These regulations are the Plumbers Licensing and Plumbing Standards Regulations 2000.
[Regulation 1 inserted: Gazette 14 Nov 2013 p. 5231.]
2. Commencement
These regulations come into operation on the day on which the Water Services Coordination Amendment Act 1999 comes into operation.
3. Terms used
(1) In these regulations, unless the contrary intention appears —
alternative water supply system —
(a) means a system for the supply of water that is not a water supply service of a water services provider; and
(b) includes —
(i) a system by which an exempted provider supplies water; and
(ii) a private rainwater storage, bore or recycled water supply system; and
(iii) a water tank supplied with carted water;
apparatus for the treatment of sewage has the meaning given in the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1911 section 3(1);
application fee, in relation to a licence or permit, means the fee for an application for that licence or permit set out in Schedule 1 Division 1;
apprentice has the meaning given in regulation 3A;
approved form has the meaning given in regulation 106;
AS, followed by a designation, means the Australian Standard having that designation that is published by Standards Australia;
AS/NZS, followed by a designation, means the Australian/New Zealand Standard having that designation that is published jointly by Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand;
backflow prevention device has the meaning given in AS/NZS 3500.0 (Plumbing and Drainage — Glossary of terms) clause 3;
building permit has the meaning given in the Building Act 2011 section 3;
building work has the meaning given in the Building Act 2011 section 3;
certificate of compliance means a certificate given by a —
(a) licensed plumbing contractor under regulation 42 or 45B; or
(b) permit holder under regulation 42;
chairperson means the chairperson of the Board appointed under regulation 5(2)(a);
Class, followed by a designation, in relation to a building, means a building of that class under the Plumbing Code;
contractor‑level work, in relation to a licensed plumbing contractor, has the meaning given in regulation 12(2);
dangerous situation means a situation where there is an imminent and high risk to people, property or the environment resulting from plumbing work;
deputy chairperson means the deputy chairperson of the Board appointed under regulation 6;
disciplinary complaint means a complaint under regulation 28;
disciplinary matter means a disciplinary matter referred to in regulation 27;
drainage plumbing means plumbing that is the result of drainage plumbing work;
drainage plumbing diagram means a diagram of drainage plumbing work —
(a) given to the Board under regulation 45D or 45DA(2); or
(b) that is otherwise in the possession of the Board;
drainage plumbing work has the meaning given in regulation 4B;
dwelling —
(a) means the following —
(i) a Class 1a or 4 building;
(ii) a sole‑occupancy unit (as defined in the Plumbing Code Schedule 1) in a Class 2 building;
(iii) a Class 10a building that is for the use of a resident of a Class 1a building;
but
(b) does not include a building under construction;
emergency plumbing work means plumbing work that must be carried out without delay —
(a) to prevent the waste or contamination of water supplied by a water supply system; or
(b) to prevent the entry into a sewer or apparatus for the treatment of sewage of any matter that is likely to hinder or prevent the proper functioning of the system or unit; or
(c) to prevent the escape of foul air or offensive or infectious matter from a sewer or apparatus for the treatment of sewage; or
(d) to avert or rectify a dangerous situation; or
(e) to ensure that a building is supplied with water, including heated water;
entry warrant means an entry warrant issued under regulation 86;
exempted provider means a person to whom an exemption under the Water Services Act 2012 section 7 applies;
exempt work means work carried out by or on behalf of a water services provider in connection with the undertaking, maintenance or operation of water services works of the water services provider;
fitting has the meaning given in AS/NZS 3500.0 (Plumbing and Drainage — Glossary of terms) clause 3;
fixture has the meaning given in AS/NZS 3500.0 (Plumbing and Drainage — Glossary of terms) clause 3;
flexible hose assembly has the meaning given in AS/NZS 3500.0 (Plumbing and Drainage — Glossary of terms) clause 3;
greywater means water containing kitchen, laundry or bathroom waste other than faecal matter or urine;
