safe work method statement for high risk construction work, including work your subcontractors must cover.
- **[HIISP site pack overview](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-whs-site-pack-swms-risk-assessment-toolbox)** - How Forms 04, 05 and 06 work together, and why organisation details must stay consistent across the pack.

# NSW WHS Roles (Form 02) (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-02-roles-responsibilities)

WHS Form 02 records who holds overall WHS responsibility for the business, and the business owner and supervisor sign-offs that go with those roles. It is the second page of the Housing Industry Site Safety Pack, filled by the PCBU or site manager when the site safety file is set up. The finished PDF is the SafeWork NSW layout, with the duty lists already printed under each role. If you still need the business identity page, use [NSW WHS Organisation (Form 01)](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-01-organisation-details).

This is the current SafeWork NSW WHS Form 02 from the Housing Industry Site Safety Pack. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

> **Warning**
>
> Signing this page records who is allocated which role on the pack. It does not transfer or remove duties under the current WHS requirements. The people named still need the authority and competence to carry out the role.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Duty bullet lists for business owner, supervisor and worker are already on the PDF. You fill the overview line and the two sign-off rows only. Have these in front of you.

- **Who has overall WHS responsibility** - The role title and the named person or business that owns safe work for this site pack.
- **Business owner or director ready to sign** - Name of the owner, director or manager who will sign the first row, and a way to capture their signature.
- **Supervisor or leading hand ready to sign** - Name of the manager, supervisor or leading hand who runs operational safety on site, and their signature.
- **The date the pack is being completed** - Both sign-off rows need a date. Use the day each person signs, not a future planning date.

Six fields gate the download: role or title, responsible person or business, both names, and both dates. Signatures are strongly expected on a finished pack page even though download does not block without them.

## Overview [#overview]

Builds the opening sentence on the PDF: who has overall responsibility for the safe conduct of all work carried out on behalf of the business. Use the actual arrangement for this job, not a generic company line.

- **Role or Title (Combobox, Required)** - The position that holds overall WHS responsibility for work done under this business. Pick from the list (**Director**, **Site Supervisor**, **Project Manager**, **WHS Manager**, **Foreman**, **Leading Hand**, **Worker**) or type a custom title if none fit. This fills the first blank in the PDF sentence, so write the role as it is used on site, not a job code.
- **Responsible Person or Business (Text, Required)** - The named person or the business that holds that overall responsibility. Match the trading name on Form 01 when the business itself owns the duty, or the real person when an individual has accepted it. A vague entry here leaves the principal's file without a clear account holder.
  
  - **Useful** - Mitchell Building Pty Ltd
  - **Too vague** - the company

The PDF sentence reads as: *The \[Role or Title], \[Responsible Person or Business], has overall responsibility for the safe conduct of all work activities carried out on behalf of the business.*

## Business Owner [#businessOwner]

Owner, director or manager sign-off. The duty list under this heading (implementing procedures, planning work safely, training, consultation, hazard reports, and so on) is printed on the downloaded PDF. You only record who accepts that role and when.

- **Name (Text, Required)** - Full name of the owner, director or manager signing this row. Prefer the same person named as director or manager on Form 01 so the pack does not show two different people in charge.
- **Signature (Signature, Optional)** - The same person named above. Sign when the overview and name are correct for this site pack. You can use a saved signature; check the preview so the stamp sits cleanly in the signature box on the page. Download does not block without a signature, but a blank signature box on a handed-over pack reads as incomplete.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The day this person signs. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there because this is usually filled when the site file is opened. The field does not accept a future date.

**Saved detail: Business Owner** - save this section to prefill it on your next Housing Industry Site Safety Pack for this business.

## Supervisor [#supervisor]

Manager, supervisor or leading hand sign-off. The printed duty list covers operational safety: SWMS facilitation, site inductions, toolbox talks, inspections, and day-to-day compliance. Record who holds that operational role on this job.

- **Name (Text, Required)** - Full name of the manager, supervisor or leading hand who will carry operational safety on site. If the owner also runs the site day to day, the same person can appear on both rows; still complete both sign-offs when that is the real arrangement.
- **Signature (Signature, Optional)** - The same person named in this section. Sign when they have accepted the operational role for this pack. Use a saved signature if you have one, and check the preview for placement in the lower signature box.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The day this person signs. Same rules as the business owner date: no future dates, Today and Yesterday shortcuts available. When both people sign on different days, use each person's actual sign date rather than forcing a single pack date.

**Saved detail: Supervisor** - save this section to prefill it on your next Housing Industry Site Safety Pack when the same supervisor is used.

## Worker [#worker]

Individual worker duties are printed on the downloaded PDF. There are no fields to fill in this section.

The PDF states that every worker is responsible for conducting allocated tasks safely, considering others, co-operating on WHS, leaving the work site safe, complying with the SWMS (and being encouraged to help develop SWMS for high risk construction work), and complying with site safety rules from the site induction. Brief the crew against those points; do not try to retype them into this form.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Putting a role title that nobody on site holds.** - The overview sentence names who has overall responsibility. If the pack says **WHS Manager** and the job has none, a principal or inspector will ask for someone who is not there. Match the real arrangement.
- **Writing a vague responsible person line.** - `the company`, `TBA` or a first name alone does not identify who owns the duty on the finished PDF. Use the trading name from Form 01 or the full name of the person who has accepted the role.
- **Naming one person and signing as someone else.** - Name and signature on each row should match. Two different identities on the same sign-off undermine who accepted the duty list printed above it.
- **Leaving both signatures blank because download allowed it.** - Names and dates alone leave empty signature boxes on the SafeWork layout. Capture both signatures before you file the page in the site pack.
- **Using a future date so the pack looks ready early.** - Both date fields reject future dates. Sign when the allocation is real, not when you hope the job will start.
- **Treating the signed page as a transfer of legal duty.** - Completing Form 02 records the allocation on the pack. It does not remove WHS duties from the PCBU or anyone else under the legislation. Keep competence and authority aligned with the names you write.
- **Skipping the briefing for the people named.** - A signed PDF the supervisor has never seen is paperwork, not a working arrangement. Walk each signatory through the duty list printed under their heading before you file the page.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Role or title matches who actually holds overall WHS responsibility on this job
- Responsible person or business is a full name or trading name, not a placeholder
- Business owner name matches the person who will sign that row
- Supervisor name matches the person who runs operational safety on site
- Both dates are the days each person signed, not future dates
- Both signatures are captured, or you know you will add them before handover
- The PDF preview shows the overview sentence and both sign-off rows filled as intended

## After download [#after-download]

Keep the finished PDF in the site safety file on site and retain a copy with your business records. Tradie Forms does not lodge Form 02 with SafeWork NSW or any other authority.

- **Name the file with the business and date** so it sits with Forms 01 and 03 for the same site, for example `WHS-02 - Mitchell Building - 2026-06-15.pdf`.
- **Brief the people named** on the duty lists printed under their headings before you leave the pack on site.
- **Reuse the Business Owner and Supervisor saved details** on the next pack for the same people, then re-check that the overview still matches this job.
- **Move on to the rest of the pack** the job needs. Form 02 alone does not replace the WHS policy, risk assessment, SWMS, toolbox talks or registers.

Check the current SafeWork NSW Housing Industry Site Safety Pack guidance for your job type. What the principal requires on that site sits with the principal and the authority, not with this page.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[NSW WHS Organisation (Form 01)](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-01-organisation-details)** - Previous page in the pack: business identity, insurance and contact details.
- **[NSW WHS Policy (Form 03)](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-03-whs-policy)** - Next page in the pack: the WHS policy statement and sign-off.
- **[HIISP site pack overview](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-whs-site-pack-swms-risk-assessment-toolbox)** - How the Housing Industry Site Safety Pack fits together, including Forms 04 to 06.

# NSW WHS Policy (Form 03) (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-03-whs-policy)

WHS Form 03 is the work health and safety policy page from the Housing Industry Site Safety Pack. The full policy text is already printed on the SafeWork NSW PDF; you only complete the name, position, signature and date acknowledgement. Keep the finished PDF in the site safety file with the rest of the pack, and make the policy available to workers as your arrangements require.

This is the current SafeWork NSW WHS Form 03 from the Housing Industry Site Safety Pack. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every Form 03 problem comes from signing a blank template for later, or using a different name from Form 01. Have these in front of you.

- **Who has authority to acknowledge the policy** - The owner, director or manager who can commit the business to the WHS objectives on the page.
- **That person's name and position** - Match Form 01 director or manager wording when the same person signs both, so the pack reads as one business.
- **A quick read of the printed policy** - Objectives and commitment sit on the PDF, not in the app. Sign only when that wording still fits how you run WHS.
- **The date of this pack entry** - Use the day the policy is acknowledged for this site file, not a date held for a later job.

Name, position and date gate the download. Signature should still go on the policy line so the pack is a signed record.

## Sign-off [#signOff]

Acknowledges the printed WHS policy for this business. The app only collects the sign-off block; the objectives, commitment and consultation wording appear on the downloaded Housing Industry Site Safety Pack PDF.

- **Name (Text, Required)** - The person acknowledging the policy. Use the same spelling as Form 01 **Name of Director or Manager** when that person is the signatory, so the principal's file does not show two different people in charge of the same pack. If someone else has authority for this acknowledgement, use their full name as they sign other WHS records.
- **Position (Combobox, Required)** - Their role for this pack. Common options are **Director**, **Managing Director**, **Site Supervisor**, **Project Manager**, **WHS Manager** and **Owner**; you can also type a custom title. Prefer the title the principal and workers already use for that person, not a job-site nickname.
- **Signature (Signature, Optional)** - The same person named above. Sign when you have read the policy text on the PDF and the name and position are correct for this pack, not as a blank stamp for later jobs. You can use a saved signature; check the preview so the stamp sits cleanly in the signature box on the policy page.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The day this policy acknowledgement is completed for the pack. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there because this is usually filled when the site file is opened. The field does not accept a future date.

**Saved detail: Signatory** - save this section to prefill it on your next Housing Industry Site Safety Pack for this business.

Prefill restores name and position only. The person still needs to review the policy and sign each pack entry.

The finished PDF carries the SafeWork NSW policy objectives and commitment paragraphs above the sign-off block. Nothing you type in the app rewrites that policy text.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Signing without reading the policy on the PDF.** - The app only shows the sign-off fields. The commitment and objectives sit on the downloaded page. Open the preview before you treat the file as acknowledged.
- **Using a different name from Form 01.** - Form 01 sets who runs the pack. A Form 03 signed by someone else without explanation makes the site file look inconsistent when a principal checks the first pages.
- **Prefilling the signatory and skipping the signature.** - Saved Signatory details restore name and position only. A policy page with a name and no signature is not a finished acknowledgement for the site file.
- **Dating the form for a job that has not started.** - The date field rejects future dates for a reason. Use the day you actually complete this pack entry; open a fresh Form 03 when the next site pack needs its own acknowledgement.
- **Treating Form 03 as a complete WHS system.** - The signed policy is one page in the pack. It does not replace roles, risk assessment, SWMS, toolbox talks, training or registers the job still needs.
- **Never revisiting the policy after the business changes.** - Trading name, work types or WHS arrangements can outgrow the signed page. Review when the business or how you run sites changes, then re-sign a current pack entry rather than relying on last year's PDF alone.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Name matches the person who is actually acknowledging the policy
- Position matches how that person is named on Form 01 and other pack pages
- You have read the policy text on the PDF preview, not only the sign-off fields
- Signature is the named person, and the stamp sits cleanly in the box
- Date is the day this pack entry is completed, not a future placeholder
- The PDF preview shows name, position, signature and date on the policy page

## After download [#after-download]

Keep the finished PDF in the site safety file on site and retain a copy with your business records. Tradie Forms does not lodge Form 03 with SafeWork NSW or any other authority.

- **Name the file with the business and date** so it sits with Forms 01, 02 and the rest of the pack, for example `WHS-03 - Mitchell Building - 2026-06-15.pdf`.
- **Make the policy available to workers** as your site arrangements require. A PDF only in a director's email does not help the crew on site.
- **Reuse the Signatory saved detail** on the next pack for the same business, then re-check name and position before signing again.
- **Move on to the rest of the pack** the job needs. Form 03 alone does not replace organisation details, roles, risk assessment, SWMS or toolbox talks.

Check the current SafeWork NSW Housing Industry Site Safety Pack guidance for your job type. What the principal requires on that site sits with the principal and the authority, not with this page.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[NSW WHS Organisation (Form 01)](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-01-organisation-details)** - Business identity and insurance details that open the same site pack.
- **[NSW WHS Roles (Form 02)](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-02-roles-responsibilities)** - Who holds which WHS responsibilities, usually completed with Forms 01 and 03.
- **[HIISP site pack overview](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-whs-site-pack-swms-risk-assessment-toolbox)** - How Forms 04, 05 and 06 work together after the policy pages are in the file.

# NSW WHS Site Risk Assessment (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-04-site-specific-risk-assessment)

WHS Form 04 records the hazards on a particular residential construction site and the controls you will use for them. The PCBU or site supervisor completes it after walking the site, usually when the Housing Industry Site Safety Pack is opened for that job. The finished PDF is the SafeWork NSW layout for the site file; it feeds the Form 05 SWMS and Form 06 toolbox talk rather than replacing either of them.

This is the current SafeWork NSW WHS Form 04 from the Housing Industry Site Safety Pack. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Need a method statement for high risk construction work rather than a site hazard scan? Use [NSW WHS SWMS](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement)

> **Warning**
>
> Form 04 finds site hazards. If any of those hazards are high risk construction work, you still need a Safe Work Method Statement (WHS Form 05) before that work starts.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every weak Form 04 comes from filling it from the plan in the office instead of from the ground. Have these in front of you.

- **A walk of the current site** - Access, voids, services, plant, weather exposure, neighbouring structures, and what other trades are doing today.
- **The scope for this stage** - What work this assessment covers, and the start and finish window you are assessing.
- **Organisation and assessor names** - The business on the pack and the person who walked the site and will sign.
- **Site address for this job** - The residential address the principal's file expects, matching Forms 05 and 06.
- **Input from people who will do the work** - They notice different hazards than a desk review, especially around access and handling.
- **A decision on high risk construction work** - Whether anything you find needs a Form 05 SWMS before that activity starts.

Organisation's name and the assessor name gate the download. Checklist controls are optional in the form, but blank rows on hazards you saw on site leave the pack unfinished for a principal.

## Assessment [#assessment]

Captures what this assessment covers and when it was done: scope of works, start and finish dates, and time.

- **Scope of Works (Text, Optional)** - The work this assessment applies to on this site, written so a principal or another trade reading the pack knows the stage without opening the contract. Name the residential work type and location, not a generic trade label.
  
  - **Useful** - Second-storey extension and roof framing
  - **Too vague** - Building work
- **Start Date (Date, Optional)** - The start of the period this assessment covers. Today shortcut is there for assessments filled on the day the stage opens. The field does not accept a future date.
- **Finish Date (Date, Optional)** - The end of the period this assessment covers, not a guess at final handover months away. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are available. The field does not accept a future date, so update and re-download when the stage window moves.
- **Time (Time, Optional)** - The time of the assessment walk or sign-off, such as `07:00`. Useful when more than one assessment is filed for the same address in a day.

## Organisation [#organisation]

Names who owns this pack entry, who assessed the site, where the site is, and the assessor signature. Keep the business name consistent with Forms 01, 05 and 06 for the same job.

- **Organisation's Name (Text, Required)** - The business that holds this site pack entry, as it appears on Form 01 and your insurance. Use the same spelling across every HIISP form for this job so the principal's file reads as one contractor. If you trade under a different name from the legal entity, use the trading name the site knows you by.
- **Assessment Undertaken By (Name) (Text, Required)** - The person who walked the site and completed this assessment. Match the signature below so the pack does not show two different people as assessor. Prefer the person who was actually on the ground, not only the director who will never visit the block.
- **Street address (Address, Optional)** - The job site address, not the business office. Address search is limited to New South Wales and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. Check the result against the contract or site sign, because search returns the current postal address and a new estate can lag.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Defaults to `NSW`. Confirm it stays `NSW` when you type the address by hand.
- **Postcode (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm it against the job file when typing manually.
- **Signature (Signature, Optional)** - The assessor named above. Sign when the scope, site and controls are correct for this walk, not as a blank stamp for later jobs. You can use a saved signature; check the preview so the stamp sits cleanly in the signature box on page one of the PDF.

**Saved detail: Organisation** - save this section to prefill it on your next site risk assessment for this business.

## Hazard Log [#hazardLog]

Records additional hazards introduced during the job after the first assessment: what was found, what was done, and who did it. Use it when conditions change mid-stage, not as a second copy of every checklist answer.

One row is one hazard event. Each row has **Date**, **Hazard(s) Identified**, **Actions Taken**, and **By Whom**. You can add up to **24 rows**, matching the printed table on page two of the official PDF. Leave unused rows out rather than adding blanks. Rows do not reorder; add them in the order they happened.

On the finished PDF the assessment header, organisation block, signature and twelve checklist controls sit on page one. The hazard log table fills page two. Long text in a cell can clip, so keep each entry short enough to read in the preview.

- **Hazard log rows (Table, Optional)** - Add a row when a new hazard appears on site: a void opened, plant arrived, access changed, weather exposure shifted, or another trade introduced a risk you did not have on day one. Date is limited to today or earlier, with Today and Yesterday shortcuts. Write the hazard as a site condition, not a category, and name the action that was actually taken and who took it.
  
  - **Useful** - Unprotected balcony edge during framing; temporary guardrail installed before work started; Jordan Mitchell
  - **Too vague** - Working at heights; PPE; supervisor

Date on each row cannot be in the future. If you need more than 24 logged events for a long job, keep the overflow in the site diary or a supplementary register and keep this table for the hazards that matter to the current stage.

## Checklist [#checklist]

Twelve SafeWork NSW prompts for site conditions. For each hazard you identified on the walk, enter the control measures you will use. The full question text appears as helper text in the form and as the numbered list on page one of the downloaded PDF. A blank control box next to a real hazard reads as unfinished, not as "not applicable".

If any item involves high risk construction work, prepare Form 05 before that work starts. Do not try to turn every ordinary site note into a SWMS row; leave ordinary controls here and reserve Form 05 for the high risk method.

Write controls that will actually happen on this site with the people and plant available. Name what is done, who owns it, and when. PPE alone is not a control plan.

- **Parking Arrangements (Text, Optional)** - Official prompt: can parking arrangements cause incidents or injuries? Cover visitor parking, deliveries, and any shared driveway or street constraints that affect this block.
  
  - **Useful** - Marked visitor bay on the nature strip; concrete truck staged on the street with a spotter
  - **Too vague** - Park carefully
- **Slips, Trips and Falls (Text, Optional)** - Safe access and egress for the stage: muddy paths, temporary stairs, cords, rubble, and level changes between the street and the work face.
- **Other Trades or Activities (Text, Optional)** - Other trades or activities that can affect your work safety this week, such as an electrician on live circuits or a roofer working above your zone.
- **Communication With Other Trades (Text, Optional)** - How you have spoken with other trades or workers in the area: toolbox talk, shared access plan, or named contact. Empty means nobody has coordinated, not that coordination is unnecessary.
- **Amenities Maintenance (Text, Optional)** - Site amenities and whether poor maintenance can affect health. Note portable toilet service, wash water, and any shared facilities the principal provides.
- **Fall Zones and Penetrations (Text, Optional)** - Stair voids, roof areas, balconies and other fall openings. Say what is barricaded or signed, and what is still open. Fall risk over two metres is a common cue to open Form 05.
- **Falling Objects (Text, Optional)** - What can fall on workers or passers-by, and what you will do about it: tool tethering, exclusion zones, debris nets, or sequencing so nobody works under open framing.
- **Moving Plant and Vehicles (Text, Optional)** - Plant, trucks and cars that can hit workers or pedestrians. Cover delivery routes, reverse alarms, spotters, and any shared access with neighbours.
- **Impaling Hazards (Text, Optional)** - Star pickets, reo bars, stacked pallets and similar. Cap, cover or isolate them in the work area rather than relying on people to remember they are there.
- **Trenches and Excavations (Text, Optional)** - Open trenches or excavations on or beside the work zone. Note depth, barriers, and whether backfill or covers are in place for this stage.
- **Overhead and Underground Services (Text, Optional)** - Overhead lines and underground services workers can contact. Dial Before You Dig results, marked services, and clearance from live overhead lines belong here.
- **Manual Handling (Text, Optional)** - What is being lifted, roughly how heavy, and how it moves on this site. Team lifts, mechanical aids, and staging of packs beat a bare "use correct technique".

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Writing the assessment from the office without walking the site.** - Generic residential hazards describe every site and none of them. Walk the ground first so the controls match this address.
- **Naming hazard categories instead of site conditions.** - `Working at heights` does not tell the next person what is unprotected or when it matters. Write the edge, void or access problem you actually saw.
- **Listing PPE as the only control on every row.** - Elimination and engineering beat reliance on behaviour. Name the barrier, sequence, exclusion zone or equipment change that removes the risk.
- **Leaving checklist controls blank for hazards you found.** - The official form expects a suitable control under each identified hazard. Empty boxes look like the walk never happened.
- **Treating Form 04 as a substitute for a SWMS.** - High risk construction work still needs Form 05 before it starts. Form 04 finds the hazard; Form 05 plans the high risk method.
- **Using a different organisation name from Forms 01, 05 and 06.** - The principal's pack should read as one contractor. Match the Form 01 trading name.
- **Never updating the assessment after the site changes.** - A new stage, plant arrival, open void or access change makes the old page describe a different site. Update the checklist and add hazard log rows, then re-download.
- **Filling the hazard log with blank padding rows.** - Unused PDF rows should stay empty. Only add rows for hazards that were actually identified and actioned.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Organisation's name matches Form 01 and the other HIISP forms for this job
- Assessor name is the person who walked the site and matches the signature
- Site address is the job, not the business office
- Scope of works names this stage clearly enough for a principal reading the pack alone
- Every hazard you found on the walk has a control written under the matching checklist item
- High risk construction work is flagged for Form 05 rather than left only as a Form 04 note
- Hazard log rows are real events only, with date, action and who, and no blank padding
- The PDF preview shows page one controls and page two log rows without clipped text

## After download [#after-download]

Keep the finished PDF in the site safety file on site and retain a copy with your business records. Tradie Forms does not lodge Form 04 with SafeWork NSW or any other authority.

- **Brief the crew on the controls** before the stage starts, then record that talk on Form 06 when you hold one.
- **Open Form 05** for any high risk construction work identified here, before that work starts.
- **Name the file with the site and date** so it sits with the rest of the pack, for example `WHS-04 - 14 Hunter St - 2026-06-20.pdf`.
- **Update and re-download when the site changes.** Keep earlier versions in the job folder rather than overwriting the only copy; the sequence shows the site was being managed as conditions moved.
- **Reuse the Organisation saved detail** on the next assessment for this business, then re-check the site address and assessor for the new job.

Check the current SafeWork NSW Housing Industry Site Safety Pack guidance for your job type. What the principal requires on that site sits with the principal and the authority, not with this page.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[NSW WHS SWMS (Form 05)](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement)** - Method statement for high risk construction work identified on this assessment.
- **[NSW WHS Toolbox Talk (Form 06)](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-06-toolbox-talk-record)** - Record the crew talk that communicates the hazards and controls from Forms 04 and 05.
- **[HIISP site pack overview](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-whs-site-pack-swms-risk-assessment-toolbox)** - How Forms 04, 05 and 06 move together on residential sites.

# NSW WHS SWMS (Form 05) (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement)

WHS Form 05 records the Safe Work Method Statement for high risk construction work on a residential site pack job: who is doing the work, what the high risk activity is, the site-specific task rows, and who was consulted. The PCBU that carries out the high risk work prepares it before that work starts; the finished PDF is the SafeWork NSW Housing Industry Site Safety Pack layout for the site file and the principal. [SafeWork NSW requires](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/construction/general-requirements/prepare-safe-work-method-statement) a SWMS for high risk construction work, not for every ordinary construction task.

This is the current SafeWork NSW WHS Form 05 from the Housing Industry Site Safety Pack. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Walking the whole site for hazards rather than writing the high risk method? Use [NSW WHS Site Risk Assessment](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-04-site-specific-risk-assessment)

> **Warning**
>
> Work must follow the SWMS. If it does not, stop the work as soon as it is safe and do not resume until it can follow the SWMS, including after any required review.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every Form 05 problem comes from reusing last job's wording without checking this site. Have these in front of you.

- **Confirmation that the work is high risk construction work** - Falls more than two metres, work near energised electrical services, powered mobile plant zones, deep trenches, asbestos disturbance, and the rest of the SafeWork NSW high risk list. Ordinary tasks that are not high risk do not need a SWMS row.
- **Form 04 hazards for this stage, if you completed one** - Lift only the high risk items into this SWMS so the method and the risk assessment do not contradict each other.
- **PCBU and principal contractor identity** - Business name, ABN, office address and phone for the PCBU, plus the principal's name, ABN and address when a principal is on the job.
- **The real site address and works manager contact** - The job location the crew will work at, not the builder's office, and a mobile that answers during the task.
- **How the crew will be consulted** - Toolbox talk, pre-start, or a walk-through of the task rows, so you can record consultation rather than invent it after the fact.
- **A clear task sequence for the high risk work** - Each step you will put in a row: the task, the site-specific hazard, and the control that will actually be on site before that step starts.

Business Name gates the download. Every other field is optional in the app, but a usable SWMS still needs the high risk description, site-specific task rows, consultation, and the people who own compliance and worker receipt.

## PCBU [#pcbu]

Captures the person conducting a business or undertaking for this SWMS: the business that will carry out the high risk work. On the finished PDF these values compose into a single line with the business name, ABN, office address and phone.

- **Business Name (Text, Required)** - The name on your ABN record and insurance, written the same way as on Form 01 and the rest of this site pack. Use ABN lookup from the business name to fill the ABN when the name is known. A leftover trading name from another job is a common gate-check fail.
- **ABN (Text, Optional)** - From your ABN record or a current certificate of currency. Use ABN lookup to fill the business name when you start from the number. Check the result against the entity on site, because a group structure can return a related company.
- **Street address (Address, Optional)** - The PCBU office or registered business address, not the job site. Address search is limited to New South Wales and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. Check the result if the business has moved recently.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Starts on **NSW**. Confirm it when you type the address by hand.
- **Postcode (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm it against the business record when typing manually.
- **Phone (Tel, Optional)** - The office or primary business number a principal or inspector can call, for example `02 4923 1100`. Prefer a monitored number, not a site-only handset that changes every job.

**Saved detail: PCBU** - save this section to prefill it on your next SWMS for this business.

## Principal Contractor [#principalContractor]

Records the principal contractor when one is involved on the project. SafeWork NSW construction guidance expects the principal to get a copy of the SWMS for high risk construction work. On the finished PDF the name, ABN and address compose into a single line.

- **Name (Text, Optional)** - The principal contractor business as it appears on the project file, for example `Harbour Homes Pty Ltd`. Leave blank only when there is no principal on this job. Use ABN lookup from the name to fill the ABN when known.
- **ABN (Text, Optional)** - From the principal's ABN record or project paperwork. Use ABN lookup to fill the name when you start from the number. Confirm it matches the entity named in the contract or site induction pack.
- **Street address (Address, Optional)** - The principal's office address, not the job site. Address search is limited to New South Wales. Check the result against the project contact sheet if the principal has more than one office.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Starts on **NSW**. Confirm it when typing by hand.
- **Postcode (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm against the project record when typing manually.

**Saved detail: Principal Contractor** - save this section to prefill it on your next SWMS for the same principal.

## Work Activity [#workActivity]

Names what this SWMS covers and which high risk construction work triggers it. Keep both fields specific to this site and this stage of work.

- **Work Activity (Text, Optional)** - The job description a site supervisor can read in thirty seconds. Name the building work and location context, not a trade label alone.
  
  - **Useful** - Second-storey extension and roof framing
  - **Too vague** - Building work
- **High Risk Construction Work (Textarea, Optional)** - The high risk construction work types that apply, drawn from the [SafeWork NSW high risk list](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/construction). You can cover more than one high risk activity on one SWMS when the method stays clear. Do not list ordinary tasks that are not high risk construction work.

If you finished Form 04 first, the high risk items on that assessment are the starting point for this description and for the task rows below.

## Work Location [#workLocation]

The site where the high risk construction work will be carried out. The finished PDF shows a single composed address line.

- **Street address (Address, Optional)** - The job site address, not the PCBU or principal office. Address search is limited to New South Wales and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. On multi-dwelling sites, include unit, lot or elevation detail in the street line so workers can tell which building the SWMS covers.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Starts on **NSW**. Confirm it when typing by hand.
- **Postcode (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm it against the site sign or project pack when typing manually.

## Contacts [#contacts]

Who owns day-to-day coordination of this SWMS on site, and how to reach them while the high risk work is under way.

- **Works Manager (Text, Optional)** - The named person responsible for running the work this SWMS covers, for example `Jordan Mitchell`. Match the person the crew actually reports to on site, not only the office director.
- **Contact Phone (Tel, Optional)** - A mobile that is answered during the task, for example `0412 345 678`. Prefer the works manager's site phone over a switchboard that will not reach them on the roof.

## Consultation [#consultation]

Records how workers were consulted about this SWMS. SafeWork NSW expects hazards, risks and controls to be communicated so the people using the document understand it. A signature without a conversation is a weak record.

- **Workers Consulted (Textarea, Optional)** - How consultation happened and who was involved. Name the meeting type, the crew, and what they confirmed. If your pack also uses Form 06, keep the toolbox talk record with this SWMS so both point at the same method.
  
  - **Useful** - Toolbox talk with framing crew on 20 June 2026. Workers confirmed fall zones, exclusion areas and edge protection checks before trusses go up.
  - **Too vague** - Workers told about SWMS

## SWMS Tasks [#swmsRows]

The core of the form: up to **15** task rows for the high risk construction work. Each row is one step of that work, with the hazard and the control for that step. Leave unused rows out rather than adding blanks. On the finished PDF the rows fill the task table on page two.

The in-app notice matches the official layout: each row covers the task, hazards and risks, and control measures. SafeWork NSW also expects you to describe how controls are implemented, monitored and reviewed, so put the who-checks-what language into the control column when it is not already obvious.

- **SWMS tasks (TableRows, Optional)** - Add a row for each useful step of the high risk work, including preparation and clean-up when those steps carry the risk. Columns are **Task**, **Hazards and Risks**, and **Control Measures**. Prefer elimination and engineering controls before PPE-only wording. Name who installs and re-checks the control when that is what makes the control real on site.
  
  - **Useful** - Task: install roof trusses on east elevation. Hazards: fall more than 2 m from incomplete edge; manual handling of long trusses. Controls: edge protection installed and checked by leading hand before trusses are lifted; team lift procedure; exclusion zone below.
  - **Too vague** - Task: roofing. Hazard: falls. Control: PPE.

Do not pad the table with ordinary non-high-risk tasks. A short SWMS the leading hand can walk in a few minutes beats a long generic list nobody follows. If you need more than 15 high risk steps, split into another SWMS for the extra stage rather than cramming vague rows.

## Compliance [#compliance]

Who owns the SWMS, when it was given to the principal, when it was last reviewed, and the receipt and signature that close the compliance block on page one. All date fields accept today or a past date only, with Today and Yesterday shortcuts.

- **Responsible Person (Text, Optional)** - The person responsible for ensuring work follows this SWMS, matching the official "person responsible for ensuring compliance" line. Usually the works manager or the PCBU representative on site.
- **Date SWMS Provided to Principal Contractor (Date, Optional)** - The date a copy went to the principal when a principal is on the job. Leave blank only when there is no principal, or when provision has not happened yet and you will re-download after handover. The field does not accept a future date.
- **Reviewer (Text, Optional)** - Who reviewed the SWMS against this site, matching the official "person(s) responsible for reviewing the SWMS" line. Empty reviewer fields make the document look unowned.
- **Last Review Date (Date, Optional)** - When the method was last checked against this site. Update it after weather, design changes, control changes, or when work drifts off the written method. The field does not accept a future date.
- **Date Received (Date, Optional)** - The date this SWMS was received into the site pack or by the person who signs the compliance signature. The field does not accept a future date.
- **Signature (Signature, Optional)** - Signed by the person who acknowledges receipt or compliance review on the official form, after the PCBU, activity, location and task rows are correct for this site. Use a saved signature if you have one; check the preview so the stamp sits cleanly in the signature box on page one. Sign when the method is ready for use, not as a blank template for later jobs.

## Worker Sign-off [#workerSignOff]

One worker acknowledges receipt of this SWMS on the PDF. The signature attests that the named worker has received the SWMS for this work, not that every hazard on site is eliminated. Complete a new form for each additional worker when the site pack needs separate acknowledgements.

- **Name (Text, Optional)** - The worker who is acknowledging receipt, for example `Alex Chen`. Match the name to the person who will sign.
- **Signature (Signature, Optional)** - The named worker signs after consultation, so the signature follows a real walk-through of the task rows rather than a blank page. Use a saved signature if the worker has one; check the preview for the worker signature box on page one.
- **Date Received (Date, Optional)** - The date the worker received the SWMS. Usually the same day as the toolbox talk or pre-start. The field does not accept a future date.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Starting high risk work before the SWMS exists.** - SafeWork NSW requires the SWMS prepared before high risk construction work starts. Finish the form and the pre-start talk before the first high risk step, not after the first sheets go on the roof.
- **Copying last week's SWMS without a site review.** - Generic wording is allowed only after you review it for this site's hazards. Change location, high risk description, and any row that does not match before you download.
- **Task rows that say nothing useful.** - `Task: general works. Hazard: injury. Control: PPE.` fails a gate check. Name the elevation or area, the fall or energy mechanism, the control that can be inspected, and who checks it.
- **Listing every ordinary task on the SWMS.** - SafeWork NSW does not require non-high-risk activities on a SWMS. Extra ordinary rows bury the high risk method and give auditors more weak wording to challenge.
- **Controls written on paper but missing on site.** - Edge protection, isolation and exclusion zones only count when they are real before the activity starts. Walk the controls first; if a control is not ready, do not start that step.
- **Leaving PCBU or principal details from another job.** - Wrong ABN, trading name or principal block fails simple pack checks. Confirm the header against this project's identity every time.
- **Recording consultation as a signature only.** - Workers need the hazards, risks and controls communicated. Record the toolbox talk or walk-through in Workers Consulted, and keep Form 06 with the pack when you use it.
- **Leaving review dates and responsible people blank.** - Empty reviewer and last-review fields look like a document nobody owns. Name who ensures compliance, who reviewed the method, and when it was last checked for this site.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Business name matches the PCBU on this site pack and the ABN record
- High risk construction work is named clearly, and ordinary non-high-risk tasks are left off the SWMS
- Work location is the job site, not the office address
- Each SWMS row has a specific task, site hazard, and usable control with who implements or checks it
- Consultation is recorded as a real conversation, not only a blank signature block
- Responsible person, reviewer and review dates are filled when the pack expects them
- Compliance and worker signatures match the named people, and dates are not future-dated
- The PDF preview shows the header line, task table and signature boxes cleanly, and the method matches what the crew will do today

## After download [#after-download]

Tradie Forms does not lodge Form 05 with SafeWork NSW. You remain responsible for the content, worker consultation, controls on site, and any copy the principal contractor needs.

- **Give the principal a copy** when a principal contractor applies on the project, and again when control measures change.
- **Keep the SWMS available on site** while the high risk work it covers is under way. Electronic storage is fine when workers can open it easily at the workplace.
- **Name the file with the activity and suburb** so it sits with Forms 04 and 06 for the same stage, for example `WHS-05 - Roof framing - Merewether.pdf`.
- **File it with Form 04 and any toolbox talk** for this stage so the hazard walk, method and crew briefing stay as one trail.
- **Review and re-download** when the process, site conditions or controls change. Do not keep working to a superseded method.

Check the current [SafeWork NSW SWMS guidance](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction/construction/general-requirements/prepare-safe-work-method-statement) for your job. What the principal requires on that site sits with the principal and the authority, not with this page.

> **Warning**
>
> You remain responsible for SWMS content and how work is carried out. If work is not following the SWMS, stop as soon as it is safe and do not resume until it can follow the SWMS.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[When is a SWMS required in NSW](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/when-is-swms-required-nsw)** - High risk construction work triggers, who must prepare a SWMS, and when one document can cover several activities.
- **[Common SWMS mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-swms-mistakes-nsw)** - Vague rows, generic templates, missing consultation, and controls that are not on site yet.
- **[HIISP site pack overview](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-whs-site-pack-swms-risk-assessment-toolbox)** - How Forms 04, 05 and 06 move together from risk assessment through method to toolbox talk.

# NSW WHS Toolbox Talk Record (Form 06) (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-06-toolbox-talk-record)

WHS Form 06 records a toolbox talk for the Housing Industry Site Safety Pack: who ran it, when and where, who attended, what was discussed, and what the crew said back. Supervisors and PCBUs complete it after the talk so the site file shows real consultation, not a blank attendance sheet. Keep the finished PDF with Form 04 and Form 05 for the same job; the three should tell one consistent story about hazards, method, and the talk.

This is the current SafeWork NSW WHS Form 06 from the Housing Industry Site Safety Pack. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Writing the high risk method statement rather than recording the talk? Use [NSW WHS SWMS](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement)

Walking the site for hazards rather than recording the talk? Use [NSW WHS Site Risk Assessment](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-04-site-specific-risk-assessment)

> **Warning**
>
> Only people who attended the talk should sign. Collecting signatures later, or adding late arrivals to a list they were not part of, turns the record into evidence of a consultation that did not happen.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every Form 06 problem comes from filling the page after the crew has scattered instead of during the talk. Have these ready.

- **The talk held, not planned** - Workplace, date, time, and who will present, taken when the talk runs rather than invented at the desk later.
- **The crew who will attend** - Names of everyone present so signatures can be collected at the talk, not chased after the shift.
- **What changed on site** - Stage work, plant, other trades, weather, or access changes since the last talk. That is the agenda that holds attention.
- **Form 04 and Form 05 for this stage** - Site hazards and any SWMS for high risk construction work the talk should cover, so topics match the pack rather than a generic safety spiel.
- **A way to record issues raised** - Phone notes or paper for actions, owners, and anything the crew needs clarified before you leave the circle.

Workplace and Name of Supervisor or Presenter gate the download.

## Meeting [#meeting]

Captures where and when the talk ran, and who led it. These four lines head the official PDF.

- **Workplace (Text, Required)** - The site or workplace where the talk was held, written so a principal reading the pack can match it to Form 04 and Form 05 for the same job. Use the street address and enough detail to tell stages or blocks apart when several packs sit in one file, for example `12 Builder Street, Parramatta`. If you are filling off site, take it from the job board or the same address already used on the risk assessment, not from a suburb nickname the site file will not recognise.
- **Date (Date, Optional)** - The day the talk actually happened. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there because this is usually filled on site or the next morning. The field does not accept a future date, so you cannot pre-date a talk that has not run. Fill it whenever the talk is real; a blank date on a signed attendance list weakens the record.
- **Time (Time, Optional)** - The time the talk started, in 24-hour form on the PDF, for example `07:30`. Use the actual start, not a rounded shift time, so the record matches when people were present.
- **Name of Supervisor or Presenter (Text, Required)** - The person who ran the talk. Match the name the crew heard introduce themselves, and the same spelling you use on other HIISP forms for this business when the presenter is a regular site lead.

**Saved detail: Presenter** - save this section to prefill it on your next toolbox talk record for this presenter or site lead.

## Attendees [#attendees]

Records who was present. Each app row is one person: a name and a signature. Add only people who attended; leave unused rows out rather than padding with blanks.

You can add up to **16 attendees**. The finished PDF has eight printed rows with two people across each row (name and signature on the left, then name and signature on the right). App rows fill left to right, top to bottom. Extra names beyond 16 do not fit the official layout, so run a second record if the crew is larger.

- **attendees (Rows, Optional)** - One row per person who attended. Each row has **Name** and **Signature**. Type the name the person is known by on site, then have them sign at the talk. You can use a saved signature only when that person is signing for themselves on the device; do not stamp someone else's mark. Signatures land in the matching PDF boxes beside each name. A full list of names with empty signature boxes looks unfinished when a principal checks the pack.
  
  Collect signatures while people are still in the circle. If someone missed the talk, brief them separately and record that briefing on its own rather than adding them to this list. Workers who join mid-week get a talk when they arrive, dated for that day.

## Discussion [#discussion]

Records what the talk covered and what came back from the crew. The official form lists example subject matters in a notice above these fields: site-specific risk assessment, specific activity training, SWMS, vehicle load and off-loading, traffic and parking, overhead powerlines, underground services, falls, safe delivery, documentation, site security, and other site issues.

Topics should match Form 04 hazards and any Form 05 SWMS in force for this stage. A SWMS the talks never mention, or a serious hazard that never appears in topics, is the inconsistency a principal or auditor reads for.

- **Topics Discussed and Feedback (Textarea, Optional)** - What you covered, written specifically enough that someone reading the pack next week knows what this talk was about. Cover what changed this week or stage, not a recital of the whole safety system. Name the hazard, location, or control, and pull from the site risk assessment and active SWMS where they apply.
  
  - **Useful** - Scaffold incomplete on east elevation, no access until builder confirms; trench at rear open, barriers in place; hot weather forecast Thursday
  - **Too vague** - Site safety
- **Comments/Feedback (Textarea, Optional)** - What the crew raised, agreed, or still needs clarified. This is the most valuable part of the form when it is filled honestly, and the field most often left blank. Record issues, who will deal with them, and anything referred to the builder or principal when it is outside your control, for example `Crew flagged delivery truck blocking rear gate; Alex to redirect loads to side lane until Friday`. A blank comments box every week suggests either nobody speaks or nobody writes it down.

If a worker raises something you cannot fix on the spot, still write it down with who it was referred to. Recording nothing and letting it disappear trains the crew not to raise the next issue.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Writing topics as site safety or general WHS.** - Every talk on every site could carry that line. Name the stage hazard, control, or SWMS item so the pack shows this crew was briefed on this job.
- **Adding people who were not at the talk.** - Late arrivals and absent workers need their own briefing record. Signing them onto a talk they missed turns the page into false consultation evidence.
- **Chasing signatures after the shift.** - People sign for a conversation they may not have heard. Collect names and signatures while the talk is still running.
- **Leaving Comments/Feedback blank every week.** - Issues raised and actions owned are what show consultation worked both ways. If something was raised, write the owner and the next step.
- **Topics that do not match Form 04 or Form 05.** - A fall risk on the risk assessment or a SWMS control the talk never mentions makes the pack look like three separate documents. Align the agenda with the hazards and method already on file.
- **Using a different workplace wording from Forms 04 and 05.** - Principals file packs by site. `Builder St unit 3` on one form and `12 Builder Street, Parramatta` on another looks like two jobs.
- **Treating the signed PDF as proof the hazard is controlled.** - Form 06 shows the talk occurred and who was there. Keep the related SWMS, risk assessment, and action records with it so the pack answers how the risk is managed.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Workplace matches the site address used on Form 04 and Form 05 for this job
- Date and time are when the talk ran, not a planned future slot
- Presenter name is the person who led the talk
- Every attendee row is someone who was present, with name and signature from the talk
- Topics name this week's hazards, SWMS items, or site changes, not generic site safety
- Comments capture issues raised, actions, and owners where anything was agreed
- The PDF preview shows names and signatures filling the two-column attendance table correctly

## After download [#after-download]

Keep the finished PDF in the site safety file on site and retain a copy with your business records. Tradie Forms does not lodge Form 06 with SafeWork NSW or any other authority.

- **File it with Form 04 and Form 05** for the same stage so the pack shows hazards, method, and consultation together.
- **Name the file with site and date**, for example `WHS-06 - 12 Builder St - 2026-06-20.pdf`, so weekly talks do not overwrite each other in the principal's folder.
- **Follow up open actions** written in Comments/Feedback. The record alone does not close an issue; track who owns each action until it is done.
- **Brief late starters separately** and keep that record with the pack rather than altering a signed talk they missed.
- **Reuse the Presenter saved detail** on the next talk, then confirm workplace and date for the new meeting before download.

Check the current SafeWork NSW Housing Industry Site Safety Pack guidance for your job type. What the principal requires on that site sits with the principal and the authority, not with this page.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[NSW WHS Risk Assessment (Form 04)](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-04-site-specific-risk-assessment)** - Site hazards the toolbox talk should draw on for this stage.
- **[NSW WHS SWMS (Form 05)](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement)** - High risk construction work method the talk should cover when SWMS applies.
- **[HIISP site pack overview](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-whs-site-pack-swms-risk-assessment-toolbox)** - How Forms 04, 05, and 06 work together on residential sites.

# NSW WHS Training Register (Form 07) (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-07-worker-training-register)

WHS Form 07 records one worker's training, instruction and licence evidence for the Housing Industry Site Safety Pack. The PCBU or site manager fills a separate register for each person on site so the pack can show who holds which tickets before high risk work starts. The finished PDF is the SafeWork NSW single-page layout with space for up to 13 training rows.

This is the current SafeWork NSW WHS Form 07 from the Housing Industry Site Safety Pack. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

> **Warning**
>
> This register records the evidence you reviewed. It does not verify a licence with SafeWork NSW, and it does not replace the training, instruction and supervision the work still needs.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every Form 07 problem comes from typing from memory instead of from the card, certificate or induction record in hand. Have these in front of you.

- **One worker per form** - Name and employment start date for this person only. A second worker needs a second register.
- **Current cards and licences** - White card, high risk work licences, trade or contractor licences, first aid certificates, and any other tickets they will rely on for this site.
- **Induction and course records** - Provider names, course titles, and issue dates for WHS general induction, site-specific induction, hazardous chemicals training, and work activity training.
- **Expiry and renewal dates** - The date printed on each card or certificate that renews. Leave the field blank only when the evidence has no expiry, not when you cannot find it.
- **Which tickets this site needs** - Match the rows to the high risk tasks and plant on Form 05 and the chemicals on Form 09 for this job, not a generic company list.

Worker **Name** gates the download. Training rows are optional in the form, but an empty register is usually useless to a principal checking the pack.

## Worker [#worker]

Identifies the person this register covers. Every training row below belongs to this name alone.

- **Name (Text, Required)** - The worker's name as it appears on their white card, high risk work licence, or employment record. Use the same spelling across Form 05 worker sign-off and Form 06 attendance so the pack reads as one person, not three variants. If you only have a nickname on site, take the legal or licence name from the card before you download.
- **Date Employment Started (Date, Optional)** - The day this worker started with your business, from the employment record or induction file. The field does not accept a future date. Fill it when you have it; a blank start date is common on casual starts but weakens the trail when a principal asks how long the person has been with you.

**Saved detail: Worker** - save this section to prefill it on your next training register for the same person.

## Training [#trainingRows]

Records each piece of training, instruction or licence evidence for this worker. One row is one ticket, course or induction event. The official PDF also lists example types in a notice: WHS general induction for construction work, high risk work licences, load shifting, use of hazardous chemicals, trade or contractor licence, work activity training, tools and equipment, site-specific induction, and induction booklet.

You can add up to **13 rows**. That matches the fixed table on the official one-page PDF. Extra rows beyond 13 do not fit the layout, so start a second Form 07 for the same worker if you need more lines, and keep both PDFs together. Leave unused rows out rather than adding blanks. Rows do not reorder; add the important site tickets first so they stay visible on the page.

Each row has five columns. Copy every value from the evidence you checked, not from last year's pack or a photo of someone else's card.

- **Training rows (Table, Optional)** - Add a row for each relevant ticket or induction. **Type of Training, Instruction and/or Information** is a combobox with common options (WHS general induction, site-specific induction, high risk work licence - forklift, working at heights, confined space entry, asbestos awareness, first aid, electrical isolation / LOTO) and you can type a custom value when none of the options fit. Name the licence class or course clearly enough that a principal reading the pack knows what was checked, for example `High risk work licence - forklift`, not `ticket`.
  
  **Licence or Card Number** is the number printed on the card or certificate when there is one, such as a white card number or high risk work licence number. Leave it blank when the evidence has no number (for example a site toolbox induction with no card). Do not invent a job reference here; a number in this column reads as the authority's or provider's own.
  
  **Person Providing Training** is the RTO, registered training organisation, SafeWork NSW, site supervisor, or company that delivered the training or issued the card. Use the name on the certificate, such as `Site Skills Training` or `SafeWork NSW`.
  
  **Date Issued** is the issue date on the evidence. The field does not accept a future date. Use Today or Yesterday only when that matches the card.
  
  **Expiry or Renewal Date** is the expiry printed on the licence or card when it renews. The field only accepts today or a future date, so an already-lapsed ticket cannot be entered as current. Leave it blank when the evidence genuinely has no expiry. When a licence is due to renew mid-job, update the row and re-download once the new card arrives.
  
  - **Useful** - High risk work licence - forklift; LF-482910; SafeWork NSW; issued 01/06/2023; expires 01/06/2028
  - **Too vague** - Forklift ticket; mine; last year

Prefer the tickets this worker will use on this site: white card and site induction for everyone, then high risk licences for plant and heights work named on Form 05, first aid if they are the nominated first aider, and hazardous chemicals training when Form 09 products apply. A long list of unrelated historical courses that never touch this job buries the lines a principal actually checks.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Putting two workers on one register.** - The official form is one name and one employment start date. A second person needs a second PDF. Combined names make it impossible to prove who holds which ticket.
- **Typing licence numbers from memory.** - Transposed digits pass a quick glance and fail when the principal checks the card. Copy the number from the physical licence or the provider certificate in front of you.
- **Leaving expiry blank on a renewing licence.** - High risk work licences and many first aid certificates carry an expiry. A blank expiry column next to a class that always renews reads as unfinished or out of date.
- **Entering a past expiry as still current.** - The form blocks past expiry dates for a reason. If the card has lapsed, do not force a date into the field. Arrange renewal or keep that worker off the plant until the new card is in hand.
- **Writing white card or ticket with no detail.** - The type column and licence number exist so the pack shows what was checked. Name the induction or licence class and include the card number when the evidence has one.
- **Copying another worker's rows onto this form.** - Crew share plant and training providers; they do not share licence numbers. Prefill the Worker saved detail for the same person only, then re-enter tickets from that person's own cards.
- **Leaving the register empty for workers named on high risk work.** - Form 05 and Form 07 sit together in the pack. A blank training page for someone listed against high risk construction work is the gap a principal or inspector notices first.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Name matches the worker's licence or employment record, not only a site nickname
- Date employment started is this person's start with the business, and is not in the future
- Every training row comes from evidence you have checked for this worker only
- Licence or card numbers match the card, and blank numbers are only for evidence that has none
- Issue dates are not future-dated, and expiry is filled whenever the card renews
- Type of training names the class or course clearly enough for someone reading the pack cold
- No blank rows are left in the list, and the total is within 13 lines on this PDF
- The PDF preview shows the worker header and each row in the printed table without clipped numbers

## After download [#after-download]

Keep the finished PDF in the site safety file with the rest of the Housing Industry Site Safety Pack for this job. Tradie Forms does not lodge Form 07 with SafeWork NSW or any other authority.

- **One PDF per worker.** Name the file with the person so it sits with Forms 04 to 06 for the same site, for example `WHS-07 - Alex Chen - training.pdf`.
- **Keep supporting evidence with it** when the principal asks for copies of cards or certificates. The register line is not a substitute for the white card or high risk work licence itself.
- **Update and re-download** when a licence renews, a new induction is completed, or someone joins mid-job. A pack that still shows a lapsed expiry is worse than a missing page.
- **Reuse the Worker saved detail** for the same person on the next site pack, then re-check every ticket and expiry before you download again.
- **File it with Form 05 and Form 09** when this worker is named on high risk work or handles hazardous chemicals, so training evidence sits next to the method and the product list.

Check the current SafeWork NSW Housing Industry Site Safety Pack guidance for your job type. What the principal requires on that site sits with the principal and the authority, not with this page.

> **Warning**
>
> You remain responsible for checking that workers are trained and competent for the work they do. Completing Form 07 does not discharge that duty.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[NSW WHS SWMS (Form 05)](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-05-safe-work-method-statement)** - High risk construction work method statement; match training rows to the people and plant named there.
- **[NSW WHS Chemicals Register (Form 09)](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-09-hazardous-chemicals-register)** - Hazardous chemicals on site; record related training and instruction on Form 07.
- **[HIISP site pack overview](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-whs-site-pack-swms-risk-assessment-toolbox)** - How Form 07 sits with risk assessment, SWMS and toolbox talks in the site safety pack.

# NSW WHS Test and Tag (Form 08) (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-08-electrical-test-and-tag-register)

WHS Form 08 records each item of electrical equipment inspected and tagged on a residential construction site. It is Template 8 in the SafeWork NSW Housing Industry Site Safety Pack, filled by the business keeping the site file with results from a competent tester. The finished PDF is the official SafeWork NSW layout for the site pack.

This is the current SafeWork NSW WHS Form 08 from the Housing Industry Site Safety Pack. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Need a general appliance register outside the Housing Industry Site Safety Pack, with more rows and full AS/NZS 3760-style fields? Use [Test and Tag Register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-test-and-tag-register)

> **Warning**
>
> This register does not replace the physical tag or inspection and testing by a competent person. Tags and rows must tell the same story, and failed equipment must come out of service.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every Form 08 problem comes from typing the register later from memory instead of from the items and test record in front of you. Have these ready.

- **The equipment on this site** - Leads, tools, portable RCDs and other electrical plant that will go on this register, with serial or asset numbers you can read off the item.
- **A competent person's test results** - Pass or fail, any certificate reference, and the next inspection date that will go on the physical tag.
- **Business keeping the register** - Trading name and business address for the principal contractor or site business that owns this pack entry.
- **Electrical business and tester** - The licensed electrical contractor doing the test and tag, and the name of the person who tested each item.
- **A decision on interval** - On construction, demolition and mining plant the usual portable-equipment cycle is three months under AS/NZS 3012. Do not carry a soft office interval onto a house site.

Business Name gates the download. Equipment rows are optional to the form, but a register with no rows is useless on site.

## Business [#business]

Captures who keeps the register, where the business sits, who did the electrical testing, and who signed the rows. Fill this once for the site so every equipment row sits under the same header.

- **Business Name (Text, Required)** - The site business or principal contractor keeping this register for the project, as the official form labels it. Use the same spelling as Forms 01 and 05 for this pack so the principal's file reads as one contractor. Example: `Mitchell Building Pty Ltd`.
- **Street address (Address, Optional)** - The business address for the register header, not every work face on the block. Address search is limited to New South Wales and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode into the single address line on the PDF. Check the result against letterhead if the business has moved recently.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - **Starts as `NSW`**. Confirm it stays `NSW` when you type the address by hand. Address search sets it from the search result.
- **Postcode (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm it against the business record when typing manually.
- **Electrical Business Name (Text, Optional)** - The licensed electrical contractor performing the test and tag work. Repeat the business name when the same company does its own testing. Keep this different from Business Name when a separate sparkie or test-and-tag operator runs the round, so the pack shows who tested versus who keeps the site file.
- **Tester's Name (Text, Optional)** - The person who carried out the inspection and test, for example `Jordan Lee`. This is the name that has to stand behind the results and signatures in the rows. Only a competent person should test and be named here.

**Saved detail: Business** - save this section to prefill it on your next test and tag register for this business.

## Equipment [#equipmentRows]

Records each item tested and tagged for the site pack. One row is one piece of electrical equipment: one lead, one tool, one portable RCD, not a whole gang box in a single line.

You can add up to **12 equipment rows**, matching the twelve slots on the official one-page PDF. There is no extra page when the list is long; the form stops at twelve. Leave unused rows out rather than adding blanks. If you have more than twelve items for this round, complete a second Form 08 for the overflow, or use the [national test and tag register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-test-and-tag-register) when you need a multi-page fleet list outside the HISSP layout.

Add a row with **Add Equipment Row** as you finish each item. Fill the row while the item is in your hands so serial numbers, results and next dates match the tag you stick on. Remove a row if you added it by mistake; the form does not offer a duplicate action on these cards.

On the finished PDF the header and all twelve table slots sit on a single page. Dates print in Australian format. Each row has its own signature box. Check the preview so signatures sit cleanly and long free-text entries are still readable in the cell.

- **equipmentRows (CardRows, Optional)** - Each **Equipment Item** card is one tested item. Columns on the card, and on the official table, are:
  
  **Description of Equipment** - what the item is, specific enough to pick it from a rack next quarter. Include length, type or location when several similar leads share the site, for example `Extension lead 15m, site shed north`.
  
  **Manufacturer** - the make on the plate or moulding, such as `HPM` or `Clipsal`.
  
  **Serial Number** - the serial or asset number on the item or existing tag. Without it, identical leads cannot be matched next round.
  
  **Date of Inspection** - the day the item was inspected and tested. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there for on-site rounds. The field does not accept a future date.
  
  **Result** - **Pass** or **Fail**, or a short custom value when your site procedure uses one. A blank result is unfinished.
  
  **Action** - what happened after the test. Suggested values are **Tag applied**, **Removed from service**, **Repaired and retested**, and **Quarantined pending repair**. On a fail, record the real action and remove the item from service; a fail with no action looks open.
  
  **Signature** - the person who tested that item, usually the tester named in Business. Sign the row when the result and action are correct, not as a blank stamp. You can use a saved signature; check the preview for each row's signature box.
  
  **Certificate Number** - only when a certificate or job reference applies to the test, for example `T&T-2026-041`. Leave blank rather than inventing a number; the official form labels this as if appropriate.
  
  **Next Inspection Date** - the date the item is due again, matching the durable tag. On a house construction site portable equipment is typically three months out. The field only accepts today or a future date. On a fail that is out of service, prefer a clear action over a next date that implies the item is still in the fleet.
  
  - **Useful** - Extension lead 15m, site shed north; HPM; EL-482910; Pass; Tag applied; next due three months out
  - **Too vague** - Lead; Pass; Tagged

Every tag on a tool needs a matching row here with the same identity trail and next test date. Record failed and removed items as well as passes; a pass-only list hides the work the register is meant to prove.

## Reference [#reference]

This section is guidance only. There are no fields to fill. The in-app notice and the foot of the official PDF both point at AS/NZS 3012 inspection frequency for construction work.

The printed table on the PDF summarises typical intervals: transportable structures, fixed and transportable equipment and construction wiring including switchboards every **6 months**; portable equipment every **3 months**; residual current devices by reference to AS/NZS 3012. Use that table when you set **Next Inspection Date**, then confirm against the current SafeWork NSW guidance and the requirements that apply to this site. Do not set a twelve-month next date on construction portable gear by office habit.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Setting a soft office interval on a house site.** - Portable equipment on construction and demolition work is typically on a three-month cycle under AS/NZS 3012. A twelve-month next date puts the tag and the register out of step with the site.
- **Writing the register later from a pile of tags.** - Serials swap, fails lose their isolation note, and the PDF no longer matches the tools. Complete each row while the item is still in front of you.
- **Vague descriptions with no serial.** - Ten orange leads all entered as `Extension lead` cannot be found next quarter. Name the length or location and capture the serial or asset number on the item.
- **Fail with no action, or a pass tag left on a fail.** - A fail that still looks available for use is the hazard the register is meant to close. Record **Removed from service** or **Quarantined pending repair**, and take the item off the work face.
- **Rows that do not match the tags on site.** - Fourteen tagged tools and ten register rows means the record is incomplete. Every tag needs a row with the same next test date.
- **Mixing up Business Name and Electrical Business Name.** - The pack needs who keeps the site file and who did the testing. When a separate electrical contractor ran the round, put their name in Electrical Business Name rather than repeating the builder only.
- **Padding the list with gear you did not test.** - On multi-trade sites it is easy to claim tools still in another ute. Only add items you inspected and tested, and open another Form 08 if you genuinely have more than twelve.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Business Name matches the site pack identity for this job
- Electrical business and tester name match who actually tested
- Each tested item has its own row with description, serial and inspection date
- Every result has an action, including fails removed or quarantined
- Next inspection dates match the tags and the construction interval for this site
- You have twelve or fewer rows, or a second register ready for the overflow
- The PDF preview shows header, rows and signatures in the correct boxes on one page

## After download [#after-download]

Keep the finished PDF in the site safety file on site and retain a copy with your business records. Tradie Forms does not lodge Form 08 with SafeWork NSW or any other authority.

- **Name the file with the business and date** so it sits with Forms 01 to 10 for the same site, for example `WHS-08 - Mitchell Building - 2026-06-01.pdf`.
- **Hand a copy to the principal** when the site pack requires it, and keep your own copy with the test certificate references you used.
- **Keep the record until the equipment is next tested, permanently removed or disposed of**, in line with current SafeWork NSW electrical inspection and testing guidance.
- **Remove failed or unsafe equipment from service** and follow the workplace electrical safety procedure. The PDF alone does not quarantine a lead.
- **Reuse the Business saved detail** on the next round for the same business, then re-check the tester name and site address before you add new rows.

Check the current SafeWork NSW Housing Industry Site Safety Pack and electrical risks guidance for your job type. What the principal requires on that site sits with the principal and the authority, not with this page.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[NSW WHS Form 08 walkthrough](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-whs-form-08-electrical-test-and-tag-register)** - Who tests, three-month construction intervals, and how the register backs every tag.
- **[Test and tag and AS/NZS 3760](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/test-and-tag-register-as-nzs-3760)** - Standards context for in-service inspection, tagging and intervals.
- **[National test and tag register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-test-and-tag-register)** - Multi-page fleet register when you are not filling the HISSP Form 08 layout.

# NSW WHS Chemicals Register (Form 09) (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-09-hazardous-chemicals-register)

WHS Form 09 is the hazardous chemicals register from the Housing Industry Site Safety Pack. It lists each product used, stored or handled on the residential site, how it is applied, whether the container is labelled, and whether the current safety data sheet (SDS) is available. The supervisor or PCBU who keeps the site pack completes it when hazardous chemicals are on site; the finished PDF is the SafeWork NSW layout for the file, not a lodged return.

This is the current SafeWork NSW WHS Form 09 from the Housing Industry Site Safety Pack. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Recording worker training, information or instruction for those chemicals rather than listing the products? Use [NSW WHS Training Register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-07-worker-training-register)

> **Warning**
>
> Form 09 records the product list and the label and SDS checks. It does not attach SDS files, decide which chemicals are exempt, or replace the training you record on WHS Form 07.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every weak Form 09 comes from typing product names from memory instead of from the label and current SDS. Have these in front of you.

- **A walk of storage and work areas** - Every hazardous chemical used, stored or handled on this workplace for the stage the pack covers, including sheds, vehicles and temporary storage.
- **Product labels on the containers in use** - The source for the exact product name and for the labelling Yes or No answer. Check original containers and any decanted workplace containers.
- **Current safety data sheets** - One current SDS per applicable chemical, from the supplier or manufacturer, ready for workers who use or may be exposed to the product.
- **How each product is used on this site** - Application on this job, not a marketing description, so the register reads as a site list rather than a catalogue.
- **Form 07 for chemical training** - The official form tells you to record training, information or instruction in the use of hazardous chemicals on WHS Form 07. Have that register open or planned for the same pack.

Nothing on this form blocks download: every field is optional in the app. A blank register still downloads, so the discipline is whether the PDF matches what is actually on site.

## Hazardous Chemicals [#chemicals]

Lists each applicable hazardous chemical for this site pack entry. The official PDF is one page with four columns: **Product name**, **Application**, **Product labelled? (Yes/No)**, and **SDS available? (Yes/No)**. The header also reminds you to record training in Form 07.

[SafeWork NSW says](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/hazards-a-z/hazardous-chemical/general-requirements/general-requirements-accordion/keep-a-register) the workplace register must list applicable hazardous chemicals and include the current SDS for each one. Certain consumer products and chemicals in transit are excluded, so check the current requirements when deciding what belongs here.

One app row is one chemical. Add a row with **Add Chemical Row**. You can add up to **19 rows**, matching the printed table on the official PDF. Leave unused rows out rather than adding blanks. Rows do not reorder; add them in a stable order you can maintain when products change. On the finished PDF each row fills one printed line; long product names and applications can clip, so keep wording tight enough to read in the preview.

If more than 19 applicable chemicals are on site, do not drop the rest. Download this page for the first 19, start another Form 09 for the overflow, and keep both PDFs with the SDS set in the same site file.

The notice at the top of the section is a reminder only: cross-reference WHS Form 07 for worker training on hazardous chemicals used on this site. Form 09 never carries the training details.

- **Chemical rows (Table, Optional)** - Add one row for each applicable hazardous chemical on this workplace. Defaults to no rows, so an empty table downloads as a blank register. Fill every column for each product you add; a name without application or Yes/No answers looks unfinished when a principal checks the pack.
  
  **Product Name** is the product as printed on the label and the current SDS, not a shorthand or job-site nickname. Copy spelling and grade where the SDS uses them, for example `Selleys Liquid Nails High Strength` rather than `glue`. If the container and SDS disagree, resolve it with the supplier before the product is used; do not invent a middle name. Placeholder: `Acetone`.
  
  - **Useful** - Selleys Liquid Nails High Strength
  - **Too vague** - Glue / adhesive
  
  **Application** is how the product is used on this site, not the manufacturer's full use list. Choose from the combobox when it fits (**Surface preparation**, **Cleaning**, **Adhesive / bonding**, **Painting / coating**, **Lubrication**, **Welding / cutting**, **Fuel**, **Concrete additive**), or type a custom value when none of those match, such as `Form oil for formwork`. Keep it specific enough that another trade reading the pack knows why the chemical is there.
  
  **Product Labelled? (Yes/No)** is a segmented **Yes** or **No**. Choose **Yes** only when the container actually in use is correctly labelled, including decanted workplace containers. Choose **No** when the label is missing, unreadable, wrong product, or the temporary container has no workplace label. A **No** is not a reason to hide the product from the register; it is the gap to fix before the product is used. Leaving the control blank is worse than an honest **No**, because the PDF then shows no check at all.
  
  **SDS Available? (Yes/No)** is the same Yes/No control for the current safety data sheet. Choose **Yes** only when the current SDS is readily accessible to workers who use or may be exposed to the chemical, including when access is electronic and people on site know how to open it. Choose **No** when the SDS is missing, superseded, or locked in an office nobody on site can reach. Obtain the current SDS from the supplier or manufacturer before treating the gap as closed. Form 09 does not attach the SDS file; keep SDS with or linked from the register in the site file.

A **No** on labelling or SDS does not remove the duty to list the chemical. Fix the label or get the current SDS, then update the row and re-download so the pack shows the corrected check.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Using a site nickname instead of the product name on the label.** - `Glue`, `thinners` or `the red tin` cannot be matched to an SDS. Copy the name from the label and the current SDS so anyone reading the pack can find the same product.
- **Marking SDS available when only an old sheet is in the folder.** - The register expects the current SDS. An outdated sheet is a No until the supplier version is on hand and workers can reach it.
- **Marking labelled Yes when only the original carton is labelled.** - The container in use needs the correct label, including anything decanted into a workplace container. Check the tin or bottle on the tools, not the box in the ute.
- **Leaving a product off the list because labelling or SDS is No.** - Form 09 is where the gap is visible. List the chemical, answer No honestly, then fix the label or SDS and update the row.
- **Writing a catalogue use instead of the site application.** - `Multi-purpose adhesive for construction` does not tell the next reader what is happening on this block. Prefer `Timber bonding for stairs` or the combobox value that matches the job.
- **Stopping at 19 rows and ignoring the rest of the store.** - The PDF has 19 lines. Overflow needs another Form 09 page or the workplace's wider chemical-register system, kept with this pack. Dropping products makes the register look complete when it is not.
- **Treating Form 09 as the training record.** - The official form points training, information and instruction to Form 07. A chemicals list alone does not show who was instructed on the products.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Every applicable chemical on this workplace is listed, with overflow on a second register if needed
- Each product name matches the label and current SDS, not a nickname
- Each application describes use on this site
- Labelled Yes or No matches the container actually in use, including decanted containers
- SDS available Yes or No matches whether the current SDS is accessible to workers who need it
- Training, information or instruction for these chemicals is recorded or planned on Form 07
- The PDF preview shows every row you added, with text readable in the four columns

## After download [#after-download]

Keep the finished PDF in the WHS site file on site and make sure people affected by the chemicals can view the register. Keep the current SDS for each listed chemical with or readily accessible from the register. Tradie Forms does not lodge Form 09 with SafeWork NSW or any other authority.

- **Update the register when stock changes.** Add a row when a new hazardous chemical arrives, remove or strike products no longer on site when you re-download a current list, and refresh SDS Yes/No when a sheet is replaced.
- **Name the file with the business and date** so it sits with Forms 01 to 10 for the same site, for example `WHS-09 - Mitchell Building - 2026-06-15.pdf`.
- **File SDS with the register**, not only in a supplier portal nobody on site can open. If access is electronic, workers still need a reliable way to open the current sheet on site.
- **Cross-check Form 07** so workers who use the listed chemicals have training, information or instruction recorded where that is required for the job.
- **Feed Form 04 and Form 05 when chemicals change the risk picture.** Products that affect atmosphere, fire risk, or handling should appear in the site risk assessment and any SWMS that covers that work.

Check the current [SafeWork NSW register requirements](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/hazards-a-z/hazardous-chemical/general-requirements/general-requirements-accordion/keep-a-register) and the Housing Industry Site Safety Pack guidance for your job type. What the principal requires on that site sits with the principal and the authority, not with this page.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[NSW WHS Training Register (Form 07)](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-07-worker-training-register)** - Record training, information or instruction for workers who use the chemicals listed on Form 09.
- **[NSW WHS Site Risk Assessment (Form 04)](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-04-site-specific-risk-assessment)** - Capture site hazards, including chemical storage and handling risks that sit beside this register.
- **[HIISP site pack overview](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-whs-site-pack-swms-risk-assessment-toolbox)** - How Forms 04, 05 and 06 work with the rest of the pack, including the chemicals register.

# NSW WHS Incident Report (Form 10) (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-10-incident-injury-report)

WHS Form 10 records a workplace incident or injury for the Housing Industry Site Safety Pack: when it happened, who was involved, what injury or property damage resulted, what was done immediately, and who was told. The site supervisor or PCBU completes it after people are safe and the scene is under control. The finished PDF is the SafeWork NSW layout for the site file; it does not notify the regulator or the insurer on its own.

This is the current SafeWork NSW WHS Form 10 from the Housing Industry Site Safety Pack. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Updating site hazards after the event rather than writing the incident record? Use [NSW WHS Site Risk Assessment](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-04-site-specific-risk-assessment)

> **Warning**
>
> This report does not notify SafeWork NSW. For a death, serious injury or illness, or dangerous incident, use the current [SafeWork NSW incident notification](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/notify-safework/incident-notification) process. Completing Form 10 is your pack record, not that duty.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every thin Form 10 comes from reconstructing the day days later instead of capturing facts while they are still clear. Have these ready once immediate care and site safety are handled.

- **People safe and the hazard controlled** - Treatment, isolation, and any scene preservation your procedures require before you sit down to write.
- **Time, location, and sequence** - When it happened, the exact spot on site, what the person was doing, and the order of events.
- **Injured person details** - Name, occupation, contact, employer, date of birth, and home address when you can get them without delaying care.
- **Witnesses** - Who saw it, with a number that reaches them later for a separate account.
- **Treatment and referrals** - What first aid was given, by whom, and any doctor, hospital, medical certificate, or return-to-work coordinator.
- **Who you already told** - Principal contractor, SafeWork NSW, and the workers compensation insurer if any of those were contacted, with times and reference numbers.

No field gates the download on this form. Completeness still matters for the site file, the principal, and any later insurer or authority request.

## Injury or Incident [#injury]

Records the injured person, when and how the incident happened, the injury, and treatment. Fill this section for near misses, first aid, and medical treatment cases. Write facts, not fault: what happened in order, not who was careless.

- **Date of Incident (Date, Optional)** - The calendar day the incident occurred. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there because this is usually filled the same day or the next morning. The field does not accept a future date. Take it from your phone log or site diary if you are filling later, not from guesswork.
- **Time of Incident (Time, Optional)** - The time it happened, as close as you can get, for example `09:30`. Approximate is better than blank when nobody recorded the exact minute; do not invent precision you do not have.
- **Nature of Incident (Choice, Optional)** - One of **Near miss**, **First aid**, or **Medical treatment**. Choose the outcome that actually applied. A near miss is the same sequence without the injury; recording it is how the control gets fixed before the next one goes differently. The choice maps to the three tick boxes on page one of the official PDF.
- **Name of Injured Person (Text, Optional)** - Full name as they are known on site and on their employment record. For a visitor, use the name they give and note visitor status in **Occupation** or **Employer**. Leave blank only when the report is property damage with no injured person; otherwise the pack has an incident with nobody attached.
- **Occupation (Combobox, Optional)** - Their trade or role on the job, such as `Carpenter` or `Site Supervisor`. Common residential trades are offered; you can type a custom value for a visitor, delivery driver, or other role.
- **Street address (Address, Optional)** - The injured person's residential address, not the job site. Address search is limited to New South Wales and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. Check the result with them when privacy and time allow; do not invent an address to fill the box.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Starts as **NSW**. Confirm it when you type the address by hand or when the person lives interstate.
- **Postcode (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm it against what the person or their employer provides when typing manually.
- **Date of Birth (Date, Optional)** - From the person or their employer record when you need it for the pack or insurer follow-up. The field does not accept a future date. Skip medical detail beyond what the form asks for.
- **Phone (Tel, Optional)** - A number that reaches the injured person for follow-up, for example `0412 345 678`. Prefer their mobile over a shared site phone.
- **Employer (Text, Optional)** - The business that employs them on this site, such as `Mitchell Building Pty Ltd`. For your own employee, use your trading name as on Form 01. For a subcontractor worker, name their employer, not only the principal. Who employs them affects who else must be told.
- **Activity at Time of Incident (Text, Optional)** - What they were doing in the moment, specific enough that a control can be aimed at it later. Name the task and location context, not a vague trade label.
  
  - **Useful** - Carrying wall framing through the northern corridor on level 1
  - **Too vague** - Working on site
- **Location on Site (Text, Optional)** - The exact spot on the job, not only the street address. On multi-level or multi-lot work this is often the detail that makes the report usable later, for example `Level 1, northern wing` or `Lot 14 rear trench`.
- **Nature of Injury (Text, Optional)** - What was hurt, in plain language and without diagnosing, such as `Laceration to left forearm` or `Sprain to right ankle`. The official form examples include fracture, burn, sprain, and foreign body in eye. Describe what you saw and what was treated; leave formal diagnosis to the treating practitioner.
- **Body location of injury (Drawing, Optional)** - Mark the injury on the front or rear body diagram in the app. Your marks stamp onto the diagram box on page one of the finished PDF. Use the pen to indicate the area clearly; a blank diagram with a filled nature of injury leaves the pack without a visual location.
- **Treatment Given on Site (Text, Optional)** - What first aid or stabilising care was given before anyone left site, for example `Wound cleaned and dressed; arm elevated`. Write the actions taken, not a medical opinion.
- **Name of Treating Person (Text, Optional)** - Who gave that on-site treatment, usually a first aider or supervisor, such as `Jordan Lee`.
- **Referral for Further Treatment? (Choice, Optional)** - **Yes** or **No**. Answer **Yes** when they were sent to a doctor, medical centre, or hospital after site care.
- **Name of Doctor or Hospital (Text, Optional)** - Fill when they were referred, for example `Blacktown Medical Centre` or the hospital name. Leave blank when no further treatment was needed rather than inventing a clinic.
- **SafeWork NSW Medical Certificate Received? (Choice, Optional)** - **Yes** or **No**. The form notes to attach copies when applicable. A **Yes** without the certificate filed with the pack is incomplete for anyone following up the claim.
- **Injury Management Requirement? (Choice, Optional)** - **Yes** or **No**. The form notes to notify the return to work coordinator when applicable. Answer for this injury, not for the business in general.
- **Name of Return to Work Coordinator (Text, Optional)** - Who owns return-to-work for this person when injury management applies, for example `Sam Nguyen`. Fill when the injury management answer is **Yes**, or whenever your system already has a named coordinator.

**Saved detail: Injured Person** - save this section to prefill it on your next incident report for the same person.

## Witnesses [#witnesses]

Records people who saw the incident. Each row is one witness: name and contact. Talk to witnesses separately and early; accounts converge once people have compared notes.

You can add up to **two witnesses**, matching the two name and contact pairs on page one of the official PDF. Leave unused rows out rather than adding blanks. If more people saw it, keep extra statements with the job file and put the two most useful contacts on the form.

- **Witnesses (Rows, Optional)** - One row per witness. Each row has **Name** and **Contact Details**. Use a full name and a phone that reaches them later, for example `Jordan Lee` and `0413 456 789`. Contact is a phone field; prefer mobile over a general office number. Two empty rows on a serious injury report look unfinished when a principal or insurer asks who saw it.

## Property Incident [#propertyIncident]

Use when the incident involved property, plant, or environmental damage, whether or not anyone was hurt. The official PDF places this block on page two under details of incident. Leave it blank when there was no property damage.

- **Date of Incident (Date, Optional)** - The day the property damage occurred. Often the same as the injury date when both happened together. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are available; the field does not accept a future date.
- **Time of Incident (Time, Optional)** - When the damage happened, for example `09:35`. Match the injury time when it was the same event, or record the separate time when damage was found later.
- **Street address (Address, Optional)** - Location of the incident for the property block. On a residential site this is usually the job address. Address search is limited to New South Wales. Check the result against the site board when the suburb has multiple active lots.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Starts as **NSW**. Confirm when typing by hand.
- **Postcode (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm when typing manually.
- **Damage to Property (Text, Optional)** - What was damaged and how, factually enough that a principal or insurer can see the asset without standing on site. Name the item and the effect, not only that something broke.
  
  - **Useful** - Forklift struck the temporary fence and bent two panels beside the loading area
  - **Too vague** - Fence damaged
- **Name of Person Who Received the Report (Text, Optional)** - Who received or made the property damage report, matching the official wording for the person who received the report, for example `Sam Nguyen`.
- **Phone (Tel, Optional)** - How to reach that reporting person, for example `0412 345 678`.

## Description [#description]

The free-text account of what happened. This is the field that decides whether the pack can support a real control change later, or only a blame story.

- **Description of Incident (Text, Optional)** - The sequence in plain language: what the person was doing, what condition or object was involved, and what happened next. Keep speculation out, or label it clearly. An account that only concludes someone was not paying attention stops the investigation at the person and never reaches the condition that let it happen.
  
  - **Useful** - While carrying wall framing, the worker caught their forearm on a protruding metal edge and sustained a cut
  - **Too vague** - Worker was not paying attention

## Immediate Actions [#immediateActions]

What was done straight after the event to stabilise people and the site. The official form examples include barricades and isolation of power.

- **Immediate Actions Taken (Text, Optional)** - The response steps in order: first aid, making the area safe, who was told on site, and any temporary control left in place. Write what was done, not what you wish had been done.
  
  - **Useful** - First aid applied on site. Area cordoned off and nail plate removed. Supervisor notified
  - **Too vague** - Dealt with

## Reported To [#reporting]

Three reporting channels on the official form: principal contractor, authorities (SafeWork NSW), and the workers compensation insurer. Each has a yes or no choice and a details box for when, who was told, and who made the report.

This section records whether those parties were told. It does not perform the notification. Where SafeWork NSW notification is required, follow the current [incident notification](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/notify-safework/incident-notification) process; the form shows SafeWork NSW phone **13 10 50**. Do not delay a required notification while finishing this PDF.

- **Reported to Principal Contractor? (Choice, Optional)** - **Yes** or **No**. Answer for this incident. On most residential sites the builder or principal expects to hear promptly when someone is hurt or plant is damaged.
- **Provide Details (When, Reported To and Reported By) (Text, Optional)** - For the principal contractor line: when they were told, who received the report, and who made it, for example `Site supervisor notified immediately on 15 June 2026 by Sam Nguyen`. Leave blank when the answer above is **No**.
- **Reported to Authorities (SafeWork NSW Phone: 13 10 50)? (Choice, Optional)** - **Yes** or **No**. This is a record of whether SafeWork NSW was contacted for this incident. A **Yes** without a real notification is worse than **No**, because the pack then claims a report that never happened. Check current notification requirements before assuming the incident is notifiable.
- **Provide Details (When, Reported To and Reported By) (Text, Optional)** - For the authorities line: time, who called, and any reference SafeWork NSW gave you, for example `SafeWork NSW notified by Sam Nguyen at 10:45 am on 15 June 2026. Reference SW-260615`.
- **Reported to Workers Compensation Insurer? (Choice, Optional)** - **Yes** or **No**. Answer when a worker injury may involve a claim or your insurer requires early notice. Policy and claim rules sit with the insurer and your workers compensation arrangements, not with this page.
- **Provide Details (When, Reported To and Reported By) (Text, Optional)** - For the insurer line: who notified them, when, and any claim or incident reference, for example `Insurer notified by Sam Nguyen at 11:10 am on 15 June 2026. Claim reference WC-260615`.

## Completed By [#completedBy]

Who wrote this report and when. An account with no author is hard to follow up when questions arrive weeks later.

- **Name (Text, Optional)** - The person completing the report, usually the supervisor or the person managing the site that day, for example `Sam Nguyen`. Match the name people on site would recognise.
- **Position (Combobox, Optional)** - Their role, such as `Site Supervisor` or `WHS Officer`. Common site roles are offered; type a custom value when needed.
- **Signature (Signature, Optional)** - Sign when the facts above are correct for this incident, not as a blank template for later jobs. You can use a saved signature; check the preview so the stamp sits cleanly in the signature box on page two.
- **Date (Date, Optional)** - The date this report is completed. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are available. The field does not accept a future date. Prefer the day of the incident or the next morning over a week-later reconstruction.

**Saved detail: Completed By** - save this section to prefill it on your next incident report you complete.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Treating Form 10 as SafeWork NSW notification.** - The pack record and the regulator duty are separate. Completing this PDF does not tell SafeWork NSW anything. Use the current incident notification process when the incident is notifiable.
- **Writing fault instead of sequence.** - Lines such as "not paying attention" stop the review at the person. Describe what they were doing, what condition was present, and what happened next so a control can be fixed.
- **Leaving location as the street address only.** - Multi-level and multi-lot sites need the exact spot. Without it, photos and statements cannot be matched to the place later.
- **Skipping near misses because nobody was hurt.** - A near miss is the same event with a better outcome. Recording it is how the control changes before the next person is injured.
- **Marking Yes for authorities or insurer without a real contact.** - The details box should show when, who reported, and who was told. A bare Yes with empty details looks like a box ticked for appearance.
- **Leaving the body diagram blank when an injury is named.** - Nature of injury without a mark on the diagram leaves page one incomplete. Mark the front or rear view in the app so it stamps onto the PDF.
- **Editing the original account days later without a dated addition.** - Correct facts as a dated note that says what changed and why, and keep the first version with the file. Quiet rewrites undermine trust in the record.
- **Filing the report and never changing Form 04 or Form 06.** - The value of the report is the control that follows. Put the condition back into the site risk assessment and cover the change at the next toolbox talk.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Date, time, and nature of incident match what actually happened
- Injured person, occupation, employer, and location on site are specific enough to follow up
- Nature of injury and body diagram agree, or the diagram is blank only because there was no injury
- Description and immediate actions are a fact sequence, not a blame conclusion
- Witness rows name real people with reachable contacts, or are left empty rather than padded
- Property damage is filled only when plant, equipment, or property was damaged
- Principal, authority, and insurer answers match real contacts, with when and who in the details boxes
- Completed by name, position, signature, and date are filled, and the PDF preview matches the pack layout

## After download [#after-download]

Keep the finished PDF in the site safety file for that job and retain a copy with your business records. Tradie Forms does not lodge Form 10 with SafeWork NSW, the workers compensation insurer, or the principal contractor.

- **Name the file with the person or site and the date** so it sits with the rest of the HIISP pack, for example `WHS-10 - Alex Chen - 2026-06-15.pdf`.
- **File photographs and statements with it.** The report alone is harder to use later without scene photos, witness notes, and any medical certificate copies the form says to attach.
- **Complete any required notifications separately.** Principal, SafeWork NSW, and insurer notice are outside this PDF. Check the current [SafeWork NSW incident notification](https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/notify-safework/incident-notification) guidance for your incident type.
- **Close the loop on controls.** Update the [site-specific risk assessment](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-04-site-specific-risk-assessment) when a condition allowed the incident, and cover the change at the next [toolbox talk](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-06-toolbox-talk-record).
- **Do not quietly rewrite the original.** Add dated corrections rather than replacing the first account once copies have gone out.

Check the current SafeWork NSW Housing Industry Site Safety Pack and incident notification requirements for your job. What the principal requires on that site sits with the principal and the authority, not with this page.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[NSW WHS Site Risk Assessment (Form 04)](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-04-site-specific-risk-assessment)** - Put the condition that allowed the incident back into the site hazard controls.
- **[NSW WHS Toolbox Talk Record (Form 06)](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-06-toolbox-talk-record)** - Record the crew talk once the control change is ready to share on site.
- **[HIISP site pack overview](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-whs-site-pack-swms-risk-assessment-toolbox)** - How Forms 04, 05 and 06 work together, and where the incident record sits in the pack.

# QLD Form 12 (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/qld/qld-building-form-12-aspect-inspection)

Form 12 is the aspect inspection certificate for an appointed competent person. It records the aspect you inspected, the property and building, the extent of work covered, the basis and references you relied on, and your details so the building certifier can use it when deciding whether the relevant stage is complete. [Business Queensland explains](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/approvals-inspections/competent-persons-cadets) that a building certifier may use a competent person for aspect inspection help only after assessing and appointing that person for the type of help.

This is the current Queensland Form 12. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Signing as a QBCC licensee for aspect work rather than as an appointed competent person? Use [QLD Form 43](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/qld/qld-building-form-43-aspect-certificate)

Certifying a whole stage of building work rather than one aspect? Use [QLD Form 16](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/qld/qld-building-form-16-inspection)

Looking for the plumbing and drainage Form 12 specialist work statement? That is a different form. Use [QLD PDR Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/qld/qld-form-12-specialised-work)

> **Warning**
>
> Only complete this certificate if the building certifier has appointed you as a competent person for this inspection help. Tradie Forms prepares the PDF; it does not decide whether you are competent or whether the certifier can rely on the certificate.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every Form 12 rework comes from reconstructing the inspection after you leave site. Have these in front of you before you type.

- **Your appointment for this aspect** - Confirm the building certifier appointed you as a competent person for this inspection help, not only a casual site request.
- **The building development approval** - Source for the property description, approval number, and building certifier details.
- **Plans, specifications and standards on site** - The drawings, product documents, test results and publications you will name in basis and references.
- **A clear decision on extent** - Exactly which rooms, floors, systems or parts of the aspect you inspected and are willing to certify.
- **Your licence or registration details** - Class or type and number, checked against the current card or QBCC record where they apply.
- **The date the certifier asked you to inspect** - From the request or appointment correspondence, not from memory after the job moves on.

Name blocks the download. Sign and date the certificate before you send it to the building certifier.

## Aspect [#aspect]

Names the aspect of building work this certificate covers. It has to match what you inspected and what you were appointed to inspect.

- **Aspect of Building Work (Text, Optional)** - Use the aspect language from the appointment and the work in front of you. The official form gives examples such as waterproofing, tiling, glazing, energy efficiency, emergency lights, exit signs, smoke detection and air-conditioning. Narrow the line when you only inspected part of a trade.
  
  - **Useful** - Wet area waterproofing to level 2 bathrooms
  - **Too vague** - Waterproofing

A broad label can make the certificate read as covering the whole trade when you only inspected one area or system.

## Property [#property]

Identifies all land the subject of the application. Match the building development approval, not the booking system or an invoice.

- **Street Address (Address, Optional)** - The site address on the approval. Address search is limited to Queensland and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. Check the result against the approval, because search returns the current postal address and an approval can predate a street renaming or a subdivision.
- **Lot and Plan (Text, Optional)** - The legal land description from the approval, title documents, or the property's rates notice. On new estates the street address may not exist in council systems yet, so lot and plan is the reliable identifier. Fill it whenever the approval carries it.
  
