How Builder Registrations Are Cancelled and Suspended in Western Australia

What it is

Western Australia's builder registration disciplinary framework runs through Building and Energy under the Building Services (Registration) Act 2011 (WA). The Building Services Board handles disciplinary matters and can suspend, cancel or impose conditions on registrations. The State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) provides external review.

Building and Energy took over the regulator function from DEMIRS on 1 July 2025. The disciplinary framework continued unchanged in the transition.

Grounds for disciplinary action

The Building Services (Registration) Act 2011 (WA) lists grounds for disciplinary action:

• serious or repeated defective work
• failure to comply with a building remedy order under BSCRA
• financial failure or insolvency
• dishonest, misleading or unconscionable conduct
• criminal convictions relating to the licensed activity
• failure to maintain the Nominated Supervisor requirement
• failure to hold or maintain Home Indemnity Insurance where required
• non-compliance with section 4 written contract or section 5 copy-to-owner requirements under the HBCA

Building and Energy investigates complaints under BSCRA (workmanship) and the Building Services (Registration) Act (registration compliance) in parallel.

The Building Services Board

The Building Services Board is a statutory body that considers disciplinary matters referred by Building and Energy. The Board has power to:

• impose registration conditions
• suspend registration for a specified period
• cancel registration
• issue reprimand or warning
• impose monetary penalties

The Board operates on natural justice principles with formal hearings for contested matters.

Show cause notice

Building and Energy issues a show cause notice setting out the grounds and the proposed action. The registrant has the prescribed period (typically 21 days) to respond with evidence, submissions and any undertakings.

Where the response addresses the concerns, the Building Services Board may impose lesser sanctions or accept undertakings in lieu of formal action.

SAT review

A registrant can seek review through the State Administrative Tribunal under section 31 of BSCRA and the SAT Act 2004 (WA). SAT reviews the Building Services Board decision de novo and can affirm, vary or set aside.

SAT is the same tribunal that handles building remedy order matters above the Commissioner's $100,000 cap. That gives SAT judicial familiarity with the technical and financial issues in builder registration disciplinary matters.

Interaction with HII

Where the registration is cancelled or suspended, Home Indemnity Insurance is affected. Cover triggers under HII include the registration being cancelled or not renewed on financial grounds - the WA broader trigger set opens insurance claims earlier than most other jurisdictions.

The 2026 review

The 2026 review of Western Australia's home building contract laws is examining licensing settings. The Building Services Legislation Amendment (Financial Oversight) Bill 2026 was introduced in May 2026 and may enhance the disciplinary framework for financial oversight matters.

Consequences of cancellation

A cancelled registrant cannot:

• carry out or contract for residential building work above $20,000 requiring a building permit
• act as a Nominated Supervisor
• be a director or nominee of another registered contractor for the disqualification period

The cancelled registrant may face civil recovery from HII insurers for any policy payouts flowing from the cancellation.

How Western Australia compares

WA's Building Services Board / SAT framework is closer to the NSW / VIC / QLD model with a specific statutory Board rather than direct regulator decision-making. The distinctive WA feature is the direct link between registration cancellation on financial grounds and HII cover triggers, which opens insurance claims earlier than in most other jurisdictions.