INSIGHT · LICENSING & COMPLIANCE
Handover documents: what the law
requires, and what is only custom.
Few building handover documents are required by name, and most of those come from the trades. As read on 10 November 2026, Victoria's and Queensland's instruments require electrical certificates, and plumbing certificates or notice copies, to go to the person the work was done for or, for Queensland plumbing, the occupier, and South Australia's an electrical certificate to the owner or operator; NSW, South Australian and WA government pages describe the other trade certificates. Victoria bars a final payment demand until the owner has a copy of the occupancy permit or certificate of final inspection, and Queensland requires copies of each certificate of inspection where the builder engaged the certifier. Appliance manuals, keys and as-built drawings are customary.
Analysed 10 November 2026 · Building Act 1993 (Vic), Version 152, Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995, Version 094, Electricity Safety Act 1998, Version 089, Plumbing Regulations 2018, Version 010 · QBCC Act 1991 (Qld), current from 1 February 2026, Electrical Safety Regulation 2026, current from 1 September 2026, Plumbing and Drainage Act 2018, current from 1 February 2026 · Electricity (General) Regulations 2012 (SA) · NSW, SA and WA government pages updated June 2023 to October 2026 · NSW Acts, Tasmanian trade certificates, the ACT and the NT not verified · all read 10 November 2026.
Key takeaways
- The electrical certificate goes to the person the work was done for: Victoria: a certificate of electrical safety (Electricity Safety Act 1998 s 45A). Queensland: certificates of testing and safety, and of testing and compliance, as soon as practicable (Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 ss 208, 229). South Australia: an electronic certificate of compliance to the owner or operator within 30 days after the installation is made available for energisation (Electricity (General) Regulations 2012 reg 55A). WA's regulator describes the same pattern. In NSW the regulator's page requires the CCEW to be lodged with Building Commission NSW and says electricians can send the customer a copy.
- Victoria's plumbing threshold is $750: The Building Act 1993 s 221ZH requires a signed compliance certificate within 5 days of completing plumbing work of $500 or more, or a higher amount fixed by regulations, and certain gas, drainage and cooling tower work. The Plumbing Regulations 2018 reg 47 fixes $750.
- Two builder duties in Victoria and Queensland: Victoria: no demand for final payment under a major domestic building contract until the owner has a copy of the occupancy permit or certificate of final inspection (Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995 s 42), and copies of authority and service provider reports as soon as practicable (s 26). Queensland: a copy of each certificate of inspection from the building certifier the contractor engaged (QBCC Act sch 1B s 17).
- Apartment buildings add a manual or a schedule: Victoria: an approved building manual for a prescribed class of new building goes to the owner and to the owners corporation at its first meeting (Building Act 1993 ss 41B, 44A). NSW: the original owner of a strata scheme gives an initial maintenance schedule at least 14 days before the first annual general meeting, on a standard form since 1 April 2026, as the NSW Government states it.
- We would keep the handover file as an index with a source per item: A system-design recommendation: each document carries its issuer, date, recipient and a label saying whether an instrument requires it, custom expects it, or the business chose to include it.
Electrical and plumbing
certificates, state by state
Electrical and plumbing compliance certificates in Australia are issued by the licensed trade, not the builder, and each state names the recipient differently: the person for whom the work was done, the customer, the owner or operator, or the person who arranged the work. On a home built under a head contract, that can be the builder.
Victoria's s 44 bars an occupancy permit unless the building surveyor has seen a copy of the plumbing compliance certificate and, since an amendment by Act No. 36/2026, any certificate the Electricity Safety Act 1998 Part 3 Division 3 required for the electrical work.
