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Plumbing

There are three categories of plumbing work, based on the level of risk to public health and safety.

There are different approval processes for each category.

The Director of Building Control has issued a Determination showing the types of plumbing work that fall into each category.

All plumbing work in each of these categories must be carried out by a licensed plumber.

There is also work that may be performed by an owner. This covers mainly minor repairs and maintenance. This work does not need a permit or to be carried out by a licensed plumber.

You should make yourself familiar with what is in each category of work. From time to time the Director may update the Determination so make sure you’re looking at the current version which will be available on the CBOS website https://www.cbos.tas.gov.au/topics/technical-regulation/building-standards/permit-authorities/categories-of-work

Category 1 – Low Risk Plumbing Work by an owner, competent person or licensed plumber (No Council notification is required if you comply with category 1 of the Directors Determination).

Category 2A – Low Risk Plumbing Work by a licensed plumber (No Council notification is required if you comply with category 2A of the Directors Determination).

Category 2B – Low Risk Plumbing Work by a licensed plumber

(Mandatory reporting to Councils Plumbing Permit Authority after the work is completed using Form 80 – Notice of Low Risk Work is required)

Category 3 – Plumbing Work Notifiable by a licensed plumber to the Permit Authority before work starts.

Medium risk plumbing work does not require a plumbing permit, but must be designed by a qualified designer and carried out by a licensed plumber.

The Council’s Plumbing Permit Authority must be notified when this work is being carried out, so this is referred to as “notifiable plumbing work”.

Because Councils Plumbing Surveyor, the permit authority will still be involved in assessing the design and issuing a certificate of likely compliance (notifiable plumbing work).

No works onsite is to be carried out without receiving a Certificate of Likely Compliance from Council’s Plumbing Surveyor and a Form 60 from the Licenced Plumber is handed to Council’s Permit Authority to authorise.

Inspections will be conducted in stages, and work cannot proceed until each Mandatory Notification Stage passes inspection by our Council Surveyor. 

Category 4 – Plumbing Work that requires a Plumbing Permit that needs to be installed by a licensed plumber.

Permit plumbing work must be designed by a qualified designer, and must be performed by a licensed plumber, who has the qualifications required for the particular type of work being carried out.

If you are installing an on-site wastewater management system or a greywater reuse, recycling or diversion system, the Permit Authority must inspect the work at each mandatory notification stage.

No works onsite is to be carried out without receiving a Certificate of Likely Compliance and Plumbing Permit from Council’s Plumbing Surveyor and a Form 60 from the Licenced Plumber is handed to Council’s Permit Authority to authorise.

Inspections will be conducted in stages, and work cannot proceed until each Mandatory Notification Stage passes inspection by our Council Surveyor. 

For Notifiable (Category 3) and Plumbing Permit (Category 4) work, the following process applies:

  1. Owner engages a licensed plumber and a qualified plumbing designer.
  2. To apply for a Plumbing Permit you need to complete
  • Plumbing Application Form 3
  • Full copy of Certificate of Title with Schedule of Easements
  • Certificate of Certifiable Work (Building and/or Plumbing), or Exemption Certificate from TasWater (if applicable)
  • Hydraulic Design in accordance with the Directors Specified List & supporting Form 35 (Certificate of Responsible Designer – Plumbing)
  • Calculations supporting Councils Stormwater Detention Policy (if applicable)
  • Onsite wastewater management design and report with supporting Form 35 (Certificate of Responsible Designer – Plumbing) (if applicable)

You can email applications to sorell.council@sorell.tas.gov.au or submit in person at 47 Cole Street, Sorell.

All documentation should be clearly identified/named with the address of the plumbing work and the name of the agent/contact person for the work.

  1. Application fees are calculated after you submit your application, based on our Schedule of fees. We will send you an invoice and once you pay we will process your application.
  2. Councils Permit authority issues a Certificate of Likely Compliance and Plumbing Permit within 14 days. The plumbing permit will lists the mandatory notification/inspection stages.
  3. Plumber notifies councils permit authority before commencing work with a Form 60 – Start Works Notification.
  4. Plumber performs the work and notifies the permit authority within 2 days before completion of each mandatory notification stage of the work.

To book inspections please contact the council office on 6269 0000.

  1. Plumber submits to councils permit authority, within 5 business days of completion of work, a Form 71B Standard of Work certificate and an ‘as constructed’ drawing.
  2. Plumbing surveyor inspects the work.
  3. Permit authority (plumbing) issues a Certificate of Completion.

Note:

You can extend your plumbing permit for a period of time (usually in 12 months intervals) using the Permit Extension Request Form. If the permit expires and work is not complete a new application must be made for a plumbing permit to enable work to be completed.

As a result of the statewide water and sewerage reform the assessment of building and plumbing applications process has changed. When lodging a building and/or plumbing application in a serviced area, you must have a Certificate of Certifiable Work from TasWater, or arrange for your designer to complete an Assessment of Certifiable Works Certificate (TasWater) – Building and Plumbing.

If a building or plumbing application requires a Certificate for Certifiable Work, then TasWater has to issue a Water and Sewerage Compliance Certificate before Council can issue a Certificate of Completion.

In an un-serviced area, Plumbing Permit Approval may be required.

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