Do you need to pay a levy to QLeave for building and construction work carried out in Queensland?

It's important to remember that your QLeave obligations don't end once you've notified the work and paid the levy. So, we've explained what you need to do at each stage of your project, to help you easily meet your obligations.

Step 1. Planning and design

Make sure you keep a record of all the costs related to building and construction work incurred from the very first stage of your project. This includes indirect costs such as those incurred for site clearing, town planning, design, project management, engineers and quantity surveyors.

You’ll need to include the costs incurred in these early stages when you’re notifying the work to us.

What’s included in the cost of work?

Step 2. Notify new work and pay the levy

Before work starts, you must complete a QLeave notification and payment form.

We'll use the cost of work provided on the form to calculate the levies you need to pay now. You'll be provided with payment options when the form is submitted, so that you can pay in a way that works for you.

When you notify the work, you'll also need to tell us the date you expect work to be completed. We'll keep a record of this and contact you after this date to determine the final cost of work, so that we can make sure the correct levies have been paid.

Paying the levy

Step 3. Provide confirmation to certifier

Once the levy has been paid, we’ll issue a confirmation of notification and payment to you. Then, you need to provide this confirmation to your assessment manager or private certifier before a development permit or approval is issued.

Assessment managers and private certifiers

Step 4. Construction starts

Now that you've notified work, paid the levy and provided confirmation to your certifier, construction is ready to start. We know that sometimes it can take years for work to be completed, so it’s important to remember that your QLeave obligations don’t end here and you need to keep us updated when work details change.

Step 5. Update work details

Make sure you let us know, in writing, if any details change during construction. This includes changes to contact details, owner, principal contractor, cost of work, building and construction work details and more.

You can do this by completing the form on our website or by emailing levies@qleave.qld.gov.au. To change your work details you will need to provide your levy number, which you can find on your notification and payment confirmation.

Change work details

Step 6. Complete construction and finalise work details

To ensure the correct levies have been paid, you should notify us of the final cost of work within 30 days of work finishing.

You may be required to pay additional levies if the final cost of work is more than what you originally notified. If the cost of work has decreased you may be eligible for a full or partial refund, which you must apply for within one year of the work being completed.

Finalise work details

Once you've completed the finalisation form (and paid additional levies if required), you have met your QLeave obligations and there's nothing else we need from you.