  - **Useful** - Lot 8 SP312456
  - **Too vague** - new estate block
- **Local Government Area (Text, Optional)** - The council area for the land. Address search may fill this. Confirm it near a boundary, because the LGA is part of how the job is filed against the approval.

## Building [#buildingStructure]

Describes the building or structure and its National Construction Code class so the certifier can place the aspect on the right job.

- **Building/Structure Description (Text, Optional)** - A short description that matches the approval, such as a two-storey class 1a dwelling or a ground-floor tenancy fit-out. Avoid generic labels like `house` when the approval names something more specific.
- **Class of Building/Structure (Text, Optional)** - The NCC class from the approval or plans, such as `Class 1a` or `Class 10a`. The Form 12 appendix points to the National Construction Code classification rather than informal building types.

## Extent [#extent]

Sets the boundary of what this certificate covers. This is the section that most often causes a certifier to send the form back.

- **Description of the Extent of Aspect/s Certified (Text, Optional)** - State what you inspected and where. Name floors, rooms, tenancies or parts of a system so the certificate cannot be read as covering work you did not see. Do not describe the whole trade when only one area was complete.
  
  - **Useful** - Ensuite and main bathroom waterproofing membranes on level 1, including shower recesses and floor wastes
  - **Too vague** - All wet areas

An over-wide extent is not a favour to the builder. It tells the certifier, and anyone reading the pack later, that you certified work outside what you inspected.

## Basis [#basis]

Explains why you can give the certificate. Thin wording here is the usual reason a certifier cannot rely on the form without chasing you.

- **Basis of Certification (Text, Optional)** - Detail the basis for giving the certificate and how far you relied on tests, specifications, rules, standards, codes of practice or other publications. Name the real standards, drawings, product documents or test results that supported the inspection, not a generic paste such as `as per plans`.
  
  - **Useful** - Visual inspection against AS 3740-2021 and approved waterproofing specification WM-04 on structural plans S-12
  - **Too vague** - As per plans

## References [#references]

Lists the documents the certifier can open to follow your basis.

- **Reference Documentation (Text, Optional)** - Identify supporting documents clearly enough to find them in the job pack. The official form uses numbered structural engineering plans as the example. Include document numbers, revisions, drawing titles, dates and report references where they exist. `Plans` alone is not enough on a busy project.

## Certifier [#certifier]

Links the certificate to the building certifier and the development approval this inspection sits under.

- **Building Certifier's Name (Text, Optional)** - The building certifier who appointed you for this inspection help. Take the name from the approval or the appointment request, not from an old email signature that may name a different certifier on the firm.
- **Building Certifier Reference Number (Text, Optional)** - The certifier's reference for this job, from the same approval or request pack.
- **Building Development Approval Number (Text, Optional)** - The approval number on the current building development approval. Do not take it from a quote or a builder's job number, which often predate amendments.

**Saved detail: Certifier** - save this section to prefill it on your next Form 12 for the same building certifier.

## Competent Person [#competentPerson]

Your details as the appointed competent person completing the certificate. Name is the only field that blocks download.

- **Name (Text, Required)** - Your full name as the appointed competent person. This is the name that will sit with the signature on the finished PDF. If you are on site without your usual details, complete Name now and finish the rest before you send the certificate.
- **Company Name (if Applicable) (Text, Optional)** - Your company or trading name when you are completing the certificate for a business rather than only as an individual.
- **Contact Person (Text, Optional)** - Who the certifier should call about this certificate when that is not already obvious from Name.
- **Business Phone Number (Text, Optional)** - A landline or main business number the certifier can reach during ordinary hours.
- **Mobile Number (Text, Optional)** - A mobile the certifier can use if they need a quick clarification on site notes or extent.
- **Email Address (Text, Optional)** - An email that reaches you for this job. Prefer a monitored address over a generic inbox that delays certifier questions.
- **Postal Address (Address, Optional)** - Your postal address for the certificate. Address search is limited to Queensland. Check the result after search, especially after a business move.
- **Licence Class or Registration Type (if Applicable) (Text, Optional)** - The licence class or registration type that applies to this inspection help, such as a QBCC trade contractor class. Leave blank only when no licence or registration applies to the appointment.
- **Licence Class or Registration Number (if Applicable) (Text, Optional)** - The matching licence or registration number. Use Licence check against the QBCC register to fill the licence class and name when those details are current, then confirm both against your card or renewal notice.
- **Date Request to Inspect Received from Building Certifier (Date, Optional)** - The date you received the inspection request from the building certifier. Take it from the appointment or request correspondence. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there for same-day or next-morning completion. The field does not accept a future date.

**Saved detail: Competent Person** - save this section to prefill it on your next Form 12.

Check saved details after a licence renewal, business address change, or staff change. A prefilled line that is out of date still lands on the official PDF.

## Signature [#declaration]

Sign-off as the appointed competent person. The signature stamps onto page 2 of the official PDF in the signature box.

- **Signature (Signature, Optional)** - Sign as the appointed competent person named above. Use your saved signature when it is current, or draw or upload on site. Sign only after aspect, extent, basis and references match what you inspected.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The date you sign the certificate. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are available. The field does not accept a future date, so the certificate cannot be dated ahead of the sign-off.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Completing Form 12 without a certifier appointment.** - The form is for an appointed competent person. A casual site request is not an appointment. Confirm the appointment before you download.
- **Writing a trade name as the whole aspect.** - `Waterproofing` or `Lights` reads as the full trade. Name the system and location so the certifier can see what you actually inspected.
- **Describing extent wider than the inspection.** - An over-wide extent certifies work you did not see. Name the rooms, floors or parts of the system that were complete and inspected.
- **Using as per plans for the basis.** - That line gives the certifier nothing to check. Name the standards, drawing numbers, specifications or test results that supported the inspection.
- **Leaving reference documents as Plans.** - Without numbers, revisions and dates, the certifier cannot find the sheet you mean. Identify each document the way it appears in the job pack.
- **Taking approval or certifier details from a quote.** - Quotes and job cards often predate amendments. Take the building development approval number and certifier references from the current approval or appointment pack.
- **Finishing the certificate away from site.** - Waiting until later means reconstructing extent, basis and references from memory. Complete the form while the plans, photos and inspected work are still in front of you.

## Before download [#before-download]

- You were appointed as a competent person for this aspect inspection help
- The aspect matches the appointment and what you inspected
- The property description matches the building development approval, including lot and plan where it applies
- The extent names location and does not cover work you did not inspect
- The basis and reference documents name real standards, drawings or tests
- Certifier name, reference number and approval number come from the current approval pack
- Your name is complete, and signature and date are ready before you send the PDF
- The PDF preview says exactly what you are prepared to certify

## After download [#after-download]

Give the signed PDF to the building certifier who requested the inspection help. [Business Queensland notes](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/approvals-inspections/competent-persons-cadets) that the competent person gives Form 12 to the building certifier so the certifier can confirm the stage is complete.

- **Name the file so the aspect is obvious.** `Form 12 - 45 River Tce - L2 wet area waterproofing.pdf` will still make sense months later; `Form 12 - 45 River Tce.pdf` will not.
- **File it with the appointment and the documents you relied on.** Keep the certifier request or appointment, the building development approval number, drawings and specifications, photos or inspection notes, and any test or product documents in the same job folder.
- **Keep a copy for your own records.** The certifier holds the pack for the stage decision; you still need your own trail if a question comes back later.

Check the current Business Queensland requirements for your job. Retention and what else the certifier needs sit with the building approval and the certifier's process.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Form 12 walkthrough](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-12-aspect-inspection-certificate-guide)** - A fuller run through the certificate, appointment checks, and how it works on site.
- **[Form 12 vs Form 15](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-12-vs-form-15-building-certificate-guide)** - When you need an aspect inspection certificate rather than a design or specification certificate.
- **[QLD building certificates workflow](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-building-certificates-on-site-workflow)** - How Form 12 sits with Form 15, Form 16, Form 21 and Form 43 on a job.

# QLD Form 15 (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/qld/qld-building-form-15-design-spec)

Form 15 certifies a building design or specification so the building certifier can assess or amend an approval. The appointed competent person for design-specification help fills and signs it, and the finished PDF goes to that certifier with the drawings and other references you list. It is forward-looking: it states the aspect will comply if installed or carried out as described, not that built work has already been inspected.

This is the current Queensland Form 15 - Compliance Certificate for Building Design or Specification. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Certifying an aspect of building work you have already inspected rather than a design or specification? Use [QLD Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/qld/qld-building-form-12-aspect-inspection)

> **Warning**
>
> The building certifier must assess and appoint you as a competent person for that design-specification help before relying on this certificate. The named individual signs, not the company.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every Form 15 problem comes from certifying the wrong moment, the wrong aspect, or a stale drawing set. Have these in front of you.

- **The certifier's appointment for design-specification help** - Confirm you are appointed for this aspect, not only for inspection or another discipline.
- **Current drawings, specs, tests and product documents** - The set you will name in the basis and references, with revisions and dates.
- **Property details when the design is site-specific** - Street address, lot and plan, and local government area from the application, title or rates notice.
- **Certifier reference and development application numbers** - From the current certifier request or approval file, not the last certificate you issued.
- **Your current competent person details** - Name, company, contacts, postal address, and licence or registration where they apply.
- **A clear decision on what is certified** - The exact aspect or specification, including stage, area or product range when that limits the certificate.

Only the competent person name blocks download on an untouched form. Extent, basis, references, signature and date still need to be complete for a certificate the certifier can use.

## Property [#property]

Identifies the land the design or specification applies to. Complete this block when the certificate is site-specific. The official form notes that street address and property description may not apply for standard or generic designs such as pool shells, patio systems or carport systems.

- **Street Address (Address, Optional)** - The address on the building development application or certifier request when the design is for a specific site. Address search is limited to Queensland and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. Check the result against the application, because search returns the current postal address and a job can predate a street renaming or a subdivision. Leave the block blank for a genuine generic product design that is not tied to a site.
- **Lot and Plan (Text, Optional)** - The legal land description from the title documents, rates notice or application. On new estates the street address may not exist in any council system yet, so lot and plan is often the only reliable identifier. The official form notes previous lot and plan details should be used if the plan is not yet registered by title.
  
  - **Useful** - Lot 8 on SP 312456
  - **Too vague** - Lot 8, new estate
- **Local Government Area (Text, Optional)** - The council area for the land. Address search may fill this. Confirm it near a boundary, because the LGA is part of how the certificate sits on the approval file.

When the certificate does relate to a specific site, the description must identify all land subject to the application. A builder's short site name or delivery address is not enough.

## Extent [#extent]

States what the certificate covers. This is the scope line the certifier, builder and owner will read months later.

- **Description of Aspect/s Certified (Text, Optional)** - Clearly describe the extent of work covered, for example all structural aspects of the steel roof beams. Name the system, material, area, stage, product range or drawing set so the certificate cannot be read as a wider approval than you assessed. Narrow wording that matches what you assessed beats a one-word label such as `Structural design` or `Glazing`.
  
  - **Useful** - Structural design of steel roof beams to warehouse extension shown on drawings S04 to S08, Rev C
  - **Too vague** - Structural design

If it is a standard product design, say so. If it covers one part of a staged project, say which part. Do not let a narrow certificate read like whole-project design sign-off.

## Basis [#basis]

Explains why you can give the certificate. The official form asks for the basis and the extent to which tests, specifications, rules, standards, codes of practice and other publications were relied on.

- **Basis of Certification (Text, Optional)** - Name the standards, code references, calculation package, test results, product technical statements or project specifications that actually support the certificate. `As per plans` is not a basis when drawing numbers, revision letters, calculations and standards exist. Keep the wording plain enough that another competent person can follow the trail without calling you.

If you cannot explain the basis clearly, the certificate is probably going out too early. Long basis text maps onto the official PDF field; check the preview so the part that names the standards and documents is still readable.

## References [#references]

Makes the paper trail findable. The official form asks you to clearly identify relevant documentation, such as numbered structural engineering plans.

- **Reference Documentation (Text, Optional)** - List the drawings, schedules, reports and product documents with numbers, titles, revisions and dates where they exist. Project files move fast; `engineering drawings` leaves the office guessing which set was relied on. Where the field runs out of room, the official form appendix allows additional material in an addendum or attachment referred to from this field. Point to that addendum rather than compressing the reference into something ambiguous.
  
  - **Useful** - Structural drawings S01 to S06, Rev D, dated 4 June 2026; footing schedule F-03
  - **Too vague** - Plans

Keep the listed documents with the finished PDF. A certificate alone does not show which revision supported the design.

## Certifier [#certifier]

Links the certificate to the building certifier's file for this development.

- **Building Certifier Reference Number (Text, Optional)** - From the current certifier request, approval documents or job software for this application. Do not copy the number from the last Form 15 you sent when a builder has several projects open.
- **Building Development Application Number (if Available) (Text, Optional)** - The full application or approval number for this development, taken from the same current file. One digit from an old job sends the office hunting.

## Competent Person [#competentPerson]

Your details as the individual the building certifier assessed and appointed for this design-specification help. Under Part 6 of the Building Regulation 2021 you must be competent for that help before the certifier relies on the certificate.

- **Name (Text, Required)** - Full name of the appointed individual, as the person who will sign. This is the field that blocks download when left empty. It is not the company name. Licence check against the QBCC register can fill the name from a licence number; confirm the result is the person appointed for this certificate.
- **Company Name (if Applicable) (Text, Optional)** - Trading or company name when you work through a practice. The company does not sign; the appointed individual does.
- **Contact Person (Text, Optional)** - Who the certifier should ring about this certificate when that person is not the same as the named competent person.
- **Business Phone Number (Tel, Optional)** - Office number for the practice or workplace handling this certificate.
- **Mobile Number (Tel, Optional)** - A mobile the certifier can use when the certificate needs a quick check on site or after hours.
- **Email Address (Email, Optional)** - Contact email for this certificate and any follow-up on the design or specification.
- **Postal Address (Address, Optional)** - Postal address for the competent person or practice. Address search is limited to Queensland and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. Check the result against the address on your licence or business records.
- **Licence Class or Registration Type (if Applicable) (Text, Optional)** - The class or registration type that supports the appointment, for example RPEQ structural engineer, when a licence or registration is required for the help you give.
- **Licence or Registration Number (if Applicable) (Text, Optional)** - The matching number. Licence check against the QBCC register can confirm the number and fill the name; confirm the result matches the person signing this certificate.

**Saved detail: Competent Person** - save this section to prefill it on your next Form 15 for the same appointed person.

Review saved details after a licence renewal, business address change or when a different individual is signing. Manufacturers and suppliers can only use Form 15 when the certifier has decided they are competent for design-specification and they undertook the design component for the product.

## Signature [#declaration]

Signs as the individual assessed and appointed by the building certifier to give design-specification help.

- **Signature (Signature, Optional)** - Sign after the extent, basis, references and people blocks are correct. You can use a saved signature; check the preview so the stamp sits cleanly in the signature box on the official PDF. Do not sign for someone else, and do not sign while the design or specification is still incomplete or based on superseded drawings.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The date you make the certificate. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there for on-site or same-day completion. The field cannot be set to a future date.

Read the certificate wording on the form before you sign. Confirm the aspect, basis and reference list still match the current design set.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Using Form 15 after the work has been built and inspected.** - Form 15 is for design or specification. Inspected aspect work uses Form 12. Stage inspections use Form 16. Check the job moment before you start.
- **Writing the aspect too broadly.** - `Structural design` or `Glazing` does not tell the certifier which drawings, members, stage or product range you covered. Name the element, area and documents.
- **Leaving the basis as as per plans.** - The official form asks which tests, standards, codes and publications you relied on. Name them so the trail is findable without calling you.
- **Listing references without revisions or dates.** - Drawings get superseded. A certificate that only says `plans` cannot show which set supported the design a year later.
- **Skipping property details on a site-specific certificate.** - Generic product designs can omit the land block. Site-specific certificates must identify all land subject to the application, including lot and plan when the street address is weak.
- **Copying certifier numbers from the last job.** - Reference and application numbers send the certificate into the wrong file when a builder has several approvals open. Take them from the current request.
- **Treating the company as the signer.** - The appointed individual signs. Company name and contacts sit in the competent person block, but the signature belongs to the named person.

## Before download [#before-download]

- The certificate is for design or specification, not completed inspection work
- You are the individual appointed for this design-specification help
- Property details identify the land when the design is site-specific
- The aspect wording matches what was assessed, no wider and no narrower
- The basis names the standards, tests, codes or specifications relied on
- References carry numbers, revisions and dates, or point to an addendum
- Certifier reference and development application numbers match this job
- The PDF preview shows the extent, basis, references, name, signature and date cleanly

## After download [#after-download]

Give the signed PDF and the listed reference documents to the building certifier who requested the help. Tradie Forms does not lodge the certificate for you.

- **File the certificate with the drawing set and addenda it relies on.** The PDF alone does not show which revision supported the design.
- **Name the file so the aspect is obvious.** A certificate saved as `Form 15 - 45 River Tce.pdf` will eventually be read as whole-building design sign-off. Prefer something like `Form 15 - 45 River Tce - steel roof beams S04-S08.pdf`.
- **Keep the appointment and certifier request with the job folder.** They show why you were the person who could give the certificate.

Check the current Business Queensland building forms and competent person requirements for your job. Retention and what the certifier needs sit with the building certification process for that development.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Form 15 walkthrough](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-15-design-specification-certificate-guide)** - A fuller run through property, basis wording, references and competent person sign-off.
- **[Common Form 15 mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-qld-building-form-15)** - Wrong form choice, vague aspects, thin basis text and stale details that cause rework.
- **[Form 12 vs Form 15](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-12-vs-form-15-building-certificate-guide)** - When the job needs a design certificate versus an aspect inspection certificate.

# QLD Form 16 (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/qld/qld-building-form-16-inspection)

Form 16 certifies that a stage of assessable building work complies with the building development approval. A building certifier or an appointed competent person completes it after the stage inspection, and it becomes the stage record the builder and certifier work from for the next part of the job. [Business Queensland lists](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/approvals-inspections/stages) mandatory stages for new houses including excavation, footings, slab, frame and final, so this certificate usually sits between a finished stage and the work that follows.

This is the current Queensland Form 16. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Certifying one aspect of work as an appointed competent person rather than a full stage? Use [QLD Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/qld/qld-building-form-12-aspect-inspection)

Issuing the final inspection certificate for the whole job rather than a stage? Use [QLD Form 21](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/qld/qld-building-form-21-final-inspection)

> **Warning**
>
> Providing false or misleading information on this certificate is an offence under the Building Act 1975. Only sign when you are the building certifier for the work, another building certifier, or the appointed competent person for this inspection help.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Most Form 16 problems come from filling it from the job booking instead of from the approval and the inspection just completed. Have these in front of you.

- **Confirmation of your role** - Building certifier for the work, another building certifier, or appointed competent person for this inspection help under Part 6 of the Building Regulation 2021.
- **The current building development approval** - Source for the approval number, land description, and the plans you inspect against.
- **The approved drawings and revisions** - The set you will cite in the basis and references, not a superseded issue from the ute.
- **The stage that was requested** - What the builder asked for, and what is actually complete on site.
- **Certifier reference and approval numbers** - Easy to copy from the wrong job if you do not have the file open.
- **Aspect certificates you will rely on** - Any Form 12 or Form 43 that supports this stage, with enough detail to identify them later.
- **Photos and site notes from the inspection** - Evidence of what you saw, including anything you are not certifying.

Only **Name (in Full)** blocks the download. Signature and both dates should still be complete before anyone treats the PDF as issued.

## Stage [#stage]

Names the stage of assessable building work this certificate covers. Align it with the approval and [Business Queensland stage language](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/approvals-inspections/stages), not the builder's informal label.

- **List Stage/s of Building Work (Text, Optional)** - Name the stage in plain terms, for example `Footings stage - after reinforcement, before concrete pour` or `Frame stage, main dwelling only`. On larger jobs add the building, unit, area or stage split so the certificate cannot be read as covering work you did not inspect.
  
  - **Useful** - Frame stage - single-storey dwelling, excluding detached garage
  - **Too vague** - Stage inspection

## Property [#property]

Identifies the land subject to the application. Match the approval and title details, not the booking address.

- **Street Address (Address, Optional)** - The address on the building development approval. Address search is limited to Queensland and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. Check the result against the approval, because search returns the current postal address and a permit can predate a street renaming or a subdivision.
- **Lot and Plan (Text, Optional)** - The legal land description from the approval, title documents, or rates notice. On new estates the street address may not exist in council systems yet, so lot and plan is often the only reliable identifier. Fill it whenever the approval carries it.
  
  - **Useful** - Lot 8 on SP 312456
  - **Too vague** - Lot 8, new estate
- **Local Government Area (Text, Optional)** - The council area. Address search may fill this. Confirm it near a boundary, because the LGA ties the certificate to the right local government record.

## Building [#buildingStructure]

Describes the building or structure this stage inspection relates to, including its National Construction Code class.

- **Building/Structure Description (Text, Optional)** - Enough detail to pick the right building on a multi-structure site. `Two-storey class 1a dwelling with attached Class 10a garage` beats `new house`. Where several buildings share an address, name which one you inspected.
- **Class of Building/Structure (Text, Optional)** - The NCC class from the approval, such as `Class 1a` or `Class 1a and Class 10a`. Keep it consistent with the description above.

## Components [#components]

States the extent of work covered by this certificate. This is the section that decides how wide the certificate reads later.

- **Description of Component/s Certified (Text, Optional)** - Describe what you actually inspected so a builder, certifier or future inspector understands the boundary without ringing you. Name the system, location and exclusions. Do not write wording that covers the whole job when the inspection covered part of a stage.
  
  - **Useful** - Reinforcement and formwork for ground-floor footings, including starter bars and hold-down bolts
  - **Too vague** - Footings

If part of the stage is not ready, certify only what you inspected and arrange re-inspection for the rest. A partial inspection written as a complete stage is the costliest mistake on this form.

## Basis [#basis]

Records why you are giving the certificate and what you relied on to decide compliance.

- **Basis of Certification (Text, Optional)** - Name the plans, engineering drawings, inspection method, standards, codes, test results or related certificates that supported the decision. The form asks for the basis and the extent to which those publications were relied upon. `Checked on site` does not stand on its own later.
  
  - **Useful** - Visual inspection against approved structural plans S-12 rev C and AS 2870-2011 site classification report
  - **Too vague** - Checked on site

## References [#references]

Lists the documents that back the basis so someone can reconstruct the file later.

- **Reference Documentation (Text, Optional)** - Use drawing numbers, revisions, report references, dates and certificate names where available. Where you relied on a Form 12 or Form 43, identify that certificate clearly enough to find it in the job file.

## Certifier [#certifier]

Links the certificate to the building certifier's file and the development approval.

- **Building Certifier Reference Number (Text, Optional)** - The certifier's own job or file reference for this approval. Take it from the current certifier correspondence, not from an old certificate on a different lot.
- **Building Development Approval Number (Text, Optional)** - The approval number on the building development approval. If you are on site without it, the building certifier or the builder's approval pack is the source. Do not invent a number from an invoice or quote.

## Inspector [#inspector]

Your details as the building certifier or appointed competent person completing this certificate. Under Part 6 of the Building Regulation 2021 a person must be assessed by the relevant building certifier as competent to give inspection help for the stage work.

- **Name (in Full) (Text, Required)** - The full legal name of the person who inspected and is signing. This is the only field that blocks download. It must be the person who can stand behind the certificate, not the company contact who booked the job.
- **Company Name (if Applicable) (Text, Optional)** - The trading or company name when you work through a practice. Leave blank for a sole practitioner who is not trading under a company.
- **Contact Person (Text, Optional)** - Who the builder or certifier should ring about this certificate. Often the same as the name above.
- **Business Phone Number (Tel, Optional)** - Daytime business number for the practice or office.
- **Mobile Number (Tel, Optional)** - Mobile for on-site contact. Fill at least one phone field so the certificate is usable without the job file.
- **Email Address (Email, Optional)** - The address that receives follow-up on this certificate.
- **Postal Address (Address, Optional)** - Postal address for the inspector or practice. Address search is limited to Queensland. Confirm the result before you leave it.
- **Licence Class or Registration Type (if Applicable) (Text, Optional)** - The licence class or registration type that covers this inspection help, for example `Building certifier`. Match what appears on your licence card or QBCC record.
- **Licence or Registration Number (if Applicable) (Text, Optional)** - The number on that same licence or registration. Licence check against the QBCC register can fill the name field; confirm the result matches the person who inspected before you keep it.

**Saved detail: Inspector** - save this section to prefill it on your next Form 16.

## Signature [#declaration]

Signs and dates the certificate as the building certifier or appointed competent person. The signature attests that the stage described is compliant with the building development approval on the basis stated above.

- **Signature (Signature, Optional)** - Sign as the person named in Inspector. Add the signature when the rest of the certificate is correct, not before the stage and components are settled. You can use a saved signature.
- **Inspection Date (Date, Required)** - The date the stage inspection actually happened. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there because this is usually filled on site or the next morning. No date field on this form accepts a future date.
- **Certificate Date (Date, Required)** - The date the certificate is issued. A different event from the inspection when you write up later the same day or the next morning. Two identical dates can be correct for a same-day issue, but two copied dates from an old PDF are not.

The signature lands on page 2 of the official PDF in the stamp box under the declaration.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Naming the stage as a generic inspection.** - `Stage inspection` or `as requested` does not tell a later reader which Building Regulation stage you certified. Use the approval stage language and any location split.
- **Writing components wider than the inspection.** - Certifying `frame` when you only saw the main dwelling frame makes the certificate claim work you did not inspect. Name the system, location and exclusions.
- **Leaving the basis as checked on site.** - The form asks what tests, plans, standards or publications you relied on. Name them, or the certificate cannot be reconstructed from the file.
- **Taking the approval number from an invoice.** - Quotes and invoices are raised early and often carry a superseded reference. Take the building development approval number from the current approval document.
- **Signing when you are not the appointed person for this help.** - Form 16 is not a generic builder sign-off. The certifier must have assessed competence for the stage work before an appointed competent person signs.
- **Copying both dates from an old certificate.** - Inspection date and certificate date are separate events. Carry-over from a previous PDF is a common way both end up wrong.
- **Leaving site without the approval pack open.** - Certifier reference, approval number, lot and plan, and drawing revisions are hard to reconstruct from memory. Photograph or open the pack before you leave.

## Before download [#before-download]

- The stage name matches the approval and the work that was actually inspected
- The property description matches the approval, including lot and plan where it exists
- The components wording is no wider than the inspection
- The basis and references name the plans, standards or certificates relied on
- The certifier reference and approval numbers come from the current approval file
- Name (in Full) is the person who inspected and will sign
- Signature, inspection date and certificate date are complete and correct
- The PDF preview says exactly what this stage inspection covered

## After download [#after-download]

Give the signed PDF to the builder and the building certifier as the job process requires. Do not assume one will pass it on.

- **Name the file so the stage is obvious.** `Form 16 - 45 River Terrace - frame.pdf` survives a search months later. A file named only by address will be read as if every stage is covered.
- **File it with the approval pack.** Keep the finished PDF beside the approval, the drawings and revisions relied on, inspection photos and site notes, and any Form 12 or Form 43 aspect certificates you used.
- **Tell the builder in writing which stage it covers.** A short note in the email or job software stops the certificate being filed as broader than intended.
- **Track stages still outstanding.** A job can carry several Form 16 certificates before [Form 21](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/qld/qld-building-form-21-final-inspection) at the end. Form 16 does not replace the final inspection certificate.

Check the current Business Queensland requirements for your job. Retention and lodgement expectations sit with the building certifier and the approval process.

> **Warning**
>
> The person who signs remains responsible for the certificate, whatever the filing system does with the PDF.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Form 16 on-site walkthrough](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-16-inspection-certificate-on-site-guide)** - Stage, components, basis and inspector block while the inspection is still fresh.
- **[Form 16 record keeping](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-16-stage-inspection-certificate-records)** - What to file with the certificate, how to name it, and when to hold off issuing.
- **[QLD building certificates workflow](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-building-certificates-on-site-workflow)** - How Form 12, Form 16, Form 43 and Form 21 sit together on a job.

# QLD Form 21 (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/qld/qld-building-form-21-final-inspection)

Form 21 is the final inspection certificate for single detached class 1a buildings and class 10 buildings or structures in Queensland. The building certifier for the work issues the signed certificate to the owner when the final stage complies with the building development approval. It does not cover swimming pools or swimming pool fences.

This is the current Queensland Form 21. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Certifying plumbing and drainage completion rather than building work? Use [QLD Form 19](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/qld/qld-form-19-final-inspection)

> **Warning**
>
> Form 21 is for the building types stated on the official form. Regulated pool finals use a different certificate pathway. Confirm Form 21 is the right final certificate before you sign.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every Form 21 problem comes from filling it without the certifier file open. Have these in front of you.

- **Confirmation you are the building certifier** - You issue Form 21 for this approval, not a stage or aspect certificate prepared by someone else.
- **Owner details that match the approval** - Name, company and contact person when the owner is a company, phones, email, and postal address for correspondence.
- **Property identifiers** - Street address, lot and plan from title or rates, and local government area.
- **Approval and certifier references** - Building development approval number and your certifier reference number for this job.
- **Stage inspection and certificate records** - The source for every inspection date and certificate date in the certification table, including Form 16 and aspect certificates you relied on.
- **Performance solution documents when they apply** - The performance requirements used, taken from the approval file rather than rewritten from memory.
- **Your licence and contact details** - Name, licence number, and postal details for the certifier block.

Two fields gate the download: certifier **Name** and **Licence Number**. Signature and date complete the certificate before you hand it to the owner.

## Owner [#owner]

Identifies who the certificate is issued to and where correspondence is mailed. Do not assume the site contact is the owner. On investor builds, company-owned sheds and family jobs, the person on site is often not the name that belongs on the certificate.

- **Name (Text, Optional)** - The owner as recorded on the approval or title, not the builder, tenant or person who opened the gate. On company-owned work, put the entity name here when that is how the owner is recorded on the approval.
- **Company Name (if Applicable) (Text, Optional)** - Fill when the owner is a company, trust or similar entity. Leave blank for a private individual owner.
- **Contact Person (Text, Optional)** - Required by the form when the owner is a company. Use the person who should receive correspondence about this certificate.
- **Business Phone Number (Tel, Optional)** - Landline or main office number for the owner. Use Australian format so the finished PDF reads cleanly, for example `07 3222 1100`.
- **Mobile Number (Tel, Optional)** - Mobile for the owner or contact person. Prefer the number that will still reach them after handover.
- **Email Address (Email, Optional)** - Email used for owner correspondence. Confirm it against the approval file when the job has changed hands.
- **Postal Address (Address, Optional)** - Where correspondence is mailed. Address search is limited to Queensland. Check the result against the approval, because the postal address can differ from the site address on investor and company work.

**Saved detail: Owner** - save this section to prefill it on your next Form 21 for the same owner.

## Property [#property]

Identifies all land the subject of the application. A street address alone is not enough when the certificate needs to match the approval and title.

- **Street Address (Address, Optional)** - The property street address from the approval. Address search is limited to Queensland and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. It can also fill Local Government Area. Check the result against the approval, because search returns the current postal address and a permit or approval can predate a street renaming or subdivision.
- **Lot and Plan (Textarea, Optional)** - The legal land description from the title, rates notice or approval. On new estates the street address may not exist cleanly in every system yet, so lot and plan is the reliable identifier. Fill it whenever the approval carries it.
  
  - **Useful** - Lot 15 RP 812345
  - **Too vague** - Lot 15, new estate
- **Local Government Area (Text, Optional)** - The council area. Address search may fill this. Confirm it near a boundary, because the LGA is part of how the certificate sits against the approval and any later lodgement with council.

## Building [#building]

Describes what was certified so the finished PDF is not ambiguous about class or structure type.

- **Building Description (Textarea, Optional)** - Name the building or structure in plain job language. Include attached class 10 structures when they are part of the certificate so a shed, carport or garage is not left implied.
  
  - **Useful** - Single-storey class 1a dwelling with attached class 10a carport
  - **Too vague** - House
- **Class of Building/Structure (Textarea, Optional)** - The National Construction Code class or classes covered by this final certificate, for example `Class 1a` or `Class 1a and Class 10a`. Match the approval, not a shorthand used on the job card.

## Approval [#approval]

Links the certificate to the building development approval for this project. Wrong numbers here are the most common way a clean final certificate gets sent back.

- **Building Development Approval Number (Text, Optional)** - From the current building development approval for this job. Do not take it from an old email subject, a reused office folder, or another lot in the same estate. If you are on site without the approval, the certifier file or the builder's current approval pack is the source, not memory.
- **Building Certifier Reference Number (Text, Optional)** - Your own job or file reference for this certification, as used on earlier inspection paperwork. Keep it consistent with Form 16 and aspect certificates on the same approval so the trail joins up later.

## Performance [#performance]

Records performance requirements only when the work uses a performance-based solution. Leave this section blank when the approval is entirely deemed-to-satisfy.

- **Performance Requirements (Textarea, Optional)** - List the performance requirements relied on, taken from the approval documents or performance solution documentation. Do not invent wording. If no performance-based solution applies, leave the field empty rather than writing "N/A" unless that is how your certifier file already records it.

## Certification [#certification]

Records inspection and certificate dates for each construction stage. These dates connect the final certificate to the inspection trail. Take them from stage and aspect records, not from memory.

The table has fixed rows for Foundation and excavation, Footing/slab, Frame, Final, Other stages, and two Other certificate rows. Leave unused rows blank. Do not invent dates for stages that were never inspected on this approval.

- **Date of Inspection (Date, Optional)** - The date each stage inspection was carried out, taken from the inspection record or stage certificate for that row. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there for recent work. No date field on this form accepts a future date.
- **Date of Certificate (Date, Optional)** - The date the stage certificate was issued. Often a different day from the inspection. Two identical dates across every row are usually a copy error rather than a same-day pattern for the whole job.
- **Stage or certificate (Text, Optional)** - On the Other certificate rows only. Name the stage or supporting certificate clearly enough that someone reading the PDF without the job file knows what it is, for example a Form 16 or aspect certificate you relied on for waterproofing.
  
  - **Useful** - Form 16 aspect certificate for waterproofing
  - **Too vague** - Other

If a previous stage certificate is missing from the file, find it before you sign Form 21. The final certificate is not the place to tidy a broken trail by guessing.

## Certifier [#certifier]

Your details as the building certifier issuing this final inspection certificate. **Name** and **Licence Number** block download when empty.

- **Name (Text, Required)** - Your name as the building certifier for this work. Prefer the same spelling used on earlier certificates for the job. Licence check on the licence number can fill this when the QBCC register returns a match; confirm it still matches the name on your licence card.
- **Company Name (if Applicable) (Text, Optional)** - Your certification practice or company when the certificate is issued under a business name.
- **Contact Person (Text, Optional)** - Fill when correspondence should go to a named person at the practice rather than only the certifier named above.
- **Business Phone Number (Tel, Optional)** - Main office number for the certifier practice.
- **Mobile Number (Tel, Optional)** - Mobile that can still be reached if the owner or council needs to confirm the certificate later.
- **Email Address (Email, Optional)** - Professional email for certificate correspondence.
- **Postal Address (Address, Optional)** - Postal address for the certifier. Address search is limited to Queensland. Check the finished PDF when the address is long so it still reads cleanly.
- **Licence Number (Text, Required)** - Your building certifier licence number. Use Licence check against the QBCC register to confirm the number and fill your name when the register returns a match. Do not work from an old job PDF that may carry a superseded number.

**Saved detail: Certifier** - save this section to prefill it on your next Form 21 you issue.

## Signature [#signature]

Sign and date as the building certifier for this work. The signature attests that you are issuing the final inspection certificate for the work described on the form.

- **Signature (Signature, Optional)** - Sign when owner, property, approval, stage dates and certifier details match the file. You can use a saved signature; check the preview so the stamp sits cleanly in the signature box on page 2.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The date you sign the certificate. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are available. The field does not accept a future date. This is the certificate date for Form 21, not a stage inspection date from earlier rows.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Taking owner details from the site contact.** - The person on site is often the builder, tenant or project manager. Confirm the owner name against the approval or title before the certificate goes out.
- **Leaving lot and plan blank.** - A street address alone may not identify the land. Take lot and plan from the title, rates notice or approval whenever the approval carries it.
- **Entering stage dates from memory.** - Use the inspection and certificate records for each stage. If a Form 16 or aspect certificate is missing, find it before you sign the final.
- **Copying the approval number from another lot.** - Estate and multi-job offices reuse folder names and email subjects. Take the building development approval number from the current approval for this lot.
- **Using Form 21 for pool or pool fence finals.** - Form 21 excludes swimming pools and swimming pool fences. Keep pool finals on the pathway the official forms require rather than folding them into the class 1a or class 10 certificate.
- **Labelling an Other certificate row as Other.** - A future reader of the PDF cannot tell which supporting certificate you relied on. Name the stage or certificate type clearly.
- **Signing while supporting certificates are still missing.** - Form 21 sits on top of the inspection trail. If stage or aspect records are incomplete, resolve that before the owner copy leaves.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Owner name and contact match the approval, not only the site contact
- Street address, lot and plan, and local government area identify the land on the approval
- Building description and class match the work covered by this final certificate
- Building development approval number and certifier reference are from this job
- Performance requirements are listed only when a performance-based solution applies
- Every stage row used has inspection and certificate dates from the records
- Other certificate rows name the stage or supporting certificate clearly
- Certifier name, licence number, signature and date are complete, and the PDF preview matches what you intend to issue

## After download [#after-download]

Give the signed PDF to the owner. Keep it with the building development approval and the inspection documentation you relied on, such as Form 16 stage certificates, Form 12 or Form 43 aspect certificates, photos, notices and correspondence.

- **Name the file so it stays findable.** Include Form 21, the property address and the certificate date, for example `Form 21 - 12 Jacaranda Drive - 2026-06-02.pdf`.
- **File the supporting trail with it.** A final certificate alone does not show which stage and aspect records sat under the decision. Keep that pack together for sales, warranty and later questions.
- **Log when and how the owner copy went out.** The office should be able to answer that without rebuilding the send trail from inboxes.
- **Keep pool paperwork separate.** Do not file a regulated pool final under the same close-out name as this Form 21.

Check the current Business Queensland and local government requirements for your job. Lodgement and retention expectations sit with the building certifier role and the approval pathway that applies.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Form 21 walkthrough](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-21-final-inspection-certificate-guide)** - A fuller run through the certificate, eligibility, and how stage records support the final.
- **[Record keeping and owner copy](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-21-final-inspection-record-keeping-handover)** - What to keep with Form 21, how to name the owner copy, and close-out filing habits.
- **[QLD Form 16](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/qld/qld-building-form-16-inspection)** - Stage inspection certificates that often sit under a Form 21 trail.

# QLD Form 30 QBCC Licensee Aspect Certificate (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/qld/qld-building-form-30-accepted-development-aspect)

Form 30 is the QBCC licensee aspect certificate for accepted development, previously called self-assessable development. You complete it as the licensee for the aspect of work your licence class covers, then hand the finished PDF to the builder or owner. The official form is made for [section 70(1)(b) of the Building Regulation 2021](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0024/18627/form30qbccaspectcertificateforaccepteddevelopmentselfassessable.pdf) and records that the aspect work prescribed as accepted development complies with the relevant provisions.

This is the current Queensland Form 30. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Certifying aspect work subject to a building development approval rather than accepted development? Use [QLD Form 43](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/qld/qld-building-form-43-aspect-certificate)

> **Warning**
>
> Do not use Form 30 when the aspect work sits under a building development approval. Form 43 is the QBCC licensee aspect certificate for that pathway. Accepted development still has to comply with applicable standards; the certificate is not a shortcut around the work itself.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Most Form 30 problems come from choosing the wrong pathway or writing the certificate from memory after leaving site. Have these in hand before you open the form.

- **A clear accepted-development pathway** - Confirm the work is accepted development under the Building Regulation 2021 and is not assessed by a building certifier under a building development approval.
- **Your QBCC licence class for this aspect** - The licence that authorises the aspect work, or authorises you to give this certificate, under the Queensland Building and Construction Commission Regulation 2018.
- **Property identity** - Street address, lot and plan, and local government area that identify all land subject to the application.
- **Building and aspect detail** - Building or structure description, NCC class, and a narrow description of the aspect or aspects you are certifying.
- **Basis and supporting documents** - Standards, codes, specifications, tests, drawings, product data, or engineering plans you actually relied on, with drawing numbers and revisions where they exist.
- **Who receives the PDF** - Form 30 may be given to the builder for the building work or the owner. Know who needs a copy before you leave site.

Only **Name** blocks download on an untouched form. Scope, property, building, aspect, basis, references, licence details, signature, and date still need to be complete for a certificate the builder or owner can rely on.

## Scope [#scope]

States the scope of aspect work covered by your QBCC licence class for this certificate. The official form ties this wording to the licence class under the Queensland Building and Construction Commission Regulation 2018.

- **Scope of the Aspect Work (Textarea, Optional)** - Write the scope of the aspect work your licence class covers on this job, not a generic company tagline. Keep it tied to the licence class and the work performed. The form's own example for a waterproofing licence is installing waterproofing materials or systems for preventing moisture penetration.
  
  - **Useful** - Installing waterproofing materials or systems for preventing moisture penetration
  - **Too vague** - All waterproofing and building works

## Property [#property]

Identifies all land the subject of the application. The street address and lot and plan must match the job the certificate covers, not a shortened delivery address from the job system.

- **Street Address (Address, Optional)** - The site street address. Address search is limited to Queensland and fills the street line, suburb, state, and postcode. Check the result against the rates notice, title, or job brief, because search returns the current postal address and a job note can carry a shortened street name.
- **Lot and Plan (Textarea, Optional)** - The legal land description, for example SP or RP details from the title documents or a rates notice. On new estates the street address may not exist in any council system yet, so lot and plan is often the only reliable identifier. Fill it whenever you have it.
  
  - **Useful** - Lot 8 SP312456
  - **Too vague** - Lot 8, new estate
- **Local Government Area (Text, Optional)** - The council area for the land. Address search may fill this. Confirm it near a boundary, because the LGA is who may later need the certificate or supporting documents for the work.

## Building [#building]

Describes the building or structure and its class under the National Construction Code so a later reader can place the aspect on the right building.

- **Building/Structure Description (Textarea, Optional)** - Enough detail that someone outside the job recognises the building, for example `Two-storey class 1a dwelling` or `Class 10a shed`. Avoid bare labels such as `house` or `bathroom` when the certificate is read later without the job file.
- **Class of Building/Structure (Textarea, Optional)** - The NCC classification for that building or structure, for example `Class 1a` or `Class 10a`. Match the class used on the job documents rather than guessing from a photo.

## Aspect [#aspect]

Describes the aspect or aspects of work this certificate covers. This is the narrow statement of what you are standing behind, not the whole trade scope from the Scope section.

- **Description of Aspect/s Certified (Textarea, Optional)** - Name the work and where it sits on the building clearly enough that a builder or owner understands the extent without opening the drawings. Include the location and the systems or elements covered. The form's own style of example is all structural aspects of the steel roof beams; for wet areas, name the rooms and inclusions.
  
  - **Useful** - Wet area sealing to ensuite and main bathroom showers, including floor wastes
  - **Too vague** - Waterproofing

## Basis [#basis]

Records the basis for giving the certificate and the extent to which tests, specifications, rules, standards, codes of practice, and other publications were relied upon by the QBCC licensee.

- **Basis of Certification (Textarea, Optional)** - Name what you actually used, not a vague line such as `as per standards`. Include the inspection method and the standards, codes, manufacturer instructions, or approved specifications relied on. Example: `Visual inspection against AS 3740-2021 and approved waterproofing specification WM-04`.

## References [#references]

Lists the documentation that supports the certificate. The official form notes that relevant documents can be noted and attached when you hand the certificate over.

- **Reference Documentation (Textarea, Optional)** - Identify drawings, product data, engineering plans, test records, or installation guides with enough detail that the right revision can be found later. Use document names, drawing numbers, revision letters, and dates when you have them. Tradie Forms maps the text onto the official PDF; keep the actual attachments with the job file as well.
  
  - **Useful** - Waterproofing detail WM-04; wet area layout plan A-03 rev B
  - **Too vague** - Plans

## Licensee [#licensee]

Your details as the QBCC licensee giving this certificate. Under section 70(1)(b) of the Building Regulation 2021 the licensee must hold a licence of the appropriate class for carrying out the aspect work or giving this certificate.

- **Name (Text, Required)** - The QBCC licensee's full name as it should appear on the certificate. This is the only field that blocks download on an empty form. Match the spelling on the current licence record.
- **Company Name (if Applicable) (Text, Optional)** - Trading or company name when the licensee operates through a company, for example `Coastline Waterproofing Pty Ltd`. Leave blank for a sole trader who does not use a company on the licence paperwork.
- **Contact Person (Text, Optional)** - Who to call about this certificate when that is different from the licensee name, or the usual site contact for the business.
- **Business Phone Number (Tel, Optional)** - Business landline or main office number as written on your business stationery.
- **Mobile Number (Tel, Optional)** - Mobile contact for the licensee or site lead. Useful when the builder needs a quick follow-up on the aspect.
- **Email Address (Email, Optional)** - Email for the finished PDF trail and any questions from the builder or owner.
- **Postal Address (Address, Optional)** - Postal address for the licensee. Address search is limited to Queensland and fills the street or PO Box line, suburb, state, and postcode. Confirm the result against the address on your licence or business records.
- **Licence Class (Text, Optional)** - The QBCC licence class that covers this aspect work, for example `QBCC trade contractor - waterproofing`. Licence check on the licence number field can fill this; confirm the returned class matches the work you certified.
- **Licence Number (Text, Required)** - Your current QBCC licence number. Licence check searches the Queensland QBCC register and can fill licence class and name. Compare both returned fields with the licence card or online record before you download.

**Saved detail: Licensee Details** - save this section to prefill it on your next Form 30 for the same QBCC licensee.

Re-check saved name, company, licence class, and licence number on every job. Licences and company details change.

## Signature [#declaration]

Signs and dates the certificate as the QBCC licensee. Sign after the scope, aspect, basis, and references match the work you are standing behind.

- **Signature (Signature, Optional)** - Sign on screen or use a saved signature. The signature attests that you are the QBCC licensee giving this aspect certificate for the accepted development work described. It lands on page 2 of the official PDF; check the preview so the mark sits cleanly in the signature block. The layout treats signature as required for a complete certificate even though download is not blocked when it is empty.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The date you sign the certificate. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there for on-site fill. The field does not accept a future date.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Using Form 30 when the job has a building development approval.** - Form 30 is for accepted development only. If a certifier is asking for a QBCC licensee aspect certificate under an approval, use Form 43 instead.
- **Treating accepted development as no standards apply.** - [Business Queensland notes](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/approvals-inspections/when-not-needed) that some building work does not need approval, including accepted development, but it still has to comply with applicable standards and local planning scheme requirements. Form 30 records compliance; it does not replace the work.
- **Writing a scope broader than the licence class.** - Broad wording can make the certificate look like it covers trades or building work you did not do. Keep the scope tied to the licence class and the aspect being certified.
- **Describing the aspect as waterproofing or works completed.** - A one-word aspect does not tell a later reader which rooms, systems, or elements are covered. Name the location and the work types.
- **Leaving references as Plans or manufacturer specs.** - Nobody can tell which revision or product sheet was relied on. Use drawing numbers, revision letters, dates, and product references.
- **Handing over with stale licence or company details.** - Saved licensee details speed the form up, but every download still needs a quick check against the current licence record.
- **Filling basis as as per standards.** - The official form asks for the basis and the standards or publications relied on. Name the documents you actually used.

## Before download [#before-download]

- The work is accepted development, not aspect work under a building development approval
- Scope matches the QBCC licence class and the work performed
- Property and building details identify the land and the building clearly
- Aspect description names the location and the systems or elements covered
- Basis and reference documentation name real standards, drawings, and revisions
- Name, licence class, licence number, signature, and date match the current licensee record
- The PDF preview says exactly what you intend the builder or owner to receive

## After download [#after-download]

Give the signed PDF to the builder for the building work or the owner of the building work, and keep a copy with the job. Tradie Forms does not lodge Form 30 for you.

- **Name the file with the address and aspect** so it is not read as a whole-building certificate later, for example `Form 30 - 45 River Terrace - ensuite wet area.pdf`.
- **File it with the basis documents** you listed: drawings, product data, engineering plans, photos, and any inspection notes. The certificate alone does not show what you relied on.
- **Send it to everyone who needs it on the day.** If the builder requested the certificate and the owner also needs a copy, send both rather than assuming one will pass it on.
- **Check whether the local government wants the certificate** or supporting documents for this accepted development work. Requirements vary; check the current Business Queensland and local government guidance for the job.

Tradie Forms does not decide whether the work is accepted development or whether the aspect complies. The QBCC licensee remains responsible for the pathway, scope, supporting documents, and finished PDF.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Form 30 walkthrough](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-30-qbcc-licensee-accepted-development-guide)** - Accepted development pathway, Form 30 versus Form 43, and what to collect on site.
- **[Form 43 aspect certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-43-qbcc-licensee-aspect-certificate-guide)** - The QBCC licensee aspect certificate when the work sits under a building development approval.
- **[QLD building certificates workflow](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-building-certificates-on-site-workflow)** - How Form 30 sits beside Forms 12, 15, 16, 21, and 43 on a Queensland building job.

# QLD Form 43 (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/qld/qld-building-form-43-aspect-certificate)

Form 43 is the QBCC licensee aspect certificate for aspect work subject to a building development approval on a single detached class 1a building or class 10 building or structure. The licensee states how the aspect work they carried out, or are authorised to certify, complies with that approval, and the finished PDF goes to the building certifier or competent person for the inspection trail. Complete it while the work, drawings and approval numbers are still in front of you.

This is the current Queensland Form 43 Aspect Certificate (QBCC Licensee). Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Appointed competent person aspect inspection rather than a QBCC licensee aspect certificate? Use [QLD Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/qld/qld-building-form-12-aspect-inspection)

Recording a stage inspection certificate rather than a QBCC licensee aspect certificate? Use [QLD Form 16](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/qld/qld-building-form-16-inspection)

Certifying accepted development aspect work rather than work under a building development approval? Use [QLD Form 30](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/qld/qld-building-form-30-accepted-development-aspect)

> **Warning**
>
> Tradie Forms maps your answers onto the official PDF. It does not decide whether your licence class fits the aspect, whether the work complies, or whether the certifier can rely on the certificate.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every Form 43 problem comes from filling it away from the job file, or from starting the wrong certificate. Have these in front of you.

- **A clear decision that Form 43 is the right form** - Building development approval work on eligible class 1a or class 10, not accepted development, not a stage inspection, and not an appointed competent person aspect inspection.
- **The building development approval and certifier request** - The source for the approval number, certifier reference, and the date approval to inspect was received.
- **Property and land details** - Street address, lot and plan, and local government area that match the approval, not only the invoice address.
- **Building description and NCC class** - Enough to identify the building or structure on this approval.
- **Scope and aspect wording** - Scope tied to your licence class; aspect naming the actual work and location you are certifying.
- **Basis materials and reference documents** - Drawings, product guides, standards, inspection notes or test records you actually relied on, with numbers and revisions.
- **Current QBCC licensee details** - Name, company, contacts, postal address, licence class and licence number for the person who will sign.

Name is the field that blocks download when empty. Signature, date, property, aspect, basis, references and licence details still need to be complete for a certificate the certifier can use.

## Scope [#scope]

Captures the scope of the aspect work for your QBCC licence class. This is the licence-class area of work, not a list of every room on this job.

- **Scope of the Aspect Work (Text, Optional)** - Describe the kind of aspect work your licence class authorises, in the same language as the licence or the certifier's request. Keep it at licence-class scope; put the job-specific rooms, floors and components in Aspect.
  
  - **Useful** - Installing waterproofing materials or systems for preventing moisture penetration
  - **Too vague** - Waterproofing

## Property [#property]

Identifies the land the aspect certificate covers. These details have to match the building development approval, not only the delivery or invoice address.

- **Street Address (Address, Optional)** - The site address on the approval or certifier request. Address search is limited to Queensland and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. Check the result against the approval, because search returns the current postal address and an approval can predate a street renaming or a subdivision.
- **Lot and Plan (Text, Optional)** - The legal land description from the approval, title documents or rates notice. On new estates the street address may not exist in any council system yet, so lot and plan is often the only reliable identifier. Fill it whenever the approval carries it.
  
  - **Useful** - Lot 8 SP312456
  - **Too vague** - Lot 8, new estate
- **Local Government Area (Text, Optional)** - The council area for the site. Address search may fill this. Confirm it near a boundary, because the LGA is part of how the certificate is matched to the approval file.

Check the finished property block against the building development approval before you move on.

## Building [#building]

Describes the building or structure covered by the certificate and its class under the National Construction Code.

- **Building/Structure Description (Text, Optional)** - A short description that identifies what was built or altered on this approval, such as storeys and dwelling type. Take it from the approval documents or the plans you worked from, not a casual job-system label.
  
  - **Useful** - Two-storey class 1a dwelling
  - **Too vague** - House
- **Class of Building/Structure (Text, Optional)** - The NCC class on the approval, for example `Class 1a` or `Class 10a`. Form 43 is for eligible single detached class 1a and class 10 work under a building development approval, so a wrong class is a sign you may be on the wrong certificate.

## Aspect [#aspect]

Describes the aspect or aspects of work this certificate covers. This is the field the certifier reads first when they need to know what you certified.

- **Description of Aspect/s Certified (Text, Optional)** - Name the actual work and location on this job: rooms, floors, facade, system or stage. Do not restate the licence class alone. A broad claim that sounds like whole-trade coverage will be queried when only part of the work was certified.
  
  - **Useful** - Wet area waterproofing to main bathroom, ensuite and laundry, including floor wastes
  - **Too vague** - Waterproofing

If the builder or certifier needs more than one aspect covered, clear separate certificates beat one vague certificate that invites follow-up.

## Basis [#basis]

States why you are giving the certificate and which tests, specifications, rules, standards, codes of practice or other publications you relied on.

- **Basis of Certification (Text, Optional)** - Point to the material you actually used: inspection method, product specification, engineering note, applicable standard or code. `As per plans` and `Installed to code` are usually too thin for the certifier file.
  
  - **Useful** - Visual inspection against AS 3740-2021 and approved waterproofing specification WM-04
  - **Too vague** - As per plans

Do not pad the field with standards or publications you did not use.

## References [#references]

Lists the documents that support the certificate so a later reader can find them in the job file.

- **Reference Documentation (Text, Optional)** - Identify drawings, product guides, engineering plans, test records or inspection notes with numbers, titles and revisions where available. Vague entries such as `Plans supplied by builder` leave the certifier without a trail.
  
  - **Useful** - Waterproofing detail WM-04; wet area layout plan A-03 rev B
  - **Too vague** - Plans supplied by builder

Keep the named documents with the finished PDF in the job record so the certificate and supporting file do not drift apart.

## Certifier [#certifier]

Links the aspect certificate to the building certifier's file and the building development approval.

- **Building Certifier Reference Number (Text, Optional)** - The certifier's own reference for this job, from the certifier request, portal or correspondence. Do not reuse a number from the last job for the same certifier or builder.
- **Building Development Approval Number (Text, Optional)** - The approval number on the current building development approval. Check every digit against the approval document or certifier request, not an invoice or a saved text snippet from a previous site.

Wrong numbers here are a common reason a clean-looking certificate is sent back for rework.

## Licensee [#licensee]

Your details as the QBCC licensee giving this certificate. The official form requires an appropriate class of licence for the aspect work, or authority under the QBCC Regulation to give a QBCC licensee certificate for that aspect work.

- **Name (Text, Required)** - Legal full name of the QBCC licensee who is giving the certificate. Licence check can fill this when you look up the licence number; confirm the result matches the person who will sign. This is the field that blocks download when empty.
- **Company Name (if Applicable) (Text, Optional)** - Company name when the licensee trades through a company. Leave blank when you are certifying as an individual only.
- **Contact Person (Text, Optional)** - The person the certifier or office should call about this certificate when that is not the same as the name above.
- **Business Phone Number (Tel, Optional)** - A business landline or main office number for follow-up on this certificate.
- **Mobile Number (Tel, Optional)** - A mobile the certifier or builder can use while the certificate is still live on the job.
- **Email Address (Email, Optional)** - The email used for this job's certifier and builder correspondence.
- **Postal Address (Address, Optional)** - Postal address for the licensee. Address search is limited to Queensland and fills street, suburb, state and postcode. Check it against current business records after a move or company change.
- **Licence Class (Text, Optional)** - The QBCC licence class that covers this aspect work. Licence check can fill it from the licence number; confirm it still matches the aspect you are certifying after renewals or class changes.
- **Licence Number (Text, Required)** - Your QBCC licence number. Use Licence check against the QBCC register to confirm the number and fill name and licence class; check the filled values before you sign.
- **Date Approval to Inspect Received from Building Certifier (Date, Optional)** - The date the building certifier's approval to inspect this aspect arrived, from the email, work order or certifier portal. The field cannot be set to a future date. It is a different date from the signature date when you finish the certificate later.

**Saved detail: Licensee Details** - save this section to prefill it on your next Form 43 for the same QBCC licensee.

Check name, company, licence class and licence number after renewals, business changes or staff changes before you sign.

## Signature [#declaration]

Signs the certificate as the QBCC licensee named above.

- **Signature (Signature, Optional)** - Sign as the QBCC licensee after scope, property, building, aspect, basis, references, certifier numbers and licence details are correct. You can use a saved signature; check the preview so the stamp sits cleanly in the signature box on the official PDF. Do not sign for someone else, and do not sign while the aspect wording still overstates the work.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The date you sign the certificate. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there for on-site completion. The field cannot be set to a future date. This is a different event from the approval-to-inspect date.

Read the certificate wording on the form before you sign. Confirm the aspect, approval number and licence class match the job you are handing over.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Using Form 43 for the wrong job moment.** - Accepted development may need Form 30, a stage inspection may need Form 16, and an appointed competent person aspect inspection uses Form 12. Confirm there is a building development approval for eligible class 1a or class 10 work before you start typing.
- **Treating scope and aspect as the same box.** - Scope connects to the licence class. Aspect names the actual work and location on this job. One-word labels in both fields force the certifier to call you.
- **Writing aspect wording that covers work you did not certify.** - `All waterproofing` is wrong if you only certified the ensuite and laundry. Name the rooms, elements or drawings actually covered.
- **Leaving the basis as as per plans.** - The form asks which tests, specifications, standards or publications you relied on. Point to real drawing numbers, product guides, inspection notes or standards you used.
- **Copying certifier or approval numbers from the last job.** - One wrong digit disconnects the certificate from the certifier file. Take both numbers from this job's approval or certifier request.
- **Leaving the approval-to-inspect date blank or guessing it.** - The official form includes the date approval to inspect was received. Check the certifier email, work order or portal before you finish the PDF.
- **Signing with stale licence details.** - Renewals, company changes and staff changes leave old name, class or number on the certificate. Check full name, licence class and licence number against current QBCC records before you sign.

## Before download [#before-download]

- This is Form 43 work under a building development approval, not Form 30, Form 12 or Form 16
- Property details match the approval, including lot and plan where it carries them
- Scope matches the licence class and aspect names the actual work and location
- Basis and references name documents a later reader can find
- Certifier reference and building development approval number match this job
- Licensee name, licence class and licence number are current
- Approval-to-inspect date and signature date are the correct separate events
- The PDF preview says exactly what you intend the certifier to rely on

## After download [#after-download]

Give the finished PDF to the building certifier or competent person for the inspection trail. Keep a copy with the job records rather than leaving it only in downloads.

- **Name the file so the aspect is obvious.** `Form 43 - 45 River Tce - wet area waterproofing.pdf` is easier to find than a generic download name when the certifier asks for a re-send.
- **File it with the approval and the certifier request.** The certificate alone does not show what was approved or why you were asked to inspect. Keep the building development approval details, approval to inspect, drawings and product documents, photos or inspection notes, and related Form 12, Form 16 or Form 30 records where they apply.
- **Keep the supporting references with it.** Documents named on the certificate should sit in the same job folder so a later query does not mean rebuilding the file from email.

Check the current Business Queensland requirements for your job. Retention and how the certifier uses the certificate sit with the approval pathway.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Form 43 on-site walkthrough](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-43-qbcc-licensee-aspect-certificate-guide)** - Full run through scope, aspect, basis, references and licensee details on site.
- **[Common Form 43 mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-qld-form-43-aspect-certificate)** - Wrong form choice, broad aspect wording, thin basis text and stale licence details.
- **[QLD building certificates workflow](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-building-certificates-on-site-workflow)** - How Form 12, 15, 16, 21, 30 and 43 fit together on a building job.

# QLD Form 26 (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/qld/qld-pool-form-26-nonconformity-notice)

Form 26 is the pool safety nonconformity notice a licensed pool safety inspector gives the owner when a regulated pool does not meet the pool safety standard. You complete it after the inspection, with the non-compliance and the action the owner must take written plainly enough to fix and reinspect. [QBCC guidance](https://qbcc.qld.gov.au/home-owner-hub/swimming-pools/inspect-certify-pool) requires the notice to reach the owner within 2 business days of the inspection under section 246AB of the Building Act 1975.

This is the current QBCC Form 26. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Recording that no pool safety certificate is in effect for a sale or shared-pool lease, rather than nonconformities after an inspection? Use [QLD Form 36](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/qld/qld-pool-form-36-no-pool-safety-certificate)

> **Warning**
>
> The owner must ask the same pool safety inspector for reinspection within three months of the notice. A Form 26 does not extend another deadline for obtaining a pool safety certificate, and another inspector cannot certify the pool during that period.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every weak Form 26 comes from writing it later from memory. Have these in front of you at the barrier.

- **Your pool safety inspector licence** - Only a licensed pool safety inspector can issue this notice. A general building or plumbing licence does not authorise it.
- **The pool owner on record** - Full name of the owner or owners, or the body corporate for a shared pool. Match the person who carries the fix obligation, not only the person who opened the gate.
- **Property and land details** - Street address, lot and plan, and local government area from the title, rates notice, or engagement paperwork.
- **Photos and measurements** - Each nonconformity close enough to read, a wider shot showing where it sits on the barrier, and any measurement you relied on with the gauge in frame.
- **A complete fault list** - Walk the barrier once and list every fault before you open the form. A notice that only records the first item fails reinspection later.

Seven fields gate the download: owner's full name, how the pool does not comply, action required, date of inspection, inspector name, pool safety inspector licence number, and statement date.

## Owner [#owner]

Identifies who the notice is given to and who must arrange the fix.

- **Owner's Full Name (Text, Required)** - The pool owner or owners' full name as on the title or body corporate record. For a shared pool this is usually the body corporate, not the resident who met you on site. If only a tenant or agent is present, confirm the legal owner before you leave rather than guessing from the mailbox.

**Saved detail: Owner** - save this section to prefill it on your next Form 26 for the same pool owner.

## Property [#property]

Locates the pool so the notice, the reinspection, and any later council follow-up all point at the same parcel.

- **Street Address (Address, Optional)** - The street address of the property where the pool sits. Address search is limited to Queensland and fills the street line, suburb and postcode. Check the result against the engagement paperwork, especially on multi-unit sites where the street number alone does not identify the dwelling.
- **Lot Details (Text, Optional)** - The lot number from the title or rates notice, such as `15`. On multi-unit sites this is what stops the notice being filed against the wrong unit. The PDF allows a short value, so enter the lot only rather than a full description.
- **Plan Details (Text, Optional)** - The plan reference from the same source, such as `RP812345`. Together with lot details this is the legal land description when the postal address is shared or has been renumbered.
- **Local Government Area (Text, Optional)** - The council area. Address search may fill this. Confirm it near a boundary, because if the owner lets the three-month reinspection period lapse you must notify this local government.

Fill lot, plan and LGA whenever you have them. They are optional in the form, but a street address alone is a weak match for the parcel when the notice is checked later.

## Pool Type [#poolType]

Records whether the pool serves one dwelling or more than one.

- **Pool type (Choice, Optional)** - **Starts on non-shared pool**, so leaving this alone records a private pool on a house or unit. Switch to **shared pool** when the pool serves more than one dwelling or premises, such as a body corporate, resort, caravan park or hotel. The choice changes who carries the safety management obligations, so do not leave the default if you are on a common property pool.

## Non-compliance [#nonCompliance]

States how the pool fails the pool safety standard. This is the heart of the notice under section 246AB, and vague wording here is what causes disputes and wasted reinspections.

- **How the Pool Does Not Comply (Text, Required)** - List every fault you found against the pool safety standard in Queensland Development Code MP 3.4. For each item give a findable location, what is wrong, and the measurement where one decides the outcome. Name the barrier part (gate, panel, latch, non-climbable zone, window or door) rather than a general impression. Long text continues on the PDF; keep the wording tight enough that an owner or a second inspector can find each item without you there.
  
  - **Useful** - Gate does not self-close and latch from half open. Climb zone includes a pot plant stand within 900 mm of the north barrier.
  - **Too vague** - Fence needs work

Common findings include gates that do not self-close or self-latch from all positions, latches below the required height, gaps under or between barrier panels, climbable objects inside the non-climbable zone, and barrier sections that are short or have lost rigidity. Photograph each item at the barrier before you leave.

## Required Action [#requiredAction]

Gives the owner a to-do list that you can measure against at reinspection.

- **Action Required (Text, Required)** - State what must be done so the pool complies. Pair each action to a non-compliance already listed. You are not quoting the repair or designing the fix; you are stating the finished standard the barrier has to meet. Leave room for a fencing contractor or minor owner work, but make "done" checkable.
  
  - **Useful** - Adjust gate hinges and latch so the gate self-closes and latches from any open position. Remove climbable objects from the NCZ. Request reinspection within three months.
  - **Too vague** - Fix gate and fence

## Inspection [#inspection]

Records when you inspected the pool. Timeframes on the notice run from this date.

- **Date of Inspection (Date, Required)** - The date the inspection actually happened. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there because this is usually filled on site. The 2 business day window to give the owner the notice and the 3 month reinspection period are measured from this date, so do not use the day you typed the form up in the office if that is later.

## Statement [#statement]

Your declaration that you inspected the swimming pool and are not satisfied it is a complying pool for the reasons stated above. Complete non-compliance and required action first; the statement is what makes the document a formal notice.

- **Name (Text, Required)** - Your name as the licensed pool safety inspector who carried out the inspection. This is you standing behind the finding, not the company name or an office contact.
- **Pool Safety Inspector Licence Number (Text, Required)** - Your QBCC pool safety inspector licence number. Licence check against the QBCC register can fill your name from the number. Confirm the result matches the licence you inspected under.
- **Signature (Signature, Optional)** - Sign once the non-compliance and required action are complete and correct. The signature lands on the statement page of the PDF. Draw, upload, or use a saved signature. Nothing stops the download without it, but an unsigned notice is not ready to give the owner.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The date you sign the notice. Often the same day as the inspection when you complete it on site. It is a different event from the inspection if you finalise the notice later within the 2 business day window.

**Saved detail: Inspector** - save this section to prefill it on your next Form 26 you issue as the same pool safety inspector.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Writing non-compliance as a general impression.** - `Fence needs work` cannot be fixed or re-checked. Name the barrier part, the location, and the measurement where one decides the outcome.
- **Recording only the first fault.** - An owner who fixes the one item you wrote, then fails reinspection on a second fault you saw but did not record, is right to be filthy. List every nonconformity from the walk.
- **Leaving action untied to the fault.** - `Fix gate` does not tell the owner what done looks like. Pair each action to a listed non-compliance so reinspection has a benchmark.
- **Using the body corporate manager's name as owner on a shared pool.** - The notice goes to the legal owner, usually the body corporate. The manager may receive a copy, but the owner field is not a contact name.
- **Leaving Pool type on non-shared when the pool is common property.** - The form starts on non-shared. A body corporate, resort or multi-dwelling pool is shared, and the responsibilities sit differently.
- **Dating the inspection from the day you typed the form.** - The 2 business day issue window and the 3 month reinspection period run from the inspection date. Use the day you were at the pool.
- **Leaving site without photos of each item.** - A measurement dispute turns on whether the gauge was in the frame. Photograph the fault close-up and the location on the barrier before you go.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Owner name matches the legal owner or body corporate, not only the person on site
- Property address, lot and plan, and local government area identify the right parcel
- Pool type is shared when the pool serves more than one dwelling
- Every non-compliance has a location, a clear fault, and a measurement where one matters
- Each required action pairs to a listed non-compliance and is checkable at reinspection
- Inspection date is the day at the pool; inspector name, licence, signature and statement date are complete
- The PDF preview says exactly what you found and what the owner must fix

## After download [#after-download]

Give the notice to the pool owner within 2 business days of the inspection and keep evidence of when it was issued. The owner has three months from the day the notice is given to ask you, the same inspector, for reinspection. If they ask during that period, reinspect within 5 business days, or later if you both agree. If they do not ask within three months, [QBCC guidance](https://qbcc.qld.gov.au/home-owner-hub/swimming-pools/inspect-certify-pool) says you must notify the local government.

- **Name the file so the property is obvious.** Use something like `Form 26 - 14 Jacaranda Dr - 2026-06-18.pdf` so the notice is not mixed with certificates for the same address.
- **File the notice with your photos and measurements.** The PDF alone does not show the gauge reading. Keep the pack under one job reference for the return visit.
- **Explain the three-month window to the owner.** Another inspector cannot certify the pool during that period, and an appeal to the Development Tribunal must be made within 20 business days of the notice being given.
- **Track the reinspection.** Note the request date and outcome against the job so a lapsed period does not slip past without the local government notice.

Check the current QBCC requirements for your job. Retention and notification expectations sit with the pool safety inspector licence conditions and the local government.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Form 26 walkthrough](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-26-pool-safety-nonconformity-notice-guide)** - When Form 26 is required, the timeframes, and what the notice must say.
- **[Form 36 no pool safety certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/qld/qld-pool-form-36-no-pool-safety-certificate)** - Notice used for sale or shared-pool lease when no pool safety certificate is in effect.

# QLD Form 36 (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/qld/qld-pool-form-36-no-pool-safety-certificate)

Form 36 is the written notice that no pool safety certificate is in effect when a Queensland property with a regulated pool is sold, or when an accommodation agreement is entered for a shared pool. The seller or pool owner gives it so the buyer or prospective occupier, the QBCC, and any body corporate know the pool is not yet certified. The finished PDF is the official QBCC layout you hand over and lodge.

This is the current QBCC Form 36 - Notice of No Pool Safety Certificate. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Recording that a pool failed inspection rather than giving notice that no certificate is in effect? Use [QLD Form 26](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/qld/qld-pool-form-26-nonconformity-notice)

> **Warning**
>
> A non-shared pool needs a pool safety certificate before a lease is signed. Form 36 covers a sale without a certificate, and an accommodation agreement only where the pool is shared.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every Form 36 problem is a missing copy or the wrong pool type, not a blank field. Have these in hand before you open the form.

- **Confirmation no certificate is in effect** - Check the QBCC pool register or the current certificate file so the declaration is true for this pool.
- **Owner details as on title or contract** - Name, postal address, and contacts for the person or entity giving the notice.
- **Pool location and lot on plan** - Street address, legal description, and local government area from the title, rates notice, or contract.
- **A decision on pool type** - Shared (body corporate or multi-lot) or non-shared (single dwelling). This drives who gets a copy and whether a lease is allowed.
- **Purchaser or tenant details** - As on the contract of sale or accommodation agreement, including how they can be reached.
- **Proposed settlement or agreement date** - The date that frames when the buyer and QBCC copies must land.
- **The owner ready to declare** - The same person named as owner signs that no pool safety certificate is in effect.

Seven fields gate the download: owner **Surname** and **First Name**, purchaser **Surname** and **First Name**, settlement **Date**, **Name of Owner**, and declaration **Date**. Contact, address, and signature fields do not block download, but a notice without them is hard for the QBCC or buyer to use.

## Owner [#owner]

Details of the property owner selling the property or entering the accommodation agreement. This is who later signs the declaration that no pool safety certificate is in effect, so the name must match title and contract, not a site nickname.

- **Title (Choice, Required)** - **Starts on Mr**, so leaving this alone submits `Mr`. Switch it when the owner is Mrs, Miss, Ms, or Other so the notice matches how the contract and title address them.
- **Other Title (Text, Required when you select Other for Title)** - Appears only when Title is Other. Enter the form of address used on the contract, such as `Dr` or `Prof`.
- **Surname (Text, Required)** - Family name of the owner as on title or the sale contract. For a company or trust, use the entity name the conveyancing file uses, not a trading shorthand. The PDF allows about 22 characters on this line, so check the preview if the legal name is long.
- **First Name (Text, Required)** - Given name matching the same source as Surname. Do not leave this as a single initial when the contract uses a full name, because the declaration below has to read as the same person.
- **Postal Address (Address, Optional)** - Where the owner receives post for this matter. Address search is limited to Queensland and fills the street lines, suburb, state and postcode. Prefer the address on the rates notice or conveyancing file, not a temporary site contact.
- **Mobile (Text, Optional)** - Owner mobile. Include it so the buyer, agent, or QBCC can reach the person who gave the notice without hunting through the contract.
- **Home Phone (Text, Optional)** - Landline when the owner still uses one. Leave blank rather than inventing a number.
- **Email (Text, Optional)** - Owner email for digital handover of the finished PDF and any follow-up from the agent or conveyancer.

**Saved detail: Owner** - save this section to prefill it on your next Form 36 for the same property owner.

## Property [#property]

Identifies where the regulated pool sits. This is what lets the QBCC and the local council match the notice to the right pool on the register, so it has to match title, not a marketing address.

- **Street Address (Address, Optional)** - The street address of the property with the pool. Address search is limited to Queensland and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. Check the result against the contract, because search returns the current postal address and a permit or title can predate a street renaming or subdivision.
- **Lot/s on Plan (Text, Optional)** - The legal land description from the title, contract, or rates notice. A notice against the wrong lot does not attach to the right regulated pool. On new estates the street address may not exist in council systems yet, so lot and plan is the identifier that matters.
  
  - **Useful** - Lot 15 RP 812345
  - **Too vague** - Kenmore pool house
- **Local Government Area (Text, Optional)** - The council area for the property. Address search can fill this. Confirm it near a boundary, because the LGA is how local records line up with the state pool register.

## Pool Type [#poolType]

Marks whether the pool is shared or non-shared. The answer drives who must receive a copy and whether a lease can use Form 36 at all.

- **Pool type (Choice, Optional)** - **Starts on Non-shared pool**, so leaving this alone records a private pool on a house or unit. Switch to **Shared pool** when the pool serves multiple lots, usually as body corporate common property. Shared pools need a third copy to the pool owner or body corporate, and only shared pools can use Form 36 for an accommodation agreement. A non-shared pool still needs a current certificate before any lease is signed.

## Purchaser [#purchaser]

Details of the property purchaser or incoming tenant. This is the party Form 36 is written for: the person who was told, in writing, that no pool safety certificate is in effect before they committed.

- **Title (Choice, Required)** - **Starts on Mr**. Switch it to match how the purchaser or tenant is named on the contract or accommodation agreement.
- **Other Title (Text, Required when you select Other for Title)** - Appears only when Title is Other. Use the form of address on the contract.
- **Surname (Text, Required)** - Family name of the purchaser or tenant as on the contract of sale or accommodation agreement. For joint purchasers, use the name order the contract uses, or complete a second notice only if the parties need separate records. The PDF allows about 22 characters on this line.
- **First Name (Text, Required)** - Given name matching the same contract entry as Surname. Mismatches between this section and the contract are what make a later "were they told?" question hard to answer.
- **Postal Address (Address, Optional)** - Purchaser or tenant postal address from the contract or agreement. Address search is limited to Queensland. Prefer the address the conveyancer or agent already holds rather than a mobile-only contact.
- **Mobile (Text, Optional)** - Purchaser or tenant mobile for handover of the notice and any pre-settlement questions.
- **Home Phone (Text, Optional)** - Landline when one is on the contract. Leave blank if not used.
- **Email (Text, Optional)** - Purchaser or tenant email so the finished PDF can go with the rest of the contract pack.

## Settlement [#settlement]

Records whether this is a sale or a lease and the proposed settlement or accommodation agreement date. That date frames the two timing rules that matter: the buyer gets the notice before the contract, and the QBCC gets a copy before settlement.

- **Agreement type (Choice, Optional)** - **Starts on Sale**, so leaving this alone records a sale without a certificate. Switch to **Lease** only for an accommodation agreement on a shared pool. Do not select Lease for a non-shared pool: Queensland requires a pool safety certificate before that agreement is signed, and Form 36 does not replace it.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The proposed settlement date for a sale, or the proposed accommodation agreement date for a shared-pool lease. Today shortcut is available. The field does not accept a past date. If the date moves after you complete the form, the official layout allows you to amend and initial the date on the finished PDF rather than inventing a new notice from memory.

## Declaration [#declaration]

The owner states that no pool safety certificate is in effect and that they will give this form to the required parties. Sign only when owner, property, pool type, purchaser, and settlement details are correct.

- **Name of Owner (Text, Required)** - Full name of the owner making the declaration. Match **Surname** and **First Name** in the Owner section, and match title or contract. A company officer signing for a company should use the name and capacity the conveyancing file expects, not only a first name.
- **Signature of Owner (Signature, Optional)** - The owner named above. Sign when the notice is ready to give, not as a blank stamp for later jobs. You can use a saved signature; check the preview so the stamp sits cleanly in the signature box on the finished PDF.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The date the owner signs the declaration. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there because this is usually completed the day the notice goes out. The field does not accept a future date. This is a different event from the settlement **Date** above.

The form notes lodgement routes for the QBCC copy: email `poolsafety@qbcc.qld.gov.au`, post to GPO Box 5099 Brisbane QLD 4001, or lodge in person at a QBCC service centre. Tradie Forms prepares the PDF; it does not submit it for you.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Selecting Lease for a non-shared pool.** - Form 36 does not authorise leasing a house with a private pool without a certificate. For a non-shared pool you need a current pool safety certificate before the accommodation agreement, not a notice instead of one.
- **Leaving Pool type on Non-shared when the pool is common property.** - Shared pools need a third copy to the body corporate or pool owner. The default is Non-shared, so a unit complex notice left on the default under-distributes copies.
- **Taking lot on plan from the street address alone.** - A notice recorded against the wrong lot does not attach to the right regulated pool. Take lot and plan from the title, contract, or rates notice.
- **Using different names in Owner and Name of Owner.** - The person who declares has to be the same person the notice identifies as owner. Match both sections to title and contract before signing.
- **Copying the settlement date into the declaration date.** - Settlement (or agreement) date and signature date are different events. The first is proposed settlement; the second is when the owner signed the notice.
- **Giving the buyer a copy and never lodging with the QBCC.** - The buyer needs the notice before the contract; the QBCC needs a copy before settlement. One without the other leaves the obligation half done.
- **Forgetting the body corporate on a shared pool.** - Shared pools need copies to the buyer or tenant, the QBCC, and the pool owner (usually the body corporate). Leaving the body corporate out is easy when you are focused on settlement.

## Before download [#before-download]

- No pool safety certificate is in effect for this pool
- Owner surname, first name, and Name of Owner match title or contract
- Street address, lot on plan, and local government area identify the right property
- Pool type is Shared only when the pool serves multiple lots
- Purchaser surname and first name match the contract or accommodation agreement
- Agreement type is Sale, or Lease only for a shared pool
- Settlement date and declaration date are the correct separate events
- The PDF preview shows the owner, purchaser, pool type, and dates you intend to give and lodge

## After download [#after-download]

[QBCC guidance on buying, selling or leasing a property with a pool](https://qbcc.qld.gov.au/home-owner-hub/swimming-pools/buy-sell-lease-property-pool) sets the timing: give the buyer the notice before the contract of sale, and lodge a copy with the QBCC before settlement. For a shared pool, also give a copy to the pool owner, usually the body corporate.

- **Send every copy the pool type requires.** Buyer or prospective occupier, QBCC, and body corporate for a shared pool. Keep a note of when each copy went out.
- **Lodge the QBCC copy on a real route.** Email `poolsafety@qbcc.qld.gov.au`, post to GPO Box 5099 Brisbane QLD 4001, or lodge at a QBCC service centre. The QBCC also provides an online Form 36 through its portal. Tradie Forms prepares the PDF but does not submit it.
- **Name the file so the property is obvious.** Use something like `Form 36 - 14 Jacaranda Drive - Nguyen sale.pdf` so the conveyancing file does not mix notices across jobs.
- **File it with the contract and certificate trail.** Keep the finished PDF with the sale or lease pack and any later pool safety certificate, so a later question about disclosure has a clean answer.
- **Track the buyer's 90-day clock.** A buyer who settles without a current certificate must obtain one within 90 days of settlement. Form 36 does not remove that obligation; it records that the certificate was not in effect at notice.

Check the current QBCC requirements for your transaction. Lodgement and retention expectations sit with the commission and the conveyancing process.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Form 36 walkthrough](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-36-no-pool-safety-certificate-notice-guide)** - When Form 36 applies, who gets a copy, and how sale and shared-pool lease paths differ.
- **[Form 26 nonconformity notice](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/qld/qld-pool-form-26-nonconformity-notice)** - When a pool safety inspector records work needed to meet the pool safety standard.

# VIC Asbestos Notification (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/vic/vic-asbestos-removal-notification)

This form notifies WorkSafe Victoria before licensed asbestos removal: who is removing it, what and how much, when, and where. The licensed removalist completes a new notice or an amendment, then downloads the official FOR567 PDF to email or fax the WorkSafe regional office closest to the site. [WorkSafe Victoria says](https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/asbestos-removal-notification) you need at least 24 hours notice for licensed non-friable removal of 10 m² or less, at least 5 days for all other licensed jobs, or within 24 hours of starting when an unexpected situation applies.

This is the current WorkSafe Victoria Asbestos Removal Notification and Amendment Form. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Planning Class B asbestos removal in NSW rather than notifying WorkSafe Victoria? Use [NSW ARCP Class B](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-asbestos-removal-control-plan-class-b)

> **Warning**
>
> Downloading the PDF does not lodge the notice. Email or fax it to the WorkSafe regional office closest to the removal site before work starts, on the current timing for the job.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every late notice comes from filling against the booking sheet instead of the licence, the site assessment, and the real start date. Have these in front of you.

- **Current asbestos removal licence** - Licence number, expiry date, and ABN or ACN for the business doing the removal.
- **Site assessment and material scope** - Friable and non-friable types, quantities (m³ and m²), enclosure method if friable, and exact work areas.
- **Crew list** - Supervisor names and mobiles that will be answered during the job, plus how many workers will remove asbestos.
- **Schedule and notice decision** - Start and end dates, start time, estimated days, and whether this is new, an amendment, or unexpected-situation work.
- **Workplace and removal address** - Client who commissioned the work, Victorian site address, and any telecom pit or pipe locations.
- **Existing WorkSafe reference when amending** - The notification number from the original lodged notice if dates, scope, or site details change.

Notification type, your name and email, licence number and expiry, asbestos type (at least one of friable or non-friable), removal start date, street address and postcode, declaration tick, completer name, and declaration date gate the download. Friable and non-friable detail sections only appear after you tick the matching type.

## Notification Type [#notification-type]

Tells WorkSafe whether this is a fresh notice or a change to one already lodged. The same FOR567 is used for both.

A standing notice restates the notice periods: at least 24 hours before removing 10 m² or less of non-friable asbestos, at least 5 days before all other jobs, or within 24 hours when an unexpected situation applies.

- **Notification Type (Choice, Required)** - **New Notification** for a job WorkSafe has not been told about. **Amend Existing Notification** when dates, quantity, location, crew, or other details on a lodged notice have changed. Do not open a second new notice for a schedule slip on the same job and location when an amendment is the right path.
- **Existing Notification Number (Text, Required when you select Amend Existing Notification)** - From the original lodged notice or WorkSafe confirmation, for example `AN-2026-01482`. Not an internal job number. If you are on site without the confirmation, check the office copy before download.

## Your Details [#your-details]

Contact details for the person completing this notification, so WorkSafe can follow up.

- **Name (Text, Required)** - The person filling and lodging the form, for example `Jordan Lee`. Use the contact WorkSafe should reach about this notice.
- **Contact Number (Tel, Optional)** - A number that will be answered while the notice is live. Prefer the number on your licence or office records.
- **Email Address (Email, Required)** - The inbox for questions about this notification. Check spelling before download; a typo makes follow-up hard.

**Saved detail: Notifier** - save this section to prefill it on your next asbestos notification.

## Licensed Removalist [#licensed-removalist]

Licence and business details for the removalist doing the work. These values need to match the current licence record, not a quote or old job file.

- **Licence Number (Text, Required)** - From the current asbestos removal licence, for example `AR123456`. Use the number for the business removing material on this site. If you are on site without the card, the licence holder or office can confirm it.
- **Licence Expiry Date (Date, Required)** - Expiry on that same licence. The field does not accept a date before today, so a lapsed licence cannot be entered as current.
- **ABN/ACN (Text, Optional)** - ABN or ACN of the licensed business. Use ABN lookup when you have it. Match the entity on the licence, not a related trading name.

**Saved detail: Licensed Removalist** - save this section to prefill it on your next asbestos notification for the same licence.

## Asbestos Type [#asbestos-type]

Selects friable, non-friable, or both. The next sections only appear for the types you tick. You need the licence class that covers the material: Class A for friable, Class B for non-friable as a minimum.

Download is blocked until at least one of Friable or Non-Friable is ticked, even though neither box is marked required on its own.

- **Asbestos Type (Choice, Optional)** - Tick **Friable**, **Non-Friable**, or both. Match the site assessment and licence scope. Tick both when the same job and location include both materials.

## Friable Removal [#friable-removal]

Which friable materials are being removed. Appears only when **Friable** is ticked under Asbestos Type.

Options include asbestos-backed vinyl sheeting, contaminated dust or soil, fuses in switchboards, insulation, millboard, non-friable asbestos that has become friable, pipe lagging, sprayed limpet, loose fill asbestos insulation, and Other.

- **Friable Removal Type (Choice, Required when Friable is ticked)** - Tick every friable material type on this job. Take the list from the register, survey, or site assessment, not from a similar job.
- **Further Friable Materials (Text, Required when Other is ticked under Friable Removal Type)** - Materials that do not fit the listed options, in wording that matches your job records and photos.
  
  - **Useful** - Degraded woven asbestos gasket packing on boiler flanges, Building B plant room
  - **Too vague** - Misc friable

## Enclosure Method [#enclosure-method]

How friable removal is controlled. Appears only when **Friable** is ticked.

Options are Full Enclosure, Partial Enclosure, Glove Bag, Wrap and Cut, Other, and None.

- **Enclosure Method (Choice, Required when Friable is ticked)** - Tick the method or methods that apply. Match the removal plan and controls you will use on site.
- **Further Enclosure Types (Text, Required when Other is ticked under Enclosure Method)** - Enclosure methods outside the listed options, short but clear enough for WorkSafe.
- **Why No Enclosure Is Needed (Text, Required when None is ticked under Enclosure Method)** - Why no enclosure is required for this friable work. Leave blank when an enclosure method is selected.

## Friable Quantity [#friable-quantity]

Estimated total friable volume. Appears only when **Friable** is ticked.

- **Total Quantity of Friable Asbestos (Number, Required when Friable is ticked)** - Estimated total friable asbestos in cubic metres, for example `2`. From the site assessment or removal plan. Check the PDF preview so the unit reads as m³.

## Non-Friable Removal [#non-friable-removal]

Which non-friable materials are being removed. Appears only when **Non-Friable** is ticked under Asbestos Type.

Options include AC pipe, AC roof, AC sheet, contaminated soil, telecommunications pits and pipes, vinyl floor or wall tile, zelemite boards, and Other.

