July 2026 · Find A Tradie

The Complete Australian Trade Licensing Guide (2026)

Trade licensing in Australia is governed by each state and territory separately, which means the rules, thresholds, and licence categories vary depending on where you live. This guide covers every state, every major trade, and every threshold — the most comprehensive licensing reference available in one place.

Which trades must ALWAYS be licensed?

Regardless of job value, these trades require a licence in every Australian state and territory:

• Plumbers — all plumbing work, including drains, gas fitting, and sanitary plumbing
• Electricians — all electrical work including wiring, switchboards, and appliance connections
• Gasfitters — all gas appliance installation and gas line work
• Air conditioning / refrigeration technicians — any work involving refrigerant gases (requires an ARCTick licence nationally)

There are no exceptions — a $50 tap washer replacement still requires a licensed plumber, and changing a light switch requires a licensed electrician. DIY electrical and plumbing work is illegal in all states.

Licence thresholds by state

For other trades (builders, carpenters, painters, tilers, roofers, fencers, concreters, landscapers), a licence is required when the total job value (labour + materials + GST) exceeds a threshold set by each state:

Important: Queensland has the lowest threshold at $3,300. If you're a tradie working across state borders, you need to comply with the lower threshold. Western Australia and Tasmania have the highest at $20,000, but specialists (plumbing, electrical, gas) still need a licence regardless of value.

How to verify a licence — every state

Every state provides a free online search tool. Check before you hire:

• NSW — verify.licence.nsw.gov.au
• VIC — VBA Find a Practitioner
• QLD — QBCC Licence Check
• SA — CBS SA Licence Search
• WA — Building & Energy WA
• TAS — CBOS Tasmania
• ACT — Access Canberra

What to check when verifying

• Licence category — does it cover the specific type of work? A general carpentry licence doesn't cover structural work.
• Status — is the licence current, suspended, expired, or cancelled?
• Conditions — are there any restrictions on the type or value of work?
• Complaints — have any disciplinary actions been recorded?
• Expiry date — has the licence been renewed?

Insurance requirements

A licence doesn't guarantee insurance. Ask every tradie for:

• Public liability insurance (minimum $5M–$20M depending on state) — covers damage to your property during the work
• Home warranty / building indemnity insurance — required for residential work over $12,000–$20,000 (varies by state). Covers you if the builder dies, disappears, or becomes insolvent before fixing defects.
• Workers' compensation — required if the tradie has employees

Written contracts

In most Australian states, a written contract is legally required for residential work above these values:

• NSW — over $5,000
• VIC — over $10,000 (major domestic building contract over $50,000)
• QLD — over $3,300
• SA — over $12,000
• WA — over $20,000

The contract must include scope of work, total price, start and completion dates, and a cooling-off period (typically 5 business days).

What happens if you hire unlicensed

• Insurance may not cover damage — if unlicensed work causes a fire, flood, or structural failure, your home insurance may deny the claim.
• No statutory warranty — licensed work comes with statutory warranty periods (typically 6 years for structural, 2 years for non-structural). Unlicensed work has no warranty protection.
• No dispute resolution — state tribunals (NCAT, VCAT, QCAT) may not have jurisdiction over disputes involving unlicensed work.
• The unlicensed worker faces fines — up to $110,000 for individuals and $330,000 for companies in some states.
• Sale complications — conveyancers check for licensed work. Unlicensed work can delay or reduce the sale price of your home.

How Find A Tradie helps

We check every tradie's licence against the relevant state licensing authority before they can receive job leads. We also screen for complaints, disciplinary actions, and licence conditions. When you use Find A Tradie, you're only connected with verified, licence-checked professionals.

This guide is for general information only and was last updated in July 2026. Licensing rules change — always verify current requirements with your state's licensing authority.