Tradie Forms: keep TAS Form 21 and Form 71B clear in the job record. Fill guided sections, reuse plumber and permit authority details, preview the official PDF layouts and download clean files on site.
Tasmanian plumbing paperwork can get confusing near completion because Form 21 and Form 71B both sound like close-out forms. They are related, but they are not the same form and they should not be treated as interchangeable.
Form 71B is the standard of work certificate for plumbing work. Form 21 is the certificate of completion for plumbing work. On the tools, that difference matters because one points to the plumber's work certificate and the other to the completion certificate record.
This guide compares TAS Form 21 and TAS Form 71B from a field and office workflow point of view. For the live template set, browse TAS plumbing forms.
The short version
The CBOS approved forms page lists Form 21 as "Certificate of Completion - Plumbing Work" and Form 71B as "Standard of Work Certificate - Plumbing Work".
In plain language:
- Use Form 71B for the standard of work certificate from the plumber side of the completion record
- Use Form 21 for the certificate of completion record
- Keep both with the job where both apply
- Do not use either form to guess the work category or regulatory pathway
Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the official PDF layouts. It does not decide which form is required or whether the work is complete. The licensed plumber, permit authority and business remain responsible for checking current Tasmanian requirements.
The easiest way to keep them apart is to name the job moment. If the question is "what standard of work has the plumber certified?", look at Form 71B. If the question is "what completion certificate record is being issued for the plumbing work?", look at Form 21.
Where Form 60 fits before both
Before comparing Form 21 and Form 71B, remember Form 60. The CBOS approved forms page lists Form 60 as the start work notification and authorisation for plumbing work. Existing Tasmanian plumbing workflows often start the paperwork before the work begins, then close it out with standard of work and completion records.
A clean job file may include:
- TAS Form 60 before work starts
- TAS Form 71B when the standard of work certificate is due
- TAS Form 21 for the certificate of completion record
The order matters because it helps the office see the whole job from start notice to completion close-out.
TAS Form 71B: standard of work certificate
Form 71B records the standard of work certificate for plumbing work. The template in Tradie Forms captures recipient details, plumber details, owner copy details, work type, certificate of likely compliance references where applicable, work site, work description and certification.
For the plumber, Form 71B is often the close-out form that should be completed while the work details are still fresh. It asks for the work site and description of work, not just "job finished".
Good Form 71B habits include:
- Entering the owner details for the owner copy
- Checking plumber licence and contact details
- Matching work type to the job record
- Adding clear work site details
- Writing a work description that can be understood later
- Keeping the PDF with inspection notes and completion records
Start TAS Form 71B when the plumber's standard of work certificate is the form you need.
Because Form 71B is close to the work itself, it is worth filling while readings, site notes and scope details are still fresh. A clear work description on Form 71B makes the later completion record easier to understand.
TAS Form 21: certificate of completion
Form 21 is the certificate of completion for plumbing work. The template in Tradie Forms captures owner or agent details, permit authority details, work classification, property, permit references, plumber details, certificate basis and sign-off.
Form 21 is useful when the completion certificate record needs to be prepared cleanly and stored with the job. It should match the permit file, work details and plumber record.
Good Form 21 habits include:
- Confirming the permit authority for the site
- Entering owner or agent details accurately
- Matching property and permit references to the job record
- Keeping plumber details consistent with related forms
- Previewing the certificate before you complete
- Storing the PDF with the rest of the close-out pack
Start TAS Form 21 when the completion certificate record is the one being prepared.
Because Form 21 carries permit authority and sign-off details, it should be checked against the authority's file, not just the plumber's field notes. The plumber's notes help, but the completion certificate record needs to match the official job pathway.
Side-by-side field check
Use this quick comparison before starting the wrong form.
If you are recording plumber certification
Form 71B is more likely the form you are thinking of. It asks for plumber details, owner copy details, work type, work site and standard of work certification.
If you are preparing completion certificate records
Form 21 is more likely the form. It asks for owner or agent details, permit authority details, work and plumber details, and sign-off.
If work has not started yet
Do not start with either close-out form. Check whether TAS Form 60 or another approved form is required before work begins.
If the work is unpaid gratuitous work
Check the TAS Gratuitous Work form and current CBOS guidance for prescribed work done without payment.
