Council advice on plumbing risk categories, applications and approvals is free. Your local council is the best source of general plumbing advice. We recommend you contact your local council before making any project commitments. This will help you understand the process or requirements affecting your enquiry. Councils also provide various levels of information on their websites. Visit the Local Government Association of Tasmania website to find your local council.
Processing plumbing approvals
- receipt of applications
- processing
- assessment
- approval
- inspection and
- final approval of plumbing installations.
Inspections of plumbing work
In Tasmania your local council provides the role of the plumbing permit authority. It has the responsibility to inspect or cause to inspect plumbing work. Most councils employ Plumbing Surveyors who perform these inspections on their behalf. The plumbing permit authority and plumbing surveyor work out when and how often plumbing inspections are done on each project.
The Director’s Guidelines – Inspection of Plumbing Work (PDF, 165.7 KB) has been published for use by plumbing permit authorities on the inspection of plumbing work including to determine appropriate inspection frequencies.
Talk to your council for more information relating to plumbing work inspections.
Monitoring plumbing maintenance
Some plumbing installations and equipment need scheduled maintenance. These installations and equipment are generally Category 4 High Risk Work in the Director's Determination - Categories of Plumbing Work (PDF, 954.2 KB).
A qualified and licensed plumbing contractor must perform maintenance associated with these installations and equipment. The property owner must enter into a contract with a suitable plumbing contractor when there needs to be scheduled maintenance.
The owner must:
- notify the local council that a contract for plumbing maintenance is in place, and
- provide a copy of that contract to the local council as verification.
- the service is complete, and
- include details of the condition and performance of the installation.
Maintaining public plumbing records
Your local council collects and maintains plumbing installation records. This extends to sanitary drainage records, stormwater records and plumbing maintenance schedules. Property owners or their agents can request to view or get from council copies of these records for their property. These records are valuable historical records which go with each property and transcend individual ownership.
This page has been produced and published by the Consumer Building and Occupational Services Division of the Department of Justice. Although every care has been taken in production, no responsibility is accepted for the accuracy, completeness, or relevance to the user's purpose of the information. Those using it for whatever purpose are advised to verify it with the relevant government department, local government body or other source and to obtain any appropriate professional advice. The Crown, its officers, employees and agents do not accept liability however arising, including liability for negligence, for any loss resulting from the use of or reliance upon the information and/or reliance on its availability at any time.