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Access online coursework around your commitments. Workplace evidence and assessment requirements still apply; discuss your study plan before enrolment.
CPC40120 | Restricted Builder Licence
Builder restricted to structural landscaping (QLD)
A focused 7-unit package from the CPC40120 Certificate IV in Building and Construction, built for the QBCC builder restricted to structural landscaping licence. Retaining walls, decking, pergolas, carports, paving and sporting courts — the outdoor structures that need a builder licence, contracted in your own name.
- 3-6 Months
- 100% Online
- RPL available
- Payment plans
In short
Published duration: 3-6 Months. Individual study and assessment requirements apply. Last reviewed .
- What it is
- A 7-unit package from CPC40120 built for the QBCC builder restricted to structural landscaping licence. 100% online, usually 3 to 6 months.
- Who it suits
- Queensland landscapers, fencers and carpenters who build retaining walls, decks, pergolas, carports and paving.
- Outcome
- Meets the QBCC technical qualification requirement for the restricted licence, so you can contract structural landscaping work directly with clients. Experience and financial requirements apply.
Already got years on the tools? Ask about Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) assessment. Prepare Training is RTO 45384.
Only 7 Units
100% Online Study
RPL Available
Two Licence Classes
Course Overview
What is the Restricted Structural Landscaping Licence?
There is a line running through landscaping work in Queensland that catches a lot of good operators out. Planting, turf, mulch and garden beds are not building work. A retaining wall is. So is a deck, a pergola, a carport, a gazebo, a prefabricated shed on a slab, and the paving and site preparation that goes with them. Once that work passes $3,300 it needs a QBCC licence held by whoever is contracting for it.
The builder restricted to structural landscaping licence is the class built for exactly that work. QBCC's scope covers preparing, fabricating and erecting carports, decking, fences, gates, gazebos, ornamental structures, pergolas, ponds and water features, and prefabricated sheds including their associated concrete slabs with a floor area of not more than 10m². It also covers retaining walls, artificial landform structures, site preparation and paving for landscaping, irrigation installation, playground equipment and sporting court construction. What it does not cover is the house itself. A garage, a habitable extension, a granny flat or a shed over the slab limit needs a builder licence with wider scope.
QBCC asks for seven units of competency from CPC40120 for this class. Seven, not the full nineteen-unit Certificate IV. They cover the contracting half of the job rather than the trade half. Safety on an open excavation. A contract that survives a variation when the wall footing hits rock. Estimating a retaining wall by the metre and a deck by the square. Procuring sleepers, blocks, pavers, aggregate and fixings for a site with tight access. Running a job with an excavator and a carpentry crew on it at the same time. The legal obligations of a licensed contractor, and the finances of a landscape construction business. Structural landscaping jobs live or die on the quote and the contract, and that is the half formal training tends to skip.
Worth knowing before you enrol. These same seven units are also the technical qualification for the QBCC builder restricted to kitchen, bathroom and laundry licence. One course and one Statement of Attainment covers two separate licence classes, and it is yours to point at whichever one fits the work. A landscaper who also picks up the odd bathroom gets both for the price of one course. Our kitchen, bathroom and laundry page sets out what that second class allows.
Why Choose This Course
- Just 7 units — not the full 19-unit Certificate IV
- QBCC builder restricted to structural landscaping pathway
- Covers retaining walls, decks, pergolas, carports and paving
- Same units also satisfy the kitchen, bathroom and laundry class
- 100% online, self-paced delivery
- RPL available for experienced landscaping contractors
- Full credit toward the complete Certificate IV
Curriculum Highlights
- Work health and safety on excavation, retaining and outdoor structure sites
- Selecting, preparing and administering a landscaping construction contract
- Estimating and pricing retaining walls, decking, paving and outdoor structures
- Procuring and storing timber, blocks, pavers, aggregate and fixings
- Site communication and documentation across excavation, concreting and carpentry trades
- Legal obligations of a licensed building contractor in Queensland
- Managing the finances of a landscape construction business
Recognition of Prior Learning
Already doing this work? Ask about RPL.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) involves an assessor reviewing your current skills and evidence against the units in the Builder restricted to structural landscaping (QLD). You may need further evidence or gap training. Experience alone does not establish competency, and no fixed reduction in study time is guaranteed.
