Asbestos removal licensing
The removal of asbestos must be carried out by a licensed asbestos removalist.
The ‘person conducting a business or undertaking’ (PCBU) must ensure that any asbestos removal work they commission is carried out by a licensed asbestos removalist.
Types of licences
The Work Health and Safety Act 2011 recognises two classifications of asbestos removal licences.
Class A licence
Class A licence – for the removal of:
- friable asbestos or asbestos contaminated dust or debris.
Friable refers to asbestos-containing materials that can be easily reduced to powder by hand when dry.
Class B licence
Class B licence – to remove more than 10 square metres of:
- non-friable asbestos or asbestos containing material
- asbestos-contaminated dust or debris associated with the removal of more than 10 square metres of non-friable asbestos or asbestos containing material.
Non-friable asbestos, also known as bonded asbestos, means that asbestos fibres are held within a solid product and are less likely to become airborne.
Who can apply for a licence
Comcare only issues an asbestos removal licence to a ‘person conducting a business or undertaking’ (PCBU) in the Commonwealth jurisdiction.
Organisations that operate under state or territory legislation should refer to their relevant state or territory work health and safety regulator for information on obtaining a licence.
How to apply for a licence
To apply for a Class A or Class B asbestos removal licence:
- Review our Asbestos Removal Licensing applicant guide (PDF, 154.2 KB).
- Complete the Asbestos Removal Licence application form (PDF, 134.9 KB).
- If required, also complete the Supervisor Nomination form (PDF, 135.6 KB) and Change of Details form (PDF, 120.7 KB).
- Submit your completed forms and any supporting documents to whs.asbestos@comcare.gov.au.
More information
If you have a query on the asbestos removal licensing process:
- email whs.help@comcare.gov.au
- call us on 1300 366 979.
For more information, see:
