Search the exact name you have
Start with the person named on the quote, contract, email signature, or licence ID. If the builder uses a company or franchise name, ask who will personally supervise or carry out restricted building work.
Public register guide
LBP register search in New Zealand
The Licensed Building Practitioner register is one of the first official checks to run before signing. It tells you about a named person's licence status and class, but it does not replace company, contract, discussion, or guarantee checks.
What an LBP search actually answers
An LBP search answers a narrow but important question: is this named person currently recorded as a Licensed Building Practitioner, and in what class? That matters because some residential building work must be done or supervised by an appropriately licensed person.
The mistake is treating that answer as wider proof. A licence does not tell you whether the company behind the quote is financially healthy. It does not show whether the builder prices variations clearly. It does not join trading names, directors, franchises, and related companies into one view.
Use the LBP register as your official licence check, then connect it to the rest of the due-diligence picture before money changes hands.
Checking sequence
How to use the LBP register before signing
Check the licence class
An LBP record is only useful if the licence class matches the work. Carpentry, design, roofing, bricklaying, external plastering, foundations, and site areas are not interchangeable.
Compare the record with your paperwork
Match the LBP name against the quote, building contract, scope, and any producer statements or supervision notes. A company brand is not the same thing as an individual licence.
Look beyond the licence
A current licence does not tell you whether the company is solvent, whether there are related companies, or what homeowners have discussed. Use it as one layer of due diligence.
Context
The register is one layer, not the whole builder check
Builder due diligence gets messy because homeowners often have several names: a brand, a legal company, a director, a salesperson, and a site supervisor. Keep those names separate until you can prove how they connect.
LBP Public Register
Confirms whether a named practitioner is licensed and lets you check their licence class.
It does not assess company health, quote quality, customer experience, or whether the builder is the right fit for your project.
Companies Register
Helps connect the trading name on a quote to a legal company, directors, shareholders, and company status.
It may not show the full trading history if related companies, past names, or franchise structures are involved.
Homeowner discussion
Shows what people have discussed about a builder, brand, owner, topic, or location over time.
Discussion is context, not a finding. Check dates, source labels, and whether public records support the concern.
FAQ
LBP register search questions
What does an LBP register search show?
An LBP register search can show whether a named person is a Licensed Building Practitioner and which licence class they hold. It is a licensing check, not a full builder background check.
Is an LBP licence enough to trust a builder?
No. A licence is important for restricted building work, but it does not prove pricing fairness, communication, solvency, or past homeowner experience. Combine it with company, discussion, and contract checks.
Should the company or the person be licensed?
LBP licensing applies to people, not just a brand or trading name. Ask who will carry out or supervise the restricted building work, then check that person's licence class.
What if I cannot find the builder on the register?
Ask for their current licence ID and clarify who will perform or supervise the restricted building work. If the answer stays vague, pause before signing and check the company and discussion history too.
Next step
Connect the licence record to the wider builder history.
Once you know the LBP name, search the builder, company, owner, and brand in the discussion layer before you sign.