BCA workheads explained: CW, CR, ME, TR and RW.
A workhead is the label BCA puts on what your firm actually does. Pick the right one and your registration covers your real scope of work, your track record counts and your Work Permits follow. Pick the wrong one and you have paid a fee to be registered for work you do not do. This is the full list, group by group, with the financial, track record and personnel requirements at every grade.
By Veronica Tan, Managing Director · Updated July 2026. Figures are from BCA's June 2025 Specific Registration Requirements. BCA revises these; we confirm the current criteria for your workhead before applying.
BCA's Contractors Registration System organises about 50 workheads into five groups. CW covers main contractor work, general building and civil engineering. CR covers construction-related specialist works such as demolition, piling, waterproofing and interior finishing. ME covers mechanical and electrical work, from air-conditioning to electrical engineering to lifts. TR covers narrow trades used by sub-contractors, such as formwork and tiling. RW covers regulatory registration for window, lift, escalator and mechanised car park contractors. You register in the workhead or workheads that best describe your main business activities, at a grade your financials support. Since 1 June 2025, being registered in a workhead is also what allows a construction firm to hire and renew foreign construction workers.
A workhead is what you do. A grade is how big you are.
These two get muddled constantly, so it is worth separating them before anything else.
The workhead is the activity. ME01 is air-conditioning, refrigeration and ventilation works. CR13 is waterproofing installation. CW01 is general building. It describes the kind of work your firm is registered to carry out, and nothing else.
The grade is the capacity. It reflects your paid-up capital, your net worth and your completed track record, and in public sector tendering it sets your tendering limit. In the CR and ME groups grades run from L1 at the entry level up to L6. In CW they run from C3 at the entry level up through C2, C1, B2, B1 and A2 to A1. TR has a single grade with no ladder at all.
So a firm might hold ME01 at L3 and ME05 at L1 at the same time: two activities, two capacities. That combination is completely normal.
One detail that surprises people: in every SRR the requirement is printed in a single Financial column, and BCA's note states that both minimum paid-up capital and minimum net worth must meet that figure. So when the table below says $150,000 at L3, it means $150,000 of paid-up capital and $150,000 of net worth, not one or the other.
The five groups at a glance
| Group | What it covers | Grades | Entry grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| CW, Construction Workheads | Main contractor work: general building and civil engineering | C3, C2, C1, B2, B1, A2, A1 | C3 |
| CR, Construction-Related Workheads | Specialist works and services supporting the main contractor | Single Grade, L1 to L6 | L1 or Single Grade |
| ME, Mechanical and Electrical Workheads | Building services: air-conditioning, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, lifts | L1 to L6 | L1 |
| TR, Trade Heads | Narrow trades, generally used by sub-contractors | One grade only, no ladder | Not applicable |
| RW, Regulatory Workheads | Regulatory registration for windows, lifts, escalators and mechanised car parks | Not graded | Not applicable |
Two groups behave differently from the rest and catch people out. TR has no grades, so there is nothing to aim up at. And RW is not really a capacity ladder at all: it is regulatory permission to do work that is separately controlled, which is why an ME09 lift firm still needs the matching RW registration on top.
CW: Construction Workheads
Only two workheads sit in this group, and they are the largest ones in the system.
- CW01 General Building
- CW02 Civil Engineering
CW is where main contractors live. The grades are the C, B and A series, and the jump between them is steep: the difference between C3 and A1 is $50,000 of capital against $15 million.