Course Structure
Units of Competency
QBCC specifies seven units from CPC40120 for this licence class — three core units and four electives. They are the commercial units a landscaping contractor needs: contracts, costs, materials, safety, legal obligations and business finances.
Core Units (3)
Elective Units (4)
What You'll Learn
- Manage work health and safety across excavation, retaining, concreting and outdoor carpentry work
- Select, prepare and administer a construction contract for landscaping work, including variations and progress claims
- Produce accurate estimated costs for retaining walls, decking, paving and outdoor structures, where earthworks and access drive the price
- Select, procure and store construction materials — timber, blocks, pavers, aggregate, fixings — and coordinate deliveries to a site with restricted access
- Supervise site communication and administration across the excavation, concreting and carpentry trades a structural landscaping job depends on
- Apply the legal requirements that attach to a licensed building contractor in Queensland
- Manage the finances of a new or growing landscape construction business
Is this you?
Who Should Enrol
Landscapers and outdoor construction operators in Queensland whose work has crossed the line from gardening into building work.
0102030405
Retaining Wall Builders
Operators building retaining walls and reworking site levels who need a licence once the contract passes the QBCC threshold.
Deck & Pergola Builders
Outdoor carpentry businesses building decking, pergolas, gazebos and carports directly for homeowners.
Paving & Site Preparation Contractors
Contractors doing site preparation, paving and drainage as part of a larger outdoor project.
Landscape Construction Businesses
Established landscaping firms that currently sub the structural work out or run it under a hired licence.
Fencing & Sporting Surface Contractors
Fencing, playground and sporting court contractors whose work sits inside the structural landscaping scope.
Course Overview
What is the Certificate IV in Building and Construction?
This restricted licence package is drawn from the CPC40120 Certificate IV in Building and Construction. This overview covers what the full qualification involves and how its units apply to contracting building work.
Ready to take the next step?Book a free consultation with our team.
Book a CallCareer Pathways
Where This Licence Takes You
Structural landscaping sits between trade work and building work, and the operators who hold the licence are the ones who get to price the whole outdoor project instead of the soft-landscaping portion of it.
Structural Landscaping Contractor
Contracting complete outdoor projects — retaining, levels, paving, decking and structures — directly with the client.
$100,000 – $160,000Retaining Wall & Excavation Specialist
Designing and building retaining walls and artificial landform structures on sloping residential sites.
$90,000 – $145,000Outdoor Structures Builder
Decking, pergolas, gazebos, carports and prefabricated sheds, including the associated slabs.
$95,000 – $145,000Landscape Construction Business Owner
Running a licensed landscape construction business with employed crews and multiple concurrent sites.
$120,000 – $200,000Nominee Supervisor
Acting as the nominee supervisor for a landscaping company's QBCC licence, carrying technical responsibility for its work.
$100,000 – $140,000Sporting & Playground Surface Contractor
Constructing tennis and sporting courts, playground surfaces and the earthworks underneath them.
$95,000 – $150,000Salary Expectations
These roles are in high demand across Australia and offer strong earning potential.
| Role | Approximate Annual Salary (AUD) |
|---|---|
| Structural Landscaping ContractorContracting complete outdoor projects directly with clients | $100,000 – $160,000 |
| Retaining Wall & Excavation SpecialistRetaining walls and landform work on sloping sites | $90,000 – $145,000 |
| Outdoor Structures BuilderDecking, pergolas, carports and prefabricated sheds | $95,000 – $145,000 |
| Landscape Construction Business OwnerLicensed business running employed crews across multiple sites | $120,000 – $200,000 |
| Nominee SupervisorCarrying technical responsibility for a landscaping company's licence | $100,000 – $140,000 |
Actual earnings depend on factors including location, project size and complexity, employer type, and individual experience. Licensed builders operating their own businesses have uncapped earning potential based on the volume and value of projects they deliver. See the full construction salary guide for detailed breakdowns by role and state.
