Restricted demolition licence

Find out when you need this licence, the eligibility requirements and how to apply.

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Key information

  • Demolition work is dangerous and considered high risk construction work
  • In NSW, there are two different types of demolition licences required to demolish or partly demolish most buildings, structures and installations: a restricted demolition licence and an unrestricted demolition licence.

When a restricted demolition licence is needed

You need this licence to demolish or partly demolish any structure or part of a structure that is loadbearing or otherwise related to the physical integrity of the structure and:

  • is between 6-15 metres high
  • involves using load-shifting machinery on a suspended floor, such as bulldozers, cranes, excavators, front-end and skid-steer loaders.

For example, you will need this licence for demolition work on a home, warehouse or concrete car park using load-shifting machinery such as an excavator on a suspended floor.

Eligibility

Who can apply

To apply for a restricted demolition licence, you must:

  • be at least 18
  • be operating a business
  • have an ABN (Australian business number) or ACN (Australian company number)
  • be a legal representative of the business -- you must be the ABN holder/owner or the manager of the business; for a company you must be a director
  • have at least one named supervisor, if you are a sole trader you can nominate yourself to be the named supervisor

You must submit evidence of your named supervisor's experience. If  you are a sole trader you can nominate yourself to be the named supervisor.

How to apply

What you need

Before you begin your application, make sure you have:

  • proof of identity
  • evidence of experience for your named supervisor
  • proof your named supervisor has worked on 3 separate demolition jobs. The experience should not be older than 5 years
  • a public liability insurance certificate stating business activity is ‘demolition’
  • a worker's compensation insurance certificate, if you have employees and are not exempt
  • safe work method statements (PDF, 166.25 KB) that include the 3 demolition jobs your named supervisor is using as proof of their experience
  • photographs showing the evidence of experience
  • payment for the licence, which lasts 5 years (view the cost of licence in the fee schedule).

You will also need to include the completed supervisor nomination form (PDF, 797.92 KB).

Apply for a new licence

Select the ‘Apply now’ link below. It will take you to the Service NSW online application form.

Your fee will be calculated on completion of the online application.

Your application will take around 30 minutes to complete.

Apply now for a new licence. Visit Service NSW if you need help applying online.

You can also renew your licence.

What happens next

  1. You will need to go to a Service NSW service centre within 30 days of applying, to complete facial verification.
  2. We will review your application. A SafeWork officer will contact you by email if we need more information.
  3. We will email you to tell you if your application was successful. We will include a copy of your licence and your details will be added to the public register.

Learn about unsuccessful applications.

Renew a licence

You need to renew your licence before it expires. If you don't, you will not be allowed to carry out demolition work.

You can pay to renew your licence by credit card or PayPal and you will get a receipt number you can enter on the renewal application form (PDF, 294.32 KB).

If you don’t renew your licence within three months of expiry you will have to pay more to reapply.

We will email you around 60 days before the expiry date to remind you to renew.

Upgrade a licence

You can upgrade your restricted demolition licence by applying to have any of the following unrestricted demolition types added to your licence. You can add demolition work that:

  • is over 15 metres high
  • is a chemical installation
  • involves a tower crane on site
  • involves a mobile crane with a rated capacity of more than 100 tonnes
  • has structural components that are pre-tensioned or post-tensioned
  • involves floor propping
  • involves explosives.

To upgrade your restricted demolition licence complete the amend a restricted demolition licence application form (PDF, 806.82 KB).

Lost, stolen or destroyed licences

If your licence is lost, stolen or destroyed, let us know in writing as soon as possible.   

Complete the replace a licence application form (PDF, 149.82 KB) and email it to the SafeWork NSW licensing team or post it to Customer Experience, SafeWork NSW, Locked Bag 2906, Lisarow, NSW 2252.

You can pay to replace your licence by credit card or PayPal and you will get a receipt number you can enter on the replace a licence application form(PDF, 149.82 KB) .

Change of details

It is your responsibility to tell us within 14 days if your name, address or other details change. You can change your details by completing a change of details application.

Named supervisors

Whenever licensed demolition work is being carried out, the demolition site must have a SafeWork-approved, named supervisor on site, supervising the work.

Your named supervisor must agree to be nominated as a supervisor for your licence on the supervisor nomination form (PDF, 797.92 KB).

If you are a sole trader, you need to have the same experience and qualifications listed for a named supervisor.

Removing named supervisors

We can remove a named supervisor from a demolition licence if we:

  • become aware of a relevant matter for a named supervisor
  • are satisfied the named supervisor was approved based on false or misleading information.

This means the conduct of a named supervisor can be considered separately when the relevant matter or action does not involve or implicate the licence holder, without impacting on the status of the licence.

Qualification requirements for named supervisors

Training

A Registered Training Organisation (RTO) must provide your named supervisor's training.

To get your licence your named supervisor will need to have completed 10 units from the Certificate III in Demolition and Certificate IV in Demolition courses. The 10 units came into effect on the 1 July 2025, with the new training rules.