| Grade | Financial | Track record, past 3 years | Personnel |
|---|---|---|---|
| C3 | SGD 50,000 | SGD 300,000 | 1 RP, P or T |
| C2 | SGD 100,000 | SGD 1m | 1 RP or P, or 2 T |
| C1 | SGD 300,000 | SGD 3m | 1 RP or P, plus 1 T |
| B2 | SGD 1m | SGD 10m | 3 personnel, at least 1 RP and 1 ACCP, SDCP or CCPP |
| B1 | SGD 3m | SGD 30m | 6 personnel, at least 2 RP and 1 SDCP or CCPP |
| A2 | SGD 6.5m | SGD 65m | 12 personnel, at least 4 RP and 1 SDCP or CCPP |
| A1 | SGD 15m | SGD 150m | 24 personnel, at least 8 RP and 1 SDCP or CCPP |
RP, P and T are BCA's personnel categories, and they are not interchangeable. We break them down properly in our guide to the Approved Person, the Technical Controller and BCA's personnel categories. In short: RP is a Registerable Professional, P is a Professional with a relevant degree, and T is a Technician with a relevant diploma.
CR: Construction-Related Workheads
This is the largest group by count and the one most small specialist firms belong to.
| Code | Workhead | Code | Workhead |
|---|---|---|---|
| CR01 | Minor Construction Works | CR10B | Precast Concrete Production |
| CR02 | Corrosion Protection | CR11 | Signcraft Installation |
| CR03 | Demolition | CR12 | Ground Support and Stabilisation Works |
| CR04 | Fencing and Ironworks | CR13 | Waterproofing Installation |
| CR05 | Concrete Repairs | CR14 | Asphalt Works and Road Marking |
| CR06 | Interior Decoration and Finishing Works | CR15 | Site Investigation, Instrumentation and Monitoring |
| CR07 | Cable and Pipe Laying, Road Reinstatement | CR16 | Curtain Walls |
| CR08 | Piling Works | CR17 | Windows |
| CR09 | Repairs and Redecoration | CR18 | Doors |
| CR10A | Automated Precast Concrete Production |
If you run a renovation or interior fit-out business, CR06 is almost certainly your workhead. If you waterproof, CR13. If you demolish, CR03.
| Grade | Financial | Track record, past 3 years | Personnel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single Grade | SGD 50,000 | SGD 300,000, or SGD 2m for CR10A | 1 T |
| L1 | SGD 50,000 | SGD 300,000 | 1 T |
| L2 | SGD 50,000 | SGD 1m | 1 T with 3 years of relevant experience |
| L3 | SGD 150,000 | SGD 3m | 2 T |
| L4 | SGD 250,000 | SGD 5m | 2 T, one with 5 years of experience |
| L5 | SGD 500,000 | SGD 10m | 1 P, or 2 T with one at 8 years of experience |
| L6 | SGD 1.5m | SGD 30m | 2 P with 5 years of experience, including 1 SDCP |
Single Grade applies to CR01, CR03, CR10A, CR15, CR17 and CR18. These workheads have no ladder: you are either registered or you are not. CR10A is the odd one out on money as well, needing SGD 2m of paid-up capital with no net worth requirement attached.
ME: Mechanical and Electrical Workheads
This is the group that matters most to the trades we are asked about most often: air-conditioning, electrical, plumbing and fire protection.
| Code | Workhead | Code | Workhead |
|---|---|---|---|
| ME01 | Air-Conditioning, Refrigeration and Ventilation Works | ME08 | Internal Wiring for Telecommunications |
| ME02 | Building Automation, Industrial and Process Control Systems | ME09 | Lift, Escalator and Mechanised Car Parking Systems |
| ME03 | Solar PV and System Integration | ME10 | Line Plant Cabling and Wiring for Telecommunications |
| ME04 | Communication and Security Systems | ME11 | Mechanical Engineering |
| ME05 | Electrical Engineering | ME12 | Plumbing, Gas Piping and Sanitary Works |
| ME06 | Fire Prevention and Protection Systems | ME13 | Traffic Light Systems |
| ME07 | High and Low Tension Overhead Line Installation | ME15 | Integrated Building Services |
ME has no Single Grade. Every ME workhead from ME01 to ME13 runs on the L1 to L6 ladder.
