Builder marketing rules in the ACT: ACL, Construction Occupations Act and Access Canberra

Key takeaways

• ACT residential builder marketing sits under the ACL plus the Construction Occupations (Licensing) Act 2004 (ACT) and the Building Act 2004 (ACT).
• Construction occupations licence number must appear on any advertising for regulated building work under the Construction Occupations Licensing Act 2004.
• Directors and nominees must notify Access Canberra of changes affecting fitness or availability within 1 business day under regulation 22(3) of the Construction Occupations Licensing Regulation 2004.
• Access Canberra enforces builder registration and advertising conduct and administers the public licence register.
• Fake or incentivised reviews without disclosure breach ACL sections 18 and 29 and now attract civil penalties.

The regulator

Access Canberra sits within the Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate and administers construction occupations licensing in the ACT. The Construction Occupations Registrar issues, renews and disciplines licences.

Licence display

The Construction Occupations (Licensing) Act 2004 (ACT) requires licensees to include their licence number in advertising for regulated construction work. Access Canberra guidance is that this covers websites, social media, print, vehicle signage and email. Advertising work outside a licence class is a breach.

1 business day notification

Regulation 22(3) of the Construction Occupations Licensing Regulation 2004 (ACT) requires a licensee to notify the Registrar within 1 business day of a change to a director, nominee or other detail affecting the licence. Advertising that continues to name a departed nominee after that day is misleading, and a marketing team should be sequenced into the change-management process for licensees.

Access Canberra guidance on its public-facing website has at times reported this as "within two weeks", but the regulation is authoritative and the correct period is 1 business day.

Home warranty in advertising

ACT statutory insurance cover was $85,000 with a 90 day claim window before 1 January 2025. From 1 January 2025 cover is $200,000 with a 180 day claim window. Advertising that still references the pre-2025 figures is misleading and needs a refresh.

What ACT builders should audit today

• Construction occupations licence number visible on every marketing channel.
• Registered nominee named on advertising is the current nominee at Access Canberra.
• Statutory insurance references use current $200,000 cover and 180 day claim window.
• Every review is verifiable to a real customer.
• Advertising templates trigger a notification-review step when a director or nominee changes.