Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board

The Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board (PGDB) is the statutory regulator for plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers in Aotearoa New Zealand. It is a body corporate originally constituted under the Plumbers and Gasfitters Registration Act 1964 and currently constituted under the Plumbers Gasfitters and Drainlayers Act 2006. The Board describes its purpose as protecting the health and safety of the public by ensuring that plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers are competent to carry out restricted work. It administers the registration and licensing systems for these trades so that the New Zealand public can have confidence that people carrying out regulated work are competent to do so. The Board's powers and functions fall broadly into registration, licensing, competence, discipline and prosecution. It sets minimum standards for registration, receives complaints, may investigate and discipline registered persons (including provisional licence holders), and can instigate prosecution in the District Court against those working illegally in the industry. It operates within the building industry framework, including the Gas Act 1992 and the Building Act 2004. The Board is governed by ten ministerially-appointed members representing both the trade and the public, and is supported by a Chief Executive/Registrar and administrative teams. The Board is a not-for-profit body. Its operational revenue comes from fees such as registrations, licences and examinations, and from levies on registered and licensed tradespeople; there is no general taxpayer contribution to its operations. It is based at Level 4, Midland Chambers, 45 Johnston Street, Wellington, and can be contacted on 0800 743 262 or (+64) 4 494 2970. It maintains a public register that consumers can search, and runs consumer-facing guidance such as the "Ask for Licensed" campaign and advice for people building or renovating. Recent operational developments include the opening of applications for the self-certification endorsement for plumbing and drainlaying, with self-certification starting on 7 September 2026; the introduction of multi-factor authentication for the Trade Login from 31 August 2026; and lead-free requirements for plumbing products introduced through G12/AS1 Amendment 14 from 2 May 2026. The Board also publishes a monthly Info Brief and news and podcasts for the trades and the public.

The Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board traces its statutory origins to the Plumbers and Gasfitters Registration Act 1964, which first constituted a registration body for these trades in New Zealand. The Board is currently constituted under the Plumbers Gasfitters and Drainlayers Act 2006, which restated and modernised its mandate as a body corporate responsible for licensing and standards in the plumbing and gasfitting industry. Under its governing legislation, the Board holds all the rights, duties, responsibilities and obligations necessary for the registration of plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers for the purpose of improving, promoting and protecting public health, especially in matters of sanitary plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying. The services performed by these occupations are considered to have a direct effect on the integrity of public network utilities supplying drinking water, stormwater collection and disposal, foul sewage handling and disposal, and the gas supply to which they are directly interconnected. The occupations are also relevant to the environment, particularly contamination and pollution of air, water and the ground, including noise. Over time the Board's role has expanded from registration into a broader regulatory mandate covering licensing, competence, discipline and prosecution. It sets minimum standards for registration, receives complaints, investigates and disciplines registered persons (including provisional licence holders), and can instigate prosecution in the District Court against those working illegally in the industry. It operates within the wider building industry framework, including the Gas Act 1992 and the Building Act 2004. The Board is governed by ten ministerially-appointed members representing both the trade and the public, with a Chief Executive/Registrar employed by the Board and supported by teams responsible for day-to-day administration. It is a not-for-profit body whose operational revenue is derived from fees (such as registrations, licences and examinations) and levies on registered and licensed tradespeople; there is no general taxpayer contribution to its operations. In the 2020s the Board has pursued digital and regulatory modernisation. Applications for the self-certification endorsement for plumbing and drainlaying opened, with self-certification starting on 7 September 2026. Multi-factor authentication for the Trade Login was introduced from 31 August 2026. Lead-free requirements for plumbing products were introduced through G12/AS1 Amendment 14 from 2 May 2026. The Board also maintains a public register, runs the "Ask for Licensed" consumer campaign, and publishes a monthly Info Brief alongside news and podcasts.

• 2026

  Lead-free requirements for plumbing products introduced through G12/AS1 Amendment 14 from 2 May 2026.

• 2026

  Multi-factor authentication required for all Trade Login accounts from 31 August 2026.

• 2026

  Self-certification endorsement for plumbing and drainlaying starts on 7 September 2026.

• 2006

  Currently constituted under the Plumbers Gasfitters and Drainlayers Act 2006.

• 1964

  Originally constituted under the Plumbers and Gasfitters Registration Act 1964.

Statutory regulator and public-safety gatekeeper for New Zealand's plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying trades; not-for-profit and funded by industry fees and levies rather than general taxation.

• Registration and licensing

  Administration of registration and licensing systems for plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers.

• Competence and examinations

  Setting minimum standards for registration and assessing competence, including examinations.

• Discipline and prosecution

  Receiving complaints, investigating and disciplining registered persons, and prosecuting illegal work in the District Court.

• Public register

  A searchable register allowing the public to check licensed tradespeople.

• Trade Login

  Online portal for authorised plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers to manage their licence.

• Self-certification endorsement

  Endorsement allowing certifying plumbers and certifying drainlayers to self-certify certain work, starting 7 September 2026.

1. 1Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Boardpgdb.co.nz
2. 2About the Boardpgdb.co.nz
3. 3Contactpgdb.co.nz
4. 4Info briefpgdb.co.nz
5. 5Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Boardwikidata.org
6. 6Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Boarden.wikipedia.org