| Grade | Financial | Track record, past 3 years | Personnel |
|---|---|---|---|
| L1 | SGD 50,000 | SGD 300,000 | 1 T with 3 years of relevant experience |
| L2 | SGD 50,000 | SGD 1m | 1 T with 3 years of relevant experience |
| L3 | SGD 150,000 | SGD 3m | 2 T |
| L4 | SGD 250,000 | SGD 5m, including a single contract of SGD 500,000 | 2 T, one with 5 years of experience |
| L5 | SGD 500,000 | SGD 10m, including a single contract of SGD 1m | 1 P, or 2 T with one at 8 years of experience |
| L6 | SGD 1.5m | SGD 30m, with sub-thresholds for Singapore projects, main contracts and single contracts | 2 P with 5 years of experience, including 1 SDCP except for ME07 and ME13 |
ME15, Integrated Building Services, works differently. It starts at L2, not L1, and it is only open to firms that already hold other ME registrations: at L2 you need ME01 and ME05 both at L2 plus one further ME workhead at L2. It also requires personnel holding a specific building services qualification that BCA labels MEC.
Trade licences that sit on top of the workhead
Three ME workheads carry requirements that come from outside BCA, and missing them is a common reason an application stalls.
- ME05, Electrical Engineering. An EMA-licensed electrician can count as a T for Grades L1 and L2 only. An EMA electrical engineer or technician can count as a T for Grades L3 to L5. This is a substitution allowance, not an extra requirement.
- ME12, Plumbing, Gas Piping and Sanitary Works. Requires a PUB plumber licence or an EMA gas service worker licence.
- ME09, Lift, Escalator and Mechanised Car Parking Systems. ME09 on its own is not enough. You must also obtain the relevant Regulatory Workhead from BCA before carrying out registrable activities.
Separately, bizSAFE Level 3 or ISO 45001 is required at Grade L6 only, and only for ME01, ME02, ME05, ME06, ME11 and ME12.
TR: Trade Heads
Ten trades, one set of requirements, no grades. TR is designed for sub-contractors supplying labour and trade work to main contractors.
| Code | Trade | Code | Trade |
|---|---|---|---|
| TR01 | Formwork | TR06 | Ceiling Work |
| TR02 | Steel Reinforcement Work | TR07 | Tile, Marble and Stone Work |
| TR03 | Concreting Work | TR08 | Timber, Vinyl and Laminate Flooring Work |
| TR04 | Drywall Installation | TR09 | Plastering and Skimming |
| TR05 | Precast Installation | TR10 | Ironmongery and Metalwork |
The requirements are the same for all ten: paid-up capital of SGD 50,000, a track record of SGD 300,000 over the past three years, and one person with a recognised degree or diploma in a building-related field. Trade diplomas from BCA Academy or equivalent are accepted. Notably, TR carries no net worth requirement at all, which makes it the most accessible group in the system for a young firm.
RW: Regulatory Workheads
RW is a different animal. These are not capacity grades; they are regulatory permissions to work on equipment that is separately controlled under the Building Control Act.
| Code | Workhead |
|---|---|
| RW01 | Window Contractors |
| RW02A / RW02B | Lift Installation Contractor / Lift Maintenance Contractor |
| RW03A / RW03B | Escalator Installation Contractor / Escalator Maintenance Contractor |
| RW04A / RW04B | Mechanised Car Parking Systems Installation / Maintenance Contractor |
RW01 is the only one with figures in the SRR itself: paid-up capital of SGD 5,000, no track record required, and two personnel, where "personnel" here means someone holding an HDB Certificate of Attendance in Safety of Windows. Window installers also need twelve months of local experience before they are eligible for that training.
RW02 to RW04 now sit under the Fixed Installation Contractor framework, which requires paid-up capital of SGD 50,000 and a number of qualified persons that varies with the scope. Lift maintenance covering all lift types needs three qualified persons; lift maintenance limited to lifts under 5 m/s needs two; home lifts in residential units need one. Escalator maintenance needs two, and installation activities generally need one.
