This page tells you about the asbestos licensing system, including licences for asbestos removal and for licensed assessors.

Asbestos removal licenses

Type of licence

What asbestos can be removed?

Class A 

Any type or quantity of asbestos or asbestos-containing material, including:

  • any amount of friable asbestos or ACM
  • any amount of asbestos-contaminated dust or debris (ACD)
  • any amount of non-friable asbestos or ACM.

 Class B

  • Any amount of non-friable asbestos or ACM.
  • ACD associated with removing any amount of non-friable asbestos or ACM.

No licence required

Up to and including 10m2 of non-friable asbestos or ACM, cumulatively, over the whole course of the removal project for the site.

ACD that is:

  • associated with removing 10m2 or less of non-friable asbestos or ACM
  • minor amounts of ACD, not associated with the removal of friable or non-friable asbestos.

Note - All removal work needs to be performed safely. Suitable controls need to be in place to ensure that the risks from asbestos have been minimised; including correct use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE), safe methods of work, decontamination facilities and the disposal of all asbestos waste in a licensed landfill.

Asbestos assessor licences

An asbestos assessor provides air quality monitoring during removal work, inspects the finished job and provides a clearance certificate.

An assessor’s licence is required to carry out air monitoring and issue clearance certificates for all Class A (friable) asbestos removal sites.

Class B sites can have a clearance certificate granted by an independent competent person*.

Type of licence

Scope of assessor work

Assessor 

A licence is required for:

  • air monitoring during Class A asbestos removal 
  • clearance inspections for Class A asbestos removal 
  • issuing of clearance certificates in relation to Class A asbestos removal work.

 

No licence required, must be a competent person*

  • Clearance inspections for Class B asbestos removal (which may include surface testing and air monitoring)
  • Issuing of clearance certificates in relation to Class B asbestos removal.

We have specified the following asbestos assessor training courses:

  1. Australian VET standard CPCCBC5014A Conduct asbestos assessment associated with removal
  2. British Occupational Hygiene Society proficiency module P404 Air Sampling of Asbestos and MMMF and Requirements for a Certificate of Reoccupation Following Clearance of Asbestos.
  3. W504 Asbestos and Other Fibres
  4. British Occupational Hygiene Society proficiency module IP404
  5. NZQA unit standard 29768 - Conduct asbestos assessment associated with removal

New Zealand-based training courses are now available.

Apply for an Assessor Licence

Licence fees

The fees for asbestos-related licences are:

Item

Fee payable
(incl GST)

Notes

Application for Class A asbestos licence

$490.00

Licence valid for five years

Nominated Supervisor in Class A asbestos licence application

$470.00

Each Supervisor

Application for Class B asbestos licence

$490.00

Licence valid for five years

Nominated Supervisor in Class B asbestos licence application

$80.00

Each Supervisor

Application for Asbestos Assessor licence

$490.00

Licence valid for five years

Application for renewal of Class A or Class B asbestos licence

$490.00

 

Nominated Supervisor for Class A asbestos licence renewal

$470.00

 

Nominated Supervisor for Class B asbestos licence renewal

$80.00

Each Supervisor

Application to add a new nominated Supervisor to an existing Class A asbestos removal licence

$550.00

Each Supervisor

Application to add a new nominated Supervisor to an existing Class B asbestos removal licence.

$170.00

Each Supervisor

Replacement Licences

$120.00

 

*Competent person means a person who has acquired, through training and experience, the knowledge and skills of relevant asbestos removal industry practice and who holds;

  1. a certificate for an asbestos assessor training course specified by WorkSafe, or
  2. a tertiary qualification in occupational health and safety, occupational hygiene, science, or environmental health.