Quick answer: In NSW you must hold a gasfitting licence or certificate to do any gasfitting work — installing, altering, extending or repairing a gas installation, working on its flue, or connecting and disconnecting a gas appliance, regulator or container. Swapping over a gas cylinder is the only common exemption. The gasfitter must also lodge a certificate of compliance (network gas) or give you a certificate of inspection (bottled LPG) within five business days. Rectify Plumbing’s gasfitters are licensed and insured across Sydney and the Central Coast — call 0400 073 180.
What counts as gasfitting work in NSW?
Under the Gas and Electricity (Consumer Safety) Act 2017, gasfitting work covers the installation, alteration, extension or repair of a gas installation, the same work on any flue attached to it, and connecting or disconnecting a gas container, regulator or appliance. It applies regardless of the value of the work and regardless of whether the property is residential, commercial or industrial.
- Running or extending a gas line — including a bayonet point for a heater or an outdoor BBQ line
- Installing or replacing a gas cooktop, oven, heater or gas hot water unit
- Any work on the flue serving a gas appliance
- Connecting or disconnecting an LPG cylinder installation, regulator or appliance
- Leak repairs on gas pipework, meters and fittings
Changing over a gas cylinder that is designed to be readily detachable is exempt. Everything else needs a licence. The full definition is on the NSW Government gasfitter compliance page.
Can a general plumber do gas work?
No — not unless they are separately licensed in the gasfitting category. In NSW a licence lists the categories the holder may work in: plumbing, draining, gasfitting and endorsements such as Type B appliance work. A plumber licensed for water and drainage only cannot legally touch your gas installation, and a certificate holder can only work under the supervision arrangements attached to their certificate.
What certificate should you receive after gas work?
Two different certificates apply, and which one you get depends on whether the property is on the reticulated gas network or on bottled LPG. Since 1 March 2026, gasfitters must lodge these through BCNSW eCert — a posted or emailed PDF is no longer accepted for compliance lodgement.
| Network (reticulated) gas | Bottled LPG / non-networked | |
|---|---|---|
| Document | Certificate of compliance | Certificate of inspection |
| Who receives it | Lodged with Building Commission NSW | Given to the owner of the installation |
| Deadline | Within 5 business days of completing the work | Within 5 business days of completing the work |
| Also required | Test the installation for defects | Inspect all containers, regulators and appliances, test the whole installation, fit a compliance plate |
| Record keeping | Held by BCNSW | Gasfitter keeps a copy for 5 years |
If a gasfitter cannot tell you which certificate you are getting, that is your cue to stop the job.
How do you check a gasfitter’s licence?
Ask for the licence number, then verify it yourself — it takes about a minute. Do it before work starts, not after.
- Ask for the licence number and the name it is held in.
- Search it on the NSW Government licence check.
- Confirm the gasfitting category is listed — not just plumbing or draining.
- Confirm the licence is current and unrestricted, and that the tradesperson on site is the licence holder or is supervised.
- Ask for a certificate of currency for public liability insurance.
We walk local customers through the same process in licensed gas fitters in Hornsby: how to verify and what it costs.
What is Type A and Type B gas work?
Type A covers the certified domestic and light commercial appliances most homes have — cooktops, ovens, space heaters, gas hot water units. Type B covers uncertified or industrial appliances such as commercial boilers, kilns and large process burners, and requires a separate authorisation on top of a gasfitting licence. If you are quoting out work for a restaurant kitchen, a strata boiler or a plant room, ask specifically whether the gasfitter holds Type B authorisation for that appliance class.
What are the risks of unlicensed gas work?
Unlicensed gas work is an offence in NSW, but the practical risks land on the property owner. Carbon monoxide from an incorrectly flued heater, an unpressure-tested joint behind a wall, or a missing compliance certificate can all surface later — often when a home is being sold or a claim is being assessed.
- Insurance. Insurers routinely ask for the compliance certificate after a gas incident.
- Sale and conveyancing. Missing certificates for gas appliances hold up settlement.
- Safety. Flue and ventilation faults are the most common serious defects we find on second-hand heater installs.
- Rework. Non-compliant pipework usually has to be replaced, not patched.
What does a licensed gasfitter do on a typical job?
On a standard Sydney gas hot water or cooktop changeover, the licensed part of the job is mostly the parts you do not see: sizing the line, pressure testing, checking the flue and ventilation, and certifying the result.
- Isolate the supply and check the meter or cylinder regulator.
- Size and run the pipework for the appliance’s gas load.
- Pressure test the installation and check for leaks at every joint.
- Commission the appliance and verify the flue and ventilation clearances.
- Lodge the certificate of compliance or issue the certificate of inspection and compliance plate.
Where does Rectify Plumbing do gas work?
We are a licensed plumbing, draining and gasfitting business working across Epping, Ryde, Berowra, Mount Colah, Hornsby Shire, Pennant Hills, Turramurra, the Hills District, greater Sydney and the Central Coast including Gosford. Common jobs are gas hot water changeovers, cooktop installs, BBQ points, heater servicing and LPG-to-natural-gas conversions. Call 0400 073 180 or request a quote.
Related reading: gas plumber Sydney: what only a licensed gas fitter can do, gas hot water installation and repair, and our full service list.
Gasfitter NSW FAQs
Do you need a licence to do gas work in NSW?
Yes. Under the Gas and Electricity (Consumer Safety) Act 2017 you must be licensed to carry out any gasfitting work in NSW, regardless of the cost of the work or whether the property is residential, commercial or industrial. Changing over a readily detachable gas cylinder is the main exemption.
What counts as gasfitting work?
Installing, altering, extending or repairing a gas installation; installing, altering, extending, removing or repairing any flue associated with it; and connecting or disconnecting a gas container, regulator or appliance to or from the installation. That includes cooktops, gas hot water units, heaters and BBQ points.
Can a regular plumber install a gas cooktop or gas hot water system?
Only if they hold a gasfitting licence or certificate as well. A NSW licence lists the categories the holder can work in, so a plumber licensed only for water and drainage cannot legally carry out gas work. Always confirm gasfitting is listed on the licence before work starts.
What certificate should I receive after gas work in NSW?
If the property is on the reticulated gas network you should receive a certificate of compliance, lodged with Building Commission NSW within five business days. If it is bottled LPG or otherwise not connected to a network, the gasfitter must inspect and test the installation, attach a compliance plate and give you a certificate of inspection.
What is the difference between Type A and Type B gas appliances?
Type A appliances are certified domestic and light commercial units — cooktops, ovens, heaters and gas hot water systems. Type B appliances are uncertified or industrial, such as commercial boilers, kilns and process burners, and require separate Type B authorisation on top of a gasfitting licence.
Is unlicensed gas work illegal in NSW?
Yes, and the consequences fall on the property owner too. Without a compliance certificate an insurer may query a claim after a gas incident, conveyancing can be delayed at sale, and non-compliant pipework or flueing usually has to be replaced rather than patched.
Do gasfitters still email or post compliance certificates?
No. From 1 March 2026 gasfitters in NSW must submit certificates of compliance and inspection through BCNSW eCert. Posted or emailed PDF formats are no longer accepted for lodgement, so ask your gasfitter to confirm the certificate has been submitted through eCert.
Do I need a licensed gasfitter to run a gas line for a BBQ?
Yes. Running a new outdoor gas point is an extension of the gas installation, so it is gasfitting work and must be done by a licensed gasfitter, pressure tested and certified. Connecting a portable cylinder to a BBQ that is designed to be readily detachable is exempt.