One thing worth clearing up, because it gets misread as a capability tier: lift and escalator maintenance registrations are split into Bands 1, 2 and 3, and those bands are application fee bands based on how many units you already maintain, not grades. Band 1 is 1,000 units and above, Band 2 is 500 to 999, and Band 3 is up to 499.
Choosing the right workhead
Three rules cover most cases.
Describe what you actually do, not what you hope to do. BCA assesses the application against evidence of completed work. A firm that has done interior fit-out and applies under CW01 because it sounds bigger will be asked awkward questions, and the fit-out projects will not count towards general building.
Track record is assessed per workhead. This is the single most consequential rule in the system. Work completed under CR06 counts towards CR06. It does not count towards ME05. So the workhead you choose also decides which of your past projects you are allowed to use, and that in turn decides which grade you can reach.
Check whether an outside licence is attached. Plumbing needs the PUB or EMA licence. Lifts need the matching RW registration. Discovering that after you have submitted costs weeks.
Holding more than one workhead
You can register in as many workheads as your business genuinely covers, and many firms should. An M and E contractor that installs air-conditioning and also does the electrical work needs ME01 and ME05, because a single registration does not stretch to cover both.
The cost consideration is that BCA charges its registration fee per workhead, so three workheads means three fees. Since track record is also assessed per workhead, and since it takes three years of completed work to build one, the practical advice is to map out every workhead you will need at the outset rather than adding them one at a time over several years. Our BCA CRS registration service prices additional workheads at SGD 688 each alongside the first for exactly this reason.
Questions people ask
How many BCA workheads are there? +
About 50, spread across five groups: 2 in CW, 19 in CR, 14 in ME, 10 in TR, and 7 in RW counting the A and B variants separately. You register in the workhead or workheads that best describe your firm's main business activities.
What is the difference between a workhead and a grade? +
The workhead is what you are registered to do, such as ME01 for air-conditioning work. The grade is your registered capacity, based on paid-up capital, net worth and completed track record, and it sets your public sector tendering limit. CR and ME grade from L1 to L6, CW grades from C3 up to A1, TR has a single grade and RW is not graded.
Which workhead does a renovation or interior fit-out company need? +
CR06, Interior Decoration and Finishing Works, in most cases. Firms doing smaller general works may fall under CR01 Minor Construction Works, and those supplying specific trades to main contractors may belong in TR, for example TR07 for tile and stone work. The correct answer depends on the contracts you actually hold, which is what an eligibility assessment establishes.
Which workhead does an air-conditioning company need? +
ME01, Air-Conditioning, Refrigeration and Ventilation Works. At Grade L1 that means SGD 50,000 in paid-up capital and net worth, SGD 300,000 of ME01 track record over three years, and one Technician with three years of relevant experience. Firms that also carry out the electrical work usually need ME05 alongside it.
Can I register in more than one workhead at the same time? +
Yes, and it is usually cheaper to do so. BCA charges its registration fee per workhead, and track record is assessed per workhead, so identifying everything you need at the outset avoids paying twice and waiting another three years to build the record for the second one.
Is net worth required for every workhead group? +
No. In CW, CR and ME the SRR prints one Financial figure per grade and BCA's note requires both paid-up capital and net worth to meet it. TR has no net worth requirement at all, only SGD 50,000 of paid-up capital. CR10A is a further exception: SGD 2m of paid-up capital with no net worth requirement.
Do the RW bands mean the same thing as grades? +
No. Bands 1, 2 and 3 apply only to lift and escalator maintenance registration, and they are application fee bands set by how many units you already maintain: 1,000 and above is Band 1, 500 to 999 is Band 2, and up to 499 is Band 3. What actually varies a lift maintenance contractor's capability is the scope tier, which determines how many qualified personnel you need.
Not sure which workhead fits your business?
Book a free eligibility assessment. We will match what you actually build, install or maintain to the correct workhead and grade, before you pay BCA anything.