identification card means an identification card issued to a licensee or permit holder under regulation 17(2) or 20(6);
isolating valve has the meaning given in AS/NZS 3500.0 (Plumbing and Drainage — Glossary of terms) clause 3;
licence means plumbing contractor’s licence, tradesperson’s licence, tradesperson’s licence (drainage plumbing) or provisional tradesperson’s licence;
licence fee, in relation to a licence, means the fee for the issue of that licence set out in Schedule 1 Division 1;
licensed plumbing contractor means a person who holds a plumbing contractor’s licence;
licensee means a person who holds a licence;
major plumbing work means —
(a) plumbing work that is not minor plumbing work; and
(b) minor plumbing work to the extent to which it is part of plumbing work that is major plumbing work;
member means a member of the Board and includes a person appointed under clause 4 of Schedule 2;
meter has the meaning given in AS/NZS 3500.0 (Plumbing and Drainage — Glossary of terms) clause 3;
minor plumbing work —
(a) means the testing, maintenance, repair or replacement of existing —
(i) water supply plumbing; or
(ii) sanitary plumbing; or
(iii) drainage plumbing;
but
(b) does not include the replacement of a water heater or testable backflow prevention device;
modular plumbing work means water supply plumbing work or sanitary plumbing work carried out in the course of manufacturing or building a plumbing module;
National Construction Code means the National Construction Code 2022 published by, or on behalf of, the Australian Building Codes Board;
new installation fee means the fee payable under regulation 45;
notice of intention means a notice of intention given by —
(a) a licensed plumbing contractor or permit holder under regulation 41; or
(b) a licensed plumbing contractor under regulation 45A;
performance solution has the same meaning as “Performance Solution” in the Plumbing Code Schedule 1;
permit means a restricted plumbing permit;
permit fee, in relation to a permit, means the fee for the issue of that permit set out in Schedule 1 Division 1;
permit holder means the holder of a restricted plumbing permit;
pipe includes fittings associated with a pipe;
place means any land, building, structure or dwelling, or a part of any land, building, structure or dwelling;
Plumbing Code means Volume 3 (Plumbing Code of Australia) of the National Construction Code;
plumbing compliance officer means a person designated as a plumbing compliance officer under regulation 66;
plumbing contractor’s licence means a licence of the kind referred to in regulations 12 and 13;
plumbing module means a module, or a prefabricated or transportable building, that contains pipes, materials, fixtures or components that —
(a) are water supply plumbing or sanitary plumbing; and
(b) are designed to be connected to water supply plumbing, sanitary plumbing or drainage plumbing that is not in the module or building;
plumbing standards has the meaning given in regulation 48;
plumbing work has the meaning given in section 59I of the Act;
pre‑apprentice means a person who is carrying out plumbing work as part of the work placement component of a Certificate II in Plumbing course provided by a registered training organisation (as defined in the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011 (Commonwealth) section 3);
provisional tradesperson’s licence means a licence of the kind referred to in regulation 13C;
register means the register referred to in regulation 102;
renewal fee, in relation to a licence or permit, means the fee for the renewal of that licence or permit set out in Schedule 1 Division 1;
responsible person, in relation to plumbing work, means each of the following —
(a) a person who carries out the plumbing work;
(b) a person under whose general direction and control or supervision the plumbing work is carried out;
(c) the licensed plumbing contractor or permit holder who is responsible for the plumbing work;
restricted plumbing permit means a restricted plumbing permit (rainwater storage) or restricted plumbing permit (water heater);
restricted plumbing permit (rainwater storage) means a restricted plumbing permit of the kind referred to in regulation 13E;
restricted plumbing permit (water heater) means a restricted plumbing permit of the kind referred to in regulation 13D;
sanitary plumbing means plumbing that is the result of sanitary plumbing work;
sanitary plumbing work has the meaning given in regulation 4A;