Additional Career Benefits
Take On The Structural Work
Quote and contract the retaining walls, decks and pergolas you currently have to hand off or run under someone else's licence
Seven Units, Not Nineteen
The QBCC technical requirement for this class is a subset of CPC40120 — a fraction of the study time of a full builder licence
Two Licences, One Course
The identical unit set is also the technical qualification for the kitchen, bathroom and laundry class, so the study covers you either way
Credit Toward The Full Cert IV
Every unit carries full credit if you later go on for the complete Certificate IV and an unrestricted low-rise builder licence
QLD licence classes compared
Which QBCC licence class do you need?
Each package below is a cut-down set of units from a full qualification, matched to one QBCC licence class. Pick the class that covers the work you want to contract or supervise.
| QBCC licence class | What it covers | Course package |
|---|---|---|
| Builder restricted to kitchen, bathroom and laundry | Wet-area renovations, no structural work, contracted in your own name. | 7 units from CPC40120 |
| Builder restricted to structural landscapingThis page | Retaining walls, decks, pergolas, carports, paving and sporting courts. | 7 units from CPC40120 |
| Builder low rise, site supervisor | Class 1 and 10 buildings, and Class 2 to 9 Type C buildings up to 2,000m². | 10 units from CPC40120 |
| Builder medium rise, site supervisor | Building work up to 3 storeys, plus non-structural work on any building. | 7 units from CPC50220 |
| Builder open, site supervisor | All building classes and construction types, no height limit. | 4 units from CPC60220 |
Need the full picture on experience, financial and application requirements? Read the QBCC licence guide or the QBCC site supervisor career guide. Experienced already? RPL can credit units you can evidence.
RTO 45384registered training organisation
Deal direct with the RTOOngoing Support
Student Support
You get proper support the whole way through, designed around contractors who are studying between jobs.
Dedicated Support Team
Available by phone and email for enrolment, technical and administrative help
Trainer Access
Direct access to trainers who have run building contracts themselves
Interactive Learning Platform
Videos, practice assessments and progress tracking on any device
Flexible Assessment Timelines
Submit assessments when you are ready — built for people working full time
Entry Requirements
Who Can Enrol?
This package is built for landscapers and outdoor construction operators in Queensland who want to contract the structural side of their work — retaining wall builders, deck and pergola builders, paving contractors, fencing contractors and landscape construction business owners.
01Hold or obtain a Construction White Card (CPCWHS1001)
02Working in, or moving into, structural landscaping and outdoor construction
03Access to a computer with an internet connection
GET IN TOUCH
Ready to Start Your Building Qualification?
Ask our team about course entry, online coursework, workplace evidence and RPL assessment. Confirm licensing requirements separately with the regulator.
Explore More
Helpful Resources
01
Compare QualificationsCertificate IV vs Diploma — find the right qualification for your career goals.
02Recognition of Prior LearningHave relevant experience? Ask about assessor-led RPL and any further evidence or training required.
03Study While You WorkOnline coursework around your commitments. Workplace evidence and assessment requirements apply.
Licensing Guides
Which Licence Can You Get?
Explore our state-by-state guides to understand the licensing requirements and pathways this qualification unlocks.
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Career Advice11 Mar 2026
How to Become a Builder in Australia
The definitive guide to becoming a licensed builder in Australia — qualifications from Cert IV to Advanced Diploma, state-by-state licensing requirements for all 8 states and territories, experience needs, costs, timelines, and salary expectations.
Read ArticleFrequently Asked Questions
Builder restricted to structural landscaping (QLD) FAQs
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