Short answer: Exchange lists 6 demolition and disposal companies in Victoria. Demolishers are registered building practitioners in three classes (low rise to two storeys, medium rise to five storeys, unlimited) with the Building and Plumbing Commission. Most demolition needs a building permit, and the council has 15 business days to give report and consent where more than half a building or any street facade is coming down. WorkSafe Victoria needs 5 days notice of most licensed asbestos removal, and metropolitan landfill attracts a levy of $177.19 a tonne in 2026-27.
- Registration authority
- Demolishers are registered as building practitioners by the Building and Plumbing Commission, which took over the functions of the Victorian Building Authority on 1 July 2025.
- Registration classes
- Demolisher (low rise) covers buildings up to two storeys, demolisher (medium rise) up to five storeys, and demolisher (unlimited) covers all buildings including special buildings.
- Council consent deadline
- Under section 29A of the Building Act 1993 the council has 15 business days to give report and consent to demolition of more than half a building or any part of a street facade.
- Deposit limit
- On a home demolition contract the deposit is capped at 5 per cent for a price of $20,000 or more and 10 per cent below $20,000, with changes due by 1 December 2026.
- Permit and standard
- Demolition needs a building permit and precautions in line with AS 2601 that the relevant building surveyor has inspected and approved before work starts.
- Asbestos notice
- Licensed removalists give WorkSafe Victoria at least 5 days notice, or 24 hours where the job is 10 square metres or less of non-friable material.
Do demolition contractors need to be registered in Victoria?
Yes, in Victoria demolition contractors are registered building practitioners, and the Building Regulations 2018 set three classes of demolisher: low rise, medium rise and unlimited, each issued by the Building and Plumbing Commission.
The Commission describes the scope of each class in its guide to demolition work. Demolisher (low rise) covers the complete or part dismantling of buildings and other structures up to two storeys in height, other than special buildings. Demolisher (medium rise) extends that to five storeys. Demolisher (unlimited) covers all buildings and structures, including special buildings. Schedule 9 of the regulations prescribes a certificate in demolition from a registered training organisation plus at least 2 years of practical experience for the low rise and medium rise classes, and a higher certificate with at least 3 years for unlimited.
The regulator changed its name during 2025. The Building and Plumbing Commission began operating on 1 July 2025, bringing together the Victorian Building Authority, Domestic Building Dispute Resolution Victoria and the domestic building insurance arm of the Victorian Managed Insurance Authority. The Building Act 1993 still refers to the Authority in places, and older registration cards and forms carry the VBA name, so both names turn up on paperwork. Registration is separate from WorkSafe Victoria asbestos removal licences and from EPA Victoria permissions to transport waste, and a contractor offering a full strip and clear service may hold all three. Registration class and status can be checked on the Commission's public register before a contract is signed.
Do I need a building permit to demolish a building in Victoria?
In most cases yes: demolition in Victoria is building work under the Building Act 1993, so a building permit from a registered building surveyor is needed before a house, shop, factory or other building is pulled down.
The Building Regulations 2018 carve out one narrow exemption that matters to this trade. A freestanding Class 10 building such as a shed or carport can be demolished without a permit if it is not built of masonry, does not exceed 40 square metres in floor area, will not adversely affect the safety of the public or occupiers, and is not on the Victorian Heritage Register. For everything else, regulation 26 lists what goes in with the application: any planning permit, an outline of the building, an allotment plan, the position of hoardings, barricades, protective awnings and outriggers, a written description of the demolition procedure, and evidence that the demolisher has the knowledge, experience, equipment and storage facilities for the job.
Regulation 117 ties the work to AS 2601, The demolition of structures. Demolition cannot start until the relevant building surveyor has inspected and approved the precautionary measures, external walls on or within 3 metres of a street alignment come down only during hours the surveyor directs, and the site is cleared of all debris at the end. The surveyor is notified at two mandatory stages, when the precautions are complete and again at final completion. Where the cost of non-domestic work is above $10,000 the builder named on the permit is a registered building practitioner, the owner, a registered architect or an endorsed building engineer, and a permit for demolition can carry a bond of up to $100 for each square metre of floor area or the estimated cost of the work, whichever is less.
Which licences, permits and registrations apply in Victoria?
| Requirement | Who issues it | When it applies | What it involves |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demolisher registration | Building and Plumbing Commission | Before a contractor takes on demolition as the named builder | Low rise (to two storeys), medium rise (to five storeys) or unlimited class, with a demolition certificate and 2 or 3 years of experience |
| Building permit for demolition | Relevant building surveyor (private or municipal) | Most demolition, other than a non-masonry freestanding Class 10 building of 40 square metres or less | Application under regulation 26, precautions to AS 2601 inspected before work starts, two mandatory notification stages |
| Section 29A report and consent | Local council as responsible authority | More than half the building volume over 3 years, or any part of a street facade | Council has 15 business days; consent is refused if a required planning permit is missing; can be suspended under section 29B |
| Asbestos removal licence and notice | WorkSafe Victoria | Any removal beyond 10 square metres of non-friable material or one hour in 7 days | Class A for friable, Class B for non-friable; 5 days notice, or 24 hours for 10 square metres or less of non-friable |
| Protection work notice | Owner serves it; building surveyor determines disputes | Where the building surveyor requires protection of adjoining property | Adjoining owner has 14 days to respond; insurance runs 12 months after completion; condition survey agreed |
| Waste transport and tracking | EPA Victoria | Moving asbestos and other reportable priority waste off site | Vehicle with an EPA permission, lawful place of disposal, each handover recorded in Waste Tracker |
Can a council stop or delay a demolition in Victoria?
A Victorian council cannot simply veto a demolition, but section 29A of the Building Act 1993 gives it 15 business days to report on larger demolitions, and it must refuse consent where a planning permit is required and has not been obtained.
Section 29A is triggered in two situations. The first is where the proposed demolition, added to any other demolition completed or permitted in the previous 3 years, amounts to more than half the volume of the building. The second is where any part of the facade is to be demolished, and facade is defined widely to include an external wall, a verandah or balcony, part of a roof or a chimney that faces a street and is at least partly visible from it. If the council says nothing within 15 business days it is taken to have consented, unless a planning permit was required and missing, in which case it is taken to have refused. The regulations cap the council fee for this report at 5.75 fee units.
Section 29B is the part that catches owners out. If, during those 15 business days, the council asks the Minister for Planning for a planning scheme amendment over the land that is exempt from the usual notice steps, the building surveyor suspends consideration of the permit and the clock stops until the request is withdrawn, refused, lapses or the amendment comes into operation. In practice this is how an unprotected older building can pick up an interim heritage overlay after a demolition application is lodged. Places already in a heritage overlay generally need a planning permit from the council to demolish, and places on the Victorian Heritage Register are dealt with by Heritage Victoria under the Heritage Act 2017.
Who is allowed to remove asbestos before demolition in Victoria?
In Victoria asbestos is removed by holders of a WorkSafe Victoria asbestos removal licence: Class A for friable material, Class B for non-friable material, with only a small exception of 10 square metres and one hour of work in 7 days for unlicensed removal.
The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017 set the sequence. Asbestos likely to be disturbed is identified before demolition starts and, so far as is reasonably practicable, removed before the demolition work commences. Where a workplace has no asbestos register, the demolition contractor does not start until it has determined whether asbestos is present. The same duty applies to a house once it becomes a workplace because demolition is being carried out there. A Class A licence holder can do both classes of work, while a Class B holder is limited to non-friable material such as intact cement sheet.
Notice periods drive the program. The licence holder notifies WorkSafe at least 24 hours before starting where the total is 10 square metres or less of non-friable material, and at least 5 days before starting in any other case, including all friable work. Unexpected situations can be notified within 24 hours of starting. On completion, the person who commissioned the removal obtains a clearance certificate from an independent person before the area is reoccupied, except for non-friable jobs not exceeding 10 square metres. Fire is the local complication: WorkSafe guidance on fire-damaged buildings says cement sheet that has become friable, or may become friable during the work, is Class A work, which changes both the contractor and the lead time after a house fire or bushfire. Demolition and asbestos removal are both listed as high risk construction work, so a safe work method statement is prepared before work starts.
How does the landfill levy change demolition pricing and planning in Victoria?
Victoria charges a waste levy on every tonne received at landfill, set at $177.19 a tonne for industrial waste at metropolitan premises in 2026-27, which makes separating and recycling concrete, brick and steel a pricing decision on most demolition jobs.
EPA Victoria publishes the rates each financial year. For 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027 industrial waste is levied at $177.19 a tonne at prescribed municipal (metropolitan) premises and $155.95 a tonne at rural premises, up from $169.79 and $149.33 the year before. Packaged waste asbestos and soil containing only asbestos attract a much lower levy of $35.58 a tonne. Category B priority waste sits at $296.18 a tonne. The levy is payable on all waste received at a landfill and reaches customers through gate fees, so a quote that assumes mixed loads to landfill and one that assumes source separation on site can differ by a wide margin for the same building.
The Environment Protection Act 2017 also puts duties on whoever generates and moves the waste. Demolition material is industrial waste, and EPA guidance for the construction industry says it goes only to a place lawfully able to receive it. Asbestos is reportable priority waste: it travels in a vehicle with an EPA permission, goes to a landfill licensed to accept it, and each change of hands is recorded in EPA's Waste Tracker system. Owners commonly ask for weighbridge dockets and Waste Tracker records with the final invoice, because the waste duties apply to those who generate and hand over the waste as well as to the transporter. EPA's civil construction, building and demolition guide treats 7 am to 6 pm Monday to Friday and 7 am to 1 pm Saturday as normal working hours for noisy work, which limits how fast a structure near housing can be brought down.
What protection do neighbours and the public get during demolition in Victoria?
In Victoria the relevant building surveyor decides whether protection work is needed for adjoining property, and where it is, the owner serves a notice and the adjoining owner has 14 days to agree, disagree or ask for more information.
