Guide
Trade licences in NSW, Queensland and Victoria
In New South Wales you need a contractor licence for home building and trade work over $5,000. Electrical, plumbing, gas and air conditioning work needs a licence at any price. In Queensland it's building work over $3,300, and in Victoria building registration starts above $10,000.
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When you need a licence
| State | Licence needed above | Licensed at any value | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | Residential building and trade work over $5,000 in labour and materials, including GST | Electrical, plumbing, draining and gasfitting, air conditioning and refrigeration, residential, commercial or industrial | nsw.gov.au |
| Queensland | A QBCC licence for building work valued over $3,300 | Plumbing and drainage, gas fitting, fire protection and mechanical services | qbcc.qld.gov.au |
| Victoria | Registration with the Building and Plumbing Commission for work over $10,000, unless it's only one trade such as painting, tiling, plastering or glazing | Plumbing needs a registration or licence from the Building and Plumbing Commission, and electrical workers need a licence from Energy Safe | consumer.vic.gov.au · bpc.vic.gov.au · energysafe.vic.gov.au |
In Queensland, electricians are licensed by the Electrical Safety Office, not QBCC. qbcc.qld.gov.au
By trade
- Carpenters: Carpentry is a licensed category in New South Wales and a licence class in Queensland, above each state's job value. nsw.gov.au · qbcc.qld.gov.au
- Painters: Painting is licensed in New South Wales, and painting and decorating is a Queensland licence class, above each state's job value. In Victoria, painting on its own doesn't need building registration. nsw.gov.au · qbcc.qld.gov.au · consumer.vic.gov.au
- Landscapers: Structural landscaping is licensed in both states, above each state's job value. nsw.gov.au · qbcc.qld.gov.au
- Roofers: New South Wales licenses roof tiling, roof slating and roof plumbing; Queensland has roof tiling and roof and wall cladding classes. nsw.gov.au · qbcc.qld.gov.au
- Pool builders and servicers: Swimming pool repairs and servicing is licensed in New South Wales; Queensland's class covers pool construction, installation and maintenance. nsw.gov.au · qbcc.qld.gov.au
- Handymen: In Queensland, no licence is needed for a job of $3,300 or less that isn't electrical or plumbing work and doesn't need an occupational licence. In Victoria, a job over $10,000 that combines trades, like plastering and painting, needs registration. qbcc.qld.gov.au · consumer.vic.gov.au
- Air con installers: Anyone who works with refrigerant in a way that could release it needs a Refrigerant Handling Licence. A business that acquires, stores or disposes of refrigerant needs a Refrigerant Trading Authorisation. arctick.org
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Questions
What does unlicensed work cost in New South Wales?
Fines of $22,000 for an individual or $110,000 for a company under the Home Building Act 1989, according to the NSW Government.
Does the licence cover quoting and advertising too?
In New South Wales, yes. You need the licence to carry out, advertise or contract for the work, not just to do it.
Do electricians need a QBCC licence in Queensland?
Not for electrical work, which the Electrical Safety Office licenses. An electrician does need a QBCC licence to do building work.
Can a plumbing apprentice work in Victoria?
Yes. The Building and Plumbing Commission says plumbing work in Victoria needs a current registration or licence, or the worker must be a plumbing apprentice.
Checked against each regulator's page on 6 October 2026. This is general information, not legal advice: check with the regulator for your state before you take the job. For what a quote must show, see the quote and invoice templates.
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