serious offence means an offence (whether committed in or outside this State) that is —
(a) an indictable offence against a law of this State, the Commonwealth or another jurisdiction (whether or not the offence is or may be dealt with summarily); or
(b) an offence against the law of another jurisdiction that would be an indictable offence against a law of this State if committed in this State (whether or not the offence could be dealt with summarily if committed in this State);
sewer means sewerage works of a licensee as defined in the Water Services Act 2012 section 71(1);
sewerage service licensee means a licensee for the provision of a sewerage service as those terms are defined in the Water Services Act 2012 section 3(1);
sewerage system has the meaning given in AS/NZS 3500.0 (Plumbing and Drainage — Glossary of terms) clause 3;
testing includes testing required under —
(a) the plumbing standards; and
(b) AS/NZS 2845.3 (Water supply — Backflow prevention devices — Field testing and maintenance of testable devices); and
(c) AS 4032.3 (Water supply — Valves for the control of heated water supply temperatures — Requirements for field‑testing, maintenance or replacement of thermostatic mixing valves, tempering valves and end‑of‑line temperature control devices);
thermostatic mixing tap has the meaning given in AS/NZS 3500.0 (Plumbing and Drainage — Glossary of terms) clause 3;
trade‑level work —
(a) in relation to a licensed plumbing contractor — has the meaning given in regulation 13(3); or
(b) in relation to the holder of a tradesperson’s licence — has the meaning given in regulation 13A(3); or
(c) in relation to the holder of a tradesperson’s licence (drainage plumbing) — has the meaning given in regulation 13B(3);
trade waste has the meaning given in the Water Services Act 2012 section 101(1);
tradesperson means a person who holds a tradesperson’s licence or a tradesperson’s licence (drainage plumbing);
tradesperson’s licence means a licence of the kind referred to in regulation 13A;
tradesperson’s licence (drainage plumbing) means a licence of the kind referred to in regulation 13B;
unit of competency means a unit of competency entered on the National Register as defined in the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011 (Commonwealth) section 3;
wastewater has the meaning given in the Water Agencies (Powers) Act 1984 section 3(1);
water heater has the meaning given in AS/NZS 3500.0 (Plumbing and Drainage — Glossary of terms) clause 3;
WaterMark Technical Specification, followed by a designation, means a WaterMark Technical Specification —
(a) having that designation; and
(b) published by, or on behalf of, the Australian Building Codes Board;
water services provider means a licensee as defined in the Water Services Act 2012 section 3(1);
water services works of a water services provider means water service works of a licensee as defined in the Water Services Act 2012 section 3(1);
water supply plumbing means plumbing that is the result of water supply plumbing work;
water supply plumbing work has the meaning given in regulation 4;
water supply service has the meaning given in the Water Services Act 2012 section 3(1);
water supply system means —
(a) a water supply service of a water services provider; or
(b) an alternative water supply system;
working day means a day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday.
(2) In these regulations, unless the contrary intention appears, a reference to a licensed plumbing contractor in relation to plumbing work is to be read as a reference to the licensed plumbing contractor —
(a) who carried out or is or will be carrying out the work; or
(b) under whose general direction and control or supervision the work was, is being or will be carried out.
(3) In these regulations, unless the contrary intention appears, a reference to the consent of the owner of a place, or to a notice being given to the owner, is to be read as including a reference to the consent of a representative of the owner or the notice being given to the representative.
(4) For the purposes of these regulations, a licensed plumbing contractor or permit holder is responsible for major plumbing work if —
(a) the contractor or permit holder has given a notice of intention in respect of the work; and
(b) the contractor or permit holder has not withdrawn the notice of intention in respect of the work; and
(c) the contractor or permit holder has not been replaced by another licensed plumbing contractor or permit holder who has given a notice of intention in respect of the work.