| State | Electrical certificate: who gives it, to whom, when | Plumbing certificate: who gives it, to whom, when | Instrument and version read |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | NSW: Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work (CCEW), submitted by the person who carried out the test to Building Commission NSW as soon as practical and no later than 7 days after the test; the page says electricians can give the customer a copy, for example by adding the customer's email in the portal, the only accepted lodgement method from 1 July 2026 | NSW: Certificate of Compliance completed by the plumber or drainer at completion, with a copy to the person who arranged the work (owner or builder), and a Sewer Service Diagram after drainage work | Building Commission NSW pages: Electrical compliance requirements (updated 19 October 2026) and Plumbing inspection documents (no date shown), read 10 Nov 2026. Gas and Electricity (Consumer Safety) Act 2017 and Plumbing and Drainage Act 2011 text not verified (10 Nov 2026) |
| Victoria | Victoria: certificate of electrical safety, completed by the person responsible for the electrical installation work and given within the required time to the person for whom the work was carried out, with a copy to Energy Safe Victoria (s 45A) | Victoria: signed compliance certificate from the licensed plumber within 5 days of completion, to the person for whom the work was carried out, for work of $750 or more and listed gas, drainage and cooling tower work (Building Act s 221ZH; Plumbing Regulations reg 47); lodged through the Authority's online system (reg 14A) | Electricity Safety Act 1998, Version 089 (8 September 2026); Building Act 1993, Version 152 (16 September 2026); Plumbing Regulations 2018, Version 010 (1 May 2026); read 10 Nov 2026 |
| Queensland | Queensland: the licensed electrical contractor gives the person for whom the work was performed a certificate of testing and safety after testing (s 208) and a certificate of testing and compliance after connecting the installation to supply (s 229), each as soon as practicable, and keeps a copy for at least 5 years | Queensland: for notifiable work, a notice to the commissioner within 10 business days after the work is finished, and a copy with an explanatory statement to the occupier or the person who asked for the work within 20 business days (s 83(1), (3)). The notice to the commissioner is not required where a permit was issued for the work (s 83(2)) | Electrical Safety Regulation 2026, current from 1 September 2026; Plumbing and Drainage Act 2018, current from 1 February 2026; read 10 Nov 2026 |
| South Australia | South Australia: electronic certificate of compliance, completed before the installation is made available for energisation and given to the Technical Regulator and the owner or operator within 30 days after (reg 55A) | South Australia: the SA Government states plumbers must give a plumbing electronic certificate of compliance within 7 days. The instrument was not verified (10 Nov 2026) | Electricity (General) Regulations 2012, version 14 March 2024; sa.gov.au, Certificates of compliance (updated 23 June 2023); read 10 Nov 2026 |
| WA | WA: Building and Energy states the electrical contractor must give the customer a copy of the Electrical Safety Certificate within 28 days of completing the work, citing reg 52B of the Electricity (Licensing) Regulations 1991. Regulation text not verified (10 Nov 2026) | WA: Building and Energy states the licensed plumbing contractor must give a certificate of compliance within 5 working days of completing major plumbing work. Regulation not named on the page and not verified (10 Nov 2026) | Building and Energy: Having electrical work done (brochure) and Plumbing work in your home (updated 1 July 2026), read 10 Nov 2026 |
| Tasmania | Tasmania: not verified (10 Nov 2026) | Tasmania: not verified (10 Nov 2026) | Building Act 2016, version in force 10 November 2026, read 10 Nov 2026: no electrical or plumbing certificate provision found; other Tasmanian instruments not read |
| ACT | ACT: not verified (10 Nov 2026). No owner certificate found in the Electricity Safety Act 1971, Republication 34 | ACT: not verified (10 Nov 2026) | Electricity Safety Act 1971, Republication 34, effective 16 December 2025, read 10 Nov 2026 |
| NT | NT: not verified (10 Nov 2026). The NT WorkSafe certificate page refused automated access | NT: not verified (10 Nov 2026) | None read |
What the building Acts require
the builder to hand over
Separate from the trade certificates, a few building and contract Acts name documents the builder or the applicant for the occupancy document must give the owner. In the instruments read on 10 November 2026 they are concentrated in Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania.
