Apply for certifying

To be eligible for the NZ experience pathway you need to have:

• Passed the relevant certifying examination (2012- present)
• Held an active tradesman practising licence for 24 months* (contact registration@pgdb.co.nz to check you have met this requirement)
• If you sat the certifying examination prior to 2012, please contact the Board as additional information is required

*The 24 month requirement is one of the minimum standard for registration. A tradesman must hold an active tradesman licence for a period of 24 months (730 days). The 24 month requirement does not start from the date you sit and pass your tradesman examination or obtain registration as a tradesman, it starts from the date you are issued with a tradesman practising licence.

This option is for people with an overseas qualification that is deemed equivalent to, or greater than the NZ Certificate (Level 4).

To get full registration you must:

1. Complete an assessment of your qualification through Skills
2. Submit an Eligibility Application to the Board for consideration with evidence of 6 years working full time in the trade.
3. Pass the Board’s Advanced Proficiency Assessment (APA).

What is the assessment conducted by Skills:

You will need an assessment to assess if you have the same knowledge and skill equal to a person with the NZ Certificate (Level 4). This Recommendation for Registration assessment is conducted by the Skills Organisation.

To be eligible for a Category A assessment you must:

• Hold a formal overseas qualification that you want to be recognised in NZ
• Can show a minimum of 4 years of full-time experience in plumbing, gasfitting or drainlaying.

Book your assessment with Skills here.

How do I apply for an Eligibility Application?

When you have successfully completed the Category A assessment you can submit an Eligibility Application for Overseas Tradesperson- Certifying level. Once approved you will then be eligible to apply for a temporary provisional licence for up to 12 months whilst you work towards completing your APA.

The Eligibility Application for Overseas Tradesperson form can be found here.

What is an APA?

An APA is an assessment and is your final step to becoming a certifier.  To sit the APA, you will need to hold a Provisional licence.

To have an APA assessment please fill in the APA application form and send it to registration@pgdb.co.nz.

For details about APA assessment see our APA policy.

What forms do I need to submit to the Board to get registration?

You will need to submit the following forms when applying for registration:

• Completed Certifying registration application form
• A current New Zealand Ministry of Justice criminal record check (apply for your record here)

Email your completed forms and your supporting evidence as separate PDFs to registration@pgdb.co.nz.

Overseas Pathway Flow Chart Certifier Certifying Pre Registration Eligibility Application Form Overseas Pathway Information Guide Certifier

Certified plumber and with over 4 years full time experience in drainlaying

This option is for people who are registered and licensed as a certifying plumber who has 4 years of full time experience in drainlaying work.

You will require an assessment to assess that your knowledge and skills cover the Boards certifying drainlayer competencies.

To be eligible for a Category C assessment you must:

• Be based in New Zealand
• Have registration as a certifying plumber and hold a current certifying plumber practising licence
• Can show a minimum of 4 years full time experience in drainlaying.

Book your assessment with Skills here.

I began my drainlaying qualification before 1 April 2010 and I am registered as a Tradesman Drainlayer, is there an alternative pathway to certifying registration?

People who began training before 1 April 2010 did so under the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Act 1976, when there was one class of registration for drainlayers, and would have expected to be able to work unsupervised once registered. However, the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Act 2006 came into force on 1 April 2010 and resulted in the subsequent creation of two classes of registration for drainlayers including Tradesman Drainlayer as an initial level of registration requiring the supervision of a Certifying Drainlayer.

The Board is aware that this has caused some difficulties for people who began training before 1 April 2010 but have now been registered as Tradesman Drainlayers and were only able to become registered as Certifying Drainlayers after having worked as a Tradesman Drainlayer for two years and passed the Certifying Drainlayer examination. The Board has decided to allow such persons to be registered as certifying drainlayers provided they can produce evidence of advanced proficiency and experience in drainlaying work.

All Tradesman Drainlayers who began formal training prior to 1 April 2010 are eligible to apply for registration as a Certifying Drainlayer under this process. If you wish to apply, you will need to supply some information as outlined in the application form.

Transition To Certifying Drainlayer Registration Application Form (Fillable) Transition To Certifying Drainlayer Registration Information Guide

You will need to submit the following forms when applying for registration:

• Completed Certifying registration application form
• A Ministry of Justice criminal record check

Email your completed forms and your supporting evidence as separate PDFs to registration@pgdb.co.nz.

Certifying Registration Form (Fillable)