The process sits in Part 7 of the Building Act 1993. An adjoining owner who does not respond within the 14 days is taken to have agreed. If the adjoining owner disagrees or wants more detail, the building surveyor makes a determination, and either side can appeal to the Building Appeals Board within 14 days. Before protection work starts the owner arranges insurance against damage to the adjoining property that runs for 12 months after the building work is completed, and a survey of the adjoining property is prepared and agreed as a record of its existing condition. On terrace rows and zero-lot houses in inner Melbourne, where a party wall or a boundary wall is exposed by the demolition, this step often takes longer than the demolition itself.
Public protection is handled under regulation 116. Precautions such as hoardings, gantries and fencing are approved by the building surveyor before work begins, and where they are to be erected over the street alignment the council's report and consent is needed unless a local law already covers them. Many councils also run their own permits for occupying a footpath or road, with their own fees and lead times, so the hoarding approval is worth confirming with the municipality at the same time as the building permit. Those plans form part of the permit application, which is one reason a demolition quote in a built-up street reads differently from one on a rural block.
What payment and deposit rules apply to demolition contracts in Victoria?
In Victoria the demolition of a home is domestic building work, so deposits are capped at 5 per cent for contracts of $20,000 or more and 10 per cent below that, while commercial demolition falls under the Security of Payment Act.
The Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995 lists the demolition or removal of a home as domestic building work. A contract worth more than $10,000 is a major domestic building contract, which has to be in writing with a detailed description of the work, and the building owner can withdraw within 5 clear business days of receiving the signed copy. A builder who takes a deposit above the cap risks the owner avoiding the contract. Parliament passed changes to this Act in 2025 that are due to take effect by 1 December 2026 and move deposit and progress payment limits into regulations, so the figures are worth confirming with Consumer Affairs Victoria or the Building and Plumbing Commission before signing late in 2026.
For commercial work, and for subcontractors working under a head contractor, the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 2002 expressly covers demolition or dismantling of buildings and structures. Amendments that commenced on 15 April 2026 apply to existing contracts as well as new ones. Contract terms cannot push payment beyond 20 business days after a payment claim is served, a respondent has 10 business days to serve a payment schedule, and claims can be made up to 6 months after practical completion. The Act's business days exclude weekends, Victorian public holidays and the period from 22 December to 10 January, which matters for demolition packages timed around the summer shutdown. Most domestic building contracts between a builder and a home owner are excluded from the Act.
Where can I verify a licence and check the source in Victoria?
Every figure and rule on this page can be checked against the primary source. These are the offices that publish them. Confirm current requirements directly before you rely on any of them:
Demolisher, Building and Plumbing Commission; Building Regulations 2018, Victorian Legislation; Asbestos removal notification, WorkSafe Victoria; Waste levy, EPA Victoria; Protecting adjoining properties, Building and Plumbing Commission; Deposits and payments for domestic building, Consumer Affairs Victoria.
Nearby regions and related trades
Demolition & Disposal contractors in other regions: Florida.
Other trades in Victoria: Renovation & Remodeling, Site Works & Landscaping.
Jump to licence verification sources for Demolition & Disposal in Victoria, or back to all demolition & disposal contractors on Exchange.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a low rise and a medium rise demolisher in Victoria?
The Building and Plumbing Commission describes demolisher (low rise) as covering buildings and structures up to two storeys and demolisher (medium rise) as covering up to five storeys, both excluding special buildings. Only the unlimited class covers all buildings and structures, including special buildings.
Can I demolish a garden shed in Victoria without a permit?
The Building Regulations 2018 exempt demolition of a freestanding Class 10 building that is not masonry, does not exceed 40 square metres in floor area, will not adversely affect public or occupier safety and is not on the Victorian Heritage Register. Planning or heritage overlay controls can still apply, so check with the council.
How much notice does WorkSafe Victoria need before asbestos removal?
A licensed removalist notifies WorkSafe Victoria at least 5 days before starting, or at least 24 hours before where the job is 10 square metres or less of non-friable asbestos-containing material. Work arising from an unexpected situation can be notified within 24 hours of starting.
What happens if the council does not respond to a section 29A request in Victoria?
If the council has not responded within 15 business days it is taken to have consented and the building surveyor can decide the permit. The exception is where a planning permit is required for the demolition and has not been obtained, in which case the council is taken to have refused.
Is asbestos waste charged the full landfill levy in Victoria?
No. For 2026-27 EPA Victoria lists packaged waste asbestos and soil containing only asbestos at $35.58 a tonne, compared with $177.19 a tonne for industrial waste at metropolitan landfills. Landfill gate fees and transport are charged on top of the levy.
Does a safe work method statement apply to demolition in Victoria?
Yes. The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017 list construction work involving demolition, and work involving the removal or likely disturbance of asbestos, as high risk construction work. Where there is a risk to health or safety, a safe work method statement is prepared before the work starts and the work follows it.
How long does a building surveyor take to decide a demolition permit in Victoria?
The Building Regulations 2018 give the relevant building surveyor 10 business days for a Class 1 or 10 building, such as a house or shed, and 15 business days in other cases, counted from when the required reports and consents are received. A section 29B suspension stops that clock.