- **Non-Friable Removal Type (Choice, Required when Non-Friable is ticked)** - Tick every non-friable material type that applies. Match the register, survey, or site notes for this address.
- **Further Non-Friable Materials (Text, Required when Other is ticked under Non-Friable Removal Type)** - Materials outside the listed options, in plain site language.

## Non-Friable Quantity [#non-friable-quantity]

Estimated total non-friable area. Appears only when **Non-Friable** is ticked. A form notice reminds you that more than 10 m² of non-friable material needs at least 5 days notice.

The square metre figure decides whether the job sits under the 24-hour small-quantity rule or the standard five-day notice. Estimate it honestly before you lock a start date.

- **Total Quantity of Non-Friable Asbestos (Number, Required when Non-Friable is ticked)** - Estimated total in square metres, for example `8`. Use the assessment total for this job, not a rounded-down figure chosen to fit a shorter notice period.

## Site Supervisors [#site-supervisors]

Supervisors for the removal work, each with a mobile answered during the job.

One row is one supervisor. Add up to five. Leave unused rows out rather than adding blanks. Each row uses **Supervisor Name** and **Mobile Number**.

- **Site Supervisors (Table, Optional)** - Name and mobile for each supervisor. Prefer numbers that stay with that person for the job. If supervisors change after you notify, amend the notice before relying on the old details.

## Workers [#workers]

How many people will remove asbestos on this job. A form notice says that if worker training or experience has changed from what you previously told WorkSafe, update your asbestos licence at myworksafe.vic.gov.au.

- **Workers Removing Asbestos (Number, Optional)** - Headcount of workers who will remove asbestos, for example `4`. Match the crew for this job, not the full company headcount.

## Removal Schedule [#removal-schedule]

When removal starts, how long it runs, and whether the work is an unexpected situation. The start date is what the notice period is measured against.

- **Removal Start Date (Date, Required)** - First day of licensed removal on this notice. Does not accept a date before today. If the start slips after you lodge, use an amendment rather than working on a date WorkSafe was never told about.
- **Removal End Date (Date, Optional)** - Last planned day of removal. Keep it consistent with estimated days.
- **Removal Start Time (Time, Optional)** - Planned start time on the start date, for example `07:00`.
- **How Long Will It Take? (Number, Optional)** - Expected days. Count calendar days including weekends: Friday to Monday is 4 days, not 2. The app helper states the same rule.
- **Is This an Unexpected Situation? (Choice, Optional)** - A sudden event that may expose people to airborne asbestos, an unexpected breakdown of an essential service needing immediate rectification, or **None of the Above**. Unexpected-situation work is notified within 24 hours of starting rather than in advance.
- **What Happened? (Text, Optional)** - Required when you select a sudden event or essential-service breakdown. Describe what triggered the work.
  
  - **Useful** - Damaged asbestos cement sheeting was uncovered behind the switchboard during demolition.
  - **Too vague** - Emergency

## Workplace Type [#workplace-type]

The kind of place where removal will happen. Tick the site type, not your business type.

Options include Domestic Home, Public Place (school, hospital, shops), Office or Factory, Demolition Site, Commercial Roof Work or Removal, Utilities, Next to Public Place, and Other.

- **Workplace Type (Choice, Optional)** - Tick every type that fits the removal site. A domestic home next to a public footpath may need more than one tick when both apply.
- **Other Workplace Type (Text, Required when Other is ticked under Workplace Type)** - Short, specific description when Other is selected, for example a school building, retail tenancy, or industrial shed.

## Workplace Contact [#workplace-contact]

Who commissioned the asbestos removal. Use the client on the engagement, not only a gate contact who met the crew on the day.

Import from ServiceM8, Fergus, or Xero where supported. After import, check the contact is the workplace or engagement contact, not a billing-only Xero address.

- **Client or Organisation Name (Text, Optional)** - Who engaged the licensed removal, for example `Harbour Holdings Pty Ltd`. Match the quote and job booking.
- **Contact Name (Text, Optional)** - Person WorkSafe or the crew can call about access, for example `Chris Nguyen`.
- **Contact Number (Tel, Optional)** - Phone for that workplace contact during the removal window.

**Saved detail: Workplace Contact** - save this section to prefill it on your next asbestos notification for the same client.

## Removal Location [#removal-location]

Victorian site name and street address. The address decides which WorkSafe regional office gets the PDF, so use the removal location, not head office or billing.

Use address search (Victoria only). It fills street line, suburb, state, and postcode. Check unit, level, lot, or tenancy after search. Import from ServiceM8, Fergus, or Xero where supported, then confirm it is the removal site. State defaults to `VIC`. The official PDF has no separate state widget. Suburb is required for download and is filled by address search.

- **Removal Site Workplace Name (Text, Optional)** - Short site or job name, for example `42 Industrial Drive Refurbishment`. Helps tell multiple notices apart when the street alone is not enough.
- **Street address (Address, Required)** - Street line of the Victorian removal site, for example `42 Industrial Drive`. After address search, confirm against the job booking; search returns the current postal address and a job can predate a rename or subdivision.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Defaults to `VIC`. Confirm `VIC` when typing by hand.
- **Postcode (Address, Required)** - Victorian postcode, for example `3175`. Filled by address search; confirm when typing manually.

## Location Details [#location-details]

Where on the site asbestos will be removed, plus telecommunications pit or pipe addresses when that is part of the job.

- **Exact Removal Location (Text, Optional)** - Specific enough that someone arriving on site can find the work area.
  
  - **Useful** - Boiler room on the ground floor of Building A
  - **Too vague** - On site
- **Telecommunication Pit Addresses (Text, Optional)** - Pit or pipe locations when the job includes telecom infrastructure, for example `Pit 12 outside 18 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000`. Leave blank when pits and pipes are not part of the removal.

## Privacy [#privacy]

Shows the privacy and collection notice that travels with the WorkSafe form. There are no job fields here.

WorkSafe collects personal and health information to process asbestos removal notifications and administer licensing. The full statement is on page 6 of the downloaded PDF. Read it before you sign the declaration.

## Declaration [#declaration]

Agreement, signature, and date for the person completing the form. Sign only after the earlier sections match the job. The declaration confirms you have read the privacy statement and that, to the best of your knowledge, the information given to WorkSafe is true and correct.

- **I Confirm That I Have Read and Understood the Declaration, Privacy and Collection Statement (Declaration, Required)** - Tick after you have read the declaration and privacy wording. Download is blocked until this is confirmed.
- **Name of Person Completing This Form (Text, Required)** - Full name of the person making the declaration, usually the same person under Your Details.
- **Signature of Person Completing This Form (Signature, Optional)** - Signature of the person making the declaration. You can use a saved signature; check the PDF preview so the stamp sits cleanly.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - Date the declaration is made. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are available. Future dates are not accepted.

## Submit [#submit]

Shows WorkSafe Victoria lodgement information from the source form. There are no job fields here.

Email or fax the completed PDF to the WorkSafe regional office closest to the removal site. The form lists the regional office contacts. A separate notification is required for each job and location.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Working to a 24-hour deadline when the job needs five days.** - Five days is the default for friable work and for non-friable over 10 m². If unsure, notify five days out.
- **Underestimating non-friable quantity to fit the shorter notice.** - The square metre figure sets the deadline. Calling a larger job 10 m² or less does not change what WorkSafe expects once the real scope is on site.
- **Entering a lapsed or wrong licence number.** - The notice is tied to the removalist licence. Check number and expiry against the current licence before download.
- **Sending the PDF to the wrong regional office.** - Lodgement is to the office closest to the removal site, not your head office. The removal address decides where it should land.
- **Opening a new notice when an amendment is what WorkSafe already has.** - Schedule slips and scope changes on a lodged notice use Amend Existing Notification with the original number, not a second new notice for the same job and location.
- **Using a billing or head-office address as the removal location.** - The street address has to be where the asbestos is removed. A wrong address sends the notice to the wrong office.
- **Signing before the schedule and quantity match the real job.** - The declaration stands behind the notice. Fix start date, quantities, and asbestos type first, then sign.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Notification type is new or amend, and any amendment carries the existing notification number
- Your name and email are correct for WorkSafe follow-up
- Licence number and expiry match the current licensed removalist for this job
- At least one asbestos type is ticked, and friable or non-friable detail matches the assessment
- Non-friable square metres are honest, and the start date leaves enough notice for that quantity
- Removal start date, unexpected-situation choice, and any what-happened text match the real job
- Street address and postcode are the Victorian removal site, not billing or head office
- Declaration is ticked, named, and dated, and the PDF preview shows the notice you intend to lodge

## After download [#after-download]

Email or fax the finished PDF to the WorkSafe regional office closest to the removal site. [WorkSafe Victoria's notification guidance](https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/asbestos-removal-notification) is the source for current timing and process. A separate notice is required for each job and location.

- **Name the file with the site and start date**, for example `VIC asbestos notification - 42 Industrial Drive Dandenong - 2026-07-01.pdf`.
- **Keep a copy with the job file** alongside the licence details, assessment, and any amendment confirmations.
- **Amend and re-download if dates, quantity, location, or crew change** before you rely on the old notice.
- **Do not batch sites.** Each address gets its own FOR567.

Check current WorkSafe Victoria requirements for your job. Timing, lodgement, and licence duties sit with WorkSafe.

> **Warning**
>
> Tradie Forms prepares the PDF. You remain responsible for checking current WorkSafe Victoria requirements before starting or changing asbestos removal work.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[VIC asbestos notification walkthrough](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/vic-asbestos-removal-notification-worksafe-guide)** - Who must notify, the 24-hour and 5-day timeframes, and how to lodge FOR567.
- **[NSW Class B ARCP](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-asbestos-removal-control-plan-class-b)** - Site-specific control plan for licensed non-friable removal in NSW, not the Victorian notice.
- **[NSW asbestos clearance (no air)](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-sw08272-asbestos-clearance)** - Visual clearance certificate after non-friable removal in NSW.

# Battery Storage Commissioning Record (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-battery-storage-commissioning)

This record captures a battery storage install as one PDF: equipment identity, AS/NZS 5139 location assessment, ten commissioning checks, charge and discharge results, customer handover, and signatures. You prepare it when the system is ready for final testing, then keep it with the job file, warranty pack, and any network or scheme paperwork. It does not replace the electrical compliance certificate required where the work was done, and it does not validate compliance for you.

This is a Tradie Forms designed record, not a government form. There is no official layout to match, so the PDF is a clean single-page commissioning record of the installer's assessment, checks, tests, and handover.

Commissioning a solar array rather than battery storage? Use [Solar Commissioning](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-solar-pv-commissioning)

Commissioning an EV charger rather than a battery system? Use [EV Charger Commissioning](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-ev-charger-commissioning)

> **Warning**
>
> The installer owns the AS/NZS 5139 location and installation assessment. Complete the certificates, network, retailer, and scheme paperwork required for the job separately.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Have the plate data, location decision, and test readiness sorted before you open the form. Guessing serial numbers or location class after you leave site is how these records come back wrong.

- **Battery and inverter identity** - Make, model, serial, usable capacity, and arrangement from the nameplates or commissioning pack, not from the quote.
- **Install location and class decision** - Where the unit sits on site and the AS/NZS 5139 location class you assessed, with clearances, barriers, ventilation, isolation, and signage checked.
- **Backup circuit list** - Which circuits stay live in an outage, if backup is configured, so the discharge test and handover match.
- **Test and meter readiness** - System ready for charge, discharge, backup changeover, monitoring, and shutdown checks, plus a meter for grid voltage at the inverter.
- **Handover pack** - Manuals, warranty docs, monitoring access, shutdown procedure, and fire emergency information ready to give the customer.
- **Installer licence and accreditation** - Electrical licence and any scheme accreditation numbers that identify who commissioned the system.

Business name, installer name, client name, commissioning date, battery make and model, inverter arrangement, install location, location class, the three test fields, customer briefed, and the declaration name and date gate the download.

## Installer [#installer]

Your business and the installer who commissioned the system. These details sit at the top of the single-page PDF.

- **Business Logo (Shown top right on the downloaded record) (Photo, Optional)** - Optional logo placed top right on the finished PDF. Use the same brand mark as your compliance certificates so the job file looks consistent.
- **Business Name (Text, Required)** - Trading name that owns the install, for example `Bright Spark Energy Pty Ltd`. Use ABN lookup to fill the business name and ABN, then confirm both match the entity on the job paperwork.
- **ABN (Text, Optional)** - Eleven-digit ABN for that business. ABN lookup can fill it from the business name, or fill the name from the ABN. Leave blank rather than inventing a number.
- **Installer Name (Text, Required)** - Person who commissioned the system, as you want it on the record, for example `Alex Smith`. This is the installer identity at the top of the PDF, separate from the declaration name later.
- **Licence Number (Text, Optional)** - Electrical licence number as printed on the card, for example `EC 12345`. Fill it whenever the customer or scheme pack expects it.
- **Accreditation No. (Text, Optional)** - Scheme or accreditation number where the job needs it, for example `SAA 123456`. Leave blank when none applies.
- **Phone (Tel, Optional)** - Number that reaches the business or installer for follow-up, for example `0412 345 678`.

**Saved detail: Business** - save this section to prefill it on your next battery commissioning job.

## Client and Site [#site]

Who owns the install, when you commissioned it, and where it sits. Address search is Australia-wide and fills the street line, suburb, state, and postcode together.

- **Client Name (Text, Required)** - Customer or site owner name as you file the job, for example `Sam Taylor`. Match the name on the quote, invoice, or handover pack so copies land with the right person.
- **Contact (Text, Optional)** - Phone or email that reaches them after you leave, for example `sam.taylor@example.com` or `0412 345 678`.
- **Job Reference (Text, Optional)** - Your internal job number, for example `BESS-24072`. Useful when the same client has more than one system or site.
- **Commissioning Date (Date, Required)** - Date the commissioning tests were done. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are available. Future dates are not accepted, so you cannot date the record ahead of the tests.
- **Street address (Address, Optional)** - Install site street line. Use address search, then check the result against the job sheet, because search returns the current postal address and a job can predate a street rename or subdivision.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm it when typing by hand so network and compliance paperwork for that jurisdiction stay aligned.
- **Postcode (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm against the job sheet when typing manually.

## System [#system]

Identifies the battery, how it connects, where it is installed, and which circuits it backs up. Take plate values from the equipment, not from the sales quote.

- **Battery Make and Model (Text, Required)** - Full make and model from the nameplate or commissioning pack, for example `Tesla Powerwall 3`. Do not shorten to the brand alone; warranty and support need the model.
  
  - **Useful** - Tesla Powerwall 3
  - **Too vague** - Tesla battery
- **Battery Serial (Text, Optional)** - Serial from the unit plate, for example `PW3-24072001`. Photograph the plate if the sticker is hard to read later.
- **Usable Capacity (Text, Optional)** - Usable energy as stated by the manufacturer or commissioning pack, for example `13.5 kWh`. Prefer usable capacity over nominal when both are published.
- **Inverter Arrangement (Combobox, Required)** - How the battery couples to the site: **Integrated (all-in-one)**, **Separate hybrid inverter**, or **AC-coupled to existing solar**. You can type a custom value when none of the presets fit. The choice tells a later reader whether to expect a separate inverter model.
- **Inverter Make and Model (Text, Optional)** - Separate inverter make and model when the battery is not an all-in-one unit. Helper text on the form says this is optional when the battery is integrated. Leave blank for a true all-in-one rather than typing `N/A`.
- **Install Location (Text, Required)** - Exact place on the property, for example `Garage external wall` or `South wall of laundry, non-habitable`. Vague answers like `Outside` do not help a later service visit or an assessor reading the file.
- **Location Class (Combobox, Required)** - AS/NZS 5139 location class you assessed for this install. Presets include **Outdoors against a wall**, **Garage or non-habitable room**, and **Dedicated enclosure**; you can type a custom class when needed. This field records your decision. The form does not judge whether that location complies.
- **Backup Circuits (Text, Optional)** - Circuits supplied during an outage when backup is configured, for example `Lights, fridge, garage door`. Leave blank when no backup is fitted, and keep the list consistent with the discharge test and handover briefing.

## Commissioning Checklist [#checklist]

Ten installation and commissioning checks. Answer every row with **Yes**, **No**, or **N/A**. Use **Yes** when the item was completed and verified, **No** when it was not met (a short note is required), and **N/A** only when the item does not apply, such as grid settings on an off-grid system or backup testing where no backup is fitted. Notes are limited to 62 characters on the PDF, so keep them concrete. Each row writes as the result, or `result · note` when a note is present.

- **Commissioning Checklist (Checklist, Optional)** - The ten checks, in form order: location complies with AS/NZS 5139 restricted locations and clearances; non-combustible barrier installed where required; required signage installed (battery, shutdown, fire information); ventilation requirements met for the battery chemistry; DC and AC isolation devices installed and labelled; earthing and bonding completed; inverter grid settings match AS/NZS 4777.2 region (N/A if off-grid); backup changeover tested (N/A if no backup); monitoring configured and reporting state of charge; shutdown procedure tested and displayed at the equipment. Bulk pass is available when every item is a genuine Yes. For manufacturer-specific ventilation treatment, record the result and note the basis used.

A row left blank will stop a clean completion later even though the checklist block does not sit in the same required-field list as client name. Treat unanswered checks as unfinished work, not as optional detail.

## Tests and Readings [#readings]

Measured and observed results from commissioning. The charge and discharge narrative is limited to about 120 characters on the PDF, so write the outcome, not a full test log.

- **Charge/Discharge Test (Textarea, Required)** - What you ran and what happened, for example charge reached and whether nominated backup circuits discharged correctly. Keep it concrete enough that a later reader can see the system was exercised.
  
  - **Useful** - Charged to 100%; backup circuits discharged correctly
  - **Too vague** - OK
- **Grid Voltage at Inverter (Text, Required)** - Voltage measured at the inverter during commissioning, with units, for example `238 V`. Take it from the instrument at the time of test, not from a design value.
- **State of Charge at Handover (Text, Required)** - Battery state of charge when you handed the system to the customer, for example `82%`. Use the value the monitoring or local display showed at handover, not an earlier mid-test reading.

## Handover [#handover]

What the customer received and whether they were briefed. Tick only what you actually provided or explained on this job.

- **Items Provided (Checkbox group, Optional)** - Optional ticks for **Manuals and warranty documents provided**, **Shutdown procedure explained and displayed**, **Monitoring app configured**, **Backup behaviour explained**, and **Fire emergency information displayed**. Only ticked items appear as a compact list on the PDF. Leave a box clear when that item does not apply or was not done.
- **Customer Briefed (Choice, Required)** - **Yes** or **No**. Choose **Yes** only when the customer (or their nominated site contact) was walked through operation, backup behaviour, and shutdown. A **No** still downloads, so treat it as a deliberate status, not a skip.
- **Handover Notes (Textarea, Optional)** - Follow-ups or limits the customer should know, limited to about 120 characters on the PDF, for example `Customer completed the shutdown and backup changeover walkthrough`. Leave blank when the ticks and briefing answer are enough.

## Declaration and Signatures [#declaration]

Installer sign-off for the record. The PDF states that the battery system was installed and commissioned as recorded, and that the customer was briefed on its operation, backup behaviour, and shutdown. Sign after the checks and tests match what you are prepared to put on the job file.

- **Installer Name (Text, Required)** - Name of the installer signing the declaration, for example `Alex Smith`. Match the person who commissioned the system. This is separate from the installer name in the Installer section at the top of the form.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - Date of the declaration. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are available. Future dates are not accepted. Use the day you sign the record, which is often the commissioning date but does not have to be.
- **Installer Signature (Signature, Optional)** - Installer signature for the declaration. Capture it on site when you can. You can use a saved signature. Layout treats this as part of a complete sign-off even though an empty signature does not always block download the same way name and date do.
- **Customer Name (Text, Optional)** - Customer name on the signature block when they sign, for example `Sam Taylor`. Optional helper text on the form confirms this can stay blank.
- **Customer Signature (Signature, Optional)** - Optional. Capture it on the spot, or send the finished PDF with a share link for later signing. Only include it when the customer (or site contact) actually signs.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Copying battery identity from the quote.** - Quotes are raised early and often use a different model or capacity than what was delivered. Take make, model, serial, and usable capacity from the nameplate or commissioning pack on site.
- **Recording location class from habit instead of this site.** - AS/NZS 5139 location rules are site-specific. Write the class you assessed for this install, with the install location precise enough that a later visit can find the unit.
- **Marking N/A on checks that were simply not done.** - N/A is for items that do not apply, such as backup testing with no backup fitted. Incomplete work is No, with a short note, not N/A.
- **Writing OK in the charge and discharge result.** - The PDF has limited space, but it still needs a concrete outcome: charge reached and whether backup circuits behaved. `OK` tells a later reader nothing.
- **Leaving customer briefed as Yes when only a manual was left.** - Briefed means a walkthrough of operation, backup behaviour, and shutdown with the customer or their site contact. Documents alone are the handover ticks, not the briefing answer.
- **Using mid-test state of charge as the handover value.** - State of charge at handover is what the display or monitoring showed when you finished with the customer, not an earlier charge-cycle reading.
- **Filing this PDF as the only electrical paperwork.** - This record is the installer's commissioning file. It does not replace the electrical compliance certificate, network paperwork, or scheme forms required for the job.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Business and installer names match the entity and person on the job
- Battery make, model, serial, capacity, and inverter arrangement match the equipment on site
- Install location and location class record the assessment for this site
- All ten checklist rows are answered, with a note on every No
- Charge and discharge result, grid voltage, and state of charge are concrete and from this visit
- Customer briefed and handover ticks match what the customer actually received
- Declaration name and date are filled, and the PDF preview matches the job file you will keep

## After download [#after-download]

Give a copy to the customer and keep one with the job file.

- **File it with the full pack.** Keep warranty documents, network or scheme paperwork, monitoring setup notes, and the electrical compliance certificate required where the work was done in the same folder. The commissioning record alone does not show compliance status.
- **Name the file so the system is obvious.** Prefer something like `Battery commissioning - Sam Taylor - 2026-07-28.pdf` over a generic site-only name when the client has more than one system.
- **Keep plate photos with the record.** Serial and model disputes are faster to settle with a nameplate photo than from memory.
- **Track follow-ups from handover notes.** If briefing, monitoring access, or a backup walkthrough is still outstanding, note it against the job so it is not lost after download.

Check the current network, retailer, and scheme requirements for your job. Retention and lodgement expectations sit with those processes, not with this record.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Solar PV Commissioning Record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-solar-pv-commissioning)** - Commissioning checks and string readings for a solar PV install.
- **[EV Charger Commissioning Record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-ev-charger-commissioning)** - Circuit protection, checks, and handover for an EV charger install.

# Defect Notice (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-electrical-defect-notice)

Records electrical defects found on a visit so the owner, agent, or builder has a clear written notice of what was found, the risk, any make-safe action, and what should happen next. You issue it as the licensed electrician who inspected the installation, and you leave with a signed PDF for the client and the job file. Measuring stick for non-compliance is AS/NZS 3000 (the Wiring Rules) as applied under the electrical safety rules in the state or territory where you work.

This is a Tradie Forms designed record, not a government form. There is no official layout to match, so the PDF is a clean notice that grows extra pages as you add defects and photo evidence.

Recording a visual assessment of an existing switchboard rather than putting defects into a standalone notice? Use [Switchboard Report](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-switchboard-condition-report)

> **Warning**
>
> This notice does not replace a state or territory defect notice, electrical
> safety certificate, distributor notice, or urgent reporting process where one
> is required. Confirm the current rules that apply before you issue or lodge
> any electrical document.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Confirm first that a standalone defect notice suits the job. Some jurisdictions, networks, or urgent hazards need a different form or a report to the authority. Then gather what you need on site so the notice is filled from what you saw, not from memory later.

- **Who can act on the defects** - The owner, agent, builder, or other person in control of the installation. Tenants and site contacts often cannot authorise repairs.
- **Site identity** - Full address, and which board, building, or meter when a property has more than one installation.
- **Each defect while you can see it** - Plain-language condition, exact location, and risk rating written at the board or fitting, not back in the ute.
- **Make-safe outcome** - What you isolated, tagged, or left in service, and any verbal advice already given.
- **Photos that show the fault** - Clear shots of the defective item and its location before you close the board or leave the roof space.
- **Your licence details** - Business name, electrician name, and licence number ready to stand behind the assessment.

Nine fields gate the download: business name, electrician name, issued to, notice date, at least one complete defect, overall risk, isolated or made safe, declaration name, and declaration date. High and Extreme defects also need a recommendation. Signature is expected on a finished notice even when the form does not treat it as a schema gate in the inventory.

## Business [#business]

Who is issuing the notice. These details sit at the top of the PDF so a client, quote electrician, or inspector can see who found the defects and how to reach them.

- **Business Logo (Shown top right on the downloaded notice) (Photo, Optional)** - Upload a clean JPG or PNG. It stamps top right on the downloaded notice. Skip it if you do not have a usable file on the phone; blank is better than a stretched screenshot.
- **Business Name (Text, Required)** - The trading or legal name the client already knows you by. Use ABN lookup from the name when you want the ABN filled from the register, then check the result against your invoices and licence card.
- **ABN (Text, Optional)** - From your ABN record or a current invoice. Use ABN lookup on this field to fill the business name, or the other way around from Business Name. Confirm the returned entity matches the licensed business on this job, not a related group company.
- **Electrician Name (Text, Required)** - The licensed person who inspected the installation and stands behind the risk ratings and advice. Use the name on the licence, not a workshop nickname.
- **Licence Number (Text, Optional)** - The number on your electrical licence card, for example `EC 12345`. Fill it whenever you have it: a defect notice is a licensed person's assessment, and the number is what backs the name when the client or an inspector follows up.
- **Phone (Tel, Optional)** - A number that reaches the electrician or the office for repair follow-up, for example `0412 345 678`. Prefer a mobile that is answered on site days over a switchboard that only takes messages.

**Saved detail: Business** - save this section to prefill it on your next defect notice for this business.

## Site [#site]

Who received the notice, when you gave it, and which installation the defects sit on. Getting **Issued To** right is what makes the notice actionable: state electrical safety rules place obligations on the person in control of unsafe equipment, so name the person who can authorise repairs.

- **Issued To (Text, Required)** - The person responsible for the installation: owner, agent, property manager, or builder. Do not put only a tenant who cannot authorise work. If the person who called you is not the decision-maker, still name the responsible person and say in the advice who else needs a copy.
  
  - **Useful** - Harbourview Property Management
  - **Too vague** - Priya at the unit
- **Contact Phone or Email (Text, Optional)** - How to reach that person for repair follow-up, for example `Priya Nair, 02 4955 0100` or an email that is monitored. Without it, the notice is harder to act on after you leave.
- **Job Reference (Text, Optional)** - Your work order, quote, or job number, such as `HV-24071`. Use the same reference on any separate rectification quote so the safety record and the commercial document stay linked in the file without being the same document.
- **Notice Date (Date, Required)** - The day you gave the notice. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there for on-site issue. The field does not accept a future date, so you cannot pre-date a notice for a visit that has not happened.
- **Street address (Address, Optional)** - The installation address. Address search works Australia-wide and fills the street line, suburb, state, and postcode. Check the result when the property has multiple boards, meters, or buildings, and name the specific installation in the defect locations if the street address alone is ambiguous.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Fills from address search. Confirm it when you type the address by hand, because the state decides which electrical safety rules and reporting paths apply.
- **Postcode (Address, Optional)** - Fills from address search. Edit it only when the search result is wrong or you entered the street line without search.

## Defects [#defects]

The core of the notice. Add one card per defect observed during the visit. Leave unused cards out rather than adding blanks. Long defect lists continue onto extra PDF pages. The notice records the condition observed during the visit; it does not certify that no other defects exist.

Each card uses **Defect**, **Location**, **Risk Rating**, and **Recommendation**, plus optional photos. High and Extreme risk force a recommendation before download. There is no row duplicate action on this form; add a new card for each finding.

- **Defects Observed (Rows, Required)** - Add at least one complete defect. Fill the card while the board or fitting is still open so the location and condition match what you can see.
  
  **Defect** - the condition in plain English. Name the item and what is wrong so the next person can walk to it and see what you saw. Energy Safe Victoria guidance on documenting defects is a useful shape: accurate, legible, plain English, naming the item, location, and detail of the defect.
  
  **Location** - exactly where it was found, specific enough on a multi-board site that nobody has to guess which board or space, for example `Roof space above kitchen` or `Main switchboard, meter cupboard`.
  
  **Risk Rating** - **Low**, **Medium**, **High**, or **Extreme**. Low is a minor non-compliance worth noting. Medium should be repaired but is not an immediate danger (for example no RCD protection on power circuits). High and Extreme carry a real risk of fire or electric shock and usually need isolation until repair.
  
  **Recommendation** - what should happen next. Required when the risk is **High** or **Extreme**. Write the next step a non-electrician can act on, such as rewiring, isolation until repair, or installing RCD protection. Do not put prices here; keep quotes separate from the safety record.
  
  **Photos** - up to **3** per defect. The first appears beside the defect on the notice. Extra photos are added as evidence pages. Shoot the fault with enough context that the client and the next electrician see the same thing without a return visit.
  
  - **Useful** - Deteriorated rubber-insulated cabling in the roof space above the kitchen; High; rewire affected circuits before re-energising
  - **Too vague** - Dodgy wiring; High

## Advice [#advice]

Pulls the visit together after the individual defects: the highest risk on the installation, how you left the site, how the notice was delivered, and a short written summary for the client.

- **Overall Risk (Select, Required)** - The highest risk across the defects listed: **Low**, **Medium**, **High**, or **Extreme**. Do not rate the overall notice lower than any single defect. The PDF prints this as the summary risk for the visit.
- **Isolated or Made Safe (Combobox, Required)** - How the installation was left when you walked away. Choose a suggested value or type your own. Suggested values are **Isolated and tagged out**, **Made safe, repair required**, **Left in service, monitor**, and **No immediate hazard**. For an unsafe defect, isolation and tagging is the expected path. If you choose **Left in service, monitor** against a High or Extreme defect, review the notice carefully before you sign, because you are recording that a serious fault was left energised.
- **Notice Given By (Combobox, Optional)** - How you delivered the notice: **In person on site**, **Phone**, **Email**, or **Left at premises**, or type another method. Recording delivery cuts later argument about whether the responsible person was told.
- **Summary of Advice (Textarea, Optional)** - The main next step in plain language: circuits isolated, work needed before re-energising, and who should act. Keep it short; the PDF allows about **220** characters, and longer text is truncated. Energy Safe Victoria's sample defect letter is a useful shape: name the unsafe wiring or equipment, urge correction by a licensed electrical contractor, and ask for the relevant safety certificate after repair when that applies in your state.
  
  - **Useful** - Roof space circuits isolated at the switchboard. Obtain a repair quote before re-energising.
  - **Too vague** - Needs attention

Review a High or Extreme notice carefully when the site was left in service. Making the installation safe comes before paperwork when there is immediate danger; record the isolation on this section after the hazard is controlled.

## Declaration [#declaration]

You stand behind the assessment. Sign after the defects, ratings, and advice are complete and correct, not before.

- **Name (Text, Required)** - The person issuing the notice, usually the same licensed electrician named in Business. Use the name you put on other electrical paperwork for this business.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The day you signed. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are available. The field does not accept a future date.
- **Signature (Signature, Optional)** - The licensed person's mark that the listed defects were observed during the visit and that the notice records the condition at that time. Sign last, once every High or Extreme defect has a recommendation and the made-safe status matches what you left on site. You can use a saved signature; check the preview so the stamp sits cleanly in the signature box.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Addressing the notice to someone who cannot authorise repairs.** - A tenant or site contact often cannot approve isolation follow-up or board work. Name the owner, agent, or builder who is in control of the installation, and say who else needs a copy.
- **Writing vague defects such as dodgy wiring.** - The next electrician and the client cannot find or prioritise the fault. Name the item, the observed condition, and the exact location.
- **Leaving High or Extreme defects without a recommendation.** - The form blocks download until those defects have a next step. Write the repair or isolation action while you are still at the board.
- **Setting overall risk lower than the highest defect.** - A Medium overall risk with an Extreme defect on the list misrepresents the visit. Match overall risk to the worst finding.
- **Leaving a serious fault in service without recording why.** - If supply stays on against a High or Extreme defect, the made-safe field and the advice summary need to say so clearly, and you should be sure that is the right call before you sign.
- **Bundling prices into the defect notice.** - A safety warning that also quotes the fix is easy for a client to read as an upsell. Keep the notice as the safety record and issue the rectification quote as a separate document with the same job reference.
- **Filling the notice later from memory without photos.** - Locations blur, risk ratings soften, and there is no evidence for the client or the next electrician. Capture each defect and a photo before you leave site.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Issued To names the person who can authorise repairs, not only a tenant contact
- Site address identifies the right installation when the property has more than one board or building
- Every defect names the condition and exact location in plain English
- Every High or Extreme defect has a clear recommendation
- Overall risk is not lower than the highest defect risk
- Isolated or Made Safe matches how the installation was left, including anything still in service
- Name, date, and signature are complete, and the PDF preview matches what you intend to hand over

## After download [#after-download]

Give the signed notice to the responsible person and keep a copy against the job with the photos and any test notes that support it.

- **Name the file so the site and date are obvious**, for example `Defect notice - 12 Wharf Road - 22 Jul 2026.pdf`.
- **Record how it was delivered.** If you emailed it, keep the email with the job. If you handed it over on site, note that with the notice date.
- **Keep quotes separate.** Use the same job reference on any rectification quote so the pair sits together without merging safety wording and prices into one PDF.
- **Follow any separate process.** Isolation of unsafe equipment, network or regulator reporting, and certificates after repair sit outside this notice. Check the current requirements for the state or territory where the installation is.

[Energy Safe Victoria](https://www.energysafe.vic.gov.au/industry-guidance/electrical/electricians-toolkit/sample-installation-defect-letter) publishes a sample installation defect letter for Victorian electricians. For work elsewhere, check the relevant state or territory regulator. Reporting obligations for unsafe installations differ between jurisdictions.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Electrical defect notice template guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/electrical-defect-notice-template-guide)** - Field-level wording, risk ratings, and how a defect notice differs from a certificate.
- **[Switchboard condition report](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-switchboard-condition-report)** - Visual assessment of an existing board when the job starts with a condition report rather than a standalone defect notice.

# Emergency Lighting Test Register (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-emergency-lighting-test-register)

This register records discharge testing of exit and emergency lights, aligned with AS/NZS 2293.2. You log each fitting as you test it, record the result, and download a signed PDF for the client and your records. The standard expects a discharge test at least every six months; confirm the current standard, building requirements, and site procedure for the interval and duration that apply.

This is a Tradie Forms designed record, not a government form. There is no official layout to match, so the PDF is a clean register that grows extra pages as you add fittings.

> **Note**
>
> The form can suggest next-due dates from the retest interval you choose. Check those dates against the building schedule and applicable rules before you rely on them.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every thin register comes from writing it up later from memory instead of at the fitting. Have these ready before you open the form.

- **Licence or competency details** - Your business name, tester name, and licence or competency number if the client or site expects them on the record.
- **Client and site** - Who the register is for and the building address so the finished PDF files against the right property.
- **Fitting list or asset schedule** - IDs, descriptions, and locations for every emergency and exit fitting on this service, so none are missed.
- **Test type and rated duration** - Six-monthly discharge, twelve-monthly, or commissioning, and the minutes each fitting must sustain on battery.
- **Retest interval decision** - The interval the building uses for next-due dates, usually six months under AS/NZS 2293.2, before you accept any suggested date.
- **Access and isolation plan** - How you will interrupt supply for the discharge test, and who has authorised the outage if the building is occupied.

Seven fields gate the download on an empty form: **Business Name**, **Tester Name**, **Test Type**, **Test Duration**, **Register Date**, declaration **Name**, and declaration **Date**. Every fitting you add also needs a complete result line before download.

## Business [#business]

Your business and tester details. These fill the register header so anyone reading the PDF can see who stood behind the results.

- **Business Logo (Shown top right on the downloaded register) (Photo, Optional)** - Upload a clean JPG or PNG of your logo. It stamps top right on the finished PDF. Skip it rather than using a stretched screenshot.
- **Business Name (Text, Required)** - Your trading name as the client knows it. Use ABN lookup to fill the ABN when you search by name, then check the result against your licence record if the group structure can return a related entity.
- **ABN (Text, Optional)** - From your ABN record or letterhead. ABN lookup can fill the business name from the number. Include it when the client or managing agent files registers by contractor.
- **Tester Name (Text, Required)** - The competent person who did the discharge testing, for example `Alex Smith`. This is the name that has to stand behind every result on the register.
- **Licence or Competency No. (Text, Optional)** - Electrical contractor licence or other competency reference when the client or site procedure requires it, for example `EC 12345`. Leave blank only when the site does not ask for it.
- **Phone (Tel, Optional)** - A number the client can use for retest bookings or follow-up on failed fittings. Mobile is usually better than a desk line you will not answer from site.

**Saved detail: Business** - save this section to prefill it on your next emergency lighting register.

## Site [#site]

Who and where this register covers. Managing agents often file by building, so a wrong suburb or half-written address is hard to match later.

- **Client Name (Text, Optional)** - The business, body corporate, or person you tested for, such as `Harbourview Constructions`. Fill it whenever the client is not obvious from the site address alone.
- **Job Reference (Text, Optional)** - Your job, work order, or site reference, for example `HV-24088`. It does not sit on the static header of the PDF; it appears in the register page summary so you can still match the file to the job.
- **Street address (Address, Optional)** - The building where the fittings sit. Address search works Australia-wide and fills the street line, suburb, state, and postcode. Check the result against the building schedule, because search returns the current postal address and a schedule can use a tower or campus name.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm it when you type the address by hand.
- **Postcode (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm it against the building record when typing manually.

## Testing [#testing]

Frames every fitting result that follows: what kind of service this was, how long fittings had to hold, and the date of the register.

- **Test Type (Combobox, Required)** - Choose **6 monthly discharge test**, **12 monthly discharge test**, or **Commissioning test**, or type a custom value when the site procedure uses different wording. AS/NZS 2293.2 requires a discharge test at least every six months for routine service; pick the option that matches the work you actually did.
- **Test Duration (Numeric, Required)** - Rated minutes the fittings must sustain on battery, such as `90`. This value also becomes the default **Minutes Sustained** on each new fitting row, so set it before you start adding fittings. Change a row when a fitting is rated differently.
- **Register Date (Date, Required)** - The date this service covers, usually the day you walked the building. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there for on-site close-out. The field does not accept a future date. Next service is measured from this date, so do not use the day you typed the paperwork if that is later.
- **Testing Basis (Combobox, Optional)** - The standard or procedure you worked to. Suggested values include **AS/NZS 2293.2:2019**, **AS/NZS 2293.2:2019 + site procedure**, and **AS/NZS 2293.2 (in-service maintenance)**. Fill it so a later reader can tell this was a full discharge service, not a lamp-only check.
- **Default Retest Interval (Select, Optional)** - **6 months** or **12 months**. Used only to suggest **Next Due** on new pass rows. It is a date helper, not a compliance decision. Override any suggested next-due date when the building schedule or applicable requirement is different.

## Register [#register]

Every emergency and exit fitting inspected on this service. One card is one fitting. There is no row cap: add as many fittings as the building needs. Leave unused cards out rather than padding blanks.

Add a card with **Add fitting** as you finish each unit. New cards can carry forward the previous **Location** and **Test Date**, and prefill **Minutes Sustained** from **Test Duration** above. **Duplicate** copies description, fitting type, minutes sustained, and location, and clears fitting ID, result, dates, action, and notes so you do not accidentally reuse a pass.

On the finished PDF each fitting is a stacked record (identity and result on the first line, type and duration with dates on the second, action and notes on the third). Long lists continue onto extra pages with the same footer and page count. Optional fail photos land on a photo-evidence appendix, not inside the register rows. Job reference, test type, duration, and testing basis also print in the register summary on those pages.

The register field itself does not block download when empty, but a register with no fittings is useless to the client. Every fitting you add must be complete before download: ID, description, location, type, minutes sustained, result, and test date; passes need next due; fails need action and failure details.

- **Fitting Register (AssetRegisterRows, Optional)** - Each **Fitting** card holds:
  
  **Fitting ID** - your reference for the unit, for example `EX-014` or the number on the building schedule. Without a stable ID, identical exit signs cannot be found next round.
  
  **Fitting Description** - what the unit is, such as `Maintained LED exit sign`. Specific enough that the next tester can pick it from a corridor of similar signs.
  
  **Location** - where it sits, for example `Level 1 lobby` or `Fire stair 2, above door 2.14`. This is what the next person walks to in six months.
  
  **Fitting Type** - Exit sign, Emergency batten, Oyster, Spitfire, Floodlight, or a custom type when the schedule uses different names.
  
  **Minutes Sustained** - how long the fitting held illumination on battery during the discharge test, such as `90`. Enter the measured hold time, not a tick. A pass with a blank duration does not show the discharge test happened. New rows default from **Test Duration**.
  
  **Result** - **Pass** or **Fail**. Pass means the fitting held to the required duration at the required level. Fail means it dropped out early or did not perform.
  
  **Test Date** - the day that fitting was tested. Defaults to today on new rows; change it when you are closing out a multi-day walk.
  
  **Next Due** - required on a pass. The date the fitting is due again. Suggested from **Default Retest Interval** when set; always check it against the building schedule before you leave it.
  
  **Action taken** - required on a fail. Choose **Battery replaced**, **Lamp or fitting replaced**, **Scheduled for repair**, **Client notified**, or type the real action when none of those fit.
  
  **Failure details** - required on a fail. What failed and what happens next, for example that it only held 40 minutes and a battery replacement is booked. Optional photo evidence can be attached on a fail; it prints on a photo appendix page.
  
  - **Useful** - EX-014, maintained LED exit sign, Level 1 lobby east end above door 1.04, Exit sign, 90 min, Pass, next due six months out
  - **Too vague** - Exit sign, Pass

## Declaration [#declaration]

Sign-off for the whole register. Complete every fitting line first; signing early is how blank durations and missing next-due dates slip through.

- **Notes (Textarea, Optional)** - Anything the client should know that is not already on a fitting line: batteries replaced on site, fittings that could not be reached, or a return visit booked. The PDF truncates long notes around 220 characters, so keep them short and specific.
- **Name (Text, Required)** - Who is declaring the service. Use **Same as tester above** when that person is the tester named in Business; the name field then mirrors **Tester Name** and locks until you turn the toggle off.
- **Same as tester above (MirrorFields, Optional)** - Copies **Tester Name** into **Name**. Turn it off when someone else is signing the register.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The date of the declaration, usually the day you finish the walk. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are available. The field does not accept a future date.
- **Signature (Signature, Optional)** - Sign on screen or drop in a saved signature. The signature attests that the listed fittings were inspected and tested as recorded. Check the preview so it sits cleanly in the declaration box.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Recording a pass without minutes sustained.** - A pass with no hold time does not show the discharge test happened. Enter the measured minutes, even when the fitting obviously held for the full rating.
- **Failing a fitting with no action or failure details.** - A fail with no next step is a problem with no owner. Choose the action taken and write what failed so the unit is being dealt with, not forgotten.
- **Leaving next due blank on a pass.** - Without a next-due date the six-monthly cycle stops on that fitting. Set the date as you close each pass, then check the suggestion against the building schedule.
- **Writing the register later from memory.** - Corridors get missed, durations get guessed, and IDs swap between identical exit signs. Log each fitting at the fitting while the timing is in front of you.
- **Vague identity with no location.** - `Exit sign` is unusable the moment the building has more than one. Use a fitting ID from the schedule and a location the next tester can walk to.
- **Accepting every suggested next-due date.** - The interval is only a helper. Building schedules, tenancy rules, and commissioning follow-ups can demand a different date than six or twelve months from today.
- **Missing fittings that are on the building schedule.** - An inspector will compare fitting count and locations to the schedule. Walk the list, not only the units that were easy to reach.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Business name and tester name match who did the work
- Test type, duration, testing basis, and register date match the service performed
- Every fitting has an ID, description, location, type, minutes sustained, result, and test date
- Every pass has a next-due date checked against the building schedule
- Every fail has an action and failure details
- Declaration name and date match the person responsible for the record
- The PDF preview shows stacked fitting records, continuation pages if needed, and a clean signature box

## After download [#after-download]

Give a copy to the client or site manager and keep one with the site or job records. Records of testing should be kept on site and made available for auditing. Tradie Forms does not lodge this register with any authority.

- **Name the file with the site and date** so it files against the right building, for example `Emergency lighting - 12 Wharf Rd Newcastle - 2026-07-14.pdf`.
- **File it with the building's emergency lighting schedule** so the next service starts from a complete list rather than a rebuild from memory.
- **Track failed fittings to close-out** until battery replacement, retest, or client acceptance is done. The PDF alone does not fix a failed unit.
- **Carry forward IDs and locations** on the next six-monthly round so fitting references stay stable across services.

Check [AS/NZS 2293.2:2019](https://store.standards.org.au/product/as-nzs-2293-2-2019), current building requirements, and the site maintenance plan for the testing and record-keeping rules that apply to this building.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Emergency lighting register and AS 2293.2](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/national-emergency-lighting-test-register-as-2293-2)** - What the six-monthly discharge service covers and how to fill the register field by field.

# EV Charger Commissioning Record (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-ev-charger-commissioning)

Records the EV charger, circuit protection, commissioning checks, measured readings, customer handover, and installer sign-off in one PDF for the customer and your job file. Electricians complete it when the charger is ready for final testing, after the install and protection work, so the site leaves with a clear record of what was fitted and tested. It is not a certificate of electrical safety and does not replace the compliance certificate required where the work was done.

This is a Tradie Forms designed record, not a government form. There is no official layout to match, so the PDF is a clean commissioning report of the charger identity, protection, checks, readings, and handover.

Commissioning a solar PV system rather than an EV charger? Use [Solar Commissioning](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-solar-pv-commissioning)

Commissioning a battery storage system rather than an EV charger? Use [Battery Commissioning](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-battery-storage-commissioning)

> **Warning**
>
> Check the charger instructions and the current requirements for the job. Complete the electrical compliance certificate required where the work was done separately. This record does not choose the correct protection for the installation.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every incomplete EV commissioning record comes from filling it after you have left site without the plate, test instrument readings, or handover materials in hand. Have these ready.

- **Charger identity and instructions** - Make, model, serial, rating, and the manufacturer's installation instructions, including any built-in DC fault protection statement.
- **Circuit and protection details** - Supply phases, circuit protection rating, cable size, RCD type fitted, and how load management is set up on this charger.
- **Test equipment and a charge session** - Your loop and RCD tester, a multimeter or equivalent for voltage at the charger, and a vehicle or suitable test adapter for the charge test.
- **One charger decision** - Create one record per charger. On multi-charger sites, name each install location so the PDFs cannot be mixed up later.
- **Handover materials** - Operating instructions, app access, warranty documents, isolation procedure, and load-management behaviour to brief the customer on.

Sixteen fields gate the download: business and installer names, client name, commissioning date, charger make and model, install location, supply phases, RCD type, load management, the four measured readings, customer briefed, and the declaration name and date. Answer every checklist item as well; an empty Yes, No, or N/A blocks the PDF.

## Installer [#installer]

Identifies the electrical business and the installer named on the record header. These details print at the top of the finished PDF so the customer and any later reader can see who commissioned the charger.

- **Business Logo (Shown top right on the downloaded record) (Photo, Optional)** - Optional logo for the top right of the PDF. Use a clear horizontal image; check the preview so it is not cropped.
- **Business Name (Text, Required)** - Trading name of the electrical business commissioning the charger, as you want it on the customer PDF. Use ABN lookup from this field to fill the ABN when you have the name. Example: `Bright Spark Electrical Pty Ltd`.
- **ABN (Text, Optional)** - Eleven-digit ABN for the business. Use ABN lookup to fill the business name when you start from the ABN instead. Leave blank only when the customer does not need it on this record.
- **Installer Name (Text, Required)** - The licensed person who carried out the install and commissioning checks, for example `Alex Smith`. This is the name in the header, separate from the declaration signature block later.
- **Licence Number (Text, Optional)** - Electrical licence number in the format your state issues, such as `EC 12345`. Include it when the customer, builder, or network paperwork expects a licence on the record.
- **Accreditation No. (Text, Optional)** - Scheme or manufacturer accreditation when the job needs it, for example `SAA 123456`. Leave blank rather than inventing a number.
- **Phone (Tel, Optional)** - Contact number for follow-up on the install, app setup, or a retest. A mobile that reaches the installer or office is enough.

**Saved detail: Business** - save this section to prefill it on your next EV charger commissioning record.

## Client and Site [#site]

Captures who the record is for, when commissioning happened, and where the charger sits. Fill this so the PDF can be filed against the right job without opening the photos.

- **Client Name (Text, Required)** - The customer or site contact the record is prepared for, as they expect to see it on the PDF, for example `Sam Taylor` or `Harbour View Apartments Pty Ltd`.
- **Contact (Text, Optional)** - Phone or email for handover follow-up. Useful when the person briefed on site is not the same as the client name on the invoice.
- **Job Reference (Text, Optional)** - Your job, work order, or quote number, such as `EV-24072`. Helps match this PDF to the compliance certificate and warranty file.
- **Commissioning Date (Date, Required)** - The day the commissioning checks and readings were completed. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there for on-site work. The field does not accept a future date.
- **Street address (Address, Optional)** - Site street line. Address search works Australia-wide and fills the street line, suburb, state, and postcode together. Confirm the result when the site is a new estate or a multi-building complex.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm it when you type the address by hand, because the compliance certificate path depends on the state.
- **Postcode (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm it against the job file when typing manually.

## System [#system]

Identifies the charger, where it is mounted, and the protection and load-management setup you assessed. Create one record per charger so serials, locations, and readings cannot be mixed.

- **Charger Make and Model (Text, Required)** - From the charger nameplate or packaging, specific enough to reorder parts or check a firmware note later. Include the generation when the maker uses one, for example `Tesla Wall Connector Gen 3`, not only `Tesla charger`.
- **Charger Serial (Text, Optional)** - Serial from the nameplate. Fill it whenever it is readable; it is how warranty and manufacturer support identify this unit.
- **Charger Rating (Text, Optional)** - Rated capacity as marked or configured, with phase context when it helps, for example `7 kW single phase` or `22 kW three phase`.
- **Install Location (Text, Required)** - Exact mount location on the site so a later sparkie can find the same unit without a phone call. Name the building, level, bay, or wall face when there is more than one charger or parking space.
  
  - **Useful** - Garage, left wall beside roller door
  - **Too vague** - Garage
- **Supply Phases (Select, Required)** - **Single phase** or **Three phase**, matching the supply the charger is connected to, not the house main if they differ.
- **Circuit Protection (Text, Optional)** - Protective device for the charger circuit, for example `32 A MCB`. Take it from the switchboard, not from memory of the design.
- **Cable Size (Text, Optional)** - Conductor size and type used for the final subcircuit, for example `6 mm² twin and earth`. Useful when the next person needs to confirm capacity.
- **RCD Type (Combobox, Required)** - RCD protection actually fitted for this circuit, checked against the charger's built-in DC fault detection. Suggested values are **Type A + DC detection in charger**, **Type B RCD**, and **Type A RCD**, or type a custom value when the install uses another compliant combination. Wrong RCD type is the highest-risk entry on this section.
- **Load Management (Combobox, Required)** - How the charger is prevented from overloading the supply: **None**, **Static limit**, **Dynamic load management**, or a short custom description of the scheme used. Choose **None** when no load management is fitted; do not leave this blank.

The form records the protection and setup you assessed. It does not validate the design against AS/NZS 3000 or the charger instructions.

## Commissioning Checklist [#checklist]

Ten fixed installation and commissioning checks. Each item takes **Yes**, **No**, or **N/A**. The inventory treats the checklist block as optional as a whole, but every item must still have a result before download, and every **No** needs a short note (62 characters or fewer on the PDF).

The checks are:

1. Dedicated final subcircuit installed for the charger
2. RCD protection appropriate for the charger's DC fault detection
3. Circuit protection rated to charger and cable
4. Charger mounted securely at correct height and location
5. Cable route protected from mechanical damage
6. Earthing verified at charger terminals
7. Load management configured and tested (N/A if none)
8. Charger firmware or app configured and connected
9. Charging session test completed with a vehicle or test adapter
10. Switchboard labelled for the EV circuit

- **Commissioning Checklist (Checklist, Optional)** - Use **Yes** when the item was completed and verified on this job. Use **No** when it was not met, and add a short note that says what failed or what remains. Use **N/A** only when the item does not apply, such as load management on a charger with **None** selected above. Bulk pass is available when every item is a clean Yes; re-check the N/A rows before you use it. Notes for **No** results print on the PDF, so write them for the next reader, not as private shorthand.

## Tests and Readings [#readings]

Records the four measured values from the commissioning session. Enter what the instrument showed, with units, so the finished PDF is readable without the instrument screenshot.

- **Earth Fault Loop Impedance (Text, Required)** - Measured earth fault loop impedance at the charger circuit, for example `0.6 ohm` or `0.6 Ω`. Use the reading and unit your tester reports; do not copy a design maximum in place of a measurement.
- **RCD Trip Time (Text, Required)** - Measured trip time from the RCD test, such as `28 ms` at the test current you used. Enter `>300` when that is what the instrument reported.
- **Voltage at Charger (Text, Required)** - Supply voltage measured at the charger terminals during commissioning, for example `236 V`. On three phase, note the value you rely on for the record, or the range if you record more than one phase in the notes elsewhere.
- **Charge Test Draw (Text, Required)** - Power drawn during the commissioning charge test with a vehicle or test adapter, for example `6.8 kW`. This is the observed draw, not only the nameplate rating.

## Handover [#handover]

Records what the customer received and whether they were briefed before you left. Tick only what actually happened on this job.

- **Items Provided (Checkboxes, Optional)** - Tick each item completed: **Operating instructions provided**, **App configured for the customer**, **Warranty documents provided**, **Isolation procedure explained**, and **Load management behaviour explained**. Leave a box unticked when it does not apply or was not done; do not tick ahead of the conversation.
- **Customer Briefed (Choice, Required)** - **Yes** or **No**. Choose **Yes** only when someone on site received the operating and safety briefing. Choose **No** when handover was documents-only or the customer was absent, and say so in the notes.
- **Handover Notes (Textarea, Optional)** - Follow-up the customer or the next installer needs, such as app login still pending or a retest date. The PDF holds about 120 characters here, so keep it short and concrete, for example `Customer completed test charge and app sign-in`.

## Declaration and Signatures [#declaration]

Installer sign-off for the commissioning record, with an optional customer name and signature. The declaration name and date are required before download.

- **Installer Name (Text, Required)** - Name of the person signing the commissioning record. Usually the same person as the header installer name; re-enter it here when the signatory differs from the installer named above.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - Date of the installer sign-off. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are available. Do not use a future date.
- **Installer Signature (Signature, Optional)** - Signature that stands behind the checks and readings. Capture it on site or use a saved signature, then check the preview so it sits cleanly in the signature box.
- **Customer Name (Text, Optional)** - Customer name when they sign the record, for example `Sam Taylor`. Leave blank when only the installer is signing.
- **Customer Signature (Signature, Optional)** - Optional customer acknowledgement. Capture it on the spot, or send the finished PDF with a share link for later signing. The record can download without it.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Choosing RCD type from habit instead of the charger instructions.** - EV supply equipment needs DC fault protection matched to what the charger already provides. Read the charger documentation and the RCD actually fitted before you pick **Type A**, **Type B**, or **Type A + DC detection in charger**.
- **One PDF covering every charger on a multi-bay site.** - Serials, locations, and readings get mixed, and a later fault cannot be tied to one unit. Create one record per charger and put the bay or wall face in Install Location.
- **Marking load management N/A when a static or dynamic limit is active.** - The checklist item is only N/A when load management is genuinely none. If you selected **Static limit** or **Dynamic load management** on System, the checklist should be Yes or No after you test it.
- **Entering design values instead of instrument readings.** - Loop impedance, trip time, voltage, and charge draw are measured results. A design maximum or nameplate rating in those boxes misleads the next person who trusts the PDF.
- **Leaving No results without a note.** - A bare No tells the customer something failed without saying what. Add a short note for every No before download.
- **Vague install location on multi-charger sites.** - `Garage` or `Car park` does not identify which unit was commissioned. Name the wall, bay, or apartment so the PDF matches the hardware.
- **Ticking Customer Briefed Yes when only documents were left.** - Briefed means someone on site received the operating and isolation explanation. Use **No** and a handover note when the customer was not present.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Business and installer names match the business that did the work
- Charger make, model, serial, and install location identify one unit
- Supply phases, RCD type, and load management match what is fitted
- All ten checklist items have Yes, No, or N/A, with a note on every No
- The four readings are measured values with clear units
- Handover ticks and Customer Briefed match what actually happened
- Declaration name, date, and installer signature are complete, and the PDF preview looks right

## After download [#after-download]

Give the finished PDF to the customer and keep a copy with the job file, warranty documents, instrument results, and the electrical compliance certificate required where the work was done. Tradie Forms does not lodge this record with any network, scheme, or safety authority.

- **Name the file so the charger is obvious.** On multi-charger sites, include the location or serial, for example `EV commissioning - 12 Wharf Rd - garage left.pdf`.
- **File it with the compliance certificate and test screenshots.** The commissioning PDF alone does not prove the legal certification path for the state.
- **Keep manufacturer warranty and app account details with the same job folder** so a later service call does not start from a blank.
- **Reuse the Business saved detail** on the next EV commissioning job, then re-check the installer name and licence before you download.

Check the current state and network requirements for the install. Retention and any scheme paperwork sit with the certificates those schemes require, not with this record alone.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Solar PV commissioning](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-solar-pv-commissioning)** - Commissioning record for solar PV installs when the job is panels and inverter, not an EV charger.
- **[Battery storage commissioning](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-battery-storage-commissioning)** - Commissioning record for battery storage when the job is ESS, not EVSE.
- **[RCD test record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-rcd-test-record)** - Ongoing RCD push-button and trip-time register when you are testing devices after the install, not commissioning a new charger.

# RCD Test Record (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-rcd-test-record)

Records push-button and trip time testing of residual current devices, aligned with AS/NZS 3760. Add each RCD as you test it, capture the result, and download a signed PDF for the client and your job file. Testing frequencies and acceptable results depend on the RCD, test method, workplace, jurisdiction, and applicable standard.

This is a Tradie Forms designed record, not a government form. There is no official layout to match, so the PDF is a clean register that grows extra pages as you add RCDs.

Logging portable appliances and leads rather than safety switches? Use [Test and Tag Register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-test-and-tag-register)

Doing a visual board condition assessment rather than RCD test results? Use [Switchboard Report](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-switchboard-condition-report)

> **Note**
>
> The form records your measured result. It does not decide whether an RCD
> passes. Check the trip-time limit that applies to the device, test current,
> installation, and testing basis before you mark Pass or Fail.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

- **Client and site details** - Who you tested for, and the address of the board or equipment under test.
- **Licence or competency details** - Include them when the client or site requires them on the test record.
- **RCD tester identity** - Make, model, and serial of the instrument you will use, plus any verification date you keep for calibration.
- **Testing basis and retest interval** - The standard or site procedure for this visit, and the interval that applies to push-button versus trip-time checks in this environment.
- **Board and circuit labels** - Enough identity to find each RCD again: board name, circuit numbers, or face labels, especially on multi-board sites.
- **A decision on visit type** - Push-button only, trip time, or both. That choice drives which readings go on each row and how you set next-due dates.

Five fields gate the download on an empty form: Business Name, Tester Name, Record Date, declaration Name, and Date. Every RCD you add also needs its own identity, readings, and outcome before the PDF will download.

## Business [#business]

Your business and tester details. These fill the record header on every page of the PDF.

- **Business Logo (Shown top right on the downloaded record) (Photo, Optional)** - Upload your logo if you want it on the finished PDF. It lands top right on the downloaded record.
- **Business Name (Text, Required)** - Your trading name as the client and site file should recognise it. Use ABN lookup to fill the business name and ABN together when you have either value.
- **ABN (Text, Optional)** - Optional trading number. ABN lookup fills the matching business name when you enter a valid ABN.
- **Tester Name (Text, Required)** - The person who did the testing. This is the name the declaration can mirror later with **Same as tester above**.
- **Licence or Competency No. (Text, Optional)** - Fill when the client, principal contractor, or site procedure wants a licence or competency reference on the record. Leave blank rather than inventing a number.
- **Phone (Tel, Optional)** - Contact number for follow-up or retest bookings. Useful when the site will call you about a fail or a next-due visit.

**Saved detail: Business** - save this section to prefill it on your next RCD test record.

## Site [#site]

Who and where the record covers. Keep this tied to the job so multi-board sites do not blur together later.

- **Client Name (Text, Optional)** - The business or person you tested for. On construction sites this is often the principal contractor or the site manager who keeps the electrical file.
- **Job Reference (Text, Optional)** - Your work order, purchase order, or site job number. It also appears in the PDF register summary, so use the same reference you put on photos and other records for this visit.
- **Street address (Address, Optional)** - Use address search for the site address. It fills the street line, suburb, state, and postcode for Australia-wide sites. Confirm the result against the site entry or job sheet when the postal address differs from the worksite name.

## Testing [#testing]

Instrument, testing basis, retest helper, and the date this record covers.

- **Test Equipment (Text, Optional)** - Make, model, and serial of the RCD tester used, for example `Metrel MI 3152, SN 21054411`. Take it from the instrument label or your calibration sheet so the next person can see which kit produced the readings.
- **Tester Verification Date (Date, Optional)** - Last calibration or verification check for that instrument. The form will not accept a future date. It also appears in the PDF register summary when filled.
- **Record Date (Date, Required)** - The date this record covers. Use **Today** or **Yesterday** on site. No future date is accepted. This is the register date on the finished PDF header, separate from each row's test date when you retest over more than one day.
- **Testing Basis (Combobox, Optional)** - The standard or site procedure used for the work. Common picks are `AS/NZS 3760:2022`, `AS/NZS 3760:2022 + site procedure`, or workplace and electrical safety regulations. You can type a site-specific basis. State the basis that matches the checks you actually did so the next tester does not treat a push-button visit as a full trip-time round.
- **Default Retest Interval (Select, Optional)** - Suggests the next-due date when you add a new register row: **6 months**, **12 months**, or **2 years**. Push-button tests are often more frequent than trip time tests. Treat the suggested next-due date as a helper and check it against this visit type and environment before download.

## Register [#register]

One card per residual current device. This is the body of the record: identity, type and rating, push-button and trip time results, overall pass or fail, dates, and fail actions.

- **RCD Register (Register, Optional)** - The register itself is optional if you open the form and download with no RCDs, but every row you add has its own required fields. Leave unused rows out rather than adding blanks.
  
  **What one row is.** One RCD or circuit you tested on this visit: fixed board RCD, socket RCD, or portable RCD on a lead set.
  
  **RCD ID / Circuit** and **Location** - required on each row. Use a label the next person can walk to, including the board name on multi-board jobs. `MSB RCD 2, circuits 5-8` at `Main switchboard` beats `kitchen RCD` when the site has three kitchens.
  
  - **Useful** - MSB RCD 2, circuits 5-8
  - **Too vague** - Safety switch downstairs
  
  **Description** - optional detail about what the RCD protects, for example `Main switchboard RCD` or `Portable RCD on extension set`.
  
  **RCD Type** and **Rating** - required. Type is Fixed RCD, Socket RCD, or Portable RCD (or a custom value). Rating is the residual current in mA from the device face, such as `30`. Type and milliamps matter when someone later judges a trip result against the right limit.
  
  **Push-Button Test** - required. Mechanical trip on the test button: Pass or Fail.
  
  **Trip Time** - optional in milliseconds at rated current, such as `24`. Leave it blank for a push-button-only check. Enter `>300` when the instrument reports that the device did not trip inside its measurement window. Do not invent a trip time from memory or from a photo of the screen later.
  
  **Result** - required Pass or Fail for the overall outcome of this row. Mark Fail when push-button, trip time, or both failed against the basis you are using.
  
  **Test Date** - required. Defaults to today on new rows and can carry forward from the previous row. Use **Today** while you are still at the board.
  
  **Next Due** - required when Result is Pass. Suggested from the default retest interval and the test date. Edit it so it matches the interval for this visit type and environment. A pass with no next-due date leaves the site guessing when the device is up again.
  
  **Action taken** and **failure details** - required when Result is Fail. Action options include Isolated and tagged out, RCD replaced, Scheduled for repair, and Client notified. Put what failed and what you did in the note, for example that trip time exceeded the applicable limit and the unit was isolated pending replacement. Optional fail photos are available when you want supporting evidence.
  
  **Duplicate** copies description, type, rating, and location. It clears the RCD ID, result, test readings, dates, actions, and notes so you do not reuse another device's outcome by accident. New rows can also carry the previous location and test date.
  
  The PDF shows each RCD as a stacked record rather than a wide table: identity and result on the first line, button and trip readings with dates on the second, action and notes on the third. Long registers continue across pages with one footer and page count.

Fill each row while the device and instrument are still in front of you. Finish one board before you start the next on multi-board sites.

## Declaration [#declaration]

Sign off the record after the register is closed. The declaration confirms the listed RCDs were tested as recorded.

- **Notes (Textarea, Optional)** - Anything the client or site file should see at record level, such as RCDs replaced on site or a portable unit isolated and tagged out. Keep per-device detail on the row; notes are for the visit summary. The PDF notes field is limited to about 220 characters, so put long failure narratives on the row that failed.
- **Name (Text, Required)** - Who is signing the record. Use **Same as tester above** when the signatory is the tester named in Business.
- **Same as tester above (Toggle, Optional)** - Copies **Tester Name** into **Name** and locks the name field while it is on. Turn it off if someone else is signing.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The date you sign. **Today** and **Yesterday** shortcuts are available. No future date is accepted.
- **Signature (Signature, Optional)** - Sign on screen, upload an image, or use your saved signature. Add it after the register is complete so you are not signing a half-finished fail list.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Writing trip times later from memory or a photo of the screen.** - Milliseconds get rounded, boards get swapped, and a fail lands on the wrong circuit. Enter the reading while the instrument still shows it, or leave trip time blank for a push-button-only visit.
- **Vague RCD identity on multi-board sites.** - `Kitchen RCD` cannot be matched when the site has three kitchens and four boards. Put the board name plus circuit or face label on every row, not only the first.
- **Treating a push-button visit as a full trip-time round.** - Auditors and the next tester then apply the wrong expectation to next-due dates. State the testing basis, always capture push-button, fill trip time only when you measured it, and set next due from the interval that applies to the check you actually did.
- **Passing an RCD without a next-due date.** - The site then has no driver for the next visit. Set the default retest interval for this visit type, then confirm next due on every pass before you sign.
- **Recording a fail with no action.** - A fail with an empty action leaves an open safety question about whether the circuit is still live. At the moment of fail, record isolated and tagged out, replaced, scheduled for repair, or client notified, plus the failure detail.
- **Skipping type or rating from the device face.** - Without Fixed, Socket, or Portable and the mA rating, the next person cannot judge a trip result against the right limit. Read the face every time, including portable RCDs on lead sets that look identical until you check the label.
- **Batching every board into one write-up at the end of the day.** - Sub-boards get missed, circuit labels collide, and the PDF implies a full site round that never happened. Finish one board's rows before you open the next.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Business name, tester name, and record date identify who tested and when
- Test equipment and testing basis match the checks you actually carried out
- Every RCD has an ID or circuit, location, type, rating, push-button result, overall result, and test date
- Trip time is filled only when measured, blank for push-button-only, or recorded as reported by the instrument
- Every pass has a next-due date that matches this visit type
- Every fail has an action and failure details
- Name and date are filled, the register is closed, and the PDF preview matches what you tested

## After download [#after-download]

Give a copy to the client or site manager who keeps the workplace electrical file, and keep one with your job records. Tradie Forms does not lodge RCD records with any regulator.

- **Name the file so the site and date are obvious.** `RCD - 12 Wharf Rd Newcastle - 2026-07-14.pdf` is easier to find than a generic download name when the next visit is six months away.
- **File fails with the isolation or replacement trail.** Keep the row-level action, any photos, and the booking or tag-out note in the same job folder so a fail is not only a conversation.
- **Carry the next-due dates into the next booking.** The PDF is the durable list the site and your calendar should both work from.
- **Keep RCD and test-and-tag records separate when both were done.** Share a job reference, hand both over, and walk the client through fails on each list so portable gear and board safety switches do not get mixed up.

Check [AS/NZS 3760:2022](https://store.standards.org.au/product/as-nzs-3760-2022), the site procedure, and your state or territory regulator for the testing and record requirements that apply to this workplace.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Test and Tag Register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-test-and-tag-register)** - Portable appliances and leads under the same AS/NZS 3760 family of records.
- **[Switchboard Condition Report](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-switchboard-condition-report)** - Visual board assessment and defects when the job is not an RCD test visit.
- **[Test and tag and AS/NZS 3760](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/test-and-tag-register-as-nzs-3760)** - How in-service inspection and testing records sit under AS/NZS 3760.

# Smoke Alarm Service Record (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-smoke-alarm-service-record)

Records inspection, testing, and replacement of smoke alarms at a property. You fill it on site for the agent, landlord, or owner, then download a signed PDF with every alarm listed. State rental rules differ, so enter the legislation or standard you actually worked under rather than assuming a national default.

This is a Tradie Forms designed record, not a government form. There is no official layout to match, so the PDF is a clean service record that grows extra pages as you add alarms.

Logging discharge tests of exit and emergency lights rather than smoke alarms? Use [Emergency Lighting Register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-emergency-lighting-test-register)

> **Warning**
>
> This record does not decide whether an alarm layout or property complies. Check the current rules for the property's state or territory, building type, and tenancy before relying on the record.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every weak smoke alarm record comes from writing it up after leaving the property. Have these in hand before you open the form.

- **Access to every alarm** - Every bedroom, hallway, level, and any other location required for this property type, so no unit is missed on the register.
- **Alarm markings you can read** - Make and model, power source, and replace-by or manufacture date on each unit, read while you are under it.
- **Test results and actions** - Pass or fail for each alarm, interconnection results, and what you did on fails (replaced, battery swap, cleaned, agent notified).
- **Property and agent details** - Full site address, agent or client name, agency, and any tenancy or job reference the recipient files against.
- **Service type and rule set** - Why you are on site (annual, tenancy change, install, callout) and the legislation or standard this visit follows.
- **Business and technician details** - Trading name, technician name, and licence or competency number when the work is licensed electrical work.

Six fields gate the download on an empty form: Business Name, Technician Name, Service Type, Service Date, Name, and Date. Alarm rows are optional until you add them; each started row then needs location, type, power source, interconnection, result, and test date, plus next due on a pass or action and failure details on a fail.

## Business [#business]

Your business and technician details for the record header. Fill this once so every alarm row sits under the same identity.

- **Business Logo (Shown top right on the downloaded record) (Photo, Optional)** - Upload a clean logo file if you want it on the PDF. It sits top right on the finished record. Skip it when you only have a stretched screenshot; blank is better.
- **Business Name (Text, Required)** - Your trading name as agents and landlords know the business. Use ABN lookup to fill the business name and ABN when you have the number. Example: `Bright Spark Electrical Pty Ltd`.
- **ABN (Text, Optional)** - Eleven-digit ABN for the same trading entity. ABN lookup can fill this from the business name. Confirm the result matches the entity on the tools, not a related group company.
- **Technician Name (Text, Required)** - The person who inspected and tested the alarms on this visit, for example `Alex Smith`. This is the name the declaration can mirror later.
- **Licence or Competency No. (Text, Optional)** - Include it when the visit involved licensed electrical work such as replacing a hardwired alarm, or when the client or site requires it. Leave blank on a battery-only round where no licence is expected rather than inventing a number.
- **Phone (Tel, Optional)** - Contact number for follow-up or a return visit. Use the number the agent already has for you when that is different from a personal mobile.

**Saved detail: Business** - save this section to prefill it on your next smoke alarm service record.

## Property [#property]

Where the service was done and who the finished record goes back to. The address is what the PDF hangs on months later when an agent matches it to a tenancy file.

- **Street address (Address, Optional)** - The full property address for this service. Address search is Australia-wide and fills the street line, suburb, state, and postcode. Check the result against the booking or agency brief, because search returns the current postal address and a job note can carry a shortened street name.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm it when you type the address by hand, because state rules for testing and interconnection sit behind the legislation field.
- **Postcode (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm it against the agency file when typing manually.
- **Agent or Client Name (Text, Optional)** - Who receives the finished PDF. On rentals this is usually the property manager rather than the tenant, for example `Mia Chen`.
- **Agency (Text, Optional)** - Agency or client company name when it differs from the person, for example `Coral Coast Property Management`.
- **Tenancy Reference (Text, Optional)** - Job, work order, or tenancy file reference the recipient already uses, such as `CC-4870-008`. It prints in the register summary so a long PDF can be matched without opening the agency system.

## Service [#service]

Frames the visit: why you attended, when, under which rules, and how next-due dates should be suggested on new alarm rows.

- **Service Type (Combobox, Required)** - Choose **Annual service**, **Tenancy change**, **New installation**, or **Fault callout**, or type a custom value when the visit does not fit those. Tenancy-change and annual testing duties vary by state; the type tells a reader later what kind of visit this PDF is for.
- **Service Date (Date, Required)** - The date of this visit on site. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there for on-site fill. The field does not accept a future date.
- **Next Service Due (Date, Optional)** - Overall next service date for the property when the client wants one line for the whole job. Separate from each alarm's own next-due date on the register. Only accepts today or a future date.
- **Legislation or Standard (Text, Optional)** - The rule set this service was performed under, written as the Act, regulation, or standard you actually used. AS 3786 is the product standard for the alarms themselves; tenancy and interconnection duties sit in state law. Example: `Queensland Fire Services Act 1990`. The form does not choose a state requirement for you.
- **Default Next Service Interval (Select, Optional)** - **12 months** or **6 months**. Suggests next-due dates on new alarm rows when you add them. It is a date helper, not a compliance decision. Change any suggested date when the building schedule or applicable rule calls for something different.

## Register [#register]

Every alarm inspected and tested on this record. One card per alarm. Add a row with **Add alarm** while you are still under that unit so location, markings, and results match the hardware in front of you.

New rows carry the previous test date only. Location is not carried forward, because every alarm is in a different place. Use **Duplicate** for similar units: it copies make and model, alarm type, power source, replace-by date, and interconnection result, and clears the location, overall result, dates, action, and notes. Leave unused rows out rather than adding blanks.

On the finished PDF each alarm is a stacked record rather than a wide table. Long registers continue across pages with one consistent footer and page count. The register summary also carries the property reference, service type, and legislation from the sections above.

- **Alarm Register (AssetRegisterRows, Optional)** - The register itself is optional on an empty form, but a download with no alarms is rarely useful to an agent. Once you start a row, the form blocks download until that row is complete.
  
  **Alarm Location** - required on each row. Specific enough that the next technician finds the same unit, for example `Hallway outside bedrooms` or `Bedroom 2`, not `Upstairs`.
  
  **Make and Model** - optional. Read it off the unit, for example `SafeHome SA10-RF`. Helps match replacements on the next visit.
  
  **Alarm Type** - required. **Photoelectric**, **Ionisation**, **Heat alarm**, or a custom value. Photoelectric is what new and replacement alarms are required to be under many current state rules; recording type is how a swap from an old ionisation unit is documented.
  
  **Power Source** - required. **240V with battery backup**, **10-year lithium battery**, **9V battery**, or a custom value. Hardwired replacement is licensed electrical work.
  
  **Replace-by Date** - optional. Use the replacement date shown by the manufacturer or required by the applicable rules. Most domestic alarms are replaced about 10 years from manufacture. Leave blank when the marking is unreadable rather than guessing, and note the condition in the failure details or notes when that matters.
  
  **Interconnected** - required. **Yes**, **No**, or **Not applicable**. Testing that one alarm sets off the others is separate from testing that it sounds at all, so this is its own result.
  
  **Result** - **Pass** or **Fail**. Required once the row is started.
  
  **Test Date** - required. Defaults to today on new rows when that option is on; change it when you are writing up a visit from the previous day.
  
  **Next Due** - required when the result is **Pass**. The default service interval can suggest this date; confirm it against the property schedule and local rules.
  
  **Action** and failure details - required when the result is **Fail**. Suggested actions are **Alarm replaced**, **Battery replaced**, **Cleaned and retested**, and **Agent or landlord notified**. A fail with no action is an open loop. An optional photo on fail is available when the agent needs evidence of the unit you removed or fitted.
  
  - **Useful** - Hallway outside bedrooms; photoelectric; 240V with battery backup; interconnected Yes; Pass; next due 12 months
  - **Too vague** - Alarms OK

## Declaration [#declaration]

Sign off that the alarms listed were inspected and tested as recorded. Complete the register first so you are not standing behind a blank interconnection result or a missing fail action.

- **Notes (Textarea, Optional)** - Anything the agent or landlord should know that does not fit a single alarm row, such as access you could not get, a follow-up booked to replace a unit, or that an expired kitchen alarm was replaced and the agent advised on completion. Notes are limited on the PDF, so keep them short and specific.
- **Name (Text, Required)** - Who is signing the record. Use **Same as technician above** when the signatory is the technician named in Business, so the names stay identical.
- **Same as technician above (Checkbox, Optional)** - Copies Technician Name into Name and locks the name field while it is on. Turn it off only when someone else is signing.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The date you sign the record. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are available. Usually the same day as the service, but it is a separate event from Service Date.
- **Signature (Signature, Optional)** - Sign on screen or use a saved signature. The signature attests that the listed alarms were inspected and tested as recorded. Check the preview so the signature sits cleanly in the declaration block.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Writing locations as Upstairs or Alarms OK.** - The next visit cannot find the same unit, and an agent cannot answer a tenant dispute. Name the room or hallway for every row.
- **Guessing a replace-by date when the marking is unreadable.** - An invented date looks like manufacturer evidence. Leave replace-by blank and put the condition in the failure details or notes instead.
- **Marking Pass without a next-due date.** - The form blocks download for that reason. A pass with no next service date leaves the owner without a clear retest point.
- **Recording Fail with no action or failure details.** - A fail that looks open lands back on you. Choose the real action and say what was wrong or what was fitted.
- **Treating interconnection as the same as the sound test.** - An alarm can sound and still fail to trigger the others. Interconnection needs its own result on every row where it applies.
- **Filling the register from memory in the ute.** - Locations swap, replace-by dates blur, and fails lose their action notes. Complete each card under the alarm before you move on.
- **Leaving legislation blank on a tenancy-change visit.** - Agents file this PDF as proof of a legal duty. Name the rule set you worked under so the reason for the visit sits on the page.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Business Name and Technician Name match who did this visit
- Service Type and Service Date match the job, not a previous property
- Legislation or standard reflects the rules you actually used
- Every alarm has a specific location, type, power source, interconnection result, overall result, and test date
- Every pass has a next-due date, and every fail has an action and failure details
- Name, date, and signature match the person standing behind the record
- The PDF preview shows each alarm as its own stacked record with the right results

## After download [#after-download]

Give a copy to the agent, landlord, or owner and keep one with the property or tenancy file. Tradie Forms does not lodge this record with any authority.

- **Name the file with the suburb and service date** so it sits with other property paperwork, for example `Smoke Alarm Record - Cairns - 14-07-2026.pdf`.
- **Send it to the person named in Property**, not only to a general agency inbox, so it lands on the tenancy file that needs it.
- **Keep the register with any photos of failed or replaced units** when those were taken on site, so a later dispute does not depend on memory.
- **Carry failed-item follow-ups into the next booking** when a replacement was ordered but not fitted on this visit.
- **Reuse the Business saved detail** on the next property, then re-check the technician name before you add new alarms.

Check the current smoke alarm and tenancy rules for the property's state or territory. Retention and any separate certificate or notice requirements sit with those rules, not with this page.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Smoke alarm service record walkthrough](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/smoke-alarm-service-record-template)** - Field-level context for AS 3786, interconnection, and what agents keep on file.
- **[Emergency lighting test register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-emergency-lighting-test-register)** - Discharge testing of exit and emergency lights when that is the next building electrical service.

# Solar PV Commissioning Record (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-solar-pv-commissioning)

This record keeps the installed solar PV system, commissioning checks, per-string readings, customer handover, and signatures in one PDF. The installer fills it when the array and inverter are ready for final testing, and the finished file sits with the job, warranty pack, and network paperwork. It is not a certificate of electrical safety, network approval, or STC assignment form.

This is a Tradie Forms designed record, not a government form. There is no official layout to match, so the PDF is a clean report that grows extra pages as you add string rows.

Commissioning a battery storage system rather than the solar array? Use [Battery Commissioning](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-battery-storage-commissioning)

Commissioning an EV charger rather than a solar PV system? Use [EV Charger Commissioning](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-ev-charger-commissioning)

> **Warning**
>
> Complete the electrical compliance, network, retailer, and scheme paperwork required for the job separately. This record documents commissioning; it does not replace those certificates.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every incomplete solar commissioning PDF comes from filling it after leaving site. Have these in front of you before you open the form.

- **Panel and inverter identity** - Make, model, quantity, array capacity, inverter capacity, and inverter serial from the plates and packing labels, not from the quote alone.
- **Network export limit** - The approved export limit for the site when the network has set one. Leave the field blank only when the system is unlimited.
- **Test equipment and readings** - Insulation resistance, earth continuity, grid voltage at the inverter, and Voc and Isc for every string, taken with the instruments you used on site.
- **System type decision** - Grid-connect, grid-connect with battery, or off-grid, matching what was actually installed.
- **Handover pack** - Manuals, warranty documents, shutdown and isolation steps, monitoring access, and the network or meter application status to brief the customer on.
- **Business and installer details** - Trading name, ABN, electrical licence, solar accreditation number, and phone as they should appear on the record.

Fourteen fields gate the download: business and installer names, client name, commissioning date, panel and inverter make and model, system type, the three array readings, at least one PV string row, customer briefed, and the declaration installer name and date.

## Installer [#installer]

Identifies the business and the person commissioning the system. These values print at the top of the PDF and should match your electrical compliance certificate for the same job.

- **Business Logo (Shown top right on the downloaded record) (Photo, Optional)** - Upload a clear JPG or PNG. It stamps into the top-right logo slot on the finished PDF. Skip it if you do not have a clean file on the phone; blank is better than a stretched screenshot.
- **Business Name (Text, Required)** - Your trading name as customers and the network know it. Use ABN lookup to fill the business name and ABN together when you have the number. Check the result against your licence, because a group structure can return a related entity.
- **ABN (Text, Optional)** - From your ABN record or letterhead. ABN lookup can fill this from the business name, or fill the name from the number. Confirm it matches the entity that did the install.
- **Installer Name (Text, Required)** - The person who commissioned the system, for example `Alex Smith`. Use the same spelling you will use again in Declaration and Signatures so the header and sign-off read as one person.
- **Licence Number (Text, Optional)** - Your electrical licence number as printed on the card, such as `EC 12345`. Fill it whenever the network or customer expects it on the job file.
- **Accreditation No. (Text, Optional)** - Clean Energy Council or equivalent solar accreditation number when the install requires it, for example `SAA 123456`. Leave blank on work that does not use that scheme rather than inventing a number.
- **Phone (Tel, Optional)** - A number that reaches the installer or office for follow-up on this job.

**Saved detail: Business** - save this section to prefill it on your next solar commissioning job.

## Client and Site [#site]

Pins the record to one customer, one site, and one commissioning day. Get these from the job booking and the address on the network paperwork, not from memory after the ute leaves.

- **Client Name (Text, Required)** - The customer or site contact the system was commissioned for, for example `Sam Taylor`. Match the name on the job and warranty pack so the PDF files with the right install.
- **Contact (Text, Optional)** - Email or mobile for handover follow-up, such as `sam.taylor@example.com` or `0412 345 678`.
- **Job Reference (Text, Optional)** - Your internal job or work-order number, for example `SOL-24072`. Useful when the client name is common and you need to find the file later.
- **Commissioning Date (Date, Required)** - The day commissioning tests were completed on site. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there because this is usually filled the same day. The field does not accept a future date.
- **Street address (Address, Optional)** - The install address. Address search works Australia-wide and fills the street line, suburb, state, and postcode together. Check the result against the network application, because search returns the current postal address and a new estate can lag.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm it when typing the address by hand, especially near a state border.
- **Postcode (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm it against the network or meter paperwork when entering manually.

## System [#system]

Identifies the panels, inverter, connection type, and export arrangement actually installed. Copy from nameplates and the approved design, not from an early quote that may have changed.

- **Panel Make and Model (Text, Required)** - The module make and model on the panel label, specific enough that a future service call can order the same part. Include wattage when the label shows it.
  
  - **Useful** - Trina Vertex S+ 440W
  - **Too vague** - Trina panels
- **Number of Panels (Text, Optional)** - Count of modules installed, such as `20`. Fill it whenever the array is more than a single string so capacity can be checked against the design.
- **Array Capacity (Text, Optional)** - Total DC array capacity as installed, for example `8.8 kW`. Use the units you would put on the network paperwork.
- **Inverter Make and Model (Text, Required)** - From the inverter nameplate, for example `Fronius Primo GEN24 8.0`. Do not shorten to brand only; model is what warranty and settings depend on.
- **Inverter Capacity (Text, Optional)** - AC rating of the inverter, such as `8 kW`.
- **Inverter Serial (Text, Optional)** - Serial number on the inverter plate, for example `FRN-24072001`. Capture it before the cover goes back on if the plate is hard to reach later.
- **System Type (Combobox, Required)** - Choose **Grid-connect**, **Grid-connect with battery**, or **Off-grid**, or type a custom value when none of those fit. Match what is on the roof and at the switchboard, not what was quoted. For hybrid installs, complete the battery side on the Battery Commissioning record as well.
- **Export Limit (Text, Optional)** - The network-approved export limit for this site, for example `5 kW`. Leave blank when the system is not limited. If you configured a limit in the inverter, the figure here should match that setting and the approval letter.

## Commissioning Checklist [#checklist]

Records ten installation and commissioning checks against the array, cabling, protection, and inverter settings. Answer every item with **Yes**, **No**, or **N/A**. The form records what you verified; it does not decide whether the install complies with AS/NZS 5033 or AS/NZS 4777.2.

- **Commissioning Checklist (Checklist, Optional)** - The ten items are: array mounting and roof penetrations sealed and secure; DC cabling supported, protected, and labelled; PV array signage at switchboard, meter box, and inverter; DC isolators installed, labelled, and weatherproof; earthing of array frame and components; string polarity verified before connection; inverter settings match AS/NZS 4777.2 region settings; anti-islanding and grid disconnect test passed; export limit configured as approved (**N/A** if unlimited); and monitoring configured and reporting.
  
  Use **Yes** when the item was completed and verified. Use **No** when it was not met, and add a short note (62 characters or fewer) explaining the result. Notes print next to the result on the PDF. Use **N/A** only when the item genuinely does not apply, such as export limit on an unlimited system. Bulk pass is available when every remaining item is a clear Yes; do not bulk-pass items you have not checked.

## Tests and Readings [#readings]

Captures the measured commissioning results and one row per PV string. Enter values as your instrument reported them, with units, so a later reader does not have to guess.

- **Array Insulation Resistance (Text, Required)** - Measured insulation resistance of the array, for example `>1 MΩ` or the instrument reading in megohms. Use the same format your tester shows so the PDF matches the tool memory.
- **Earth Continuity (Text, Required)** - Measured earth continuity of the array bonding path, for example `0.12 Ω`.
- **Grid Voltage at Inverter (Text, Required)** - Voltage measured at the inverter AC terminals during commissioning, for example `238 V`. Take it at the inverter, not at a distant outlet.
- **PV Strings (TableRows, Required)** - One row per PV string. Add a row with **Add string**. You can add up to **50** rows; long lists continue onto extra PDF pages. Leave unused rows out rather than adding blanks. **Duplicate** copies the row so you can adjust only the string id and readings. Columns are:
  
  **String** - which string this is, for example `String 1` or `East roof A`.
  
  **Voc** - measured open-circuit voltage, for example `445 V`.
  
  **Isc** - measured short-circuit current, for example `13.9 A`.
  
  **Expected Voc** - optional design or calculated Voc, for example `448 V`, when you want the comparison on the record.

At least one string row with String, Voc, and Isc is required before download. Check the preview when you have many strings so pagination and units still read cleanly.

