{"id":"nsw:sl-2017-0482","name":"Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2017","slug":"plumbing-and-drainage-regulation-2017","collection":"regulation","jurisdiction":"nsw","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":"482 of 2017","makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":176769,"registerId":"nsw-nsw:sl-2017-0482-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-05","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"Part 1","sectionType":"part","heading":"Preliminary","content":"# Part 1 Preliminary\n\nPart 1 Preliminary","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Name of Regulation","content":"#### 1 Name of Regulation\n\n1 Name of Regulation\n\n> This Regulation is the [Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2017](/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2017-0482).","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"2","sectionType":"section","heading":"Commencement","content":"#### 2 Commencement\n\n2 Commencement\n\n> This Regulation commences on 1 September 2017 and is required to be published on the NSW legislation website.\n> \n> Note.\n> \n> This Regulation replaces the [Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2012](/view/html/repealed/current/sl-2012-0287), which is repealed on 1 September 2017 by section 10 (2) of the [Subordinate Legislation Act 1989](/view/html/inforce/current/act-1989-146).","sortOrder":2},{"sectionNumber":"3","sectionType":"section","heading":"Definitions","content":"#### 3 Definitions\n\n3 Definitions\n\n> > (1) In this Regulation—\n> > \n> > business day means a day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday.\n> > \n> > the Act means the [Plumbing and Drainage Act 2011](/view/html/inforce/current/act-2011-059).\n> > \n> > Note.\n> > \n> > The Act and the [Interpretation Act 1987](/view/html/inforce/current/act-1987-015) contain definitions and other provisions that affect the interpretation and application of this Regulation.\n> \n> > (2) (Repealed)\n> \n> > (3) Notes included in this Regulation do not form part of this Regulation.\n> \n> **cl 3:** Am 2018 No 43, Sch 2.3 \\[1\\] \\[2\\].","sortOrder":3},{"sectionNumber":"Part 2","sectionType":"part","heading":"Periods for giving notices, certificates of compliance and plans of work","content":"# Part 2 Periods for giving notices, certificates of compliance and plans of work\n\nPart 2 Periods for giving notices, certificates of compliance and plans of work","sortOrder":4},{"sectionNumber":"4","sectionType":"section","heading":null,"content":"#### 4\n\n4 (Repealed)","sortOrder":5},{"sectionNumber":"5","sectionType":"section","heading":"Notices of emergency work","content":"#### 5 Notices of emergency work\n\n5 Notices of emergency work\n\n> For the purposes of section 10 (3) of the Act, the period within which notice of emergency work must be given is the period of 5 business days after the work is carried out.","sortOrder":7},{"sectionNumber":"6","sectionType":"section","heading":"Notices of defective installations or systems","content":"#### 6 Notices of defective installations or systems\n\n6 Notices of defective installations or systems\n\n> For the purposes of section 11 (1) and (2) of the Act, the period within which notice of any defective installation or system must be given is the period of 2 business days after the responsible person becomes aware of the defective installation or system.","sortOrder":8},{"sectionNumber":"7","sectionType":"section","heading":"Notifications that work will be ready for inspection","content":"#### 7 Notifications that work will be ready for inspection\n\n7 Notifications that work will be ready for inspection\n\n> For the purposes of section 13 (1) of the Act, the period after plumbing and drainage work is completed within which the plumbing regulator must be notified that the work will be ready for inspection is the period of 2 business days after the work is completed.","sortOrder":9},{"sectionNumber":"8","sectionType":"section","heading":"Certificates of compliance","content":"#### 8 Certificates of compliance\n\n8 Certificates of compliance\n\n> > (1) For the purposes of section 15 (1) (a) (ii) and (b) of the Act, the period within which a certificate of compliance for plumbing and drainage work or a copy of the certificate must be given is—\n> > \n> > > (a) the period of 2 business days after the work is completed, or\n> > \n> > > (b) if the plumbing and drainage work is not inspected by the plumbing regulator in the period during which the work must be available for inspection by the plumbing regulator (as required by section 13 of the Act), the period of 7 business days after the work is completed.