The occupancy document itself, who issues it and what it depends on, is set out state by state on our page on the occupation certificate. It is not repeated here.
| State | Document | Who gives it, to whom, when | Instrument and version read |
|---|---|---|---|
| Victoria | Copy of the occupancy permit, or otherwise the certificate of final inspection | The builder, to the building owner, before demanding final payment under a major domestic building contract (s 42) | Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995, Version 094, read 10 Nov 2026 |
| Victoria | Reports, notices, orders and other documents about the work | The builder, to the building owner, as soon as practicable after receiving them from a public statutory authority, a gas, electricity, telephone, water or sewerage provider, or a person registered under the Building Act 1993, unless the owner already has a copy (s 26) | Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995, Version 094, read 10 Nov 2026 |
| Victoria | Approved building manual, for a new building of a prescribed class | The building surveyor gives it to the applicant with the occupancy permit; an applicant who is not the owner gives it to the owner (s 41B(3), (4)); where there is an owners corporation, to the owners corporation at its first meeting (s 44A) | Building Act 1993, Version 152, read 10 Nov 2026 |
| Queensland | Copy of each certificate of inspection | The building contractor, where it is responsible for engaging the building certifier, to the building owner as soon as practicable after receiving it; a defence applies if the contractor reasonably believed the owner already had a copy (sch 1B s 17) | QBCC Act 1991, current from 1 February 2026, read 10 Nov 2026 |
| Queensland | Defects document, where the owner claims minor defects | The building contractor, to the building owner, signed; part of reaching practical completion (sch 1B s 1) | QBCC Act 1991, current from 1 February 2026, read 10 Nov 2026 |
| NSW | Initial maintenance schedule, for a new strata scheme | The original owner, to the owners corporation, at least 14 days before the first annual general meeting, on a standard form from 1 April 2026; for multi-storey schemes, with an independent surveyor's certification | NSW Government, Guide to strata law changes (updated 26 October 2026), read 10 Nov 2026. Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 text not verified (10 Nov 2026) |
| Tasmania | Defects document, where the owner claims minor defects | The building contractor, to the owner; part of the date of practical completion (s 4). Where the builder agrees minor defects exist, as soon as practicable (s 44(2)) | Residential Building Work Contracts and Dispute Resolution Act 2016, authorised version 16 July 2024, read 10 Nov 2026 |
| Tasmania | Notice of practical completion | The building contractor, signed, to the owner and, where a certificate of likely compliance is required, to the person who receives it, within 10 business days after practical completion (s 43) | Residential Building Work Contracts and Dispute Resolution Act 2016, authorised version 16 July 2024, read 10 Nov 2026 |
| South Australia | No handover document found | Searched in the Building Work Contractors Act 1995; the insurance certificate in s 34 is due before work starts | Building Work Contractors Act 1995, version 15 January 2026, read 10 Nov 2026 |
| WA | No handover document found | Searched in the Home Building Contracts Act 1991; the insurance certificate in s 25C is due before any payment is demanded | Home Building Contracts Act 1991, 04-h0-00, read 10 Nov 2026 |
| ACT | Not verified (10 Nov 2026) | Not searched for a builder-to-owner handover duty | Building Act 2004, Republication 57, read 10 Nov 2026 for other provisions |
| NT | Not verified (10 Nov 2026) | Not searched for a builder-to-owner handover duty | Building Act 1993, as in force at 10 February 2026, read 10 Nov 2026 for other provisions |
Documents that are due
before handover, not at it
Several documents people expect in a handover pack are required at an earlier point in the job, so a handover checklist that looks for them only at the end finds them late.
- Home warranty insurance certificate: In NSW before work or any payment, in WA before a demand for any payment, including a deposit, and in South Australia before the work is performed. Our page on home warranty insurance thresholds by state sets out each state's trigger.
- Occupancy permit or certificate: Issued by a certifier or surveyor before occupation, on evidence that includes the trade certificates in some states. Our page on the occupation certificate by state covers each one.
- NSW strata building bond or decennial liability insurance: Provided by the developer before the occupation certificate. Our page on two securities and one occupation certificate covers both.
- Fire safety maintenance records: Where a building has essential safety measures, the schedule that its owner maintains from occupation onwards. Our page on fire safety maintenance records by state covers the annual statements.