## Handover [#handover]

Records what the customer received and whether they were briefed. Tick only what actually left with them on the day.

- **Items Provided (CheckboxGroup, Optional)** - Tick each item the customer received: **Manuals and datasheets provided**, **Warranty documents provided**, **Shutdown and isolation procedure explained and displayed**, **Monitoring app configured for the customer**, and **Network or meter application status explained**. Unticked items print as not provided, so leave a box clear when it was not done rather than guessing.
- **Customer Briefed (RadioGroup, Required)** - **Yes** or **No**. Choose **Yes** only when you walked the customer through shutdown, isolation, monitoring, and any live network or meter steps. Choose **No** when briefing is still outstanding and use Handover Notes to say what remains.
- **Handover Notes (Textarea, Optional)** - Anything the customer or the next visit needs to know, for example monitoring login details still to send, or a network application still pending. The PDF field holds about 120 characters; keep it short and concrete.

## Declaration and Signatures [#declaration]

Installer sign-off for the commissioning record, with optional customer name and signature. Sign when the checks, readings, and handover answers are correct, not as a blank stamp before testing.

- **Installer Name (Text, Required)** - The person signing the record. Match the spelling used in Installer so the header and sign-off agree, for example `Alex Smith`.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The date the installer signs. Usually the same as Commissioning Date when you sign on site. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are available. The field does not accept a future date.
- **Installer Signature (Signature, Optional)** - The installer's signature on the record. Capture it on site when you can, or use a saved signature. Check the preview so the signature sits cleanly in its box.
- **Customer Name (Text, Optional)** - The customer who acknowledges the handover, when they are available to sign, for example `Sam Taylor`.
- **Customer Signature (Signature, Optional)** - Optional. Capture it on the spot, or send the finished PDF with a share link for later signing. Leaving it blank does not block download.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Copying panel or inverter details from the quote.** - Quotes change before install. Take make, model, quantity, and serial from the plates on the gear you commissioned.
- **Leaving System Type on grid-connect when a battery is fitted.** - Hybrid installs need **Grid-connect with battery** here, and a separate Battery Commissioning record for the storage side.
- **Writing an export limit that does not match the approval.** - The figure on the PDF should match the network approval and the inverter setting. A wrong limit looks like a failed commissioning when the next person audits the file.
- **Bulk-passing checks that were not verified.** - Bulk pass is for a clean run of real Yes answers. An unchecked export limit or monitoring item marked Yes becomes a false record.
- **Marking No without a note.** - Every No needs a short note (62 characters or fewer) so the PDF shows what failed. Download blocks until the note is there.
- **Combining several strings into one row.** - One row is one string. Merged rows hide which string drifted and make retest impossible without going back on the roof.
- **Ticking Customer Briefed Yes when only a brochure was left.** - Briefed means you walked through shutdown, isolation, monitoring, and network status. Use **No** and a handover note when that conversation still has to happen.
- **Signing before readings and checks are finished.** - The signature sits on a complete record. Save a draft if you need to leave site, then sign when the last Voc and checklist answers are in.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Business Name and Installer Name match the business doing the work
- Client Name and Commissioning Date match the job and the day tests were done
- Panel and inverter make and model come from the nameplates
- System Type and Export Limit match the install and network approval
- All ten checklist items are answered, with a note on every No
- Array insulation, earth continuity, grid voltage, and at least one string with Voc and Isc are filled
- Customer Briefed matches what actually happened on site
- Installer Name and Date on the declaration are complete, and the PDF preview reads as the job you finished

## After download [#after-download]

Give the finished PDF to the customer and keep a copy with the job file, warranty documents, network and retailer paperwork, and the electrical compliance certificate required where the work was done.

- **Name the file so the site is obvious.** `Solar commissioning - 12 Wharf Rd Newcastle - 2026-07-28.pdf` is easier to find than a generic download name.
- **File string photos and instrument screenshots with the PDF** when you took them. The readings alone do not show probe points or string layout.
- **On hybrid installs, keep the battery commissioning record in the same job folder** so the solar and storage sides stay one package.
- **Track outstanding handover items.** If Customer Briefed is No, or monitoring access is still pending, note the follow-up against the job so it is not lost after payment.

Check current network, retailer, and scheme requirements for your state. Retention and lodgement for those certificates sit with those processes, not with this record alone.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Battery Storage Commissioning](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-battery-storage-commissioning)** - Commission the battery side of a hybrid or standalone storage install.
- **[EV Charger Commissioning](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-ev-charger-commissioning)** - Commission an EV charger with circuit protection, readings, and handover.

# Switchboard Report (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-switchboard-condition-report)

Records a visual assessment of an existing switchboard: what you checked, defects with risk and photos, and the work you recommend to the client. A licensed electrician completes it on site for pre-purchase checks, landlord files, or to sit behind a quote for board work. The finished PDF is a signed condition report for the client and your job file, not a certificate of compliance.

This is a Tradie Forms designed report, not a government form. There is no official layout to match, so the PDF is a clean report that grows extra pages as you add defects and photos.

Issuing a written defect notice to the owner, agent, or builder rather than a board condition report? Use [Defect Notice](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-electrical-defect-notice)

> **Warning**
>
> This report is a visual assessment only. It is not an AS/NZS 3019 periodic verification, a compliance certificate, or certification of the whole installation. Complete the testing, certificates, and defect notifications the actual work requires separately.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Weak reports come from filling them in the ute from memory. Gather these before you open the cover.

- **Client, site, and inspection date** - Who engaged the visit, the property address, and the day you inspected.
- **Which board you are assessing** - Location, any board label, and how many boards are on site so the report cannot be filed against the wrong one.
- **Board plate and visible supply details** - Main switch rating, supply type, and any age or RCD coverage you can read without dismantling the board.
- **Clear photos before you change anything** - As-found shots of the board face, labelling, and any defect you will list.
- **A decision on the next document** - Whether this job also needs a defect notice, compliance certificate, or full periodic verification under AS/NZS 3019.
- **Your business and licence details** - Business name, electrician name, and licence number as you want them on the PDF header.

Business name, electrician name, client name, inspection date, board location, overall condition, the Yes or No board-work recommendation, declaration name, and declaration date gate the download. Answer all ten checklist items in practice even though the form will not block on an empty checklist alone.

## Business [#business]

Puts your identity on the report header so the client and any later reader know who stood behind the assessment.

- **Business Logo (Shown top right on the downloaded report) (Photo, Optional)** - Optional logo for the top right of the PDF. Use a clean square or landscape mark; check the preview so it is not cropped.
- **Business Name (Text, Required)** - Trading name as the client knows it. Use ABN lookup from the name to fill the ABN when you have an Australian business number on file. Example: `Bright Spark Electrical Pty Ltd`.
- **ABN (Text, Optional)** - Eleven-digit ABN when you print it on customer paperwork. ABN lookup from this field can fill the business name the other way.
- **Electrician Name (Text, Required)** - The licensed electrical worker who inspected the board and will stand behind the declaration. Use the name on the licence, not a call-centre or admin name. Example: `Alex Smith`.
- **Licence Number (Text, Optional)** - Electrical licence number for the state you worked in, for example `EC 12345`. Fill it whenever the client or a later assessor will need to identify the licensed person.
- **Phone (Tel, Optional)** - A number the client can reach for follow-up quotes or questions about the findings.

**Saved detail: Business** - save this section to prefill it on your next switchboard condition report.

## Site [#site]

Ties the report to the right client, job, and day. Get this wrong and a solid inspection is filed against the wrong property.

- **Client Name (Text, Required)** - Who engaged the inspection: owner, agent, builder, or property manager. Use the name that will appear on the quote and the job file. Example: `Harbourview Property Management`.
- **Contact Phone or Email (Text, Optional)** - The person to call or email about defects and the recommended work, for example `Priya Nair, 02 4955 0100`. Fill this when the client name is a company or trust.
- **Job Reference (Text, Optional)** - Your work order, quote, or CRM reference so this PDF matches the rest of the job. Example: `HV-24072`.
- **Inspection Date (Date, Required)** - The day you actually inspected the board, not the day you typed the PDF up. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there for on-site use. The field does not accept a future date.
- **Street address (Address, Optional)** - Site street address. Address search is Australia-wide and fills the street line, suburb, state, and postcode. Confirm the result against the job sheet when the property has a unit, shop, or recent street rename.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm it when you type the address by hand so multi-state clients do not get the wrong state on the PDF.
- **Postcode (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm it when typing manually.

## Switchboard [#switchboard]

Identifies which board you assessed and the visible setup a later electrician needs before opening it.

- **Board Location (Text, Required)** - Where the board sits on the property, specific enough that the next person can find it without a phone call. On multi-board sites this is what stops two reports from looking like the same board.
  
  - **Useful** - Garage wall, left of roller door
  - **Too vague** - Switchboard
- **Board Label (Text, Optional)** - The label on the enclosure or schedule, such as `MSB`, `DB-1`, or `Meter board`. Fill it whenever the board is labelled so the PDF matches the plant schedule.
- **Estimated Age (Combobox, Optional)** - Best estimate: **Under 10 years**, **10-25 years**, **25-40 years**, **Over 40 years**, or **Unknown**. Age frames the recommendations for the client. Choose **Unknown** rather than guessing when nothing on site supports a band.
- **Main Switch Rating (Text, Optional)** - Rating from the main switch, for example `63 A`. Read it off the device; do not invent a value from the service fuse alone.
- **Supply Type (Select, Optional)** - **Single phase** or **Three phase**, from the supply arrangement you can see.
- **RCD Protection (Combobox, Optional)** - Coverage on final subcircuits: **All circuits**, **Partial**, **None**, or **Unknown**, or a short custom note. This is one of the first facts a client remembers, so match it to what is actually fitted.

## Checklist [#checklist]

Ten fixed visual checks for this board. Work them in order at the enclosure so nothing is skipped.

This is a visual condition assessment. Record only what you inspected. Complete any testing and verification the actual work needs on the certificates that apply.

- **Switchboard Checklist (ChecklistItems, Optional)** - Answer every item **OK**, **Attention**, or **Defect**. Use **Attention** when the client needs awareness or further investigation. Use **Defect** for a defect you observed, and add a short note (52 characters or fewer on the PDF). **Bulk pass** marks remaining blank items OK when the rest of the board is sound.
  
  The ten items are: enclosure secure and rated for the location; no signs of overheating, arcing, or water entry; asbestos backing panel suspected; circuits legibly labelled; main switch accessible and operable; RCD protection on final subcircuits; RCDs trip on test button; no obsolete or recalled equipment observed; adequate space and access clearances; visible wiring condition acceptable.
  
  For a suspected asbestos backing panel, choose **Attention** or **Defect** and note what you saw. Do not drill or disturb the panel. Follow your state asbestos requirements before any repair work.

Every item marked **Defect** should get a matching row in **Defects** so risk, recommendation, and photos sit together. The form does not auto-create those rows.

## Defects [#defects]

One row per defect observed. Rows are optional because a clean board is a valid report. Every row you add must be complete.

On the PDF, the first photo for a defect sits beside that row. Extra photos (up to three per defect) continue as evidence pages. Leave unused rows out rather than adding blanks.

- **Defects Observed (AssetRegisterRows, Optional)** - Add a row with **Add defect** for each condition. Each row has:
  
  **Defect** - the condition in plain language, specific enough that a client or later sparky can find it. Example: `Two recalled circuit breakers fitted on lighting circuits`.
  
  **Location** - where on or in the board, for example `Main switchboard, right bank`.
  
  **Risk Rating** - **Low**, **Medium**, **High**, or **Extreme**. High and Extreme block download until **Recommendation** is filled.
  
  **Recommendation** - what should happen next, for example `Replace recalled breakers immediately`. Keep it about the work, not a sales pitch.
  
  **Photos** - up to three per row. Shoot them at the board while the cover is off; photos taken later from memory lose detail.
  
  - **Useful** - Burnt terminal on main switch, active side; High; isolate, replace terminations and main switch, retest
  - **Too vague** - Board needs work

## Assessment [#assessment]

The summary the client reads first even though you fill it last. Condition and recommended work must match the checklist and defect rows above.

- **Overall Condition (Select, Required)** - One call for the board as found: **Good**, **Fair**, **Poor**, or **Unsafe**. Base it on the checks and defects, not on whether the client wants a quote. **Unsafe** is for a board that should not stay in service as found.
- **Upgrade Recommended (RadioGroup, Required)** - **Yes** or **No**. Choose **Yes** when you recommend replacing the board or bringing protection and equipment up to a modern standard. Choose **No** when the board is sound for continued use with only minor repairs, or when no board-level replacement is warranted from this visit.
- **Recommendations (Textarea, Optional)** - The concrete work you want the client to act on. Required before download when Overall Condition is **Poor** or **Unsafe**, or when the Yes or No answer above is **Yes**. Keep the scope specific: safety switches on final subcircuits, replace recalled breakers, full RCD protection, or a full board replacement where age and condition justify it. The PDF holds about 260 characters; put the short action list here and leave long quote detail for the quote.
  
  Example: `Replace recalled breakers and fit RCD protection to all final subcircuits. Quote to follow.`

## Declaration [#declaration]

You standing behind the visual assessment. Sign only when the checklist, defects, condition, and recommendations match what you found.

The declaration wording on the form confirms that the report records visible conditions at the time of inspection and that concealed conditions are excluded.

- **Name (Text, Required)** - The person signing, usually the same as Electrician Name. Example: `Alex Smith`.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The date of the declaration. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are available. Often the same as Inspection Date when you complete the report on site; use the real declaration day if you finish the PDF later.
- **Signature (Signature, Optional)** - Sign after the findings are correct. You can use a saved signature; check the preview so the mark sits cleanly in the signature box on the PDF. A signed report is the record with your licence attached.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Treating this PDF as a compliance certificate or AS/NZS 3019 report.** - It is a visual condition record only. Real work still needs the certificate, notice, or periodic verification your state and the standard require.
- **Marking Defect on the checklist with no matching defect row.** - The checklist note is short and easy to miss later. High-risk findings need a full defect row with risk, recommendation, and photos.
- **Vague board location on a multi-board site.** - `Switchboard` or `Meter box` does not tell the next person which enclosure you opened. Name the room, wall, or label.
- **Disturbing a suspected asbestos backing panel.** - Mark Attention or Defect, photograph it, and leave the panel alone. Repair work follows state asbestos rules, not a quick drill on site.
- **Overall condition that ignores the defects list.** - A board with High or Extreme defects marked Good or Fair is hard to defend later. Align the condition call with the worst findings.
- **Blank recommendations on a Poor or Unsafe board.** - The form blocks download for a reason. Spell out the next work so the client has something to act on or decline in writing.
- **Mixing defects with recommended improvements in one vague line.** - Defects are what is wrong now. Recommendations are the work proposed. Keep them in their own fields so urgency is clear.
- **Photos taken later from memory or a different board.** - Evidence only helps if it shows this board on this day. Capture as-found and defect shots before you leave the enclosure.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Client, address, inspection date, and board location identify this job and this board
- All ten checklist items are answered, with a note on every Defect
- Every Defect checklist item has a complete defect row with risk and photos where needed
- High and Extreme defects each have a recommendation
- Overall condition and the Yes or No board-work answer match the findings
- Recommendations are filled when the board is Poor or Unsafe, or when that answer is Yes
- Name, date, and signature are complete, and the PDF preview shows the correct board and photos

## After download [#after-download]

Give the signed report to the client and keep a copy with the job file and any quote that follows.

- **Name the file with client and date** so it is findable later, for example `Switchboard Report - Harbourview - 2026-07-22.pdf`.
- **File it with photos and the quote** so the condition record, evidence, and proposed work stay together.
- **Issue the right next document** when the findings need a formal defect notice, compliance certificate, or network report. This PDF does not replace those.
- **Use AS/NZS 3019** when the job needs a periodic assessment of the installation, not only a visual board report. See [AS/NZS 3019:2022](https://store.standards.org.au/product/as-nzs-3019-2022).

Retention and any lodgement sit with your state licence conditions and the client agreement. Check the current requirements that apply to the job.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Switchboard inspection walkthrough](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/switchboard-condition-report-template-inspection-guide)** - Field order, the ten checks, and how to write defects and recommendations clients can act on.
- **[Electrical defect notice](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-electrical-defect-notice)** - When findings need a written defect notice to the owner, agent, or builder instead of a condition report alone.
- **[Defect notice template guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/electrical-defect-notice-template-guide)** - How to write risk, advice, and photo evidence on a defect notice.

# Test and Tag Register (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-test-and-tag-register)

This register records in-service inspection and testing of portable appliances, leads and related gear, aligned with AS/NZS 3760. You fill one row per item as you test it, then download a signed PDF for the client and your job file.

This is a Tradie Forms designed register, not a government form. There is no official layout to match, so the PDF is a clean register that grows extra pages as you add assets.

Need the SafeWork NSW Housing Industry Site Safety Pack electrical test and tag register (Form 08) for a residential construction site pack, not a multi-page fleet register? Use [NSW WHS Test and Tag Register](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-08-electrical-test-and-tag-register)

> **Note**
>
> Testing and tagging rules vary with the equipment, work environment, jurisdiction and site procedure. The form records the inspection and test. It does not choose the required interval or decide competence.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every incomplete register comes from typing it later from memory instead of from the gear and instrument readings in front of you. Have these ready.

- **The equipment you will test this round** - Tools, leads, portable appliances and other plant that belong on this register, with tag numbers, serials or plates you can read off the item.
- **Your PAT tester details** - Make, model and serial of the instrument in use, plus its last calibration or verification date if you record that on registers.
- **Business and tester identity** - Trading name, ABN if you put it on client paperwork, your name, and licence or competency number when the client or site requires it.
- **Client and site** - Who the register is for and the address the testing covers, plus any job or work-order reference.
- **Environment, basis and retest interval** - Construction, office, hire and similar environments drive different cycles. Confirm the standard or site procedure and the interval you will use for next-due dates before you open the first row.
- **Tag colour for this period** - Only if the site colour-codes tags by quarter or cycle. Leave it blank when the site does not use colour periods.

Five fields gate the download on an empty form: **Business Name**, **Tester Name**, **Register Date**, **Name** and **Date**. Each asset you add also needs a result and test date; every pass needs a next-due date; every fail needs an action and failure details.

## Business [#business]

Captures who tested the gear and which business stands behind the register. These values fill the PDF header on every page.

- **Business Logo (Shown top right on the downloaded register) (Photo, Optional)** - Upload your logo when the client expects branded paperwork. It stamps top right on page 1 of the finished PDF. Skip it when you are only keeping an internal record.
- **Business Name (Text, Required)** - Your trading name as the client and site know it, for example `Bright Spark Electrical Pty Ltd`. Use ABN lookup on the business name to fill the ABN when you have one on record. Match letterhead and previous registers for the same client so their file reads as one contractor.
- **ABN (Text, Optional)** - Eleven digits in the usual spaced form, such as `12 345 678 901`. Fill it when client or principal paperwork expects it. ABN lookup can fill the business name from a known ABN and the other way around.
- **Tester Name (Text, Required)** - The competent person who did the inspection and testing on this register, for example `Alex Smith`. This is the name that has to stand behind the results, not a dispatcher or office contact.
- **Licence or Competency No. (Text, Optional)** - Electrical contractor licence, test-and-tag competency reference, or whatever the client or site procedure asks for. Include it when they check competence on the PDF. Leave blank rather than inventing a number.
- **Phone (Tel, Optional)** - A contact number for retest bookings or questions about a fail, such as `0412 345 678`.

**Saved detail: Business** - save this section to prefill it on your next test and tag register.

## Site [#site]

Identifies who and where the testing covers. The header on the PDF shows client, job reference and site address so the register cannot be filed against the wrong job.

- **Client Name (Text, Optional)** - The business or person you tested for, for example `Harbourview Constructions`. Fill it whenever the PDF will leave your van. Without it, the register is hard to file in a multi-contractor site pack.
- **Job Reference (Text, Optional)** - Work order, PO or internal job number such as `HV-24071`. Useful when the same client has several sites or rounds on the same day.
- **Street address (Address, Optional)** - The site where the equipment was tested, not your workshop unless that is where the round happened. Address search is Australia-wide and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. Check the result against the job sheet when the site is a new estate or a multi-building complex.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm it when you type the address by hand.
- **Postcode (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm it against the job record when typing manually.

## Testing [#testing]

Records the instrument, the rules you tested under, and the date this register covers. Set these before the first asset so new rows can suggest a sensible next-due date.

- **Test Equipment (Text, Optional)** - Make, model and serial of the PAT tester used on this round, for example `Metrel DeltaPAT 3309, SN 20481234`. Clients and auditors use this to tie readings to a known instrument.
- **Tester Verification Date (Date, Optional)** - Last calibration or verification check on that instrument. The field does not accept a future date. Fill it when your procedure or the client expects proof the tester was in date.
- **Register Date (Date, Required)** - The date this register covers, usually the day of the round. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there for on-site fill. The field does not accept a future date.
- **Work Environment (Combobox, Optional)** - Suggested values include **Construction**, **Manufacturing**, **Service work**, **Office** and **Hire equipment**, or type a site-specific label. This is the environment you use to pick the retest interval. A soft office interval on a construction site is the common way a whole fleet ends up overdue.
- **Testing Basis (Combobox, Optional)** - The standard or site procedure you worked to. Suggestions include `AS/NZS 3760:2022`, `AS/NZS 3760:2022 + site procedure` and `AS/NZS 3012 (construction sites)`. Construction, demolition and mining rounds usually need the construction basis, not office AS/NZS 3760 alone.
- **Default Retest Interval (Select, Optional)** - Options are **3 months**, **6 months**, **12 months**, **2 years** and **5 years**. New asset rows use this to suggest **Next Due** from the test date. Always check each suggested date against the environment and site rules before you download.
- **Tag Colour (Combobox, Optional)** - Colour period for construction and mining colour-code systems, for example **Blue** for this quarter. Leave blank when the site does not use colour tags. The value appears in the PDF summary band with the job and environment.

The PDF summary on the register pages also shows job reference, work environment, testing basis, tag colour and instrument verification date when you filled them. Dates print in Australian format.

## Register [#register]

One card per appliance or lead. Add each item with **Add asset** while it is still in your hands so the tag, readings and result stay aligned.

You can add up to **50 assets** on one register. Leave unused rows out rather than padding blanks. New rows can carry forward **Location** and **Test Date** from the previous card, and the default retest interval suggests **Next Due**. Use **Duplicate** for similar gear: it copies description, manufacturer, model, serial, equipment type, class and location, and clears the tag ID, result, readings, actions, notes and photos so you do not stamp yesterday's pass onto the next lead.

On the finished PDF each item is a stacked record (identity, dates, readings, action and notes), not a single-line table row. Long registers continue onto extra pages with the same record layout, a footer showing the business name, and a page count. Optional fail photos go into a photo appendix rather than squeezing into the main row. Check the preview so long notes and multi-page lists still read cleanly.

- **Asset Register (AssetRegisterRows, Optional)** - Each **Asset** card is one tested item. The form does not force you to add rows before download, but a register with no assets is useless on site. Columns on the card, and what the PDF record shows, are:
  
  **Asset ID** - your tag or asset number, for example `TT-0041`. Match it to the physical tag so next quarter's tester can find the same item.
  
  **Description** - what the item is, specific enough to pick it from a rack, for example `Angle grinder` or `Extension lead 15m heavy duty`. Required on every row you add.
  
  **Location** - where the item lives or is used, such as `Workshop bench 2` or `Van 1`. Carries forward to the next new row so a rack of tools stays consistent.
  
  **Result** - **Pass** or **Fail**. Required on every row. A blank result is unfinished work.
  
  **Test Date** - the day this item was inspected and tested. Defaults to today on new rows. The field does not accept a future date. Required on every row.
  
  **Next Due** - required when the result is **Pass**. The default retest interval suggests a date from the test date; edit it when that item needs a different cycle. On a fail that is out of service, prefer a clear action over a next date that implies the item is still in the fleet.
  
  **Equipment Identity** - manufacturer, model, serial number, equipment type and class. Fill serial whenever the plate or moulding carries one so identical leads can be told apart.
  
  **Inspection and Test Results** - visual inspection, polarity, earth continuity (Ω), insulation resistance (MΩ), leakage current (mA), RCD push-button and trip time (ms) where those tests apply. Only enter readings for tests you carried out. Do not invent a number to fill a box. Examples of realistic readings: earth `0.18`, insulation `>200`, trip time `24`.
  
  **Failed items** - when result is **Fail**, choose **Action Taken** (for example **Tagged out and removed from service**, **Sent for repair**, **Disposed of**, **Client notified**), add failure details in **Note**, and set **Retest Status** when useful. Photos of the fail are optional and land in the PDF appendix.
  
  - **Useful** - TT-0042; Extension lead 15m heavy duty; HPM; EL-88314; Fail; Tagged out and removed from service; damaged insulation near plug
  - **Too vague** - Lead; Fail

Every durable tag on a tool needs a matching row here with the same identity trail and next test date. Record fails as well as passes; a pass-only list hides the work the register is meant to prove.

## Declaration [#declaration]

Sign off the register before download. This is who stands behind the completed PDF.

- **Notes (Textarea, Optional)** - Anything the client should know in one place, such as items withdrawn from service or gear left for repair. The PDF caps this block at about 220 characters, so keep it short and put detail on the failed rows. Example: `Failed lead withdrawn from service and client advised on site.`
- **Name (Text, Required)** - Who is signing the register. Usually the same person as **Tester Name**. Turn on **Same as tester above** to copy that name automatically so the two cannot drift.
- **Same as tester above (MirrorFields, Optional)** - Copies **Tester Name** into **Name** and locks the name field while the toggle is on. Use it when the tester is the signatory.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The date of sign-off. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are available. The field does not accept a future date. It can differ from **Register Date** when you finish the PDF the morning after the round.
- **Signature (Signature, Optional)** - Draw, upload or use a saved signature. Layout treats this as part of the sign-off block, and the image stamps on the declaration area of the PDF. Sign when the results and fail actions are correct, not as a blank stamp before the last row is done.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Writing the register later from a pile of tags.** - Serials swap, fails lose their isolation note, and the PDF no longer matches the tools. Complete each row while the item is still in front of you.
- **Setting an office interval on a construction site.** - Portable equipment on construction and demolition work is typically on a three-month cycle under AS/NZS 3012-related rules. A twelve-month next date puts the tag and the register out of step with the site.
- **Vague descriptions with no asset ID or serial.** - Ten orange leads all entered as `Extension lead` cannot be found next quarter. Put a tag number on the row and capture the serial or model on the item.
- **Pass with no next-due date.** - A pass without a retest date leaves the site guessing when the tag expires. Set **Default Retest Interval** in Testing, then confirm **Next Due** on every pass before download.
- **Fail with no action or isolation note.** - A fail that still looks available for use is the hazard the register is meant to close. Choose **Action Taken**, write what failed in **Note**, and take the item off the work face.
- **Inventing readings for tests you did not run.** - Empty earth or insulation fields are honest when that test did not apply. A made-up number is not. Only enter values the instrument actually reported.
- **Using this national register for the HISSP Form 08 pack.** - NSW Housing Industry Site Safety Pack sites need the official SafeWork NSW Form 08 layout and its twelve-row table. Use that form for the pack, and use this register for multi-page fleet or non-HISSP work.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Business Name and Tester Name match who tested and which business owns the PDF
- Register Date, work environment, testing basis and default retest interval match this round
- Each asset has a result and test date, with enough identity to find the item again
- Every pass has a next-due date that matches the tag and the environment
- Every fail has an action and failure details, and the item is out of service
- Declaration Name and Date are filled, and the signature is on the sign-off if you use one
- The PDF preview shows stacked records, multi-page flow and fail notes as you expect

## After download [#after-download]

Give a copy to the client or site manager and keep one with the job records. Tradie Forms does not lodge this register with a regulator.

- **Name the file with the client and date** so it sits with other rounds for the same site, for example `Test and Tag - Harbourview - 2026-07-13.pdf`.
- **File it with the test equipment verification record** when you keep calibration certificates for the PAT tester. The register alone does not prove the instrument was in date.
- **Track failed items to repair or disposal.** A fail row is not isolation. Keep the physical quarantine until repair and retest, then record the return as a fresh pass with a new next-due date.
- **Reuse the Business saved detail** on the next round, then re-check tester name, site and retest interval before you add new assets.

Check [AS/NZS 3760:2022](https://store.standards.org.au/product/as-nzs-3760-2022), the site procedure, and your state or territory regulator for the requirements that apply. Retention and competence rules sit with the workplace and the authority, not with this page.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Test and tag and AS/NZS 3760](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/test-and-tag-register-as-nzs-3760)** - Standards context for in-service inspection, tagging, intervals and what each record must show.
- **[NSW WHS Form 08](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/nsw/nsw-safework-whs-08-electrical-test-and-tag-register)** - Official SafeWork NSW HISSP electrical test and tag register when you need the pack layout.

# NSW CCEW eCert (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew-ecert)

Tradie Forms does **not currently support** the new NSW CCEW or direct BCNSW eCert lodgement.

> **Warning**
>
> Tradie Forms does not currently provide the new CCEW or direct BCNSW eCert lodgement. Do not look for an eCert form or lodge button in Tradie Forms. Complete and submit the current CCEW directly in the [BCNSW eCert portal](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal).

{/* In-app section help still deep-links these anchors while the form is private. */}

<span id="site" />

<span id="installation" />

<span id="equipment" />

<span id="applicant" />

<span id="testing" />

## Current status [#current-status]

|                                   |                    |
| --------------------------------- | ------------------ |
| **Old Tradie Forms CCEW**         | Retired            |
| **New CCEW form in Tradie Forms** | Not available      |
| **Direct BCNSW eCert lodgement**  | Not supported      |
| **PDF download**                  | Not available      |
| **Current submission channel**    | BCNSW eCert portal |

From 1 July 2026, Building Commission NSW requires every CCEW to be submitted through eCert. Handwritten and PDF CCEWs are no longer accepted.

There is no confirmed release or availability date for Tradie Forms support.

## Complete a current CCEW [#complete-a-current-ccew]

1. Open the [BCNSW eCert portal](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal)
2. Sign in using the method required by Building Commission NSW
3. Enter the current site, customer, work, licence and test details
4. Review the declaration and submit in the portal
5. Save the BCNSW reference with the job

The person who performed the safety and compliance tests must submit the CCEW as soon as possible and no later than seven days after completing the tests.

## Existing Tradie Forms drafts [#existing-tradie-forms-drafts]

Existing drafts from the retired Tradie Forms CCEW may remain available as a historical job reference. They cannot be downloaded as a valid CCEW or lodged through Tradie Forms.

> **Warning**
>
> Legacy draft labels may differ from the current eCert. Use the BCNSW portal as the source of truth and enter the current information there.

## Related [#related]

- **[Retired CCEW draft guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew)** - Understand fields stored in an existing Tradie Forms draft.
- **[Open BCNSW eCert](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal)** - Create and submit the current CCEW outside Tradie Forms.

# Best practices (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/best-practices)

Practical tips for capturing the job accurately, then completing the current NSW CCEW in BCNSW eCert.

Use these tips only when checking a saved draft from the retired Tradie Forms CCEW. Complete all new CCEWs directly in the BCNSW eCert portal.

> **Warning**
>
> Tradie Forms does not provide the new CCEW or direct eCert lodgement. Existing drafts are historical references only.

## Capture the job on site [#capture-the-job-on-site]

Capture the CCEW details while you are still on site. This reduces the chance of forgetting crucial details and saves a return trip for missing readings or addresses.

> **Note**
>
> Capture test measurements and equipment details at the switchboard before you leave the property.

## Validate before eCert [#validate-before-ecert]

Check the full draft against your job records before entering the current details in eCert:

- All mandatory fields completed
- Test results recorded from calibrated equipment
- Customer and installation addresses match the job file
- Licence numbers and expiry dates are current
- Customer email is correct so eCert can send their copy
- The eCert declaration matches the work and tests

> **Warning**
>
> The Tradie Forms draft uses legacy CCEW labels. Treat eCert as the current source of truth and resolve any difference there before submission.

## Installer and tester details [#installer-and-tester-details]

If the same person installed and tested, use **Same as installer** on the Tester section only when that person genuinely performed both roles.

When installer and tester differ:

- Enter each person's licence details separately
- Verify expiry dates against the physical licence or NSW trades register
- Update stored details after every licence renewal

> **Note**
>
> Set a reminder to review installer and tester contact details quarterly and after licence renewals.

## Customer and installation addresses [#customer-and-installation-addresses]

- Enter the **customer** address in Customer and the **job site** in Installation. They are often the same for residential work but not always
- Use **Same as customer address** on Installation when the site matches the customer record
- For rural or new estates, confirm lot/RMB vs street number with site documentation
- Do not abbreviate street types in address fields (use "Street", not "St")

See [Customer](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/customer) and [Installation](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/installation).

## Technical sections [#technical-sections]

### Installation classification [#installation-classification]

Select installation type and work carried out options that match the actual job. These drive what else the form requires (e.g. metering rows, non-compliance reference).

### Equipment and load [#equipment-and-load]

Document each equipment category you worked on with accurate ratings, quantities, and particulars. Include model numbers for major items.

### Testing [#testing]

Complete tests in the field, then record results on the **Test report** section before certification. Use **Check All** only when every listed test was actually performed.

### Certification [#certification]

Review the declaration shown in eCert and make it only after checking every section against the job.

## Record-keeping [#record-keeping]

### Keep the eCert record [#keep-the-ecert-record]

Save the eCert confirmation or reference with the job record so you can retrieve the submitted CCEW later.

> **Note**
>
> Record the eCert reference, customer, installation address, test date, and submission date in the job file.

### Retain records [#retain-records]

CCEW submissions are official records. Follow the current NSW record-keeping requirements and back up your job evidence and eCert confirmation.

> **Warning**
>
> Do not rely on a single storage location for compliance records.

## Related [#related]

- **[Common mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/common-mistakes)** - Frequent field errors and how to avoid them.

# Certification (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/certification)

This page explains the certification fields in an existing Tradie Forms draft. Complete the current declaration and submission in BCNSW eCert only after you have checked every section.

> **Warning**
>
> The Tradie Forms CCEW is retired and direct eCert lodgement is not supported. Submit every current CCEW in the [BCNSW eCert portal](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal), using its current reference and fields.

## Legacy serial field [#legacy-serial-field]

Existing Tradie Forms drafts may contain a **Serial Number** field and an old sequence helper. Keep the saved value only as historical draft information.

- Do not assume a licence-number sequence is the current eCert rule
- Follow the current eCert prompts for the submission reference
- Save the eCert confirmation or reference with the job record

## Compliance declaration [#compliance-declaration]

Checking the box means you stand behind the whole cert: work, tests, and details.

### Declaration checks [#declaration-checks]

- **Accuracy** - Check that the information on the CCEW is true, correct, and complete to the best of your knowledge.
- **Standards** - Check the official declaration text and confirm it matches the work you are certifying.

### Your responsibilities [#your-responsibilities]

> **Warning**
>
> Tradie Forms can help organise draft details. It does not decide whether the work complies or whether the CCEW is ready to submit.

### Pre-declaration review [#pre-declaration-review]

Before checking the compliance box, verify:

- Technical information matches the job
- Testing details match your site records
- Work details match the official declaration
- Required supporting information is complete

### Make the declaration [#make-the-declaration]

Only make the declaration in eCert when you are confident the work and documentation are ready to submit.

### Final verification [#final-verification]

Review the completed eCert, submit it, then save its confirmation or reference with the job.

> **Warning**
>
> The person who performed the testing must submit the CCEW as soon as possible and no later than seven days after completing the safety and compliance tests. Check every value against your job file before submitting in eCert.

## Related [#related]

- **[Complete in BCNSW eCert](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal)** - Create and submit the current certificate outside Tradie Forms.
- **[Overview](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew)** - Sections, retirement status and what to gather from a legacy draft.

# Common mistakes (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/common-mistakes)

Common mistakes when completing a NSW CCEW, and how to avoid them.

Use this page to check records from an existing draft. Complete every new CCEW directly in the BCNSW eCert portal.

> **Warning**
>
> Tradie Forms does not provide the new CCEW or direct eCert lodgement. A legacy draft is a historical reference, not a current certificate.

## Data entry and validation [#data-entry-and-validation]

### 1. Incomplete testing documentation [#1-incomplete-testing-documentation]

**Mistake:** Missing or incomplete test results, especially insulation resistance, earthing, and RCD tests.

**How to avoid:**

- Perform all required tests on site before certifying
- Record measured values (e.g. insulation resistance in MΩ) from calibrated equipment
- Use **Check All** only when every listed test was actually performed
- Complete the **Test report** section before **Certification**

> **Warning**
>
> Field checks do not replace physical testing. Test the installation using the standards and job requirements that apply to your work.

See [Test report](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/test-report).

### 2. Address errors [#2-address-errors]

**Mistake:** Wrong or incomplete addresses for customer or installation site.

**How to avoid:**

- Confirm customer address vs installation site. They are separate fields
- Cross-reference with the job file, contract, or electricity bill
- Complete all required components: street number or lot/RMB, street name, suburb, state, postcode
- For rural properties, verify lot/RMB numbers with council or title documents

See [Customer](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/customer) and [Installation](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/installation).

### 3. Outdated licence details [#3-outdated-licence-details]

**Mistake:** Expired or incorrect installer or tester licence numbers and dates.

**How to avoid:**

- Check licence expiry before signing the certificate
- Verify contractor and qualified supervisor numbers against current NSW records
- Renew stored details after every licence renewal. Do not copy old certificates blindly

See [Installer](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/installer) and [Tester](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/tester).

## Technical specification errors [#technical-specification-errors]

### 4. Equipment and work detail inaccuracies [#4-equipment-and-work-detail-inaccuracies]

**Mistake:** Wrong equipment ratings, quantities, or work scope documented.

**How to avoid:**

- Tick only equipment categories where work was performed
- Record rating and number installed for each selected category
- Use **Particulars** for model numbers and non-standard configurations
- Align load calculations with installed equipment

See [Equipment](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/equipment).

### 5. Meter and load errors [#5-meter-and-load-errors]

**Mistake:** Missing meter rows when metering work was done, or incorrect tariff/load figures.

**How to avoid:**

- When replacing meters, record both removed and installed meters
- Match meter numbers and readings to the physical meters on site
- Confirm estimated load increase reflects new circuits and appliances

See [Meters](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/meters).

### 6. Treating a draft as a submission [#6-treating-a-draft-as-a-submission]

**Mistake:** Finishing a Tradie Forms draft but not submitting the current CCEW in eCert.

**How to avoid:**

- Enter and check the current details in eCert
- Submit as soon as possible and no later than seven days after completing the tests
- Save the eCert confirmation or reference with the job

> **Warning**
>
> Legacy drafts may show a serial field or helper. Do not treat that as the current eCert reference or submission process.

See [Certification](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/certification).

## Network and provider errors [#network-and-provider-errors]

### 7. Incorrect network service provider [#7-incorrect-network-service-provider]

**Mistake:** Wrong electricity distributor or relying on a legacy provider email field.

**How to avoid:**

- Confirm the distributor against the customer's electricity bill, not postcode alone
- **Ausgrid:** Sydney, Central Coast, Hunter
- **Endeavour Energy:** Greater Western Sydney, Blue Mountains, Southern Highlands
- **Essential Energy:** Regional and rural NSW
- Confirm the required parties and delivery details in eCert
- Check the customer email carefully because eCert uses it to provide their copy

See [Installation](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/installation).

## Quality assurance [#quality-assurance]

### 8. Skipping the eCert review [#8-skipping-the-ecert-review]

**Mistake:** Submitting without checking all sections against the job file.

**How to avoid:**

- Review customer, installation, equipment, meters, installer, tester, test report, and certification in order
- Compare the completed eCert to your site notes before submitting
- Confirm the compliance declaration reflects work you personally verified
- Save the confirmation and check the customer's copy went to the right email

> **Note**
>
> Treat the cert as an official record. Every field should match what you did on site.

## Related [#related]

- **[Best practices](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/best-practices)** - Workflow and record-keeping tips for legacy drafts and eCert.

# Customer (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/customer)

Who owns the property or is your client. This is **not** the job site. Put the site under **Installation** when it is different (rentals, body corporate, etc.).

> **Warning**
>
> The Tradie Forms CCEW is retired and direct eCert lodgement is not supported. Use these labels only to understand an existing draft, then complete the current CCEW in the BCNSW portal.

## Customer contact information [#customer-contact-information]

- **Required fields** - **First Name** and **Last Name** are required.
- **Optional fields** - **Company Name**, **Email**, **Mobile Number**, and **Office Number** are optional in the legacy draft. Complete the current eCert fields that apply.

### Customer information fields [#customer-information-fields]

- **First Name:** The customer's first name.
- **Last Name:** The customer's last name.
- **Company Name:** The customer's company name, if applicable.
- **Email:** The customer's current email address. Check it carefully because eCert uses it to provide the customer's copy.
- **Mobile Number:** The customer's mobile phone number.
- **Office Number:** The customer's office phone number.

## Customer address [#customer-address]

- **Required fields** - Either **Street Number** or **Lot/RMB**, **Street Name**, **Suburb**, **State**, and **Post Code** are required.
- **Optional fields** - **Floor**, **Unit**, and **Nearest Cross Street** are optional.

Get the address right. Check it against the job record before entering it in eCert.

> **Note**
>
> Customer address may differ from the installation site. That is normal for investment properties or body corporate jobs. Put the job site under **Installation**.

### Customer address fields [#customer-address-fields]

- **Floor:** Enter the floor number if the address is in a multi-storey building (e.g. "Level 2"). Leave blank if not applicable.
- **Unit:** Enter the unit, apartment, or flat number if the property is part of a larger complex (e.g. "Unit 5", "Apt 12B"). Leave blank for standalone houses or properties without a unit number.
- **Lot / RMB:** Enter the lot number (for new developments or rural land without a formal street number) or the RMB (Roadside Mailbox) number if used in rural areas.
- **Street Number:** Enter the street number of the property (e.g. "24"). For properties with multiple numbers, use formats such as "24-26" or "24A".
- **Street Name:** Enter the full name of the street (e.g. "George Street"). Do not abbreviate the street type here (e.g. don't use "St", use "Street").
- **Nearest Cross Street:** Enter the name of the nearest cross street. This helps confirm the location, especially in rural areas or where street numbering is unclear.
- **Suburb:** Enter the suburb or locality of the property (e.g. "Parramatta").
- **State:** Select the Australian state or territory for the address. For NSW forms, this will usually be NSW, but the field allows for others if needed (e.g. ACT, VIC).
- **Post Code:** Enter the 4-digit Australian postcode for the property (e.g. "2150"). Double-check this matches the suburb for accuracy.

## Common situations [#common-situations]

- **Customer address vs installation site** - Enter the **customer** address here. Put the job site under **Installation** even when they differ.
- **Company or trust owner** - Record the primary contact in the draft. Follow the current eCert fields for the legal customer or company details.

## Next section [#next-section]

- **[Installation section](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/installation)** - Site address, NMI, work types and network provider.

# Equipment (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/equipment)

Tick what you actually installed or changed on this job. Only fill ratings and quantities for categories you worked on.

> **Warning**
>
> The Tradie Forms CCEW is retired and direct eCert lodgement is not supported. Use these categories only to understand an existing draft, then complete the current CCEW in the BCNSW portal.

## Equipment installation tracking [#equipment-installation-tracking]

For each equipment type, check the installation box to indicate work was performed. This reveals additional fields for detailed specifications.

- **Required information** - When equipment is marked as installed, provide **Rating** and **Number Installed** for compliance tracking.
- **Additional details** - Use **Particulars** field for specific equipment details, models, or special conditions.

## Equipment types [#equipment-types]

- **Switchboard** - Main distribution boards, sub-boards, and meter panels. Include total amp rating, number of ways, and specify type (e.g., "TPN 250A Main Board", "Single Phase Sub-Board").
- **Circuits** - New circuit installations and modifications. Document circuit protection ratings, types, and note special circuits (RCD protected, RCBO, etc.).
- **Lighting systems** - All fixed lighting installations including LED downlights, fluorescent fittings, and exterior lighting. Include wattage and control methods (switches, dimmers, sensors).
- **Power outlets** - General purpose outlets and dedicated circuits including standard GPOs, 15A outlets, and three-phase outlets. Note special requirements (weather protection, RCD protection).
- **Fixed appliances** - Hardwired electrical equipment such as hot water systems, air conditioning, and pool equipment. Include power ratings and connection types.
- **Generation equipment** - Solar PV, wind, and micro-hydro systems. Include inverter ratings, AC output capacity, and specify grid connection or off-grid configuration.
- **Energy storage** - Battery systems and backup power installations. Include battery capacity (kWh), inverter ratings, and integration with existing or new generation systems.

## Equipment specification details [#equipment-specification-details]

For each installed equipment type, provide:

### Rating information [#rating-information]

- **Electrical rating:** Voltage, current, and power specifications
- **Protection rating:** Circuit breaker or fuse sizes
- **Environmental rating:** IP ratings for outdoor installations

### Installation quantities [#installation-quantities]

- **Number Installed:** Total units or points installed

### Particulars and specifications [#particulars-and-specifications]

- **Manufacturer and model:** For critical equipment identification
- **Special features:** Smart controls, energy efficiency ratings
- **Environmental conditions:** Outdoor, wet area, hazardous location specifications

> **Note**
>
> Include model numbers and specific ratings for major equipment like switchboards, inverters, and large appliances to assist with future maintenance and compliance verification.

> **Note**
>
> If you are unsure how to describe complex switchboard work, align wording with your job sheet and AS/NZS documentation.

## Next section [#next-section]

- **[Meters section](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/meters)** - Meter installation and removal table.

# FAQ (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/faq)

Since 1 July 2026, BCNSW eCert is the mandatory submission channel for NSW CCEWs.

> **Warning**
>
> Tradie Forms does not currently provide the new CCEW or direct BCNSW eCert lodgement. Use the [BCNSW eCert portal](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal) for every current certificate.

- **Does Tradie Forms support the new CCEW or eCert lodgement?** - **No.** The old Tradie Forms CCEW is retired. The new CCEW and direct BCNSW lodgement are not currently available in Tradie Forms.
- **Can I download or submit a CCEW from Tradie Forms?** - **No.** PDF download is retired. You can review an existing Tradie Forms draft, but you must enter and submit the current CCEW through [BCNSW eCert](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal).
- **How soon must I submit the CCEW?** - The person who performed the safety and compliance tests must submit it as soon as possible and no later than **seven days** after completing the tests.
- **Who receives a copy?** - The tester submits the CCEW to Building Commission NSW. Based on the certificate details, eCert may also send copies to the relevant electricity distributor, the customer, and the electrician's employer or principal contractor. Check all recipient details before submitting.
- **Why is a section still incomplete?** - Sections track **required fields** and extra rules, for example at least one installation type, work type, or test item. Open the section, fix highlighted errors, then select **Check form**.
- **Can customer and installation addresses differ?** - **Yes.** Customer is the owner or client; **Installation** is where the electrical work was done. Use address search on each block when it is available, and always confirm against the job file.
- **Can the tester be the same person as the installer?** - **Yes, when one person genuinely did both roles.** On the Tester section, enable **Same as installer** to copy the legacy draft details, then verify the roles in eCert.
- **How does NSW licence search work?** - - Open **Installer** or **Tester** on a signed-in draft, tap **Search** on the licence area, enter a licence number or name, and pick a result.
  - Always confirm details match the person on site. The register can lag renewals.
  - If search fails, enter licence details manually. See [Installer](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/installer) and [Tester](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/tester).

## Related [#related]

- **[Overview](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew)** - Sections, retirement status and what to gather from a legacy draft.
- **[Tradie Forms support status](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew-ecert)** - What is retired and what Tradie Forms does not currently support.

# Overview (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew)

The old Tradie Forms **NSW Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work (CCEW)** is retired. This guide remains only so you can read field labels on an existing saved draft. It is not a fill guide for new work.

> **Warning**
>
> Tradie Forms does not currently provide the new CCEW or direct BCNSW eCert lodgement. From 1 July 2026, complete and submit every CCEW directly through the [BCNSW eCert portal](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal). An old Tradie Forms draft cannot be downloaded as a valid CCEW or lodged through Tradie Forms.

## At a glance [#at-a-glance]

|                                  |                         |
| -------------------------------- | ----------------------- |
| **State**                        | NSW                     |
| **Trade**                        | Electrical              |
| **Authority**                    | Building Commission NSW |
| **Submission**                   | BCNSW eCert only        |
| **Tradie Forms form**            | Retired                 |
| **Tradie Forms eCert lodgement** | Not supported           |
| **PDF download**                 | Not available           |

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Pull these details from the legacy draft or the original job file before you open eCert. Do not invent missing values.

- **Customer contact and address** - Customer name, email, phone and address. Email matters because eCert can send the customer their copy.
- **Installation and network** - Site address, NMI, meter number, installation type, work carried out and network service provider.
- **Equipment and meters** - Equipment categories worked on with ratings and quantities, plus meter install or removal rows and load figures where they apply.
- **Installer and tester** - Names, licence or qualified supervisor numbers, expiry dates and addresses for the person who installed and the person who tested.
- **Test date and results** - The actual test date and the safety tests completed on site, with measured values from calibrated equipment.
- **eCert reference details** - Any serial or job reference you still need for the current eCert process, checked against BCNSW prompts rather than the old draft helper.

## Legacy draft sections [#legacy-draft-sections]

These pages explain fields stored in the retired draft. They do not document the current BCNSW eCert screens.

- **[Customer](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/customer)** - Owner or client name, contact details and customer address.
- **[Installation](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/installation)** - Site address, NMI, work types, special conditions and network provider.
- **[Equipment](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/equipment)** - Load and equipment categories installed or changed on the job.
- **[Meters](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/meters)** - Meter install and removal rows, tariff, readings and load assessment.
- **[Installer](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/installer)** - Installer contact, licence or supervisor details and address.
- **[Tester](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/tester)** - Person who performed testing, including same-as-installer copy.
- **[Test report](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/test-report)** - Test date and the electrical safety tests recorded on the draft.
- **[Certification](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/certification)** - Legacy serial field and how declaration maps to eCert submission.

## Review an existing draft [#review-an-existing-draft]

Tradie Forms validation on the retired draft expected:

- Required **customer**, **installation**, **installer**, **tester**, and **certification** fields filled and valid
- At least one **installation type** and one **work carried out** option
- **Installer** licence or qualified supervisor details present
- A **test date** and the test items that apply to the work
- **Meter** details when your work selections require them

Check the saved details against the original job and test records. A complete Tradie Forms draft is not a submitted CCEW and is not a substitute for the current BCNSW record.

## Complete in BCNSW eCert [#complete-in-bcnsw-ecert]

There is no valid CCEW download from Tradie Forms. Finish the job in the BCNSW eCert portal.

1. Complete the electrical test and resolve any failed or unusual result
2. Review the customer, installation, work, licence and test details in the legacy draft or job file
3. Open the [BCNSW eCert portal](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal) and create the CCEW
4. Enter the checked details using the current eCert fields and prompts
5. Review the declaration, submit the certificate, and save the eCert confirmation with the job
6. Check that the required parties received their copy

[NSW Government guidance](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/electricians/electrical-compliance-requirements) says the person who carries out the electrical test must submit the CCEW as soon as practical and no later than seven days after the test. eCert can automatically provide copies to the distributor where required, the customer when their email is included, and the electrician's employer or principal contractor when their email is included.

## Practical checks [#practical-checks]

- Do not use an old PDF or downloaded draft as proof of lodgement
- Match circuit, equipment and meter details to what is on site
- Use the real tester and installer details, including current licence information
- Keep field test records and the eCert confirmation under the same job reference
- If information is missing, finish it from the source record before submitting in eCert

## Related [#related]

- **[Open BCNSW eCert](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/ecert-portal)** - Create and submit the current certificate outside Tradie Forms.
- **[Tradie Forms support status](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew-ecert)** - What is retired and what Tradie Forms does not currently support.
- **[Common mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/common-mistakes)** - Frequent field errors when reading a legacy draft into eCert.
- **[Testing checklist](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-electrical-testing-requirements-2025)** - Field prompts for recording results before eCert submission.

# Installation (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/installation)

Where the work was done, what you did, and which network operator covers the site.

> **Warning**
>
> The Tradie Forms CCEW is retired and direct eCert lodgement is not supported. Use these labels only to understand an existing draft, then complete the current CCEW in the BCNSW portal.

## Installation address [#installation-address]

- **Required fields** - Either **Street Number** or **Lot/RMB**, **Street Name**, **Suburb**, **State**, and **Post Code** are required.
- **Optional fields** - **Property Name**, **Floor**, **Unit**, and **Nearest Cross Street** are optional.

The network uses this address to find the connection. Double-check suburb and postcode.

> **Note**
>
> **Same as customer address**
>
> If the installation address matches the customer's address, use the "Same as customer address" checkbox to copy the details automatically.
>
> For residential installations, the installation and customer addresses are often identical. Using the copy function saves time and reduces errors.

### Installation address fields [#installation-address-fields]

- **Floor:** Enter the floor number if the address is in a multi-storey building (e.g. "Level 2"). Leave blank if not applicable.
- **Unit/Apartment:** Enter the unit, apartment, or flat number if the property is part of a larger complex (e.g. "Unit 5", "Apt 12B"). Leave blank for standalone houses or properties without a unit number.
- **Lot / RMB:** Enter the lot number (for new developments or rural land without a formal street number) or the RMB (Roadside Mailbox) number if used in rural areas.
- **Street Number:** Enter the street number of the property (e.g. "24"). For properties with multiple numbers, use formats such as "24-26" or "24A".
- **Street Name:** Enter the full name of the street (e.g. "George Street"). Do not abbreviate the street type here (e.g. don't use "St", use "Street").
- **Nearest Cross Street:** Enter the name of the nearest cross street. This helps confirm the location, especially in rural areas or where street numbering is unclear.
- **Suburb:** Enter the suburb or locality of the property (e.g. "Parramatta").
- **State:** Select the Australian state or territory for the address. For NSW forms, this will usually be NSW, but the field allows for others if needed (e.g. ACT, VIC).
- **Post Code:** Enter the 4-digit Australian postcode for the property (e.g. "2150"). Double-check this matches the suburb for accuracy.

## Network connection details [#network-connection-details]

These details help network operators locate and manage the electrical connection:

### Connection point identification [#connection-point-identification]

- **Pit/Pillar/Pole No.:** Reference number for the connection infrastructure
- **NMI:** National Metering Identifier (10-11 digits from electricity bill)
- **Meter No.:** Physical meter identification number

> **Note**
>
> The NMI is found on the customer's electricity bill and uniquely identifies the connection point.

### Metering information [#metering-information]

- **AEMO Metering Provider ID:** Recommended for advanced metering installations

## Installation classification and scope [#installation-classification-and-scope]

### Installation type [#installation-type]

Select the applicable installation type as different AS/NZS 3000 requirements may apply.

- **Residential:** Domestic dwellings, units, townhouses
- **Commercial:** Offices, retail spaces, restaurants
- **Industrial:** Factories, warehouses, manufacturing facilities
- **Rural:** Farm properties, remote installations
- **Mixed Development:** Properties with multiple use types

> **Warning**
>
> Choose the installation type that matches the job file and site. If unsure, check your project documents before submitting in eCert.

### Work carried out [#work-carried-out]

Select all applicable work types to accurately describe the electrical work performed:

- **New installations** - - **New Installation:** Complete new electrical systems
  - **Network Connection:** New supply connections
  - **EV Connection:** Electric vehicle charging installations
- **Existing systems** - - **Alteration / Existing:** Modifications to existing installations
  - **Re-Inspection of NC:** Follow-up inspections for non-compliance
- **Metering work** - - **Installed Meter:** Standard meter installations
  - **Install Advanced Meter:** Smart meter installations

> **Warning**
>
> **Re-Inspection of NC:** When selected, provide the original Non-Compliance Number for tracking.

### Special conditions [#special-conditions]

Identify any special conditions that require additional safety measures or specific compliance standards:

- **Over 100 Amps:** High-current installations requiring enhanced safety measures
- **High Voltage:** Installations above standard voltage levels
- **Unmetered Supply:** Direct supply arrangements without standard metering
- **Hazardous Area:** Explosive atmospheres, chemical environments, or dangerous goods storage
- **Off Grid Installation:** Remote or standalone power systems
- **Secondary Power Supply:** Backup or alternative power arrangements

> **Note**
>
> Special conditions may affect inspection, testing, and supporting document requirements. Check the rules that apply to the job.

## Network service provider [#network-service-provider]

### Provider selection [#provider-selection]

### Automatic suggestion [#automatic-suggestion]

Based on the installation postcode, the form suggests the appropriate distributor:

- **Ausgrid:** Central Coast, Sydney, Hunter regions
- **Endeavour Energy:** Greater Western Sydney, Blue Mountains, Southern Highlands
- **Essential Energy:** Regional and rural NSW

### Verify and confirm [#verify-and-confirm]

Confirm the suggested provider matches the actual electricity distributor for the specific address.

> **Note**
>
> Check the customer's electricity bill to verify the correct distributor if uncertain.

### Contact details [#contact-details]

**Provider Email** is a legacy draft field. Do not use it as the current submission method. Check the distributor and required parties in eCert.

> **Warning**
>
> The postcode suggestion is only a starting point. Confirm the actual distributor from the job record or electricity bill before submitting in eCert.

## Next section [#next-section]

- **[Equipment section](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/equipment)** - Load changes and equipment installed.

# Installer (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/installer)

The person who did the installation work. What you enter here should match the person responsible for the work on site.

> **Warning**
>
> The Tradie Forms CCEW is retired and direct eCert lodgement is not supported. Use these labels only to understand an existing draft, then complete the current CCEW in the BCNSW portal.

## NSW licence search [#nsw-licence-search]

On a signed-in draft, **Search** on the licence area can look up the **NSW trades licence register** and prefill licence fields.

1. Open the **Installer** section
2. Tap **Search**
3. Enter a licence number or name and pick a result
4. Check name and expiry match the person on site. The register can lag renewals

If search is unavailable or returns nothing, type the details manually. Always verify the result before using it in eCert.

Saved installer details can still help you re-check a draft. Confirm every licence number and expiry against the current register before eCert submission.

## Installer contact information [#installer-contact-information]

- **Required fields** - **First Name** and **Last Name**
- **Optional fields** - **Email**, **Mobile Number**, and **Office Number**

- **First Name:** Installer's first name (required)
- **Last Name:** Installer's last name (required)
- **Email:** Email address
- **Mobile Number:** Mobile phone
- **Office Number:** Office phone

## Installer licence [#installer-licence]

- **Required fields** - At least **Contractor's Licence No.** or **Qualified Supervisor's No.**, with the matching expiry
- **Optional fields** - The second licence set when it also applies

- **Contractor's Licence No.:** Your contractor licence number
- **Licence Expiry:** Expiry date on the licence card
- **Qualified Supervisor's No.:** If applicable
- **Supervisor's Licence Expiry:** Supervisor expiry if applicable

> **Note**
>
> You need at least **contractor licence** or **qualified supervisor** details for the section to complete.

## Installer address [#installer-address]

- **Required fields** - Either **Street Number** or **Lot/RMB**, **Street Name**, **Suburb**, **State**, and **Post Code**
- **Optional fields** - **Floor**, **Unit**, and **Nearest Cross Street**

### Address fields [#address-fields]

- **Floor:** e.g. "Level 2" - leave blank if N/A
- **Unit:** Unit or apartment number - blank for standalone houses
- **Lot / RMB:** Lot or roadside mailbox for rural or new estates
- **Street Number:** e.g. "24" or "24A"
- **Street Name:** Full street name (use "Street", not "St")
- **Nearest Cross Street:** Helps locate rural or unclear addresses
- **Suburb:** e.g. "Parramatta"
- **State:** Usually NSW
- **Post Code:** 4-digit postcode - match the suburb

## Next section [#next-section]

- **[Tester section](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/tester)** - Who performed testing. This may be the same person as installer.

# Meters (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/meters)

Meter installs, removals, and load figures for the network. The legacy Tradie Forms draft accepts **up to 8 meters**.

> **Warning**
>
> The Tradie Forms CCEW is retired and direct eCert lodgement is not supported. Use these fields only to understand an existing draft, then complete the current CCEW in the BCNSW portal.

## Meter management [#meter-management]

> **Note**
>
> When replacing meters, add both the old meter (status: "Removed") and new meter (status: "Installed") to maintain complete installation records.

### Adding and managing meters [#adding-and-managing-meters]

### Add meters [#add-meters]

Click **Add Meter** for each meter on the job (up to 8).

### Set meter status [#set-meter-status]

For each meter, select the appropriate status:

- **Installed:** New meters added during the work
- **Removed:** Existing meters removed during the work
- **Existing:** Meters already present and unchanged

### Remove unnecessary entries [#remove-unnecessary-entries]

Use the "Remove" button in the top-right corner of any meter card to delete unwanted entries.

### Meter specification details [#meter-specification-details]

For each meter entry, provide the following information:

- **Identification** - - **Meter Number:** Physical meter serial number
  - **Register Number:** Specific register identification
  - **No. of Dials:** Total number of reading dials
- **Configuration** - - **Master/Sub Status:** M (Master), S (Sub), or N (None)
  - **Wired as Master/Sub:** Physical wiring configuration
  - **Tariff:** Rate code (e.g., T11, T31, T33)

### Common tariff codes [#common-tariff-codes]

The legacy draft includes tariff examples. Use the tariff recorded for the actual connection, electricity account or network job. Do not infer it from an example.

**Residential**

- **T11:** General domestic supply (single rate)
- **T31:** Off-peak hot water heating
- **T33:** Controlled load (pool pumps, storage heating)

**Commercial**

- **T20:** Small business single rate
- **T22:** Demand-based commercial rates
- **T41:** Large commercial/industrial supply

> **Note**
>
> **Meter Reading:** Record the current reading for billing continuity and consumption tracking.

## Load and supply assessment [#load-and-supply-assessment]

### Load calculation requirements [#load-calculation-requirements]

Accurate load assessment supports grid stability and compliance with network capacity:

### Calculate additional load [#calculate-additional-load]

**Estimated Increase in Load (A/ph):** Calculate the additional electrical load in Amps per phase from new installations.

> **Note**
>
> Include all new appliances, lighting, and equipment in your load calculation.

### Assess existing capacity [#assess-existing-capacity]

**Is increased load within capacity?** Evaluate whether existing electrical service can handle additional load:

- **Yes:** Current installation/service capacity is adequate
- **No:** Service upgrade or load management may be required

> **Warning**
>
> If the load is not within capacity, pause and check the job, network and authority requirements before submitting in eCert.

### Document connection status [#document-connection-status]

**Is work connected to supply?** Indicate current energisation status:

- **Yes:** New work is connected and operational
- **No:** Work awaits network operator inspection/connection

> **Note**
>
> Complete **Installation** work types first so meter requirements are clear before filling this section.

## Next section [#next-section]

- **[Installer section](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/installer)** - Installer licence and business details.

# Test report (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/test-report)

Record the tests you **actually did** on site. Tick a test only if you performed it with the right equipment and the standards that apply to your work.

> **Warning**
>
> The Tradie Forms CCEW is retired and direct eCert lodgement is not supported. Use these labels only to understand an existing draft, then complete the current CCEW in the BCNSW portal.

## Test date and timing [#test-date-and-timing]

The test date should reflect when safety tests were actually performed:

### Select test date [#select-test-date]

Use the calendar picker or quick buttons ("Yesterday", "Today") to set the test date.

### Timing considerations [#timing-considerations]

Complete testing before certifying the installation so the report matches the final condition of the job.

> **Note**
>
> Treat testing as the final step before energisation so you capture the installation's true condition.

The draft does not accept a future test date. Pick the actual date the tests were completed, not the eCert submission date unless they coincide.

> **Note**
>
> The person who performed the tests must submit the CCEW as soon as possible and no later than **seven days** after completing them.

## Safety tests [#safety-tests]

Use "Check All" only when every listed test applies and was completed. Otherwise, choose the individual tests that match the job.

### Electrical safety tests [#electrical-safety-tests]

- **Earthing system integrity** - Records earthing continuity and connection checks.
- **Residual current device operational** - Records RCD or safety switch operation checks.

### Installation verification tests [#installation-verification-tests]

- **Insulation resistance (MΩ)** - Records conductor insulation resistance readings. Use the threshold that applies to the job and standard.
- **Visual check suitability of installation** - Records the visual inspection of equipment, environment, wiring, and visible defects.
- **Polarity verification** - Records active, neutral, and earth connection checks.

### Specialised system tests [#specialised-system-tests]

- **Stand-alone system compliance** - Records checks for off-grid or isolated power systems where they apply.
- **Connection integrity** - Records connection and termination checks.
- **Fault loop impedance** - Records fault loop impedance readings where this test applies.

> **Note**
>
> Test using calibrated equipment and the standards that apply to the installation.

> **Note**
>
> Record values from your test instruments, not rounded guesses. Regulators and customers may compare readings to site reports.

## Next section [#next-section]

- **[Certification section](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/certification)** - Declaration and current eCert submission.

# Tester (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/tester)

Who performed the safety tests. If that is you and you were also the installer, use **Same as installer** only when you genuinely did both roles on this job.

> **Warning**
>
> The Tradie Forms CCEW is retired and direct eCert lodgement is not supported. Use these labels only to understand an existing draft, then complete the current CCEW in the BCNSW portal.

**Same as installer** copies installer contact, licence, and address. Check everything still matches before using it in eCert.

## NSW licence search [#nsw-licence-search]

Same as the installer section. On a signed-in draft, **Search** on the licence area can query the **NSW trades licence register**.

1. Open **Tester**
2. Tap **Search**
3. Enter licence number or name and pick a result
4. Confirm details match the tester on site

If search fails, enter licence details manually. Always verify before eCert submission.

## Tester contact information [#tester-contact-information]

- **Required fields** - **First Name** and **Last Name**
- **Optional fields** - **Email**, **Mobile Number**, and **Office Number**

- **First Name:** Tester's first name (required)
- **Last Name:** Tester's last name (required)
- **Email:** Email address
- **Mobile Number:** Mobile phone
- **Office Number:** Office phone

## Tester licence [#tester-licence]

- **Required fields** - At least **Contractor's Licence No.** or **Qualified Supervisor's No.**, with the matching expiry
- **Optional fields** - The second licence set when it also applies

- **Contractor's Licence No.:** Tester's contractor licence number
- **Licence Expiry:** Expiry date on the licence card
- **Qualified Supervisor's No.:** If applicable
- **Supervisor's Licence Expiry:** Supervisor expiry if applicable

## Tester address [#tester-address]

- **Required fields** - Either **Street Number** or **Lot/RMB**, **Street Name**, **Suburb**, **State**, and **Post Code**
- **Optional fields** - **Floor**, **Unit**, and **Nearest Cross Street**

### Address fields [#address-fields]

Same format as the installer address: full street name, correct postcode, lot/RMB when there is no street number.

> **Warning**
>
> Installation and testing carry different responsibilities. Only use **same as installer** when one person actually did both on site.

> **Note**
>
> The person who performed the safety and compliance tests must submit the CCEW as soon as possible and no later than seven days after completing them.

## Next section [#next-section]

- **[Test report section](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nsw/nsw-ccew/test-report)** - Test date and electrical test results.

# NT CoC Addendum (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nt/nt-electrical-coc-addendum)

This addendum records the extra equipment and work detail the hard-copy NT certificate of compliance books cannot hold for energy storage, EV connection point, solar PV, and inverter work. Electrical contractors and workers still using triplicate books attach it to the related certificate so the make, model, serial, chemistry, and location photos travel with the certifying document. [NT WorkSafe says](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/electrical-safety/information-for-electrical-industry/certificate-of-compliance) hard-copy books remain an approved form, and the addendum is how those books meet the detail expected for the listed work types.

This is the current NT WorkSafe electrical certificate of compliance addendum. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Writing an emergency after-hours repairs certificate for network reconnection rather than an addendum to a hard-copy CoC? Use [NT Emergency Repairs CoC](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nt/nt-electrical-coc-emergency-after-hours-repairs)

> **Warning**
>
> This is not a standalone certificate. Attach the finished addendum to the related hard-copy certificate of compliance before you send anything to the client, NT WorkSafe, or Power and Water.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

The addendum only works as a matched pair with the main certificate. Have the book page and the installed equipment in front of you before you open the form.

- **The related CC number** - The certificate of compliance number from the triplicate book page for this job, not the previous page in the book.
- **Which work types apply** - Electrical network, EV connection point, ESS, generator changeover, inverter, patient areas, restricted licence work, and solar PV. Tick every one that was done on this job.
- **Nameplate data for installed equipment** - Make, model, and serial numbers from the EV charger, battery, and inverter plates on site, not from the quote or delivery docket.
- **ESS chemistry when a battery was installed** - The chemistry printed on the unit or commissioning pack, for example lithium iron phosphate.
- **Broad-view location photos** - EV connection point, ESS, and inverter locations while you are still on site, including clearances and signage where they matter.
- **A clear work description** - What was installed or altered, in words a reviewer can follow without the quote file.

Three fields gate the download: CC number, work completed date, and work description. Detail sections for EV, solar, ESS, and inverter stay optional in the app, but fill every section that matches a work type you ticked.

## Reference [#reference]

Links this addendum to the hard-copy certificate of compliance it belongs with. The form notice states this addendum is used with older hard-copy triplicate certificate books to meet Electrical Safety Act 2022 requirements, and that you attach it when sending the certificate to the client, NT WorkSafe, and Power and Water.

- **CC Number (Text, Required)** - The certificate of compliance number from the triplicate book page for this job, for example `CC-240612`. Write the number that sits on the certificate you are filling out today. A blank or recycled number turns a matched pair into two loose pages that NT WorkSafe and Power and Water cannot tie together. If you are off site without the book, get the number from the contractor copy or the person who wrote up the certificate before you download.

## Work [#work]

Records when the work finished, which triggering work types apply, and a plain description of what was done. The completion date is also the start of the retention clock on the certificate record.

- **Work Completed Date (Date, Required)** - The day the electrical work was finished. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there because this is often filled on site or the next morning. The field does not accept a future date, so you cannot date the addendum ahead of completion.
- **Work Type (CheckboxGroup, Optional)** - Tick every type that applies on this job. Options are **Electrical network**, **Electrical vehicle (EV) connection point**, **Energy storage system (ESS)**, **Generator changeover**, **Inverter**, **Patient areas**, **Restricted licence work**, and **Solar photovoltaic system**. Nothing is selected by default, so an untouched form downloads with no work types ticked. A hybrid solar and battery install with a garage EV point commonly needs several boxes, and each of EV, solar, ESS, and inverter has its own detail section below. Network, generator changeover, patient areas, and restricted licence work have no extra section, only the tick.
- **Work Description (Textarea, Required)** - General description of the electrical work undertaken. Name what was installed or altered so a reviewer can follow the job without the quote. Keep it to the work, not the sales title.
  
  - **Useful** - Installed EV charger circuit, 10 kWh battery energy storage, and hybrid inverter at residential premises.
  - **Too vague** - Solar work

## EV Connection [#evConnection]

Complete when EV connection point work was undertaken. Capacity and identity are what a later reviewer uses to check circuit and protection sizing.

- **Connection Points and Capacity (Textarea, Optional)** - How many connection points were installed and the charging capacity of each, for example `1 x 7.4 kW Type 2 connection point`. A single point and a multi-point load-managed install read very differently, so count and capacity both matter.
- **Make (Text, Optional)** - Charger manufacturer from the nameplate, for example `Wallbox`. Take it from the unit, not the quote.
- **Model (Text, Optional)** - Model from the same nameplate, for example `Pulsar Plus`.
- **Broad view photo of the EV connection location attached (RadioGroup, Optional)** - **Yes** or **No**. Choose **Yes** when you are attaching a broad-view photo of where the charger sits and how it is fed. Choose **No** when no photo is going with this addendum.
- **EV connection location photo (Photo, Required when you select Yes for the broad view photo attached)** - Upload the broad-view location photo. Selecting **Yes** without a photo blocks download. The photo is added as an appendix page on the finished PDF, so shoot the full location while you are still standing in front of the unit rather than a close-up of the nameplate alone.

## Solar [#solar]

Complete when solar photovoltaic system work was undertaken. This is the array and DC-side story; the inverter itself has its own section.

- **Solar Work Description (Textarea, Optional)** - What the solar PV work involved: array size, DC isolators, protection, and shutdown labelling. Describe the isolation you actually installed rather than assuming the product is familiar. On a job that also changes the inverter, fill the inverter section as well so the array and the inverter are both on the record.
  
  - **Useful** - Installed a 6.6 kW rooftop solar array with DC isolators, inverter protection and shutdown labelling.
  - **Too vague** - New solar

## ESS [#ess]

Complete when energy storage system work was undertaken. Chemistry, serial number, and location photo are what make this section useful years later for service, warranty, or a recall.

- **ESS Work Description (Textarea, Optional)** - What was installed or altered, including capacity and where it sits, for example a wall-mounted battery in the garage with backup circuits and signage.
- **ESS Chemistry Type (Text, Optional)** - Chemistry from the unit or commissioning pack, for example `Lithium iron phosphate`. Chemistry drives placement and signage rules, so the value here must match the unit on the wall, not a generic `lithium` label.
- **Make (Text, Optional)** - Battery manufacturer from the nameplate, for example `Tesla`.
- **Model (Text, Optional)** - Model from the nameplate, for example `Powerwall 2`.
- **Serial Number (Text, Optional)** - Serial from the unit plate, for example `TW-123456`. Read it off the installed unit rather than the delivery docket, because the two do not always agree. The serial is what ties the record to the physical battery for warranty and recalls. Photograph the plate if it is hard to read later.
- **Broad view photo of the ESS location attached (RadioGroup, Optional)** - **Yes** or **No**. Choose **Yes** when you are attaching a broad-view photo of the battery location, clearances, and signage.
- **ESS location photo (Photo, Required when you select Yes for the broad view photo attached)** - Upload the broad-view ESS location photo. Selecting **Yes** without a photo blocks download. The photo lands as an appendix page on the PDF, so capture the full install arrangement on the day rather than reconstructing it later.

## Inverter [#inverter]

Complete when inverter work was undertaken. On a solar and battery job this is the third piece of the picture after the array and the storage.

- **Inverter Work Description (Textarea, Optional)** - What was installed or commissioned, including where the inverter sits relative to the switchboard, for example a hybrid inverter beside the main board for solar and battery integration.
- **Make (Text, Optional)** - Inverter manufacturer from the nameplate, for example `Fronius`.
- **Model (Text, Optional)** - Model from the nameplate, for example `Primo GEN24`.
- **Serial Number (Text, Optional)** - Serial from the unit plate, for example `FR-789012`. Take it from the installed inverter, not the packing list.
- **Broad view photo of the inverter location attached (RadioGroup, Optional)** - **Yes** or **No**. Choose **Yes** when you are attaching a broad-view photo of the inverter location.
- **Inverter location photo (Photo, Required when you select Yes for the broad view photo attached)** - Upload the broad-view inverter location photo. Selecting **Yes** without a photo blocks download. The photo is included as a PDF appendix page.

## Submit [#submit]

There are no job fields to complete here. The section shows the privacy notice from the source form and the distribution path for the finished certificate and addendum.

Personal information is collected under the Electrical Safety Act 2022 and handled in accordance with the Information Act 2002. NT WorkSafe may provide information to the property owner, the electricity network operator, and the Electrical Safety Regulator.

After download, send the certificate with this addendum attached to the customer, the property owner when they are different, NT WorkSafe at `AGD.NTWSElectricalSafety@nt.gov.au`, and Power and Water at `powerconnections@powerwater.com.au`. Keep a contractor copy for five years. The detailed send and retention steps sit in After download below.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Using the previous page's CC number from the book.** - The addendum only works as a matched pair. Take the number from the certificate page for this job, not the last completed page sitting open in the book.
- **Ticking only one work type on a multi-system job.** - A hybrid solar and battery install with an EV point needs every applicable box. Unticked types leave their detail sections empty on a job that clearly included that work.
- **Writing a quote title as the work description.** - `Solar work` tells a reviewer nothing about what was installed. Name the systems and the main electrical work.
- **Copying make, model, or serial from the delivery docket.** - Dockets and quotes are raised early and often disagree with what was hung on the wall. Read identity off the nameplate of the installed unit.
- **Recording chemistry as a generic lithium label.** - Chemistry drives placement and signage rules. Use the chemistry on the unit, such as lithium iron phosphate, not a catch-all word.
- **Selecting Yes for a photo without uploading one.** - Yes without a photo blocks download. If you have no photo, select No rather than leaving the upload empty.
- **Sending the addendum without the hard-copy certificate.** - The addendum is not a certificate. Attach it to the related CoC every time it goes to the client, NT WorkSafe, or Power and Water.

## Before download [#before-download]

- The CC number matches the hard-copy certificate for this job
- Work completed date is the day the work finished, not a future date
- Every applicable work type is ticked
- Work description names the systems and work, not the quote title
- EV, solar, ESS, and inverter sections that apply have make, model, serial, chemistry, and capacity where relevant
- Photo answers are Yes only when the matching location photo is attached
- The PDF preview shows the CC number, work types, equipment identity, and any photo appendix pages as expected

## After download [#after-download]

Attach the finished addendum to the related hard-copy certificate of compliance before you distribute anything. [NT WorkSafe certificate guidance](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/electrical-safety/information-for-electrical-industry/certificate-of-compliance) is the source for who receives copies and how long contractors keep them. Confirm network lodgement with the current Power and Water process when the job needs it.

- **Send the certificate and addendum together.** Copies go to the client, NT WorkSafe (`AGD.NTWSElectricalSafety@nt.gov.au`), and Power and Water (`powerconnections@powerwater.com.au`) when that is the network operator. Do not email the addendum alone.
- **Name the file with the CC number.** Use something like `CoC-addendum-CC-240612.pdf` so the pair is obvious in the job folder years later.
- **File the pair with the job record.** Keep the book page copy, the addendum, and any nameplate photos in the same place so equipment identity is not reconstructed from memory.
- **Retain the contractor copy for at least five years** from the date the work was completed, with the addendum stored beside the certificate.

Check the current NT WorkSafe instructions for your job. Lodgement routes and retention sit with the authority and the network operator.

> **Warning**
>
> Tradie Forms prepares the PDF but does not send it. Check the current NT WorkSafe instructions before distributing or retaining the certificate and addendum.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[NT CoC addendum walkthrough](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nt-electrical-coc-addendum-ess-ev-solar-inverter)** - When the addendum is required, what each section records, and who receives the finished pair.
- **[NT emergency repairs CoC](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nt/nt-electrical-coc-emergency-after-hours-repairs)** - Emergency after-hours repairs certificate for network reconnection, not an addendum to a hard-copy CoC.

# NT Emergency Repairs CoC (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nt/nt-electrical-coc-emergency-after-hours-repairs)

Certifies emergency after-hours electrical repairs so the network provider can reconnect the property when the after-hours crew cannot see the online CoC system. A licensed electrical worker and the contractor licence holder (or authorised person) both sign, and you leave with a PDF the connection crew can accept on the spot. [NT WorkSafe limits this form](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/forms-and-resources/forms/electrical-certificate-of-compliance-emergency-after-hours-repairs) to that reconnection situation; ordinary electrical work still uses the normal certificate process.

This is the current NT WorkSafe emergency after-hours repairs certificate. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Capturing ESS, EV, solar or inverter detail for a hard-copy NT CoC rather than an after-hours reconnection? Use [NT CoC Addendum](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nt/nt-electrical-coc-addendum)

> **Warning**
>
> This certificate does not satisfy section 41(4)(a) and (b) of the Electrical Safety Act 2022. Handing it to the network provider for reconnection does not replace lodging the work through the [NT online electrical safety certificate of compliance](https://service.nt.gov.au/services/business-industry/electrical/issue-certificate-compliance) afterwards.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

This form is only for emergency after-hours repairs that need a certificate in the network provider's hand before reconnection. Have these ready on site.

- **Confirmation this is the right certificate** - The network provider needs a paper CoC for after-hours reconnection, not a standard online-only lodgement.
- **Customer and site identity** - Who called you out, a phone number that reaches them tonight, and the address of the installation you repaired.
- **Owner details when they differ** - On rentals and managed sites, the owner name and email if the customer is a tenant or agent.
- **What you found and fixed** - The fault, the repair you completed, and the date work finished, written while the job is still clear.
- **Any unrepaired non-compliance** - Defects you observed but did not fix, with the standard and clause number if you will answer Yes on the form.
- **Worker and contractor licence details** - Current electrical worker and contractor licence numbers for the people who will sign.

Download is blocked until customer name, repair date and description, both licence blocks (names and numbers), both signature dates, and both signatures are complete. Property address is not a schema gate, but the PDF is useless for reconnection without the installation address the crew will use.

## Customer [#customer]

Customer contact details and the property where the emergency repairs were completed. The same customer and property wording should carry into the online CoC you lodge later, so a mismatch between the night record and the portal becomes a query weeks on.

The form opens with an official notice: this certificate is for emergency after-hours repairs before network reconnection, you must also submit through the NT online CoC service, and the form does not satisfy section 41(4)(a) and (b) of the Electrical Safety Act 2022.

- **Customer Name (Text, Required)** - Who the work was for. On a business callout, put the business name and the primary contact, for example `Top End Apartments - night manager Priya Nair`. The network crew and the later online CoC both need a clear contact, not only a trading name.
- **Customer Phone (Tel, Optional)** - A number that reaches the customer tonight, such as `0412 345 678`. Prefer a mobile answered on site over a switchboard that only takes messages.
- **Customer Email (Email, Optional)** - Useful for the online CoC copy and for follow-up on unrepaired defects. Use a monitored address when the customer is a business or agent.
- **Street address (Address, Required)** - Where the electrical work was completed, not the account holder's postal address if those differ. Address search is limited to the Northern Territory and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. Check the result against the site you worked on; a unit, meter or building that is not in the search result still needs typing by hand.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search for NT results. Confirm **NT** when you type the address manually.
- **Postcode (Address, Required)** - From address search or the site. Keep it with the street line so the composed property address on the PDF is complete.

**Saved detail: Customer** - save this section to prefill it on your next emergency after-hours CoC for the same customer.

The street, suburb, state and postcode are composed into one property address field on the official PDF. Preview that line before you hand the PDF to the crew.

## Property Owner [#propertyOwner]

Complete when the property owner is known and different from the customer. On many after-hours callouts the tenant or managing agent is the customer; the owner is still who section 41 expects to receive a CoC for the work.

- **Property Owner Name (Text, Optional)** - The owner when they are not the customer, for example the landlord or owners corporation. Leave blank when the customer is the owner. Recording it here is what lets you close the owner copy when you lodge the online CoC.
- **Property Owner Email (Email, Optional)** - How to reach that owner for the later CoC and any defect follow-up. Skip it when the owner section is empty.

## Repairs [#repairs]

When the emergency repairs finished and what you did. Write this for someone reading cold when the online CoC is lodged, not only for the crew on the night.

- **Repairs Completed Date (Date, Required)** - The date the emergency repairs were finished on site. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there because this is usually filled immediately after the job. The field does not accept a future date.
- **Description of Repairs (Text, Required)** - Describe the fault you found and the work you carried out to make the installation safe and restore supply. Name the circuit, equipment or part of the installation when you can. This is the wording you will want again in the online CoC, so a clear description now saves reconstructing the job later.
  
  - **Useful** - Replaced damaged consumer mains connection and restored supply after storm damage
  - **Too vague** - Fixed power after storm

## Defects [#defects]

Records defects or non-compliances you saw on the existing installation that you did not repair. Emergency work restores safe supply; it does not rewire the house at 2am. Answering Yes and naming the standard is documenting what remains, not admitting an incomplete job.

- **Were there any defects or non-compliances observed on the existing installation which were not repaired? (Choice, Optional)** - Answer **Yes** or **No** from what you observed. Nothing blocks download if you leave this unset, but an empty answer when you did see a problem is the gap that comes back later. Choose **No** only when you saw nothing unrepaired that needed noting.
- **Non-Compliance Details (Text, Optional)** - Required by the form when you answer **Yes**. Include the standard and clause number for each non-compliance, plus enough location detail that a daytime crew can find it. The app blocks download if **Yes** is selected and this box is empty.
  
  - **Useful** - No RCD protection on the lighting subcircuit, AS/NZS 3000:2018 clause 2.6.2. Advised customer, outside scope of emergency repair.
  - **Too vague** - Some old wiring issues noted

## Electrical Worker [#electricalWorker]

Certification by the electrical worker who carried out the examinations and tests. The section wording on the form is that the information is complete and correct, that you carried out the examinations and tests on the work detailed, and that the results satisfy the Electrical Safety Act 2022.

- **Electrical Worker Name (Text, Required)** - The licensed person who tested the work. Use the name on the licence card, not a workshop nickname. On a one-person job this may be the same person as the contractor declaration; both blocks still need completing.
- **Electrical Worker Licence Number (Text, Required)** - From the current electrical worker licence, for example `EL123456`. Check it against the card or renewal notice before you sign in the dark.
- **Signature (Signature, Optional)** - The worker's mark that the examinations and tests were done and the results satisfy the Act. Capture it on site after the repair description and defect answers are correct. You can use a saved signature; check the preview so the stamp sits cleanly in the signature box. The form will not download without it.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The date the worker signs. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are available. The field does not accept a future date.

**Saved detail: Electrical Worker** - save this section to prefill it on your next emergency after-hours CoC for the same worker.

## Contractor [#contractor]

Certification by the contractor licence holder, or an authorised person acting on the contractor's behalf. The form wording is that the information is complete and correct and that the contractor managed the electrical work so it meets the Electrical Safety Act 2022.

- **Contractor Licence Holder Name (Text, Required)** - The contractor licence holder name as licensed, for example `Top End Electrical Pty Ltd`, or the authorised person signing for them. This is a different role from the electrical worker even when one person holds both licences.
- **Contractor Licence Number (Text, Required)** - The contractor licence number from the current card or renewal, for example `EC789012`. Do not paste the worker licence number into this field by habit.
- **Contractor Phone (Tel, Optional)** - Office or mobile contact for the contractor, such as `08 8941 2200`. Useful for network or WorkSafe follow-up after reconnection.
- **Contractor Email (Email, Optional)** - Contractor email for the job file and online CoC lodgement, for example the office inbox that holds certificate copies.
- **Signature (Signature, Optional)** - The contractor (or authorised person) mark that the work was managed to meet the Act. Sign after the worker block and the repair and defect answers are correct. You can use a saved signature; check the preview. The form will not download without it.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The date the contractor signs. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are available. The field does not accept a future date.

**Saved detail: Contractor** - save this section to prefill it on your next emergency after-hours CoC for the same contractor.

Interstate electricians still need authority to certify work done in the Territory. Sort that before you sign either declaration.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Using this form for ordinary daytime work.** - The emergency certificate exists because after-hours network crews cannot see the online CoC. Daytime work and non-reconnection jobs use the normal certificate process.
- **Treating the emergency PDF as the full CoC duty.** - Section 41(4)(a) and (b) still require the online CoC path for the owner, occupier, and person the work was for. Reconnection is step one, not the finish.
- **Putting the account postal address instead of the installation.** - The property line is where the electrical work was completed. A mismatch with the later online CoC is a common query weeks after the callout.
- **Writing a vague repair description.** - `Fixed power` means nothing when you rebuild the online CoC or when someone reads the file months later. Name the fault and the repair.
- **Answering Yes to unrepaired defects without the standard and clause.** - The form asks for the standard and clause number. Vague notes fail the download when Yes is selected, and they fail the next crew who cannot find the defect.
- **Leaving unrepaired defects blank when you saw them.** - Emergency scope is not a reason to hide what remains. Note what you saw, cite the clause, and tell the customer what needs a planned visit.
- **Copying the worker licence number into the contractor field.** - Worker and contractor are separate declarations under the Act. Wrong numbers on either side undermine both signatures.
- **Signing before the repair and defect answers are final.** - Both signatures attest that the information on the certificate is complete and correct. Change the wording, then sign.

