If you’ve moved office, changed your email address, or swapped your mobile number in the past few months, there’s a new QBCC contact details requirement you need to know about, and it comes with a fine attached. From 1 February 2026, every Queensland Building and Construction Commission licensee has a strict 14-day window to notify the QBCC of any change to their contact details, or risk an infringement notice. For builders and contractors already juggling MFR reporting, site inspections and subcontractor headaches, this is one more compliance trap that’s easy to miss and expensive to ignore.
We get it. Nobody got into the trade to become a part-time compliance officer. Between quoting jobs, chasing payments and keeping crews on site, updating an address with a government agency slips to the bottom of the list, right up until it costs you. This new rule shows how a five-minute admin job can turn into a real problem if you let it slide.
What Actually Changed on 1 February 2026
The Queensland Building and Construction Commission and Other Legislation Amendment Regulation 2026 commenced on 1 February 2026, and it made a specific change that directly affects how you deal with the QBCC. A new infringement notice entry was inserted for section 109C of the QBCC Act, the “change in contact details” obligation. It requires every licensee to give the Commission written notice of any change to their residential address, business address, email address, or phone number within 14 days of the change happening.
Miss that window, and you’re now exposed to an on-the-spot infringement notice fine of 1 penalty unit. As at July 2025, a Queensland penalty unit sits at $172.65, and that figure is indexed and rises over time. It’s not a licence-ending amount on its own, but it’s the QBCC’s clearest signal yet that it wants accurate, current details on file, and it’s now prepared to enforce that with a fine rather than a friendly reminder.
This sits alongside another change from the same reform package: email is now the QBCC’s preferred method for issuing notices and correspondence, including decisions about your licence, defective work notices, and Queensland Home Warranty Scheme matters. Put those two changes together and the message is blunt: the QBCC expects to be able to reach you, and it’s now your legal obligation to make sure it can.
When Things Go Wrong
When the QBCC finds a licensee’s details are out of date, the consequences stack up fast:
For any licensee:
- An infringement notice fine of 1 penalty unit, currently $172.65
- Notices treated as received even if they never reached you
- Missed deadlines on defective work directions, MFR reporting requests, or disciplinary matters
For the business:
- Compliance directions triggered by a notice nobody saw
- Licence conditions or further action if a missed deadline escalates
- Time and cost fixing a problem that started as an admin gap
“An outdated email address doesn’t just risk a fine, it risks a deadline you didn’t know existed.”
Karen Zhang — QBCC Express Founder
Why This Isn’t Just Red Tape
Plenty of licensees see this as another box to tick. It’s not. It’s protection.
Since 1 February 2026, email is the QBCC’s preferred way of sending:
- Licensing decisions
- Defective work notices
- Queensland Home Warranty Scheme correspondence
If that email address is stale, you can be deemed to have received a notice you never opened. That’s how you end up missing a deadline that snowballs into a bigger compliance problem.
What Counts as a “Change in Contact Details”
The obligation under section 109C isn’t limited to one type of detail. You need to notify the QBCC within 14 days if any of the following changes:
- Your residential address
- Your business or postal address
- Your email address
- Your phone number
This applies to individual licensees, company nominees, and directors alike. If you hold a site supervisor licence and you change jobs, phones, or move house, the same 14-day clock starts ticking for you too. If you’re not sure which licence category you or your supervisors sit under, our guide to Site Supervisor Licence eligibility breaks down the requirements in plain English.
How to Stay on the Right Side of the 14-Day Rule
The fix here isn’t complicated, but it does need to become a habit rather than an afterthought. A few practical steps:
- Update details the same day you change them. Don’t wait until the 14-day window is nearly up. Log in to the QBCC Portal or myQBCC and make the change as soon as it happens.
- Check your details are current right now. Don’t assume they’re fine. A lot of licensees have an old accounts email or a mobile number from three phones ago sitting on file.
- Put a reminder in your business process. Whenever you change office, get a new phone, or update your accountant’s contact email for QBCC correspondence, make “update QBCC” part of that checklist.
- Watch your inbox, not just your letterbox. Since email is now the QBCC’s preferred channel, make sure the address on file is one that’s actively monitored, not a shared inbox nobody owns.
If your licence is already sitting on outdated details, or you’re unsure whether other obligations like your MFR reporting are up to date too, it’s worth getting it sorted rather than guessing. This is exactly the kind of paperwork gap that turns into a licence headache down the track. Book a Strategy Session with QBCC Express and we’ll go through your licence status and compliance obligations with you.
Don’t Let a Missed Email Cost You Your Licence
Updating your contact details with the QBCC takes five minutes. Ignoring it can cost you a fine, a missed deadline, or a notice you never saw coming. With email now the Commission’s preferred way of reaching licensees, and a real penalty now attached to letting your details go stale, this is one compliance job worth ticking off today rather than adding to the pile. If you want a second set of eyes on your licence and compliance position more broadly, get in touch through a Strategy Session and we’ll help you get it sorted.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the QBCC’s new contact details rule?
From 1 February 2026, section 109C of the QBCC Act requires every licensee to notify the QBCC in writing within 14 days of any change to their residential address, business address, email address, or phone number. Failing to do so can now result in an infringement notice fine.
How much is the fine for not updating my QBCC details in time?
The infringement notice fine for a breach of section 109C is 1 penalty unit. As at July 2025, one Queensland penalty unit is $172.65, and this amount is indexed and can increase over time.
Why does the QBCC need my current contact details so urgently?
Email is now the QBCC’s preferred method for issuing licensing decisions, defective work notices, and other correspondence. If your details are out of date, you can be treated as having received a notice even if it never reached you.
Does this rule apply to site supervisors and company directors, or just business owners?
It applies to every individual QBCC licensee, including site supervisors, nominees and directors, not just business owners or sole traders. Anyone who holds a licence in their own name has an individual obligation to keep their details current.
How do I update my contact details with the QBCC?
You can update your address, email, or phone number through the QBCC Portal or myQBCC online, or by calling the QBCC Contact Centre on 139 333. Do this as soon as a detail changes, rather than waiting until the 14-day deadline is close.