Building Control Act 1989 · 2020 Revised Edition · Part 5A · Licensing of Builders
29H. Conditions of builder’s licence relating to construction personnel
Feedback & supportLast amended by an amending law of 2026. 4 amendments in all.
From 16 June 2009, it is a condition of every Class 1 general builder’s licence (whether granted before the appointed day or otherwise) that the licensee holding that licence —
builder
“builder” means any person who undertakes, whether exclusively or in conjunction with any other business, to carry out any building works for the person’s own account or for or on behalf of another person but does not include a sub-contractor in relation to those building works;
must lodge with the Commissioner of Building Control a manpower programme that satisfies the requirements in subsection (2) in respect of each significant general building work project to be undertaken in Singapore by the licensee on or after that date; and
must at all times when carrying on the general building works in connection with that significant general building work project, take all practicable steps to ensure that the registered construction personnel employed by or on the licensed general builder’s behalf or engaged in connection with that significant general building work project comply with the manpower programme lodged under paragraph (a) in respect of that significant general building work project.
A manpower programme in respect of any particular significant general building work project is a programme or scheme specifying all or any of the following:
building
“building” means any permanent or temporary building or structure and includes —(a)a hut, shed or roofed enclosure;(b)an earth retaining or stabilising structure, whether permanent or temporary;(c)a dock, wharf or jetty;(ca)a floating structure, not being a boat or vessel, constructed or to be constructed on a flotation system that —(i)is or is to be supported by water;(ii)is not intended for or useable in navigation; and(iii)is or is to be permanently moored;(d)a culvert, crossing, bridge, underpass or tunnel;(da)a fixed installation;(e)a sewage treatment plant, sewer, drain, swimming pool or any non‑proprietary type of concrete tank for the storage of any solid, liquid or gaseous product;(f)a shelter provided under the Civil Defence Shelter Act 1997; and(g)such other erection or structure (whether permanent or temporary) as the Minister may, by order in the Gazette, declare to be a building;
the number (which must not be less than the number prescribed) of different classes of registered construction personnel to be employed by or on behalf of the licensed general builder or to be engaged in connection with that significant general building work project;
the proportion (which must not be less than the proportion prescribed) of different classes of registered construction personnel to be employed by or on behalf of the licensed general builder or to be engaged in connection with that significant general building work project.
If there is any change in the number or proportion of registered construction personnel —
registered
“registered” or “registration” means registered or registration under this Part authorising the person registered to carry on any registrable activity or a class of registrable activity specified in the registration;
specified in a manpower programme lodged by a licensed general builder under subsection (1)(a) in respect of any particular significant building work project; or
employed by or on behalf of the licensed general builder or to be engaged in connection with that particular significant building work project,the licensed general builder must notify the Commissioner of Building Control of the change within 7 days after that change.
In this section, “take all practicable steps”, in relation to any result in any circumstances, means taking all steps to achieve the result that it is reasonably practicable to take in the circumstances; and to avoid doubt, a person required by this section to take all practicable steps is required to take those steps only in respect of circumstances that the person knows or ought reasonably to know about.
In this section, unless the context otherwise requires —
“construction foreman” means a natural person who carries out, or undertakes to carry out, for or on behalf of another person for a fixed sum, percentage, or valuable consideration, wages or other reward, the supervision and coordination of construction tradesmen or other workmen in any prescribed class of work connected with any building works, and a construction foreman is to be classified according to the class of work he or she so supervises for reward;
prescribed
“prescribed” means prescribed in the regulations made under section 29L.
“construction personnel” means any natural person who is —
a construction foreman of any class;
a construction supervisor of any class; or
a construction tradesman of any class;
“construction supervisor” means a natural person, not being a builder, who oversees the execution or performance of building works for or on behalf of another person for a fixed sum, percentage, or valuable consideration, wages or other reward, but does not include a construction foreman or other person employed in a like or less responsible capacity;
building works
“building works” means —(a)the erection, extension or demolition of a building;(b)the alteration, addition or repair of a building;(c)the provision, extension or alteration of any air conditioning service or ventilating system in or in connection with a building,and includes any fixed installation works, and any site formation works connected with or carried out for the purpose of paragraph (a), (b) or (c);
“construction tradesman” means a natural person, not being a builder, who carries out, or undertakes to carry out, for or on behalf of another person, for a fixed sum, percentage, or valuable consideration, wages or other reward, any prescribed class of work connected with any building works, and a construction tradesman is to be classified according to the class of work he or she so carries out for reward;
“engaged” means engaged under a contract of service or a contract for services;
“registered” means registered with the Building and Construction Authority;
“significant general building work project” means any building works the value of which is $10 million or any other amount that the Minister may, by order in the Gazette, specify in lieu thereof, or more.
value
“value”, in relation to any building works, means —(a)for any geotechnical building works — the total cost to be expended in carrying out those building works estimated at the time of, and contained in, the application under section 5 for approval of the plans of those building works, including any goods and services tax payable in relation to the supply of the work; or(b)for any other building works — the total cost to be expended in carrying out the building works (including the foundations, basements, structural frame, finishes and the installation of building services) estimated at the time of, and contained in —(i)the application under section 5 for approval of the plans of the building works; or(ii)the documents that are lodged together with the plans of the building works for the purpose of section 5AA,as the case may be, including any goods and services tax payable in relation to the supply of the work;