From 1 July 2026, Western Australia will no longer require a registered builder for non-habitable structures valued under $50,000. The change opens the door for more tradespeople to quote this work, but it also raises questions about quality and accountability.

For the past several years, any building work in Western Australia valued above $20,000 has generally required a registered building contractor. That threshold is about to move.

From 1 July 2026, the Cook Government is raising the registration requirement to $50,000 for Class 10a buildings, the category that covers private sheds, garages, carports and similar non-habitable structures. Below that threshold, builder registration will no longer be mandatory.

Building permits remain compulsory. All work must still comply with the relevant building standards. And consumers who experience defective or unsatisfactory work can still lodge a complaint with the Building Commissioner.

What changes is who can carry out the work.

Why the Threshold Is Moving

The government is framing this as a practical response to rising construction costs. A shed or carport that sat comfortably under $20,000 a few years ago may now cost $30,000 or more with materials and labour at current prices. The old threshold had not kept pace with what things actually cost to build.

The policy change also has a secondary intent: freeing up registered builders to focus on housing projects, where demand is sustained and the workforce is stretched. The Cook Government has been investing heavily in the WA residential pipeline, including a record $6.3 billion commitment to housing and homelessness since 2021. Redirecting licensed capacity toward that pipeline is a logical extension of that strategy.

For small businesses, particularly sole traders and tradespeople who do not hold builder registration, the change opens up a segment of the market they could not previously quote on.

“A shed or carport that sat comfortably under $20,000 a few years ago may now cost $30,000 or more. The old threshold had not kept pace with what things actually cost to build.”

The Compliance Safety Net

The policy has been designed with some guardrails intact. Building permits remain a requirement before work begins. Owners are responsible for obtaining approval from their local government prior to construction commencing.

The work must still comply with the building code. Standards do not change with the registration threshold. And if something goes wrong, the consumer complaint mechanism through the Building Commissioner remains available.

What is missing, though, is the accountability layer that builder registration provides. Registered builders in Western Australia carry obligations around insurance, financial requirements and disciplinary exposure that unregistered operators do not. For work below $50,000 on a Class 10a structure, that layer is now optional.

For straightforward kit sheds and standard carports, that gap may be manageable. For more complex structures sitting close to the $50,000 mark, it is worth clients asking the right questions before contracts are signed.

What This Means for Builders and Trades

For registered builders, this is largely a freeing up of capacity. Class 10a work below $50,000 has often been considered lower-margin and operationally straightforward. The WA Government has also been actively supporting builders who want to move up the registration ladder, with a Builder Support Program in partnership with HIA and MBA WA to help tradespeople navigate the registration pathway. Redirecting existing registered builders toward higher-priority housing projects may be welcomed across the board.

For smaller operators and trades without builder registration, the change creates genuine new opportunity. Work that previously required subcontracting through a registered builder or declining the job entirely can now be quoted directly.

The important caveat is that building permits still apply. Anyone taking on this work needs to understand the approval obligations, ensure the structure complies with the relevant standards and know what they are taking on if something goes wrong. The permit process exists precisely to catch the problems that registration does not.

The $20,000 threshold remains unchanged for all other building work that requires builder registration. This change applies specifically to Class 10a structures.

The Broader Context

Western Australia is not operating in isolation here. States and territories have been progressively reviewing licensing and registration frameworks in response to both cost pressures and workforce constraints. NSW has been running active compliance blitzes across regional areas, with unlicensed work consistently emerging as the standout enforcement issue. In that context, lowering the registration bar for a defined category of WA work is a notable contrast in approach.

The WA change moves in a different direction, lowering the registration bar for a defined category of work rather than tightening it. Whether that reflects the risk profile of Class 10a buildings or a pragmatic trade-off between consumer protection and industry capacity is a matter of perspective. It is also worth noting that Western Australia has not yet confirmed its NCC 2025 adoption date, meaning the building standards framework itself is still in transition for WA operators.

What is clear is that the policy is narrow in scope. It does not affect habitable buildings. It does not touch the broader residential construction framework. And it does not remove the permit requirement that provides the core compliance check.

For most builders, the practical impact will be limited. For sole traders and small operators who have previously been locked out of this work, it is a genuine change worth understanding. Builders who want to move toward full registration can find guidance on the WA Builder Support Program page.

The Good Builder Take

The WA government has been clear about its intent: costs have risen, and a threshold set years ago no longer reflects what it actually costs to build a simple structure.

The logic is defensible. Class 10a buildings carry lower risk than habitable structures, and permits still provide a baseline compliance check. For smaller trades, this is a legitimate opening.

The area to watch is the upper end of the new band. A $48,000 shed is still a significant piece of work. Clients should be asking whether their builder holds registration and whether they carry appropriate insurance, regardless of what the threshold now allows. Removing a regulatory requirement does not remove the practical risk of the work being done poorly.

This article is based on a media release from the Western Australian Government (Cook Government), June 2026. The $50,000 threshold applies to Class 10a buildings only from 1 July 2026. All other builder registration requirements remain unchanged.

Your Questions Answered:

Do you need a registered builder for a shed in Western Australia?

From 1 July 2026, no. For Class 10a buildings (sheds, garages, carports and similar non-habitable structures) valued under $50,000, builder registration is no longer required in WA. A building permit from your local government is still mandatory before work begins, and all work must comply with applicable building standards.

What is a Class 10a building in Australia?

Class 10a is a building classification under the National Construction Code (NCC) that covers non-habitable private structures. This includes private garages, carports, sheds, patios, verandahs and similar outbuildings. These structures are distinct from Class 1 buildings (houses and similar dwellings), which carry significantly higher compliance and registration requirements.

Do you still need a building permit for a shed or carport in WA?

Yes. The change to builder registration thresholds does not affect building permit requirements. A building permit from the relevant local government must be obtained before construction commences, regardless of the value of the work or whether the builder holds registration. Owners are responsible for ensuring this approval is in place.

What is the builder registration threshold in Western Australia?

From 1 July 2026, there are effectively two thresholds in WA. For Class 10a non-habitable structures (sheds, garages, carports), the threshold has risen to $50,000. Below that, builder registration is not required. For all other building work, the threshold remains at $20,000. Above $20,000, a registered building contractor is generally required.

What changes to builder registration apply in WA from July 2026?

From 1 July 2026, Western Australia is lifting the builder registration requirement for Class 10a buildings (private sheds, garages, carports and similar non-habitable structures) from $20,000 to $50,000. Work on these structures under $50,000 can be carried out without a registered builder, provided a building permit is obtained and all work meets building standards. The $20,000 threshold remains unchanged for all other building work.

Author: TGB Editorial