The 10 units are:

  • CPCCBC4002 Manage work health and safety in the building and construction workplace
  • CPCCDE3030 Identify hazards on demolition sites and apply risk management strategies
  • CPCCDE3018 Select and use small plant and equipment for demolition tasks
  • CPCCDE3019 Demolish small buildings and structures using hand tools and small plant and equipment
  • CPCCDE3020 Select and use tools and equipment for hot work in the demolition industry
  • CPCCDE4001 Plan and prepare for activities on demolition sites
  • CPCCDE4002 Plan demolition work to minimise risk to health, safety and environment
  • CPCCDE4003 Supervise operational activities on demolition sites
  • CPCCDE3027 Read and interpret demolition site plans and drawings
  • CPCCDE4005 Apply structural principles to the planning of the demolition of a structure

Evidence of experience for named supervisors

When applying for a restricted demolition licence, you need to submit evidence your named supervisor has demonstrated experience carrying out demolition work in a relevant industry. Your named supervisor’s experience should not be older than 5 years.

The demonstrated experience can come from industries including:

  • demolition
  • carpentry
  • building
  • general construction
  • civil construction
  • excavation.

You must submit at least 3 examples of the work your named supervisor was involved in, such as:

  • operating load-shifting machinery during excavation work where demolition techniques were required
  • general construction work, including building and carpentry where demolition methodology can be demonstrated
  • dismantling structures or components of structures, such as:
    • pre-fabricated structures
    • radio towers
    • light posts
    • aerials
    • masts

You must provide details including:

  • a description of the named supervisor’s role in each of the work examples
  • safe work method statements that include at least 3 examples of work
  • a reference that verifies the demolition experience of your named supervisor. The reference should be from someone who can verify the named supervisor undertook the work.

You must provide detailed evidence of experience using the following dot points:

  • work type, for example, demolition, carpentry, building, general construction, civil construction or excavation
  • project address, for example, 8 Smith Street, Smithtown, NSW 2345
  • start and end dates of demolition work, for example, 25 Jan 2023 – 30 April 2023
  • description of the tasks each named supervisor undertook, for example, excavator operator undertaking mechanical demolition of a single-storey brick-veneer residential property
  • essential supporting evidence, for example, safe work method statements that include at least 3 examples of work
  • optional supporting evidence may include, but is not limited to, contracts, engineering plans, work diaries or logbooks for the work undertaken, demolition plans, toolbox talks, site inductions and photographs.

Demolition workers

From 1 March 2025, demolition licence holders must ensure demolition workers have completed the course approved by SafeWork NSW: CPCCDE3016 - Identify hazards on demolition sites and apply risk management strategies, if required to undertake licensed demolition work. Note this has been superseded by CPCCDE3030 - Identify hazards on demolition sites and apply risk management strategies.

Learn more about demolition worker training.

If your demolition worker can demonstrate they have previously completed one of the demolition courses listed below, they will not be required to complete the new course.

  • CPCCDE3016/ CPCCDE3016A Identify hazards on demolition sites and apply risk management strategies
  • 91181NSW – Course in Demolition Supervision (Restricted)
  • 91182NSW – Course in Demolition Supervision (Unrestricted)

If a worker is a current or previously approved supervisor for a demolition licence, they are exempt from undertaking the course.

Working interstate

There are two ways of working across states and territories:

  • Automatic Mutual Recognition
  • Mutual Recognition

Automatic Mutual Recognition

Demolition work is included in the Automatic Mutual Recognition (AMR) scheme.

This means licensed workers from all states and territories can work across borders (except Queensland), without having to apply for a licence in the second state or territory.

Interstate licensees will need to notify us of their intention to work here by completing an online notification. This can be accessed at the NSW Government website.

Under the AMR scheme, there is no need to obtain a local licence in a second state or territory or pay any additional licensing fees, as long as there is a home state licence in force.

Under AMR:

  • licensees working interstate are subject to all relevant laws in the second state or territory
  • their home state licence is considered a local licence in the second state or territory
  • the second state or territory cannot impose specific conditions on an interstate licensee if they are not conditions that would be imposed on a local licensee
  • any conditions on a licensee's home state licence still apply while working in the second state or territory
  • licensees may appear on the second state's public register - this depends on the state or territory.

The scheme does not apply to New Zealand occupational registrations and licences.

Mutual Recognition

Licensed workers who are ineligible for AMR may be able to apply to work interstate under Mutual Recognition (MR) arrangements.

MR enables a licensed worker to work in another state or territory by having their qualifications recognised in NSW and vice versa.

Under the MR system you can practise an equivalent occupation in NSW if the activities you're authorised to carry out under your original licence are substantially the same as those under the occupational licence in NSW.

You'll need to apply for recognition of your existing licence and pay any applicable fee.

For an application form please email the SafeWork NSW Licensing team or contact us on 13 10 50.

Note: Demolition workers operating in NSW must notify SafeWork NSW 5 calendar days before undertaking any demolition work that involves:

  • the demolition of a structure more than 6 metres high
  • load-shifting machinery (for example, an excavator) on a suspended floor
  • explosives.

Latest updates

Find information about working as an unrestricted or restricted demolition licence holder.

You will need to select the regions you plan to work in for the public register.

Learn about penalties and on-the-spot fines coming in from 1 March 2023.

Contact us

Need help applying?

If you need help with your application or have questions, please call SafeWork NSW on 13 10 50.

Unsuccessful applications

You can apply for a review.

A review involves a different SafeWork NSW officer who was not involved in the original decision on your application.

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