## Before download [#before-download]

- This job is emergency after-hours reconnection work, not a standard CoC substitute
- Customer name and property address match the installation you repaired
- Repair date and description name the fault and the work completed
- Defect Yes/No matches what you observed, with standard and clause when Yes
- Electrical worker name, licence, signature and date are complete
- Contractor name, licence, signature and date are complete, and the two licence numbers are not swapped
- The PDF preview shows a complete property line and both signature stamps cleanly

## After download [#after-download]

Give the finished PDF to the network provider before reconnection where the emergency process requires it. That is the reason the form exists on the night.

- **Lodge the online CoC once you are back at a screen.** [NT WorkSafe is clear](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/forms-and-resources/forms/electrical-certificate-of-compliance-emergency-after-hours-repairs) that this form does not satisfy section 41(4)(a) and (b). Resubmit the same customer, property, repair and defect details through the [Territory Services electrical certificate of compliance](https://service.nt.gov.au/services/business-industry/electrical/issue-certificate-compliance).
- **Name the file so the night job is obvious.** Include the suburb or street and `after-hours` so it is not mistaken for a routine CoC in the job folder.
- **File it with the later online CoC.** Keep the emergency PDF, the online certificate, photos, and any defect follow-up in one job record so the two certificates read as one job with two steps.
- **Track unrepaired defects.** If you answered Yes, book or note the planned rectification so the clause you cited is not lost after reconnection.
- **Keep the contractor copy.** [NT WorkSafe certificate guidance](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/electrical-safety/information-for-electrical-industry/certificate-of-compliance) expects certificate records to be retained; check the current retention period and keep at least the contractor copy with the job file.

Tradie Forms prepares the PDF but does not send it to the network provider or NT WorkSafe. Check the current NT WorkSafe and Power and Water requirements before reconnection and distribution.

> **Warning**
>
> The licensed electrical worker and contractor still check the work, the test results, and the downloaded PDF before it is issued. This form does not replace your duties under the Electrical Safety Act 2022.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[After-hours CoC walkthrough](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nt-emergency-after-hours-electrical-repairs-coc)** - When this form is the right one, who signs, and why you still lodge the online CoC.
- **[NT CoC addendum](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/nt/nt-electrical-coc-addendum)** - Extra ESS, EV, solar and inverter detail for a hard-copy NT certificate of compliance.
- **[NT CoC addendum resource](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nt-electrical-coc-addendum-ess-ev-solar-inverter)** - When the addendum is required alongside a hard-copy CoC for specified work types.

# QLD CoTC (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/qld/qld-electrical-cotc)

The Queensland certificate of testing and compliance records that the electrical installation or equipment you tested is electrically safe, to the extent affected by the work. The licensed electrical contractor issues it to the person who engaged the work, and keeps a contractor copy. WorkSafe Queensland expects the certificate as soon as practical after testing, with a contractor copy held for five years.

This is the current WorkSafe Queensland Certificate of Testing and Compliance (V6.11-2023). Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

> **Warning**
>
> Give the certificate to the person or organisation that engaged the electrical contractor, which may be a builder rather than the property owner or tenant.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every CoTC rework comes from filling it after leaving site, from the wrong bill-to contact, or with the wrong certificate type. Have these in front of you.

- **A decision on certificate type** - Installation work uses testing and compliance; equipment work uses testing and safety. One tick changes the certification statement on the PDF.
- **Who engaged the contractor** - The person or organisation you would invoice, not automatically the site contact, tenant or owner.
- **Customer address and site address** - Whether they are the same, and the unit, tenancy, shed or board that identifies the job when they differ.
- **What was tested** - The switchboard, circuit, appliance or area, written while the labels and test notes are still in front of you.
- **The actual test date** - The day testing happened, not the booking date, invoice date or the day the office sends the PDF.
- **Current contractor licence details** - Electrical contractor licence number, name on the licence, and phone from the record you actually use for Queensland work.

Certificate type, customer name and address, work tested, test date and contractor licence number gate the download.

## Certificate Type [#certificateType]

Chooses which certification statement appears on the finished PDF. Installation work and equipment work are not the same paperwork moment.

- **Certificate Type (Choice, Required)** - Select **Testing and Compliance** for electrical installation work (s227 of the Electrical Safety Regulation 2013). Select **Testing and Safety** for electrical equipment work (s26). The fixed certification wording on the PDF follows this choice; you do not edit that text yourself. Do not reuse last month's heading from habit when the job type changed.

A domestic switchboard replacement, new circuit or fixed wiring change is usually installation work. Repair or testing limited to an appliance or piece of equipment is usually equipment work. Mixed jobs are not a hybrid certificate type: match the tick to what you actually tested and what the customer needs evidence for.

## Work Performed For [#customer]

Names the person or organisation the work was performed for, and their address. WorkSafe Queensland treats this as the party that engaged the licensed electrical contractor, usually the party you invoice.

- **Title (Text, Optional)** - Optional courtesy title such as `Mr`, `Ms` or `Dr`. Leave blank for a company name in the given-names and surname lines, or when the job record has no title.
- **Given Names (Text, Required)** - First and middle names for a person, or the leading part of a business name when the customer is a company. On builder and body-corporate jobs, use the engaging entity rather than the site supervisor's personal name.
- **Surname (Text, Required)** - Family name for a person, or the rest of the business name. Pair it with given names so the certificate names one clear customer, not a site contact and a bill-to contact mixed together.
- **Street address (Address, Required)** - The address of the person for whom the work was performed. Address search is limited to Queensland and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. Check the result when the job software has a different billing address, unit, or rural delivery point. When the installation is at a different site, keep the customer address here and put the site detail in the work-tested description.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Defaults to `QLD`. Address search may set it; leave the default for Queensland customers unless you are correcting a search result.
- **Postcode (Address, Required)** - Fills from address search. Confirm it against the customer record when you type the street line by hand, especially on new estates and rural runs.

If a builder engaged you for a renovation, the certificate usually goes to the builder unless the owner engaged you directly. A tenant or site contact may need a courtesy copy later; they are not automatically the customer on the form.

## Electrical Installation / Equipment Tested [#workTested]

Describes what was tested. This free-text block is the whole scope record on the certificate, so thin wording is the field that ages worst.

- **Electrical Installation / Equipment Tested (Text, Required)** - Name the installation or equipment, the work type, and enough site context that a customer, office or later sparky can follow it without ringing you. Include the site address here when it differs from the customer address above. WorkSafe Queensland guidance is to give as much detail as practical, such as number and type of equipment, because the certificate copy is also a job record. Keep it factual: not a quote, not a whole job diary, and not a claim over work you did not touch.
  
  - **Useful** - Replacement of main switchboard and testing of affected final subcircuits at rear workshop, 14 Stanley Street, South Brisbane QLD 4101
  - **Too vague** - Electrical work completed

On multi-tenancy or strata sites, name the tenancy, unit, level or board. A certificate that only carries a street address can be hard to match to the board you actually tested.

## Test and Contractor [#contractor]

Records when testing happened and under which electrical contractor licence the work was certified.

- **Date of Test (Date, Required)** - The day the installation or equipment was tested. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there because this is usually filled on site or the next morning. Do not use the booking date, the invoice date or the day the office emails the PDF. No future date is accepted. On multi-visit jobs, use the day testing that underpins this certificate was completed, not the first rough-in visit.
- **Electrical Contractor Licence Number (Text, Required)** - The electrical contractor licence number under which the installation or equipment was tested. Take it from the current business licence record, not from an old PDF or a photo in the camera roll. After renewal, entity change or a subcontracting arrangement, confirm the number still matches the licence used on this job.
- **Name on Contractor Licence (Text, Optional)** - The name as it appears on the contractor licence, which may differ from the trading name customers see on the van or invoice. Fill it so the certificate lines up with the licence number.
- **Electrical Contractor Phone (Text, Optional)** - A phone number for the contracting business. Useful when the customer or a later reader needs to reach the licence holder about the certificate.

**Saved detail: Contractor** - save this section to prefill it on your next Queensland electrical certificate.

Check saved licence details after renewals, new entities or when a different crew performed or supervised the work. A prefilled block that is out of date is worse than typing once.

## Certification and Notice [#certification]

Shows the fixed certification statement for the selected certificate type, and records when notice of the certificate was given to the customer.

The installation statement certifies that the electrical installation, to the extent affected by the work, has been tested to ensure it is electrically safe and in accordance with the wiring rules and any other standard applying under the Electrical Safety Regulation 2013. The equipment statement certifies that the electrical equipment, to the extent affected by the work, is electrically safe. You do not edit either statement in the app; both land on the PDF from the certificate type choice.

- **Date Notice Given (Date, Optional)** - The day you handed or sent the certificate to the person for whom the work was performed. Optional on the PDF, but leaving it blank weakens the completion record. Make it part of site close-out: finish testing, fill the certificate, give or send the PDF, then set this date. No future date is accepted.

The current WorkSafe template does not include a signature field. Completing the required details and giving the PDF is the issue path for this certificate.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Picking testing and compliance for pure equipment work.** - The certification statement on the PDF changes with the tick. Installation wording on an equipment-only job, or the reverse, is the classic CoTC mismatch. Match the type to what you tested before filling anything else.
- **Putting the tenant or site contact in the customer block.** - WorkSafe Queensland wants the person for whom the work was performed, usually the party that engaged the contractor and the party you invoice. A builder engagement is not automatically the owner or the tenant on site.
- **Describing the work as electrical work completed.** - That phrase does not tell a later reader what board, circuit or equipment was tested. Name the equipment or installation, the work type and the location.
- **Using the booking or invoice date as the test date.** - The certificate must carry the day the installation or equipment was tested. On multi-visit jobs, a copied office date is the usual source of a silent mismatch with the job notes.
- **Copying a licence number from last year's PDF.** - Renewals, entity changes and subcontracting arrangements leave stale numbers in old certificates. Take the number from the current licence record and check saved contractor details after any change.
- **Leaving site with the certificate still in draft.** - Details go stale once the board is closed and the next job starts ringing. Finish the certificate while the test gear, labels and customer conversation are still in front of you.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Certificate type matches installation work or equipment work
- Customer is the person or organisation that engaged the contractor
- Customer address is correct, and any different site is clear in the work-tested description
- Work tested names the board, circuit, appliance or area in enough detail for a later reader
- Test date is the day testing happened, not a booking or invoice date
- Contractor licence number and name match the current licence used on this job
- Notice date is filled when the certificate has been given
- PDF preview shows the certificate type, customer and work description you intend to hand over

## After download [#after-download]

Hand or send the finished PDF to the person for whom the work was performed as soon as practical. Tradie Forms does not lodge this certificate with WorkSafe Queensland; customer handover and contractor storage are the process.

- **Name the file so the office can find it years later.** A pattern such as `2026-07-24_smith-builder_toowong_cotc.pdf` beats `scan0007.pdf` when someone asks for a copy in year four.
- **Keep the contractor copy for five years.** Store it in a business-controlled job system or shared drive, not only on one phone or in a personal email account.
- **File supporting notes with it.** Test readings, board photos, scope messages and defect notes explain how you reached the certification statement. The certificate itself is not a full test log.
- **Treat corrections as a re-issue.** If the first download needs a fix, replace the customer and contractor copies with the corrected PDF and note the change on the job.

Check current WorkSafe Queensland requirements for your job. Retention sits with the licensed electrical contractor under whose licence number the certificate was issued.

> **Warning**
>
> You remain responsible for choosing the right certificate type, checking the PDF, giving the customer copy, and keeping the contractor copy for five years.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[QLD CoTC on-site guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-electrical-cotc-on-site-guide)** - A fuller walkthrough of finishing the certificate before you leave the job.
- **[Common QLD CoTC mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-qld-electrical-cotc-mistakes)** - Certificate type, customer, description and licence traps that cause rework.

# VIC Electrical Safety Check (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/vic/vic-electrical-safety-check-report)

Records the residential tenancy electrical safety check for a Victorian rental: which parts of the installation you covered, visual and test results, smoke alarms, observations, and the licensed electrician's sign-off. [Energy Safe Victoria guidance](https://www.energysafe.vic.gov.au/industry-guidance/electrical/electricians-toolkit/residential-tenancy) says rental providers must have switchboards, wiring, and fittings checked every **2 years** by a licensed electrician under section 4 of AS/NZS 3019:2022, and the electrician must give a written report of the check. You leave with a completed Energy Safe Victoria report for the rental provider and your job file.

This is the current Energy Safe Victoria Electrical Safety Check - Report. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

> **Warning**
>
> This report is not a Certificate of Electrical Safety (COES). Energy Safe Victoria says a COES is not the correct form for the tenancy safety check, but a COES must be issued when electrical repair or maintenance work is carried out after the check.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Most weak reports are written after leaving the property without the test results or a clear note of what was not checked. Have these in hand before you open the form.

- **The tenancy address and access** - The rental property you are checking, including every area the agent or rental provider expects covered.
- **The previous safety check date, if known** - From the last report, the agent file, or the rental provider, so the interval between checks is visible on this report.
- **RCD and instrument readings** - Push-button outcomes and trip times taken while the instrument still shows them, not reconstructed later.
- **Smoke alarm findings** - Whether alarms are correctly installed and working, plus the next smoke alarm check due date when it differs from the electrical recheck.
- **A clear call on scope** - Which rooms, systems, and equipment you will include, and what is out of scope for this visit, so the report does not imply a full check you did not do.
- **Your licence or registration details** - Name and licence or registration number as they should appear on the signed report.

Seven fields gate the download: street address, postcode, electrician name, licence or registration number, inspection date, next inspection due date, and signing date.

## Installation Address [#installation]

Identifies the residential tenancy this safety check covers. Match the rental property the agent or rental provider engaged you for, not a nearby unit or a postal-only address.

- **Street address (Address, Required)** - Use address search for the tenancy. It fills the street line, suburb, state, and postcode. Confirm the result against the job sheet or agent brief when the postal address differs from the street entry the renter uses, or when the site is a multi-unit complex.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Defaults to `VIC` if you leave it alone. Keep it as Victoria for these tenancy checks unless address search correctly returns a different state for a border property you are still recording here.
- **Postcode (Address, Required)** - Filled by address search with the street line. A wrong postcode makes the report hard to file against the right tenancy in the agent's portfolio.
- **Date of Previous Safety Check (if Any) (Date, Optional)** - The date of the last electrical safety check for this tenancy when you have it. Take it from the previous report or the rental provider's record, not from memory. Leave it blank when no earlier check is available rather than guessing. No future date is accepted.

## Extent of the Installation [#extent]

Records which parts of the installation are included in this safety check. [Energy Safe Victoria](https://www.energysafe.vic.gov.au/industry-guidance/electrical/electricians-toolkit/residential-tenancy) says the written report must show the parts of the tenancy covered and any part not covered, so this matrix is how the recipient sees the scope.

Tick **Parts Included in the Safety Check** only for areas and systems you actually included: main switchboard, main earthing system, kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms, living areas, laundry, garage, solar or battery, electric water heater, dishwasher, room or space heaters, and swimming pool equipment. Leave a row clear when that part was not included. A clear tick on a room you never entered overstates the check.

If access was refused or a system was isolated and out of scope, leave those rows clear and say so under Observations so the rental provider cannot treat the report as whole-premises coverage.

## Visual Inspection [#visualInspection]

Records which items were included in the visual inspection for this visit.

Tick **Visual Inspection Items** only for equipment you visually inspected: consumers mains, switchboards, earth electrode, metallic water pipe bond, RCDs, circuit protection, outlets, lights, fixed appliances, fans, laundry gear, installation wiring, renewables, pool equipment, and vehicle chargers. Leave a row clear when that item was not part of this visual pass.

Defects and recommendations do not live in this matrix. Note them under Observations so the rental provider gets a clear action list rather than an implied pass from a tick alone.

## Polarity Testing [#polarityTesting]

Records which items were tested for polarity and correct connections.

Tick **Polarity and Correct Connections Testing** for each item you tested. The official form lists some categories more than once (for example circuit protection and socket-outlets). Use the rows that match the circuits or points you actually tested, and leave the rest clear. Do not tick a row because the item exists on site; tick it only when you performed the polarity check.

Failures or doubtful results belong in Observations with enough detail for the repair job, not as an unexplained clear or tick.

## Earth Continuity [#earthContinuityTesting]

Records which items were tested for earth continuity.

Tick **Earth Continuity Testing** for each item you tested: mains earth conductor, switchboard enclosure, metallic water pipe bond, outlets, lights, fans, fixed appliances, renewables, pool equipment, and vehicle chargers. Leave unused rows clear.

As with polarity, this section shows what was tested, not the measured values. Put fail detail and recommended action in Observations.

## RCD Testing [#rcdTesting]

Records push-button and time-test results for residual current devices on this check. The official PDF has a fixed table of ten rows, not a free-growing register.

The first six rows are fixed circuit labels: three **Power outlets**, two **Lighting**, and one **Other**. The last four rows are free **Other circuit** lines where you name the circuit yourself. Leave a row blank when you did not test that slot rather than inventing a pass.

For each row you use, record:

- **Push Button Test** as Pass, Fail, or N/A from the mechanical test button while you are at the board.
- **Time Test** as the measured trip time from the instrument, such as `24 ms`. Leave it blank when you did not run a trip-time test on that device. Enter what the instrument reported rather than rounding from memory later.

Enter results while the board and instrument are still in front of you. Failures that need repair or isolation should also appear under Observations so the rental provider sees the action without reconstructing the table.

## Smoke Alarms [#smokeAlarms]

Records whether smoke alarms are correctly installed and working, and when the next smoke alarm check is due. Energy Safe Victoria notes smoke alarms have their own inspection and testing interval, so this date is separate from the electrical safety check recheck.

- **All Smoke Alarms Are Correctly Installed and Working (Choice, Optional)** - **Yes** or **No** for the property after you have checked the alarms that apply to this tenancy. Choose **No** when any required alarm is missing, wrongly placed, or fails test, and spell out the defect under Observations so the rental provider knows what to fix.
- **Next Smoke Alarm Check Due By (Date, Optional)** - The next smoke alarm service or check due date for this property. Do not copy the electrical **Next Inspection Due By** date here unless they genuinely fall on the same day. The form will not accept a past date.

## Observations [#observations]

Records findings and recommended actions for the rental provider. This is where defects, limitations of scope, and repair priorities live.

- **Observations and Recommendations (Textarea, Optional)** - Write for the rental provider or agent who was not on site. Name the location, the problem, and the action you recommend. Include parts of the tenancy you could not check when that matters to the next booking.
  
  - **Useful** - Bedroom 2 power point has a cracked faceplate. Replace before the next tenancy. Garage sub-board not accessed; confirm coverage on the next visit.
  - **Too vague** - Some issues noted. See switchboard.

The PDF observations field holds a large block of text (about 1,400 characters in the form mapping). If you write a long list, check the preview so nothing important is cut off before you issue the report.

## Certification [#certification]

Records who completed the electrical safety check, when it was done, when the next electrical check is due, and the signature that authenticates the report. [Energy Safe Victoria](https://www.energysafe.vic.gov.au/industry-guidance/electrical/electricians-toolkit/residential-tenancy) says reports are compiled and signed or otherwise authenticated by the electrician who carried out the check.

- **Electrical Safety Check Completed By (Text, Required)** - The licensed electrician who did the check, as the name should appear on the report the rental provider keeps. Use the name on your licence card, not a business nickname.
- **Licence/Registration Number (Text, Required)** - Your current licence or registration number, such as `REC 12345`. Take it from the current card or registration record, not from an old PDF after a renewal.
- **Inspection Date (Date, Required)** - The date you carried out this safety check on site. **Today** and **Yesterday** shortcuts are available because this is usually filled at the property or the next morning. No future date is accepted.
- **Next Inspection Due By (Date, Required)** - The next electrical safety check due date for this tenancy. For the standard residential tenancy cycle, that is commonly two years from the inspection date under the current Energy Safe Victoria guidance, but set the date that applies to this job. Do not put the smoke alarm interval here. The form will not accept a past date.
- **Signature (Signature, Required)** - Sign after the extent, tests, smoke alarms, and observations match what you did on site. Draw on screen, upload an image, or use your saved signature. The signature lands on the certification area of the finished PDF.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The date you sign the report. Often the same calendar day as the inspection, but it is a separate field from **Inspection Date**. **Today** and **Yesterday** shortcuts are available. No future date is accepted.

**Saved detail: Electrician Details** - save this section to prefill it on your next electrical safety check.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Treating this report as a Certificate of Electrical Safety.** - Energy Safe Victoria says a COES is not the correct record for the tenancy electrical safety check. Use this report for the check, and issue a COES when repair or maintenance work is carried out.
- **Ticking rooms or systems you did not enter or test.** - The report must show what was covered and what was not. Clear ticks on out-of-scope areas read as a full-premises check the rental provider will rely on later.
- **Leaving extent blank when access was limited.** - An empty matrix does not explain a locked garage or refused room. Tick only what you included, and state the limitation under Observations.
- **Writing observations the agent cannot act on.** - `Needs work` does not tell the rental provider what to book. Name the location, defect, and recommended action so repairs can be ordered without calling you back for a translation.
- **Copying trip times later from memory or a photo of the screen.** - Milliseconds get rounded and circuits get swapped. Enter push-button and time-test results while the instrument still shows them, or leave time test blank when you only ran the button test.
- **Using the electrical next-due date for smoke alarms.** - Smoke alarms have their own interval. Putting the two-year electrical recheck on the smoke alarm line understates how soon alarms need attention.
- **Signing before RCD rows and observations are finished.** - The signature authenticates the report the rental provider files. Close the test table and the defect list first, then sign.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Installation address and postcode match the tenancy on the job sheet
- Extent ticks only the parts you actually included, with limitations noted in observations
- Visual, polarity, and earth continuity ticks match what you inspected or tested
- RCD rows show real push-button and time-test results, with unused rows left blank
- Smoke alarm Yes or No and next smoke alarm due date are separate from the electrical recheck
- Observations name defects, scope limits, and recommended actions clearly
- Electrician name, licence number, inspection date, next inspection due, and signing date are filled, and the PDF preview matches the check you did

## After download [#after-download]

Give the written report to the rental provider or the person who requested the check. [Energy Safe Victoria](https://www.energysafe.vic.gov.au/industry-guidance/electrical/electricians-toolkit/residential-tenancy) says the rental provider must keep a record of the most recent electrical safety check until the next check is recorded, and must give a copy to the renter within seven days of a written request.

- **Name the file with the property and date.** `Electrical safety check - 12 Swan St Richmond - 2026-07-13.pdf` is easier to find in two years than a generic download name.
- **File it with your job notes and any photos.** The PDF is the durable report; your notes explain access limits and conversations the matrix cannot.
- **Issue a COES when repair or maintenance work follows.** This safety check report does not replace the certificate required for that work.
- **Carry next-due dates into the next booking.** Electrical recheck and smoke alarm due dates often differ; track both so neither is missed.

Check [Energy Safe Victoria's current residential tenancy guidance](https://www.energysafe.vic.gov.au/industry-guidance/electrical/electricians-toolkit/residential-tenancy) and [Consumer Affairs Victoria](https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/housing/renting/repairs-alterations-safety-and-pets/gas-electrical-and-water-safety-standards) for the requirements that apply to this tenancy.

> **Warning**
>
> Tradie Forms helps prepare the report. The electrician remains responsible for the inspection, testing, results, and any Certificate of Electrical Safety required for repair work.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[RCD Test Record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-rcd-test-record)** - A dedicated push-button and trip-time register when the job is RCD testing rather than a full tenancy safety check.
- **[Smoke Alarm Service Record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-smoke-alarm-service-record)** - Room-by-room smoke alarm inspection and testing when that service is separate from the electrical safety check.
- **[Switchboard Condition Report](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/electrical/national/national-switchboard-condition-report)** - Visual board assessment and defects when the visit is a condition report rather than the ESV tenancy check.

# NSW Fire Safety Certificate (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/fire-safety/nsw/nsw-fire-safety-certificate)

The NSW Fire Safety Certificate records that each relevant essential fire safety measure for completed building work can perform to at least the standard on the current fire safety schedule. It is issued by or on behalf of the building owner at completion stage, and you download a filled official PDF for the owner, certifier, and any copy or display path that applies. [NSW Planning says](https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/policy-and-legislation/buildings/fire-safety-in-buildings/fire-safety-certification) the certificate confirms a properly qualified person has installed and checked the measures listed in the schedule.

This is the current NSW Department of Planning and Environment fire safety certificate. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Looking for the yearly annual fire safety statement on an existing building, not completion-stage certification of new work? Use [NSW Fire Safety Statement](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/fire-safety/nsw/nsw-fire-safety-statement)

> **Warning**
>
> Downloading the PDF does not lodge it. Tradie Forms does not send the certificate to Fire and Rescue NSW, council, a certifier, or the building owner. Check the current copy, display, and lodgement steps for the job after you download.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every certificate problem comes from filling from last job's PDF instead of from this building's current schedule and assessment pack. Have these in front of you.

- **A decision on final or interim** - Final covers the whole of the building work. Interim covers a completed part only. Check the consent, construction certificate, occupation pathway, and certifier notes before you open the form.
- **The current fire safety schedule** - The source for every measure name and minimum standard of performance. Do not work from an older certificate table or an email attachment that may be superseded.
- **Assessment records for each measure** - Test sheets, commissioning notes, inspection reports, or practitioner records that support the dates and status you will enter.
- **Building and owner identity** - Address, lot and DP or SP where known, and the legal owner name from the project record, not a managing agent or tenant alone.
- **Who will sign the declaration** - The person issuing the certificate by or on behalf of the owner, with contact details and authority for this building.

Certificate type, building street address, state and postcode, owner address fields, declarant address fields, and the matching final or interim declaration fields gate the download. Pages 3 and 4 of the finished PDF are owner guidance only. You do not fill those pages in the app.

## Certificate Type [#certificate-type]

Chooses whether this certificate is for the whole of the building work or only a completed part. The declaration section later switches to match this choice, so only one declaration path is available while you fill.

- **Certificate type (Choice, Required)** - **Final fire safety certificate** when the relevant building work as a whole is complete. **Interim fire safety certificate** when only a completed part of the building is being certified. Read the consent, construction certificate, occupation pathway, and certifier instructions if the stage is not obvious. Getting the type wrong is the most common reason the PDF comes back for reissue.

## Building [#building]

Identifies the building or part of the building this certificate covers. These values must match the development consent, construction certificate, and current fire safety schedule, not a casual site nickname. The street address you enter here is copied into the footer on every page of the downloaded PDF.

Use address search for the building. Search is limited to New South Wales and fills the street line, suburb, state, and postcode. Check the result against the schedule and approval, because search returns the current postal address and a consent can predate a street rename or subdivision.

- **Street address (Address, Required)** - The street line for the certified building or part. Match the schedule and approval. On multi-tenancy or staged sites, keep unit, level, or stage language consistent with those documents so the footer and the building description tell the same story.
- **State (Address, Required)** - Filled by address search. Confirm `NSW` when typing by hand.
- **Postcode (Address, Required)** - Filled by address search. Confirm against the schedule or rates notice when typing manually.
- **Lot No. (if Known) (Text, Optional)** - Lot number from the title, rates notice, or approval when you know it. On new estates the street address may not resolve cleanly, so lot and plan help identify the land.
- **DP/SP (if Known) (Text, Optional)** - Deposited plan or strata plan reference, for example `DP123456` or the SP number from the title. Fill whenever the schedule or approval carries it.
- **Building Name (if Applicable) (Text, Optional)** - Named building or complex when the site uses one, for example `Harbour Offices`. Leave blank rather than inventing a marketing name that does not appear on the project record.
- **Provide a Brief Description of the Building or Part (Building Use, Number of Storeys, Construction Type Etc.) (Textarea, Optional)** - Short description of use, storeys, and construction type. On an interim certificate, name the part that is certified: stage, wing, level, tenancy, or building section. Without that part label, later readers treat an interim certificate as covering the whole site.
  
  - **Useful** - Commercial office building, 8 storeys, concrete construction, Stage 2 eastern wing only
  - **Too vague** - Warehouse

## Building Owner [#owner]

Records the owner of the building or part being certified. The certificate is issued by or on behalf of the owner, so this block is not a spare contact field for the agent or tenant alone.

Use address search for the owner's postal address. Search is limited to New South Wales. The owner address can differ from the building address.

- **Full name (Text, Optional)** - Full legal name of the owner. For a company, trust, owners corporation, or other entity, use the entity name that belongs on the project record, not a trading style or managing agent. The form helper text also asks for the full entity name when the owner is not a person.
- **Street address (Address, Required)** - Owner postal street line. Use the address the owner expects for formal correspondence about this certificate, not the site address unless they are the same.
- **State (Address, Required)** - Filled by address search. Confirm when typing by hand.
- **Postcode (Address, Required)** - Filled by address search. Confirm against the project file when typing manually.

## Fire Safety Measures [#fire-safety-measures]

Lists each relevant essential fire safety measure from the **current** fire safety schedule. One card is one measure. Add up to **14** measures with **Add Measure**. The official PDF has 14 fixed table rows; leave unused rows out rather than adding blanks. Rows beyond 14 are not written to the PDF.

Open this building's current schedule beside the form. Enter each relevant measure with the standard the schedule actually requires. Do not copy the table from an older certificate unless you have rechecked every row against the current schedule. Building work, orders, reissued schedules, and corrected records all change what belongs here.

The [Environmental Planning and Assessment (Development Certification and Fire Safety) Regulation 2021](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/sl-2021-0689) says a person must not issue a fire safety certificate unless the assessments required for the certificate have been carried out within the previous three months. Check assessment dates against that window before you issue.

- **measures.rows (CardRows, Optional)** - Each **Fire Safety Measure** card maps to one row on the official table. Columns on the card, and on the PDF, are:
  
  **Fire Safety Measure** - the measure name from the current schedule. Common options are offered and free text is accepted. Use the schedule wording, for example `Portable fire extinguishers` or `Automatic fire suppression systems`, not a shortened site nickname.
  
  **Minimum Standard of Performance** - the standard listed on the schedule, including edition text where the schedule states it, for example `AS 1851-2012` or `AS 2118.1-2017`. Truncating the standard is a common reason certifiers query the certificate.
  
  **Date(s) Assessed** - one or more assessment dates for that measure, up to six dates per row. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are available. Future dates are not accepted. Dates must match the qualified person's records, with a test sheet, commissioning note, inspection report, or similar evidence behind them.
  
  **Status** - **New** (`N`), **Existing** (`e`), or **Modified** (`M`). Match the schedule and assessment pack, not a guess from how the measure looks on site.
  
  - **Useful** - Automatic fire sprinkler system; AS 2118.1-2017 as on schedule dated 12 March 2026; assessed 1 March 2026; Existing
  - **Too vague** - Sprinklers; AS 2118; various

If you cannot match a measure to the current schedule, stop and resolve the schedule or assessment pack. Do not invent a close-enough row.

## Declarant [#declarant]

Contact details for the person who will sign the final or interim declaration. Finish the measure rows first so empty standards do not leave the building with a signed certificate.

Use address search for the declarant address. Search is limited to New South Wales.

- **Full name (Text, Optional)** - Person making the declaration. Usually matches the name that appears in the final or interim declaration sentence. Use the name that should appear on the certificate, not a generic office contact.
- **Organisation (if Applicable) (Text, Optional)** - Company or agency the declarant is acting through, for example `Lee Property Services`. Fill when the declarant is an owner's agent or signs on behalf of a company.
- **Title/Position (if Applicable) (Combobox, Optional)** - Role on the job. Suggested values include **Building Manager**, **Owner**, **Owner's Agent**, **Strata Manager**, **Project Manager**, and **Fire Safety Practitioner**. Free text is accepted when none of those fit.
- **Street address (Address, Required)** - Declarant postal street line for contact about this certificate.
- **State (Address, Required)** - Filled by address search. Confirm when typing by hand.
- **Postcode (Address, Required)** - Filled by address search. Confirm against the declarant's details when typing manually.
- **Phone (Tel, Optional)** - Number that reaches the declarant about this certificate, for example `02 9123 4567`.
- **Email (Email, Optional)** - Email that reaches the declarant for follow-up from the owner, certifier, or council pathway.

**Saved detail: Declarant** - save this section to prefill it on your next fire safety certificate.

## Final Fire Safety Certificate Declaration [#final-declaration]

Complete this section only when you selected **Final fire safety certificate** in Certificate Type. The form shows this block for final certificates and hides the interim declaration so you do not fill both by accident.

The declaration attests that each relevant essential fire safety measure in the current fire safety schedule has been assessed as capable of performing to at least the standard required by that schedule for the whole of the building work.

- **Declarant full name (Text, Required when you select final)** - Full name that appears in the final declaration sentence. Usually the same person named in Declarant. Match the spelling used on the certificate and any authority letter.
- **I Am the (Choice, Required when you select final)** - **Owner** or **Owner's Agent**. Choose the role that matches who is issuing the certificate for this building. An agent without clear authority is a common reason the PDF is queried later.
- **Owner/Agent Signature (Signature, Required when you select final)** - Signature of the person making the final declaration. Sign when the measure rows, dates, and role are correct, not as a blank stamp. The signature stamps onto the official PDF line. You can use a saved signature; check the preview so it sits cleanly on the declaration line.
- **Date Issued (Date, Required when you select final)** - Date the final certificate is issued. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are available. Future dates are not accepted. This is the issue date of the certificate, not the assessment date of any single measure.

## Interim Fire Safety Certificate Declaration [#interim-declaration]

Complete this section only when you selected **Interim fire safety certificate** in Certificate Type. The form shows this block for interim certificates and hides the final declaration so you do not fill both by accident.

The declaration attests that each relevant essential fire safety measure in the current fire safety schedule has been assessed as capable of performing to at least the standard required by that schedule for the completed part of the building work named on the certificate.

- **Declarant full name (Text, Required when you select interim)** - Full name that appears in the interim declaration sentence. Usually the same person named in Declarant. Match the spelling used on the certificate and any authority letter.
- **I Am the (Choice, Required when you select interim)** - **Owner** or **Owner's Agent**. Choose the role that matches who is issuing the certificate for this completed part of the building.
- **Owner/Agent Signature (Signature, Required when you select interim)** - Signature of the person making the interim declaration. Sign when the measure rows, part description, dates, and role are correct. The signature stamps onto the official PDF line. You can use a saved signature; check the preview so it sits cleanly on the declaration line.
- **Date Issued (Date, Required when you select interim)** - Date the interim certificate is issued. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are available. Future dates are not accepted. This is the issue date of the certificate, not the assessment date of any single measure.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Choosing final when only a part is complete.** - A final certificate says the whole of the building work is covered. If occupation or certifier instructions only cover a stage, wing, or tenancy, use interim and name that part in the building description.
- **Copying the measure table from last year's certificate.** - Schedules are reissued and corrected. Open this building's current schedule and enter each relevant measure and standard from that document, not from a previous PDF.
- **Truncating the minimum standard of performance.** - `AS 2118` without the schedule's edition or clause text is a common certifier query. Copy the standard wording the schedule actually uses.
- **Blank or vague assessment dates.** - `Various` or empty date cells leave no trail for the assessment window. Enter real dates from the practitioner pack and keep the evidence behind them.
- **Putting only the managing agent in the owner block.** - The certificate is issued by or on behalf of the owner. Use the legal owner identity from the project record, and keep the agent's role in Declarant and the declaration choice.
- **Signing the wrong declaration block.** - Final and interim declarations are different legal paths. Select the certificate type first so only the matching declaration is available, then complete that one block only.
- **Issuing against assessments older than three months.** - The Regulation says assessments required for the certificate must have been carried out within the previous three months before issue. Check the oldest assessment date against the issue date before you download.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Certificate type is final or interim for the real stage of work
- Building address and description match the schedule and approval, with part labels on interim certificates
- Owner name is the legal owner, not only an agent or tenant
- Every relevant schedule measure is listed with the schedule's performance standard
- Assessment dates and status fields match the practitioner records and sit within the three-month window
- Declarant details and the matching final or interim declaration are complete
- The PDF preview shows the official layout, footer address, measure rows, and correct declaration line

## After download [#after-download]

[NSW Planning](https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/policy-and-legislation/buildings/fire-safety-in-buildings/fire-safety-certification) and the Regulation set post-issue duties. As soon as practicable after issue, the owner must give a copy of the certificate and the current fire safety schedule to the Fire Commissioner, give a copy to a building practitioner where that pathway applies, and ensure the certificate and schedule are prominently displayed in the building. Check the current [Fire and Rescue NSW certificate lodgement page](https://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/fire-safety/building-fire-safety/service-type-tool/lodge-a-fire-safety-certificate) for how to send FRNSW its copy.

- **Name the file so the scope is obvious.** An interim certificate saved as `FSC - 42 George St.pdf` will eventually be read as whole-building completion. Use something like `FSC - 42 George St - Stage 2 interim.pdf`.
- **File the certificate with the current schedule and assessment pack.** The PDF alone does not show which schedule version or evidence sat behind it.
- **Send schedule and certificate together.** A certificate without the schedule leaves the owner and reviewer guessing what was certified.
- **Track display and copy steps.** Note when the display copy went up and when FRNSW, council, certifier, or building practitioner copies went out, so closeout is not reconstructed later.

Check the current NSW Planning, council, and certifier requirements for your job. Retention and lodgement expectations sit with the owner and the pathway for that development.

> **Warning**
>
> Downloading the PDF does not complete lodgement or display. Confirm the current Fire Commissioner, council, certifier, and building display steps before you close the job file.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Final vs interim certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-final-interim-guide)** - How to choose certificate type, build measure rows from the schedule, and handle copies after issue.
- **[Certificate handover and records](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-handover-records)** - What to gather, check, and keep with the certificate before and after lodgement.
- **[Certificate vs statement](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-certificate-vs-statement-guide)** - When you need a completion certificate rather than the yearly annual statement.

# NSW Fire Safety Statement (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/fire-safety/nsw/nsw-fire-safety-statement)

The NSW Fire Safety Statement is the owner's confirmation that essential (or critical) fire safety measures on the current fire safety schedule have been assessed by an accredited practitioner (fire safety) and can perform to the schedule standard. The owner or an authorised agent issues it for an existing building and downloads the official Version 4 PDF for council, Fire and Rescue NSW, and building display. [NSW Planning describes](https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/policy-and-legislation/buildings/fire-safety-in-buildings/fire-safety-certification) annual statements for essential measures each year and supplementary statements for critical measures at the shorter intervals set by the schedule.

This is the current NSW Fire Safety Statement (Version 4). Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Certifying completion of new building work rather than the yearly owner statement for an existing building? Use [NSW Fire Safety Certificate](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/fire-safety/nsw/nsw-fire-safety-certificate)

> **Warning**
>
> Downloading the PDF does not lodge it. Council lodgement, the Fire and Rescue NSW copy, and building display are separate steps for the owner or authorised agent.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every AFSS problem comes from filling from last year's PDF instead of from the current schedule and practitioner reports. Have these in front of you.

- **The current fire safety schedule** - The source for which measures apply, essential versus critical, minimum standards, and any supplementary intervals.
- **A decision on annual or supplementary** - Annual for the yearly essential-measures cycle; supplementary only when the schedule requires critical measures on a shorter interval.
- **APFS assessment reports** - Measure names, standards, assessment dates, and accreditation numbers for every measure on this statement.
- **Exit inspection records (annual only)** - Parts of the building inspected under the annual exit path rules, dates, and the inspecting APFS.
- **Owner or agent authority** - Who issues the statement, plus authority paperwork if an agent signs for the owner.
- **Building identity and previous statement** - Address, lot or DP/SP where known, and the last issue date so due dates and scope stay consistent.

Statement type, building scope, the building and owner street addresses, the declarant street address, and the matching declaration name, role, signature, and date issued gate the download. Pages 3 to 5 of the finished PDF are owner guidance only; you do not fill those pages in the app.

## Statement Type [#statement-type]

Chooses which obligation this PDF is for. Only the matching declaration section is shown while you fill, and fire exit inspections appear only for annual statements.

- **Statement Type (Choice, Required)** - **Annual fire safety statement** covers all essential measures on the schedule for the yearly cycle and includes the fire exit inspection rows. **Supplementary fire safety statement** covers critical measures at the shorter intervals set by the schedule. Pick from the current schedule and due obligation, not from last year's PDF filename.

## Building [#building]

Identifies the building or part this statement covers. The building address is copied into the footer on every page of the downloaded PDF.

- **This Statement Applies To (Choice, Required)** - **The whole building** when the schedule covers the entire building. **Part of the building** for a tenancy, stage, wing, or other defined part of a mixed-use or staged site. Wrong scope is how a future reader misreads what was covered.
- **Street address (Address, Required)** - The building the schedule applies to, not the owner's postal address. Address search is limited to New South Wales and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. Check the result against the schedule or rates notice; new estates can lag search, and the finished PDF reprints this address in the footer on every page.
- **State (Address, Required)** - Filled by address search. Confirm `NSW` when typing by hand.
- **Postcode (Address, Required)** - Filled by address search. Confirm against the schedule or rates notice when typing manually.
- **Lot No. (if Known) (Text, Optional)** - From the title, rates notice, or schedule when the street address alone is ambiguous, for example `12`.
- **DP/SP (if Known) (Text, Optional)** - Deposited plan or strata plan reference from the same source, for example `DP123456` or `SP98765`.
- **Building Name (if Applicable) (Text, Optional)** - Named buildings on multi-building sites, for example `Harbour Offices` or `Building B`.
- **Provide a Brief Description of the Building or Part (Building Use, Number of Storeys, Construction Type Etc.) (Textarea, Optional)** - Building use, storeys, and construction so a council or FRNSW reader can identify the property without opening the schedule. When the statement is for part of a building, name the part clearly.
  
  - **Useful** - Commercial office building, 8 storeys, concrete construction. Part covered: Building B, levels 1 to 3, retail tenancies 4 to 9.
  - **Too vague** - The building

## Building Owner [#owner]

Records the owner or entity responsible for the building. This can differ from the site address and from the person who signs as agent.

- **Full name (Text, Optional)** - Full legal name of each owner. For a company, trust, or owners corporation, use the full entity name as it should appear on the statement, for example `Harbour Holdings Pty Ltd`, not a trading nickname.
- **Street address (Address, Required)** - Owner postal address shown on the official PDF. Address search is limited to New South Wales and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. It often differs from the building address in the Building section.
- **State (Address, Required)** - Filled by address search. Confirm it when typing by hand.
- **Postcode (Address, Required)** - Filled by address search. Confirm against the owner's records when typing manually.

## Fire Safety Measures [#fire-safety-measures]

Lists each essential or critical fire safety measure from the current fire safety schedule. One row is one measure. Add up to seven rows to match the official PDF table; leave unused rows out rather than adding blanks. Rows beyond seven are not written to the PDF.

Copy measure names and minimum standards from the current schedule, not from last year's statement. Last year's PDF is a reference only; a reissued schedule, building work, or fire safety order can change the table.

Each row uses **Fire Safety Measure**, **Minimum Standard of Performance**, **Date(s) Assessed**, and **APFS**. Measure and standard offer common options and accept free text when the schedule uses a different wording. Assessment dates accept multiple dates (up to six) and cannot be future dates.

[The Regulation limits](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/sl-2021-0689) how old supporting assessments can be when the statement is issued: within the previous three months for an annual statement, and within the previous month for a supplementary statement. Check every assessment date against the issue date before you sign. Put the APFS accreditation number of the practitioner who assessed that measure in the APFS column, for example `FPAS-12345`.

## Inspections [#fire-exits]

Part 15 fire exit inspections for **annual** statements only. The section is hidden when statement type is supplementary. One row is one inspected part of the building. Add up to three rows to match the official PDF table; leave unused rows out.

Each row uses **Part of the Building Inspected**, **APFS**, and **Date(s) Inspected**. Name the area checked so a later reader can find it, for example `Ground floor fire-isolated stairway` rather than `exits`. Dates accept multiple values (up to six) and cannot be future dates. Put the accreditation number of the practitioner who inspected that part in the APFS column.

[The Regulation requires](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/sl-2021-0689) the annual assessment and inspection work to fall within the previous three months before issue. Check inspection dates against the annual issue date before you sign.

## Accredited Practitioner [#practitioners]

Records each accredited practitioner (fire safety) who assessed measures or inspected fire exits for this statement. One row is one practitioner. Add up to five rows to match the official PDF table; leave unused rows out.

[NSW Planning material](https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-03/selecting-an-accredited-practitioner-fire-safety.pdf) and the [FPA Australia register](https://www.fpaa.com.au/Web/Web/Registers/FPAS_Fire_Systems_Certification_National_Register.aspx) are the usual sources for who holds which accreditation categories. One person may not cover every measure on a large building.

Each row uses **Full Name**, **Address**, **Phone**, **APFS**, and **Signature**. Address search is available on the address column and is limited to New South Wales. Use the accreditation number as on the register, for example `FPAS-12345`. Each practitioner can sign in the app; the signature stamps onto the official PDF line for that row. Names alone are not enough: keep accreditation numbers and signatures (or separate signed documents) with the job.

**Saved detail: Accredited Practitioners** - save this section to prefill it on your next statement that uses the same APFS practitioners.

## Person Making the Declaration [#declarant]

Contact details for the person who will sign the annual or supplementary declaration. This person must be the owner or an authorised agent. An accredited practitioner who assessed a measure or inspected exits for this statement must not make the declaration, and that restriction extends to their employer, employee, or direct associate.

- **Full name (Text, Optional)** - Person who will sign the declaration. Usually matches the declarant full name in the annual or supplementary declaration section.
- **Organisation (if Applicable) (Text, Optional)** - Company or strata management firm when the declarant signs as an agent, for example `Lee Property Services`.
- **Title/Position (if Applicable) (Combobox, Optional)** - Role such as **Building Manager**, **Owner**, **Owner's Agent**, **Strata Manager**, **Project Manager**, or a custom value that matches how they act on the building.
- **Street address (Address, Required)** - Postal contact address for the declarant. Address search is limited to New South Wales and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode.
- **State (Address, Required)** - Filled by address search. Confirm it when typing by hand.
- **Postcode (Address, Required)** - Filled by address search. Confirm against the declarant's records when typing manually.
- **Phone (Tel, Optional)** - Number that reaches the declarant if council or the building manager needs to follow up, for example `02 9123 4567`.
- **Email (Email, Optional)** - Contact email for the same follow-up path.

**Saved detail: Declarant** - save this section to prefill it on your next statement where the same person issues for the owner.

## Annual Fire Safety Statement Declaration [#annual-declaration]

Owner or agent declaration for **annual** statements. Shown only when statement type is annual. This is the issue of the statement, not the APFS assessment.

- **Declarant full name (Text, Required when statementType is annual)** - Full name that appears in the declaration sentence. Usually the same person as Person Making the Declaration. Must not be an APFS who assessed measures or inspected exits for this statement.
- **I Am Signing As (Choice, Required when statementType is annual)** - **Owner** when the building owner signs. **Owner's Agent** when a properly authorised agent signs. Keep the owner's authority with the building record when an agent signs.
- **Owner/Agent Signature (Signature, Required when statementType is annual)** - Signature of the owner or agent issuing the statement. Add it when the measure table, practitioners, and dates are final, not as a blank placeholder at the start of the job. It stamps onto the declaration line on the official PDF.
- **Date Issued (Date, Required when statementType is annual)** - Date the statement is issued. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are available; future dates are not accepted. Assessment and inspection dates must fall within the previous three months relative to this date.

## Supplementary Fire Safety Statement Declaration [#supplementary-declaration]

Owner or agent declaration for **supplementary** statements. Shown only when statement type is supplementary. Covers critical measures on the schedule's shorter interval, not a second name for the yearly AFSS.

- **Declarant full name (Text, Required when statementType is supplementary)** - Full name that appears in the declaration sentence. Same role rules as the annual declaration: owner or authorised agent only, never the assessing APFS for this statement.
- **I Am Signing As (Choice, Required when statementType is supplementary)** - **Owner** or **Owner's Agent**, matching the authority for this issue.
- **Owner/Agent Signature (Signature, Required when statementType is supplementary)** - Signature of the owner or agent issuing the supplementary statement. Stamp it when the critical-measure rows and dates are final.
- **Date Issued (Date, Required when statementType is supplementary)** - Date the supplementary statement is issued. Assessment dates must fall within the previous month relative to this date. Future dates are not accepted.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Picking annual or supplementary from last year's PDF.** - The due obligation comes from the current fire safety schedule and the Regulation cycle, not from the filename of the last statement. Annual covers essential measures for the yearly cycle; supplementary is only for critical measures on shorter schedule intervals.
- **Copying last year's measure table without checking the schedule.** - Schedules are reissued, corrected after works, or changed by orders. Copy measure names and minimum standards from the current schedule, then fill assessment dates and APFS numbers from this cycle's reports.
- **Assessment or inspection dates outside the allowed window.** - An annual statement must not be issued unless the relevant assessments and exit inspection fall within the previous three months. A supplementary statement needs assessments within the previous month. If a report is old, refresh the assessment before issuing.
- **Leaving APFS numbers or practitioner signatures incomplete.** - The form needs the details and signature of each accredited practitioner who assessed measures or inspected exits, or a separate signed document from each practitioner. Names alone are not enough for a clean lodgement pack.
- **The assessing practitioner signing the owner declaration.** - The owner or an authorised agent issues the statement. An APFS who assessed a measure or inspected exits for this statement must not make the declaration, and that restriction extends to their employer, employee, or direct associate.
- **Vague part-building scope.** - On mixed-use, staged, or multi-tenancy sites, "the building" does not tell a future reader what is covered. Select part of the building and describe level, tenancy, wing, or stage so coverage is obvious without the schedule file.
- **Skipping the PDF preview before download.** - The form catches empty required fields, but wrong addresses, mistyped APFS numbers, and out-of-window dates still print. Preview the official layout as council, FRNSW, and the building manager will see it.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Statement type matches the due obligation on the current schedule
- Building scope is whole or part, and part coverage is described clearly
- Measure rows match the current schedule names and standards
- Assessment and inspection dates fall inside the allowed window for this statement type
- Every APFS row has accreditation details and a signature or separate signed document ready
- The declarant is the owner or authorised agent, not an assessing APFS for this statement
- The PDF preview shows the correct building address, measures, practitioners, declaration and signatures

## After download [#after-download]

[Sections 89 and 91 of the Regulation](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/sl-2021-0689) require the relevant annual or supplementary statement to go to council. As soon as practicable after issue, the owner must also give the Fire Commissioner a copy with the current fire safety schedule and ensure both documents are prominently displayed in the building.

- **Lodge with the council for the building.** Use that council's current portal, email, or counter process and fees. Confirm the pathway for this LGA, not the owner's postal council.
- **Submit a copy to Fire and Rescue NSW.** Follow the current [FRNSW lodgement guidance](https://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/fire-safety/building-fire-safety/service-type-tool/lodge-a-fire-safety-statement) and online statement form. Keep the submission confirmation with the job.
- **Display the statement and current schedule in the building.** Replace the previous display copy so the posted documents match the lodged set.
- **File the full pack.** Keep the signed PDF, current schedule, APFS reports and signatures, owner or agent authority, council receipt, FRNSW confirmation, and a note that the display copy is in place.
- **Name the file so the cycle is obvious.** Include the building and year or interval, for example `AFSS - 42 George St - 2026 annual.pdf`, so next year's pack does not open the wrong PDF first.

Tradie Forms prepares the official PDF. It does not lodge the statement, choose the council, or replace the owner's responsibility to complete every required step. Check the current NSW Planning and Fire and Rescue NSW requirements for your building.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[AFSS prepare, lodge and display](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-fire-safety-statement-afss-online-guide)** - Due dates, practitioners, council and FRNSW steps for the yearly cycle.
- **[Common AFSS mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-nsw-fire-safety-statement)** - Wrong type, stale measures, date windows, APFS details and declaration roles.
- **[AFSS record pack](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-afss-record-keeping-handover)** - What to keep with the signed statement after lodgement and display.

# QLD Form 71 (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/fire-safety/qld/qld-fire-form-71-hydrant-sprinkler-commissioning)

Form 71 records commissioning of fire hydrant and sprinkler systems under Queensland Development Code MP 6.1. You fill it when a new water-based fire safety installation, or an extension to an existing one, is brought into service, then give a copy to the building owner. The official PDF collects hydrostatic, flow, booster, equipment, compliance, and licensee sign-off for the systems you actually commissioned.

This is the current Queensland Form 71. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Recording periodic testing or maintenance on an existing hydrant or sprinkler system rather than commissioning a new or extended one? Use [QLD Form 72](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/fire-safety/qld/qld-fire-form-72-hydrant-testing-maintenance)

> **Warning**
>
> The form does not cover every commissioning requirement in the referenced Australian Standards. Keep the wider test sheets, drawings, block plans, and supporting notes with the job so the finished PDF is not the only evidence you hold.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Form 71 is hardest to reconstruct after you leave site. Gather the readings and identity details while the gauges, test points, and block plan are still in front of you.

- **Site identity and contractor** - Site name, site address, and the contractor or company name that will appear on the owner copy.
- **Which systems this visit commissioned** - Fire hydrant, fire sprinkler, or combined. Only tick systems that were part of this commissioning run.
- **Hydrostatic and flow readings** - Boost, test, end pressures, duration, loss, hydrant locations, system requirements, and achieved results from the instruments on site.
- **Pump booster figures when a booster was tested** - Highest hydrant height, inlet and discharge pressures, boost pressure, and calculated frictional loss.
- **Equipment identity and calibration** - Flow measuring device type, gauge serial numbers, calibration dates, correction certificates, face size, and increments.
- **Sprinkler test points and block plan notes** - System specification, each test location with required and actual flow and pressure, and any running-test gauge pressure.
- **Compliance decisions and licensee details** - Critical defects, repairs or corrective actions, overall system outcome, licensee name, licence number, report number, and signature.

Fill only the hydrant, sprinkler, or combined sections that match this commissioning visit. Leaving an untested section blank is correct; marking it Pass is not.

## Test Details [#test-details]

Identifies the site, who carried out the work, when the commissioning test ran, and which systems the record covers.

- **Site Name (Text, Optional)** - The building or project name the owner will recognise on the file, for example `Harbour View Apartments`. Prefer the name on the block plan or job sheet over a marketing name that will not match later maintenance records.
- **Street address (Address, Optional)** - Site street line. Address search is limited to Queensland and fills the street line, suburb, state, and postcode. Check the result against the job sheet, because search returns the current postal address and a site can predate a street rename or subdivision.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Defaults to `QLD` if left alone. Confirm it when typing the address by hand so the record stays Queensland-scoped.
- **Postcode (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm against the job sheet when typing manually.
- **Contractor (Text, Optional)** - Trading name of the contractor or company that carried out the commissioning, for example `Coastal Fire Protection Pty Ltd`. This is what the owner sees as the service provider on the finished PDF.
- **Test Date (Date, Optional)** - Date the commissioning tests were done. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are available. Future dates are not accepted, so you cannot date the record ahead of the tests.
- **Time (Time, Optional)** - Time the test run started or was recorded on site, for example `09:30`. Take it from the site notes rather than guessing later in the office.

**Commissioning Test** is the fire hydrant, fire sprinkler, and combined matrix. Tick only the systems actually commissioned on this visit. Combined means the hydrant and sprinkler systems were tested together as one commissioning run, not that you should fill every later section automatically.

**Saved detail: Contractor** - save this section to prefill it on your next Form 71 commissioning job for the same company.

## Hydrant Hydrostatic [#hydrant-hydrostatic]

Records the hydrant hydrostatic test against the pressure specification in AS2419.1 or AS1851. Complete this section when a hydrant hydrostatic test was part of the commissioning run.

- **Test Outcome (Choice, Optional)** - **Pass** or **Fail** for the hydrostatic test. Match the instruments and the standard you tested to, not a target you hoped to meet.
- **Boost Pressure (Text, Optional)** - Boost pressure in kPa from the test setup, for example `1200`. Read it from the gauge used for the test, not from a design schedule alone.
- **Test Pressure (Text, Optional)** - Held test pressure in kPa, for example `1400`. This is the pressure the system was taken to for the hold period.
- **Duration of Test (Text, Optional)** - Hold duration in minutes, for example `120`. Use the timed hold from the test, not a rounded estimate from memory.
- **End of Test Pressure (Text, Optional)** - Pressure in kPa at the end of the hold, for example `1395`. Needed so any drop is visible next to the start test pressure.
- **Loss (if Any) (Text, Optional)** - Measured loss in L/min, for example `0` when none was observed. Enter the measured figure rather than leaving a fail outcome unexplained.
- **Comments (Text, Optional)** - Defects, limitations, or follow-up work that the owner should see with the hydrostatic result, for example `Hydrostatic test completed with no visible leaks`. Leave blank only when the readings stand alone.

## Hydrant Equipment [#hydrant-equipment]

Documents the flow measuring device and pressure gauges used for the hydrant tests. If a reading depends on a device, the device has to be identified on the record.

- **Flow Measuring Device (Choice, Optional)** - **Orifice**, **Mechanical**, or **Electro Magnetic**. Part C gauge detail is not required for orifice testing. For mechanical or electro magnetic, fill the calibrated date that expands under that option from the device certificate or sticker, not from a previous job.

Add up to four **Device/Gauge** rows for the gauges used on this test. Each row takes serial number, date calibrated, correction certificate, face size (mm), digital reader yes or no, and increments in kPa. Leave unused rows out rather than adding blanks. If you used more than four devices, note the extras in comments or complete another Form 71, which is what the official form points to.

## Hydrant Flow [#hydrant-flow]

Records hydrant system flow test results under section 10.3 of AS2419.1. Use hydrant location wording that still makes sense without the block plan open.

- **Test Outcome (Choice, Optional)** - **Pass** or **Fail** for the hydrant flow test as a whole. Align it with the readings and the system achieved figures, not with a separate verbal summary.
- **Hydrant 1 Location (Text, Optional)** - Where hydrant 1 sits on the site, written so an owner or later contractor can find it.
  
  - **Useful** - Basement car park NE riser
  - **Too vague** - H1
- **Hydrant 2 Location (Text, Optional)** - Location for hydrant 2 in the same plain language as hydrant 1, for example `Ground floor loading dock`.
- **Hydrant 3 Location (Text, Optional)** - Location for hydrant 3 when a third hydrant was used in the flow test, for example `Level 3 east stair`.
- **Hydrant 4 Location (Text, Optional)** - Location for hydrant 4 when a fourth hydrant was used, for example `Roof plant room`.
- **Flow Rate (Text, Optional)** - System required flow rate in L/s from the design or block plan, for example `20`. This is the requirement, not the achieved result.
- **Pressure (Text, Optional)** - System required pressure in kPa, for example `200`. Take it from the design criteria you tested against.
- **Static Pressure (Text, Optional)** - Static pressure in kPa recorded for the system, for example `450`.
- **On-Site Pump Set Installed (Choice, Optional)** - **Yes** or **No**. Answer from what is installed on this site, because it changes how a reader interprets low network pressure.
- **System Achieved Flow Rate (Text, Optional)** - Achieved flow rate in L/s from the flow test, for example `22`. Enter what the instruments showed, not the design target again.
- **System Achieved Pressure (Text, Optional)** - Achieved pressure in kPa from the flow test, for example `210`. Enter what the instruments showed, not the design target again.

The flow reading table records pressure by nozzle size or portable device flow rate against hydrant combinations, with a device or gauge number that points back to Part C. Fill only the rows and hydrant columns you actually tested. If pressure or flow rates do not meet design criteria and there are no on-site faults, the official form points you to contact the relevant water service provider.

## Pump Booster [#pump-booster]

Records pump appliance booster test results under sections 10.4 and 10.5 of AS2419.1 when a booster test was part of commissioning.

- **Test Outcome (Choice, Optional)** - **Pass** or **Fail** for the booster test. Match the inlet, discharge, and boost figures you recorded on site.
- **Hydrant Locations (Text, Optional)** - The hydrant path used for the booster test, written for someone without the block plan, for example `Basement booster to roof hydrant ring`.
- **Height of Highest Hydrant Above Booster (Text, Optional)** - Height in metres of the highest hydrant above the booster, for example `32`. Take it from the design or a measured site figure, not a guess.
- **Flow Rate (Text, Optional)** - Required flow rate in L/s for the booster test, for example `20`.
- **Pressure (Text, Optional)** - Required pressure in kPa for the booster test, for example `200`.
- **Static Pressure (Text, Optional)** - Static pressure in kPa for the booster test setup, for example `450`.
- **Pump Inlet Pressure (Text, Optional)** - Pump inlet pressure in kPa, for example `380`. Read from the inlet gauge during the test.
- **Pump Discharge Pressure (Text, Optional)** - Pump discharge pressure in kPa, for example `1200`.
- **Boost Pressure (Text, Optional)** - Boost pressure in kPa delivered by the pump set, for example `820`.
- **Calculated Frictional Loss (Text, Optional)** - Calculated frictional loss in kPa, for example `45`. Use the calculated figure from the test method you applied.
- **Comments (Text, Optional)** - Limits, defects, or follow-up that belong with the booster result, for example `Booster test completed within design criteria`.

If pressure or flow rates do not meet design criteria and there are no on-site problems, contact the relevant water service provider, as the form notes.

## Sprinkler Hydrostatic [#sprinkler-hydrostatic]

Records the sprinkler hydrostatic test against AS2118.1, AS2118.4, and AS2118.6 when a sprinkler hydrostatic test was part of commissioning.

- **Test Outcome (Choice, Optional)** - **Pass** or **Fail** for the sprinkler hydrostatic hold.
- **Pressure (Text, Optional)** - Test pressure in kPa, for example `1200`. Match the required specification for the AS2118 part that applies to this system.
- **Time Held (Text, Optional)** - Hold time in minutes, for example `120`.
- **Comments (Text, Optional)** - Pressure drop, repairs, or limitations the owner should see, for example `No pressure loss observed during hold period`.

## Sprinkler Flow [#sprinkler-flow]

Records sprinkler system flow test results for AS2118.1-1999 section 4.14, AS2118.6-2012 section 4, and AS2118.4-2012 section 6.2. Multiple testing points may be required on larger systems. For some AS2118.4 systems without a flow measuring device, a simulated running test may be required.

- **System Specifications (Block Plan) (Text, Optional)** - Short description of the system as shown on the block plan, for example `Wet pipe system to AS2118.1`. Keep it specific enough that a later reader knows which system was tested.
- **Test Results (Text, Optional)** - Overall summary of the sprinkler flow test, for example `Test point 1 and 2 within specification`. This sits above the individual test point rows on the PDF.
- **Running Test - Installation Gauge Pressure (Text, Optional)** - Installation gauge pressure in kPa for a running test, for example `195`. Fill when a running or simulated running test was done.
- **Comments (Text, Optional)** - Extra test points, limitations, or follow-up. If more than two locations were tested, list the extras here because the form holds two test point rows.

Add up to two **Test Point** rows when multiple testing points are required. Each row has test location, required and actual flow (L/min), required and actual pressure (kPa), and pass or fail for flow and pressure. Leave unused rows out. Use location wording that stands without the block plan open.

## Compliance [#compliance]

Declares critical defects, repairs or corrective actions, and the overall system outcome after the commissioning tests that apply to this visit.

- **Critical Defects Identified (Choice, Optional)** - **Yes** or **No**. If **Yes**, the form notes that the owner or occupier is given a critical defect notice. Keep that notice with the job file so the PDF is not the only record of the defect.
- **Repairs/Corrective Actions Taken (Choice, Optional)** - **Yes** or **No**. If **Yes**, attach action and date details as part of the licensee report. A **Yes** without supporting detail in the job file is the usual gap owners and later contractors hit.
- **System Outcome (Choice, Optional)** - Overall **Pass** or **Fail** for the systems covered by this Form 71. It has to agree with the section outcomes and any critical defects recorded above, not with a separate verbal handover.

## Signature [#signature]

Licensee declaration for Form 71. By signing, the licensee confirms the information is correct to the best of their knowledge given the available information, and that the form has been completed in accordance with the relevant standards, codes, and regulations. Sign after the readings and compliance answers match what you are prepared to put on the owner copy.

- **Licensee Name (Text, Required)** - Name of the appropriately qualified licensee signing the record, for example `Jordan Lee`. Match the person who takes responsibility for the commissioning record.
- **Licensee Signature (Signature, Optional)** - Signature of that licensee. Capture it on site when you can. You can use a saved signature. The signature lands on page 2 of the official PDF in the licensee block.
- **Licence No. (QBCC/PIC) (Text, Optional)** - QBCC or PIC licence number as printed on the card, for example `QBCC1234567`. Licence check can look up the QBCC register and prefill the licensee name; confirm the name still matches the person who is signing.
- **Licensee Report No. (Text, Optional)** - Your report number for this commissioning job, for example `F71-2026-0612`. Use a number that ties the PDF back to your internal job file.

**Saved detail: Licensee** - save this section to prefill it on your next Form 71 commissioning job for the same licensee.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Using Form 71 for routine maintenance on an existing system.** - Form 71 is for commissioning a new system or an extension. Annual and five-year maintenance of a system already in service belongs on Form 72. The job moment decides the form, not how similar the reading tables look.
- **Treating the finished PDF as the whole commissioning file.** - The official form says it does not cover all commissioning testing requirements. Keep test sheets, drawings, block plans, and gauge references with the PDF so the owner copy has a trail behind it.
- **Leaving gauge serial and calibration details blank.** - If a reading depends on a device, identify the device. Missing serial numbers or calibration dates make the record harder to trust when a later contractor or owner opens the file.
- **Writing hydrant locations as H1 or Stage 2 only.** - Codes that only make sense with the block plan open fail as soon as the plan is filed separately. Name the floor, riser, or dock so the location stands alone.
- **Marking Pass on sections that were not tested.** - Tick only the systems commissioned on this visit and complete only those sections. An untested section left blank is honest; a Pass without readings is not.
- **Recording critical defects or repairs without the supporting notice.** - A Yes on critical defects or corrective actions needs the notice, action, date, and any photos in the job file. The PDF alone does not carry that detail.
- **Signing before the system outcome and report number are checked.** - The signature block is the last chance to catch a wrong report number, licence number, or overall pass or fail that does not match the section results.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Site name, address, contractor, test date, time, and commissioning systems match this visit
- Only hydrant, sprinkler, or combined sections that were tested are filled, with clear pass or fail where used
- Units are kPa, L/s, L/min, minutes, and metres as shown on the form
- Hydrant and test point locations are readable without the block plan
- Every device or gauge used has the available serial and calibration detail
- Compliance answers agree with the section results and any defect or repair trail in the job file
- Licensee name, signature, licence number, and report number are complete, and the PDF preview matches the owner copy you intend to send

## After download [#after-download]

[QDC MP 6.1](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/4832/qdcmp6.1.pdf) says the appropriately qualified person who carries out commissioning completes the relevant form and gives a copy within 10 business days after completing the work. For commissioning, that copy goes to the building owner. MP 6.1 also says the person must keep a record of the form for at least five years.

- **Name the file so the site and date are obvious.** Prefer `Form 71 - Harbour View Apartments - 2026-06-01.pdf` over a generic contractor-only name when you commission multiple buildings.
- **File the PDF with the supporting trail.** Keep raw readings, gauge calibration references, block plans, test point locations, critical defect notices, corrective action details, and useful photos in the same job folder.
- **Do not claim the PDF alone proves every commissioning requirement.** The form states further testing is required in each case. Hand over the supporting pack with the form.
- **Track defects and repairs separately.** When critical defects or corrective actions are recorded, follow the notice and reporting process that applies, and keep those papers with the Form 71 copy.

Check the current Queensland Development Code and Business Queensland requirements for your job. Retention and handover expectations sit with MP 6.1 and the authority's current guidance.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Form 71 commissioning walkthrough](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-71-hydrant-sprinkler-commissioning-guide)** - Fuller run through each part of the commissioning record and what to keep with it.
- **[Form 71 vs Form 72](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-71-vs-form-72-fire-safety-handover-guide)** - When the job is commissioning versus periodic maintenance, and who receives the copy.
- **[Form 72 maintenance guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/fire-safety/qld/qld-fire-form-72-hydrant-testing-maintenance)** - Section help for the periodic testing and maintenance record on an existing system.

# QLD Form 72 (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/fire-safety/qld/qld-fire-form-72-hydrant-testing-maintenance)

Form 72 records periodic testing and maintenance for fire hydrant and sprinkler systems under Queensland Development Code MP 6.1. You fill it after an annual or five-year maintenance test on a system already in service, then give a copy to the building occupier. The official PDF collects hydrostatic, flow, booster, equipment, compliance, and licensee sign-off for the systems tested.

This is the current Queensland Form 72. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Commissioning a new hydrant or sprinkler system, or an extension to an existing one, rather than periodic maintenance? Use [QLD Form 71](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/fire-safety/qld/qld-fire-form-71-hydrant-sprinkler-commissioning)

> **Warning**
>
> The form does not cover every maintenance requirement in the referenced Australian Standards. Keep service sheets, gauge references, block plans, and supporting notes with the job so the finished PDF is not the only evidence you hold.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Form 72 is hardest to reconstruct after you leave site. Gather the readings and identity details while the gauges, test points, and block plan are still in front of you.

- **Site identity and contractor** - Site name, site address, and the contractor or company name that will appear on the occupier copy.
- **Maintenance test type and systems covered** - Annual or 5 year, and fire hydrant, fire sprinkler, or combined. Match the maintenance schedule and what you actually tested.
- **Hydrostatic and flow readings** - Boost, test, end pressures, duration, loss, hydrant locations, system requirements, and achieved results from the instruments on site.
- **Pump booster figures when a booster was tested** - Highest hydrant height, inlet and discharge pressures, boost pressure, and calculated frictional loss.
- **Equipment identity and calibration** - Flow measuring device type, gauge serial numbers, calibration dates, correction certificates, face size, and increments.
- **Sprinkler test points and block plan notes** - System specification, each test location with required and actual flow and pressure, and any running-test gauge pressure.
- **Compliance decisions and licensee details** - Critical defects, repairs or corrective actions, overall system outcome, licensee name, licence number, report number, and signature.

Fill only the hydrant, sprinkler, or combined sections that match this visit. Leaving an untested section blank is correct; marking it Pass is not.

## Test Details [#test-details]

Identifies the site, who carried out the work, when the maintenance test ran, the annual or five-year cycle, and which systems it covers.

- **Site Name (Text, Optional)** - The building or project name the occupier will recognise on the file, for example `Harbour View Apartments`. Prefer the name on the block plan or maintenance schedule over a marketing name that will not match later service records.
- **Street address (Address, Optional)** - Site street line. Address search is limited to Queensland and fills the street line, suburb, state, and postcode. Check the result against the job sheet, because search returns the current postal address and a site can predate a street rename or subdivision.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Defaults to `QLD` if left alone. Confirm it when typing the address by hand so the record stays Queensland-scoped.
- **Postcode (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm against the job sheet when typing manually.
- **Contractor (Text, Optional)** - Trading name of the contractor or company that carried out the maintenance, for example `Coastal Fire Protection Pty Ltd`. This is what the occupier sees as the service provider on the finished PDF.
- **Test Date (Date, Optional)** - Date the maintenance tests were done. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are available. Future dates are not accepted, so you cannot date the record ahead of the tests.
- **Time (Time, Optional)** - Time the test run started or was recorded on site, for example `09:30`. Take it from the site notes rather than guessing later in the office.

**Maintenance Test** is the annual or 5 year matrix across fire hydrant, fire sprinkler, and combined. Tick only the systems and cycle that were part of this visit. Combined means hydrant and sprinkler were tested together as one run, not that every later section must be filled. The wrong cycle confuses the building manager and the next contractor.

**Saved detail: Contractor** - save this section to prefill it on your next Form 72 maintenance job for the same company.

## Hydrant Hydrostatic [#hydrant-hydrostatic]

Records the hydrant hydrostatic test against the pressure specification in AS2419.1 or AS1851. Complete this section when a hydrant hydrostatic test was part of the visit.

- **Test Outcome (Choice, Optional)** - **Pass** or **Fail** for the hydrostatic test. Match the instruments and the standard you tested to, not a target you hoped to meet.
- **Boost Pressure (Text, Optional)** - Boost pressure in kPa from the test setup, for example `1200`. Read it from the gauge used for the test, not from a design schedule alone.
- **Test Pressure (Text, Optional)** - Held test pressure in kPa, for example `1400`. The pressure the system was taken to for the hold period.
- **Duration of Test (Text, Optional)** - Hold duration in minutes, for example `120`. Use the timed hold from the test, not a rounded estimate from memory.
- **End of Test Pressure (Text, Optional)** - Pressure in kPa at the end of the hold, for example `1395`. Needed so any drop is visible next to the start test pressure.
- **Loss (if Any) (Text, Optional)** - Measured loss in L/min, for example `0` when none was observed. Enter the measured figure rather than leaving a fail outcome unexplained.
- **Comments (Text, Optional)** - Defects, limitations, or follow-up the occupier should see with the hydrostatic result, for example `Hydrostatic test completed with no visible leaks`. Leave blank only when the readings stand alone.

## Hydrant Equipment [#hydrant-equipment]

Documents the flow measuring device and pressure gauges used for the hydrant tests. If a reading depends on a device, identify it on the record.

- **Flow Measuring Device (Choice, Optional)** - **Orifice**, **Mechanical**, or **Electro Magnetic**. Part C gauge detail is not required for orifice testing. For mechanical or electro magnetic, fill the calibrated date that expands under that option from the device certificate or sticker.

Add up to four **Device/Gauge** rows for the gauges used on this test. Each row takes serial number, date calibrated, correction certificate, face size (mm), digital reader yes or no, and increments in kPa. Leave unused rows out rather than adding blanks. If you used more than four devices, note the extras in comments or complete another Form 72.

## Hydrant Flow [#hydrant-flow]

Records hydrant system flow test results under Section 4 of AS1851. Use hydrant location wording that still makes sense without the block plan open.

- **Test Outcome (Choice, Optional)** - **Pass** or **Fail** for the hydrant flow test as a whole. Align it with the readings and the system achieved figures, not with a separate verbal summary.
- **Hydrant 1 Location (Text, Optional)** - Where hydrant 1 sits on the site, written so an occupier or later contractor can find it.
  
  - **Useful** - Basement car park NE riser
  - **Too vague** - H1
- **Hydrant 2 Location (Text, Optional)** - Location for hydrant 2 in the same plain language as hydrant 1, for example `Ground floor loading dock`.
- **Hydrant 3 Location (Text, Optional)** - Location for hydrant 3 when a third hydrant was used in the flow test, for example `Level 3 east stair`.
- **Hydrant 4 Location (Text, Optional)** - Location for hydrant 4 when a fourth hydrant was used, for example `Roof plant room`.
- **Flow Rate (Text, Optional)** - System required flow rate in L/s from the design or block plan, for example `20`. This is the requirement, not the achieved result.
- **Pressure (Text, Optional)** - System required pressure in kPa, for example `200`. Take it from the design criteria you tested against.
- **Static Pressure (Text, Optional)** - Static pressure in kPa recorded for the system, for example `450`.
- **On-Site Pump Set Installed (Choice, Optional)** - **Yes** or **No**. Answer from what is installed on this site; it changes how a reader interprets low network pressure.
- **System Achieved Flow Rate (Text, Optional)** - Achieved flow rate in L/s, for example `22`. Enter what the instruments showed, not the design target again.
- **System Achieved Pressure (Text, Optional)** - Achieved pressure in kPa, for example `210`. Enter what the instruments showed, not the design target again.

The flow reading table records pressure by nozzle size or portable device flow rate against hydrant combinations, with a device or gauge number that points back to Part C. Fill only the rows and hydrant columns you actually tested. If pressure or flow rates do not meet design criteria and there are no on-site faults, contact the relevant water service provider.

## Pump Booster [#pump-booster]

Records pump appliance booster test results under sections 10.4 and 10.5 of AS2419.1 and Section 4 of AS1851 when a booster test was part of this visit.

- **Test Outcome (Choice, Optional)** - **Pass** or **Fail** for the booster test. Match the inlet, discharge, and boost figures you recorded on site.
- **Hydrant Locations (Text, Optional)** - The hydrant path used for the booster test, written for someone without the block plan, for example `Basement booster to roof hydrant ring`.
- **Height of Highest Hydrant Above Booster (Text, Optional)** - Height in metres of the highest hydrant above the booster, for example `32`. Take it from the design or a measured site figure, not a guess.
- **Flow Rate (Text, Optional)** - Required flow rate in L/s for the booster test, for example `20`.
- **Pressure (Text, Optional)** - Required pressure in kPa for the booster test, for example `200`.
- **Static Pressure (Text, Optional)** - Static pressure in kPa for the booster test setup, for example `450`.
- **Pump Inlet Pressure (Text, Optional)** - Pump inlet pressure in kPa, for example `380`. Read from the inlet gauge during the test.
- **Pump Discharge Pressure (Text, Optional)** - Pump discharge pressure in kPa, for example `1200`.
- **Boost Pressure (Text, Optional)** - Boost pressure in kPa delivered by the pump set, for example `820`.
- **Calculated Frictional Loss (Text, Optional)** - Calculated frictional loss in kPa, for example `45`. Use the calculated figure from the test method you applied.
- **Comments (Text, Optional)** - Limits, defects, or follow-up that belong with the booster result, for example `Booster test completed within design criteria`.

If pressure or flow rates do not meet design criteria and there are no on-site problems, contact the relevant water service provider.

## Sprinkler Hydrostatic [#sprinkler-hydrostatic]

Records the sprinkler hydrostatic test against AS2118.1, AS2118.4, and AS2118.6 when a sprinkler hydrostatic test was part of the visit.

- **Test Outcome (Choice, Optional)** - **Pass** or **Fail** for the sprinkler hydrostatic hold.
- **Pressure (Text, Optional)** - Test pressure in kPa, for example `1200`. Match the required specification for the AS2118 part that applies to this system.
- **Time Held (Text, Optional)** - Hold time in minutes, for example `120`.
- **Comments (Text, Optional)** - Pressure drop, repairs, or limitations the occupier should see, for example `No pressure loss observed during hold period`.

## Sprinkler Flow [#sprinkler-flow]

Records sprinkler system flow test results for AS2118.1, AS2118.6, AS2118.4, and section 2 of AS1851. Multiple testing points may be required on larger systems. For some AS2118.4 systems without a flow measuring device, a simulated running test may apply.

- **System Specifications (Block Plan) (Text, Optional)** - Short description of the system as shown on the block plan, for example `Wet pipe system to AS2118.1`. Keep it specific enough that a later reader knows which system was tested.
- **Test Results (Text, Optional)** - Overall summary of the sprinkler flow test, for example `Test point 1 and 2 within specification`. This sits above the individual test point rows on the PDF.
- **Running Test - Installation Gauge Pressure (Text, Optional)** - Installation gauge pressure in kPa for a running test, for example `195`. Fill when a running or simulated running test was done.
- **Comments (Text, Optional)** - Extra test points, limitations, or follow-up. If more than two locations were tested, list the extras here because the form holds two test point rows.

Add up to two **Test Point** rows when multiple testing points are required. Each row has test location, required and actual flow (L/min), required and actual pressure (kPa), and pass or fail for flow and pressure. Leave unused rows out. Use location wording that stands without the block plan.

## Compliance [#compliance]

Declares critical defects, repairs or corrective actions, and the overall system outcome after the maintenance tests for this visit.

- **Critical Defects Identified (Choice, Optional)** - **Yes** or **No**. If **Yes**, the form notes that the owner or occupier is given a critical defect notice. Keep that notice with the job file so the PDF is not the only record of the defect.
- **Repairs/Corrective Actions Taken (Choice, Optional)** - **Yes** or **No**. If **Yes**, attach action and date details as part of the licensee report. A **Yes** without supporting detail in the job file is the usual gap later readers hit.
- **System Outcome (Choice, Optional)** - Overall **Pass** or **Fail** for the systems covered by this Form 72. It has to agree with the section outcomes and any critical defects recorded above, not with a separate verbal handover.

## Signature [#signature]

Licensee declaration for Form 72. By signing, the licensee confirms the information is correct to the best of their knowledge given the available information, and that the form has been completed in accordance with the relevant standards, codes, and regulations. Sign after the readings and compliance answers match what you are prepared to put on the occupier copy. Name and signature gate the download.

- **Licensee Name (Text, Required)** - Name of the appropriately qualified licensee signing the record, for example `Jordan Lee`. Match the person who takes responsibility for the maintenance record.
- **Licensee Signature (Signature, Optional)** - Signature of that licensee. Capture it on site when you can. You can use a saved signature. It lands on page 2 of the official PDF in the licensee block.
- **Licence No. (QBCC/PIC) (Text, Optional)** - QBCC or PIC licence number as printed on the card, for example `QBCC1234567`. Licence check can look up the QBCC register and prefill the licensee name; confirm the name still matches the person signing.
- **Licensee Report No. (Text, Optional)** - Your report number for this maintenance job, for example `F72-2026-0612`. Use a number that ties the PDF back to your internal job file.

**Saved detail: Licensee** - save this section to prefill it on your next Form 72 maintenance job for the same licensee.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Using Form 72 for commissioning a new system or extension.** - Form 72 is for periodic testing and maintenance on a system already in service. Commissioning a new install or an extension belongs on Form 71. The job moment decides the form, not how similar the reading tables look.
- **Ticking the wrong annual or five-year cycle.** - The maintenance schedule and what you actually tested have to match. The wrong cycle confuses the building manager and the next contractor who opens the file.
- **Treating the finished PDF as the whole maintenance file.** - The official form says it does not cover all maintenance testing requirements. Keep service sheets, gauge references, block plans, and defect notices with the PDF so the occupier copy has a trail behind it.
- **Leaving gauge serial and calibration details blank.** - If a reading depends on a device, identify the device. Missing serial numbers or calibration dates make the record harder to trust when a later contractor or occupier opens the file.
- **Writing hydrant locations as H1 or Stage 2 only.** - Codes that only make sense with the block plan open fail as soon as the plan is filed separately. Name the floor, riser, or dock so the location stands alone.
- **Marking Pass on sections that were not tested.** - Tick only the systems maintained on this visit and complete only those sections. An untested section left blank is honest; a Pass without readings is not.
- **Recording critical defects or repairs without the supporting notice.** - A Yes on critical defects or corrective actions needs the notice, action, date, and any photos in the job file. The PDF alone does not carry that detail.
- **Signing before the system outcome and report number are checked.** - The signature block is the last chance to catch a wrong report number, licence number, or overall pass or fail that does not match the section results.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Site name, address, contractor, test date, time, maintenance cycle, and systems tested match this visit
- Only hydrant, sprinkler, or combined sections that were tested are filled, with clear pass or fail where used
- Units are kPa, L/s, L/min, minutes, and metres as shown on the form
- Hydrant and test point locations are readable without the block plan
- Every device or gauge used has the available serial and calibration detail
- Compliance answers agree with the section results and any defect or repair trail in the job file
- Licensee name, signature, licence number, and report number are complete, and the PDF preview matches the occupier copy

## After download [#after-download]

[QDC MP 6.1](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/4832/qdcmp6.1.pdf) says the appropriately qualified person who carries out maintenance completes the relevant form and gives a copy within 10 business days after completing the work. For maintenance, that copy goes to the building occupier. MP 6.1 also says the person must keep a record of the form for at least five years.

- **Name the file so the site, cycle, and date are obvious.** Prefer `Form 72 - Harbour View Apartments - annual hydrant - 2026-06-01.pdf` over a generic contractor-only name when you service multiple buildings.
- **File the PDF with the supporting trail.** Keep raw readings, gauge references, block plans, test point locations, critical defect notices, corrective action details, and useful photos in the same job folder.
- **Do not claim the PDF alone proves every maintenance requirement.** The form states further testing is required in each case. Hand over the supporting pack with the form.
- **Track defects and repairs separately.** When critical defects or corrective actions are recorded, follow the notice process that applies and keep those papers with the Form 72 copy.

Check the current Queensland Development Code and Business Queensland requirements for your job. Retention and handover sit with MP 6.1 and the authority's current guidance.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Form 72 maintenance walkthrough](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-72-hydrant-sprinkler-maintenance-guide)** - Fuller run through each part of the maintenance record and what to keep with it.
- **[Form 72 record keeping](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-72-maintenance-record-keeping-guide)** - Naming, filing, defect follow-up, and five-year retention for the record.
- **[Form 71 vs Form 72](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-71-vs-form-72-fire-safety-handover-guide)** - When the job is commissioning versus periodic maintenance, and who receives the copy.

# NT Gas Works Notification (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/gasfitting/nt/nt-gas-works-notification)

Notifies NT WorkSafe before eligible fuel gas work starts. You end up with the official commencement PDF ready to lodge or keep with the job. [NT WorkSafe requires this notice](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/forms-and-resources/forms/commencement-of-gas-works-notification-form) when fuel gas stored in containers is more than 200 kg, or a system connected to a gas main has total gas consumption above 200 MJ per hour. Notify at least 24 hours before work starts, or as soon as practicable in an emergency.

This is the current NT WorkSafe Notification to Commence Gas Works. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

> **Warning**
>
> Tradie Forms is not affiliated with NT WorkSafe. You are responsible for checking whether the notification is required and lodging it the way NT WorkSafe currently accepts.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Five fields gate the download: commencement date, gasfitter name, premise street address, notifier declaration, and declaration date. Have the rest ready so the notice matches the job you are about to start.

- **A threshold decision** - Confirm the job is above 200 kg stored fuel gas, or above 200 MJ/h on a gas main. Near either line, check the design and container quantities rather than guessing from an older job.
- **Planned start date** - The date work will actually commence on site, not the day you fill the form. Leave enough room for the 24-hour notice on scheduled work.
- **Business and gasfitter records** - Legal or trading name, ABN, postal address, contact person, licensed gasfitter name, licence number, and current contact details.
- **Site identity** - Premise or caravan address, owner or site contact, and any shop, bay, compound, or building name needed to find the work.
- **System and gas details** - Nature of work, installation type, gas withdrawal and work pressure, gas type and source, system purpose, and piping sizing notes from design or measurement.
- **Tank or container plates** - Capacity, manufacturer or manufacture detail, serial or ID, plant item number, and expiry or test dates when storage tanks or gas containers are part of the notice.
- **Compliance answers and a site plan** - Which Dangerous Goods checklist items you have verified, plus a written plan, diagram, or photo that shows clearances and ignition sources.
- **A lodgement method** - Online notification or downloadable form by email, as shown on the current NT WorkSafe page, so the electronic-submission and signature choices match how you lodge.

Work on a gas main has a [separate NT WorkSafe pathway](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/forms-and-resources/forms/construction-or-repair-of-gas-main-notification-form) with different timing. Do not use this form as a substitute for that notice.

## Work Will Commence On [#commencement]

Sets the date the eligible gas work will start on site. This is the date the 24-hour timing rule runs from for scheduled work.

- **Work Will Commence On (Date, Required)** - The planned start date from the job booking or crew schedule, not the day you prepare the form. The field only accepts today or a future date. Use the Today shortcut only when work really starts today. If the program moves after you lodge, check whether the notice still matches before starting.

> **Warning**
>
> For eligible work, [NT WorkSafe requires notice](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/forms-and-resources/forms/commencement-of-gas-works-notification-form) at least 24 hours before starting. In an emergency, notify as soon as practicable and keep a note with the job explaining the timing.

## Business [#business]

Who is notifying: the business or notifier details NT WorkSafe can use to follow up.