\n> \n> > (2) For the purposes of section 15 (2) of the Act, the period within which a copy of a certificate of compliance for plumbing and drainage work must be given is the period of 7 business days after the person who is required under that subsection to give the copy of the certificate receives the copy.\n> \n> **cl 8:** Am 2018 No 43, Sch 2.3 \\[4\\].","sortOrder":10},{"sectionNumber":"9","sectionType":"section","heading":"Plans of work involving sanitary drainage systems","content":"#### 9 Plans of work involving sanitary drainage systems\n\n9 Plans of work involving sanitary drainage systems\n\n> For the purposes of section 16 (4) and (4A) (b) of the Act, a plan of work, or copy of a plan of work, is required to be supplied under that section no later than—\n> \n> > (a) 2 business days after the work is completed, or\n> \n> > (b) if the plumbing and drainage work concerned is not inspected by the plumbing regulator in the period during which the work must be available for inspection by the plumbing regulator (as required by section 13 of the Act), 7 business days after the work is completed.\n> \n> **cl 9:** Am 2018 No 43, Sch 2.3 \\[5\\].","sortOrder":11},{"sectionNumber":"Part 3","sectionType":"part","heading":"Miscellaneous","content":"# Part 3 Miscellaneous\n\nPart 3 Miscellaneous","sortOrder":12},{"sectionNumber":"10","sectionType":"section","heading":"Additional requirements for proposed performance solutions","content":"#### 10 Additional requirements for proposed performance solutions\n\n10 Additional requirements for proposed performance solutions\n\n> > (1) This clause applies to plumbing and drainage work that involves a proposed performance solution.\n> \n> > (2) The responsible person for plumbing and drainage work to which this clause applies must give the following documents and information to the plumbing regulator at the same time as the person gives to the plumbing regulator the relevant notice of work under section 9 of the Act—\n> > \n> > > (a) written confirmation from the person for whom the work is to be carried out indicating that the person is aware that a performance solution is proposed to be used,\n> > \n> > > (b) in the case of plumbing and drainage work in respect of an installation that connects directly or indirectly with a network utility operator’s water supply system or network utility operator’s wastewater or sewerage system, a copy of the consent in writing of the network utility operator to the use of the performance solution,\n> > \n> > > (c) evidence of the suitability of the proposed performance solution in accordance with the Plumbing Code of Australia, A2G2.\n> > \n> > Maximum penalty—20 penalty units.\n> \n> > (3) A person who contracts with another person for that other person to carry out plumbing and drainage work to which this clause applies in relation to premises, and who is not the owner of the premises, must, within 5 business days after giving the written confirmation referred to in subclause (2) (a) to the responsible person concerned, give a copy of the written confirmation to the owner of the premises or the owner’s agent.\n> > \n> > Maximum penalty—20 penalty units.\n> \n> > (4) The plumbing regulator may, not later than 15 business days after receiving a notice of work under section 9 of the Act in relation to plumbing and drainage work to which this clause applies, give the responsible person for the work a notice in writing requiring the responsible person to provide such of the following documents and information to the plumbing regulator as the plumbing regulator specifies in the notice within the time specified in the notice—\n> > \n> > > (a) expert assessments of a type specified in the notice in relation to the proposed performance solution,\n> > \n> > > (b) information of a type specified in the notice in relation to the qualifications of experts whose advice on the proposed performance solution was relied on by the responsible person,\n> > \n> > > (c) information of a type specified in the notice as to the design and suitability of the proposed performance solution.\n> \n> > (5) The responsible person for plumbing and drainage work to which this clause applies who receives a notice under subclause (4) must comply with the notice.\n> > \n> > Maximum penalty—20 penalty units.