[Regulation 3 amended: Gazette 20 Apr 2001 p. 2149‑50; 12 Sep 2003 p. 4080; 1 Jun 2004 p. 1909; 28 Jun 2004 p. 2400‑6; 30 Dec 2004 p. 6928; 19 Apr 2005 p. 1302; 7 Oct 2005 p. 4509‑11; 26 Jun 2007 p. 3062; 11 Dec 2009 p. 5060; 14 Nov 2013 p. 5232; 19 Dec 2014 p. 4831‑2; 24 Apr 2015 p. 1495‑6; 29 Apr 2016 p. 1329-30; 13 Dec 2016 p. 5620 and p. 5627‑8; 10 Jan 2017 p. 184; 9 Apr 2019 p. 1056; 18 Oct 2019 p. 3674; SL 2020/132 r. 4; SL 2020/196 r. 51; SL 2021/86 r. 57; SL 2021/89 r. 4; SL 2022/115 r. 10; SL 2022/163 r. 4 and 5; SL 2024/12 r. 4 and 56; SL 2024/96 r. 46; SL 2025/70 r. 4.]
3A. Meaning of apprentice
(1) An apprentice is a person who is an apprentice under a training contract, registered under the Vocational Education and Training Act 1996 Part 7 Division 2, for the purpose of obtaining a Certificate III in Plumbing or Certificate II in Drainage.
(2) If the person completes their training contract they are taken to continue to be an apprentice until —
(a) if, during the period of 2 months beginning on the day on which the person completes their training contract, the Board accepts an application by the person for a tradesperson’s licence or tradesperson’s licence (drainage plumbing) under regulation 15 — the day on which the Board issues or refuses to issue the licence under regulation 17; or
(b) otherwise — the end of the period of 2 months beginning on the day on which the person completes their training contract.
[Regulation 3A inserted: SL 2024/12 r. 5.]
4. Water supply plumbing work specified (Act s. 59I)
fire service has the meaning given in AS/NZS 3500.0 (Plumbing and Drainage — Glossary of terms) clause 3;
point of discharge includes the outlet of a backflow prevention device that, under the plumbing standards, is required to connect an industrial or specialised service or equipment (including a fire service, irrigation service or heating, ventilation or air‑conditioning system) to water supply plumbing.
(2) For the purposes of section 59I of the Act, water supply plumbing work is the installation, replacement, alteration, connection, disconnection, repair, testing, commissioning or maintenance of pipes, materials or components used or intended to be used for the supply of water from a water supply system to a point of discharge.
(3) Despite subregulation (2), water supply plumbing work does not include the following —
(a) exempt work;
(b) the installation or replacement of a meter if the meter is owned and operated by a water services provider or exempted provider and the installation or replacement can be done without the need to carry out work on the pipes associated with the meter;
(c) work in relation to the internal components of a water heater;
(d) work that —
(i) involves a product certified under WaterMark Technical Specification WMTS‑050; and
(ii) would, but for this paragraph, be modular plumbing work.
[Regulation 4 inserted: SL 2024/12 r. 57.]
4A. Sanitary plumbing work specified (Act s. 59I)
(1) For the purposes of section 59I of the Act, sanitary plumbing work is the installation, replacement, alteration, connection, disconnection, ventilation, repair, testing, commissioning or maintenance of pipes, materials, fixtures or components used or intended to be used to collect and convey wastewater or other waste to —
(a) drainage plumbing; or
(b) an apparatus for the treatment of sewage; or
(c) a greywater diversion device or treatment system.
(2) Despite subregulation (1), sanitary plumbing work does not include the following —
(a) drainage plumbing work;
(b) exempt work;
(c) work in relation to an apparatus for the treatment of trade waste;
(d) work that —
(i) involves a product certified under WaterMark Technical Specification WMTS‑050; and
(ii) would, but for this paragraph, be modular plumbing work.
[Regulation 4A inserted: SL 2024/12 r. 7; amended: SL 2024/12 r. 58.]
