Home Building Compensation Fund (HBCF) / Home Warranty Insurance Eligibility and Certificate of Insurance

Issuing authority

NSW: icare HBCF (Insurance and Care NSW); VIC: Building and Plumbing Commission / VMIA Domestic Building Insurance (DBI); QLD: Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) — Queensland Home Warranty Scheme; WA: QBE Insurance (via approved brokers), administered under Building Services (Registration) Act 2011

Official source

How to apply

1. Confirm your project triggers the insurance requirement: NSW — contract value over $20,000 (GST inclusive); VIC — domestic building work over $16,000; QLD — residential building work over $3,300; WA — residential building work over $20,000
2. Ensure you hold a valid builder's licence in your state — HBCF/HWI/DBI eligibility is tied to your licence
3. NSW: Contact an icare HBCF-approved broker distributor who submits an Auto Assessment Eligibility Application Form (or full eligibility application) to icare on your behalf — icare assesses your business financial position and issues a Certificate of Eligibility
4. VIC: Contact a DBI Distributor (approved broker) and complete the Eligibility Application Form with supporting financial documents — the Building and Plumbing Commission (BPC) via its BuildVic portal issues a Letter of Eligibility
5. QLD: Your QBCC licence automatically enables you to pay the home warranty insurance premium via the QBCC portal — no separate eligibility certificate required; pay the premium before work starts or within 10 business days of signing the contract
6. WA: Apply through QBE Insurance (via an approved broker) for a risk assessment and builder rating, then obtain a Certificate of Insurance for each project before accepting payment or commencing work
7. Once eligible (NSW/VIC/WA), apply for a separate Certificate of Insurance for each individual residential building project — include this certificate in the building contract and provide a copy to the homeowner
8. Ensure the Certificate of Insurance is submitted to the building permit authority before the building permit is issued (WA requirement; also required in other states)

Related topics

Related forms

• Building Permit Application (Multi-state: VIC Form 1 / WA BA1 & BA2 / QLD Building Approval / NSW Development Application)VIC: Form 1 (Application for a Building Permit); NSW: DA form via NSW Planning Portal; QLD: No fixed form number — lodged with private certifier or council; WA: BA1 (certified) / BA2 (uncertified)
• Occupancy Permit / Occupation Certificate (Multi-state: VIC Form 15/16 / NSW OC / QLD Form 11)VIC: Form 15 (Application for Occupancy Permit) + Form 16 (Occupancy Permit); NSW: Occupation Certificate (no fixed form number — lodged via NSW Planning Portal); QLD: Form 11 (Certificate/Interim Certificate of Occupancy, replacing certificate of classification from October 2020)
• Owner-Builder Permit / Licence — QLD, WA, SA, ACT and NTQLD: Owner-Builder Permit Application Form (form-ob-permit-application.pdf); WA: Form 75 (Approval — Owner-builder, updated; old version invalid from 1 June 2026); SA: CBS Online Form (via cbs.sa.gov.au/online-forms); ACT: Application for Construction Occupation Licence — Individual Owner Builder (forms.act.gov.au form code 1166); NT: Owner Builder Application Form (bpb.nt.gov.au)
• Home Building Compensation Fund (HBCF) Certificate of Insurance — NSW / Domestic Building Insurance Certificate — VIC / Home Indemnity Insurance Certificate — WA / QBCC Home Warranty Insurance
• Annual Fire Safety Statement (AFSS) — NSW