\n> \n> **cl 10:** Am 2023 (71), Sch 1.7.","sortOrder":13},{"sectionNumber":"11","sectionType":"section","heading":"Exemptions for minor works relating to notices of work, notifications that work will be ready for inspection and certificates of compliance","content":"#### 11 Exemptions for minor works relating to notices of work, notifications that work will be ready for inspection and certificates of compliance\n\n11 Exemptions for minor works relating to notices of work, notifications that work will be ready for inspection and certificates of compliance\n\n> The following plumbing and drainage work is exempt from the operation of sections 9, 13 and 15 of the Act—\n> \n> > (a) tap ware replacements,\n> \n> > (b) kitchen, laundry or bathroom renovations, or replacement of fixtures such as sinks, toilets, basins and bidets, so long as no plumbing has been changed (that is, the location of the fixtures has not changed),\n> \n> > (c) replacement of a hot water unit,\n> \n> > (d) plumbing and drainage work to access a sewer line through an inspection opening or similar opening (including, for example, digging and exposing a sewer line and opening a section of a sewer line), but only if the work is for the purpose of preparing a sewer service diagram and no other plumbing and drainage work is undertaken.\n> \n> Note.\n> \n> All the provisions of the Act (other than sections 9, 13 and 15) still apply to the plumbing and drainage work specified in clause 11, for example, sections 6 (Plumbing and drainage work to be carried out only by authorised persons), 7 (Plumbing and drainage work to comply with certain standards) and 16 (Supply of plans).","sortOrder":14},{"sectionNumber":"12","sectionType":"section","heading":"Exemptions for employees of network utility operators","content":"#### 12 Exemptions for employees of network utility operators\n\n12 Exemptions for employees of network utility operators\n\n> > (1) An individual is exempt from the requirements of the provisions of Part 2 of the Act (except sections 6 and 7) in relation to plumbing and drainage work if—\n> > \n> > > (a) the individual is an employee or contractor of a network utility operator, and\n> > \n> > > (b) the work was incidental to other work that was not plumbing and drainage work and was carried out in the course of the individual’s normal duties as an employee for the network utility operator or in the course of the work that the individual was contracted to do for the network utility operator.\n> \n> > (2) Nothing in this clause exempts an owner or occupier of land who has control of a plumbing installation or a sanitary drainage system from the requirements of section 17 of the Act.","sortOrder":15},{"sectionNumber":"13","sectionType":"section","heading":"Fees","content":"#### 13 Fees\n\n13 Fees\n\n> > (1) The fees payable for inspections of plumbing and drainage work by the plumbing regulator are set out in Schedule 1.\n> \n> > (2) The plumbing regulator may waive, reduce or refund payment of (or postpone the requirement to pay) any fee, or part of any fee, set out in Schedule 1.\n> \n> > (3) A local council or county council may set fees for exercising the functions of the plumbing regulator delegated to the local council or county council.","sortOrder":16},{"sectionNumber":"14","sectionType":"section","heading":"Savings","content":"#### 14 Savings\n\n14 Savings\n\n> Any act, matter or thing that, immediately before the repeal of the [Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2012](/view/html/repealed/current/sl-2012-0287), had effect under that Regulation continues to have effect under this Regulation.","sortOrder":17},{"sectionNumber":"Schedule 1","sectionType":"schedule","heading":"Fees","content":"# Schedule 1 Fees\n\nSchedule 1 Fees\n\n(Clause 13 (1))\n\n**sch 1:** Am 2018 No 43, Sch 2.3 \\[6\\].","sortOrder":18},{"sectionNumber":"Schedule 2","sectionType":"schedule","heading":"Penalty notice offences","content":"# Schedule 2 Penalty notice offences\n\nSchedule 2 Penalty notice offences\n\nFor the purposes of section 41 of the Act—\n\n> (a) each offence specified in this Schedule is an offence for which a penalty notice may be issued, and\n\n> (b) the amount payable under any such penalty notice is the amount specified in this Schedule for the offence.