
No — installing your own wood heater is illegal in Victoria. AS/NZS 2918 and the Building Act 1993 require a licensed installer. There is no DIY permit pathway, regardless of the heater model. The heater can't legally be lit until a qualified installer issues a compliance certificate.
AS/NZS 2918 (installation), AS/NZS 4012/4013 (heater emissions and efficiency), and your local council's building code for the hearth, clearances, and flue penetration. The heater itself needs to carry an AS 4013 compliance label — we won't install second-hand units that don't have one.
Most Melbourne councils require a building permit for a new wood heater install because of the structural and fire-safety considerations (flue penetration through ceilings, hearth construction, clearances to combustibles). We apply on your behalf as part of the install.
Yes — a Compliance Certificate is mandatory for the install to be legally usable. The certificate covers the flue, hearth, clearances, and the heater's compliance with AS/NZS 2918. Insurers and conveyancers ask for it.