How to check, step by step
Get each person's full name
Ask who will do the work and get their first and last names. A business name won't do: licences belong to individuals, and Ask for Licensed, PGDB's consumer campaign, says the register doesn't recognise business names.
Open the public register
PGDB's campaign gives the address as pgdb.co.nz/public-register. You can also reach it from the Search the Register page in the consumer advice section of pgdb.co.nz.
Search the first and last name
Type both names. If you're unsure of the spelling, part of a name works too, and you can narrow the results by town, city or postcode.
Read the far-right column
A tick, green, or both, in the far-right column means the person holds a current licence to practise. Being listed isn't enough on its own: the register also shows people who used to hold a licence and no longer do.
Check the trade and the class
Make sure the licence covers the work you need, because plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying are separate. Note the class as well, using the table below.
Check the supervisor
Unless the person is certifying, they must have a named certifying supervisor. The record shows who supervises whom, so search the supervisor's name and confirm that licence is current too.
See the card on the day
Ask to see their New Zealand practising licence, as a physical card or the digital card in the PGDB app, and look at the expiry date. Licences expire on 31 March every year, so last year's card may have lapsed.
The licence classes, and what each can do
| Works without a supervisor? | Can certify the work? | |
|---|---|---|
| Certifying plumber, gasfitter or drainlayer | Yes, and can supervise others | Yes |
| Plumber, Gasfitter or Drainlayer | No: needs a named certifying supervisor, who doesn't have to be on site | No |
| Restricted plumber, gasfitter or drainlayer | No: same supervision as above, and a restricted gasfitter can't connect a gas appliance to the supply | No |
| Trainee (limited certificate) | No: a certifying supervisor within eye and earshot for the first 12 months | No |
| Exemption under supervision | No: always a certifying supervisor, within earshot for the first 24 months | No |
What a register record shows
Alongside the name, the register shows contact details, registration and licence history, any conditions on the licence, who the person supervises or is supervised by, and any disciplinary decisions the Board has issued. By law, it shows anyone disciplined in the last 3 years.
Trainees, people working under an exemption, and gasfitters with a section 20 authorisation hold an authorisation rather than registration. They are unregistered, and a section 20 authorisation only covers the specific area of gasfitting the person was assessed for.
Before you say yes
- The far-right column shows a tick or green.
- The name on the register matches the card, and the person in front of you.
- The licence covers the trade your job needs.
- You've read any conditions listed on the licence.
- Their supervisor, if they need one, also holds a current licence.
- The expiry date on the card hasn't passed.
If it doesn't check out
Don't let the work start, and ask for the correct name: a genuine tradie won't mind. Claiming to be licensed when you aren't is an offence under the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Act 2006, and knowingly paying someone who isn't authorised can be an offence for you too. Unlicensed work may also void your insurance if it goes wrong. PGDB's Ask for Licensed number is 0800 743 262, and complaints go through PGDB's online form.
Registered isn't the same as licensed
Registration is a one-off milestone, and on its own it doesn't authorise anyone to do restricted plumbing, gasfitting or drainlaying. The practising licence does that, and it has to be renewed every year. Renewal means the person has completed their professional development and passed PGDB's fit and proper person check. So when a tradie tells you they're registered, ask whether their licence is current.
Self-certification: a separate endorsement
Since 7 September 2026, certifying plumbers and certifying drainlayers have been able to apply to PGDB for a self-certification endorsement. With it, they can certify eligible consented work in place of a council inspection. It doesn't come automatically with the licence, so if a tradie offers to self-certify your job, ask whether they hold the endorsement.
Certificates issued under the scheme go on PGDB's self-certification property register at selfcertregister-pgdb.co.nz, which the law says the public must be able to search without charge. Our guide to certificates of compliance explains how the scheme fits with council sign-off.
Use the register for checking, not much else
The register is there so people can confirm a tradie's licence. PGDB's privacy notice says searching it for any purpose, or by any means, that it doesn't list may be an interference with privacy and is prohibited. Checking someone you're thinking of hiring is exactly what it's for.
What we would do
Do the check before anyone arrives, not once they're under the house. Two names in the search box, a glance at the far-right column and a look at who supervises them is all it takes, and it's the single check most likely to keep unlicensed work off your property. If you'd rather we find an authorised local specialist for you, check their name the moment they ring, just as above.