- **Business Name (Text, Optional)** - Legal or trading name of the business responsible for the notification. Use ABN lookup from either the name or ABN field to fill the matching pair when the record is found.
- **ABN (Text, Optional)** - Australian Business Number when the entity has one. Confirm it matches the same entity as the business name, not a related company that is not the notifier.
- **Contact Person (Text, Optional)** - Person NT WorkSafe or the owner can reach about this notice, for example `Sam Reid`.
- **Phone Number (Tel, Optional)** - Business landline when you use one. Mobile is the better primary contact for site follow-up.

Postal address is a separate address block with street line, suburb, state, and postcode. Use address search limited to the Northern Territory. **State** starts as **NT**; confirm it after search. If lookup or search does not return the right record, type the details manually.

**Saved detail: Business** - save this section to prefill it on your next NT gas works notification.

## Gasfitter [#gasfitting]

The licensed gasfitter carrying out the work. This can differ from the person preparing the notice.

- **Gasfitter Name (Text, Required)** - Full name of the licensed gasfitter who will do the work, from the licence card or registration record. Do not put the office contact here if they are not the person on the tools.
- **Licence Number (Text, Optional)** - Licence or registration number used for the work, for example `GF12345`. Take it from the current licence, not an old quote or job sheet that may still show a previous number.
- **Mobile Number (Tel, Optional)** - Best number to reach the gasfitter about this job.
- **Email Address (Email, Optional)** - Contact email for follow-up on the notice or the installation.

Postal address is its own address block (street, suburb, state, postcode). Use address search and check the result against the gasfitter's records.

**Saved detail: Gasfitter** - save this section to prefill it on your next NT gas works notification.

## Gas Works Location [#location]

Where the gas work will be carried out. The premise address must identify the installation for NT WorkSafe and the owner.

- **Street address (Address, Required)** - Address of the premise or caravan where the work will happen. Address search is limited to the Northern Territory and fills the street line, suburb, state, and postcode. Check rural properties, caravan parks, lot details, and postcode after selecting a suggestion. On multi-building or remote sites, add enough later in shop name or the site plan so the work location is not just a street number.
- **Owner Name (Text, Optional)** - Owner or site contact when known, for example `Jordan Lee`.
- **Shop Name (if Applicable) (Text, Optional)** - Tenancy, shop, or trading name on multi-tenancy or commercial sites, for example `Lee's Commercial Kitchen`. Without it, a notice for one tenancy can be read as covering the whole building.
- **Mobile Number (Tel, Optional)** - Site contact mobile for access or follow-up on the day.
- **Email Address (Email, Optional)** - Site or owner email when you have one.

## Nature of Work & Installation [#nature-of-work]

Records every work type and installation category that applies to this job. Nothing in this section blocks download, so empty ticks are easy to miss and still go out on the PDF.

Tick every **Nature of Work** option that applies: **New Installation**, **Addition**, **Alteration**, **Repair**, **Installation of Gas Container/s**, **Installation Type ‘B’**, **Installation or Repair of Gas Appliance**, and **Removal**. Tick every **Type of Installation** that matches the site use: **Industrial**, **Commercial**, **Domestic**, **Dispensing**, and **Bulk Storage**.

If the job has more than one kind of work, tick every applicable option rather than the closest single label. Match installation type to how the site is used and what is being notified, not to the client's preferred marketing label.

## Gas Withdrawal, Type & Source [#gas-withdrawal]

How gas is withdrawn from the supply, the gas type, the source, and work pressure. These answers connect to the threshold question and to the tank or container sections later.

Tick every **Gas Withdrawal** method that applies: **Liquid**, **Low Pressure Vapour**, and **High Pressure Vapour**.

- **Details of Work Pressure (Text, Optional)** - Appliance or system work pressure from design or site measurement, with units, for example `2.75 kPa at appliance`.
- **Type of Gas (RadioGroup, Optional)** - **LPG** or **Natural Gas**. Match the supply, appliance data plate, and site paperwork. A wrong type misdescribes the whole system on the notice.
- **Gas Source (RadioGroup, Optional)** - **Cylinder** or **Bulk Tank**. When bulk storage or containers are part of the job, complete the storage tank or gas container rows as well rather than relying on this choice alone.

## Purpose of System [#system-purpose]

What the gas system serves and what it is connected to, in plain language a person reading the PDF can understand without the job file.

- **What Is the Gas System Being Used For and Connected To? (Textarea, Optional)** - Name the appliances, plant, or process and the site context. Include any hard limit to the notified scope so the notice is not read wider than the work.
  
  - **Useful** - Commercial cooktop, deep fryer and hot-water unit in Lee's kitchen tenancy only
  - **Too vague** - Gas work

## Piping Sizing [#piping-sizing]

Gas usage, pressure drop, main run, and the sizing table you used. If you used formulae, include the calculations on the site plan, attached image, or supporting paperwork the job needs.

- **Gas usage (Text, Optional)** - Connected load in MJ/h, for example `420`. Entering a value marks the metric as selected on the PDF.
- **Pressure drop (Text, Optional)** - Design or calculated pressure drop in kPa, for example `0.5`.
- **Main run (Text, Optional)** - Main run length in metres, for example `24`.
- **HP 1st stage (Text, Optional)** - High-pressure first stage value in kPa when the installation uses one, for example `800`. Leave blank when it does not apply.
- **Table Number (Text, Optional)** - Sizing table or standard reference used, for example `AS/NZS 5601.1 Table 3.3`.

## Gas Storage Tank [#gas-storage-tank]

Add a row for each storage tank that belongs on this notice. Leave the section empty when the job has none.

- **gasStorageTank.rows (CardRows, Optional)** - Up to **3** storage tanks. One row is one tank. Leave unused rows out rather than adding blanks. Take every value from the tank plate, inspection record, or site documentation.
  
  Columns: **Capacity** (L), **Manufacture**, **Serial Number**, **Plant Item No.**, and **Expiry Date**. Expiry only accepts today or a future date.

## Gas Container/s [#gas-containers]

Containers other than cylinders filled on the premises. Do not invent rows for containers that are not part of this notification.

- **gasContainers.rows (CardRows, Optional)** - Up to **3** gas containers. One row is one container. Columns: **Capacity** (kg), **Manufacturer**, **ID Number**, **Manufacture Date**, and **Test Date or Last Retest**. Manufacture and test dates do not accept a future date. Check ID numbers and dates from the container marking or records.

## Compliance Checklist [#compliance-checklist]

Dangerous Goods Regulations checklist items (including AS1596, AS5601, AS3814, AS4645). Tick only what you have verified for this installation.

- **Compliance Checklist (CheckboxGroup, Optional)** - Items cover compound compliance, ignition sources, drains, valves, protection, signs, pipework, safety controls, and related installation checks. Use **Check All** only after you have confirmed every item is true for this job. Untick anything you have not verified on site or from the design. Put distances, clearances, and locations that the ticks depend on into the site plan section.

## Site Plan and Installation [#site-plan]

Installation plan particulars: public places, protected works, ignition sources near the gas container, clearances, and distances.

- **Site plan format (TabbedPanels, Optional)** - Starts on **Written**. Choose **Written**, **Diagram**, or **Photo**. Only the selected type is included in the download; the others are cleared. Written is free text. Diagram is a simple plan drawn in the app. Photo is an uploaded scan or site photo. Open the PDF preview and check the plan is readable and placed correctly before download.

Example detail that helps a reader find the installation: `Two 45 kg cylinders beside the eastern wall, 1.5 m from the doorway and 3 m from the air-conditioning intake.`

## Notifier Declaration [#declaration]

Declaration, signature, and date after every other section is checked. Signing attests that the notification and attachments are true and correct, and that installation, operation and maintenance of the fuel gas system complies with the applicable Australian Standard.

- **Notifier Declaration (LegalDeclaration, Required)** - Tick to accept the full declaration wording on the form. Download will not complete without it.
- **I Have Submitted This Form Electronically (Signature Is Not Required) (Checkbox, Optional)** - Tick only when that matches how you are lodging. Leave it clear if you are emailing a signed PDF or otherwise need the signature field.
- **Notifier Signature (Signature, Optional)** - Draw, upload, or use a saved signature when the lodgement path needs one. Sign after the technical sections and checklist are correct, not as a blank stamp before the plan is finished.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - Date of the declaration. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are available. The field does not accept a future date. This is the day you make the declaration, not the commencement date.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Leaving the notice until the day of work.** - Scheduled eligible work needs at least 24 hours' notice. Start the form when the job is booked so travel, access, and crew changes do not squeeze the window.
- **Guessing the 200 kg or 200 MJ/h threshold.** - Near either line, check container quantities and connected load from the design rather than from memory of a similar job.
- **Using the form date as the commencement date.** - The commencement field is when work starts on site. A notice that no longer matches the program is not a usable notice.
- **Putting the office contact in Gasfitter Name.** - The field is for the licensed person on the tools. Office contacts belong under business contact person.
- **Vague premise identity on multi-building or remote sites.** - A street address alone may not identify the installation. Add shop or tenancy name and put compound, bay, or plant-room detail in the site plan.
- **Ticking Check All without verifying each item.** - Untick anything you have not confirmed. Supporting distances and ignition sources belong on the site plan, not as assumed ticks.
- **Using this form for gas mains construction or repair.** - Gas mains work has a separate NT WorkSafe pathway and timing. Confirm which pathway applies before filling the PDF.
- **Treating download as lodgement.** - The finished PDF still has to go through the method NT WorkSafe currently shows. Keep a copy with any email receipt or portal reference.

## Before download [#before-download]

- The job meets the official threshold, or you have confirmed notification is still required
- Commencement date is the planned start, with at least 24 hours for scheduled work
- Gasfitter name and licence match the person carrying out the work
- Premise address (and shop or site detail) identifies the installation
- Nature of work, installation type, gas type, and source match the actual scope
- Tank or container rows, checklist ticks, and site plan only cover what you verified
- Declaration, date, and electronic-submission or signature choice match how you will lodge
- The PDF preview shows the right plan input and readable technical detail on every page

## After download [#after-download]

Preview every page, then download the PDF. [NT WorkSafe offers](https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/forms-and-resources/forms/commencement-of-gas-works-notification-form) an online notification or a downloadable form to complete and email. Follow the current method shown on that page.

- **Name the file with the site and start date.** For example `NT gas works notice - 88 Smith St - 2026-08-12.pdf`, so the job folder is searchable later.
- **Keep the PDF with the submission record.** File any email receipt, portal reference, or submission note beside the finished notice.
- **Keep the supporting pack with it.** Plans, tank or container details, work order, photos, and later compliance paperwork should sit in the same job folder.
- **If the job moves or the scope changes,** check whether the notice still describes the work before you start. Correct or replace it rather than relying on a stale PDF.

Check the current NT WorkSafe requirements for your job. Retention and lodgement expectations sit with the authority.

> **Warning**
>
> Tradie Forms is not affiliated with NT WorkSafe. You remain responsible for whether notification is required and for lodging the finished notice correctly.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[NT gas works notification guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nt-gas-works-notification-guide)** - Thresholds, 24-hour timing, and what to gather before eligible work starts.
- **[Common NT gas works notification mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nt-gas-works-notification-common-mistakes)** - Late notices, vague sites, wrong pathway, and records to keep after lodgement.

# Overview (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides)

Form guides explain what to have ready, what each section means, and what to check before downloading the PDF.

Shorter forms use one guide page. Larger forms may be split into section pages so you can open help for the exact section you are filling.

## Find your guide [#find-your-guide]

### Choose the trade [#choose-the-trade]

Open **Form guides** in the docs sidebar, then choose the trade that matches the work.

### Choose the region [#choose-the-region]

Open the national or state category for that trade.

### Open the template [#open-the-template]

Select the form you are filling.

In the app, section help links open the matching guide where one exists.

## Form guides [#form-guides]

These guides cover the 69 forms shown in the main template library. Your workspace may include other forms with section help available inside the form.

## Remember [#remember]

Tradie Forms helps prepare supported paperwork. It does not decide whether the job complies, whether a form must be lodged, or whether the authority will accept the document. Open the individual guide for current official sources and form-specific checks.

> **Warning**
>
> Always check the current authority requirements before issuing or lodging a compliance document.

- **[Completing a form](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/completing-a-form)** - Validation, review, autosave, and toolbar actions.
- **[PDF downloads](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/pdf-export)** - Preview, download, regenerate, and send PDFs.

# VIC Pesticide Record (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/pest-control/vic/vic-pesticide-application-record)

The Pesticide Application Record Sheet records each pesticide product applied on a Victorian pest control job: who applied it, the client and property, pests treated, product and batch, where it went, precautions, and weather for outdoor work. Licensed pest controllers make and keep that record for every application; the finished PDF is the official Health Victoria layout for the job file. [Health Victoria's record-keeping guidance](https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/record-keeping-for-pest-controllers) expects the required details for each pesticide used, so use a separate record when you put down a second product on the same job.

This is the current Victorian Department of Health Pesticide Application Record Sheet. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

> **Warning**
>
> One sheet covers one pesticide product. Start a new form when you apply a different product on the same job rather than squeezing two trade names into one record.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every weak pesticide record comes from writing it after the run, when batch numbers, rooms and wind have already blurred. Have these in front of you while you are still on site.

- **Your pest control licence** - Technician name and licence number as on the card, plus supervisor name and licence when a trainee worked under supervision.
- **The product container and label** - Trade name, batch number, application method, quantity, and rate while the container is still in hand.
- **The job booking** - Client name, phone, and address of the person the application was carried out for, not only the site contact who opened the door.
- **Treated areas as you move through the property** - Rooms, voids, perimeters or outdoor lines actually treated, not a later guess of house or outside.
- **Precautions and re-entry for this product** - Label advice and any site notes on pets, children, food areas or access restrictions the client needs after you leave.
- **Weather for outdoor work** - Ambient temperature, wind direction and wind speed during the application, before the ute leaves the street.
- **A decision on product count** - One record per pesticide. If the job used two products, plan a second form before you pack up.

Seven fields gate the download: technician name, licence number, operator date, job date, client name, product trade name, and application method.

## Pest Control Trader and Operator [#operatorDetails]

Identifies who applied the pesticide, the business, and the date of this record. Fill it from the licence card and trading details for the person who did the work, not from a colleague's saved block.

- **Technician Name (Text, Required)** - The person who applied the pesticide on this job, as it appears on their Victorian pest control licence. Match the card spelling so a later check lines up with the licence register.
- **Licence Number (Text, Required)** - The technician's licence number from the same card, such as `PC12345`. The form will not download without it on the technician line. When a trainee worked under supervision, use the second **Licence Number** field for the supervisor's number from their card.
- **Supervisor Name (If Applicable) (Text, Optional)** - Fill when a trainee licence holder applied the pesticide under supervision. Leave blank on a fully licensed technician job rather than copying a usual supervisor by habit.
- **Trading Name (Text, Optional)** - The business name you trade under for this work, as clients and inspectors know it, for example `Metro Pest Control Pty Ltd`.
- **Telephone (Tel, Optional)** - A business number that reaches the operator or office, such as `03 9123 4567`. Prefer the number published on your paperwork, not a personal mobile that changes with the ute.
- **Street address (Address, Optional)** - The pest control business address, not the job site. Address search is limited to Victoria and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. Check the result against your letterhead or registration if the business has moved.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Defaults to `VIC`. Confirm it stays `VIC` when you type the address by hand.
- **Postcode (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm it against the business record when typing manually.
- **Signature (Signature, Required)** - The technician or supervised person completing this record. Sign when the application details are correct for this job, not as a blank stamp for later. You can use a saved signature; check the preview so the stamp sits cleanly in the signature box on the official PDF.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The date this record is completed. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there for on-site finish. The field does not accept a future date.

**Saved detail: Operator** - save this section to prefill it on your next pesticide record.

## Job [#jobDetails]

Records when the application happened, who it was for, and where. Take client details from the booking for the person the work was carried out for; on rental, strata and commercial jobs that is often not the person who opened the door.

- **Date (Date, Required)** - The date the pesticide was applied. Use the job day, not the day you caught up on paperwork. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there when you finish on site. The field does not accept a future date.
- **Start Time (Time, Optional)** - When the application started, in 24-hour form such as `08:30`. Useful when more than one treatment or visit is logged for the same client on the same day.
- **Finish Time (Time, Optional)** - When the application finished, such as `10:15`. Keep it consistent with the start time so the duration of the treatment is clear on the record.
- **Client Name (Text, Required)** - The person or business the application was carried out for, from the booking, not only the tenant or site contact. On facility-managed or body-corporate work, use the party the job is booked under.
- **Telephone (Tel, Optional)** - Client phone from the booking, such as `0412 345 678`. Prefer a number that still reaches them after you leave, not only a site reception line that closes at 4pm.
- **Street address (Address, Optional)** - The client address for this job. Address search is limited to Victoria and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. Check it against the booking; billing contacts are often a different street from the property treated.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Defaults to `VIC`. Confirm it stays `VIC` when you type the address by hand.
- **Postcode (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm it against the booking when typing manually.

When the treated property is not the same as the client address, fill **Treated Location Address (If Applicable)** in the separate address block below the client address. Address search is limited to Victoria. Leave that block blank when client address and treated property are the same so the PDF does not show a second, conflicting site.

**Saved detail: Client** - save this section to prefill it on your next pesticide record for the same customer.

## Pest(s) Treated [#pestsTreated]

Ticks which pests were treated on this job. Match the pests you actually treated and the product label, not every pest the client mentioned on the phone.

- **Pest(s) Treated (CheckboxGroup, Optional)** - Tick each listed pest that applies: **Spiders**, **Ants**, **Cockroaches**, **Mice**, **Rats**, **Termites**, **Fleas**, **Bees**, **Wasps**, or **Other**. Leave pests you did not treat unticked so the record does not claim a broader treatment than the job.
- **Other (Text, Required when Other is selected)** - Describe the pest clearly enough that the office or an inspector understands it without photos, for example `German cockroaches in the commercial kitchen`. Do not leave a bare **Other** tick with no description.

## Specific Location(s) of Application on the Property [#specificLocations]

Names where on the property the pesticide went. The client address only says which site; this field says which rooms, voids or outdoor lines were treated.

- **Specific Location(s) of Application on the Property (Textarea, Optional)** - Name the rooms, voids, perimeters or outdoor areas actually treated so a later reader does not have to guess. Include tenancy, level or plant area on multi-tenancy sites. Health Victoria's Technical Note 3 lists both the location of the application and the specific location within the property.
  
  - **Useful** - Kitchen skirting, pantry, laundry wet areas and external south fence line
  - **Too vague** - House

## Specific Precautions Including Re-Entry Period [#specificPrecautions]

Records precautions and re-entry advice the client or site contact can act on after you leave. Write from this product's label and this site's conditions, not from the last job's wording.

- **Specific Precautions Including Re-Entry Period (Textarea, Optional)** - Plain language the client can follow: re-entry timing, pets, children, food areas, wet surfaces, or access restrictions that apply to this treatment. Include enough that the site contact does not need to call you back for the basics.
  
  Useful shape: `Keep pets inside for 4 hours. Re-entry after 2 hours. Do not wipe treated skirting until dry.` Too vague: `Take care` or a blank field when outdoor or indoor residual work needs a re-entry note.

## Pesticide [#pesticideDetails]

Records the product applied on this sheet. Capture trade name and batch while the container is still out; one product per record is what forces a second form when a second pesticide goes down.

- **Product Trade Name (Text, Required)** - The trade name on the product label, such as `Cislin 25`. Use the name on the container for this application, not a house brand shorthand or a product from a different job on the same run.
- **Batch Number (Text, Optional)** - From the same container, such as `BATCH-2026-041`. Read it before the pack goes back on the truck; batch numbers are hard to reconstruct from a blurry photo later.
- **Application Method (Combobox, Required)** - How the product was applied. Choose **Spray**, **Bait**, **Dust**, **Granular**, **Foam**, **Injection**, or **Fog / mist**, or type another method when none of those fit. Match what you actually did on site.
- **Quantity Applied (Text, Optional)** - How much product was used for this application. The field shows a `L` suffix; enter the figure as mixed or applied for this job, such as `2`.
- **Rate of Application (Text, Optional)** - The rate used, or enough detail to determine the rate from the label. The field shows a `mL per linear metre` suffix as a common unit; enter the figure that matches how you applied the product, such as `5`.

## Weather Conditions [#weatherConditions]

Records conditions at the time of application. For outdoor work, Health Victoria's Technical Note 3 lists ambient temperature, wind direction and wind speed among the details to keep; fill these during the job, not from memory after the ute has moved.

- **Ambient Temperature (Text, Optional)** - Temperature at the time of application in degrees Celsius. The field shows a `°C` suffix; enter the reading such as `18`.
- **Wind Direction (Combobox, Optional)** - Direction at the time of application. Choose **N**, **NE**, **E**, **SE**, **S**, **SW**, **W**, **NW**, or **Calm**, or type another value when needed. **Calm** is a direction choice here; still record wind speed when there is measurable wind.
- **Wind Speed (Text, Optional)** - Wind speed during application. The field shows a `km/h` suffix; enter the figure such as `5`. Where you have no instrument, Technical Note 3 allows the Beaufort Wind Scale as a guide for outdoor applications. Note significant changes during the application in your job notes if conditions shift.

Indoor-only work with no outdoor application can leave weather blank. Do not invent outdoor weather for a fully internal treatment.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Writing the record after the run from memory.** - Batch numbers, rooms and wind blur across similar jobs by evening. Capture product, locations and outdoor weather while you are still at the property.
- **Using the property address instead of specific treated locations.** - The street address only says which site. Name kitchen skirting, roof void, south fence line or the tenancy and room so a later reader knows where the product went.
- **Squeezing two pesticide products onto one sheet.** - Health Victoria expects the required details for each pesticide used. Download a second record for the second product rather than a vague combined note.
- **Leaving product trade name or batch blank until later.** - The container is the source while it is in hand. Photos in a camera roll are a backup, not a substitute for the trade name and batch on the record.
- **Copying precautions from the previous job without checking the label.** - Re-entry and pet advice must match this product and these treated areas. Wrong advice on the record is what the client may follow after you leave.
- **Guessing outdoor weather once the ute has moved.** - Temperature, wind direction and wind speed for outdoor work belong to the job site at application time. Record them before you leave the street.
- **Putting the site contact as the client on rental or commercial work.** - Technical Note 3 includes the person for whom the application was carried out. Use the booking party, not only the tenant who opened the door.
- **Ticking Other without describing the pest.** - An empty other line is a dead end for the next reader. Name the pest when it is not on the printed list.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Technician name, licence number and operator date match the person who did the work
- Job date and times match the application, not a later catch-up day
- Client name and address are the party and property for this job, with treated location filled only when it differs
- Pests ticked match the treatment, and Other has a description when selected
- Specific locations name rooms, voids or outdoor lines, not only house or outside
- Product trade name, batch, method, quantity and rate match the container used on this sheet
- Outdoor work has temperature, wind direction and wind speed from the job, not a guess
- The PDF preview shows one product and advice you are willing to stand behind

## After download [#after-download]

Health Victoria says electronic records must be kept securely and be available for inspection when required. Attach the finished PDF to the job rather than leaving it in a downloads folder, a message thread or a camera roll.

- **Name the file so the job is obvious.** Date, client, suburb and form name works for most small teams, for example `2026-06-10 - Sam Nguyen - Oakleigh - VIC pesticide record.pdf`.
- **File it with the job trail.** Keep the record with the booking, photos, label notes and any risk notes so the PDF meets a clean trail rather than a reconstruction.
- **Start a second form for a second product.** Do not overwrite the first record when another pesticide went down on the same visit.
- **Keep records at the business address for at least three years**, as required by [Health Victoria's current record-keeping guidance](https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/record-keeping-for-pest-controllers).

Check the current Health Victoria requirements for your business. Retention and inspection expectations sit with the authority.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[On-site completion walkthrough](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/vic-pesticide-application-record-on-site-guide)** - Field-by-field habit for finishing the record before you leave the property.
- **[Common pesticide record mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-vic-pesticide-application-record)** - Vague locations, missing batch numbers, guessed weather, and the fixes.
- **[Digital record-keeping workflow](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/vic-pesticide-record-keeping-digital-workflow)** - Naming, storage and office handback so the PDF is findable for inspection.

# WA Pest Business Inspection (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/pest-control/wa/wa-pest-management-business-inspection-checklist)

This checklist records a pest management business registration inspection: who was inspected, which pesticide operations they run, which vehicles and staff are listed, and Yes, No, or N/A answers for chemical storage, washdown, rinsate, vehicle equipment, and PPE. WA Health provides it for businesses to self-assess facilities and vehicles before a registration inspection, and for the inspection visit itself; the finished PDF is the official Department of Health layout for the business file.

This is the current Western Australian Department of Health pest management business registration inspection checklist. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Recording a single pesticide application on a job rather than a business premises inspection? Use [VIC Pesticide Record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/pest-control/vic/vic-pesticide-application-record)

> **Warning**
>
> Walk the store, washdown, vehicles and PPE before you tick answers. A **Yes** that only exists on the form will not match what an inspector finds on the day, and every **No** should carry a clear recommendation or follow-up action.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every weak checklist comes from filling it in the office instead of walking the premises and fleet. Have these in front of you.

- **Business registration details** - Registered business name, pest management business registration number, proprietor, and contact details as they appear on the registration record.
- **A walk of the chemical store** - Security, labels, SDS folder, bunding, ventilation, signage, first aid, fire extinguisher, and PPE stored away from chemicals.
- **Washdown and rinsate route** - Wash bay or wipe-down practice, sump or containment, and how rinsed containers and rinsate actually leave the site.
- **Every work vehicle** - Registration plates, vehicle type, onboard labelling, chemical storage, spill kit, first aid, and spray equipment on each unit used for pest work.
- **Staff and licence list** - Licensed technicians and provisional staff with current licence numbers, ready to match who actually works for the business.
- **A decision on any No answers** - What must be rectified, who owns the fix, and whether a re-inspection date is already booked.

Only **Business Name** blocks download on an empty form. Checklist rows do not start on Yes or No; leave a row blank only until you have assessed it. The official PDF holds six vehicle rows and six employee rows. Attach another clearly labelled sheet when you need more.

## Business [#business]

Identifies the registered pest management business this inspection covers. Take the name and registration number from the WA Health registration record, not from a trading sticker on a ute door.

- **Business Name (Text, Required)** - The registered business name on the pest management business registration, for example `Perth Pest Solutions Pty Ltd`. Match the registration document spelling so the finished PDF lines up with WA Health's record. If you only have a trading name on site, confirm the legal entity before download.
- **Registration No (Text, Optional)** - The pest management business registration number from the registration document, for example `PMB-20481`. Fill it whenever you have it; inspectors and later file searches rely on it more than the trading name alone.
- **Proprietor (Text, Optional)** - The proprietor named on the registration, not whoever happened to open the yard gate. A different on-site contact belongs in comments if needed, not in this field.
- **Contact No (Tel, Optional)** - A number that reaches the business about this inspection, for example `08 9123 4567`. Prefer the office or proprietor line used on the registration paperwork.
- **Email (Email, Optional)** - An email that reaches the business for follow-up about registration or rectification, for example `office@perthpestsolutions.com.au`. The field rejects an invalid address format.

**Saved detail: Business** - save this section to prefill it on your next inspection for the same company.

## Inspection [#inspection]

Records when the initial inspection happened and who carried it out. These values belong on the visit that produced this checklist, not a planned future date.

- **Inspection Date (Date, Optional)** - The date of this inspection. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there for on-site completion. The field does not accept a future date, so you cannot pre-date a visit that has not happened.
- **Inspected By (Text, Optional)** - The inspector or assessor who walked the premises for this visit, for example `Jordan Lee`. Use the name that should appear on the official record for this inspection.

## Inspection Outcome [#outcome]

Captures whether the initial visit was fully compliant, what must be rectified, and any re-inspection sign-off. Fill recommendations from the walk, not from a vague memory later.

- **Initial Inspection Outcome (Choice, Optional)** - Choose **Fully compliant and no further actions** when every assessed item is acceptable, or **Non-compliant and requires the following items to be rectified** when anything needs fixing. Selecting non-compliant reveals the recommendations list and makes at least one recommendation required before download.
- **outcome.recommendations (CardRows, Required when you select non-compliant)** - One card is one recommendation. Add up to **10** with **Add Recommendation**. Each row needs a specific action the business can complete and re-check, not a theme. Leave unused recommendation rows out. The recommendations block only appears when the outcome is non-compliant; when that outcome is selected, download is blocked until at least one recommendation is present.
  
  - **Useful** - Replace expired eye wash solution in the chemical store within 14 days.
  - **Too vague** - Improve chemical storage
- **Follow Up Inspection Date (Date, Optional)** - The date of the re-inspection visit when one is booked or recorded. The control is limited to today or later, and it is a different event from the initial inspection date above.
- **Inspected By (Text, Optional)** - Who carried out the follow-up inspection. Can be the same person as the initial visit or a different inspector. Leave blank until the re-inspection happens rather than copying the first visit by habit.
- **Fully Compliant Following Re-Inspection (Checkbox, Optional)** - Tick only after the re-inspection confirms the earlier gaps are closed. An unchecked box means follow-up compliance has not been recorded; do not tick it to make the PDF look clean while work remains outstanding.

## Pesticide Operations [#pesticideOperations]

Records which pesticide operations the business actually carries out. The ticks set context for storage, vehicles and PPE that follow, so match real work rather than every possible service line on a brochure.

- **Pesticide Operations (Choice, Optional)** - Tick each operation that applies: weed control only, power poles only, pest and weed control on land, commercial or domestic pests, commercial or domestic pests including termites and timber pests, fumigation, feral vertebrates, feral pigeons, or Other. Leave operations the business does not perform unticked. Feral vertebrate work tightens chemical storage and vehicle cage rules later in the checklist.

## Vehicles [#vehicles]

Lists fleet vehicles used for pest management work. One card is one vehicle. The official PDF has **six** fixed table rows; leave unused rows out rather than adding blanks. If you need more than six, fill the six on this form and attach another clearly labelled sheet for the overflow.

The section notice reminds you to attach another sheet when more vehicles or employees need listing.

- **vehicles.rows (CardRows, Optional)** - Add a vehicle with **Add Vehicle** (up to six). Columns on the card, and on the PDF, are:
  
  **Vehicle Registration** - plate as displayed, for example `1ABC 234`. Copy the plate on the vehicle, not a fleet nickname.
  
  **Type** - choose **Trailer**, **Tray Top**, **Truck**, **Van**, or **Ute**, or type another type when none fit. Match what the vehicle is, not what it is sometimes used as.
  
  - **Useful** - 1ABC 234; Ute
  - **Too vague** - Ute 1; work ute

## Employees [#employees]

Lists licensed technicians and provisional staff employed by the business. One card is one person. The official PDF has **six** employee rows; attach another sheet when the roster is larger. Leave unused rows out.

- **employees.rows (CardRows, Optional)** - Add a person with **Add Employee** (up to six). Columns on the card, and on the PDF, are:
  
  **Name** - full name of the worker, for example `Jordan Lee`.
  
  **Licence Number** - current pest management technician licence number when they hold one, for example `PM12345`. Leave blank for a provisional-only entry rather than inventing a number.
  
  **Provisional/Technician** - mark provisional status when that applies, for example `Provisional`. Use this column so the PDF shows who is provisional versus fully licensed.

Check licence currency before you list people. An out-of-date number on the PDF is a finding the business could have fixed before the visit.

## Additional Comments [#additionalComments]

Catches notes that do not fit the checklist tables or recommendation rows.

- **Additional Comments (Textarea, Optional)** - Extra context for the record, such as overflow vehicles on an attached sheet, temporary arrangements, or what was sighted but not non-compliant. Keep it specific enough that someone reading the PDF later understands the visit without you present.
  
  - **Useful** - Vehicle and chemical storage records were current. Door-seal repair on chemical store to be checked at re-inspection.
  - **Too vague** - All good

## Chemical Storage [#chemicalStorage]

Walks the chemical storage facility. Mark **Yes**, **No**, or **N/A** for each of the 18 store criteria from what you see today. The finished PDF prints each answer as the matching checkbox on the official checklist. **N/A** is only for criteria that genuinely do not apply; a missing control is **No**.

Rows cover lockable storage, original labelled containers, accessible current SDS, no stored decanted mix, sun and rain protection, impervious bunded floor, spill water and spill kit, separation from food areas, 150 mm fire ventilation, cleanable impervious sump, natural or sealed lighting, dangerous goods signs at access points, hand washing with liquid soap, emergency eye wash, separation by dangerous goods class, current first aid kit, accessible fire extinguisher with current inspection, and PPE reachable away from chemicals.

The section notice requires double locked storage bolted to solid concrete floor and wall for feral vertebrate control pesticides. Check the Code of Practice for 1080, PAPP and strychnine when that work is in scope. Home-based businesses still need secure storage separated from living areas.

- **Safety Data Sheets are readily accessible (Choice, Optional)** - Current SDS for products actually on the shelf, reachable during the visit. A folder of superseded sheets for products no longer held is **No**.
- **Emergency eye wash facilities (Choice, Optional)** - Eye wash present, accessible, and not expired. Expired solution is a frequent **No**.
- **First aid kit with checklist and no expired medications/solutions (Choice, Optional)** - Open the kit. A sealed box with expired contents is **No**.
- **All personal protective and incident response equipment can be accessed away from chemicals (Choice, Optional)** - PPE and response gear must be reachable without walking through a spill path or opening chemical cabinets first.

## Washdown [#washdown]

Covers washdown and rinsate collection at the premises. Answer from the bay or wipe-down practice you can demonstrate today. A wash bay that has become storage is effectively missing.

Mark **Yes**, **No**, or **N/A** for wipe-down only, wash bay provided, impervious bunded floor, lined cleanable sump, and rinsate collected so it cannot drain to a water supply or watercourse. Follow the water with your eye after a rinse; gaps that run to soil or stormwater are **No**.

- **Rinsate is collected to prevent any drainage to water supply or water course (Choice, Optional)** - No path from wash water to stormwater, drain or watercourse. This is the row that fails when practice has drifted from the designed bay.

## Rinsate and Disposal [#rinsateDisposal]

Records how rinsate and empty containers are handled after washdown. This is where practice often drifts from the written procedure.

Mark each row for rinsate reuse only as diluent for the same pesticide class at the application site, labelled rinsate containers, triple or pressure rinse then crush and licensed disposal, no on-site stockpile of empties, and return to supplier or collection by a contractor with the right waste permit (for example drumMuster). Use **N/A** on the reuse row when rinsate is not reused and another compliant route is used instead.

- **Used containers are not stockpiled on site (Choice, Optional)** - Growing piles of empties behind the shed are **No**. Temporary holding awaiting a booked collection should still be controlled and limited.
- **Containers reused for rinsate are labelled (Choice, Optional)** - Any container holding rinsate needs a clear label. Unlabelled reuse containers are **No**.

## Vehicle and Equipment [#vehicleEquipment]

Checks onboard labelling, warning signs, chemical storage, spray equipment, spill response and first aid on work vehicles. Walk every vehicle listed under Vehicles; one tidy ute does not cover the rest of the fleet.

Answer every vehicle-equipment row from the unit in front of you: 50 mm registered business name and registration number, labelled onboard containers and cabinets, cabin emergency contacts with chemical register and SDS, public spraying signs and working amber lights, cabin protected from chemical storage, overall vehicle condition, secured locked chemical storage with POISON sign (bolted, not occy straps; double locked cage for feral vertebrate pesticides), spill containment on the vehicle, leak-free spray gear and sound lines, clean maintained equipment, backflow prevention where the fill connection needs it, stocked spill kit, onboard first aid and eye wash in date, and accessible fire extinguisher with current inspection.

- **Registered business name and pest management business registration number is displayed on the vehicle (50mm high lettering) (Choice, Optional)** - Lettering at least 50 mm high with the registered name and registration number, not only a logo or phone number.
- **Absorbent material for spills (spill kit) available (Choice, Optional)** - Spill kit present and stocked. A raided bag with no absorbent left is **No**.
- **Onboard first aid kit and eye wash available with no expired medications/solutions (Choice, Optional)** - Open the kit and check expiry on solutions. Empty or expired cabin first aid is **No**.

## PPE and Hygiene [#ppeHygiene]

Covers respirators, protective clothing, potable water and hygiene supplies. Check vehicles and the PPE store, and use the safety data sheets for the products the business applies.

- **Re-usable full or half face respirator available with the appropriate filter cartridges for pesticides used, including sufficient reserve supply of consumables (check expiry). Filters are kept in a sealed airtight package/container (Choice, Optional)** - Correct cartridges for the pesticides used, spare stock in date, filters sealed when not in use. Expired cartridges are **No**.
- **Respirators are clean and undamaged with no parts missing (check straps and valves) (Choice, Optional)** - Inspect straps, valves and facepiece. Damaged gear fails even when new filters sit beside it.
- **Appropriate chemical resistant gloves and footwear, eye protection and clothing are available (Choice, Optional)** - Full set for the work done: gloves, footwear, eye protection and clothing suited to the products used.
- **20L fresh potable water is available (labelled) for personal hygiene, emergency wash and clean up of small spills (preferably to have also tap) (Choice, Optional)** - At least 20 L of labelled fresh potable water for hygiene, emergency wash and small spill clean-up.
- **Cloths/wipes/paper towels and liquid soap (Choice, Optional)** - Soap and wipes or towels where people clean up after handling chemicals.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Marking Yes from the office without walking the store or fleet.** - Checklist rows start blank, so a download full of Yes answers only means someone chose them. Walk storage, washdown, vehicles and PPE first, then mark what you actually saw.
- **Using N/A for a missing control.** - **N/A** is for criteria that do not apply to the business or facility. A lock that is broken, a spill kit that is empty, or SDS that are missing are **No**.
- **Writing vague recommendations.** - `Improve chemical storage` gives the business nothing to close out. Name the item, the location, and the action, for example replacing expired eye wash in the chemical store within 14 days.
- **Selecting fully compliant while recommendations are still open.** - If anything needs rectifying, the outcome is non-compliant and the recommendations list must carry the work. A clean outcome with open defects misrepresents the visit.
- **Ticking fully compliant after re-inspection before the fixes are done.** - The follow-up checkbox is for a completed re-inspection that closed the gaps. Use it only when that is true.
- **Listing more than six vehicles or employees without an attachment.** - The PDF has six rows for each table. Overflow needs another clearly labelled sheet kept with the finished PDF, or those people and units never appear on the record.
- **Using a trading name that does not match the registration.** - Business name and registration number should match the WA Health registration record so the checklist can be matched to the business later.
- **Answering vehicle rows from the tidy ute only.** - Every vehicle used for pest work is in scope. One compliant unit does not cover a second vehicle with unsecured chemicals or no spill kit.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Business name matches the registration record, and registration number is filled when you have it
- Inspection date and inspected-by name match this visit
- Outcome is fully compliant only when nothing is outstanding; non-compliant has specific recommendations
- Vehicle and employee rows fit the six PDF lines, with overflow on an attached sheet if needed
- Every Yes, No, or N/A answer matches the store, bay, fleet and PPE you walked
- N/A is used only where a criterion genuinely does not apply
- Follow-up date, inspector and fully-compliant tick match the re-inspection state, if any
- The PDF preview shows business details, tables and checklist answers as you expect

## After download [#after-download]

Keep the finished PDF with the business registration file and any re-inspection notes. Tradie Forms does not lodge this checklist with WA Health or decide whether registration continues.

- **Act on every No.** Turn recommendations into jobs with owners and dates, then re-inspect before you tick fully compliant on follow-up.
- **Name the file with the business and inspection date**, for example `WA-pest-business-inspection - Perth Pest Solutions - 2026-06-15.pdf`.
- **File attachments with the PDF** when you exceeded six vehicles or employees, so the overflow sheet stays with the same visit.
- **Keep the trail across visits.** Store the original non-compliant record with the later re-inspection PDF so the sequence is visible, not only the clean second visit.
- **Re-run the same headings between official visits** so storage, washdown, fleet and PPE do not drift before the next inspection.

Check the current [WA Health pesticide licensing and business registration](https://healthywa.health.wa.gov.au/Articles/A_E/Application-forms-and-fees-for-pestide-licencing) requirements for your business. Registration conditions sit with WA Health and the business, not with this page.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[VIC Pesticide Record](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/pest-control/vic/vic-pesticide-application-record)** - Job-level pesticide application record used in Victoria when you need a treatment sheet rather than a business inspection.

# NSW Combined Notice (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/nsw/nsw-combined-notice-coc)

Records plumbing and drainage work for regional NSW jobs and for work that does not need an inspection: who did it, what was done, and the compliance certificate at completion. Building Commission NSW publishes the form; you end up with one filled PDF that carries four copies for the regulator, licensee, and owner. For work requiring inspection in Sydney, the Illawarra, Blue Mountains, Newcastle, and Hunter, [NSW guidance points to MyInspections](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/plumbers-and-drainers/plumbing-inspection-documents) rather than this PDF alone.

This is the current Building Commission NSW Combined Notice of Work and Certificate of Compliance. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

> **Warning**
>
> Do not use this PDF as a substitute for MyInspections where the current metropolitan process requires an online submission. Tradie Forms prepares the PDF but does not lodge it or book an inspection.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

The form holds both the notice side and the certificate side. Confirm the pathway and gather the source records before you open it.

- **The inspection pathway for this site** - Regional local plumbing regulator, Building Commission NSW via MyInspections, or no-inspection work. The last job's process does not automatically apply here.
- **Property and owner records** - Site address, lot and DP or strata references, municipality or shire, and the legal owner name and address from the work order, approval, or rates notice.
- **Current licence card or Fair Trading record** - Full name, licence number, qualified supervisor number, and both expiry dates for the person responsible for this work.
- **What work was or will be done** - Water supply and drainage types, fixture locations, and enough detail that a regulator or owner can read the description without ringing you.
- **Fee and date records** - Inspection fee receipt, commencement date, estimated or actual completion, and any council or regulator reference number.
- **Section 11 and completion decision** - Whether written notice of pre-existing defective work was given, and that testing and final checks are finished before you sign the certificate.

Only the licensee full name gates the download. Property, work, fee, and certificate details still need to be complete before you hand the PDF to a customer or regulator.

## Property and Owner [#property]

Identifies the site and the property owner for every copy of the notice and certificate. Match the approval, work order, or rates notice, not the tenant on the gate list.

The **Site address** block is a structured NSW address: house number, street, suburb, state, postcode, and nearest cross street. Address search is limited to New South Wales and can fill the municipality or shire from the result. Check rural addresses, new estates, and renames carefully, because a wrong lot or street is hard to unwind once copies have gone out.

- **State (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search on the site or owner block. Confirm `NSW` when you type by hand.
- **Postcode (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm it against the rates notice or work order when typing manually, especially near suburb boundaries.
- **Lot No. (Text, Optional)** - From the permit, title, or rates notice. On new estates the street address may not resolve cleanly, so lot and DP are the reliable identifiers. Fill whenever the job file carries them.
- **DP No. (Text, Optional)** - Deposited plan number that pairs with the lot. Take both from the same source document so they stay consistent with the council record.
- **PDP or SP (Text, Optional)** - Preliminary deposited plan or strata plan reference when the site uses one, for example `SP 98765`. Leave blank when the job is a simple lot and DP.
- **Municipality / Shire (Text, Optional)** - The local government area. Address search may fill this. Confirm it near a boundary, because it points to which local plumbing regulator receives regional notice and certificate copies.
- **Owner's Name (Text, Optional)** - The legal owner or the party named on the approval, not the tenant or site contact. For companies, strata schemes, and builders who arranged the work, use the name that belongs on the paperwork rather than a first name from the booking SMS.
  
  - **Useful** - Jordan Lee
  - **Too vague** - Tenant - unit 3
- **Owner full address is same as site address (Toggle, Optional)** - Tick when the owner's postal address is the site. The form copies the site lines into the owner block and locks those fields so they cannot drift. Leave it off when the owner is a company, agent, or lives elsewhere, then complete the owner address separately.
- **Street address (Address, Optional)** - Owner full address line when it is not the same as the site. Address search is limited to New South Wales and fills the street line, suburb, state, and postcode. Use the postal address for notices, not a site contact's residential address.

## Licensee [#licensee]

Names the licensed plumber or drainer responsible for the work. Use the person or business that holds the licence for this job, not whichever office contact last used the phone.

- **Full Name (Text, Required)** - The name on the contractor licence for the work, for example `Alex Smith Plumbing Pty Ltd` or the individual licence holder's name. This is the only field that blocks download. If several licensed people work for the business, name the responsible person for this job, not the last saved block.
- **Phone No. (Tel, Optional)** - A number that reaches the licensee or the office that handles notices, for example `0412 345 678`. Prefer a number that still works after the van has left site.
- **Street address (Address, Optional)** - Address for notices under the **Address for notices** heading. Address search is limited to New South Wales. Use the licence or letterhead address, not the job site.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm `NSW` when typing manually.
- **Postcode (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm against the licence or letterhead when typing by hand.
- **Qualified Supervisor No. (Text, Optional)** - From the Fair Trading record or the licence card, including the class letter when it forms part of the number, such as `987654S`. Licence check against the NSW Fair Trading register can fill the supervisor expiry. Do not copy a number from an old PDF after a supervisor change.
- **Qualified Supervisor Expiry Date (Date, Optional)** - The current supervisor certificate expiry. The form only accepts today or a future date, so an already-expired certificate cannot be entered as current. Update saved details after every renewal.
- **Licence No. (Text, Optional)** - Contractor licence number as printed, for example `123456C`. Licence check can fill the licence expiry from the NSW Fair Trading register. Take it from the current card or register, not from a quote footer that may lag a renewal.
- **Licence Expiry Date (Date, Optional)** - Expiry on the current contractor licence. Same rule as the supervisor date: only today or a future date is accepted. Stale saved details are how expired licences travel from job to job.

**Saved detail: Licensee** - save this section to prefill it on your next NSW plumbing or drainage job.

## Work of Water Supply [#waterSupply]

Records which water supply work applies and the plumbing compliance standard. Tick only the work that applies to this job; leave the rest off.

Each work type is a tick with a short details line that expands when selected. The official PDF has limited line length, so name the fixtures, location, and what was done rather than pasting a quote. Work types on the form:

- **Install water supply**
- **Install irrigation system**
- **Onsite alternative water services**
- **Install, commission or maintain a thermostatic mixing valve**
- **Connection to water supply**
- **Install, alter, disconnect or remove a backflow prevention device**
- **Other water supply work** (details field accepts up to four lines on the PDF)

Leave every water supply row off when the job is drainage only.

- **Plumbing Work to Comply With (Choice, Optional)** - The standard the water supply work is certified against: **AS/NZS 3500**, **Alternative solution**, or **Combined**. Pick the option that matches how the work was designed and tested. Leave blank only when no water supply work is claimed on this form.

A one-line description that only says `Bathroom` reads as if you certified the whole house. Prefer something like `Alter hot and cold water supply to ensuite vanity, shower, and toilet`.

## Work of Sanitary Plumbing / Drainage [#drainage]

Records sanitary plumbing and drainage work types and the drainage compliance standard. Same pattern as water supply: tick only what applies, and leave unused rows off rather than adding blank text.

Work types on the form:

- **Carry out work of sanitary plumbing / drainage**
- **Connection to sewer**
- **Sewer disconnection**
- **Carry out trade waste drainage**
- **Other drainage work** (details field accepts up to four lines on the PDF)

A Certificate of Compliance does not replace a sewer service diagram. Where drainage work needs an SSD, keep that document in the same job pack as this form.

- **Drainage Work to Comply With (Choice, Optional)** - The standard the drainage work is certified against: **AS/NZS 3500**, **Alternative solution**, or **Combined**. Match the design and testing for this job. Leave blank when no drainage work is claimed.

## Sewerage / Water Service Inspection Fee [#inspectionFee]

Fee, commencement, estimated completion, and reference details from the bottom of the notice. These usually come from the council or local regulator payment record, not from memory at the end of the week.

- **Date Fee Paid (Date, Optional)** - The date on the inspection fee receipt. The form will not accept a future date. Leave blank when no fee was paid for this job rather than inventing one.
- **Date of Commencement of Work (Date, Optional)** - When work started on site. Today is available as a shortcut when you fill the notice before tools come out. If the notice went in early and the start slipped, keep the real commencement date honest at certificate time.
- **Estimated Date of Completion (Date, Optional)** - The planned finish when the notice is prepared, or the updated estimate if the job ran long. The form only accepts today or a future date on this field.
- **Amount (Text, Optional)** - Fee amount in dollars as on the receipt. The field shows a `$` prefix; enter the figure as paid, for example `150.00`. Do not invent a figure the office cannot match to a bank record.
- **Reference No. (Text, Optional)** - Council, regulator, or internal job reference from the payment or booking record, for example `JOB-2041`. Do not let a bank receipt become the only source of this number weeks later.

## Certificate of Compliance [#certificate]

Declaration, completion date, and contractor signature for the certificate copies. Complete this only after the work is finished and tested. Your signature is stamped onto every contractor signature line across all four PDF pages: notice copy on page 1, and notice plus certificate lines on pages 2 to 4.

- **Pre-existing Defective Work Notice Given (Section 11) (Choice, Optional)** - **Yes** when written notice of pre-existing defective plumbing or drainage work was given under Section 11. **N/A** when that duty did not apply. Do not leave this as a rubber stamp because the customer wants the paperwork now.
- **Work Completed On (Date, Optional)** - The date the plumbing and drainage work was actually completed. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there for closeout on site or the next morning. The form will not accept a future date, so the certificate cannot be pre-dated.
- **Contractor signature (Signature, Optional)** - Signature of the responsible licensed person for this work. Sign after testing and final checks, not when the notice is first prepared. One signature stamps every signature line on the four-page PDF. Use a saved signature when it is yours; do not reuse another licence holder's mark.

The finished PDF is four pages filled from this single form: Notice of Work (regulator copy), Certificate of Compliance (regulator copy), Certificate of Compliance (licensee's copy), and Certificate of Compliance (owner's copy). Fill once and download once so the copies cannot drift.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Treating notice and certificate as one late admin task.** - NSW guidance treats Notice of Work as due before work starts, and the Certificate of Compliance at completion. Completing the whole PDF after the trench is closed is already late for the notice duty.
- **Using the last job's regulator pathway.** - Metro inspection work often goes through MyInspections; regional work often uses this form with the local plumbing regulator. Check the site location and inspection requirement before you send copies.
- **Describing the work as bathroom only.** - A vague line reads as if you certified the whole house. Name the fixtures, location, and what was actually installed or altered.
- **Leaving stale licence or supervisor expiry in saved details.** - Expired dates travel from job to job when nobody updates the saved block after a renewal. Confirm both expiry dates against the current Fair Trading record before download.
- **Naming the tenant or site contact as owner.** - The certificate and notice need the legal owner or the party on the approval. A gate-code name or tenant mobile makes the closeout pack hard to match later.
- **Signing the certificate before testing is finished.** - The declaration certifies compliance and completion. Signing early leaves a finished-looking PDF while the job checks are still open.
- **Skipping the certificate because no inspection was booked.** - NSW guidance still expects a Certificate of Compliance at completion of plumbing and drainage work, with a copy to the person who arranged the work, even when a regulator copy is not required.
- **Closing the job without the sewer service diagram.** - The Certificate of Compliance does not replace an SSD. Where drainage work needs one, file it with the same pack as this form before you call the job complete.

## Before download [#before-download]

- The inspection pathway for this site is confirmed before any copy is sent
- Property, lot and DP, and owner name match the approval or work order
- Licensee name, licence, supervisor number, and both expiry dates are current
- Water supply and drainage ticks match the work actually done, with specific descriptions
- Fee, commencement, completion, and reference fields match the payment or booking record where known
- Section 11 declaration and work completed date are honest for this job
- The PDF preview shows matching details across all four pages, including the signature lines

## After download [#after-download]

[NSW plumbing inspection documents guidance](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/plumbers-and-drainers/plumbing-inspection-documents) and [regional inspections guidance](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/plumbers-and-drainers/regional-inspections) set who receives what. Follow the pathway for the site rather than inventing a rule.

- **Keep the licensee's copy with the job record.** Attach the finished PDF to the job so the office is not reconstructing from someone's downloads folder.
- **Give the person who arranged the work their certificate copy.** That may be the owner, builder, or managing agent. Do not assume one party will pass it on.
- **For regional work requiring inspection,** give the local plumbing regulator its notice and certificate copies at the stages that pathway requires, and provide any sewer service diagram as required.
- **For work that does not require inspection,** NSW guidance says a regulator copy may not be required, but the person who arranged the work still needs the Certificate of Compliance.
- **Name the file so the site and form are obvious.** Include address and date so later readers are not matching half-finished PDFs to bank receipts.
- **Keep inspection notes, photos, fee receipts, and any SSD with the same pack.** The certificate alone does not reconstruct the job trail.

Check the current NSW guidance and the regulator for the job for lodgement timing and retention. Tradie Forms does not lodge the form or book an inspection.

> **Warning**
>
> The Notice of Work is generally dealt with before work starts, while the Certificate of Compliance is completed after the work. Confirm exemptions and exact timing with the current NSW guidance and the regulator for the job.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Combined Notice walkthrough](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-combined-notice-certificate-compliance-plumbing-guide)** - Fuller run through the form, pathways, copies, and how NSW uses the notice and certificate.
- **[Record keeping and handover](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/nsw-combined-notice-coc-record-keeping-handover-guide)** - Who gets which copy, what to file with the job, and how to keep the closeout pack complete.

# QLD Form 1 (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/qld/qld-form-1-permit-work)

Form 1 is the permit work application for plumbing, drainage and on-site sewerage work in Queensland. You lodge it with the local government before permit work starts, with the plans and supporting reports that match the scope. The official PDF is used for sections 44(1)(a) and 52(2) of the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019; completion of all applicable sections is mandatory.

This is the current Queensland Form 1. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Amending or extending an existing permit rather than starting a new application? Use [QLD Form 2](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/qld/qld-form-2-amend-permit)

> **Warning**
>
> Tradie Forms prepares the PDF. It does not lodge the application, issue the permit, or confirm that permit work can start.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Most Form 1 delays come from missing attachments or a land description that does not match title. Gather these before you open the form.

- **Title, rates notice or survey plan** - Source for lot and plan, and a check on street address and local government area.
- **Current plan set and fixture schedule** - Source for proposed work, building class, and every fixture count.
- **Soil and site reports where drainage or on-site sewerage applies** - Soil classification report, articulation report for classes H, E and P, and site and soil evaluation for unsewered work.
- **Distributor-retailer or connection approval (if applicable)** - Needed when the water connection, change or disconnection needs that approval.
- **Owner and applicant contact details** - Separate blocks. Confirm who is lodging and who owns the land.
- **Treatment plant paperwork for unsewered jobs** - Brand, model, TPA/CEA or ERA numbers, bedrooms and daily flow from the design documents.

Only the declaration date blocks download. Council still expects every applicable section completed and the right reports attached.

## Description of Land [#description-of-land]

Identifies all land the application covers. The description must identify the land subject to the application, not the job nickname.

- **Street address (Address, Optional)** - The site street address. Address search is limited to Queensland and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. Check the result against the title or rates notice, because search returns the current postal address and a new estate or renamed street can differ from the permit land.
- **Lot and Plan (Text, Optional)** - The legal land description from title documents, a rates notice or the survey plan. On new estates the street address may not exist in any council system yet, so lot and plan is often the only reliable identifier. Fill it whenever those documents carry it.
  
  - **Useful** - Lot 214 on SP 318776
  - **Too vague** - Smith block, new estate
- **Shop / Tenancy Number (Text, Optional)** - Fill on multi-tenancy or fit-out jobs so the application is tied to the unit being worked on.
- **Storey / Level (Text, Optional)** - Fill on anything above one storey for the same reason.
- **Local Government Area (Text, Optional)** - The council area for the land, not the builder's office or billing address. Address search may fill this. Confirm it near a boundary, because the LGA is who assesses and lodges against the application.

## Permit Application [#permit-application]

Records what kind of permit work you are applying for and a short description of the proposed plumbing. The form notes that a person must not carry out permit work without a compliance permit and must comply with any conditions of that permit.

- **Is this application for a new building? (Choice, Optional)** - Yes when the plumbing serves a new building. No when the building already exists. Both can be No only when the work is not building-tied in the usual way; most jobs are one or the other.
- **Is this application for work to an existing building? (Choice, Optional)** - Yes for renovations, fit-outs and replacements in an existing building. Match this to the plans, not to how the job was sold.
- **Has distributor-retailer approval been granted? (if applicable) (Choice, Optional)** - Answer when a water connection, connection change or disconnection needs distributor-retailer approval. The Form 1 PDF notes that some SEQ local governments cannot grant a permit unless that position is satisfied for relevant water infrastructure work. Leave it unanswered only when it does not apply.
- **Is a copy of the connection approval attached? (if applicable) (Choice, Optional)** - Yes only when the approval document is actually in the lodgement pack. Council will look for it if you say it is attached.
- **Sewerage Connection (Choice, Optional)** - Sewered or Unsewered for the premises. This drives whether the wastewater disposal section matters and whether fast-track is even available. Do not tick both.
- **Proposed Plumbing Work Details (Text, Optional)** - A short description specific enough for council to match the form to the plans. Name the work types and the building they serve, not a diary nickname. Update it if the plan set changes before lodgement.
  
  - **Useful** - New sanitary drainage and water service for class 1a dwelling
  - **Too vague** - Plumbing work

## Classification of Buildings and Structures [#building-classification]

Captures the National Construction Code building class and a plain description of the proposed building. Supporting documents can differ by class, so a wrong class can trigger the wrong lodgement pack.

- **Building Class (Choice, Optional)** - Class 1a or 10a, or Class 1b, 2 - 9. Take the class from the building approval or plans when you have them. Tick the option that matches the building, not the trade doing the work.
- **Description of Proposed Building (Text, Optional)** - Purpose of the building in plain language so the assessor can identify it. The form examples include a single dwelling, bakery, distillery or mechanical workshop.
  
  - **Useful** - Single dwelling class 1a renovation
  - **Too vague** - House job

## Application Type [#application-type]

Fast-track eligibility questions for certain new class 1a or 10a buildings. The section only applies when the application is for that kind of new building; other jobs stay on the standard path.

The form shows two boxes. **Box A** is for a new class 1a building. **Box B** is for a new class 10a building covered by a local government fast-track declaration. Local governments may opt out of fast-track or include extra work types, so check the relevant council before relying on timing.

- **Each new building directly and separately connects to the reticulated water supply system and sewerage system (Choice, Optional)** - Box A. Yes only when each new building has its own direct connections. Combined or community sanitary drainage fails this test.
- **This application does not include an on-site treatment facility (Choice, Optional)** - Box A. Yes only when there is no on-site treatment facility in the application. Unsewered treatment plants cannot use this pathway.
- **This work is covered by a local government fast track declaration (Choice, Optional)** - Box B for new class 10a work. Yes only when that council has a current fast-track declaration covering the work. Do not assume the same rule as a neighbouring LGA.

Box A also asks whether a trade waste approval is not needed for the property or building. Answer Yes only when no trade waste approval applies. Commercial kitchens and process waste often need one.

Class 1a and 10a properties or buildings with an on-site sewerage facility, trade waste connection, or combined or community sanitary drainage are excluded from fast-track and must be assessed as a standard application, as must class 2 to 9 buildings.

## Soil Classification [#soil-classification]

Records the site soil class when the work involves sanitary drainage, and whether the required reports are attached. A copy of the soil classification report must be supplied where the work involves sanitary drainage. For classes H, E and P, a copy of the articulation report must also be supplied.

- **Soil Class (Choice, Optional)** - Take the class from the site classification report. Options include No Sanitary Drainage, Class A, Class S, Class M/MD, Class H1/H1-D, Class H2/H2-D, Class E/EE-D and Class P. Do not guess from nearby lots.
- **A copy of the soil classification report is attached (Choice, Optional)** - Yes when the report is in the pack. N/A when there is no sanitary drainage or the report is not required. Yes without the file attached is a common reason council holds the application.
- **A copy of the articulation report is attached (for classes H, E and P) (Choice, Optional)** - Yes for classes H, E and P when that report is attached. N/A for other classes. Match the answer to the soil class you ticked above.

## Fixtures to Be Installed [#fixtures]

Counts the fixtures to be installed under this application. Count from the current plan set and fixture schedule, not from memory or an old quote.

- **Sinks (Number, Optional)** - Number of sinks on the latest drawings.
- **Basins (Number, Optional)** - Number of basins.
- **Urinals (Number, Optional)** - Number of urinals. Use `0` when none are proposed rather than leaving a commercial amenities plan unclear.
- **Baths (Number, Optional)** - Number of baths.
- **W.C.s (Number, Optional)** - Number of water closets.
- **Showers (Number, Optional)** - Number of showers.
- **Laundry Tubs (Number, Optional)** - Number of laundry tubs.
- **Other (Number, Optional)** - Any fixture types that do not fit the list. Note unusual items in Comments if council needs context.
- **Total Number of Fixtures (Number, Optional)** - Sum of the counts above. The form totals the individual fields for you. If a revised drawing changes one fixture, recheck the total before lodgement.

## Water Supply [#water-supply]

Describes the purpose and nature of water service work when the application covers a new connection, alteration or disconnection. Examples of supply detail on the official form include dual reticulation or recycled water.

- **Purpose of the Water Service (Choice, Optional)** - Tick every purpose that applies: Domestic, Industrial, Commercial or Fire. Match the use on the plans, not the broadest label that might fit.

Also tick the nature of the work where it applies: **New**, **Alteration** or **Disconnection**. Those options sit with the same water supply answers on the PDF. Leave the whole section empty only when the application has no water service connection work.

## Disposal of Wastewater in Unsewered Area [#wastewater-disposal]

Completes on-site sewerage or greywater details when the premises are unsewered. A Treatment Plant Approval (TPA) number, Chief Executive Approval (CEA) number, or Environmentally Relevant Activity (ERA) number must be included for any on-site sewerage treatment plant or greywater treatment plant. A copy of the site and soil evaluation report must be attached.

- **Description of Work (Choice, Optional)** - New Facility, Replace Existing Facility, Connect to Existing, or that the treatment plant is for testing purposes. Tick what the design documents actually describe.
- **Brand (Text, Optional)** - Manufacturer name from the plant plate or product approval documents, such as `AquaMax`.
- **Model (Text, Optional)** - Model designation from the same source, such as `ATU-500`.
- **TPA/CEA Number (Text, Optional)** - Treatment Plant Approval or Chief Executive Approval number from the approval documents. A missing number can hold up an unsewered application even when the design is sound.
- **ERA Number (if Applicable) (Text, Optional)** - Environmentally Relevant Activity number when one applies. Leave blank rather than inventing a job reference.
- **Total Bedrooms in All Dwellings Serviced by the Facility (Number, Optional)** - Bedroom count across every dwelling the facility serves, taken from the design or site evaluation.
- **Total Wastewater Flow per Day (Text, Optional)** - Design daily flow in litres per day, such as `1200`. The field carries an L/day unit on the form.

Also select the type of treatment plant where it applies: secondary on-site sewerage treatment plant, greywater treatment plant, greywater diversion device (subsurface, surface or other approved), septic tank or composting toilet. Those options map with the wastewater answers on the PDF.

## Comments [#comments]

Optional context that does not fit cleanly in another section.

- **Comments (Text, Optional)** - Short notes for the local government, such as conversion from septic to a treatment plant, staged work, or a pointer to an attached report. Do not use this field to paper over a blank required answer elsewhere.
  
  - **Useful** - Replace failed treatment plant and reconnect dwelling to new land application area
  - **Too vague** - See plans

## Owner [#owner]

Owner of the land for the application. Can differ from the applicant, builder, tenant or site contact.

- **Owner Name (Text, Optional)** - From the title, contract, rates notice or application paperwork. Use the legal owner name council will recognise.
- **Phone Number (Text, Optional)** - A number council can reach the owner on if they need to confirm authorisation or land details.
- **Postal Address (Text, Optional)** - Postal address for correspondence. It can differ from the site address on multi-property owners or companies.
- **Email Address of Owner (Text, Optional)** - Owner email for application correspondence when council uses email contact.

## Applicant [#applicant]

The person or business lodging the application. The applicant need not be the owner, but is responsible for ensuring the information is correct and that they are authorised to manage the application on the owner's behalf.

- **Company Name in Full (Text, Optional)** - Legal company name as you lodge under, not a trading nickname alone.
- **Contact Person (Text, Optional)** - Named person for council questions. Use someone who can answer about the plans and attachments.
- **Phone Number (Text, Optional)** - Daytime landline or main office number for the applicant.
- **Mobile (Text, Optional)** - Mobile for the contact person when council needs a quick answer on site or during assessment.
- **Email Address of Applicant (Text, Optional)** - The inbox that should receive lodgement receipts and assessment queries.

**Saved detail: Applicant** - save this section to prefill it on your next Form 1 lodgement for this business.

## Declaration [#declaration]

States that the information on the form is a true and accurate record. The local government will rely on the owner and applicant information when assessing the application. Complete every other applicable section first.

- **Signature (Signature, Optional)** - Signature of the person making the declaration, usually the applicant or authorised lodging person. It attests that the form contents are true and accurate. Add it when the land details, scope, attachments and contacts are ready to lodge, not at the start of the draft. A saved signature can be applied when you are ready.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - Declaration date. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are available because this is often filled when the pack is final. The field does not accept a future date.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Describing the land as the job nickname.** - `Smith bathroom reno` tells council nothing. Use lot and plan from title or rates, plus tenancy and level when they apply.
- **Writing Plumbing work in the proposed work field.** - That description cannot be matched to a plan set. Name the work types and the building, such as new sanitary drainage and water service for a class 1a dwelling.
- **Guessing the soil class without the report.** - Wrong class can miss the articulation report for H, E or P and stall assessment. Take the class from the site classification report.
- **Ticking Yes for a report that is not in the pack.** - Saying the soil, articulation or connection approval is attached when it is not is a common hold-up. Attach the file first, then answer Yes.
- **Assuming every house is fast-track.** - Fast-track needs the Box A or Box B answers, and the council may have opted out. Unsewered sites, trade waste and on-site treatment are excluded.
- **Counting fixtures from memory or an old quote.** - Revised drawings change totals. Count from the plan set you are lodging and recheck the total field.
- **Leaving TPA/CEA blank on an unsewered treatment plant.** - The form requires a TPA, CEA or ERA number for on-site sewerage or greywater treatment plants. Take it from the approval documents, not a job number.
- **Signing before the attachments and scope are final.** - The declaration says the information is true and accurate. Sign when the pack matches the form, not when the draft is half filled.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Land description identifies the application land, including lot and plan where known
- Proposed work description matches the current plan set
- Building class and building description match the approval or plans
- Sewered or unsewered is correct, and fast-track answers match the actual site
- Soil class and report attachments match what is in the lodgement pack
- Fixture counts and total come from the latest drawings
- Unsewered plant brand, model and TPA/CEA or ERA numbers are complete when that section applies
- Owner and applicant details are current, signature is ready, and declaration date is set
- The PDF preview matches the plans and reports you will lodge

## After download [#after-download]

Lodge the finished PDF with the local government that covers the land, using the pathway that council accepts. Include the plans, soil or site evaluation reports, connection approvals and any other supporting documents the work and building class require.

- **Name the file with the site address and Form 1.** Something like `Form 1 - 12 Hillcrest Rise Ripley.pdf` is easier to find than a generic download name when council asks for a resubmit.
- **File the application with the plan set and reports.** The PDF alone does not show what was lodged. Keep the pack together so an amendment or Form 2 later uses the same land and scope record.
- **Track lodgement and any council reference.** Note the fee receipt, portal reference or email lodgement confirmation against the job.
- **If the approved scope later changes**, use Form 2 to amend or extend the permit rather than relying on the original Form 1 wording.

[Business Queensland supporting documents guidance](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/permits/supporting-documents) and [permit application timeframes](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/permits/timeframes) vary by work and council. Check the current requirements for your local government before you lodge.

> **Warning**
>
> Preparing Form 1 does not authorise work to start. Permit work needs a compliance permit, and you must comply with its conditions.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Form 1 application walkthrough](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-1-permit-work-application-guide)** - Fuller run through land, proposed work, attachments and pre-lodgement checks.
- **[Form 1, Form 5 and Form 9 handover](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-plumbing-form-1-form-5-form-9-handover-guide)** - How permit, testing and backflow records pass between people after lodgement.
- **[QLD plumbing forms by job stage](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-plumbing-forms-list-permit-inspection-handover)** - Which form belongs at permit, inspection and final stages.
- **[Form 19 final inspection](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/qld/qld-form-19-final-inspection)** - Certificate issued when permit work is complete and fit for use.

# QLD Form 11 (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/qld/qld-form-11-treatment-plant)

Form 11 is the service report for an on-site sewerage or greywater treatment plant. It records the plant status, land application area, service and annual tests where they apply, and the licensed technician who did the work. [The official form](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0023/3749/form11plumbingdrainageregulation2019.pdf) is used for section 106 of the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019, and it must go to the local government and the facility owner within 10 business days after the service.

This is the current Queensland Form 11. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Reporting testing or commissioning of permit plumbing work rather than a treatment plant service visit? Use [QLD Form 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/qld/qld-form-5-testing)

> **Warning**
>
> Tradie Forms prepares the report on the official layout. It does not service the plant, assess the readings, or send the report to council or the owner.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every Form 11 problem comes from reconstructing the visit in the ute after the panels are closed. Have these in front of you.

- **The plant nameplate** - Brand, model, and serial number from the unit itself, not from the job booking.
- **Service and annual test gear** - Whatever the manufacturer procedure and this plant type need on this visit, including sludge and back-pressure equipment when it is an annual service.
- **Access to the land application area** - Irrigation field, trenches, or sprays so you can answer disposal method and area status from observation.
- **Owner contact details** - Name, postal address, phone, and email for the facility owner who must receive a copy, not only the property manager who booked the job.
- **Your licence and company details** - The technician who performed the service, company name, and licence number that will appear on the report.
- **Arrival and departure times** - Capture them on site so minutes on site are accurate without reconstructing the day later.

Sixteen fields gate the download: site address (including LGA), plant type, owner name and postal address, service date, company, technician name and licence, and declaration date.

## Property [#property]

Identifies the land the service report covers. The official form says the description must identify all land the subject of the report, and that lot and plan details are on title documents or a rates notice.

- **Street address (Address, Required)** - The street line for the plant site. Address search is limited to Queensland and fills street, suburb, state and postcode. Check against the rates notice or previous service report: search returns the current postal address, and a property can predate a street renaming. On the PDF these lines compose into one address.
- **Suburb (Address, Required)** - The suburb or locality for the site. Address search usually fills this with the street line. Confirm it when the plant sits near a suburb boundary so the council copy lands in the right place.
- **State (Address, Required)** - Must be Queensland for this form. Address search fills it when you pick a QLD result; do not leave it blank after a partial manual entry.
- **Postcode (Address, Required)** - The postcode that matches the site address. Take it from address search or the rates notice, not from a nearby job on the same road.
- **Lot and Plan (Text, Optional)** - The legal land description. It is on title documents or the rates notice, which is usually the quickest source if the owner is on site. Fill it whenever you have it, especially on rural blocks where the street address alone is weak.
  
  - **Useful** - Lot 8 on RP123456
  - **Too vague** - Rural block near creek
- **Local Government Area (Text, Required)** - The council area that receives the report. Address search can fill this. Confirm it near a boundary, because the LGA determines which local government the 10-business-day submission goes to.
- **Local Government Reference Number (Text, Optional)** - Only when council has already allocated one for this facility or approval. Leave it blank rather than inventing a job number, because a number here reads as the authority's own.

**Saved detail: Property** - save this section to prefill it on your next service at the same plant.

## Treatment Plant [#treatment-plant]

Records which plant you serviced. Match the unit on site, not what the booking system said.

- **Plant Type (Choice, Required)** - **On-site sewerage treatment plant** or **Greywater treatment plant**. Pick from what is installed, not from the job title. A wrong type misfiles the report against the wrong class of facility at council.
- **Treatment Plant Brand (Text, Optional)** - From the nameplate on the unit. Check the plate rather than the invoice brand if they disagree.
- **Treatment Plant Model (Text, Optional)** - From the same nameplate. Brand and model help; they are not enough without the serial number when the owner has more than one unit.
- **Serial Number (Text, Optional)** - The identifier that ties this report to the specific unit. Photograph the nameplate if it is hard to read. Missing serials are the most common reason a later technician cannot match the service history to the plant.

## Plant Status [#plant-status]

Records whether the plant is operating correctly on this visit and whether de-sludge is needed. When the answer is no, the official form asks for a detailed description.

- **Is the treatment plant functioning correctly? (Choice, Optional)** - Answer from what you observed on this service, not from the last visit's report. **Yes** means the plant is operating as expected at the time of service. **No** opens the detailed description field.
- **Detailed Description (Text, Required when the plant is not functioning correctly)** - What you saw, what you did, and the state you left the plant in. Write observations rather than an unconfirmed diagnosis. The PDF maps this into three short lines, so keep it tight and put longer notes with the job photos if needed.
  
  - **Useful** - Aerator motor seized, no rotation on start. Isolated and tagged, replacement quoted. Land application area dry at time of visit.
  - **Too vague** - Not working
- **System de-sludge required? (Choice, Optional)** - **Yes** when sludge levels or the manufacturer procedure mean the system needs de-sludging. This is the flag the owner and council use to track follow-up work, so do not leave it blank when you have already decided.

## Land Application [#land-application]

Records how treated effluent is disposed of and whether the land application area is working. These fields are easy to skip when access is awkward, and they are the ones that explain whether the treated side of the system behaves as expected.

- **Disposal Method (Checkbox, Optional)** - Tick every method in use: **Surface/spray**, **Subsurface**, **Covered surface**, **Trench**, or **Other**. Match what is installed on site, not what the original approval assumed if the system has been altered.
- **Was the irrigation field located? (Choice, Optional)** - **Yes** when you found and checked the field. **No** when you could not locate it, including when access was blocked. Say so rather than leaving the question unanswered for the office to guess.
- **Effluent leaving premises? (Choice, Optional)** - **Yes** when treated or untreated effluent is leaving the property boundary. This is a compliance signal for council, so answer from observation on the day.
- **Is the land application area functioning correctly? (Choice, Optional)** - Separate from plant status. The plant can run while the irrigation field is blocked, ponding, or dry for the wrong reason. **No** opens the detailed description field.
- **Detailed Description (Text, Required when the land application area is not functioning correctly)** - Site language for what you found in the land application area: blocked sprays, ponding, broken laterals, or effluent at the boundary. The PDF has two short lines for this note, so lead with the observation that matters most.

## Service Tests [#service-tests]

Tests to be completed every service where they apply to this system. "If applicable" is real: follow the manufacturer procedure and the plant type, and leave a row alone when that check was not part of this visit. Do not invent a reading to make the section look complete.

Tick the row when you completed that check, then enter the result. On the PDF each completed row shows a performed marker and the value with its unit.

- **pH (Irrigation Chamber) (Checkbox, Optional)** - Tick when you measured irrigation chamber pH on this visit. Enter the reading in **pH (Irrigation Chamber) result** as the pH value, such as `7.2`.
- **pH (Irrigation Chamber) result (Text, Optional)** - pH reading from the irrigation chamber. Units are pH on the PDF.
- **Residual Chlorine (Checkbox, Optional)** - Tick when you measured residual chlorine. Enter the result in ppm, such as `0.8`.
- **Residual Chlorine result (Text, Optional)** - Residual chlorine in ppm.
- **Clarity (Irrigation Chamber) (Checkbox, Optional)** - Tick when you measured irrigation chamber clarity. Enter the result in NTU, such as `12`.
- **Clarity (Irrigation Chamber) result (Text, Optional)** - Clarity in NTU.
- **Temperature (Checkbox, Optional)** - Tick when you measured temperature. Enter the result in °C, such as `24`.
- **Temperature result (Text, Optional)** - Temperature in °C.
- **Air Blower Filter Cleaned or Replaced (Choice, Optional)** - **Cleaned** or **Replaced** when you serviced the air blower filter on this visit. Leave it unset when the filter was not touched.
- **Pump working (Choice, Optional)** - **Yes** or **No** from the check you ran on this visit.
- **Audible alarm working (Choice, Optional)** - **Yes** or **No** after testing the audible alarm.
- **Visual alarm working (Choice, Optional)** - **Yes** or **No** after testing the visual alarm.
- **Chlorine tablets added (Choice, Optional)** - **Yes** when tablets were added on this visit, **No** when you checked and did not add any. Leave unset when the plant has no chlorinator or the check did not apply.

## Annual Tests [#annual-tests]

Annual testing where it applies: primary and secondary tank sludge and air blower back pressure. Complete these on the annual service for systems that need them. Leave every row alone on a routine visit that is not the annual test, rather than typing a number to fill the page.

- **Primary Tank Sludge Test (Checkbox, Optional)** - Tick when you completed the primary tank sludge test on this visit. Enter the depth in **Primary Tank Sludge Test result** in mm, such as `45`.
- **Primary Tank Sludge Test result (Text, Optional)** - Primary tank sludge depth in mm.
- **Secondary Tank Sludge Test (Checkbox, Optional)** - Tick when you completed the secondary tank sludge test. Enter the depth in mm, such as `38`.
- **Secondary Tank Sludge Test result (Text, Optional)** - Secondary tank sludge depth in mm.
- **Air Blower Back Pressure Test (Checkbox, Optional)** - Tick when you completed the air blower back pressure test. Enter the result in kPa, such as `12`.
- **Air Blower Back Pressure Test result (Text, Optional)** - Back pressure in kPa.

## Service Procedure [#service-procedure]

Confirms whether this service followed the manufacturer's operation and maintenance procedures. The form notes that technicians can get those procedures from the manufacturer or supplier.

- **Has the service been completed in accordance with the manufacturer's operation and maintenance recommended procedures? (Choice, Optional)** - **Yes** when the visit followed the manufacturer procedure for this plant. **No** when a step could not be completed (access blocked, part on order, owner declined work). Where the answer is no, make the reason visible in the plant status or land application notes rather than only in a private job memo.

## Owner [#owner]

Owner details for the facility that must receive a copy of the report. Use the facility owner, not only the property manager who booked the job, when those are different people.

- **Owner's Name (Text, Required)** - The facility owner's name as they should appear on the council and owner copies. If a manager booked the service, confirm who the owner of the facility is before you leave.
- **Phone Number (Tel, Optional)** - A number the owner actually answers. Useful when council or the next technician needs to follow up.
- **Postal address (Address, Required)** - Where the owner copy should be addressed. Address search is limited to Queensland and fills the postal line, suburb, state and postcode. On rural plants this is often a PO Box rather than the site street address. On the PDF the parts compose into a single postal address line.
- **Suburb (Address, Required)** - Suburb or locality for the postal address. Confirm it when the owner lives off-site and the site suburb would be wrong for the mail copy.
- **State (Address, Required)** - State for the postal address. Address search fills it for a QLD result; keep it accurate when the owner is posted interstate.
- **Postcode (Address, Required)** - Postcode for the postal address. Match the postal line, not the plant site, when those differ.
- **Email Address (Email, Optional)** - Useful when you send the owner copy digitally. Confirm spelling with the owner on site rather than from an old booking.

**Saved detail: Owner** - save this section to prefill it on your next service for the same facility owner.

## Technician [#technician]

When the service happened and who performed it. Arrival, departure, and minutes on site are optional in the app but expected on the official form when you have them.

- **Date (Date, Required)** - The date the service was carried out. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there because this is usually filled on site or the next morning. The field does not accept a future date.
- **Arrival Time (Time, Optional)** - Time you arrived on site. Capture it while you are there so you are not reconstructing the day later.
- **Departure Time (Time, Optional)** - Time you left site. Used with arrival time to fill minutes on site.
- **Minutes on Site (Numeric, Optional)** - Filled automatically from arrival and departure times. Override only when the auto value is wrong, for example when you left and returned on the same job.
- **Full Name of Company (Text, Required)** - The company name, or your own name if you are not trading as a company. This is what council and the owner see as the service provider.
- **Service Technician Name (Text, Required)** - The licensed person who performed the service. Must match the person who signs the declaration.
- **Licence Number (Text, Required)** - The technician's licence number. Use Licence check against the QBCC register to fill the technician name when the number is known, then confirm the name matches the person on site.

**Saved detail: Technician** - save this section to prefill it on your next treatment plant service.

## Declaration [#declaration]

The official form states: *I hereby state that the information provided in this form is a true and accurate record.* Sign after the status, tests, and technician details are correct for this visit.

- **Signature (Signature, Optional)** - The service technician named above. Sign when the report is true for this visit, not as a blank stamp for later jobs. You can use a saved signature; check the preview so it sits cleanly in the page 2 signature box.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The date you sign the declaration. Often the same calendar day as the service date, but it is a separate field. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are available, and the field does not accept a future date.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Missing the serial number.** - Brand and model help; the serial number is what ties this visit to the specific unit. Photograph the nameplate before you close the panels.
- **Writing a one-word fault note.** - `Not working` tells the owner, council, and the next technician nothing. Record what you observed, what you did, and the state you left the plant in.
- **Skipping the land application area.** - The plant can run while the irrigation field is blocked or effluent is leaving the premises. Walk the disposal area on every service you can access it.
- **Inventing annual test numbers on a routine visit.** - Leave annual rows alone when this is not the annual service. A made-up sludge depth is worse than a blank row.
- **Putting the property manager in Owner's name.** - The facility owner must receive a copy within 10 business days. Confirm who the owner is when a manager booked the job.
- **Signing with a different name to the technician field.** - The declaration is a true and accurate record of the service visit. The person named as service technician is the person who signs.
- **Leaving the report only in the company inbox.** - The finished PDF has to reach local government and the owner. Filing it under the job number without sending either copy is the step most often missed.

## Before download [#before-download]

- The site address and local government area match the property you serviced
- Plant type, brand, model, and serial number come from the unit on site
- Plant and land application status match what you observed, with a clear fault note if either is No
- Service and annual test rows only carry readings you actually took
- Owner name and postal address are for the facility owner who must receive a copy
- Service date, company, technician name, and licence number match the person who signed
- The PDF preview shows the signature and declaration date on page 2

## After download [#after-download]

[The official Form 11](https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0023/3749/form11plumbingdrainageregulation2019.pdf) says the form must be submitted to local government and a copy provided to the owner of the facility within 10 business days after servicing the facility. Both parts matter; the owner copy is the step most often missed.

- **Send both copies on purpose.** Lodge with the local government for the property's LGA, and give the owner their copy by the method they use (email or post). Do not assume the manager who booked the job will pass it on.
- **Name the file so the plant is obvious.** `Form 11 - Mount Tamborine - 2026-06-10.pdf` is easier to find next year than a generic job number.
- **File it under the property, in date order.** Treatment plant work is mostly repeat business. A run of reports shows whether a fault is new or recurring and whether the owner acted on de-sludge or repair recommendations.
- **Keep readings and photos with it.** The PDF is the formal record; the job folder still needs the nameplate photo, test notes, and any quote for follow-up work.

Check the current Business Queensland and local government requirements for your job. Retention and lodgement detail sit with the local government for that facility.

> **Warning**
>
> You remain responsible for the service work and for lodging the finished report. Tradie Forms does not submit Form 11 for you.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Form 11 walkthrough](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-11-treatment-plant-service-report-guide)** - Fuller on-site guidance for the 10-business-day rule, tests, and fault notes.
- **[Form 5 testing report](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/qld/qld-form-5-testing)** - Testing or commissioning of permit plumbing work, not a treatment plant service visit.
- **[QLD plumbing forms list](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-plumbing-forms-list-permit-inspection-handover)** - Where Form 11 sits beside permits, testing, and final inspection.

# QLD PDR Form 12 (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/qld/qld-form-12-specialised-work)

Form 12 is the compliance statement for specialist plumbing or drainage work under section 45(2)(b) of the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019. A suitably qualified person gives it to support a permit application, so the local government can read the specialist scope, basis and references without chasing loose notes. It is not a declaration that completed work has passed an inspection, and it is not the building Form 12 aspect certificate.

This is the current Queensland Form 12. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Need the building aspect inspection certificate rather than this plumbing specialist statement? Use [QLD Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/qld/qld-building-form-12-aspect-inspection)

Declaring that completed work under an action notice is compliant, rather than supporting specialist work on a permit application? Use [QLD Form 14](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/qld/qld-form-14-compliance-declaration)

Certifying final inspection of completed permit work rather than a specialist statement for the application? Use [QLD Form 19](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/qld/qld-form-19-final-inspection)

> **Warning**
>
> Tradie Forms prepares the statement. It does not decide whether a person is suitably qualified, approve the specialist work, or lodge the permit pack.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every Form 12 problem comes from filling it after the permit pack has already closed. Have these open before you type.

- **The current permit application pack** - Land details, specialist drawings, specifications and any amendments the statement will support.
- **Current drawing and report revisions** - Title, revision and issue date checked on each document you will name.
- **Local government correspondence** - Source for the local government reference when one has already been allocated.
- **Standards, codes and publications relied on** - The real technical basis for this specialist work, not a generic paste list.
- **Suitably qualified person details** - Full name, company if preparing for an entity, licence numbers and contact details for the person who will sign.
- **A decision on which declaration option applies** - Occupational plumber or drainer, local-government competent person, QBCC licensee, registered engineer, or other.

Nine fields gate the download: street address, suburb, postcode, local government area, description of work, basis of statement, name in full, suitably qualified person option, and date. Sign after the finished statement matches the pack.

## Property [#property]

Identifies all land the statement covers. This has to match the permit application, not the delivery gate or a previous stage. The form is used for the purposes of section 45(2)(b) of the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019, and completion of all applicable sections is mandatory.

- **Street address (Address, Required)** - The site street line from the current permit material. Address search is limited to Queensland and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. Check the result against the permit pack, because search returns the current postal address and a permit can predate a street renaming or a subdivision. State defaults to `QLD` if you skip it.
- **Suburb (Address, Required)** - The suburb or locality on that same permit material. Do not take it from a supplier docket or a builder's estimate, which often carry a nearby but different site.
- **Postcode (Address, Required)** - The postcode that belongs with the street and suburb above. Confirm it when the job sits near a postcode boundary.
- **Shop / Tenancy Number (Text, Optional)** - Fill this on multi-tenancy or fit-out work so the statement is tied to the unit it covers. Without it, a specialist statement for one tenancy can be read as covering the whole building.
- **Storey / Level (Text, Optional)** - Fill this on anything above one storey, for the same reason.
- **Local Government Area (Text, Required)** - The council area for the land, not the builder's office. Address search may fill this. Confirm it near a boundary, because the LGA is who receives the permit pack and assesses the statement.

On a staged or multi-building site, check the street line, tenancy or level, and LGA against the application land before you move on. The official form also notes that lot and plan details appear on title documents or a rates notice; use those sources when you need to confirm which parcel the application covers.

## Work [#work]

Describes the specialist plumbing or drainage work this statement covers. Council will compare this line to the drawings and the rest of the permit pack.

- **Description of Work (Text, Required)** - Name the system or specialist work and the part of the job covered, in the same language as the current drawings. Project labels such as `shop fit-out` or `plumbing works` push the whole job onto the drawings and leave the statement empty. The PDF has about three lines (roughly 86 characters each); overflow is cut, so keep the scope bounded and put long publication lists in Basis instead.
  
  - **Useful** - Trade waste pre-treatment system to tenancy 4, as shown on hydraulic drawings H12 to H15, Rev B
  - **Too vague** - Shop fit-out

If the installed scope changed on site, describe the work as carried out rather than as first designed. A statement that matches an old plan but not the installation is harder to defend later than one that records the variation.

## Basis [#basis]

Records why the suitably qualified person can give the statement, and which tests, specifications, rules, standards, codes of practice and other publications were relied on.

- **Basis of Statement (Text, Required)** - List the real technical basis for this job: current drawing set, specification, approval documents, and the laws, codes or standards actually used. Include enough title, revision and date detail that an older issue cannot be mistaken for the current one. A short accurate list beats a long generic block of standards nobody used. The PDF has about four lines (roughly 86 characters each); overflow is cut, so prioritise the publications that matter.

Do not reuse a basis block from a previous job without checking every named document against this pack. If you are unsure whether a publication applies, resolve that with the right person before anyone signs.