4B. Drainage plumbing work specified (Act s. 59I)
(1) For the purposes of section 59I of the Act, drainage plumbing work is the installation, replacement, alteration, connection, disconnection, ventilation, repair, testing, commissioning or maintenance of pipes, materials or components that are —
(a) below ground level; and
(b) used or intended to be used to convey wastewater or other waste to —
(i) a sewerage system; or
(ii) an apparatus for the treatment of sewage; or
(iii) a greywater diversion device or treatment system.
(2) Despite subregulation (1), drainage plumbing work does not include the following —
(a) work in relation to a pipe with a nominal diameter of less than 65 mm;
(b) exempt work;
(c) work in relation to an apparatus for the treatment of trade waste.
[Regulation 4B inserted: SL 2024/12 r. 7.]
Part 2 — The Plumbers Licensing Board
5. Membership
(2) The Board consists of 7 members —
(a) one person appointed by the Minister to be a member and the chairperson of the Board; and
(b) one person with knowledge and experience of the plumbing industry appointed by the Minister from a panel of 3 names submitted by the Master Plumbers and Gas Fitters Association of Western Australia at the request of the Minister; and
(c) one person with knowledge and experience of the plumbing industry appointed by the Minister from a panel of names consisting of 3 names submitted by each of the relevant unions requested by the Minister to submit names; and
(d) one person with knowledge and experience of the plumbing industry appointed by the Minister from a panel of 3 names submitted by the Assoc of Hydraulic Services Consultants Aust WA Chapter Inc at the request of the Minister; and
(e) one person with knowledge of and experience in the plumbing industry appointed by the Minister; and
(f) 2 persons with the ability to represent the interests of consumers nominated by the Minister to whom the administration of the Fair Trading Act 2010 is committed.
(2a) The Minister must ensure, to the extent practicable, that the person appointed under subregulation (2)(a) is not and has not been a participant in the plumbing industry.
(2b) The Minister must request at least one union to submit names for the purposes of subregulation (2)(c).
(3) Each body that is requested to submit names under a paragraph of subregulation (2) must submit 3 names of persons suitable for appointment under the relevant paragraph of subregulation (2).
(4) The Minister is to invite nominations, in the manner determined by the Minister, for appointment under subregulation (2)(a) and (f), and the Minister referred to in subregulation (2)(e) is to invite nominations, in the manner determined by that Minister, for appointment under subregulation (2)(e).
(5) If —
(a) a panel of names is not submitted in accordance with subregulation (3) within 30 days of the request being made; or
(b) nominations are not received following an invitation under subregulation (4) within the time specified in the invitation,
the Minister may make such appointment for the purposes of the relevant paragraph as the Minister thinks fit.
[Regulation 5 amended: Gazette 12 Sep 2003 p. 4080; 1 Jun 2004 p. 1910‑11; 30 Jun 2011 p. 2656; SL 2025/70 r. 5.]
6. Deputy chairperson
(1) The Minister is to appoint one of the members to be the deputy chairperson of the Board.
(2) The deputy chairperson is to perform the functions of the chairperson when the chairperson is unable to do so by reason of illness, absence or other cause, or when the office of the chairperson is vacant.
(3) An act or omission of the deputy chairperson acting as the chairperson cannot be questioned on the ground that the occasion for the acting had not arisen or had ceased.
[Regulation 6 amended: Gazette 1 Jun 2004 p. 1911.]
7. Remuneration of members
(1) A member is to be paid such remuneration and travelling and other allowances as are determined in the member’s case by the Minister on the recommendation of the Public Sector Commissioner.
(2) A member who is an employee (as defined in the Public Sector Management Act 1994) is to be paid only such travelling and subsistence allowances as are determined in the member’s case by the Minister on the recommendation of the Public Sector Commissioner.
[Regulation 7 amended: Gazette 11 Feb 2011 p. 506‑7.]