I Got a Notice From NSW Fair Trading — What Do I Do?

Your licence renewal is six weeks away, and there’s a letter from NSW Fair Trading in your inbox flagging incomplete CPD. That’s the scenario a growing number of NSW builders are finding themselves in as Fair Trading tightens its compliance checks in 2026. The letter isn’t a licence suspension — it’s a request to fix a gap before renewal, and most builders resolve it within a week by completing the missing points online through Builders CPD Online (RTO 91528). What matters is what you do in the next 48 hours, not the letter itself.

Here’s what actually happens, step by step, if this notice lands in your inbox today.

Hour One: Read the Notice Properly

Fair Trading notices specify exactly what’s missing — usually either a shortfall in total points or a gap in one of the 8 mandatory learning areas. Don’t skim it. The notice will state a response deadline, typically 14 days, and whether it’s tied to an active renewal application or a routine audit of your licence file. Screenshot or save the notice number; you’ll need it if you contact Fair Trading directly.

Day One: Check Exactly What’s Missing

Log into your training provider’s dashboard and compare your completed points against what the notice says is outstanding. Most gaps come down to one of two things: a missed learning area, or points completed with a provider that wasn’t Fair Trading-approved. Builders CPD Online’s dashboard shows your completed learning areas at a glance, so you can identify the exact shortfall in a couple of minutes rather than guessing.

How Does the Response Process Work?

Once you know what’s missing, the fix is usually just completing those specific points. Register or log into Builders CPD Online, select courses covering the exact learning area flagged in your notice, and complete them — most builders finish a full 12-point catch-up in 6–8 hours spread across two or three sessions. Your certificate generates instantly the moment you finish, and that certificate is what you submit as your response to Fair Trading.

Submit your response before the deadline stated in the notice, not after. If you’re close to the cutoff and worried about timing, call Fair Trading directly using the reference number on your letter — being proactive about a short delay is treated far better than silence.

Who Needs This?

Any NSW contractor licence holder, company nominated supervisor, or swimming pool and spa builder can receive a Fair Trading CPD notice — it isn’t limited to first-time offenders. Builders who’ve held a licence for a decade get these notices just as often as newer builders, usually because a single learning area was overlooked during a busy year.

What’s Included?

Builders CPD Online runs 40 courses across all 8 Fair Trading learning areas, so whatever gap your notice identifies, there’s a course that covers it directly. Browse the full CPD course library to find the exact learning area you need before you enrol.

How Much Does It Cost?

A full 12-point annual requirement costs $169. Builders needing to cover 36 points — often those clearing a backlog across multiple licence periods — pay $449. Both packages meet every Fair Trading learning area requirement and generate a certificate immediately on completion.

Signs You Need to Act Immediately

A notice with a deadline inside 14 days is the clearest signal to start today, not next week. If your licence renewal date falls within the same window as the notice deadline, treat both as urgent — a missed CPD response can delay renewal even if you complete the points a few days late. Builders who ignore a first notice tend to receive a formal compliance escalation, which takes considerably longer to resolve than the original letter would have.