How Tradie Forms helps keep them straight
Tradie Forms gives each form its own guided sections and template page:
You can reuse plumber, owner and permit authority details where they apply, catch missing fields before export, preview the official PDF layout and download the finished file for the job record.
The value is not just faster typing. It is clearer job staging. Each PDF has a job to do, and the record is easier to follow when the right form is used at the right moment.
Record keeping for both forms
When both Form 21 and Form 71B apply, store them in one close-out folder with:
- Form 60 start work notification where relevant
- Permit or certificate of likely compliance references
- Inspection notes
- As-constructed drawings where relevant
- Owner completion emails
- Photos and site notes
- Any permit authority correspondence
Use filenames that make the difference clear:
TAS Form 71B - Standard of Work - 12 Smith St - 2026-06-21.pdfTAS Form 21 - Certificate of Completion - 12 Smith St - 2026-06-21.pdf
That makes the record easier to search later.
Common mix-ups
Sending Form 21 when the owner asked for the plumber certificate
If the owner asks for the plumber's certificate, they may be asking for Form 71B. Confirm the request before sending the wrong PDF.
Preparing Form 71B but forgetting the completion record
The standard of work certificate may not be the last document in the file. Check whether Form 21 is also needed for the completion record.
Using job nicknames instead of permit references
Both forms should connect to the same job record. Use real property, permit and owner details, not a nickname from the calendar.
Splitting the forms across different folders
If Form 21 and Form 71B apply to the same job, keep them together. Future close-out is easier when the close-out record is in one place.
How to brief the office from site
When the plumber sends details back to the office, name the form needed and the job stage. A useful note might say: "Form 71B ready for standard of work certificate. Form 21 still waiting on permit authority sign-off." That is much clearer than "completion form needed".
If the office prepares both PDFs, the field note should include the site address, owner, permit or certificate reference, work description and any inspection notes. That keeps the close-out forms consistent.
A close-out example from site
Picture a new dwelling where the underground and rough-in records are already in the file. The final plumber has pressure-test notes, fixture details and a clear address. The office has the permit reference and permit authority details. At close-out, the plumber checks which part of the work they actually performed, completes the standard of work certificate that applies to that part, and the completion record is prepared with the proper authority details.
The useful outcome is not a stack of forms for its own sake. It is a job file that answers simple questions without guesswork: who performed the work, what part of the installation is being certified, what property it relates to, and what document belongs to the completion stage.
For an alteration, the same discipline matters. Do not recycle the new-build description or a previous permit reference. State the actual alteration, identify the site accurately and keep photos or test notes with the form that they support. If a different plumber completed an earlier or later portion, make the handover explicit in the job record. A plumber should only certify work within their responsibility.
Questions to resolve before opening either form
Ask these questions on site or in the office before someone fills a PDF:
- What category of plumbing work is this under the current Tasmanian process?
- Is there a permit authority, permit reference or certificate of likely compliance that must appear in the record?
- Has the work started, reached a handover point or reached final completion?
- Which licensed person is responsible for the work described on this certificate?
If the answer is unclear, pause and check the CBOS guidance or the permit authority. Guessing from the form number is not a safe workflow. The guide is a field aid, not legal or regulatory advice.
Make the forms agree without copying blindly
Shared details should be consistent, but that does not mean every line belongs on every form. Check the owner name, site address, relevant job reference, plumber details and work description against the source record. Then read the completed PDF as if you were the permit authority or owner receiving it for the first time.
Tradie Forms helps here by keeping Form 21 and Form 71B as separate guided templates and mapping each entry to its own official PDF layout. Saved details reduce repeated typing; they still need a job-specific check. Preview the document before download, then store it with the related evidence rather than leaving it in a downloads folder.
Handing over a clear close-out pack
Send the right document to the right person. The owner may need their copy of the standard of work certificate. The permit authority may need the record specified by the applicable process. The office needs a durable copy with the job information. Confirm delivery requirements from current official guidance rather than treating email to one person as the complete process.
Name files so a later search is simple. Include the form number, site, date and job reference. A short accompanying note can state what is attached and what stage of the job it records. That is helpful on larger jobs where forms are issued weeks apart.
Official references
Check the CBOS approved forms page, the CBOS guide to approved plumbing forms, and the CBOS Guide to the Building Act 2016.