\n\n| Column 1 | Column 2 |\n| Provision | Penalty |\n| Offences under the Act |\n| Section 6 (1) | $1,100 |\n| Section 7 (1) | $1,100 |\n| Section 8 | $1,100 |\n| Section 9 (1) | $550 |\n| Section 10 (3) | $1,100 |\n| Section 11 (1) or (2) | $1,100 |\n| Section 13 (1) or (5) | $1,100 |\n| Section 14 (2), in relation to an initial contravention | $1,100 |\n| Section 14 (2), in relation to a continuing offence, for each day the contravention continues | $550 |\n| Section 14 (3) | $1,100 |\n| Section 15 (1) or (2) | $550 |\n| Section 16 (1) | $550 |\n| Section 16 (2) | $1,100 for an individual and $2,200 for a corporation |\n| Section 37 (7) | $1,100 |\n| Section 45 | $1,100 for an individual and $2,200 for a corporation |\n| Section 46 | $220 |\n| Offences under this Regulation |\n| Clause 10 (2), (3) or (5) | $220 |\n\n**sch 2:** Am 2018 No 43, Sch 2.3 \\[7\\].","sortOrder":25}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The Regulation appears to maintain its original scope as operational subordinate legislation supporting the Plumbing and Drainage Act 2011. The 2018 and 2023 amendments refined timeframes and performance solution requirements but did not expand the Regulation into new substantive areas beyond its original purpose of setting administrative procedures, fees, and exemptions."},"complexity_factors":["Moderate cross-referencing to the parent Act (Plumbing and Drainage Act 2011) with 15+ specific section references","Mathematical formula for annual fee indexation tied to CPI with rounding rules and floor provisions","Conditional timeframes that vary based on whether inspections occur (2 days vs 7 days)","Nested requirements for performance solutions involving multiple parties (property owners, utility operators, experts)","Dual penalty structures distinguishing between individuals and corporations in Schedule 2","Amendment history tracking (2018, 2023) indicating evolving requirements"],"plain_english_summary":"This Regulation sets out the operational details for how plumbing and drainage work is regulated in New South Wales under the Plumbing and Drainage Act 2011.\n\n**What it does:**\n- **Sets deadlines** for plumbers and drainers to notify the plumbing regulator (the government body overseeing plumbing work) about:\n  - Emergency work (within 5 business days)\n  - Defective installations they discover (within 2 business days)\n  - When work is ready for inspection (within 2 business days)\n  - Certificates of compliance (within 2 days, or 7 days if no inspection occurs)\n  - Plans for sanitary drainage systems (within 2 days, or 7 days if no inspection occurs)\n\n- **Special rules for \"performance solutions\"** (alternative ways to meet plumbing standards that differ from the usual rules):\n  - Requires written confirmation from the property owner that they know a non-standard solution is being used\n  - Requires approval from water or sewerage authorities if connecting to their systems\n  - Requires proof the solution meets the Plumbing Code of Australia\n  - Allows the regulator to demand expert assessments and additional documentation\n  - Penalties apply for non-compliance (up to 20 penalty units, roughly $2,200-$2,600 depending on the year)\n\n- **Exemptions for minor work:**\n  - Simple jobs like replacing taps, swapping out toilets/sinks without moving plumbing, replacing hot water units, or accessing sewer lines just to prepare diagrams don't need the usual notices or certificates\n  - Note: These jobs still must be done by licensed plumbers and meet standards\n\n- **Exemptions for utility workers:**\n  - Employees or contractors of water/sewerage companies (network utility operators) are exempt from most paperwork requirements when plumbing work is incidental to their main job\n\n- **Fees:**\n  - Sets fees for inspections (calculated in \"fee units\" that adjust yearly for inflation)\n  - After-hours and weekend inspections cost more (8.54 fee units, roughly $1,000+)\n  - Performance solution inspections cost extra\n  - The regulator can waive or reduce fees\n\n- **Penalty notices:**\n  - Lists specific fines for offences (ranging from $220 to $2,200 depending on the violation and whether it's a company or individual)\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- Licensed plumbers and drainers doing work in NSW\n- Property owners hiring plumbers\n- Water and sewerage utility companies\n- Local councils acting as plumbing regulators\n\n**Why it matters:**\nThis Regulation makes the Plumbing and Drainage Act work in practice by setting clear timeframes, paperwork requirements, and costs. It balances safety and compliance with practicality by exempting minor jobs from red tape while ensuring complex or non-standard work gets proper scrutiny."},"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Based on the available metadata, there is no indication that the scope of this regulation changed from its original intent. It appears to have remained a technical regulation governing plumbing and drainage work in NSW throughout its versions, with amendments likely being refinements rather than scope expansions."