A handover record, labelled
required, customary or our design
A building handover checklist is most useful as an index: each item, who issued it, when, and why it is there.
| Item | Label | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical compliance certificate | Required in Victoria, Queensland and South Australia by instrument; WA as its regulator describes it | Vic Electricity Safety Act s 45A; Qld Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 ss 208, 229; SA reg 55A. NSW: lodged with Building Commission NSW; its page says electricians can copy it to the customer |
| Plumbing compliance certificate or notice | Required in Victoria and Queensland by instrument; NSW, SA and WA as their regulators describe it | Vic Building Act s 221ZH; Qld Plumbing and Drainage Act s 83; NSW, SA and WA as their regulators describe it |
| Sewer service diagram | Required in NSW, as Building Commission NSW describes it | Copy to the person who arranged the drainage work |
| Copy of the occupancy permit or certificate of final inspection | Required in Victoria before the final payment demand | Domestic Building Contracts Act s 42 |
| Certificates of inspection | Required in Queensland where the contractor engaged the certifier | QBCC Act sch 1B s 17 |
| Defects document | Required in Queensland and Tasmania where the owner claims minor defects | QBCC Act sch 1B s 1; Tas s 4 |
| Notice of practical completion | Required in Tasmania | Residential Building Work Contracts and Dispute Resolution Act 2016 s 43 |
| Authority and service provider reports and notices | Required in Victoria | Domestic Building Contracts Act s 26 |
| Building manual | Required in Victoria for a prescribed class of new building | Building Act ss 41B, 44A |
| Initial maintenance schedule | Required for a new NSW strata scheme, as the NSW Government states it | Due 14 days before the first annual general meeting |
| Appliance manuals and manufacturer warranties | Customary | No instrument read names them |
| Keys, access codes and remotes register | Customary | No instrument read names them |
| As-built drawings and services layouts | Customary | No instrument read names them, apart from the NSW sewer service diagram |
| Handover date, recipient and signature | Our design | Dates the handover, which NSW and Victoria use in presuming completion |
| Index entry per document: issuer, date, recipient, label | Our design | Lets a missing required item be found before the final claim |
What we would put in a system
Each job would hold the handover file as a register that fills as the job runs, because the trade certificates and inspection certificates arrive weeks or months before the owner walks through.
Where agents help here is narrow. A document agent can read incoming certificates, match each to the job and the state's list, and draft what is missing; a person confirms the register and signs the handover. No agent decides whether a certificate is valid, whether work complies, or whether a payment can be claimed.
| Field | Why it is load-bearing |
|---|---|
| Document type and the instrument that requires it | Separates a required certificate from a customary manual, state by state. |
| Issuer and licence number | Electrical and plumbing certificates are issued by the licensed trade, and Queensland's carry the contractor licence number (ss 208(3)(d), 229(3)(d)). |
| Date issued and date given to the owner | Victoria's plumbing certificate is due within 5 days of completion; Queensland's plumbing copy within 20 business days; South Australia's electrical certificate within 30 days. |
| Recipient | The person for whom the work was done may be the builder, not the owner, so the record shows whether the copy was passed on. |
| Handover date and the person who received the file | Victoria and NSW use handover of possession when presuming completion. |
- Document intelligence: Reads certificates and drafts the register for a person to confirm.
- Practical completion and defects list by state: Where the defects document sets the completion date.
- Occupation certificate by state: The occupancy document, who issues it and what it depends on.
- Defect records and statutory warranty periods: The clocks that start at completion.
Questions worth asking
of your own handover files
For a Victorian builder: does the final claim wait for the occupancy permit or certificate of final inspection copy?
Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995 s 42 bars demanding final payment under a major domestic building contract until the owner has that copy and the work is completed to the plans and specifications. A record of when the copy was given answers it. General information as read on 10 November 2026, not legal advice.
For a builder in Queensland: is each certificate of inspection logged with the date it was passed to the owner?
Where the contractor engaged the building certifier, QBCC Act sch 1B s 17 requires a copy of each certificate of inspection as soon as practicable. General information as read on 10 November 2026, not legal advice.