## References [#references]

Links the statement to the local government file and the supporting documents that carry the suitably qualified person's name and original signature.

- **Local Government Reference (Text, Optional)** - Copy it from current local government correspondence or permit paperwork, not from memory. This matters most when several jobs share a street name, when an application has been amended, or when the office is preparing more than one stage. If no reference has been allocated yet, leave the field blank and keep the statement as a draft rather than inventing a number that later reads as a lodged file reference.
- **Reference Documentation (Text, Optional)** - Plan numbers, engineer sign-off, specifications and other supporting documents the statement relies on. The official form says the name and original signature of the suitably qualified person must be on any relevant documentation, such as numbered structural engineering plans. The PDF has about three lines (roughly 86 characters each); name the documents and revisions clearly enough that the pack can be matched without a phone call.

## Qualified Person [#qualified-person]

Details of the suitably qualified person giving this compliance statement. These belong to the person who will tick the declaration option and sign, not to whoever typed the draft.

- **Name (in Full) (Text, Required)** - Legal name of the person giving the statement. Licence check against the QBCC register can fill this from an occupational or contractor licence number; confirm the result matches the person who will sign.
- **Name of Company (in Full) (Text, Optional)** - Fill when the statement is prepared on behalf of a corporation or other entity. The official form says the entity name must also be on the certified documentation.
- **Occupational Licence Number (Text, Optional)** - Occupational plumber or drainer licence where that applies. Licence check can fill the name field from this number; still confirm the person and licence type against the specialist work.
- **Contractor Licence Number (Text, Optional)** - QBCC contractor licence where that applies. Same check as the occupational number: the licence must belong to the person or entity giving the statement for this work.
- **Phone Number (Text, Optional)** - A current contact number for the person or office that can answer questions about the statement. Saved details often carry an old number after a staff change, so check it.
- **Email Address (Text, Optional)** - A current email for the same reason. Council and the permit applicant both need a working path back to the person who signed.

**Saved detail: Qualified Person** - save this section to prefill it on your next Form 12 for the same suitably qualified person.

Saved details are a starting point only. A changed phone number, company name or licence detail is far easier to correct before the statement is attached to an application.

## Declaration [#declaration]

The person giving the statement confirms that the work will comply with the code requirements if it is carried out in compliance with the permit applied for, and that the information on the form is true and accurate. A local government may determine whether a person is competent to prepare and give this statement.

- **Suitably Qualified Person (Choice, Required)** - Tick the option that describes the person who is signing. The official options are occupational plumber or drainer; a person the local government considers competent for preparing and giving the document; a relevant QBCC licensee; a registered professional engineer for an area of engineering relevant to the work; or other. Do not pick the most convenient label. Confirm the right option for the specialist work and the local government process before anyone signs.
- **Signature (Signature, Optional)** - The suitably qualified person signs after checking the finished statement against the current drawings, basis and references. Use a saved signature if you have one; check the preview so the stamp sits cleanly in the signature box on page one. Sign the final version, not a draft that may still change.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The date the person signs the finished statement. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there because this is often completed on site or the next morning. The field does not accept a future date. Keep the date aligned with the actual sign-off, not with when the draft was first prepared.

The declaration is about the person actually giving the statement. It should not be signed on behalf of someone who has not checked the final record.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Treating Form 12 like a cover sheet.** - A one-line work description with a thin basis is not a statement council can assess. Complete basis and references while the design package is open.
- **Taking the land details from a delivery address.** - Supplier dockets and builder estimates often point at the gate, not the parcel, tenancy or level the application covers. Take address and LGA from the current permit material.
- **Describing the job with a project label.** - `Shop fit-out` or `plumbing works` tells the assessor nothing. Name the specialist system and the part of the job, in the same terms as the drawings.
- **Pasting a generic standards block into Basis.** - Naming publications that were not used is harder to defend than a short accurate list. Check title, revision and date on every document you name.
- **Inventing a local government reference.** - A finished-looking PDF with a guessed reference is worse than an obvious draft. Leave the field blank until correspondence confirms it.
- **Signing for someone who has not checked the statement.** - The declaration options and signature belong to the person giving the statement. The preparer gathers the pack; the suitably qualified person reviews, ticks their option, signs and dates.
- **Dating the draft instead of the sign-off.** - Keep the date with the finished, checked statement. A draft date that predates a drawing revision makes the trail harder to read.

## Before download [#before-download]

- The land description matches the permit application, including tenancy or level where needed
- The work description names the specialist system and part of the job, not a project label
- The basis lists publications and documents actually relied on, with current revisions
- The local government reference is from current correspondence, or left blank if not yet allocated
- Reference documentation matches the attached plans and carries the qualified person's name where required
- Qualified person details and declaration option describe the person who is signing
- The date matches the actual sign-off, and the PDF preview matches the permit pack

## After download [#after-download]

[Business Queensland](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/forms-templates) lists Form 12 among plumbing and drainage forms lodged with local government. Attach the finished PDF and the referenced documentation to the permit application through the process your local government requires.

- **Name the file so the site and specialist scope are obvious.** `Form 12 - 12 Cable St - trade waste TMV.pdf` is easier to find later than a generic site-only name.
- **File it with the drawings and specifications it names.** The statement alone does not show the revision trail. Keep the pack that supports it in the same job folder.
- **Keep correspondence about the application with it.** If the scope changes after the statement is given, the trail shows what was declared and what changed.

Check the current Business Queensland and local government requirements for your job. Lodgement paths and retention expectations sit with the local government assessing the permit.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[When a job needs Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-pdr-form-12-specialist-work-online-guide)** - Whether the permit pack needs a specialist statement and who can sign it.
- **[Preparing Form 12 on site](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-12-specialised-work-on-site-guide)** - Field order, pack checks, and how to hand the finished statement to the signer.
- **[Common Form 12 mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-qld-form-12-specialised-work)** - Thin basis sections, vague scope, stale references and wrong-person sign-off.
- **[PDR Form 12 vs building Form 12](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-pdr-form-12-vs-building-form-12-guide)** - Plumbing specialist statement versus the building aspect inspection certificate.

# QLD Form 14 (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/qld/qld-form-14-compliance-declaration)

Form 14 is the compliance declaration that the completed plumbing or drainage work matches the action notice and the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019. The responsible person fills it and gives it to the local government so the notice can be closed out against the permit file. It is for that declaration pathway under section 79(2)(c), not a remote area completion notice or a final inspection certificate.

This is the current Queensland Form 14 Compliance Declaration. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Certifying eligible remote area permit work so council can accept it without an on-site inspection? Use [QLD Form 6](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/qld/qld-form-6-remote-area-compliance-notice)

Recording a final inspection certificate for completed permit work rather than a compliance declaration? Use [QLD Form 19](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/qld/qld-form-19-final-inspection)

> **Warning**
>
> Tradie Forms prepares the declaration. It does not decide whether the work complies or close the action notice.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every Form 14 problem comes from filling it from memory or a builder email instead of from the permit and the action notice. Have these in front of you.

- **The current permit and any amendments** - The source for the land description, permit number and permit issue date.
- **The action notice** - The reference, issue date, stated work and the period for giving the declaration to the local government.
- **What was actually finished** - A short description of the plumbing or drainage completed, in the same language as the permit and the notice.
- **The real completion date** - The day the declared work was finished on site, not the day you are lodging the declaration.
- **Responsible person details** - Full name, occupational licence, contractor licence if held, phone, email and postal address for the licensed person who performed or supervised the work.
- **Contractor details when different** - Company or individual name, contractor licence and contact details when the responsible person is not the contractor.

Only the declaration date blocks download on an untouched form. Signature, land, permit, action notice, work and people details still need to be complete for a declaration the local government can accept.

## Property [#property]

Identifies all land the declaration covers. The official form is used for section 79(2)(c) of the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019, and the land description must identify all land the subject of the declaration. Lot and plan details (for example SP or RP) are on title documents or a rates notice.

- **Street address (Address, Optional)** - The address on the permit and the action notice. Address search is limited to Queensland and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. Check the result against the permit, because search returns the current postal address and a permit can predate a street renaming or a subdivision. Do not paste a delivery or job-system address without that check.
- **Lot and Plan (Text, Optional)** - The legal land description from the permit, title documents or rates notice. On new estates the street address may not exist in any council system yet, so lot and plan is often the only reliable identifier. Fill it whenever the permit carries it.
  
  - **Useful** - Lot 12 on SP 123456
  - **Too vague** - Lot 12, new estate
- **Postcode (Text, Optional)** - Fills from the street address search. Edit it when you identify the land by lot and plan only and the street postcode is blank or wrong.
- **Shop / Tenancy Number (Text, Optional)** - Fill this on multi-tenancy sites so the declaration ties to the part of the premises the notice covered.
- **Storey / Level (Text, Optional)** - Fill this on anything above one storey, for the same reason.
- **Local Government Area (Text, Optional)** - The council area that receives the declaration. Address search may fill this. Confirm it near a boundary, because the LGA is who the action notice belongs to.

Check the finished property block against the permit and the action notice before you move on.

## Permit [#permit]

Links the declaration to the plumbing permit the work was done under. The form notes that a person must not carry out permit work unless they have a permit for the work (section 66(1) of the Plumbing and Drainage Act 2018).

- **Permit Number (Text, Optional)** - From the current permit document. Do not take it from an invoice, a quote, an old Form 1 or a different stage of the same job, because those often carry a superseded number after an amendment. If you are on site without the permit, the permit holder or the council's plumbing team can confirm it.
- **Date Permit Issued (if Known) (Date, Optional)** - The issue date on that same permit. Fill it when you have it: it is how the local government confirms you declared against the current permit rather than a replaced one. The field cannot be set to a future date.

If the permit was amended during the job, use the number the local government still holds for the work being declared.

## Action Notice [#action-notice]

Records the action notice that requires this declaration. Form 14's declaration wording refers to conformity with the relevant action notice, so this block is the scope of what you are closing out, not a spare reference field.

- **Reference Number (Text, Optional)** - The action notice reference from the notice itself, not from a job note, email subject line or chat photo that paraphrases it. Do not put this number in the permit field because the notice was the last document you opened.
- **Date Issued (if Known) (Date, Optional)** - The issue date on that same notice. Check it against the notice face, not the day you first saw a copy. The field cannot be set to a future date.

Read the notice for the stated work, required action and the period for giving the declaration to the local government before you write the work description. Keep the issued notice with the finished PDF; a reference alone does not tell the story later.

## Work [#work]

Describes the plumbing work that has been performed. The official form says the description must be sufficient to identify the work, for example installation of plumbing and drainage associated with a new domestic dwelling.

- **Description of the Work Performed (Text, Required)** - A brief description of the completed plumbing or drainage in the same terms as the permit and the action notice, not the quote title or stage code alone. Name the systems or installation and, where it helps, the part of the premises. On the PDF the text is split across three lines of about 90 characters each, so keep it short enough to read on the page without crushing the part that identifies the work.
  
  - **Useful** - Install and test sanitary drainage to new ensuite and laundry, connect to existing sewer at boundary shaft
  - **Too vague** - Plumbing works complete

Describe only the work this declaration covers. If scope changed on site, confirm with the responsible person what is complete for the purpose of the notice before you write the line.

## Completion [#completion]

Records when the declared work finished. That date is a different event from the day you sign the declaration.

- **Date the Work Was Completed (Date, Required)** - The date the declared work was actually finished on site, not a booking date, promised handover or invoice day. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there because this is usually filled on site or the next morning. The field cannot be set to a future date.

## Responsible Person [#responsible-person]

The licensed person who performs the work, or supervises its performance. Their name on this block is the person standing behind the declaration.

- **Name (in Full) (Text, Required)** - Legal full name of the responsible person as on their occupational licence, not a trading name or company name. Licence check can fill the name when you look up a QBCC licence number.
- **Occupational Licence Number (Text, Required)** - The plumber or drainer occupational licence number. Licence check against the QBCC register can fill the name; confirm the result matches the person who did or supervised this work.
- **Contractor Licence Number (if Applicable) (Text, Optional)** - Fill when the responsible person also holds a contractor licence for the work. Leave blank when only the occupational licence applies and the contractor sits in the next section.
- **Phone Number (Tel, Optional)** - A number the local government can use if the declaration needs a quick check.
- **Email Address (Email, Optional)** - The contact email for the responsible person or their office on this job.
- **Postal address (Address, Optional)** - Postal address for the responsible person. Address search is limited to Queensland. Check the filled street, suburb, state and postcode against the licence or business records you keep for lodgement.

**Saved detail: Responsible Person** - save this section to prefill it on your next Form 14 for the same licensed person.

Check licence numbers against current QBCC and occupational licence records before you sign.

## Contractor [#contractor]

Complete this section when the responsible person is not the contractor for the work. Leave it blank when the responsible person is also the contractor.

- **Full Name of Company (or Individual if Not a Company) (Text, Optional)** - Company name as on the contractor licence, or the individual's full name when the contractor is not a company. Licence check can fill the name from a QBCC contractor licence number.
- **Contractor Licence Number (Text, Optional)** - The contractor licence for the work. Use Licence check against the QBCC register to confirm the number and fill the company or individual name.
- **Phone Number (Tel, Optional)** - A contact number for the contractor on this job.
- **Email Address (Email, Optional)** - The contractor email used for this permit file.

**Saved detail: Contractor** - save this section to prefill it on your next Form 14 where the same contractor applies.

Do not copy a business contact into both people blocks when the roles differ on this job.

## Declaration [#declaration]

Signs the statement that the work has been completed in conformity with the relevant action notice and the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019, that the information on the form is a true and accurate record, and that the signatory is the responsible person.

- **Signature (Signature, Optional)** - Sign as the responsible person named above, after the property, permit, action notice, work, completion date and people blocks are correct. You can use a saved signature; check the preview so the stamp sits cleanly in the signature box on the single-page PDF. Do not sign for someone else, and do not sign while the declared work is still incomplete.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The date the declaration is made. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there for on-site completion. The field cannot be set to a future date. This is a different event from the completion date when you sign after finishing site work, and it is the field that blocks download when left empty.

Read the declaration wording on the form before you sign. Confirm the land, permit, action notice reference, work description and completion date match the job you are closing out.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Taking the permit number from an invoice or old Form 1.** - Invoices and early job paperwork often carry a number that was later amended. Take the number and issue date from the current permit document.
- **Putting the action notice reference in the permit field.** - Permit and action notice are separate sections. A notice number in the permit field points the declaration at the wrong council record.
- **Describing only part of the land.** - The declaration must identify all land it covers. On units, multi-building sites, shop tenancies or staged work, add lot and plan, tenancy or level from the permit rather than the delivery address alone.
- **Writing a vague work description.** - `Plumbing works complete` does not distinguish this job months later. Name the systems and location in the same terms as the permit and the action notice.
- **Using a booking or invoice day as the completion date.** - The completion date is when the declared work was actually finished on site. The declaration date is when you signed.
- **Copying responsible person and contractor from the last job.** - The roles are separate, and stale licence details are a common rework. Confirm the person, licence numbers and contacts for this work before you sign.
- **Signing before the form is complete.** - A signed declaration with a blank permit, notice or completion field creates rework under pressure. Preview the page, fix mismatches, then sign.

## Before download [#before-download]

- The land description matches the permit and the action notice, including lot and plan where they carry it
- The permit number and issue date come from the current permit, not an invoice
- The action notice reference and date come from the notice itself
- The work description names the completed installation clearly enough for council to recognise it
- The completion date is when the declared work finished on site
- The responsible person is the licensed person who performed or supervised the work
- Contractor details are filled only when the responsible person is not the contractor
- The PDF preview shows the land, permit, notice, work, people and declaration as you intend to give them to the local government

## After download [#after-download]

Give the finished PDF to the local government as the action notice requires, within any period the notice states. Keep a copy with the notice, the permit and the supporting job records rather than leaving it in downloads.

- **Name the file with the site and notice or permit.** `Form 14 - 12 Cable St - AN-2024-00182.pdf` is easier to find than a generic download name when council asks for a re-send.
- **File it with the permit, the action notice and any amendments.** The declaration alone does not show what was required. The set is what answers a question later.
- **Keep the lodgement record.** Note how and when you gave the declaration, and keep any receipt, email or portal reference with the job folder.
- **Keep testing and inspection trail with it.** Form 14 does not replace Form 5, Form 9, site notes or photos that belong to the same job.

Check the current Business Queensland and local government requirements for your job. Retention and lodgement detail sit with the authority.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Form 14 on-site walkthrough](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-14-compliance-declaration-on-site-guide)** - Field by field from the permit and action notice through to who signs.
- **[Common Form 14 mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-qld-form-14-compliance-declaration)** - Wrong permit numbers, thin land descriptions and stale licence details that cause rework.
- **[Form 14 record keeping](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-14-compliance-declaration-record-keeping)** - What to keep with the declaration, how to name the file and where copies get lost.

# QLD Form 19 (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/qld/qld-form-19-final-inspection)

Form 19 certifies that permit work is compliant, operational and fit for use. It can cover all work under a permit, or one distinct completed part of it. [Business Queensland says](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/inspection-certificates) the local government or public sector entity issues the certificate, not the plumber, so this is paperwork you prepare on the authority's behalf rather than a completion note of your own.

This is the current Queensland Form 19. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Certifying final inspection of building work rather than plumbing and drainage? Use [QLD Form 21](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/building/qld/qld-building-form-21-final-inspection)

> **Warning**
>
> Do not present a prepared draft as an issued certificate. The issuing local government or public sector entity controls whether and when Form 19 is issued.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every Form 19 problem comes from filling it out from the job file instead of from the permit. Have these in front of you.

- **The authority's decision to issue** - You are preparing this on their behalf, not issuing it yourself.
- **The current permit and any amendments** - The source for the land description and the permit details.
- **The authority's inspection record** - The source for every certification date and the issuing entity name.
- **A decision on scope** - All work under the permit, or one distinct completed part.

Five fields gate the download: street address, permit number, inspection date, issued by, and date issued.

## Property [#property]

Identifies the land the certificate covers. This has to match the permit, not the job. The form is used for the purposes of section 81 of the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019, and the land description must identify all land the certificate covers.

- **Street Address (Address, Required)** - The address on the permit. Address search is limited to Queensland and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. Check the result against the permit, because search returns the current postal address and a permit can predate a street renaming or a subdivision.
- **Lot and Plan (Text, Optional)** - The legal land description. It is on the permit, the title documents, or the property's rates notice, which is usually the quickest source if the owner is on site. On new estates the street address may not exist in any council system yet, so lot and plan is the only reliable identifier. Fill it whenever the permit carries it.
  
  - **Useful** - Lot 14 on SP 285301
  - **Too vague** - Lot 14, new estate
- **Local Government Area (Text, Optional)** - The council area. Address search may fill this. Confirm it near a boundary, because the LGA determines which authority the certificate belongs to.
- **Shop / Tenancy Number (Text, Optional)** - Fill this on multi-tenancy sites. Without it, a part-work certificate cannot be tied to the part it covers.
- **Storey / Level (Text, Optional)** - Fill this on anything above one storey, for the same reason.

## Permit Details [#permitDetails]

Links the certificate to the permit the work was done under.

- **Permit Number (Text, Required)** - From the current permit document. Do not take it from an invoice, a quote or an old job record, because those often carry a superseded number after an amendment. If you are on site without the permit, the permit holder or the council's plumbing team can confirm it.
- **Date Issued (Date, Optional)** - The date on that same permit. Fill it in: it is how the authority confirms you certified against the current permit rather than a replaced one.

If the permit was amended during the job, confirm which permit record the authority used for the inspection. Certifying against a superseded permit is the most common reason a Form 19 gets sent back.

## Declaration [#declaration]

Sets the scope of what is being certified. This is the section that carries the most risk on the form.

- **Certificate Scope (Choice, Optional)** - **Starts on all work under the permit**, so leaving this alone certifies the whole permit. Switch it to part of the work whenever any permitted work remains outstanding, even if the remaining item is minor. Nothing stops the download either way, which is why this is the easiest field on the form to get wrong.
- **Description of Work Covered by the Certificate (Text, Required when you select part of the work)** - Describes the completed part. Name the townhouse, stage, floor, tenancy or system clearly enough that an owner understands what is covered without opening the permit file. Include the work types, not just the location.
  
  - **Useful** - Townhouse 3 sanitary drainage, water service and fixtures
  - **Too vague** - Stage 1

A whole-permit certificate issued for part-complete work is the costliest mistake on this form. It tells the owner, and any future buyer, that everything under the permit is done.

The form also notes that a local government or public entity may, in certain circumstances, accept verification from the responsible person that work it did not inspect complies with the relevant standards. Whether that applies is the authority's decision, not yours. Ask them before assuming uninspected work is covered.

### When the job is not ready [#when-the-job-is-not-ready]

Final inspection requests tend to arrive on the day the builder wants to hand over, with the owner moving in and one or two small items outstanding. Small outstanding items are still outstanding.

Name precisely what is incomplete, agree a re-inspection, and say so on the day rather than in paperwork a week later. A builder can usually work around a short delay while there is still time to fix the item; what they cannot work around is finding out after the handover is booked. If the item is genuinely trivial and does not affect what is being certified, that is a judgement call for whoever signs. The test worth applying is whether you would be comfortable explaining the decision to someone reading the certificate in two years, without you there to add context.

## Certification [#certification]

Records who certified the work and when. All four values come from the authority, not from your own job dates.

- **Date the Inspection Was Carried Out (Date, Required)** - The date the authority's inspection actually happened. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there because this is usually filled on site or the next morning. No date field on this form accepts a future date, so a certificate cannot be prepared ahead of the inspection.
- **Date Issued (Date, Required)** - The date the certificate is issued. A different event from the inspection, often days later. Two identical dates here are usually a copy error rather than a same-day issue.
- **Issued By (Text, Required)** - The local government or public sector entity name, written as the entity rather than the individual officer. Use `Brisbane City Council`, not the inspector's name.
- **Certificate Number (Text, Optional)** - Only when the authority allocated one. Leave it blank rather than inventing a job reference, because a number here reads as the authority's own.

**Saved detail: Issuing Authority** - save this section to prefill it on your next certificate for the same council.

This section carries the form's own certification wording: that the authority has decided to issue a final inspection certificate, and that the work is compliant, operational and fit for use.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Taking the permit number from an invoice.** - Invoices are raised early and often carry a permit number that was later amended. Take it from the current permit document.
- **Certifying all work when a fixture is outstanding.** - If anything under the permit is incomplete, it is a part-work certificate. The convenience of a single certificate is not worth misrepresenting completion.
- **Describing part-work by stage number alone.** - `Stage 1` means nothing to an owner or a future buyer reading the certificate without the permit file. Name the location and the work types.
- **Using the inspection date for both dates.** - The inspection and the issue are separate events, usually days apart on the authority's record.
- **Putting the inspector's name in Issued by.** - The certificate is issued by the entity. Individual officers move on; the entity is what the record needs to show.
- **Leaving site without the authority's inspection record.** - It is the source for four of the five required fields, and it is not something you can reconstruct from memory. Photograph it before you go.
- **Picking whichever date looks most likely.** - When the inspection note, the permit record and your draft do not line up, do not choose between them. Find the source record, clarify it with the issuing authority or job lead, and save the answer with the file. A quiet correction now beats an explanation after copies have gone out.

## Before download [#before-download]

- The land description matches the permit, including lot and plan
- The permit number and issue date come from the current permit, not an invoice
- Exactly one scope option is selected, and it matches what is actually complete
- Part-work scope names the location and the work types
- The inspection date and issue date are different events, taken from the authority's record
- Issued by names the entity, not an officer
- The PDF preview says exactly what the issuing authority intends to certify

## After download [#after-download]

[Business Queensland guidance](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/inspection-certificates) says copies are issued to the permit holder and the owner. Send it to both rather than assuming one will pass it on.

- **Name the file so the scope is obvious.** A part-work certificate saved as `Form 19 - 42 Bank St.pdf` will eventually be read as whole-permit completion. Use `Form 19 - 42 Bank St - TH3 part work.pdf`.
- **File it with the permit and any amendments.** The certificate alone does not show what was permitted. The set is what answers a question two years later.
- **Keep the inspection trail with it.** A final certificate does not replace the records made during the job. Keep the inspection booking, site notes, any Form 3 or Form 5, and authority correspondence in the same job folder so the certificate meets a clean trail rather than a reconstruction.
- **Track what is still outstanding.** After a part certificate, note the remaining work against the job so the final Form 19 is not missed at handover.

Check the current Business Queensland requirements for your job. Retention and lodgement expectations sit with the issuing authority.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Form 19 walkthrough](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-19-final-inspection-certificate-guide)** - A fuller run through the certificate and how authorities use it.
- **[Common Form 19 mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-qld-form-19-final-inspection)** - Scope, permit and date errors that cause a certificate to be reissued.
- **[Record keeping and handover](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-19-final-inspection-record-keeping-handover)** - What to keep, who to give it to, and how to file part-work certificates.

# QLD Form 2 (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/qld/qld-form-2-amend-permit)

Form 2 is the application to amend an existing Queensland plumbing or drainage permit, including an extension of time. You prepare it for lodgement with the local government; the council decides whether the amendment or extension is approved. [Business Queensland says](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/permits/amending-extending) an amended permit must be approved and issued before the extra work starts, and that extension requests must be lodged at least 10 business days before the permit ends.

This is the current Queensland Form 2. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Applying for a new permit rather than changing an existing one? Use [QLD Form 1](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/qld/qld-form-1-permit-work)

> **Warning**
>
> Tradie Forms prepares the application PDF. It does not amend or extend the permit, lodge the application, or approve the change.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Form 2 fails when the office invents the change from memory. Have these in hand before you open it.

- **The current permit and any earlier amendments** - Source for the land description, permit number, issue date, and what is already approved.
- **A decision on what you are asking for** - Extension only, amendment only, or both, and which fixture or treatment plant details change.
- **The permit end date** - Needed before you request more time. Business Queensland expects the extension application at least 10 business days before the term ends.
- **Supporting documents for the change** - Updated plans, fixture schedules, SEQ service-provider consent where it applies, and the local government fee details.
- **Treatment plant papers when disposal is changing** - Brand, model, TPA or CEA number, ERA number if used, bedroom and flow figures, and the site and soil evaluation report.
- **Owner and applicant contacts** - Correct owner details and the person authorised to lodge on their behalf.

Only the declaration date is required to download. The official form still expects every applicable section completed before lodgement, and an empty property or permit block will not survive council review.

## Property [#property]

Identifies all land the application covers. The description has to match the current permit, not a job nickname or a builder's shorthand.

The form notice says completion of all applicable sections is mandatory and incomplete forms may be returned.

- **Street Address (Address, Optional)** - The street address on the permit. Address search is limited to Queensland and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. Check the result against the permit, because search returns the current postal address and a permit can predate a street renaming or a subdivision.
- **Lot and Plan (Textarea, Optional)** - The legal land description from the permit, title documents, or the rates notice. On new estates the street address may not exist in any council system yet, so lot and plan is the reliable identifier. Fill it whenever the permit carries it.
  
  - **Useful** - Lot 12 on SP 123456
  - **Too vague** - new estate lot
- **Shop / Tenancy Number (Text, Optional)** - Fill this on multi-tenancy sites so the amendment is tied to the unit the work covers.
- **Storey / Level (Text, Optional)** - Fill this on anything above one storey when the change is level-specific.
- **Local Government Area (Text, Optional)** - The council area that holds the permit. Address search may fill this. Confirm it near a boundary, because that LGA is who receives the application.

## Permit Details [#permitDetails]

Links the application to the existing permit being extended or amended.

- **Permit Number (Text, Optional)** - From the current permit document. Do not take it from an invoice, a quote or an old job record, because those often carry a superseded number after an earlier amendment. If you are on site without the permit, the permit holder or the council's plumbing team can confirm it.
- **Date Permit Issued (Date, Optional)** - The issue date on that same permit. Fill it when you know it: it helps the authority match the request to the correct permit record rather than a replaced one. The field does not accept a future date.

If the permit has already been amended, use the current permit number and issue date, not the original Form 1 values.

## Extension of Time [#extensionOfTime]

Records whether you are asking for more time to finish work already permitted. [Business Queensland says](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/permits/amending-extending) a permit is valid for 2 years unless a longer period is stated, that you can apply to extend by up to 2 years, and that you need to apply at least 10 business days before the term ends.

- **Is an application for an extension of time? (Choice, Optional)** - Select **Yes** when you need more term. Select **No** when this Form 2 is only an amendment. Leaving it blank is fine for download, but a lodgement without a clear Yes or No on the sections that apply will be sent back.
- **Period of Extension Requested (Text, Required when you select Yes for an extension of time)** - How long you are asking for, such as `12 months` or `2 years`. Under PDR section 43(2)(a), an extension is limited to no more than 2 years. Confirm the remaining term and the council's practice before you pick a period that overshoots.
- **Brief Reason for the Extension (Textarea, Required when you select Yes for an extension of time)** - Why the work cannot finish inside the current term. Name the real delay so a council officer who has never been to site can assess it. Vague one-word reasons read as incomplete.

A slipping job still has to hit the 10 business day mark. Check permit end dates as an office routine rather than waiting for site to raise it.

## Permit Amendment [#permitAmendment]

Records whether you are changing the approved scope, and what that change is. Business Queensland says the amended permit must be approved and issued before the additional work starts.

- **Is this a request to amend an existing approval? (Choice, Optional)** - Select **Yes** when the approved work plan, fixtures, systems or conditions need to change. Select **No** when this Form 2 is only an extension of time.
- **Details of the Proposed Amendment (Textarea, Required when you select Yes for a permit amendment)** - What was approved, what is now proposed, and where on the property it applies. Say whether drawings or fixture schedules change, and whether wastewater disposal is affected. Do not paste a vague site email into the box and hope the assessor reconstructs the job.

Long amendment text sits in a fixed box on page one of the PDF. Check the preview so the description still reads in full.

## Fixtures [#fixtures]

Records an updated fixture count when the installation changes after approval. The official form asks for the new counts when the number of fixtures is changing.

- **Are the number of fixtures changing? (Choice, Optional)** - Select **Yes** when sinks, basins, urinals, baths, W\.C.s, showers, laundry tubs or other fixtures differ from the approved permit. Select **No** when the fixture schedule is unchanged. The count fields only appear when the answer is **Yes**.
- **Sinks (Numeric, Required when you select Yes that fixtures are changing)** - Updated count for sinks. Take it from the current drawings or site instructions compared to the approved permit, not from memory of the original application.
- **Basins (Numeric, Required when you select Yes that fixtures are changing)** - Updated basin count for the amended layout.
- **Urinals (Numeric, Required when you select Yes that fixtures are changing)** - Updated urinal count. Enter `0` when that fixture type is not part of the amended work.
- **Baths (Numeric, Required when you select Yes that fixtures are changing)** - Updated bath count for the amended layout.
- **W.C.s (Numeric, Required when you select Yes that fixtures are changing)** - Updated water closet count.
- **Showers (Numeric, Required when you select Yes that fixtures are changing)** - Updated shower count.
- **Laundry Tubs (Numeric, Required when you select Yes that fixtures are changing)** - Updated laundry tub count.
- **Other (Numeric, Required when you select Yes that fixtures are changing)** - Any fixtures that do not fit the named categories. Keep the schedule or drawing note that explains what is counted here.
- **Total Number of Fixtures (Numeric, Required when you select Yes that fixtures are changing)** - Sum of the fixture counts above. The form totals the named counts automatically when you fill them; confirm the total still matches the drawings before download.

If a fixture type is not changing, leave that path alone rather than inventing numbers for an unchanged installation. Only open this section when the approved count is wrong for the work now proposed.

## Wastewater Disposal [#wastewaterDisposal]

Covers a change to a treatment plant or related on-site disposal in an unsewered area. The official form requires a TPA, CEA or ERA number for on-site sewerage or greywater treatment plant work.

- **Does the application involve a change to a treatment plant? (Choice, Optional)** - Select **Yes** when brand, model, approval reference, capacity or land application details change. Select **No** when wastewater disposal is untouched. The detail fields only appear when the answer is **Yes**.
- **Type of Treatment Plant (Choice, Required when you select Yes for a treatment plant change)** - Tick the plant type that applies: secondary on-site sewerage treatment plant, greywater treatment plant, or greywater diversion device. Match the approval documents, not a site nickname.
- **Brand (Text, Required when you select Yes for a treatment plant change)** - From the manufacturer's plate or the current approval documents, such as `AquaMax`.
- **Model (Text, Required when you select Yes for a treatment plant change)** - The model string from the same documents, such as `ATU-500`.
- **TPA / CEA Number (Text, Required when you select Yes for a treatment plant change)** - Treatment plant approval or chief executive approval number from the current approval papers, not a photo of an old label on another job.
- **ERA Number (Text, Required when you select Yes for a treatment plant change)** - Environmentally relevant activity number when one applies. Leave it empty only when the plant paperwork has no ERA reference and the council does not expect one.
- **Total Bedrooms Serviced by the Facility (Numeric, Required when you select Yes for a treatment plant change)** - Bedroom count for every dwelling the facility serves, taken from the design or site and soil evaluation, not a round guess.
- **Total Wastewater Flow per Day (Text, Required when you select Yes for a treatment plant change)** - Daily flow in litres, entered as a number such as `1200`. The field shows an L/day suffix.
- **A Copy of the Site and Soil Evaluation Report Is Attached (Checkbox, Required when you select Yes for a treatment plant change)** - Tick when the report is included with the lodgement pack. The PDF only records the tick; the actual report is a separate attachment the council expects with the application.
- **Comments (Textarea, Required when you select Yes for a treatment plant change)** - Use for substitution notes and anything the assessor needs beyond brand and model, such as keeping the approved land application area footprint.

Brand, model and approval numbers continue onto page two of the PDF with bedrooms, flow, the soil-report tick and comments. Check the preview so none of those values are cut off.

## Owner [#owner]

Property owner contact details the local government will use when assessing the application.

- **Owner Name (Text, Optional)** - The owner's name as the permit and title records show it. For multi-owner lots, use the name the council already has on the permit file.
- **Phone Number (Tel, Optional)** - A number the council can reach the owner on about this application.
- **Postal Address (Address, Optional)** - Where notices about the application should go. Address search is limited to Queensland. Confirm suburb, state and postcode after search.
- **Email Address (Email, Optional)** - The owner's email for application correspondence.

**Saved detail: Owner** - save this section to prefill it on your next Form 2 for the same owner.

## Applicant [#applicant]

The person lodging the application. They need not be the owner, but they are responsible for the information and for being authorised to manage the application on the owner's behalf.

- **Applicant Name (Text, Optional)** - The person lodging, often the plumber, builder or agent. Match the name that will sign the declaration.
- **Phone Number (Tel, Optional)** - A number the council can reach the applicant on while the application is open.
- **Company Name in Full (Text, Optional)** - Full company name when the applicant is lodging for a business, such as `River City Plumbing Pty Ltd`.
- **Email Address (Email, Optional)** - The applicant email for lodgement follow-up.

**Saved detail: Applicant** - save this section to prefill it on your next Form 2 you lodge for this business.

Check saved owner and applicant details against this job before download. Stale contacts are easy to carry from one permit file to the next.

## Declaration [#declaration]

Closes the application. The local government relies on the owner and applicant information when assessing it. The form states that the information provided is a true and accurate record.

- **Signature (Signature, Optional)** - Sign when the property, permit, extension or amendment details, and parties are correct for this application. You can use a saved signature; check the preview so the stamp sits cleanly in the signature box on page two of the PDF.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The date of the declaration. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there because this is often finished on the day of lodgement. The field does not accept a future date.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Using Form 2 when the job needs a new permit.** - Form 2 only changes or extends an existing permit. Fresh permit work is Form 1. Starting the wrong form wastes the lodgement cycle.
- **Taking the permit number from an invoice.** - Invoices are raised early and often carry a number that was later amended. Take it from the current permit document.
- **Applying for an extension inside the last few days of the term.** - Business Queensland expects at least 10 business days before the permit ends. A late request can leave the job without cover while the council processes it.
- **Asking for more than two years of extension.** - The approved form and PDR section 43(2)(a) limit an extension to no more than 2 years. Pick a period the regulation allows.
- **Writing a one-word extension reason.** - `Delayed` means nothing to an assessor six months later. Name the construction stage, access issue or owner change that held the work up.
- **Starting the amended work before the council issues the amended permit.** - Business Queensland says the amended permit must be approved and issued first. Small scope changes still sit ahead of their approval if site keeps moving.
- **Describing the amendment with a vague email paste.** - The assessor has not been to site. State what was approved, what is proposed, and where it applies, and attach the drawings the change depends on.
- **Rebuilding treatment plant details from a phone photo.** - Brand, model, TPA or CEA, and ERA numbers have to match current approval documents. A wrong reference delays the application and can block the substituted plant.

## Before download [#before-download]

- The land description matches the current permit, including lot and plan where it is known
- The permit number and issue date come from the current permit, not an invoice
- Extension and amendment Yes or No answers match what you are actually asking for
- Extension period is no more than 2 years, with a clear reason and enough lead time before the term ends
- Amendment details name the change clearly enough for an assessor who has not been to site
- Fixture counts and treatment plant details match the drawings and approval papers when those sections apply
- Owner and applicant contacts are current for this job
- The PDF preview shows the declaration date, signature and any long amendment or wastewater text without cut-off

## After download [#after-download]

[Business Queensland guidance](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/permits/amending-extending) says you need any required documents, written consent from the South East Queensland service provider when the application relates to SEQ water or sewerage work and local government is not the water service provider, and the local government application fee.

- **Lodge through the current local government process.** Form 2 is an application, not an approval. Keep the lodgement receipt with the job file.
- **Include the supporting pack.** Updated plans, fixture schedules, treatment plant approvals, the site and soil evaluation report when wastewater changes, SEQ consent where it applies, and the fee.
- **Name the file so the request is obvious.** Use something like `Form 2 - 12 Cable St - extension 12 months.pdf` rather than the address alone, so an amendment and an extension on the same site do not get mixed later.
- **File it with the original permit and any earlier amendments.** The application alone does not show what was already approved.
- **Do not start the extra work until the amended permit is issued.** Track the council decision against the job so site does not run ahead of the approval.

Check the current local government and Business Queensland requirements for your job. Lodgement method, fees and supporting documents sit with the authority that holds the permit.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Form 2 walkthrough](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-2-amend-permit-extension-time-guide)** - A fuller run through extension timing, amendment wording, fixtures and wastewater details.
- **[Form 1 permit work](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/qld/qld-form-1-permit-work)** - New permit applications when Form 2 is the wrong path.
- **[Form 19 final inspection](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/qld/qld-form-19-final-inspection)** - The completion certificate path once the permitted work is finished.

# QLD Form 3 (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/qld/qld-form-3-covered-work-declaration)

Form 3 is the covered work declaration for plumbing and drainage when work was covered before inspection, or when an agreed inspection did not start in time and the local government allows this pathway instead. [Business Queensland describes](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/inspection-certificates) Form 3 as the declaration to use when local government has allowed the form to certify that covered work is compliant. You end up with the official PDF for lodgement with the local government for that permit.

This is the current Queensland Form 3. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Closing out completed permit work with a final inspection certificate rather than declaring covered work? Use [QLD Form 19](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/qld/qld-form-19-final-inspection)

An action notice that asks for a compliance declaration on specified work, not a covered work declaration? Use [QLD Form 14](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/qld/qld-form-14-compliance-declaration)

Recording testing or commissioning results rather than covered work? Use [QLD Form 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/qld/qld-form-5-testing)

> **Warning**
>
> Form 3 only applies where the local government has allowed or required the covered work declaration pathway. It does not authorise work to be covered, and Tradie Forms does not decide that the declaration can replace an inspection.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every Form 3 problem comes from reconstructing the declaration after the trench is backfilled. Have these in front of you while the covered work is still clear.

- **Confirmation the pathway applies** - Local government must allow Form 3 for this job, either via an action notice or the delayed-inspection route.
- **The current permit** - Source for the land description, permit number, and permit issue date.
- **The action notice, if one was issued** - Reference number and issue date under section 66(2)(a). Leave it out if none applies.
- **What stage was covered and where** - Stage tick boxes plus a location description you can match to the site later.
- **Inspection request and agreed time** - The agreed inspection date and time, and the date the work was actually covered.
- **Responsible person and contractor details** - Licence numbers and contacts for the person who performs or supervises the work, and the contractor if different.
- **Photos and as-constructed notes before cover-up** - Supporting record for the declaration, filed with the finished PDF rather than typed into the form.

Only the declaration date blocks download on an untouched form. Everything else still has to be complete and accurate before you give the PDF to the local government.

## Property [#property]

Identifies the land the covered work sits on. The official form says the description must identify all land the subject of the application, and that lot and plan details are shown on title documents or a rates notice.

- **Street Address (Address, Optional)** - The address on the permit. Address search is limited to Queensland and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. Check the result against the permit, because search returns the current postal address and a permit can predate a street renaming or a subdivision.
- **Lot and Plan (Text, Optional)** - The legal land description from the permit, title, or rates notice. On new estates the street address may not exist in any council system yet, so lot and plan is often the only reliable identifier. The PDF has two lines for this field.
  
  - **Useful** - Lot 12 on SP 123456
  - **Too vague** - Lot 12, new estate
- **Shop / Tenancy Number (Text, Optional)** - Fill this on multi-tenancy sites so the declaration is tied to the tenancy that was covered, not the whole complex.
- **Storey / Level (Text, Optional)** - Fill this on anything above one storey for the same reason.
- **Local Government Area (Text, Optional)** - The council area. Address search may fill this. Confirm it near a boundary, because the LGA is the authority the declaration goes to.

Check the property details match the permit and the work location.

## Permit [#permit-details]

Links the declaration to the compliance permit for the work. The form notes that a person must not carry out permit work without a permit and without complying with its conditions.

- **Permit Number (Text, Optional)** - From the current permit document. Do not take it from an invoice, a quote, or an old job record, because those often carry a superseded number after an amendment. If you are on site without the permit, the permit holder or the council's plumbing team can confirm it.
- **Date Permit Issued (if Known) (Date, Optional)** - The issue date on that same permit. Fill it when you have it: it helps the authority confirm you declared against the current permit rather than a replaced one. No future dates.

If the permit was amended during the job, use the number the local government still holds for the work being declared.

## Action Notice [#action-notice-details]

Complete this section only when an action notice has been issued under section 66(2)(a) of the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019. That is one of the two pathways the official form is written for. The other pathway is section 67(2): an inspection was requested, it did not start within the required period, and the local government has allowed the declaration instead.

- **Reference Number (Text, Optional)** - The action notice reference from the notice itself, not from a job note or email subject line that paraphrases it. Leave blank when no action notice applies.
- **Date Notice Issued (if Known) (Date, Optional)** - The issue date on that notice. Leave blank with the reference when no notice applies. No future dates.

> **Warning**
>
> Do not invent an action notice to make the form look complete. If the delayed-inspection pathway applies and no notice was issued, leave both fields empty and keep the inspection request record with the job file instead.

## Stage of Work [#stage-of-work]

Identifies the stage of work covered and the subject of the inspection request. Covered work is hard to check later because the physical work is no longer visible, so stage and location have to stand alone on the record.

- **Stage of Work (Choice, Optional)** - Tick every stage that matches the work that was covered. The options are water supply under slab or in another area, water supply below ground external, water supply in a building, sanitary drainage under slab, sanitary drainage below ground external, sanitary plumbing in a building, treatment plant installation, on-site sewage facility component, and other. Do not tick a broad option because it is close; choose the stage that actually matches the covered work.
- **Work Description and Location (Text, Optional)** - A brief description of the work and its specific location. The official form gives a commercial example using grid references. On a house job, name the run, the side of the dwelling, the trench, the fixture group, the unit, or the plan reference. The PDF has four lines for this field; keep the wording short enough to fit without cutting off the part that identifies the location.
  
  - **Useful** - Sanitary drainage from ensuite group to inspection opening on north side of dwelling
  - **Too vague** - Drainage under slab

Check the selected stages and description match what was covered on site, not what is still open elsewhere on the permit.

## Inspection [#inspection-arrangements]

Records the agreed inspection arrangements and when the work was covered. These dates explain why the declaration exists and how the inspection pathway played out.

- **Agreed Inspection Date (Date, Optional)** - The date agreed with the local government for the inspection, from the inspection request or council confirmation, not a guess from the site diary. Today is available as a shortcut when you are filling the form on the agreed day.
- **Agreed Inspection Time (Time, Optional)** - The agreed time on that same request or confirmation, such as `09:30`. Record what was agreed, even if the inspector did not attend.
- **Date the Work Was Covered (Date, Optional)** - The date the work was actually covered on site. Often a different day from the agreed inspection. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there because this is usually filled on the day of cover-up or the next morning. No future dates.

Check the inspection date and time match what was agreed with the local government, and that the covered date is the real cover-up date rather than the declaration date.

## Responsible Person [#responsible-person]

Details for the licensed person who performs the work or supervises its performance. The official form puts that person at the centre of the declaration.

- **Name (in Full) (Text, Optional)** - Legal name of the responsible person as on their occupational licence, not a trading name or company name. Licence check can fill the name when you look up a QBCC licence number.
- **Occupational Licence Number (Text, Optional)** - The occupational licence for the work being declared, such as a plumber or drainer licence. Use Licence check against the QBCC register to confirm the number and fill the name. Check it is current before download.
- **Contractor Licence Number (if Applicable) (Text, Optional)** - Fill when the responsible person also holds a contractor licence for the work. Leave blank when they only hold an occupational licence and the contractor sits in the next section.
- **Phone Number (Tel, Optional)** - A number the local government can use about this declaration, usually a mobile that is answered on site days.
- **Email Address (Email, Optional)** - The email used for permit and inspection correspondence on this job.
- **Postal Address (Address, Optional)** - Postal address for the responsible person. Address search is limited to Queensland. Confirm the result if the licence record carries a different postal address.

**Saved detail: Responsible Person** - save this section to prefill it on your next covered work declaration.

Check licence numbers and contact details are current before you sign.

## Contractor [#contractor]

Complete this section when the responsible person is not the contractor for the work. Leave it blank when the responsible person is also the contractor.

- **Full Name of Company (or Individual if Not a Company) (Text, Optional)** - Company name as on the contractor licence, or the individual's full name when the contractor is not a company. Licence check can fill the name from a QBCC contractor licence number.
- **Contractor Licence Number (Text, Optional)** - The contractor licence for the work. Use Licence check against the QBCC register to confirm the number and fill the company or individual name.
- **Phone Number (Tel, Optional)** - A contact number for the contractor on this job.
- **Email Address (Email, Optional)** - The contractor email used for this permit file.

**Saved detail: Contractor** - save this section to prefill it on your next covered work declaration.

Do not squeeze contractor details into the responsible person fields when they are different people or entities.

## Declaration [#declaration]

The responsible person signs that the work has been completed in conformity with the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019, that the information on the form is true and accurate, and that they are the responsible person.

- **Signature (Signature, Optional)** - Sign as the responsible person named above, after the property, permit, stage, inspection, and licence details are correct. You can use a saved signature; check the preview so the stamp sits cleanly in the signature box on page 2 of the PDF. Do not sign for someone else, and do not sign before the stage and covered date are right.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The date the declaration is made. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there for on-site completion. No future dates. This is the field that blocks download when left empty.

Before signing, confirm the form covers only work you performed or supervised, the stage and location match what was covered, the inspection arrangements are accurate, any action notice reference is correct, and the licence details are current.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Using Form 3 without local government allowing the pathway.** - Covered work alone is not enough. Confirm the action notice or the delayed-inspection route before treating the job as a declaration job.
- **Inventing an action notice reference.** - Section 3 is only for notices under section 66(2)(a). If the delayed-inspection pathway applies and no notice was issued, leave both notice fields blank and keep the inspection request with the file.
- **Ticking a stage that is only close to the covered work.** - Under slab is not the same as below ground external. Tick the stage that matches what was covered, and use the description for location, not as a substitute for the wrong stage.
- **Describing the work as drainage or water pipe only.** - Once it is backfilled, a vague line is all the record says. Name the run and both ends of it, or the tenancy, floor, or plan reference.
- **Guessing the date the work was covered.** - The covered date is part of why the declaration exists. Take it from the site note or photo timestamp from the day of cover-up, not from the declaration date.
- **Putting the contractor into the responsible person fields.** - If the responsible person is not the contractor, use the contractor section. Mixing the two parties makes the declaration hard to read against the licences on file.
- **Taking the permit number from an invoice.** - Invoices are raised early and often carry a number that was later amended. Take it from the current permit document.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Local government has allowed or required Form 3 for this job
- The land description and permit number match the current permit
- Action notice fields are filled only when a section 66(2)(a) notice applies
- Stage ticks and the work description match the covered work and location
- Agreed inspection date and time match the request, and the covered date is the real cover-up day
- Responsible person licence details are current, and contractor details are filled only when different
- The PDF preview shows the signature, stages, and location description without cut-off

## After download [#after-download]

Give the finished PDF to the local government through the process they require for that permit. [Business Queensland guidance](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/inspection-certificates) treats a covered work declaration as an alternative pathway where the local government has allowed it, not as a general completion certificate.

- **File it with the permit and the inspection trail.** Keep the inspection request, any action notice, photos before cover-up, as-constructed sketch or plan reference, and council correspondence in the same job folder.
- **Name the file so the stage is obvious.** `Form 3 - 12 Cable St - sanitary drainage north.pdf` is clearer later than the address alone.
- **Note why the declaration was used.** A short job note that names the action notice or the delayed inspection saves a reconstruction when the file is reviewed years later.

Check the current Business Queensland and local government requirements for your job. Lodgement and retention sit with the local government for the permit.

> **Warning**
>
> Tradie Forms prepares the PDF. It does not authorise work to be covered or decide that Form 3 can replace an inspection.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Form 3 covered work guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-3-covered-work-declaration-guide)** - A fuller run through when Form 3 applies and what to record before cover-up.
- **[Form 5 testing report](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-5-testing-commissioning-report-guide)** - When the job needs a testing or commissioning report instead of a covered work declaration.
- **[Form 19 final inspection](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-19-final-inspection-certificate-guide)** - The final certificate pathway for completed permit work issued by the authority.

# QLD Form 5 (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/qld/qld-form-5-testing)

Form 5 records that plumbing or drainage work, or the relevant part of it, has been tested or commissioned. The competent person who carried out the testing prepares and signs it, then gives it to the responsible person so it can reach the local government. It is used for section 77(2) of the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019, and the official form says completion of all applicable sections is mandatory.

This is the current Queensland Form 5. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Recording inspection or testing of a testable backflow device rather than general plumbing testing or commissioning? Use [QLD Form 9](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/qld/qld-form-9-backflow)

Certifying that permit work is complete and fit for use rather than reporting testing? Use [QLD Form 19](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/qld/qld-form-19-final-inspection)

> **Warning**
>
> Tradie Forms prepares the report on the official layout. It does not carry out the test, decide compliance, or send the report to the responsible person or council.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every Form 5 problem comes from filling it after the test sheets have left site. Have these in front of you.

- **The test or commissioning records** - The source for every installation date, including which types were actually tested.
- **The current permit and any amendments** - The source for the land description and the permit number.
- **Any action notice that applies** - Reference number and date when the testing relates to an action notice, otherwise leave that section blank.
- **Who holds each party role** - Responsible person, contractor if different, and the competent person who did the testing.
- **Licence and contact details for those people** - Occupational and contractor licence numbers, phone, email, and postal address for the responsible person.
- **A decision on handover timing** - The competent person must give the signed report to the responsible person within 5 business days after testing finishes.

Nothing on an untouched Form 5 blocks download in the app. The official form still expects every applicable section filled before the report moves up the chain, so treat blank rows as deliberate, not unfinished.

## Description of Land [#description-of-land]

Identifies the land where the testing or commissioning was carried out. The official form says the description must identify all land the application covers, and that lot and plan details (for example SP or RP) are on title documents or a rates notice. Match the permit, not the job nickname.

- **Street address (Address, Optional)** - The site address on the permit or action notice. Address search is limited to Queensland and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. Check the result against the permit, because search returns the current postal address and a permit can predate a street renaming or a subdivision. Do not use the customer's job name (`Bakery fit-off`) as the land description.
- **Lot and Plan (Text, Optional)** - The legal land description. It is on the permit, the title documents, or the property's rates notice, which is usually the quickest source if the owner is on site. On new estates the street address may not exist in any council system yet, so lot and plan is the only reliable identifier. Fill it whenever the permit carries it.
  
  - **Useful** - Lot 12 on SP 123456
  - **Too vague** - Lot 12, new estate
- **Shop / Tenancy Number (Text, Optional)** - Fill this on multi-tenancy sites so the report can be tied to the unit that was tested.
- **Storey / Level (Text, Optional)** - Fill this on anything above one storey, for the same reason.
- **Local Government Area (Text, Optional)** - The council area the report will be given to. Address search may fill this. Confirm it near a boundary, because the LGA determines which local government receives the report.

## Permit [#permit-details]

Links the report to the permit the tested work was done under. Where the work is permit work, this is how the local government matches the testing result to the approval.

- **Permit Number (Text, Optional)** - From the current permit document. Do not take it from an invoice, a quote, a text thread or an old job record, because those often carry a superseded number after an amendment. If you are on site without the permit, the permit holder or the council's plumbing team can confirm it.
- **Date Permit Issued (if Known) (Date, Optional)** - The date on that same permit. Fill it when you have it: it is how the authority confirms you tested against the current permit rather than a replaced one. The field does not accept a future date.

If the permit was amended during the job, confirm which permit record the tested work sits under before you date the testing rows.

## Action Notice (if Applicable) [#action-notice-details]

Complete this section only when an action notice applies to the work being reported.

- **Reference Number (Text, Optional)** - The reference on the action notice from the local government or relevant authority. Leave it blank when no action notice applies. Do not invent a number or drop in an unrelated job reference.
- **Date Issued (if Known) (Date, Optional)** - The date on that same notice when you have it. Leave it blank with the reference when the section does not apply.

Leave both fields empty because the notice does not apply, not because nobody checked. A blank section that should have been filled is one of the fastest ways a report comes back.

## Testing [#testing-details]

Records the date each relevant installation type was tested or commissioned. This is the core of the form. The layout notes that testing and commissioning is done in accordance with the relevant part of AS/NZS 3500, and that you should leave any non-relevant rows blank.

Enter a date only against the installation types that were actually tested or commissioned. Different types are often tested at different stages of the job. Copying one date across every line makes the report look complete when a section was never tested that day.

- **Water Plumbing Installation (Date, Optional)** - The date the water plumbing installation was tested or commissioned. Use your test sheet or commissioning record, not the job start date. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are available because this is usually filled on site or the next morning. No testing date accepts a future date.
- **Hot Water Service (Date, Optional)** - The date the hot water service was tested or commissioned. Keep this separate from water plumbing when they happened on different days.
- **Hot Water <50°C (Date, Optional)** - The date delivery temperature below 50°C was verified, such as tempering or thermostatic mixing valve commissioning. Leave it blank when that check was not part of this report.
- **Sanitary Plumbing (e.g. Stackwork, Elevated Pipework) (Date, Optional)** - The date sanitary plumbing such as stackwork or elevated pipework was tested. Name only this row when that is what was tested; do not use it as a catch-all for drainage.
- **Sanitary Drainage (Date, Optional)** - The date sanitary drainage was tested. Keep it separate from sanitary plumbing and floor waste gully branches when those were tested on other days.
- **Floor Waste Gully Branches (Date, Optional)** - The date floor waste gully branches were tested. Leave blank when they were not part of the testing covered by this report.
- **Reticulated Water Static Pressure Tested <500kPa (Other Than Fire Service) (Date, Optional)** - The date static pressure on the reticulated water service was tested below 500 kPa, other than a fire service. Leave blank when that test was not done for this report.
- **Other (Insert Details) (Text, Optional)** - Free text for testing or commissioning that does not fit the listed installation types. Name what was done and keep the date in the relevant row above when one applies, or describe the work and date clearly here when it does not.
  
  - **Useful** - Commissioned rainwater changeover device and verified mains backup on 10 Jun 2024
  - **Too vague** - Other testing complete

On the finished PDF each dated row maps to its own field on page 1. Blank rows stay blank rather than printing a placeholder date, which is why an empty row must mean "not tested under this report", not "I will fill this later".

## Responsible Person [#responsible-person]

The responsible person is the licensed person who performs or supervises the performance of the work. This is not automatically the person who ran the test.

- **Name (in Full) (Text, Optional)** - Full legal name of the responsible person for the work. On a small job this may be the same person as the competent person; on a larger job it often is not. Check the role before pasting a saved contact.
- **Occupational Licence Number (Text, Optional)** - The occupational plumbing or drainage licence for that person. Licence check against the QBCC register can fill the name from the licence number. Confirm the name still matches the person on the job.
- **Contractor Licence Number (if Applicable) (Text, Optional)** - The contractor licence when the responsible person also holds one for the work. Leave blank when it does not apply, rather than repeating a number from another party.
- **Phone Number (Text, Optional)** - A number the local government or responsible person's office can use if the report needs clarifying.
- **Email Address (Text, Optional)** - The working email for that person or their office, not a generic inbox nobody monitors.
- **Postal address (Address, Optional)** - Postal address for the responsible person. Address search is limited to Queensland. Use a PO Box when that is the address on their licence or business record.

**Saved detail: Responsible Person** - save this section to prefill it on your next Form 5 for the same responsible person.

## Contractor Licence [#contractor-licence]

Complete this section when the responsible person is not the contractor for the work. The official form says the contractor's details must be provided in that case.

- **Full Name of Company (or Individual if Not a Company) (Text, Optional)** - The contractor company name, or the individual contractor when there is no company. Use the name on the contractor licence, not a trading nickname.
- **Contractor Licence (Text, Optional)** - The contractor licence number. Licence check against the QBCC register can fill the name from the number. Confirm it matches the contractor on the job, not a previous subbie.
- **Phone Number (Text, Optional)** - Contractor contact number for follow-up on the report.
- **Email Address (Text, Optional)** - Contractor email for the same reason.

**Saved detail: Contractor Licence** - save this section to prefill it on your next Form 5 where the same contractor applies.

Leave the whole section blank when the responsible person is the contractor, unless your process still records both. Do not paste the responsible person into this block to fill space.

## Competent Person [#competent-person]

The competent person is who carried out the testing or commissioning. For this form that means a person who holds a licence authorising the testing or commissioning, or whom the local government considers competent to carry it out. This is the person who signs the declaration.

- **Name (in Full) (Text, Optional)** - The person who actually completed the testing or commissioning, not the office contact who will file the PDF. When you did the test, put your own name here even if you are also the responsible person.
- **Occupational Licence Number (if Applicable) (Text, Optional)** - Occupational licence when the competent person holds one. Licence check can fill the name from the number. Leave blank only when the local government is treating the person as competent without that licence for this work.
- **Contractor Licence Number (if Applicable) (Text, Optional)** - Contractor licence when it applies to the competent person. Leave blank when it does not.
- **Phone Number (Text, Optional)** - Direct contact for the tester if the report is queried.
- **Email Address (Text, Optional)** - Working email for the competent person or their office.

**Saved detail: Competent Person** - save this section to prefill it on your next Form 5 you prepare as the tester.

On a small job the responsible person and competent person can be the same licensed plumber, and the details will repeat. That is fine. Still fill both blocks so anyone reading the report can see who performed or supervised the work and who did the testing.

## Declaration [#declaration]

The declaration is the competent person putting their name to the test result. The form wording states that the work has been completed in conformity with the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019, that the information on the form is a true and accurate record, and that the signer is a competent person.

Sign only after land, permit, testing dates, and party details are checked. Signing first and finishing the fields later is how blank rows and wrong dates leave site.

- **Signature (Signature, Optional)** - Signature of the competent person who carried out the testing or commissioning. Use a saved signature when it is yours. On the finished PDF the signature lands on page 2 with the declaration text.
- **Date (Date, Optional)** - The date of the declaration, usually the day you sign after the testing is finished. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are available. The field does not accept a future date. Fill it before you hand the report on, even though an empty date does not block download.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Copying one test date across every installation row.** - Different installation types are often tested at different stages. Work from the test record so each dated row is true, and leave rows blank when that type was not tested under this report.
- **Swapping the responsible person and the competent person.** - One role performs or supervises the work; the other carried out the testing and signs. Read the section descriptions before pasting a saved contact into both blocks.
- **Skipping the contractor block on subcontracted work.** - When the responsible person is not the contractor, the official form requires the contractor's details. Leaving them out forces the office or council to chase them later.
- **Taking the permit number from an invoice or text thread.** - Early paperwork often carries a number that was later amended. Take the permit number from the current permit document.
- **Identifying the site by the job nickname only.** - `Bakery fit-off` means nothing when council or a later reader has to match the report to a permit. Use the street address and lot and plan from the permit.
- **Leaving action notice fields half-filled when none applies.** - If there is no action notice, leave the whole section blank. A stray reference that belongs to another job is worse than an empty section.
- **Signing before the testing rows and party blocks are finished.** - The declaration says the information is true and accurate. Finish the report, check it, then sign and date.

## Before download [#before-download]

- The land description matches the permit, including lot and plan where the permit carries it
- The permit number comes from the current permit, not an invoice
- Action notice fields are either fully from the notice or completely blank
- Each testing date matches the test record for that installation type only
- Non-relevant testing rows are blank on purpose
- Responsible person, contractor (if different), and competent person are the right roles, not the same contact pasted three times by habit
- The competent person has signed and dated the declaration
- The PDF preview shows the dates, people and land details you intend to hand on

## After download [#after-download]

The regulation sets a reporting chain. The competent person must give the testing or commissioning report to the responsible person within 5 business days after the testing or commissioning is finished. Where the responsible person receives it, they must give it to the local government within the timeframe the regulation sets (resources for this form treat that as 10 business days from when testing finished, unless the local government agrees to longer). Both clocks run from when testing finished, not from when the PDF was downloaded.

- **Give the finished PDF to the responsible person inside the first window.** Do not leave it on your phone for the office to discover later.
- **Name the file so the site and test date are obvious.** `Form 5 - 12 Cable St - 10 Jun 2024.pdf` is easier to find than `Form5-final.pdf`.
- **Keep your own copy with the underlying test sheets.** A query weeks later needs the report you signed and the readings behind it, not a reconstruction.
- **If you hold both roles,** both duties still apply: get the report complete, then get it to the local government on time.

Check the current Business Queensland requirements and your local government's process for the permit or action notice. Tradie Forms does not lodge the report for you.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Form 5 on-site walkthrough](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-5-testing-commissioning-report-guide)** - Party roles, test dates, and the five-business-day handover chain.
- **[Form 5 records and handover](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-5-testing-report-records-handover)** - Who prepares the report, the two clocks, and what to keep with the job.
- **[Form 1, Form 5 and Form 9 handovers](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-plumbing-form-1-form-5-form-9-handover-guide)** - How permit, testing and backflow paperwork pass between people and deadlines.
- **[Form 3 covered work](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/qld/qld-form-3-covered-work-declaration)** - When the next paperwork is a covered work declaration rather than testing.

# QLD Form 6 (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/qld/qld-form-6-remote-area-compliance-notice)

Form 6 records that eligible remote area plumbing or drainage work under a permit is complete, compliant, operational and fit for use. The responsible person gives it to the local government so the council can accept the work and issue a final inspection certificate without an on-site inspection. [Business Queensland explains](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/changes-local-government) remote area declarations; give the finished notice within 10 business days after the plumbing or drainage becomes operational and fit for use.

This is the current Queensland Form 6 Remote area compliance notice. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Responding to an action notice with a compliance declaration rather than certifying remote area permit work? Use [QLD Form 14](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/qld/qld-form-14-compliance-declaration)

> **Warning**
>
> Only use this notice when the local government has declared the area remote and the work is eligible under that declaration. Confirm the current declaration before you fill the form.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every Form 6 problem comes from filling it after you leave site, or from using it outside a declared remote area. Have these in front of you.

- **The remote area declaration** - Confirm the premises sit in an area the local government has currently declared remote, and that the work is covered.
- **The current permit and any amendments** - The source for the land description, permit number and issue date.
- **Title, rates or permit land details** - Street address plus lot and plan when the permit or rates notice carries them.
- **What was actually finished** - A short description of the plumbing or drainage performed, in the same language as the permit.
- **When it became operational** - The date the work was completed and the plumbing or drainage became operational and fit for use. That date starts the 10 business day clock.
- **Responsible person details** - Full name, occupational licence, contractor licence if held, phone, email and postal address for the licensed person who performed or supervised the work.
- **Qualified person details when used** - If someone is preparing the notice on behalf of a corporation or other entity, that person's name, company, licences and contact details.

Download is gated by the declaration qualification and date. The signature, land, permit, work and people details still need to be complete for a notice the local government can accept.

## Property [#property]

Identifies all land the notice covers. It has to match the permit and the premises where the remote area work was done. The form is used for the purposes of section 72(2) of the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019, and the land description must identify all land the notice covers.

- **Street Address (Address, Optional)** - The address on the permit. Address search is limited to Queensland and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. Check the result against the permit, because search returns the current postal address and a permit can predate a street renaming or a subdivision. Remote jobs often sit on rural roads that need a careful match.
- **Lot and Plan (Text, Optional)** - The legal land description from the permit, title documents or rates notice. On remote or new estates the street address may be weak or missing, so lot and plan is often the identifier council can match. The PDF has two lines; keep the usual `Lot 8 on SP 234567` form rather than a long narrative.
  
  - **Useful** - Lot 8 on SP 234567
  - **Too vague** - Big block off Station Road
- **Shop / Tenancy Number (Text, Optional)** - Fill this on multi-tenancy sites so the notice ties to the part of the premises the work covered.
- **Storey / Level (Text, Optional)** - Fill this on anything above one storey, for the same reason.
- **Local Government Area (Text, Optional)** - The council area. Address search may fill this. Confirm it near a boundary, because the LGA is who receives the notice and who declared the remote area.

## Permit [#permit]

Links the notice to the compliance permit the remote area work was done under. A person must not carry out permit work unless they have a permit for the work.

- **Permit Number (Text, Optional)** - From the current permit document. Do not take it from an invoice, a quote or an old job record, because those often carry a superseded number after an amendment. If you are on site without the permit, the permit holder or the council's plumbing team can confirm it.
- **Date Permit Issued (if Known) (Date, Optional)** - The date on that same permit. Fill it when you have it: it is how the local government confirms you certified against the current permit rather than a replaced one. The field cannot be set to a future date.

If the permit was amended during the job, confirm which permit record the work was completed under before you lodge.

## Work [#work]

Describes the plumbing and drainage that has been performed. This is what tells council what the notice is certifying.

- **Description of the Work Performed (Text, Optional)** - A brief description sufficient to identify the work, not the quote title or stage code alone. Name the systems or installation, and the premises when that helps council match the permit. The PDF has three lines; keep it short enough to read on the page without overflowing into an unreadable crush.
  
  - **Useful** - Installation of plumbing and drainage associated with a new domestic dwelling
  - **Too vague** - Stage 1

## Completion [#completion]

Records when the plumbing or drainage work finished. That date frames the 10 business day window for giving the notice.

- **Date the Work Was Completed (Date, Optional)** - The date the work was actually finished and the plumbing or drainage became operational and fit for use, not the day you are lodging the notice. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there because this is usually filled on site or the next morning. The field cannot be set to a future date.

## Responsible Person [#responsible-person]

The licensed person who performs the work, or supervises its performance. Their name on this block is the person standing behind the installation.

- **Name (in Full) (Text, Optional)** - Legal full name of the responsible person, as on their occupational licence.
- **Occupational Licence Number (Text, Optional)** - The plumber or drainer occupational licence number. Licence check against the QBCC register can fill the name; confirm the result matches the person who did or supervised the work.
- **Contractor Licence Number (if Applicable) (Text, Optional)** - Fill when the responsible person holds a contractor licence for the work. Leave blank when only the occupational licence applies.
- **Phone Number (Tel, Optional)** - A number council can use if the notice needs a quick check.
- **Email Address (Email, Optional)** - The contact email for the responsible person or their office.
- **Postal Address (Address, Optional)** - Postal address for the responsible person. Address search is limited to Queensland. Check the filled street, suburb, state and postcode against the licence or business records you keep for lodgement.

**Saved detail: Responsible Person** - save this section to prefill it on your next Form 6 for the same licensed person.

## Qualified Person [#qualified-person]

Complete this section when the notice is prepared on behalf of a corporation or other entity. If you are signing only as the responsible person, leave it blank. The form may be signed by either the responsible person or the suitably qualified person.

- **Name (in Full) (Text, Optional)** - Full name of the person preparing the notice for the entity.
- **Name of Company (in Full) (Text, Optional)** - The corporation or entity name. The official form notes that when the notice is prepared on behalf of a corporation or other entity, the entity name must also be on the certified documentation.
- **Occupational Licence Number (if Applicable) (Text, Optional)** - Fill when the qualified person holds a relevant occupational licence. Licence check can fill the name from the QBCC register; confirm it.
- **Contractor Licence Number (if Applicable) (Text, Optional)** - Fill when a contractor licence applies to the person preparing the notice.
- **Phone Number (Tel, Optional)** - Contact phone for the qualified person or the entity office.
- **Email Address (Email, Optional)** - Contact email for follow-up on the notice.

**Saved detail: Qualified Person** - save this section to prefill it on your next Form 6 when the same person prepares the notice for an entity.

## Declaration [#declaration]

Signs the statement that the work complies with the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019, is operational and fit for use, and that the information on the form is true and accurate. Either the responsible person or the suitably qualified person may sign.

- **Suitably Qualified Person (Choice, Required)** - Tick the single option that matches the signatory under the form's definition: occupational plumber or drainer; a person the local government considers competent to prepare and give the document; a relevant QBCC licensee; a registered professional engineer for an area of engineering relevant to the work; or other. Pick the role that is true for the person signing, not the most convenient label.
- **Signature (Signature, Optional)** - The responsible person or suitably qualified person named on the notice. Sign when the land, permit, work, completion date and people blocks are correct, not as a blank stamp for later jobs. You can use a saved signature; check the preview so the stamp sits cleanly in the signature box on page two of the PDF.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The date the declaration is made. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are available. The field cannot be set to a future date. This is a different event from the completion date when you sign after finishing site work.

The declaration qualification, signature and date need to be complete before you download the finished notice.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Using Form 6 outside a declared remote area.** - The notice only applies where the local government has declared the area remote and the work is eligible. Outside that, council expects the usual inspection path, not this form.
- **Starting the 10 business day clock from the paperwork day.** - The window runs from when the plumbing or drainage became operational and fit for use, not from when you next sit down to fill the form. Miss that trigger and the notice is late before it is written.
- **Taking the permit number from an invoice.** - Invoices are raised early and often carry a number that was later amended. Take it from the current permit document.
- **Describing the work by stage or quote title alone.** - `Stage 1` means nothing to council matching the notice to the permit. Name the installation the same way the permit does.
- **Putting the wrong person in the responsible person block.** - The responsible person is the licensed person who performed, directed or supervised the work. If a qualified person prepared the notice for an entity, both sets of details belong on the form.
- **Leaving lot and plan blank on a remote rural address.** - Street address alone is often weak on remote jobs. Lot and plan from the permit or rates notice is what lets council match the premises.
- **Signing before the work is operational and fit for use.** - The declaration states the work is complete, compliant and fit for use. Signing while fixtures, drains or services are still incomplete turns the notice into a false completion record.

## Before download [#before-download]

- The premises are in a current local government remote area declaration and the work is eligible
- The land description matches the permit, including lot and plan where the permit carries it
- The permit number and issue date come from the current permit, not an invoice
- The work description names the installation clearly enough for council to recognise it
- The completion date is when the work became operational and fit for use
- The responsible person is the licensed person who performed or supervised the work
- Suitably Qualified Person, signature and declaration date are complete and match the signatory
- The PDF preview shows the land, permit, work, people and declaration as you intend to give them to council

## After download [#after-download]

Give the finished notice to the local government within 10 business days after the plumbing or drainage became operational and fit for use. [Business Queensland's remote area guidance](https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/plumbing-drainage/changes-local-government) is the place to confirm how declarations and notices work for your council; lodgement method varies by local government.

- **Name the file with the site and permit.** `Form 6 - 45 Outback Station Rd - P-2024-99102.pdf` is easier to find than a generic download name when council asks for a re-send.
- **File it with the permit and any amendments.** The notice alone does not show what was permitted. The set is what answers a question later.
- **Keep the lodgement record.** Note how and when you gave the notice, and keep any receipt or email with the job folder.
- **Track council's decision.** After accepting the notice, the local government issues the final inspection certificate for the work. That certificate is the formal close-out, the same outcome a physical inspection would have led to on a non-remote job.

Check the current Business Queensland and local government requirements for your job. Retention and lodgement detail sit with the authority.

> **Warning**
>
> Tradie Forms prepares the notice. It does not decide whether the area or work is eligible, accept the notice or issue the final inspection certificate.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Form 6 walkthrough](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-6-remote-area-compliance-notice-guide)** - Who signs, the 10 business day deadline, and what council does after you lodge.
- **[Form 19 final inspection](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/qld/qld-form-19-final-inspection)** - The certificate the local government issues once remote area work is accepted.
- **[Form 14 compliance declaration](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/qld/qld-form-14-compliance-declaration)** - The declaration used when an action notice requires compliance, not remote area completion.

# QLD Form 9 (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/qld/qld-form-9-backflow)

Form 9 is the approved report for registration and inspection or testing of testable backflow prevention devices, registered air gaps and registered break tanks. It is used for sections 102(2) and 103(3) of the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019. The authorised tester finishes the report, then gives copies to the relevant local government and the owner of the premises within 10 business days after inspecting or testing the device.

This is the current Queensland Form 9. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Reporting general plumbing testing or commissioning rather than a testable backflow device? Use [QLD Form 5](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/qld/qld-form-5-testing)

> **Warning**
>
> Tradie Forms prepares the PDF on the official layout. It does not decide whether a device passes, and it does not lodge the report with council or the owner for you.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Have these in front of you while the test kit is still connected. Reconstructing readings after you leave is how most Form 9 rework starts.

- **The device plate and site register** - Make, model, size, serial number and any owner asset tag for the main device and bypass where one is fitted.
- **The test kit certificate or sticker** - Serial number and last verification date for the kit used on this test.
- **The readings as the test is run** - Mains pressure, time of test, valve and relief readings, and isolation results before the gauges come off.
- **Protection, device type and test type** - Containment, zone or individual; the AS/NZS 2845.3 appendix that matches the device; and whether this is installation, standard, commissioning or decommissioning.
- **Owner or occupier contact for the premises** - Who receives the owner copy, and how they want it delivered, before you leave site.
- **Your licence and contractor details** - Occupational licence for the authorised tester, contractor licence where it applies, and contractor company details when you are not the contractor for the work.

Two fields gate download: the declaration acknowledgement and the declaration date. Everything else is optional in the app, but the official form says completion of all applicable sections is mandatory.

## Description of Land [#description-of-land]

Identifies the premises where the device is installed. The official form says the description must identify all land the application covers. Match the property the device protects, not a job nickname.

- **Street address (Address, Optional)** - Physical address of the premises. Address search is limited to Queensland and fills street, suburb, state and postcode. State starts as **QLD**. Check against the rates notice or previous Form 9, because search returns the current postal address and a device can predate a renaming or subdivision.
- **Shop / Tenancy Number (Text, Optional)** - Fill on multi-tenancy sites so the report ties to the correct unit or shop.
- **Storey / Level (Text, Optional)** - Fill when the building has more than one level and the device could sit on more than one of them.
- **Local Government Area (Text, Optional)** - The council that receives the local government copy. Address search may fill this. Confirm it near a boundary, on new estates, and whenever the invoice suburb sits in a different council from the premises.

## Owner/Occupier Contact [#owner-occupier]

Records who receives correspondence and the owner copy. Owner, occupier, site manager and accounts contact can all be different people.

- **Owner/Occupier Name (Text, Optional)** - Prefer the legal owner of the premises when you know them, such as a body corporate name, rather than only the site manager who met you at the gate.
- **Postal address (Address, Optional)** - Where written correspondence for this report should go. Address search is limited to Queensland. State starts as **QLD**. A PO Box is fine when that is the address the owner uses for compliance mail.
- **Contact Phone Number (Tel, Optional)** - The best number for follow-up on this report, not a disconnected site phone.
- **Email Address (if Known) (Email, Optional)** - Add it when known. Prefer an inbox the owner or body corporate actually monitors for the owner copy.

## Test Criteria [#test-criteria]

Records what was tested and why. Tick the options that match the installation and this visit, using the device plate, asset record and the AS/NZS 2845.3 appendix you tested under.

- **Type of protection (CheckboxGroup, Optional)** - **Containment**, **Zone** or **Individual**. Match the protection level of the installation, not a default from last year's PDF for a different device on the same site.
- **Type of device (CheckboxGroup, Optional)** - One of the listed types with its appendix, for example reduced-pressure zone (Appendix E), double check valve (Appendix F), pressure-type vacuum-breaker (Appendix C), or registered air gaps and registered break tanks (Appendix A). The selection decides which later sections carry real readings rather than blanks.
- **Type of test (CheckboxGroup, Optional)** - **Installation/Registration Test**, **Standard Test**, **Commissioning Test**, or **Decommissioning and Removal**. Annual testing is usually a standard test. A new install, replacement, removal or first registration needs the option that matches this visit.

Selecting a pressure-type vacuum-breaker, registered air gap or registered break tank does not hide other sections. Complete the sections that apply and leave non-relevant fields blank, as the form says on the device pages.

## Device Location, Mains Pressure and Time of Test [#device-location]

Records where the device is and the site conditions when you tested it.

- **Location of Device (Text, Optional)** - Write a location another licensed tester can find without calling you. On multi-building sites include building or block, level or plant room, which riser or meter assembly, side of building, and any asset tag.
  
  - **Useful** - Building C, level 1 plant room, fire service riser 2, asset tag BF-114
  - **Too vague** - Plant room
- **Mains Pressure (Text, Optional)** - Mains pressure in kPa at the time of test, from the kit while it is connected. Example: `450`.
- **Time of Test (Time, Optional)** - Time the test was carried out. Enter it on site so it matches the diary and the readings.

## Backflow Prevention Device and Test Results (Main Device) [#main-device]

Records the main device identity and the readings that support pass or fail. Leave non-relevant fields blank. Take make, model, size and serial from the plate in front of you, not last year's PDF alone. Values land on page 2 of the finished PDF.

- **Make (Text, Optional)** - Manufacturer from the plate, such as `Watts` or `Zurn`.
- **Size (Text, Optional)** - Nominal size in mm from the plate, such as `20`.
- **Model Number (Text, Optional)** - Model from the plate, such as `009M2-QT`. Do not invent it after the cover is back on.
- **Serial Number (Text, Optional)** - Exact serial from the plate. A replaced device with last year's serial is how the council register drifts from the site.
- **Check Valve #1 (Text, Optional)** - Measured check valve 1 reading in kPa, such as `98`.
- **Check Valve #2 (Text, Optional)** - Measured check valve 2 reading in kPa, such as `102`. Leave blank only when this device type has no second check valve reading.
- **Relief Valve Opened (Text, Optional)** - Relief valve opening pressure in kPa where the procedure records it, such as `145`. Leave blank when the device has no relief valve test point.
- **Isolating valves (CheckboxGroup, Optional)** - Mark whether the upstream and downstream isolating valves were tight or leaked. Tick the results that match the test, not both tight and leaked for the same side.

If the device fails, keep the readings, overall result and any repair notes consistent rather than tidying a fail into a silent pass.

## By-Pass Device [#bypass-device]

Complete only when a bypass device is fitted. When there is no bypass, leave the whole section empty. Do not copy main-device readings into these fields.

- **Make (Text, Optional)** - Manufacturer from the bypass plate.
- **Size (Text, Optional)** - Bypass size in mm from the plate. It is often smaller than the main device.
- **Model Number (Text, Optional)** - Model from the bypass plate.
- **Serial Number (Text, Optional)** - Bypass serial from the plate. Swapping main and bypass serials is a common copy error on meter assemblies.
- **Check Valve #1 (Text, Optional)** - Bypass check valve 1 reading in kPa from this test of the bypass, not a reuse of the main-device reading.
- **Check Valve #2 (Text, Optional)** - Bypass check valve 2 reading in kPa when the procedure records it.
- **Relief Valve Opened (Text, Optional)** - Bypass relief valve opening pressure in kPa when that test applies.
- **Isolating valves (CheckboxGroup, Optional)** - Upstream and downstream isolating valve results for the bypass only.

## Pressure Type Vacuum Breakers [#pressure-vacuum-breaker]

Complete when the tested device is a pressure-type vacuum breaker (or spill-resistant type using these fields). Leave blank for RPZ, double check and other assemblies.

- **Make (Text, Optional)** - Manufacturer from the PVB plate.
- **Size (Text, Optional)** - Size in mm from the plate.
- **Model Number (Text, Optional)** - Model from the plate.
- **Serial Number (Text, Optional)** - Serial from the plate on the device you tested today.
- **Non Return Valve (Text, Optional)** - Non-return valve reading in kPa, such as `12`.
- **Air Inlet Opening Pressure (Text, Optional)** - Air inlet opening pressure in kPa, such as `7`. Enter the measured value, not an estimate.
- **Isolating valves (CheckboxGroup, Optional)** - Includes **Failed to Open** plus upstream and downstream isolating valve tight or leaked results for this PVB.

## Air Gap [#air-gap]

Complete for a registered air gap or registered break tank. Refer to AS 2845.2 for type (Type 1, Type 2 or Type 3). Use measured values, not estimates.

- **Type of air gap (CheckboxGroup, Optional)** - **Overflow Type 1**, **Overflow Type 2**, **Overflow Type 3**, **Registered Air Gap**, or **Registered Break Tank**.
- **ID Number (Text, Optional)** - Identifier from the site register or previous reports, such as `AG-1042`.
- **Size of Inlet Orifice (Text, Optional)** - Inlet orifice size in mm, such as `25`.
- **Air Gap Sizing (Text, Optional)** - Air gap size in mm, such as `50`.
- **Total Height Spill Level Plus Air Gap (Text, Optional)** - Combined spill level plus air gap height in mm, such as `125`.
- **Overflow Sizing (Text, Optional)** - For Overflow Type 1 or 2 the value is in mm; for Type 3 it is in mm². Match the unit to the type you selected.

## Test Kit [#test-kit]

Records the kit that produced the readings on this report. Clean valve numbers with a stale verification date still look unfinished to council.

- **Test Kit Serial Number (Text, Optional)** - Exact serial from the kit body or its certificate, such as `TK-55291`.
- **Date Test Kit Last Verified (Date, Optional)** - Last verification or calibration date on the kit record. Does not accept a future date. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are available. Check the sticker before the first PDF of the day.

**Saved detail: Test Kit** - save this section to prefill it on your next Form 9 you run with the same kit.

## Authorised Tester [#authorised-tester]

Records the licensed person who carried out the test. Put the person who tested this device, not a colleague whose licence is saved in the app.

- **Authorised Tester's Name (Text, Optional)** - Full name of the tester responsible for this report.
- **Authorised Tester's Phone Number (Tel, Optional)** - A number council or the owner can use if the report needs clarifying.
- **Occupational Licence Number (Text, Optional)** - Occupational licence used for this testing work. Licence check against the QBCC register can fill the tester name from the number. Confirm the name still matches the person on site.
- **Contractor Licence Number (if Applicable) (Text, Optional)** - Contractor licence when it applies to the authorised tester. Leave blank when it does not. Licence check can fill the name from the number.
- **Date of Test (Date, Optional)** - Date the readings were taken. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are available. Does not accept a future date. Different from the declaration date when you sign later, even if both are often the same day.
- **Authorised Tester's Email (Email, Optional)** - Working email for the tester or their office.

**Saved detail: Authorised Tester** - save this section to prefill it on your next Form 9 you prepare as the tester.

## Contractor Licence [#contractor]

Complete when the responsible person is not the contractor for the work. Leave both fields blank when the section does not apply.

- **Full Name of Company (or Individual if Not a Company) (Text, Optional)** - Company name on the contractor licence, or the individual when there is no company. If you fill either contractor field, fill both so the section is complete.
- **Contractor's Licence Number (Text, Optional)** - Contractor licence number. Licence check against the QBCC register can fill the company name. Confirm it matches the contractor on this job.

**Saved detail: Contractor Licence** - save this section to prefill it on your next Form 9 where the same contractor applies.

## Authorised Tester's Results [#tester-results]

Records the overall result under AS/NZS 2845.3:2020. Pass or fail must agree with the readings and any repair notes. Result and comments land on page 3 of the finished PDF.

- **I have tested the device/s marked in this form in accordance with the relevant appendix of AS/NZS 2845.3:2020. (RadioGroup, Optional)** - Select **Pass** or **Fail** from the readings. If the device fails, select Fail, record the comments, and keep any repair or retest trail with the job rather than rewriting the first result as a pass.
- **Comments (Textarea, Optional)** - Explain failures, repairs, limitations or site notes council and the owner need. On a fail, write what failed and what happens next clearly enough without your test sheet.
  
  - **Useful** - Check valve 2 below required differential. Device failed. Isolation left in place. Replacement booked; retest Form 9 to follow.
  - **Too vague** - Needs work

## Declaration [#declaration]

States that the information on the form is a true and accurate record. Sign only after land, device, readings, kit, licence and result are checked. These two fields block download on an untouched form.

- **Declaration (LegalDeclaration, Required)** - Acknowledge the statement that the information provided is a true and accurate record. Download will not proceed until this is accepted.
- **Signature (Signature, Optional)** - Signature of the authorised tester. Use a saved signature when it is yours. On the finished PDF it lands on page 3 with the declaration text and date.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - Date you sign the declaration. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are available. Does not accept a future date. Download will not proceed without it. Often the same day as the test, but it is still the declaration date, not a second copy of the test time.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Guessing the local government area from the invoice suburb.** - Boundary sites, new estates and postal addresses often sit in a different council from the device. Confirm the premises LGA before lodgement.
- **Writing a plant-room location that could be any of three risers.** - Next year's tester cannot call you for directions. Name the building, level, riser or meter assembly, and asset tag when the owner uses one.
- **Copying last year's serial without reading the plate.** - Devices get replaced between annual tests. Make, model, size and serial must match the unit in front of you, including the bypass when one is fitted.
- **Pasting main-device readings into the bypass block.** - When there is no bypass, leave that section blank. When there is one, test and report it separately.
- **Leaving kit verification on last season's date.** - Saved kit details go stale after re-verification. Check the sticker before the first PDF of the day.
- **Selecting Pass when the readings show a fail.** - Record the fail, the repair or replacement, and the retest rather than tidying the first visit into a silent pass.
- **Finishing council lodgement and forgetting the owner copy.** - Both the local government and the owner need a copy within 10 business days. Completing one path does not close the obligation.
- **Signing before the applicable sections are finished.** - Finish readings, kit, licences and result, check the preview, then sign and date.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Street address and local government area identify the correct premises
- Owner or occupier details are the people who should receive the owner copy
- Protection, device type and test type match this installation and visit
- Main device serial and readings match the plate and test kit record
- Bypass, PVB and air gap sections are complete only when they apply, otherwise blank
- Test kit serial and verification date match today's kit
- Pass or fail agrees with the readings and comments
- Declaration is acknowledged, signed and dated, and the PDF preview matches what you intend to send

## After download [#after-download]

Copies must go to the relevant local government and the owner within 10 business days after inspecting or testing the device. Treat both as part of test closeout, not a later office chore.

- **Send the local government copy** using that council's current method. Keep the portal reference or email acknowledgement with the job.
- **Deliver the owner copy on purpose.** Body corporate, owner or managing agent, by the method they accept.
- **Name the file so the site, device and test date are obvious.** `Form 9 - 42 Stanley St - BF-114 - 1 Jun 2026.pdf` is easier to find next year than `Form9-final.pdf`.
- **Keep the PDF with the underlying test record.** A query weeks later needs the readings behind the report.
- **If the device failed,** keep the fail report, repair notes and any retest Form 9 in the same device history.

