On 1 February 2026, a new Queensland subordinate instrument commenced: the Queensland Building and Construction Commission and Other Legislation Amendment Regulation 2026. (Queensland Legislation)
It makes targeted (but practical) amendments to two existing regulations:
- Queensland Building and Construction Commission Regulation 2018 (licensing application mechanics, fee terminology, and internal cross-references). (Queensland Legislation)
- State Penalties Enforcement Regulation 2014 (infringement notice offences/fines for nominated laws, including QBCC Act offences). (Queensland Legislation)
This article focuses on what builders, contractors, developers and project managers in Queensland should take away.
1) Licensing: application requirements and fee terminology were updated
The Regulation updates section 16 of the Queensland Building and Construction Commission Regulation 2018 (Applications for licence). Key changes include:
- Cross-reference update: “section 33(1)(a)” is replaced with “section 33(1)(b)” (an alignment change, reflecting changes to the Act’s structure). (Queensland Legislation)
- Fee language clarified: section 16 now expressly refers to both:
- the licence application fee for the application, and
- the licence fee for the licence,
as stated in schedule 7. (Queensland Legislation)
- Fee waiver wording updated: the Regulation states that payment of both the licence application fee and the licence fee “is waived” (for the relevant pathway covered by section 16). (Queensland Legislation)
- “Qualified witness” definition removed from section 16(7) and subsections renumbered accordingly. (Queensland Legislation)
The Regulation also amends schedule 7 (Fees) by updating references to section 33 paragraphs, and inserts new dictionary definitions for “licence application fee” and “licence fee” in schedule 8 (Dictionary). (Queensland Legislation)
Practical takeaway: if you have internal checklists, onboarding packs, or template compliance notes that quote section 16 or refer to “the fee”, update the wording so your documents match the post-1 Feb 2026 drafting (and don’t accidentally cite outdated paragraph references).
2) Infringement notices: Schedule 1 updates for QBCC Act offences
The Regulation amends schedule 1 of the State Penalties Enforcement Regulation 2014 in two ways relevant to the QBCC Act:
- It updates the infringement notice entry that previously referred to “s 53(3)” so it refers to “s 53(4)” instead. (Queensland Legislation)
- Section 53 is the “return of licence” provision, and subsection (4) is the offence provision tied to failing to comply (unless there is a reasonable excuse).
- It inserts a new infringement notice entry for “s 109C”, with an infringement notice fine of 1 penalty unit. (Queensland Legislation)
What is QBCC Act section 109C about (in plain terms)?
Section 109C is the “change in contact details” obligation. It requires a licensee to give the commission written notice of changes to key contact details within 14 days (including residential address, email address and phone number). (Queensland Legislation)
Why this matters commercially: contact details drive service of notices, directions, disciplinary communications, and statutory process steps. If a business misses a notice because contact details are stale, the downstream cost (time, dispute risk, and sometimes insurance implications) can be far higher than the administrative step of updating details.
How much is 1 penalty unit?
In Queensland, penalty unit value is set by regulation and changes over time. As at 1 July 2025, 1 penalty unit is $172.65. (Queensland Government Publications)
So an infringement notice fine expressed as “1 penalty unit” is currently $172.65 (subject to future indexation). (Queensland Government Publications)
Compliance tips you can publish (and clients can action today)
- Update QBCC contact details after any operational change
If your business changes office, a director moves, the accounts email changes, or phone numbers roll over, treat the QBCC update as a “day-one” admin item (and diarise the 14-day window). (Queensland Legislation) - Don’t ignore “return of licence” events
Suspension, cancellation, or other triggers can create an obligation to return a licence within the time allowed; failure can be an offence (subject to reasonable excuse). - Update templates and internal references
If you publish blog posts, client alerts, or onboarding checklists that cite legislation, refresh cross-references so they align with the post-commencement drafting. (Queensland Legislation)
FAQ section (good for featured snippets)
Q1. When did the QBCC amendment regulation start?
It commenced on 1 February 2026. (Queensland Legislation)
Q2. What did it change for QBCC licence applications?
It updated section 16 (Applications for licence) and related schedules/definitions, including clarifying “licence application fee” versus “licence fee” and updating cross-references. (Queensland Legislation)
Q3. Does this create new infringement notice risks?
It updates the schedule 1 entries so certain QBCC Act offences can be dealt with via the infringement notice regime, including inserting an entry for section 109C with a fine of 1 penalty unit. (Queensland Legislation)
Q4. What is section 109C about?
It requires QBCC licensees to notify the commission of changes to contact details within 14 days. (Queensland Legislation)
Q5. How much is 1 penalty unit in Queensland?
As at 1 July 2025, 1 penalty unit is $172.65 (and can change over time). (Queensland Government Publications)