For a head contractor anywhere: when the electrician or plumber gives the certificate to you, does a copy reach the owner?
The instruments read give the certificate to the person for whom the work was done, which on a head contract can be the builder. The handover register should show the onward copy. General information as read on 10 November 2026, not legal advice.
For a developer of a Victorian apartment building or a NSW strata scheme: who holds the building manual or the initial maintenance schedule, and when is it due?
Victoria: the approved building manual goes to the owners corporation at its first meeting (Building Act 1993 s 44A). NSW: the initial maintenance schedule at least 14 days before the first annual general meeting, as the NSW Government states it. General information as read on 10 November 2026, not legal advice.
Questions people ask
about building handover
What documents should a builder give at handover?
As read on 10 November 2026, the instruments that name documents are mostly trade and contract law: electrical and plumbing compliance certificates from the licensed trades (for example Victoria's Electricity Safety Act 1998 s 45A and Building Act 1993 s 221ZH), in Victoria a copy of the occupancy permit or certificate of final inspection before final payment (Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995 s 42), and in Queensland copies of certificates of inspection (QBCC Act sch 1B s 17). Manuals, keys and as-built drawings are customary.
What should a building handover checklist include?
A useful checklist lists each document with its issuer, date and recipient, and labels it as required by an instrument, customary, or added by the business. Required items as read on 10 November 2026 include the electrical and plumbing certificates in Victoria and Queensland and the electrical certificate in South Australia, and in some states the occupancy document copy, inspection certificates, a defects document or a building manual. General information, not legal advice.
Do you get an electrical certificate when a new house is finished?
In the states verified on 10 November 2026, yes, for the electrical work: a certificate of electrical safety in Victoria (s 45A), certificates of testing in Queensland (Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 ss 208, 229), an electronic certificate of compliance within 30 days in South Australia (reg 55A), and an Electrical Safety Certificate in WA as its regulator describes it. In NSW a CCEW is lodged with Building Commission NSW, which says electricians can copy it to the customer. The recipient each instrument or page names differs: the person for whom the work was done, the owner or operator, or the customer.
What is the plumbing compliance certificate threshold in Victoria?
The Building Act 1993 s 221ZH applies to plumbing work of $500 or more or a higher amount fixed by regulations, and the Plumbing Regulations 2018 reg 47 fixes $750, as read on 10 November 2026 (Version 010). Gas appliance, consumer gas piping, below-ground sanitary drain and cooling tower work need a certificate regardless of value. The certificate is due within 5 days of completion.
What this analysis
does and does not show.
Evidence note
- What it shows
- Which handover documents the electrical, plumbing, building and home building instruments of Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania name, as read on 10 November 2026, and what NSW, South Australian and WA government pages state about trade certificates and strata documents.
- Key facts quoted
- Vic ESA s 45A; Building Act ss 41B, 44, 44A, 221ZH; Plumbing Regulations regs 14A, 47 ($750); DBCA ss 26, 42. Qld Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 ss 208, 229; Plumbing and Drainage Act 2018 s 83 (10 and 20 business days); QBCC Act sch 1B ss 1, 17. SA reg 55A (30 days). Tas RBWCDRA ss 4, 43, 44(2). NSW CCEW 7 days and initial maintenance schedule 14 days, WA 28 days and 5 working days, SA plumbing 7 days, as government pages state them.
- The NSW legislation register blocked automated access on 10 November 2026, so the NSW rows rest on Building Commission NSW and NSW Government pages, not on the Acts.
- The WA rows and the South Australian plumbing row rest on government pages; the regulations they cite were not read.
- Tasmania's trade certificate instruments were not identified (the Building Act 2016 has no such provision), the NT WorkSafe page refused automated access, and the ACT certificates were not found in the Act searched, so those cells read not verified.
- Gas certificates, fire safety certificates, energy ratings and product warranties under the Australian Consumer Law were not surveyed.
- Nothing here is legal advice. It does not determine whether any certificate is valid, whether any document is owed on a particular job, or whether a payment can be claimed.
Bring us one handover file.