},"complexity_factors":["Only metadata and status information is available — the substantive provisions of the regulation are not included in the provided text, making full analysis impossible","The regulation operates as subordinate legislation beneath a parent Act, requiring cross-referencing to understand its full effect","Multiple historical versions exist (2017, 2018, 2023), suggesting the regulation has been amended over time, adding interpretive complexity","Automatic staged repeal mechanism under the Subordinate Legislation Act 1989 adds a temporal dimension practitioners must track","Plumbing and drainage law involves technical standards that typically cross-reference Australian Standards and national codes, which are themselves complex documents"],"plain_english_summary":"The Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2017 (NSW) sets detailed rules under the Plumbing and Drainage Act for how plumbing and drainage work must be done in NSW — covering technical standards, licensing, inspections and compliance. It primarily affects plumbers/drainers, property owners and the building industry by dictating required practices and approvals.\n\nThe regulation currently in force from 1 May 2023 is scheduled for automatic repeal on 1 September 2026, so replacement or amendment will be needed."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Clause 14 preserves acts and effects that operated under the repealed 2012 Regulation, and the instrument primarily sets procedural rules (timeframes, information, exemptions, fees and penalty notices) under the Act. Amendments noted in the text (for example, cl 10 amended 2023) add or clarify procedural requirements but do not, on their face, expand the substantive jurisdiction established by the Plumbing and Drainage Act 2011; assessing any substantive scope change would require comparison with the prior Regulation text."},"complexity_factors":["Cross-references to the Plumbing and Drainage Act 2011 and other Acts (cl 3) require users to read both instruments to determine obligations.","Multiple, conditional timeframes for notices, certificates and plans (cls 5–9) — some timelines change if work is inspected — increasing compliance tracking costs for practitioners.","Performance-solution regime: additional documentary and expert-evidence requirements and regulator powers to request further information (cl 10(2),(4)–(5)) create procedural complexity and potential evidence-gathering costs.","Exemptions with specific conditions (cl 11) and employee/contractor carve-outs for network utility operators (cl 12) require factual application to each job.","Fee schedule linked to a fee unit and CPI indexation formula (Part 2, cl 2) requires calculation, rounding rules (cl 2(2),(3); cl 3) and public notice (cl 4); fee variability raises administrative overhead.","Regulator discretion to waive, reduce or refund fees (cl 13(2)) and delegation of fee-setting to councils (cl 13(3)) produces variable outcomes and local differences.","Penalty notice schedule (Schedule 2) sets differing fines for individuals and corporations and for continuing offences, requiring distinction in enforcement consequences.","Savings clause (cl 14) preserves prior regulatory effects, so historical compliance actions remain relevant when interpreting current obligations."],"plain_english_summary":"This Regulation sets time limits, documentation requirements, exemptions, fees and penalty notices for plumbing and drainage work in NSW. It affects licensed plumbers, property owners, network utility operators and the plumbing regulator by allocating who must notify, supply certificates or plans, what work is exempt, what inspection fees apply (with CPI indexing) and what fines attach. It also gives the plumbing regulator power to waive fees and to require extra evidence for proposed performance solutions, changing reporting and design incentives."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/plumbing-and-drainage-regulation-2017","history":"/api/acts/plumbing-and-drainage-regulation-2017/history","analysis":"/api/acts/plumbing-and-drainage-regulation-2017/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/plumbing-and-drainage-regulation-2017/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/plumbing-and-drainage-regulation-2017/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/plumbing-and-drainage-regulation-2017/documents"}}