New LBP waterproofing licence: what it means for your bathroom

A new waterproofing licence for Licensed Building Practitioners (LBPs) is being worked on, but it isn’t in place yet. The Government has said it is progressing a new waterproofing licence class so homeowners can trust that whoever waterproofs their bathroom or level-entry shower is qualified and accountable. There is no confirmed start date and no confirmed scope yet. Here’s what we know, what we don’t, and what you can ask for today.

What has the Government said about a waterproofing licence?

In April 2025, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) announced licensing changes for building professionals. One item on the list is “progressing work to establish a new waterproofing licence class”, aimed at the people completing wet-area bathrooms and level-entry showers.

MBIE’s page on improving occupational licensing to help homeowners repeats this. It says the wider package of licensing improvements is expected to take effect in 2026. That package also includes better complaint handling for LBPs and publishing details of LBPs suspended for disciplinary reasons.

Is the waterproofing licence in force yet?

No. As of October 2026, the official sources describe the waterproofing licence class as work in progress. They haven’t published a start date, a list of the exact work it will cover, or the skills a waterproofer will need to show to hold it.

Separately, a bill to strengthen how complaints and discipline work across the licensing schemes is going through Parliament. In May 2026, the LBP scheme reported that a select committee had recommended the bill be passed, and noted that “no immediate changes take effect at this stage”. That bill is about conduct and competence processes. It doesn’t itself change the Building Code or the technical rules for waterproofing.

So if anyone tells you a new waterproofing licence is already compulsory, it isn’t. We’ll update this post when the official details are published.

Why a waterproofing licence matters for your bathroom

Bathroom waterproofing is the layer you never see again once the tiles go down. If it’s missed, thin or poorly detailed at the corners, drains and shower junctions, water can get into the floor and wall framing without anyone noticing for a long time.

At the moment, Auckland Council’s own guide to booking inspections (June 2026) lists internal wet-area waterproofing as work that isn’t restricted building work. Membrane roofs and decks are different: they fall under the Roofing LBP licence. A dedicated waterproofing licence class would give homeowners a clearer way to check that the person doing the waterproofing inside their home is qualified, and a clearer path if something goes wrong.

What to ask a waterproofer now, before any licence change

You don’t need to wait for the new waterproofing licence to protect yourself. These questions work today:

• Are you a Licensed Building Practitioner? You can check any LBP on the official Find an LBP register.
• Which waterproofing system will you use, and are you trained or approved by the manufacturer to apply it?
• Will you provide a producer statement (PS3) for the waterproofing when it’s finished? Auckland Council’s PS3 waterproofing form asks the applicator to confirm the substrate was suitable and the membrane was applied to the manufacturer’s specifications.
• Will the shower and wet area be flood tested before tiling? The same form makes this mandatory for tiled internal showers and wet areas.
• Will you take photos of each stage, such as the substrate, primer, membrane coats, corners and drain details?
• What product warranty and what workmanship warranty apply, and who gives each one?

A good waterproofer won’t mind any of these questions. If someone can’t tell you which membrane they’re using, that’s worth knowing before work starts.

How Auckland Waterproofing Experts works while the licence is developed

Auckland Waterproofing Experts is an LBP-led waterproofing business based in Castor Bay. We already work the way a licensing scheme is designed to encourage: we find out where the water is coming from first, use manufacturer-backed waterproofing membranes, photograph each stage, and provide a PS3 when the job needs one.

Our work covers bathrooms and wet areas, deck waterproofing, roof membranes, and basement waterproofing with ARDEX WPM 300 HydrEpoxy, which is applied to the inside (negative side) of the wall. On HydrEpoxy jobs, ARDEX gives a 10-year product warranty, and Auckland Waterproofing Experts gives a separate 5-year workmanship warranty.

Questions we get about the new waterproofing licence

When will the waterproofing licence start?

There’s no confirmed date. MBIE has said licensing improvements are expected to take effect in 2026, but the details of the waterproofing class haven’t been published.

Will my current bathroom need to be redone?

Nothing official says a new licence would apply to work already completed. Licensing affects who can do or supervise future work. If you’re worried about an existing bathroom, the first step is a proper look at what’s there.

Who will the waterproofing licence apply to?

The official wording points to people waterproofing wet-area bathrooms and level-entry showers. The exact scope hasn’t been confirmed, so check back here or on the MBIE licensing page.

How do I check if someone is an LBP?

Search their name or licence number on the LBP register. It shows their licence class and status.

Talk to a licensed waterproofer about your bathroom

Planning a bathroom renovation, or not sure about the waterproofing under an existing one? Call Alex at Auckland Waterproofing Experts on 022 630 6434 for a free site visit. We’ll explain what’s needed in plain English and send you an itemised quote. You can also read our waterproofing FAQs.

Email aucklandwaterproofing@gmail.com. We’re available 7am to 7pm, Monday to Saturday, based in Castor Bay and working across Auckland.