Send us a recent job's handover pack and the certificates you hold. We will show you which items an instrument in that state names, which are customary, and what the register would need to show who received each one and when.
General information about published legislation and government pages, as read on 10 November 2026 at the versions listed in the sources. Not legal advice. It does not determine whether any certificate is valid or whether any document is owed on a particular job. NSW Acts, Tasmania's trade certificates, the ACT and the NT were not verified.
Sources
Suggested citation: electrical, plumbing, building and home building instruments of Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, WA and Tasmania, and NSW, South Australian and WA government pages, at the versions listed, as read 10 November 2026. Derived figures: none.
- NSW Government (Building Commission NSW) - Electrical compliance requirements: Last updated 19 October 2026 · read 10 November 2026 · Regulator page
- NSW Government (Building Commission NSW) - Plumbing inspection documents: No date shown · read 10 November 2026 · Regulator page
- NSW Government - Guide to strata law changes for strata committees and owners: Last updated 26 October 2026 · read 10 November 2026 · Government guidance
- Victorian Legislation - Building Act 1993: Authorised Version No. 152, as at 16 September 2026 · read 10 November 2026 · Legislation register
- Victorian Legislation - Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995: Authorised Version No. 094, as at 1 July 2026 · read 10 November 2026 · Legislation register
- Victorian Legislation - Electricity Safety Act 1998: Authorised Version No. 089, as at 8 September 2026 · read 10 November 2026 · Legislation register
- Victorian Legislation - Plumbing Regulations 2018: Authorised Version No. 010, as at 1 May 2026 · read 10 November 2026 · Legislation register
- Queensland Legislation - Electrical Safety Regulation 2026: Current version from 1 September 2026 · read 10 November 2026 · Legislation register
- Queensland Legislation - Plumbing and Drainage Act 2018: Current version from 1 February 2026 · read 10 November 2026 · Legislation register
- Queensland Legislation - Queensland Building and Construction Commission Act 1991: Current version from 1 February 2026 · read 10 November 2026 · Legislation register
- South Australian Legislation - Electricity (General) Regulations 2012: Version 14 March 2024 · read 10 November 2026 · Legislation register
- South Australian Legislation - Building Work Contractors Act 1995: Version 15 January 2026 · read 10 November 2026 · Legislation register
- Government of South Australia - Certificates of compliance: Last updated 23 June 2023 · read 10 November 2026 · Government guidance
- WA Government (Building and Energy) - Having electrical work done?: Brochure with Electrical Safety Certificate form E052 · read 10 November 2026 · Regulator publication
- WA Government (Building and Energy) - Plumbing work in your home: Last updated 1 July 2026 · read 10 November 2026 · Regulator page
- Western Australian Legislation - Home Building Contracts Act 1991: Version 04-h0-00, as at 5 April 2023 · read 10 November 2026 · Legislation register
- Tasmanian Legislation - Residential Building Work Contracts and Dispute Resolution Act 2016: Authorised version 16 July 2024 · read 10 November 2026 · Legislation register
- ACT Legislation Register - Electricity Safety Act 1971: Republication No 34, effective 16 December 2025 · read 10 November 2026 · Legislation register
- Tasmanian Legislation - Building Act 2016: Version in force 10 November 2026 · read 10 November 2026; no electrical or plumbing certificate provision found · Legislation register
- NT WorkSafe - Certificate of compliance: Not verified (10 Nov 2026): the site refused automated access · Regulator page
RELATED READING
Other readings on the same records.
- The yearly fire safety statement is a different document in each state: The annual fire safety statement, essential safety measures report and occupier statement compared by state: who signs, who receives it, and the records behind it. (Licensing & Compliance)
- Gas in new homes: state-wide rules in Victoria and the ACT, none found elsewhere: Rules on new gas connections by state, with scope, start date and status, and what to record: planning, building permit and connection dates. (Licensing & Compliance)
- Practical completion: two states write the defects list into the definition: Queensland and Tasmania define practical completion with reference to a signed defects document. Victoria ties final payment to the occupancy permit copy. (Contracts & Payments)