Is Landscape Garden Design Exempt from a QBCC Licence in Queensland?

Landscape garden design may be exempt, but the Schedule 1A exemption is not a blanket exclusion for every associated building activity. The Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) lists design work by landscape gardeners as a situation-specific exemption, while its general threshold is a licence to carry out or contract for building work valued over $3,300 and specified work is subject to licensing regardless of value (QBCC, When you need a licence; figures checked 1 October 2026).

Does the exemption cover the whole landscaping job?

Not simply because the project includes landscape garden design. Schedule 1A addresses the design work by landscape gardeners and should not be treated as covering every other activity associated with the same project.

If a quote combines design with construction, building work or related services, check each component separately. The QBCC says subcontractor licensing requirements vary according to:

• the type of work being undertaken;
• the contracting arrangements; and
• the scope and responsibilities involved.

The exemption may answer the licensing question for the design component, but it does not automatically answer it for the rest of the job.

Which work still needs a separate check?

The QBCC says the licensing requirement applies regardless of value where the work involves:

• drainage;
• plumbing and drainage;
• gas fitting;
• chemical termite management;
• fire protection;
• completed residential building inspection;
• building design in the low-rise, medium-rise and open-site classifications; or
• mechanical services.

Whether any of these form part of a particular landscaping project depends on its actual scope. Their inclusion on this list does not mean every landscape project includes them, just as the landscape-gardener design exemption does not decide how associated work must be treated.

Use this check:

Are Schedule 1 and Schedule 1A the same exemption?

No. The QBCC separately refers to 53 exemptions in Schedule 1 of the Queensland Building and Construction Commission Regulation 2018. Under those exemptions, specified work is not defined as building work and does not require a contractor’s licence.

Schedule 1A is a separate set of situation-specific exemptions in the Queensland Building and Construction Commission Act 1991. It includes exemptions relating to public-private partnerships, partnerships, prescribed government projects, landscape gardeners’ design work, owner-builders and consumers.

The important distinction is that Schedule 1A’s reference to landscape gardeners’ design work should not be borrowed as authority for a different activity. Check the provision that actually matches the work, value and contracting circumstances.

What should a landscaper check before quoting or tendering?

• List the work separately, distinguishing landscape garden design from construction and any associated building work or services.
• Record the proposed value and apply both the general value threshold and the categories that are subject to licensing regardless of value.
• Identify the contracting arrangement and who will offer to tender, enter the contract and perform the work.
• If a licence is required, check whether the relevant class covers the full scope. The QBCC says more than one class may be needed.
• Check the current QBCC guidance and the relevant legislation. The QBCC also directs readers to section 5 of the QBCC Regulation 2018 and section 42 of the QBCC Act 1991 for other possible no-licence circumstances.
• Contact the QBCC if the individual circumstances remain unclear.
• Check the policy’s Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) separately for insurance cover, exclusions and conditions.

Does a QBCC exemption settle the insurance question?

No. Contractor licensing and insurance are separate checks. A licensing exemption does not by itself establish that a policy covers the work, and the QBCC position does not replace the terms, exclusions or conditions in the policy’s PDS.

This is general information, not legal or financial advice. Check the current regulator page and the applicable policy PDS before relying on the exemption.

Sources

• Queensland Building and Construction Commission — When you need a licence

FAQ

Is all landscape garden design exempt from a QBCC licence?

The QBCC lists design work by landscape gardeners as a situation-specific Schedule 1A exemption. It should be checked against the actual work and contracting circumstances rather than applied to every associated activity.

Does the $3,300 threshold settle a mixed landscaping job?

No. The general rule concerns building work valued over $3,300, but specified categories are subject to licensing regardless of value. Each part of the project must be classified correctly.

Can one QBCC licence class cover the entire project?

A licence must match the scope of work and the person’s role and responsibilities. The QBCC says more than one licence class may be required.

Does the Schedule 1A exemption determine insurance cover?

No. It addresses contractor licensing only. Check the policy PDS for the separate question of whether the work is insured.