Check the current Business Queensland requirements and your local government's lodgement process. Tradie Forms does not lodge the report for you.

> **Warning**
>
> You remain responsible for lodging the finished report with the local government and the owner inside the required period. Tradie Forms prepares the PDF only.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Form 9 testing walkthrough](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-9-backflow-testing-guide)** - On-site capture of device details, readings, kit records and pass or fail comments.
- **[Form 9 records and copies](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-form-9-backflow-record-keeping-handover)** - Council and owner copies, the 10 business day window, and a device history worth reading next year.
- **[Form 1, Form 5 and Form 9 handovers](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/qld-plumbing-form-1-form-5-form-9-handover-guide)** - How permit, testing and backflow paperwork pass between people and deadlines.
- **[Form 5 testing report](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/qld/qld-form-5-testing)** - General plumbing testing or commissioning rather than a testable backflow device.

# SA Backflow Report (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/sa/sa-backflow-prevention-device-report)

This report records commissioning, annual testing, replacement, or decommissioning of a testable backflow prevention device in South Australia. The licensed plumber with backflow prevention accreditation completes it at the device, then forwards the finished PDF to the Office of the Technical Regulator. [OTR plumbing trades guidance](https://www.energymining.sa.gov.au/industry/regulatory-services/office-of-the-technical-regulator/plumbing-trades) says the completed report must be forwarded within **7 days** of completing the work.

This is the current Office of the Technical Regulator Backflow Prevention Device Report. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Testing a device in Queensland rather than South Australia? Use [QLD Form 9](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/qld/qld-form-9-backflow)

> **Warning**
>
> Tradie Forms prepares the PDF on the official OTR layout. It does not decide whether a device passes, and it does not lodge the report with OTR for you.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Have these in front of you while the test kit is still connected. Reconstructing readings after you leave is how most SA backflow rework starts.

- **The device plate and site register** - Make, model, size, serial number, and any site asset tag for the unit in front of you.
- **The reason for this visit** - Commissioning and initial test, annual test, replacement, or removal and decommission, decided before you open the form.
- **OTR file and account references** - File (e)number and account number from the OTR or water authority correspondence for this property.
- **The test kit certificate or sticker** - Kit number and last calibration date for the kit used on this test.
- **The readings as the test is run** - Isolation or gate valve results, differentials, relief or air-inlet pressures, and pass checks before the gauges come off.
- **Site owner and occupier contacts** - Owner name, business, address and phone, plus occupier details when they differ from the owner.
- **Your licence and contractor stamp** - Tester name, plumbing licence with backflow accreditation, phone, and contractor business name or stamp.

Almost every field on this form gates download once the matching device type is selected. The official PDF states that all fields are mandatory on the printed form.

## Test Details [#testDetails]

Records why you are on site and the identity of the device under test. Take make, model, size and serial from the plate in front of you, not last year's PDF alone.

- **Test Type (RadioGroup, Required)** - **Commissioning and Initial Test**, **Annual Test**, **Replacement**, or **Removal/Decommission**. Match this visit, not a default from the last job. Selecting **Replacement** opens the serial number field for the valve you removed.
- **Serial Number of Valve Removed (Text, Required when you select Replacement)** - Serial of the device taken out, from its plate or the removal tag, such as `RPZ-12004`. Do not put the new device's serial here.
- **File (e)number (Text, Required)** - OTR or water authority file reference for this property, such as `E123456`. Take it from the correspondence that scheduled or registered the device, not from a job nickname.
- **Account Number (Text, Required)** - Account number linked to the property or owner for this report, such as `ACC-88421`. Match the number on the OTR or authority paperwork for the site.
- **Device Make (Combobox, Required)** - Manufacturer from the plate, such as `Watts`, `Zurn`, or `Apollo`. Common makes are listed; type a custom value when the plate shows something else.
- **Model Number (Text, Required)** - Model from the plate, such as `009M2-QT`. Do not invent it after the cover is back on.
- **Serial Number (Text, Required)** - Exact serial from the plate on the device you tested today. A replaced device with last year's serial is how the OTR register drifts from the site.
- **Size (mm) (Combobox, Required)** - Nominal size in millimetres from the plate, such as `20` or `32`. Common sizes are listed; enter the plate value when it is outside the list.
- **Device Type (RadioGroup, Required)** - **Reduced Pressure Zone Device (RPZ)**, **Single Check Valve (SCV) or Double Check Valve (DCV)**, **Pressure Type Vacuum Breaker (PTVB)**, or **Break Tank and Air Gap**. This choice decides which Test Results or Break Tank fields appear and which ones must be filled before download.

Pick the device type that matches the installed hardware. Only the matching results block carries real readings; the other result rows stay hidden.

## Device Location [#deviceLocation]

Records where the device is and who owns or occupies the site. Owner and occupier can be different people; fill occupier only when they differ.

### Site owner [#site-owner]

The owner block is always required. Use the legal owner or body corporate the report should reach, not only the person who met you at the gate.

- **Exact Device Location (Textarea, Required)** - Write a location another licensed tester can find without calling you. On multi-building sites include building or block, level or plant room, which riser or meter assembly, side of building, and any asset tag. GPS coordinates are fine when you have them.
  
  - **Useful** - Building C, level 1 plant room, fire service riser 2, asset tag BF-114
  - **Too vague** - Plant room
- **Contact Name (Text, Required)** - Site owner contact name, such as the body corporate name or property owner, for example `Riverside Apartments Body Corporate`.
- **Business Name (Text, Required)** - Owner business or trading name as used for compliance mail, such as `Riverside BC`.
- **Address (Address, Required)** - Site owner street address. Address search is limited to South Australia and fills the street line, suburb and postcode. Check the result against the rates notice or previous report when the owner uses a postal address that differs from the device site.
- **Postcode (Address, Required)** - Four digits. Filled by address search; confirm it when typing manually.
- **Phone Number (Tel, Required)** - Best number for follow-up on this report, such as `08 8123 4567`. Prefer a number that reaches the owner or managing agent, not a disconnected site phone.

### Site occupier [#site-occupier]

Complete only when the occupier differs from the owner. Leave the whole block empty when they are the same. If you fill any occupier field, fill name, business, address, suburb, postcode and phone so the block is complete.

- **Contact Name (Text, Required)** - Occupier or site manager name when different from the owner, such as `Priya Nair`.
- **Business Name (Text, Required)** - Occupier business name when different from the owner, such as `Riverside Apartments Management`.
- **Address (Address, Required)** - Occupier address when different. Address search is limited to South Australia.
- **Postcode (Address, Required)** - Four digits for the occupier address when that block is used.
- **Phone Number (Tel, Required)** - Occupier phone when different from the owner, such as `0412 345 678`.

## Certification [#certification]

Records the test kit behind the readings and the licensed tester who stands behind the report. Sign only after device identity, location, readings and kit details are checked.

- **Test Kit Number (Text, Required)** - Exact serial or kit number from the kit body or its certificate, such as `TK-55291`.
- **Certification Date of Calibration (Date, Required)** - Calibration or verification date on the kit record or sticker. Does not accept a future date. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are available. Check the sticker before the first PDF of the day; a clean reading with a stale calibration date still looks unfinished to OTR.
- **Contractor's Business Name or Stamp (Textarea, Required)** - Contractor business name as it should appear on the report, such as `Riverside Backflow Testing Pty Ltd`. Use the same wording as your licence or stamp.
- **Tester's Name (Text, Required)** - Full name of the licensed plumber who tested this device, not a colleague whose details are saved in the app.
- **License Number (Text, Required)** - Plumbing licence number used for this testing work, with backflow prevention accreditation where SA requires it, such as `PL123456`. Match the licence card, not a quote number.
- **Phone (Tel, Required)** - A number OTR or the owner can use if the report needs clarifying, such as `0412 345 678`.
- **Tester's Signature (Signature, Required)** - Signature of the tester named above. Use a saved signature when it is yours. Sign after the readings and kit details are final, not before.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - Date you sign the report. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are available. Does not accept a future date. Often the same day as the test, but it is still the signed date, not a second copy of the test time.

**Saved detail: Backflow Tester** - save this section to prefill it on your next SA backflow report you prepare as the same tester.

## Test Results [#testResults]

Records valve readings and pass checks for RPZ, SCV/DCV, or PTVB devices. Only the block that matches the Device Type you selected is shown. Enter measured values from the kit while it is connected. Leave other device result fields blank; they stay hidden when that type is not selected.

### Reduced pressure zone (RPZ) [#reduced-pressure-zone-rpz]

Complete when Device Type is **Reduced Pressure Zone Device (RPZ)**.

- **Downstream Isolation Valve Passed (Checkbox, Required when device type is RPZ)** - Tick only when the downstream isolation valve passed the isolation check on this test.
- **Check Valve 1 Differential Pressure (Text, Required when device type is RPZ)** - Measured differential pressure for check valve 1 in kPa, such as `98`. Enter the kit reading, not a rounded comfort figure.
- **Relief Valve Opens At (Text, Required when device type is RPZ)** - Relief valve opening pressure in kPa, such as `145`. Enter the measured value from this test.
- **Check Valve 2 Passed (Checkbox, Required when device type is RPZ)** - Tick only when check valve 2 passed on this test.

### Single or double check valve (SCV/DCV) [#single-or-double-check-valve-scvdcv]

Complete when Device Type is **Single Check Valve (SCV) or Double Check Valve (DCV)**.

- **Downstream Gate Valve Passed (Checkbox, Required when device type is SCV or DCV)** - Tick only when the downstream gate valve passed the isolation check.
- **Check Valve 1 Passed (Checkbox, Required when device type is SCV or DCV)** - Tick only when check valve 1 passed on this test.
- **Check Valve 2 Passed (Checkbox, Required when device type is SCV or DCV)** - Tick only when check valve 2 passed. On a true single check, follow the procedure that applies to the installed hardware and the OTR form.

### Pressure type vacuum breaker (PTVB) [#pressure-type-vacuum-breaker-ptvb]

Complete when Device Type is **Pressure Type Vacuum Breaker (PTVB)**.

- **Downstream Gate Valve Passed (Checkbox, Required when device type is PTVB)** - Tick only when the downstream gate valve passed the isolation check for this PTVB.
- **Air Inlet Valve (RadioGroup, Required when device type is PTVB)** - **Not Opened** or **Opened At**. Match the air inlet result on this test. Selecting **Opened At** opens the pressure field.
- **Opened At (Text, Required when air inlet is Opened At)** - Air inlet opening pressure in kPa, such as `7`. Enter the measured value, not an estimate.
- **Check Valve Passed (Checkbox, Required when device type is PTVB)** - Tick only when the check valve passed on this test.

If the device fails, keep the readings and pass ticks consistent rather than tidying a fail into a silent pass. Record what failed on the job file and book the repair or retest.

## Break Tank [#breakTank]

Records registered break tank and air gap measurements. This section only appears when Device Type is **Break Tank and Air Gap**. Use measured values in the units shown on each field.

- **Inlet Size (RadioGroup, Required when device type is break tank)** - **Inlet Orifice Size** or **Water Service Pipe Size (DN)**. Pick the measurement that applies to this installation before entering the size.
- **Inlet Orifice Size (Text, Required when you select Inlet Orifice Size)** - Inlet orifice size in millimetres, such as `25`.
- **Water Service Pipe Size (Text, Required when you select Water Service Pipe Size)** - Water service pipe size in millimetres (DN), such as `20`.
- **Minimum Air Gap (Text, Required when device type is break tank)** - Minimum air gap in millimetres, such as `20`.
- **Total Head (Text, Required when device type is break tank)** - Total head in millimetres, such as `150`.
- **Break Tank Capacity (Text, Required when device type is break tank)** - Tank capacity in litres, such as `500`.
- **Overflow Pipe Size (Text, Required when device type is break tank)** - Overflow pipe size in millimetres, such as `40`.

Check units match the PDF: millimetres for sizes and head, litres for tank capacity.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Copying last year's serial without reading the plate.** - Devices get replaced between annual tests. Make, model, size and serial must match the unit in front of you, including after a replacement visit.
- **Writing a plant-room location that could be any of three risers.** - Next year's tester cannot call you for directions. Name the building, level, riser or meter assembly, and asset tag when the owner uses one.
- **Selecting the wrong device type and filling the wrong results block.** - RPZ, SCV/DCV, PTVB and break tank each open different fields. The type on the plate decides the block, not last year's PDF for a different device on the same site.
- **Leaving kit calibration on last season's date.** - Saved tester details go stale after re-verification. Check the sticker before the first PDF of the day.
- **Merging owner and occupier on a tenanted commercial site.** - The report then reaches the wrong person, or nobody. Fill the owner fully, and complete the occupier block only when they differ.
- **Tidying a fail into a silent pass.** - Record the fail, the repair or replacement, and the retest rather than rewriting the first visit as a pass.
- **Signing before the readings and kit details are final.** - Finish device identity, location, results and calibration, check the preview, then sign and date.
- **Treating download as lodgement.** - The finished PDF still has to go to OTR within 7 days. Completing the form in the app does not close that obligation.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Test type and device type match this visit and the plate
- File (e)number, account number, make, model, serial and size match OTR paperwork and the device
- Exact location is specific enough for another tester to find the device
- Site owner details are complete, and occupier is filled only when different
- Test kit number and calibration date match today's kit
- The results or break tank block for this device type is complete, and pass ticks match the readings
- Tester name, licence, signature and signed date are filled, and the PDF preview matches what you intend to send

## After download [#after-download]

[OTR plumbing trades guidance](https://www.energymining.sa.gov.au/industry/regulatory-services/office-of-the-technical-regulator/plumbing-trades) says the completed report must be forwarded within **7 days** of completing the work. Email it to **[otr.plumbbackflow@sa.gov.au](mailto:otr.plumbbackflow@sa.gov.au)** or post it to:

Office of the Technical Regulator, Plumbing trades, GPO Box 320, Adelaide SA 5001.

- **Name the file so the site, device and test date are obvious.** `SA Backflow - 42 King William St - BF-114 - 1 Jun 2026.pdf` is easier to find next year than `backflow-final.pdf`.
- **Keep your own copy with the underlying test record.** A query weeks later needs the readings behind the report, not only the PDF.
- **File it against the property**, not only the job number, because property is how it will be searched for next annual test.
- **If the device failed,** keep the fail report, repair notes and any retest in the same device history.
- **Set the next due reminder** while the report is open rather than intending to work it out later.

Check the current OTR requirements for your job. Tradie Forms does not lodge the report for you.

> **Warning**
>
> You remain responsible for forwarding the finished report to OTR inside the required period. Tradie Forms prepares the PDF only.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Backflow test reports Australia](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/backflow-test-report-template-australia)** - What belongs in a backflow report nationally, and which state form applies.
- **[QLD Form 9 backflow](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/qld/qld-form-9-backflow)** - Queensland's testable backflow report when the device is in QLD, not SA.

# TAS Form 21 (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/tas/tas-form-21-completion)

Form 21 is the permit authority's certificate of completion for plumbing work under the Building Act 2016. The permit authority issues it when the plumbing work is complete; the finished PDF is the official CBOS layout for that record.

This is the current Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (Tasmania) Form 21 Certificate of Completion - Plumbing Work. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Need the plumber's standard of work certificate rather than the permit authority's completion certificate? Use [TAS Form 71B](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/tas/tas-form-71b-plumbing)

Still notifying the start of work rather than completion? Use [TAS Form 60](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/tas/tas-form-60-start-work)

> **Warning**
>
> Form 21 is the permit authority's certificate, not the plumber's Form 71B. Do not treat a prepared draft as an issued certificate until the permit authority has completed sign-off against the completed work and permit file.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Most Form 21 problems come from filling it from memory or from an old job file. Have these in front of you.

- **The current permit or notifiable-work record** - The source for work type, permit numbers, and the property the certificate covers.
- **Owner or agent details** - The name and address for the To block, as they appear on the permit file.
- **Permit authority contact details** - The council or permit authority that issues this certificate for the site.
- **The licensed plumber's current details** - Name, class and category on the licence, address, and licence number.
- **A clear work description** - What was completed, written so an owner or authority can read it without the job file.
- **Who will sign for the permit authority** - Print name, title, and signature ready only after the rest of the certificate is checked.

Owner, permit authority, work type, property address, work description, plumber, and sign-off gate the download. Permit number is also required when the work type is permit work.

## Owner [#owner]

Identifies who receives this certificate of completion. Use the owner or agent on the permit file, not a billing contact that only appears on an invoice.

- **Owner / Agent (Text, Required)** - The person or entity named as owner or agent on the permit record. For an agent, property manager, or builder acting for the owner, use the name the authority has on file, not a site nickname.
- **Street address (Address, Required)** - The owner or agent postal address for the To block. Address search is limited to Tasmania and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. Check the result against the permit file when the owner has moved or uses a postal address that differs from the work site.
- **Postcode (Address, Required)** - Four digits. Filled by address search; confirm it when typing manually.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Starts on `TAS`. Leave it unless you are typing a non-Tasmanian postal address for the owner or agent.

**Saved detail: Owner** - save this section to prefill it on your next Form 21 for the same owner or agent.

## Permit Authority [#permitAuthority]

Records which council or permit authority issues the certificate. This has to match the authority for the site, not the last council your business dealt with.

- **Permit Authority (Text, Required)** - The issuing entity name as the authority publishes it, for example `Hobart City Council`. Do not put an individual officer's name here.
- **Street address (Address, Required)** - The authority's street address. Address search is limited to Tasmania and fills suburb, state and postcode. Confirm against the council letterhead or the contact block on the permit.
- **Postcode (Address, Required)** - Four digits. Filled by address search; confirm it when typing manually.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Starts on `TAS`. Leave it for a Tasmanian permit authority.
- **Phone No. (Tel, Optional)** - The published authority phone, such as `03 6238 2711`. Useful when the owner needs a contact without hunting the council site.
- **Fax No. (Tel, Optional)** - Only when the authority still publishes a fax number on its forms or letterhead.
- **Licence No. (Text, Optional)** - When the permit authority carries a licence or building-surveyor reference that belongs on this certificate. Leave blank rather than inventing a job number.
- **Email (Email, Optional)** - The authority email used for plumbing or building services correspondence for this site.

**Saved detail: Permit Authority** - save this section to prefill it on your next Form 21 for the same council or authority.

If you work across Hobart, Launceston, Devonport, Burnie or regional councils, confirm the authority against this job's site before prefilling a saved block.

## Work [#work]

Sets the pathway the certificate belongs to, the property it covers, and what work is complete. One wrong tick here puts the rest of the certificate on the wrong legal footing.

- **Type of Work (Choice, Required)** - Choose **Permit Work** when the job needed a plumbing permit before it started, or **Notifiable Work** when the work was notified to the permit authority. The Certificate section wording changes with this choice. Match the pathway on the permit or notification record, not how the job felt on site.
- **Street address (Address, Required)** - The property where the plumbing work was done. Address search is limited to Tasmania and fills suburb, state and postcode. Match the site on the permit or notification, including rural or multi-dwelling wording the authority used.
- **Postcode (Address, Required)** - Four digits for the work site. Filled by address search; confirm it when typing manually.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Starts on `TAS`. Leave it for Tasmanian sites.
- **Permit No. (Text, Optional)** - Required when Type of Work is **Permit Work**. Take it from the current permit document, not an invoice or quote that may still carry a superseded number after amendment. On notifiable work, leave it blank unless the file carries a related permit reference the authority expects here. The same value is printed again on page 2 of the PDF beside sign-off.
- **Associated Special Plumbing Permit No. (Text, Optional)** - Only when the job has a special plumbing permit linked to the main permit. Take the number from that permit document. Leave blank when none applies.
- **The Work (Textarea, Required)** - Describe the completed plumbing work so an owner or authority can connect this certificate to the drawings, Form 71B, and permit file without a phone call. Name the system or area, the kind of work, and the property context. Do not write claims that belong in another certification.
  
  - **Useful** - Sanitary plumbing and drainage to rear bathroom addition, permit PL-2026-0042
  - **Too vague** - Plumbing completed

## Plumber [#plumber]

Records the licensed plumber who performed the work. These details should match Form 60 and Form 71B for the same job when those forms are on file.

- **Name (Textarea, Required)** - The licensed plumber or plumbing business name as it appears on the licence, such as `Alex Smith Plumbing Pty Ltd`. Use the name the authority and owner already have on the job file.
- **Class and Category (Specified on Licence) (Combobox, Required)** - The class and category printed on the licence. Pick from the list when it matches, or type the exact wording from the licence card. Common values include `Plumber`, `Drainer`, `Gasfitter`, and the combined classes.
- **Street address (Address, Required)** - The plumber's business address. Address search is limited to Tasmania and fills suburb, state and postcode. Check a saved block when the business has moved since the last Form 21.
- **Postcode (Address, Required)** - Four digits. Filled by address search; confirm it when typing manually.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Starts on `TAS`. Leave it for a Tasmanian business address.
- **Phone No. (Tel, Optional)** - The business phone published to owners and authorities, for example `03 6234 5678`.
- **Fax No. (Tel, Optional)** - Only when the business still uses a fax number on its letterhead or licence correspondence.
- **Licence No. (Text, Required)** - The plumber licence number from the current licence card or CBOS record. Do not copy from an old Form 71B or invoice footer that may lag a renewal. If you are on site without the card, confirm it from the licence record before download.
- **Email Address (Email, Optional)** - The contact email for the plumber or plumbing business on this job.

**Saved detail: Plumber** - save this section to prefill it on your next Form 21 for the same licensed plumber.

## Certificate [#certificate]

Shows the legal basis for this certificate of completion. There are no fields to enter here. The notices follow the official PDF, including the instruction to delete the section that does not apply.

When **Permit Work** is selected, the form states that the permit authority is satisfied that permit conditions are met, the work is complete, it complies with the Building Act 2016 and the National Construction Code, and that any required water and sewerage compliance certificate under the Water and Sewerage Industry Act 2008 has been issued.

When **Notifiable Work** is selected, the form states that the completed notifiable plumbing work has been performed in accordance with the Building Act 2016.

Both pathways also show that the certificate is issued under section 178 (permit work) or section 115 (notifiable work) of the Building Act 2016. Confirm Type of Work before sign-off so the wording on the PDF matches the job pathway.

## Sign-Off [#signOff]

Records who signs for the permit authority and when. Sign only after the owner, site, work type, permit references, plumber, and certificate wording have been checked against the completed work and permit file.

- **Name (Print) (Text, Required)** - The signatory's printed name for the permit authority, not the plumber who did the work unless that person is authorised to sign in that capacity.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The date of sign-off. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are available because this is often finished on the day of final check. The field does not accept a future date.
- **Signed (Signature, Required)** - The permit authority signature that attests the certificate wording for the selected work type. Use a saved signature when it belongs to the same signatory; do not reuse another person's mark.
- **Title (Combobox, Optional)** - The signatory's role, such as `Building Surveyor` or `Permit Authority`. Pick from the list when it matches, or type the title the authority uses on its own correspondence.

The permit number entered under Work is repeated on page 2 of the PDF beside this sign-off. Preview both pages so the reference and signature land correctly.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Treating Form 21 as the plumber's certificate.** - Form 21 is the permit authority's certificate of completion. Form 71B is the plumber's standard of work certificate. They often sit in the same job file, but one does not replace the other.
- **Selecting the wrong work type.** - Permit work and notifiable work change the certificate wording and the Building Act section on the PDF. Match the pathway on the permit or notification record before you sign.
- **Taking the permit number from an invoice.** - Invoices are raised early and often keep a number that was later amended. Take permit and special plumbing permit numbers from the current permit documents.
- **Writing a thin work description.** - `Plumbing completed` cannot be tied to drawings, Form 71B, or a future buyer question. Name the system or area, the work type, and a permit reference when you have one.
- **Prefilling the wrong permit authority.** - A saved council block from the last job is easy to leave in place when you work across multiple municipalities. Confirm the authority against this site's permit file.
- **Copying plumber details without checking the licence.** - Saved licence blocks save typing, but an expired or renewed number still gets through if nobody looks. Check the class, category, and licence number against the current licence before download.
- **Signing before the certificate matches the job file.** - Sign-off is the last step, not a way to finish faster. Wrong owner, site, or pathway on a signed certificate is harder to unwind once copies have gone out.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Owner or agent name and address match the permit file
- Permit authority is the entity for this site, not the last council used
- Type of Work matches the permit or notification pathway
- Permit number is present for permit work and comes from the current permit
- Work description names the system or area and can stand alone without the job file
- Plumber name, class and category, and licence number match the current licence
- Sign-off print name, signature, date, and title are complete for the permit authority
- PDF preview shows the correct certificate wording and the permit number on page 2

## After download [#after-download]

Forward a copy of the finished certificate to the owner. Keep a copy with the permit authority and plumber records you rely on for the job, as required under the Building Act 2016.

- **Name the file so the site and pathway are obvious.** Use something like `Form 21 - 8 Battery Point Rd - PL-2026-0042.pdf` rather than a bare address that will be hard to find next to Form 71B.
- **File it with Form 60, Form 71B, the permit or notification, and inspection notes.** The certificate alone does not show the full start-to-completion trail.
- **Keep the same site and permit references across the set.** A mismatch between Form 21 and Form 71B is the first thing an owner or authority notices later.
- **Note anything still outstanding.** If part of a larger project remains, record what is left so the next completion certificate is not missed.

Check the current CBOS and permit authority requirements for your job. Retention and any lodgement expectations sit with the authority, not with Tradie Forms.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Form 21 walkthrough](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-21-certificate-completion-plumbing-guide)** - A fuller run through the certificate of completion and how it sits in the job file.
- **[Form 21 vs Form 71B](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-21-vs-form-71b-plumbing-guide)** - Who completes each certificate and when both belong in the same close-out pack.
- **[TAS plumbing forms list](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-plumbing-forms-list-start-completion-handover)** - Start work, standard of work, and completion forms in one sequence.
- **[TAS Form 71B](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/tas/tas-form-71b-plumbing)** - The plumber's standard of work certificate that often sits beside Form 21.

# TAS Form 60 (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/tas/tas-form-60-start-work)

Form 60 is the start work notification and authorisation for plumbing work in Tasmania. The licensed plumber completes it and sends it to the council permit authority so the authority can authorise the intended start. Lodge it before tools turn, not at completion.

This is the current Consumer, Building and Occupational Services Form 60. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Certifying standard of work after plumbing is finished rather than notifying start? Use [TAS Form 71B](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/tas/tas-form-71b-plumbing)

Issuing the permit authority's certificate of completion rather than a plumber start notice? Use [TAS Form 21](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/tas/tas-form-21-completion)

> **Warning**
>
> Tradie Forms prepares the PDF. It does not lodge Form 60 with a permit authority or decide whether the job is permit work, notifiable work, or another pathway.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Most Form 60 delays come from a wrong council block or a permit reference copied from the wrong email. Have these in front of you before you open the form.

- **The approval or certificate of likely compliance pack** - Source for the permit authority name, work type, site description, and permit or certificate number.
- **The work site address and lot details** - Street address plus lot number for rural lots, new estates, and multi-unit sites.
- **Your plumber licence details** - Name and licence number as they appear on the current CBOS licence, not an old job PDF.
- **The intended start day** - The day work is actually booked to begin, after access, materials, and crew are confirmed.
- **A decision on work type and categories** - Permit or notifiable work, and which categories the job covers, taken from the approval pathway not from habit.

Download needs the permit authority name and address, work type, work site address, plumber name and licence number, intended start date, print name, and signed date.

## Permit Authority [#permitAuthority]

Names the council or permit authority that receives this notice. It has to match the authority on the approval for this site, not the council you used on the last job.

- **To (Text, Required)** - The permit authority name written as the entity, such as `Hobart City Council`. Take it from the permit, the certificate of likely compliance, or the authority letter for this job. Across several Tasmanian councils, a saved block from last week is the usual wrong answer.
- **Street address (Address, Required)** - The authority's street address. Address search is limited to Tasmania and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. Confirm the result against the approval pack, because postal and service addresses can differ.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Defaults to `TAS`. Leave it unless the authority address is genuinely outside Tasmania.
- **Postcode (Address, Required)** - The authority postcode from the same address. Address search fills it; check it when you type the address by hand.

**Saved detail: Permit Authority** - save this section to prefill it on your next Form 60 for the same council.

## Type of Work [#workType]

Records whether this job is permit work or notifiable work. The choice has to match the pathway already approved for the job.

- **Type of Work (Choice, Required)** - Select **Permit Work** when the job needs a plumbing permit before you start, or **Notifiable Work** when the pathway is notification to the permit authority. Exactly one applies. If the pack is unclear, stop and check the approval documents or the permit authority rather than guessing on the PDF.

A wrong work type here flows into Form 71B at completion and is a common reason a notice is sent back.

## Plumbing Work [#workDetails]

Identifies the work site and the approval reference the notice sits under.

- **Street address (Address, Required)** - The site address from the permit or certificate of likely compliance, not the owner's postal address or the builder's site nickname. Address search is limited to Tasmania and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. On new estates and rural lots, confirm suburb and postcode against the approval pack when search is thin.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Defaults to `TAS`. Leave it for Tasmanian sites.
- **Postcode (Address, Required)** - Site postcode from the approval pack or address search. A wrong postcode can put the notice against the wrong property record at council.
- **Lot No. (Text, Optional)** - Lot number when the approval, title, or survey plan carries one. Fill it on new estates, rural properties, and multi-unit sites where a street number alone is not enough for the authority to match the notice.
  
  - **Useful** - 12
  - **Too vague** - Smith block
- **Permit Number or Certificate of Likely Compliance Number (Text, Optional)** - Copy from the current permit or certificate of likely compliance document, character for character. Do not take it from an invoice, quote, or an earlier job with the same builder. Leave blank only when the pathway genuinely has no number yet; most Form 60 jobs already have one.

## Work Categories [#workCategories]

Tells the permit authority which kinds of plumbing work are about to start. Tick every category the job covers rather than one broad heading.

- **Tick each category that applies (X if applicable). (Choice, Optional)** - Options are **Reticulated water**, **Sewerage**, **Stormwater**, **Is the work gratuitous work**, **On-site wastewater management system**, and **Roof plumbing**. Tick each one that applies to this start, not only the main trade. A multi-trade job that only ticks sewerage understates the scope the authority is authorising.
- **Other (Please Specify) (Text, Optional)** - Free text when the work does not fit the listed categories cleanly. Name the system or work type in plain job language so the authority can see what is starting.
  
  - **Useful** - Install a domestic greywater diversion system
  - **Too vague** - Other plumbing

## Licensed Plumber [#plumbing]

Identifies the licensed plumber lodging the start notice. These details reappear on Form 71B at closeout, so get them right once.

- **Plumber (Text, Required)** - The licensed plumber or trading name lodging the notice, as it should appear to the permit authority. Match the name used on your licence and other CBOS paperwork for this business.
- **Licence No. (Text, Required)** - Your plumber licence number from the current CBOS licence card or renewal notice. The first licence field is the one that blocks download when empty. A second **Licence No.** sits beside Business Name for an additional licence when needed; leave that second field blank rather than repeating the same number. Do not copy a number from an old job PDF after a renewal.
- **Business Name (Text, Optional)** - Trading name when it differs from the plumber name above, or the company name the authority already has on file.
- **Street address (Address, Optional)** - Business street address. Address search is limited to Tasmania and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. Fill it so the authority can contact you without opening a separate file.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Defaults to `TAS`.
- **Postcode (Address, Optional)** - Business postcode. Address search fills it with the street line.
- **Phone No. (Text, Optional)** - Landline the authority can reach during business hours, such as `03 6234 5678`.
- **Fax No. (Text, Optional)** - Only when the authority still uses fax for this pathway. Leave blank rather than inventing a number.
- **Email Address (Text, Optional)** - An inbox that is monitored for inspection bookings and authority replies, not a personal address that will be ignored on site.
- **Mobile No. (Text, Optional)** - Mobile the site contact can reach on the day, such as `0412 345 678`.

**Saved detail: Licensed Plumber** - save this section to prefill it on your next Form 60 for the same licensed plumber.

## Notification of Intention to Start [#notification]

Records when you intend to begin and who is signing the notice. Sign after the rest of the form matches the job pack.

- **I Intend to Start Work On (Date, Required)** - The day plumbing work is intended to begin. The form will not accept a past date, so update the notice if the booking moves rather than leaving an old start day. Use the real work program, not an aspirational date weeks ahead that no one revisits.
- **Applicant Plumber (Print Name) (Text, Required)** - The full name of the applicant plumber, matching the licensed plumber section. This is the printed name beside the signature on the PDF.
- **Signature (Signature, Required)** - The applicant plumber's signature. It does not block download, but the authority expects a signed notice. Sign when the permit authority, site, work type, and start date are final, not before the schedule is settled. A saved signature can be applied here.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The date the notice is signed. The form will not accept a future date. This is a different event from the intended start day; two identical dates are fine when you sign on the day you also intend to start, but do not copy the start day into this field by habit when you signed earlier.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Reusing last job's permit authority.** - Working across several Tasmanian councils makes the previous council block feel current. Take the authority name and address from this job's approval pack.
- **Guessing permit work versus notifiable work.** - The pathway is already set by the approval documents. A guessed work type is sent back and then has to be fixed again on Form 71B.
- **Copying the permit number from an invoice or old job.** - Invoices and repeat-builder jobs often carry a superseded or neighbouring reference. Copy the permit or certificate of likely compliance number from the current document only.
- **Ticking one broad work category.** - A job that covers stormwater and roof plumbing, or sewerage and on-site wastewater, needs every applicable category. One tick understates what the authority is authorising to start.
- **Leaving an aspirational start date after the booking moves.** - A notice prepared early and never revisited no longer matches the work program. Update the intended start day before you lodge.
- **Copying the licence number from an old PDF.** - Licence numbers and contact details drift after renewal or an address change. Take them from the current CBOS licence record.

## Before download [#before-download]

- The permit authority matches this job's approval, not the last council you used
- Work type is permit or notifiable, matching the approved pathway
- Site address, lot, and permit or certificate number match the approval pack
- Every work category that applies is ticked, with Other only when needed
- Plumber name and licence number match the current CBOS licence
- Intended start day matches the real booking, and the signed date is not in the future
- The PDF preview shows the authority, site, and start details you intend to lodge

## After download [#after-download]

[CBOS guidance](https://www.cbos.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/404544/Guide_to_approved_forms_-_plumbing_work.pdf) describes Form 60 as completed by the plumber and sent to the council permit authority for authorisation to start. Confirm the local lodgement method with that authority before you rely on email, portal, or counter drop-off.

- **Lodge before work starts.** Form 60 is a start notice, not a completion certificate. Do not begin the plumbing work until the authority process for this pathway is satisfied.
- **Name the file with the site and start day.** `Form 60 - Battery Point - 2026-06-10.pdf` is easier to find than a generic download name when Form 71B is filed later.
- **File it with the approval pack.** Keep the notice with the permit or certificate of likely compliance, plans, and authority correspondence so the start record is complete.
- **Carry the same facts into Form 71B.** Permit authority, site, lot, work type, permit or certificate reference, and licensed plumber details should still match at closeout unless something legitimately changed mid-job.
- **Book inspections the authority requires.** Lead times and booking methods vary by council; check the current process for this permit authority rather than assuming the last job's timing.

Check the current CBOS and permit authority requirements for your job. Tradie Forms does not lodge the notice.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Form 60 start work walkthrough](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-60-start-work-notification-plumbing-guide)** - What Form 60 is for, when to lodge it, and how it pairs with Form 71B.
- **[Form 60 and Form 71B workflow](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-60-form-71b-plumbing-workflow-guide)** - How the start notice and standard of work certificate fit one job record.

# TAS Form 71B (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/tas/tas-form-71b-plumbing)

Form 71B is the plumber's standard of work certificate for permit or notifiable plumbing work in Tasmania. You complete it, send it to the permit authority, and forward a copy to the owner so the authority can move to final inspection and a certificate of completion. For notifiable work, [CBOS guidance](https://www.cbos.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/405039/Guide_to_the_Building_Act_2016.pdf) sets a 5 business day window after the work finishes, with an as-constructed drainage plan when the job involved drainage.

This is the current CBOS Form 71B Standard of Work Certificate. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Looking for the permit authority's certificate of completion rather than the plumber's standard of work certificate? Use [TAS Form 21](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/tas/tas-form-21-completion)

Notifying start of work rather than certifying completed plumbing? Use [TAS Form 60](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/tas/tas-form-60-start-work)

> **Warning**
>
> Tradie Forms prepares the certificate on the official layout. It does not lodge with a permit authority, inspect the work, or issue a certificate of completion.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every Form 71B problem comes from filling it from the last job file or the site contact's details instead of from this approval and this owner. Have these in front of you.

- **The current approval or permit** - The source for work type, permit or certificate of likely compliance numbers, and which council is the permit authority.
- **Owner name and postal address** - The legal owner for the owner copy, not the tenant, builder or agent who met you on site.
- **Work site address and title details** - Street address, lot number and certificate of title when the approval or rates notice carries them.
- **Your current plumber licence** - Licence number, business name, category and contact details as they stand after any renewal.
- **A clear description of what was finished** - Fixtures, drainage, water service or systems actually completed, written so someone who was not on site can read it cold.
- **As-constructed drainage plan when relevant** - Travels with the certificate when the job involved sanitary drainage or stormwater.

Fields that gate download include the permit authority name and address, plumber name and licence number, owner name and address, work type, work site address, work description, the standard of work declaration, print name and date.

## Permit Authority [#recipient]

Identifies who receives the certificate so the final inspection can be arranged. Use the council or permit authority named on the approval for this site, not the last job's council.

- **Name (Text, Required)** - The permit authority or council receiving this certificate, written as the entity. Use `Hobart City Council`, not an individual officer. If you work across several Tasmanian councils, check the name against the current approval before you prefill a saved block.
- **Street address (Address, Required)** - The authority's postal or office address. Address search is limited to Tasmania and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. State defaults to `TAS` when left alone. Confirm the result against the approval or the council letterhead you already have on the job.
- **Postcode (Address, Required)** - Fills from address search. Edit it when you type the address manually and the postcode is blank or wrong for that office.

**Saved detail: Permit Authority** - save this section to prefill it on your next Form 71B for the same council.

## Plumber [#plumbing]

Records the licensed plumber responsible for the work. These details must match the licence that authorises the certification.

- **Plumber (Text, Required)** - The licensed plumber or plumbing business name as it should appear on the certificate. Match the name tied to the licence, not a job nickname or trading shorthand the owner would not recognise on the PDF.
- **Category (Combobox, Optional)** - Licence category for the work, such as `Plumber`, `Drainer`, `Gasfitter`, or a combined category. Pick from the list or type a custom value when your licence wording differs.
- **Licence No. (Text, Required)** - Your current occupational licence number. Take it from the licence card or the CBOS record after any renewal, not from an old job PDF or invoice footer that may still carry a superseded number.
- **Phone No. (Tel, Optional)** - A number the permit authority can use if the certificate needs a quick query.
- **Email Address (Email, Optional)** - Business email for the same follow-up. Fax is available when your office still uses it; leave it blank otherwise.

Business address fields on this section are optional. Fill them when the authority expects a postal address on the certificate. Address search is limited to Tasmania.

**Saved detail: Plumber** - save this section to prefill it on your next Form 71B.

## Owner [#owner]

Captures the owner who must receive a copy of the certificate. The form itself carries a note that a copy must be forwarded to the owner, so this block is not optional admin.

- **Name (Text, Required)** - The legal owner named on the title, rates notice or approval. If the person on site was a tenant, builder, project manager or agent, confirm the owner name separately before you leave.
- **Phone No. (Tel, Optional)** - Owner contact number when you have it. Useful when the permit authority or your office needs to re-send the copy.
- **Street address (Address, Required)** - Where the owner copy should go. This often differs from the work site. Address search is limited to Tasmania and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. Do not paste the site address here by default.
- **Postcode (Address, Required)** - Fills from address search. Edit it when the owner address is typed manually.

## Type of Work [#workType]

Records which approval pathway this completed job followed. The tick has to match the approval, not what feels close enough on the day.

- **Type of Work (Choice, Required)** - Choose **Permit Work** when the job needed a plumbing permit before start, or **Notifiable Work** when the job was authorised through a notice and certificate of likely compliance. Both pathways finish with Form 71B. Check the approval documents if the classification is unclear rather than guessing on site.

## Certificate of Likely Compliance [#compliance]

Ties the finished certificate back to the approval that authorised the work. Fill these when the job carries a certificate of likely compliance or permit reference; leave them blank cleanly when they do not apply.

- **Certificate of Likely Compliance No. (Text, Optional)** - The CLC number from the current approval document for this job. Copy it from that document, not from an old email chain or a similar job for the same builder, because reference numbers on repeat jobs blur together fast.
- **Permit or Certificate of Likely Compliance No. (Text, Optional)** - The permit number or further CLC reference the authority used for this work. Same rule: take it from the current approval, not a quote or invoice.

## Plumbing Work [#workSite]

Identifies where the certified work was done. On rural sites, units, subdivisions and multi-stage jobs, put in enough detail that the permit authority or the next plumber can find the right work later.

- **Street address (Address, Required)** - The work site address. Address search is limited to Tasmania and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. Check the result against the approval, because search returns the current postal address and a permit can predate a street renaming or a subdivision.
- **Postcode (Address, Required)** - Fills from address search. Edit it when you type the address manually for a rural or new-estate site.
- **Lot No. (Text, Optional)** - Lot number from the approval, title or rates notice. On new estates the street address may not exist cleanly in every system yet, so lot number is often the reliable identifier. Fill it whenever the approval carries it.
- **Certificate of Title No. (Text, Optional)** - Title reference when you have it, such as `12345/6`. Pair it with the lot number on multi-lot or staged sites so one certificate cannot be read as covering the wrong title.

## Standard of Work [#workDescription]

Describes what was completed and how the building is used. The description is what the owner, the permit authority and a plumbing surveyor read before final inspection, so it has to stand alone months later.

- **Description of Work Completed (Textarea, Required)** - Name the work and where it happened, not just the trade. Include fixtures, drainage, water service or systems that help someone who was not on site understand what was certified. On a staged site this is also what tells one certificate from the next.
  
  - **Useful** - Install sanitary plumbing and drainage to rear bathroom addition, connected to existing stack
  - **Too vague** - Plumbing work completed
- **Use of Building (Combobox, Optional)** - How the building is used, such as `Single dwelling`, `Multi-unit residential`, `Commercial` or `Industrial`. Pick from the list or type a custom value when none of the options fit cleanly.

## Certification [#certification]

Records who certifies the standard of the work and when. Sign only after the work described above is actually complete and the preview matches the job.

- **Standard of Work Declaration (Declaration, Required)** - Read the declaration in full before you tick it. It confirms you are the licensed plumber responsible for the work, that the plumbing is complete, that directions under the Building Act 2016 have been complied with, and that the work complies with the Plumbing Code of Australia and the approved plans, specifications and conditions of the certificate of likely compliance or plumbing permit. Tick it only when that wording matches what you are certifying.
- **Plumber (Print Name) (Text, Required)** - Your name printed as it should appear beside the signature. Use the licensed person's name, not only a company trading name.
- **Signature (Signature, Optional)** - The licensed plumber's signature for this certificate. Sign after you have checked the preview against the completed work. A saved signature can prefill the pad; still confirm it is the right person for this job.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The date you certify the work. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there because this is usually finished on site or the next morning. The field does not accept a future date.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Taking the owner details from the site contact.** - Tenants, builders and agents are often who you meet. The owner copy has to land with the legal owner. Confirm name and address against the title, rates notice or approval.
- **Prefilling the last job's permit authority.** - Saved council blocks only help when they match this site. Check the authority on the current approval before you send the certificate to the wrong council.
- **Selecting notifiable work when the approval is permit work.** - Or the reverse. The tick has to match the pathway that authorised the job. Guessing holds up the final inspection when the file does not line up.
- **Copying CLC or permit numbers from a similar job.** - Repeat work for the same builder reuses job language and blurs references. Take numbers from the current approval document for this address.
- **Writing plumbing work completed as the description.** - That tells the owner and the surveyor nothing. Name the systems and the location so the certificate still makes sense without the permit file.
- **Accepting the declaration before the work is finished.** - Outstanding fixtures or drainage still incomplete means the declaration wording does not match the job. Finish the work, or narrow the description to what is actually complete, before you tick it.
- **Using a licence number from an old saved detail after renewal.** - Superseded numbers get the certificate queried. Check the licence after every renewal before you prefill.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Permit authority name matches the council on this approval, not the last job
- Owner name and address are the legal owner, not only the site contact
- Work type matches permit or notifiable on the approval documents
- CLC and permit references come from the current approval when they apply
- Work site address, lot and title identify the right property or stage
- Work description names the systems and location, not only the trade
- Declaration, print name, signature and date match the completed work
- The PDF preview says exactly what you intend to certify

## After download [#after-download]

The [CBOS guide to approved plumbing forms](https://www.cbos.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/404544/Guide_to_approved_forms_-_plumbing_work.pdf) has the plumber completing Form 71B, sending it to the council permit authority, and sending a copy to the owner. Do both rather than assuming one will pass it on.

- **Lodge within the local window.** For notifiable work, [CBOS guidance](https://www.cbos.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/405039/Guide_to_the_Building_Act_2016.pdf) sets 5 business days after the work finishes. Many councils acting as permit authority ask for the certificate plus an as-constructed drainage plan within that window. Confirm the local lodgement method with your permit authority.
- **Send the owner their copy.** The form itself requires a copy to be forwarded to the owner. Use the owner block address, not only the site contact's email.
- **Attach the as-constructed drainage plan when the job involved drainage.** Keep plan and certificate together so the authority is not chasing a drawing before it will inspect.
- **Name the file so the job is obvious.** `Form 71B - 8 Battery Point Rd - bathroom addition.pdf` beats a generic address-only name when the same property has more than one certificate.
- **File it with the rest of the job record.** Keep Form 60 where one was used, the permit or CLC, inspection notes, as-constructed drawings, photos and owner delivery note in the same folder so the certificate meets a clean trail later.

Once the certificate lands, the permit authority arranges a final inspection and, when satisfied, issues a certificate of completion. That completion certificate is a separate document from Form 71B.

Check the current CBOS and permit authority requirements for your job. Tradie Forms does not lodge this certificate with a regulator portal.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Form 71B completion guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-71b-plumbing-lodgement-completion)** - Timing, who gets a copy, and how the certificate leads to completion.
- **[Form 71B field walkthrough](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-71b-standard-of-work-certificate-guide)** - A fuller run through recipient, owner, work type and description.
- **[Form 21 vs Form 71B](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-form-21-vs-form-71b-plumbing-guide)** - Which certificate is the plumber's and which is the authority's.

# TAS Gratuitous Work Certificate (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/tas/tas-gratuitous-plumbing-work)

This certificate records prescribed plumbing or gas-fitting work you will perform for no payment as a licensed plumber and/or gas-fitter certifier. It captures the certifier, property owner, work site, relationship, scope, insurance answers, and owner sign-off on the CBOS layout so you can lodge the finished PDF. Fill and lodge it before the unpaid work starts, not after everyone has left site.

This is the current Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (CBOS) gratuitous work form. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Certifying standard of work on a paid or permitted job rather than notifying unpaid prescribed work? Use [TAS Form 71B](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/tas/tas-form-71b-plumbing)

> **Warning**
>
> Tradie Forms prepares the official PDF. It does not lodge with CBOS for you. Check that the job fits the current CBOS gratuitous work pathway before you start the work.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Unpaid work still needs a complete form. Gather these before you open it.

- **Your current licence details** - Licence number, full legal name, date of birth, and contact details as they appear on your licence.
- **Property owner name** - Surname and given names of the owner of the property where the work will be done.
- **Work site address** - The Tasmanian address where the prescribed work will be performed, not your home or postal address.
- **The relationship or association** - Why the work is unpaid: family, friend, neighbour, or a charitable or community link.
- **A clear work description** - What prescribed work you will actually do, not a vague trade label.
- **Insurance position** - Whether you or the owner hold current public liability and products liability cover at the amounts stated on the form.
- **The owner available to review and sign** - Capture sign-off while they can check the details, not after the job is finished.

Surname, given names, home address, date of birth, licence number, owner details, work site, relationship, work description, insurance answer, and the owner sign-off date gate the download.

## Certifier [#certifier]

Your personal and contact details as the licensed certifier who will perform the unpaid work.

- **Surname (Text, Required)** - Your surname as it appears on your plumber or gas-fitter licence. Match the licence record, not a trading name or nickname.
- **Given Names (Text, Required)** - Your given names in full, as on the licence. Include middle names when the licence shows them.
- **Street address (Address, Required)** - Your home address under **Home Address**. Address search is limited to Tasmania and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. Check the result against your licence or mail; do not use a site address here.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Defaults to `TAS`. Confirm it stays `TAS` when you type the address by hand.
- **Postcode (Address, Required)** - Filled by address search. Confirm it against your licence or mail when typing manually.
- **Date of Birth (Date, Required)** - From your licence or identity document. The field does not accept a future date. CBOS uses this with the licence number to identify the certifier.
- **Licence Number (Text, Required)** - Your current Tasmanian plumber or gas-fitter licence number. Take it from the licence card or the CBOS licence record, not from an old invoice or business card. The field normalises the format as you type.
- **Home Phone (Tel, Optional)** - Landline if you use one. Leave blank rather than inventing a number.
- **Business Phone (Tel, Optional)** - Work landline if different from home or mobile.
- **Mobile Phone (Tel, Optional)** - The number CBOS or the owner can reach you on for this job. Prefer a current mobile when you only fill one phone field.
- **Email (Email, Optional)** - The address you use for CBOS and job correspondence. Useful when you lodge by email.
- **Fax (Tel, Optional)** - Only if you still use fax. Leave blank otherwise.

**Postal Address** is optional. Leave it blank when it matches home, or fill street, suburb, state and postcode when mail should go somewhere else (for example a PO Box). State defaults to `TAS` there as well.

**Saved detail: Certifier** - save this section to prefill it on your next gratuitous work certificate.

## Property Owner [#propertyOwner]

Who owns the property and where the prescribed work will be performed, plus how you are connected to them.

- **Surname (Text, Required)** - The property owner's surname, not the tenant or the person who asked for the favour if that is someone else. Match the title or rates notice when you have it.
- **Given Names (Text, Required)** - The owner's given names in full. Use the same spelling the owner will sign under.
- **Street address (Address, Required)** - The **Work Site** where the prescribed work will be performed, not the owner's postal address if that differs. Address search is limited to Tasmania. On rural properties, multi-building sites, or units, check the result against the gate, letterbox, or rates notice so CBOS can identify the place.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Defaults to `TAS`. Confirm it stays `TAS` when you type the site address by hand.
- **Postcode (Address, Required)** - Filled by address search. Confirm it for rural or new-estate sites where the postal address can lag the physical lot.
- **Relationship/Association to the Practitioner Certifier (for example family, friend, or charitable organisation) (Textarea, Required)** - Why this work is unpaid. Write the relationship in plain words the owner and CBOS can read without calling you. If the arrangement does not clearly fit the gratuitous work pathway, check current CBOS guidance before continuing.
  
  - **Useful** - Sibling, unpaid prescribed plumbing for family
  - **Too vague** - Known to me

## Work [#work]

What prescribed work you will perform. This is the scope CBOS and the owner will read later.

- **What Type of Prescribed Work Will You Be Performing (Textarea, Required)** - Name the actual work, not a trade label. Include the system or fixture and enough location detail that the description still makes sense without you there. Keep it no broader than the unpaid work. If the job changes, update this field before download. Long text maps onto the official PDF description area; check the preview if the description is long.
  
  - **Useful** - Replace kitchen hot water unit and associated pipework
  - **Too vague** - Plumbing work

## Insurance [#insurance]

Declares whether you or the property owner hold current liability cover at the amounts stated on the form.

The form wording refers to liability for personal injury and damage to property for at least `$5,000,000` for any one occurrence for public liability, and in the annual total for products liability. Answer against that wording and the real policy position.

- **Do You or the Owner of the Property Have Current Insurance Covering the Following? (Choice, Required)** - Select **Yes** or **No**. Do not guess from habit or from a different job's policy. If the owner is answering part of the insurance picture, make sure they understand what is being declared. A blank answer blocks download; a wrong answer is worse because the finished PDF looks complete. Confirm against the current certificate of currency before you choose.

The form also shows how to lodge: post to Consumer, Building and Occupational Services, PO Box 56, Rosny Park TAS 7018, or email `cbos.info@justice.tas.gov.au`. That notice appears in this section on the official layout.

## Sign-Off [#ownerSignOff]

The property owner's agreement to the details above.

- **Signature of Owner of the Property (Signature, Optional)** - The owner signs after reviewing certifier details, owner name, work site, relationship, prescribed work description, and insurance answers. Capture it while they are available. You can use a saved signature only when it is genuinely the owner's mark for this form; check the preview so the stamp sits cleanly in the signature box on the PDF.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The date the owner signs. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are available for on-site capture. The field does not accept a future date. Do not backdate or use a planned work date instead of the real sign-off day.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Treating unpaid work as no-paperwork work.** - CBOS still expects the gratuitous work form where that pathway applies. Open it before tools come out, not after the favour is a memory.
- **Leaving the relationship as known to me.** - A vague association does not explain why the work is unpaid. Write family, friend, neighbour, or the charity or community link in plain words.
- **Describing the work as plumbing or gas work only.** - That claims more scope than the job and tells CBOS nothing useful. Name the fixture, system, or repair and keep it matched to the unpaid work.
- **Guessing the insurance answer.** - Yes or No is a declaration against the form's liability wording. Confirm the certificate of currency, or have the owner confirm their cover, before you select.
- **Using an old licence number or stale certifier details.** - Saved certifier details go stale. Check name, date of birth, licence number, and contacts against the current licence before download.
- **Leaving owner sign-off until after the job.** - Once everyone has gone home, chasing a signature and a reviewed description is hard. Capture sign-off when the owner has read the form.
- **Using the work site as the certifier home address.** - Home address identifies you; work site identifies the job. Mixing them produces a PDF that looks complete and is wrong in two places.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Certifier name, date of birth, and licence number match the current licence
- Home address is yours; work site is where the unpaid work will be done
- Owner name and relationship are clear and honest
- Prescribed work description names the actual work, not only the trade
- Insurance Yes or No matches the form wording and the real cover
- Owner has reviewed the form, signed, and the signed date is not in the future
- PDF preview shows complete names, addresses, and no cut-off description text

## After download [#after-download]

Lodge the finished PDF with CBOS for assessment. The form directs you to post it to Consumer, Building and Occupational Services, PO Box 56, Rosny Park TAS 7018, or email `cbos.info@justice.tas.gov.au`. There are no fees to lodge this form with CBOS under the wording on the form.

- **Name the file so the site and date are obvious.** For example `Gratuitous work - Battery Point - 15 Jun 2026.pdf`.
- **Keep proof of lodgement.** Save the sent email or postage note with the PDF. Gratuitous work often has no invoice to anchor the job file.
- **File it with owner notes, photos, and insurance checks.** The PDF alone does not show what you photographed or what cover you relied on.
- **Do not treat download as lodgement.** Tradie Forms does not send the form to CBOS for you.

Check the current CBOS requirements for your job before you rely on the completed certificate.

> **Warning**
>
> Tradie Forms is not affiliated with Consumer, Building and Occupational Services Tasmania. You remain responsible for whether the job qualifies, the accuracy of the answers, and lodging through the current CBOS process.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Gratuitous work form guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/tas-gratuitous-plumbing-gasfitting-work-guide)** - When the pathway applies, what to gather, and how to walk the form on site.
- **[Common gratuitous work mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-tas-gratuitous-work-certificate)** - Relationship, scope, insurance, and sign-off errors that cause chase-up later.
- **[TAS Form 71B](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/plumbing/tas/tas-form-71b-plumbing)** - Standard of work certificate for paid or permitted plumbing work, not unpaid work.

# TCA1 Attach A (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/telecommunications/national/acma-tca1-attach-a)

TCA1 is the ACMA-approved written certification statement for customer cabling work you performed or supervised. A registered cabler prepares it as soon as practicable after finishing the job, then gives copies to the customer and, where relevant, the employer or contractor, and keeps a copy for at least 12 months. [ACMA cabling advice guidance](https://www.acma.gov.au/cabling-advice-forms) also allows another format if it carries the required details; this form produces the official TCA1 Attach A layout (August 2021).

This is the current ACMA TCA1 Attach A. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Recording non-compliant cabling you noticed outside the work you completed? Use [ACMA TCA2](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/telecommunications/national/acma-tca2)

> **Warning**
>
> TCA1 certifies completed cabling work. Do not use it to bury outstanding non-compliant cabling. Issues outside the contracted scope or left unfixed need a TCA2 so the customer or building manager has a clear outstanding-matters record.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every TCA1 problem comes from filling it later from memory instead of at the job. Have these in front of you.

- **Your current cabler registration card or record** - Surname, given names, registration number and expiry must match this job, not last week's PDF.
- **What you installed, altered, tested or supervised** - Enough detail to name the work and where it sits in the building.
- **Where the work was done** - Room, floor, tenancy, rack or building section, as ACMA's location examples describe.
- **Who the customer actually is** - The party who engaged you, not only the person who let you in.
- **Employer or contractor details when they apply** - Company name and contact for the copy your business or head contractor needs.
- **A decision on TCA2** - Whether any non-compliant cabling outside this scope still needs its own advice.

Given names, surname, work description, customer name, print full name and date gate the download. Signature should still go on the certification line so the customer gets a finished statement.

## Registered Cabling Provider [#provider]

Your details as the registered cabling provider who performed or supervised the work. Use the same spelling and registration details you use on other cabling records for this job.

- **Given Names (Text, Required)** - As shown on your cabler registration. Match the person who actually performed or supervised this work, not a colleague whose details are still saved from the last job.
- **Surname (Text, Required)** - As shown on the same registration record. A mismatched name and registration number is the first thing that looks wrong if the record is reviewed later.
- **Mobile (Tel, Optional)** - Your contact number for follow-up on this advice. Prefer the number that still works when the customer rings next week. Work Phone sits beside this field for a landline with area code when you use one.
- **Email (Email, Optional)** - Useful when the customer or office will receive the finished PDF by email. Use an address that reaches you or the business, not a personal inbox you do not check for job files.
- **Registration Number (Text, Optional)** - Your current cabler registration number. Take it from the live registration record, not an old PDF on the phone. ACMA expects the statement to identify the registered provider, so leave this blank only if you truly do not have the number on site and will complete it before handover.
- **Expiry Date (Date, Optional)** - The expiry on that same registration. The field does not accept a date before today, so a lapsed registration cannot be entered as current. Check both number and expiry together whenever registration has renewed or a provider arrangement has changed.
- **Street address (Address, Optional)** - Your business or postal street line. Address search is Australia-wide and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. Confirm the result against how you appear on other cabling paperwork for this business.
- **Suburb (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search with the street line. Confirm it when typing by hand so the provider block matches the rest of your records.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm when typing manually.
- **Postcode (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm against your business record when typing manually.

**Saved detail: Cabling Provider** - save this section to prefill it on your next TCA1 for the same registered cabler.

Prefill restores the provider block. Still check registration number and expiry before download whenever anything about your registration or business has changed.

## Employer (if Applicable) [#employer]

Fill this when you work for a company or contractor that must receive a copy of the certification statement. Leave the section blank only when it does not apply to this job.

- **Company Name (Text, Optional)** - Trading or legal name of the employer or head contractor who needs a copy. On subcontracted work this is often the business on the purchase order, not the site supervisor's company nickname.
- **Mobile (Tel, Optional)** - Employer contact number for the office copy trail. Work Phone is available beside it for a landline with area code.
- **Email (Email, Optional)** - Where the employer or contractor should receive the finished PDF. Prefer a job or office inbox the business actually files against, not a personal phone email.
- **Street address (Address, Optional)** - Employer business address when it differs from yours. Address search is Australia-wide. Confirm the result against the letterhead or contract so the copy path matches the business on the job.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm when typing by hand.
- **Postcode (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm against the employer record when typing manually.

**Saved detail: Employer** - save this section to prefill it on your next TCA1 for the same employer or contractor.

## Description of Work [#workDescription]

Records what cabling work you completed and where it was done. This is the section the customer and any later reader use to understand what the advice covers.

- **Work Description (Textarea, Required)** - Name the type of work and its location in enough detail that someone who was not on site can identify it later. ACMA guidance gives location examples such as room, floor, section, department and building. Include whether you installed, altered, repaired, relocated, tested or supervised, and note supervision when a trainee or apprentice did part of the work under your oversight. The finished PDF has seven single lines; long text wraps across them and the soft length matches those lines, so check the preview if the description is long.
  
  - **Useful** - Install two CAT6 outlets in office 3, terminate to rack U12, test and label both points to AS/CA S009:2020
  - **Too vague** - Office data

## Customer [#customer]

Who receives the cabling advice. Use the customer who engaged you for this job, not only the person who met you at the door.

- **Name (Text, Required)** - Customer or site contact as the party engaged for the work. On a fit-out that is often the builder rather than the tenant standing next to you. Confirm before you leave, because a wrong customer name is hard to match to the job months later. When a job system is connected, you can import name, phone, email and address from supported jobs, contacts or projects, then check the import against who actually engaged you.
- **Mobile (Tel, Optional)** - Customer mobile for handover and follow-up. At least one working phone helps on site. Home Phone sits beside this field for a landline with area code when you have one.
- **Email (Email, Optional)** - Where the finished advice should be sent. Prefer an inbox that reaches the engaging party, not only an accounts payable address that never reaches the site owner.
- **Street address (Address, Optional)** - Customer postal or site address as required for your records. Address search is Australia-wide and fills the street line, suburb, state and postcode. On commercial jobs make the address clear enough that the form can be matched back to the work order later.
- **State (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm when typing by hand.
- **Postcode (Address, Optional)** - Filled by address search. Confirm against the job file when typing manually.

## Certification [#certification]

Signs and dates the compliance declaration on the TCA1. Read the certification wording on the form before you sign: it is the statement that the cabling work complies with the relevant wiring rules.

- **Signature (Signature, Optional)** - The registered cabler making the declaration. Sign when the work description, customer and provider details are final, not as a blank stamp for later. You can use a saved signature; check the preview so the stamp sits cleanly in the signature box on page one of the PDF.
- **Print Full Name (Text, Required)** - The name of the registered cabler making the declaration, matching the provider block. Do not put an office admin name here when a different person performed or supervised the work.
- **Date (Date, Required)** - The date of this certification statement. Today and Yesterday shortcuts are there because ACMA expects the statement as soon as practicable after the work. The field does not accept a future date. Do not copy a date from an old PDF.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Copying registration details from an old PDF.** - Renewals and provider changes leave stale numbers on phones and templates. Take surname, given names, registration number and expiry from the current registration record for this job.
- **Describing the work as office data or as quoted.** - That tells a customer or auditor nothing a year later. Name what was installed, altered or tested and where it sits in the building.
- **Naming the tenant when the builder engaged you.** - The customer is who engaged your business. A wrong name makes the customer copy and the retained file hard to match to the work order.
- **Leaving employer blank on subcontracted work.** - ACMA says the employer or contractor also gets a copy when you have one. Blank employer details break that copy trail.
- **Using TCA1 to cover unfixed non-compliant cabling.** - TCA1 certifies the work you completed or supervised. Outstanding or pre-existing non-compliant cabling needs a TCA2 so the customer or building manager has a clear record.
- **Signing before the work description is final.** - The signature sits against the description you just wrote. Change the wording first, then sign, then download.
- **Dating the form from last week's job.** - A copied date is the first thing that looks careless if the record is reviewed. Use the day you prepare this statement for this work.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Provider name and registration match the current cabler record for this job
- Employer section is complete when an employer or contractor needs a copy
- Work description names what was done and where, including supervision when it applies
- Customer is the party who engaged you, with contact details that reach them
- Print full name matches the registered cabler making the declaration
- Date is this statement's date, not a future or copied job date
- Signature is on the certification line and the PDF preview shows all seven work-description lines cleanly

## After download [#after-download]

[ACMA guidance](https://www.acma.gov.au/cabling-advice-forms) says once the certification statement is prepared, give a copy to the customer who engaged you and to your employer or contractor if you have one, and keep a copy for one year after preparing it.

- **Name the file so the job is obvious.** Include the customer and site or suburb, for example `TCA1 - Jordan Lee - Parramatta - 2026-06-05.pdf`.
- **File it with the job record.** Keep the PDF with photos, test notes and the work order so the office can find it without digging through sent email.
- **Hand over while the customer is still available.** The statement belongs with the finished work, not at the end of the week from memory.
- **Open a TCA2 when outstanding matters remain.** Do not let known non-compliant cabling sit only in a verbal handover.

Check the current ACMA cabling advice requirements for your job, including the limited exemption for small cabling tasks. Tradie Forms is not affiliated with the ACMA.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[TCA1 on-site walkthrough](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca1-cabling-advice-on-site-guide)** - Section-by-section fill order for finishing the advice before you leave site.
- **[Common TCA1 mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-acma-tca1)** - Registration, description, customer and TCA2 mix-ups that soften the record.
- **[TCA1 and TCA2 record keeping](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca1-tca2-cabling-record-keeping-handover-guide)** - Who gets a copy, the 12-month keep rule, and how both forms sit together.

# TCA2 Outstanding Matters (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/telecommunications/national/acma-tca2)

TCA2 records non-compliant cabling you noticed outside the work you were engaged to do, with a priority for each issue. You complete it as a registered cabler and hand the finished PDF to the customer or building manager so they can decide what to do. [ACMA publishes](https://www.acma.gov.au/cabling-advice-forms) the form for outstanding cable installations you notice, including pre-existing issues and work outside your booked scope.

This is the current ACMA TCA2. Tradie Forms follows the official section order and maps your answers onto the official PDF layout.

Certifying cabling work you completed rather than recording outstanding matters? Use [ACMA TCA1](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides/telecommunications/national/acma-tca1-attach-a)

> **Warning**
>
> TCA2 is advisory outstanding matters advice. It does not certify the cabling work you completed. Use a TCA1 or another compliant certification statement for that.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Almost every weak TCA2 comes from writing it later from memory instead of at the fault. Have these ready before you open the form.

- **A pre works or post works decision** - When you actually noticed the issues, not when you are writing the form.
- **The matters you observed on site** - Only the non-compliant conditions you can point at, not a full tick list for the building.
- **A priority for each matter** - Urgent safety hazard, attention required (non-urgent), or long term low safety risk.
- **Location notes or photos** - The official PDF has no free-text location field, so your job notes or photos are the only record of where each issue is.
- **Who receives the advice** - Customer or building manager, whoever can authorise remediation on that infrastructure.

Advice type is the only field that always blocks download. Every matter you tick also needs a priority before the PDF will go out.

## Advice Type [#adviceType]

Records whether you noticed the outstanding matters before your cabling work started, or during or after the work on site. That timing separates what you inherited from what you found while doing the job.

- **When is this advice issued? (Choice, Required)** - Choose **Pre works advice** when you spotted the issues before your cabling work starts, including on a quote walk or scope visit. Choose **Post works advice** when you found them during or after your work on site. The box records when you saw the problem, not when you type the form. If you quoted on Monday and installed on Thursday, Monday finds stay pre works even if you fill the form on Friday.

The finished PDF prints one advice type at the top of the official one-page layout. Preview it before download so the timing matches the job story you will tell the customer.

## Outstanding Matters [#outstandingMatters]

Records each non-compliant condition you noticed, then the priority that tells the customer how quickly to act. Tick only rows that apply to this site. Leave the rest blank.

The form is a fixed table of ten official rows. When you tick a row, a priority choice opens for that row. Unticked rows stay closed. Download is blocked if a ticked row has no priority, or if a priority is set without the row ticked.

### The ten rows [#the-ten-rows]

Use the official wording as it appears on the form. Tick a row only when you observed that condition.

1. Inadequate separation of communications and electrical cabling
2. Inappropriate or inadequate support provided to cables
3. Cables not secured or fixed
4. Non-compliant cabling product used
5. Non-compliant customer equipment installed
6. Non-compliant earthing
7. Wrong colour conduit used
8. Records are missing or out of date
9. Pre-existing cables are worn or frayed
10. Pre-existing cabling is not compliant (other)

The catch-all **other** row is for a real non-compliance that does not fit the first nine. It is not a place to park vague notes when you are unsure which row applies.

### Priority for each ticked row [#priority-for-each-ticked-row]

Pick exactly one priority per ticked row. Base it on what you saw, not on how awkward the conversation might be.

- **Urgent safety hazard** when the condition presents a safety risk that needs attention straight away
- **Attention required - non-urgent** when the matter is real and needs planning, but is not an immediate danger
- **Long term - low safety risk** when the non-compliance is genuine, low risk, and worth recording for the next cabling works

Marking every cosmetic mess as urgent trains the customer to ignore the next TCA2. Burying a real hazard as long term leaves the priority column empty of meaning.

### What the PDF does and does not hold [#what-the-pdf-does-and-does-not-hold]

The official TCA2 is a one-page checklist. It has no free-text field for location, description, or who should fix it. Your ticks and priorities land as checkboxes on that page. Keep separate job notes or photos that name the floor, riser, rack, ceiling space or cable route so the customer or the next cabler can find the issue without calling you.

Do not tick every row just in case. An empty TCA2 is also useless: if there is nothing advisory to record, the document for completed cabling work is the TCA1, not a blank outstanding matters form.

## Common mistakes [#common-mistakes]

- **Using TCA2 as the completion statement for work you did.** - ACMA treats TCA1 as the certification statement for customer cabling you performed or supervised. TCA2 only advises on other non-compliant installations you noticed. Issue both when both apply, and keep each form in its lane.
- **Marking post works for issues found on the quote walk.** - Pre works means before your cabling work starts. Post works means during or after work on site. Wrong timing blurs what you inherited from what you uncovered mid-job.
- **Ticking a matter without a priority.** - A tick with no priority leaves the customer guessing how quickly to act. The form blocks download until every ticked row has one of the three levels.
- **Defaulting every row to urgent, or every row to long term.** - Blanket priorities make the form unusable. Set each level from the condition you observed so the top item is the one that actually needs action first.
- **Ticking rows you did not observe.** - The form is a record of what you saw, not a building-wide audit checklist. Every tick has to stand up if the customer or a later cabler asks about it.
- **Writing the form later from memory in the ute.** - Priorities get guessed and locations go vague. Complete it while the non-compliant cabling is still in front of you, and keep notes or photos for where it sits.
- **Starting from yesterday's draft on a shared tablet.** - Changing the address on an old draft leaves half the previous building's matters selected. Start a fresh form for the current site, then preview.

## Before download [#before-download]

- Advice type is pre works or post works for when you actually noticed the issues
- Only matters you observed are ticked
- Every ticked matter has exactly one priority
- You can explain where each matter is from job notes or photos, because the PDF has no location field
- This is outstanding matters advice, not a substitute TCA1 for work you completed
- The PDF preview shows the right advice type, ticks and priorities on the one-page layout

## After download [#after-download]

Give the finished PDF to the customer or building manager, whoever can authorise work on that cabling. On a tenanted or strata site that is often the building manager rather than the person who booked the data point, because the outstanding cabling may sit in common property.

- **Hand it over in the same sitting you download it.** A form that only sits in your downloads folder never reaches the person who can act.
- **Name the file with site and date**, for example `2026-07-24_12-smith-st_tca2.pdf`, so it stays findable next to the job.
- **Keep a job copy even when ACMA does not require one.** ACMA's hard retain rule sits on the TCA1 (at least 12 months). Many businesses still keep TCA2 with the job pack as proof of what was advised and when.
- **Pair it with the TCA1 from the same visit** when you also completed cabling work. Store both in the same job folder with any photos and location notes.
- **Issue a corrected, dated TCA2** if the advice type or a priority was wrong after the PDF went out. Tell the customer which file to keep, and store both versions with a short note.

Check the [current ACMA cabling advice requirements](https://www.acma.gov.au/cabling-advice-forms) for your job. Tradie Forms is not affiliated with the ACMA.

## Related guides [#related-guides]

- **[Common TCA2 mistakes](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/common-mistakes-acma-tca2)** - Wrong form, wrong timing, missing priorities, and handover failures that make advice useless.
- **[Outstanding matters guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca2-outstanding-matters-cabling-guide)** - What counts as an outstanding matter, when to issue TCA2, and how to write it so someone acts.
- **[Record keeping and handover](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/resources/acma-tca2-record-keeping-handover)** - Who receives the PDF, how to file it with the job, and how TCA1 and TCA2 sit together.

# Introduction (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/introduction)

Tradie Forms turns trade paperwork into online forms you fill in one section at a time. Pick a template, work through the sections on your phone or computer, check the preview, then download the finished PDF.

It is built for Australian tradies who need the paperwork done on site, not later from a flat PDF.

## What you can fill [#what-you-can-fill]

Tradie Forms supports three kinds of paperwork:

| Type                  | What it is for                              | Examples                                               |
| --------------------- | ------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Compliance**        | Official certificates, notices, and reports | QLD plumbing forms, NT gas notices, ACMA cabling forms |
| **Daily operational** | Job paperwork for your crew or office       | Site notes, checklists, pre-start style forms          |
| **Customer**          | PDFs you hand to the client                 | Completion, sign-off, acceptance, job records          |

Most public templates are regulator compliance forms. NSW site safety records and other operational templates are in the library too. You can also [request a template](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/custom-forms) for a public template suggestion or a private template for your business.

## What every template does [#what-every-template-does]

Every template in your library:

- Breaks the form into practical sections
- Shows progress and validation warnings
- Saves as you work
- Lets you preview the finished PDF before download
- Maps your answers onto the PDF layout for that template

Some templates also support saved details, address search, ABN lookup, in-form licence search, signatures, diagrams, photos, email actions, submission portal links, import from ServiceM8, Fergus, or Xero, or **Fill with AI** on a paid plan. Paid plans can also share a completed PDF or request a signature with an expiring link. The **Tools** area includes Licence check and everyday PDF tools on a paid plan.

> **Warning**
>
> Tradie Forms helps you prepare paperwork. You remain responsible for checking the PDF, meeting the official rules, and lodging or sending the form where required.

## How the app is organised [#how-the-app-is-organised]

After you sign in at [tradieforms.com.au/app](https://tradieforms.com.au/app), the sidebar is split into three areas:

| Area        | Pages                                         |
| ----------- | --------------------------------------------- |
| **Forms**   | Overview, Jobs, Drafts, Completed             |
| **Library** | Templates, Saved details, Presets, Tools      |
| **Account** | Settings, Account, Team, Billing, Connections |

The **New form** button and Search Search are at the top of the sidebar.

## Public templates today [#public-templates-today]

The public library currently includes <strong>69 public templates</strong>. There are no private templates in the public docs because private forms are enabled only for the account or team that requested them.

- **National:** ACMA TCA1 Attach A, ACMA TCA2 Outstanding Matters, Test and Tag Register, RCD Test Record, Emergency Lighting Test Register, Smoke Alarm Service Record, Electrical Defect Notice, Switchboard Condition Report, Solar PV Commissioning Record, EV Charger Commissioning Record, Battery Storage Commissioning Record, Job Safety Analysis, Take 5 Safety Check, Site Diary, Service Report, Job Handover, Permit to Work, and Hot Works Permit
- **NSW:** Combined Notice of Work and Certificate of Compliance, Fire Safety Certificate, Fire Safety Statement, Class B Asbestos Removal Control Plan, Mobile Crane Safety Checklist, Non-friable Asbestos Clearance Certificate (No Air Monitoring), and SafeWork NSW WHS Forms 01 through 10
- **NT:** Electrical Certificate of Compliance Addendum, Electrical Certificate of Compliance for emergency after-hours repairs, and Notification to Commence Gas Works
- **QLD:** Certificate of Testing and Compliance, plumbing Forms 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 14, and 19, building Forms 12, 15, 16, 21, 26, 30, 36, and 43, and fire hydrant and sprinkler Forms 71 and 72
- **SA:** Backflow Prevention Device Report
- **TAS:** Form 21 Certificate of Completion, Form 60 Start Work Notification, Form 71B Standard of Work Certificate, and Gratuitous Work for plumbers and gas-fitters
- **VIC:** Asbestos Removal Notification and Amendment Form, and Pesticide Application Record Sheet
- **WA:** Pest Management Business Registration Inspection

See [Form guides](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides) for section help by trade, state, and template.

- **[Quick start](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/quickstart)** - Fill your first form and download a PDF.
- **[Workspace](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/workspace)** - Overview, drafts, completed forms, and the app sidebar.
- **[Form guides](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides)** - Template-specific help for available forms.
- **[Billing](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/account/billing)** - Free, Solo, and Team features.
- **[Connections](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/integrations)** - Connect ServiceM8, Fergus, or Xero and import job details.
- **[Share links](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/share-links)** - Send a completed PDF or request a signature with an expiring link.
- **[Install the app](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/install-the-app)** - Add Tradie Forms to your phone home screen.

# Quick start (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/quickstart)

This walkthrough works for templates in your library. You can fill and preview public templates without paying. You need to sign in before you can download a PDF, use cloud features, or open private forms enabled for your account or team.

- Pick template
- Fill sections
- Check form
- Review
- Preview
- Download

### Sign in or start as a guest [#sign-in-or-start-as-a-guest]

You can open public templates without an account. Guest and Free work saves in this browser only and is kept for 7 days. Sign in when you are ready to download.

> **Note**
>
> Paid accounts can save cloud drafts so you can move between phone, tablet, and computer.

### Set your state and trade [#set-your-state-and-trade]

On first sign-in, choose your state and trade. Tradie Forms uses this to show recommended templates on **Overview**, **Templates**, and **New form**.

You can change this later in [**Settings**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/settings).

### Pick a template [#pick-a-template]

Open [**Templates**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/templates) or select **New form** in the sidebar.

- Recommended forms appear first when they match your profile
- The full template library is searchable and filterable by state, trade, category, and visibility
- Private forms appear only after they are enabled on your account or team

### Fill each section [#fill-each-section]

Work through the sections in order. The form shows progress, required fields, and what is still missing.

Use section help links when available. Complex compliance forms have detailed [Form guides](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/form-guides).

### Use shortcuts where they fit [#use-shortcuts-where-they-fit]

Paid users can speed up repeat work with saved details, presets, Fill with AI, address search, ABN lookup, in-form licence search, the standalone Licence check tool, and import from ServiceM8, Fergus, or Xero where supported.

Connect from [**Connections**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/integrations), then use the link icon Import from connection beside supported fields, or use the import bar to map fields once and pull in a whole job, contact, or project. See [Connections](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/integrations).

Use **Fill with AI** from the toolbar when it appears. Describe the job, paste notes, attach a photo, or dictate into the chat, then check every value it fills. The assistant does not sign, attach photos to form fields, lodge, email, or submit the PDF for you.

Always check imported or reused values before download.

### Check, review, and preview [#check-review-and-preview]

Select **Check form** to find missing or invalid fields. Open **Review** to scan your answers, then **Preview** to check the PDF layout.

Preview does not use a Free download allowance.

Preview shows the finished PDF with a Tradie Forms watermark across it. Check every page here before you download; the watermark is not on the downloaded file.

### Download the PDF [#download-the-pdf]

Select **Download** when the preview looks right. Free accounts include 3 PDF downloads per calendar month. Paid plans include unlimited PDF downloads.

If **Store completed form data** is on, the finished record appears under [**Completed**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/completed).

## Good first checks [#good-first-checks]

- Check names, addresses, licence numbers, dates, readings, and serial numbers
- Confirm customer address and job site address are in the right places
- Make sure signatures and diagrams appear in the PDF preview
- Review anything filled by AI, saved details, lookups, or integrations before download
- Lodge, send, attach, or complete the PDF through the correct authority, customer, or connected app process

- **[Starting a form](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/starting-a-form)** - Guest fill, local drafts, cloud drafts, and Start fresh.
- **[Completing a form](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/completing-a-form)** - Validation, review, toolbar actions, and autosave.
- **[PDF downloads](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/pdf-export)** - Preview, download, regenerate, and PDF history.
- **[Install the app](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/install-the-app)** - Add Tradie Forms to your phone home screen.
- **[Connections](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/integrations)** - Connect ServiceM8, Fergus, or Xero and import job details.
- **[Troubleshooting](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/support/troubleshooting)** - Fix common save, access, and download issues.

# Feedback (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/support/feedback)

Your feedback helps us prioritise new templates, features, and doc updates.

## Product support [#product-support]

For bugs, billing, or account issues:

**Email:** [support@tradieforms.com.au](mailto:support@tradieforms.com.au)

Include your account email, the form name, and what you did before the problem appeared. Screenshots of validation errors or failed downloads help us reply faster.

Do not email passwords, full payment card details, or paperwork containing personal information unless support asks for a specific file.

## In-app help [#in-app-help]

Signed-in users can open [**Support**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/help) from the sidebar footer for quick links to these docs and contact options. The user menu also links to **Documentation** (`/docs`).

## Feature and form requests [#feature-and-form-requests]

To suggest a **new compliance template** or a **private template** for your business, use **Request a template** in the app. See [Custom forms](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/custom-forms).

## Documentation corrections [#documentation-corrections]

If a guide does not match what you see in the app (labels, limits, or section names), email support with:

- The doc page you were reading
- What the app shows instead
- Your plan (Free, Solo, or Team)
- The page address from your browser

We treat doc fixes as part of getting the product right.

You can also use **Was this helpful?** at the bottom of a docs page. Choose **No** and add a short note to report a page-specific gap without leaving the guide.

- **[Troubleshooting](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/support/troubleshooting)** - Common fixes before you write in.

# Troubleshooting (https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/support/troubleshooting)

Use this page when something does not look right in the app.

## Drafts and saving [#drafts-and-saving]

- **My draft is missing** - Check whether it was a local or cloud draft.
  
  - Guest and Free drafts save in the same browser only, for up to 7 days
  - Paid plan cloud drafts appear under **Drafts** when cloud autosave is enabled
  - If you changed device, browser, private browsing mode, or cleared site data, local drafts may not be available
  - If you work in a team, check the correct workspace is selected
- **Cloud autosave is not working** - Make sure you are signed in, on a paid plan, online, and have **Cloud autosave** turned on in Settings. Wait a few seconds after typing, then check the save indicator.

## Install and home screen [#install-and-home-screen]

- **I cannot find Install or Add to Home Screen** - On iPhone, use **Safari** (not Chrome or an in-app browser). On Android, use **Chrome** and open the three-dot menu. See [Install the app](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/install-the-app) for the full steps.
- **My draft disappeared after I added the home screen icon** - Guest and Free drafts live in that browser profile. The home screen icon normally shares the same data. If you used private browsing, switched browsers, or cleared site data, local drafts may be gone. Paid cloud drafts return under **Drafts** when you sign in online.

## Validation and form fields [#validation-and-form-fields]

- **A section will not complete** - Open the section and look for highlighted fields. Some sections require at least one checkbox, a valid date, a phone or email format, or linked details in another section.
- **I cannot find a field** - Use the progress panel to jump between sections. Some fields appear only after you choose a related option.

## PDF preview and download [#pdf-preview-and-download]

- **Preview fails** - Check your connection and try again. If the form has images, diagrams, or signatures, wait for uploads or rendering to finish before previewing.
- **Download is blocked** - You must be signed in to download. Free users may have reached the monthly limit. Fix required validation errors before downloading, or confirm **Download anyway** only when you accept responsibility for remaining warnings.
  
  Some forms do not offer PDF download. Follow the message shown in the form and use the finish action that is available for that template.
- **The PDF looks wrong** - Compare the preview to your form answers. Check long text, addresses, date fields, signatures, diagrams, and table rows. If the issue remains, contact support with the template name and approximate time.

## Fill with AI [#fill-with-ai]

- **Fill with AI is missing** - Fill with AI requires sign-in and a paid plan. It appears only on supported forms and only while **AI assistant** is turned on under **Settings -> Features**. When Fill with AI is shown, it replaces the **Sample** toolbar button.
- **The assistant did not fill the right field** - Tell it the exact section or field to change, or edit the field manually. Always review the form and PDF preview before download. The assistant can miss context, especially from short notes or unclear photos.
- **Voice dictation is not working** - Check browser microphone permission, then try again. If the browser blocks the microphone or the recording is too large, type or paste the details into chat instead.
- **An attachment will not send** - Try a smaller JPEG, PNG, WebP, or text file. Very large files are blocked so the chat request can complete.

## Share links [#share-links]

- **Share link is missing** - Share links need a signed-in workspace on a paid plan. For a completed PDF, first download the form or open it from Completed. For a signature request, use an empty signature field on a cloud-saved draft.
- **The recipient cannot open or sign with the link** - Check that the link has not expired or been revoked, and that they have the right password if one was set. For a signature request, create a new link if the form changed after you sent the first one.
- **I sent a link to the wrong person** - Open [**Settings -> Share links**](https://tradieforms.com.au/app/settings/share-links) and revoke it straight away. Create a new link only after you have checked the recipient and expiry.

## Lookups and saved details [#lookups-and-saved-details]

- **Address, ABN, or licence search is not available** - Lookups require a paid plan and appear only where the template supports them. Licence check under Tools also requires a paid plan. You can still type details manually.
- **My state is disabled in Licence check** - Licence check has live search for NSW, QLD, VIC, ACT, and WA. Tradie Forms does not currently search the SA, TAS, or NT registers. Use the linked official register for those states.
- **I cannot apply a saved detail** - You must be signed in and on a paid plan to prefill saved details. Free users can save details but cannot prefill them on new forms.
- **A lookup result looks wrong** - Do not rely on it blindly. Type the correct value manually or choose another result. Always verify names, ABNs, licence numbers, expiry dates, and addresses before download.

## Billing and access [#billing-and-access]

- **I upgraded but still see a lock** - Refresh the page, then sign out and back in if needed. If you are in a team workspace, make sure the team has an active Team plan. Solo only applies to your personal workspace.
- **A private form is missing** - Check the correct personal or team workspace is selected. Private forms appear only after access is enabled for that workspace.

## Connections [#connections]

- **Integration import fields are not showing** - Check that the integration is connected in the active workspace and that the field shows the link icon Import from connection. Team admins manage team connections. ServiceM8 also needs job import turned on when you connect.
- **The whole-job import bar is missing** - Check that you are on a paid plan, the form supports integration import, and the integration is connected in the active workspace with import permission. ServiceM8 also needs job import turned on when you connect.
- **I cannot save a field mapping** - On a team workspace, only team admins can save, edit, or clear field mappings. Ask a team admin to set up the mapping, or switch to your personal workspace if you manage your own connection there.
- **Import job is greyed out** - Whole-job import needs a saved field mapping for that template. Select **Set up mapping** (or **Edit mapping**) in the bar at the top of the form, map at least one field, then **Save mapping**. You also need a job selected in the bar.
- **Send to ServiceM8 fails** - Reconnect the integration with PDF upload enabled. ServiceM8 needs **Upload PDFs to job cards** at connect. From Completed, make sure the record can be regenerated or has a stored PDF available.
- **An integration cannot connect** - Check that you are on a paid plan and using the correct workspace. Team admins manage team connections.
  
  - **ServiceM8:** connect from Connections or the ServiceM8 Add-on Store. See the [ServiceM8 guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/integrations/servicem8-integration).
  - **Fergus:** connect with Fergus from Connections. See the [Fergus guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/integrations/fergus-integration).
  - **Xero:** connect with Xero from Connections. See the [Xero guide](https://dev.tradieforms.com.au/docs/features/integrations/xero-integration).
- **Fergus import stopped working** - Disconnect Fergus in Connections, then connect with Fergus again. On a team workspace, a team admin needs to reconnect. If you connected with an API token, generate a new token in Fergus and reconnect.

## Still stuck? [#still-stuck]

Email [support@tradieforms.com.au](mailto:support@tradieforms.com.au) with:

- Template name
- Browser and device
- What you were trying to do
- Approximate time
- Screenshot if useful
- Whether you were in personal or team workspace

Do not send your password or full payment card details. If the problem involves a completed form, start with the template name and approximate time. Support can tell you whether a copy of the file is needed.