One of the most useful five minutes a customer can spend before hiring a tradie is checking the licence. Australia takes trade licensing seriously. Plumbers, electricians, gas fitters, builders, and several other trades are required to hold a current licence to do work in their field. The licence carries a number, an issuing authority, a category that tells you what work they can actually do, and an expiry date. Customers rarely check any of it. The tradies running clean operations are happy to hand the details over. The ones who aren’t usually find a way to deflect the question.
Here’s a customer’s guide to the licence categories that matter in Australian residential trades, what each one actually authorises, and how to verify the licence is current before any tools come out.
Licensing is a state matter, not a national one
Australia doesn’t have a single national tradie licence. Each state and territory runs its own scheme: NSW Fair Trading, the Victorian Building Authority, Queensland Building and Construction Commission, the Building and Energy WA, Consumer and Business Services SA, and equivalents in Tasmania, ACT and NT. The categories and conditions differ between states, but the principle is the same. A tradie working in your state should hold a licence from that state’s authority for the work they are doing on your property. A licence from another state may not cover them, depending on mutual recognition rules.
Builders and building work licences
Most states require a builder’s licence for residential building work above a defined value, with sub-categories for different scopes. NSW issues categories like Building (Class 1 & 10 Buildings) and Building (Open). Victoria registers Domestic Builders unlimited and limited. Queensland’s QBCC issues classes including Builder Open, Builder Low Rise, Builder Restricted, and trade contractor licences for specialist scopes. The key practical rule: if a builder is doing work that requires a licence, they need to hold the right class for the value and complexity of the project, not just a generic builder’s card.
Plumbing and gas fitting licences
Plumbing is regulated tightly across all Australian states. A licensed plumber holds the appropriate state licence and is generally required to issue a Certificate of Compliance for the work performed. Gas fitting is usually a separate authorisation: a plumber’s licence does not automatically cover gas, and a gas fitter’s licence does not automatically cover roofing or sanitary plumbing. A tradie installing a hot water unit that runs on gas typically needs both a plumbing licence and a gas authorisation. Confirm both before the job starts.
Electrical contractor and electrician licences
For electrical work, two licences usually sit together. The electrician (an A-grade electrical worker in Victoria, an Electrical Worker in NSW, an Electrical Mechanic in Queensland) is qualified to do the hands-on work. The electrical contractor licence is held by the business that takes payment for the work and is responsible to the customer. Both should be in order. If the person on site has the worker licence but the business doesn’t have a contractor licence, the work may technically be unauthorised, which can affect insurance, warranty and Certificate of Electrical Safety obligations.
Specialist trade licences
Several other trades require licences in some states. Refrigeration and air-conditioning installers need a licence and an ARC authorisation for handling refrigerant gas. Asbestos removal has its own licensing tier, with Class A and Class B licences for different volumes and types. Demolition has its own licence in most states. Termite and pest treatment is usually licensed under state agriculture or health regulations. The practical takeaway: if the work you’re hiring for involves any of these specialised areas, the generic builder’s licence isn’t the only one to check.
How to verify a licence is current
Every state regulator runs a free public licence search. The QBCC’s online licence search, NSW Fair Trading’s licence check, Consumer Affairs Victoria’s builder register, and equivalents in WA, SA, Tasmania, ACT and NT all let a customer enter the licence number or business name and see whether the licence is current, what categories it covers, and any conditions or restrictions. Some include disciplinary history. The check takes about 30 seconds. It is the single most useful five minutes you can spend before signing anything.
Ask for the licence number on the quote
Most state laws require licensed tradies to display their licence number on quotes, contracts, invoices and advertising. If you receive a quote without a licence number, ask for it. A legitimate licensed tradie will provide it without hesitation. A long pause or a vague answer is information in itself. The licence number is also useful later: if a dispute arises, the regulator can take action against a licence holder, but only if you can identify the correct licensed entity.
Sub-licences and the contractor on the quote
Sometimes the licence number on the quote belongs to a parent company, while the actual person on site holds a different licence under that company. That is normal in larger trade operations. What matters is that the entity issuing the quote and invoice is the licensed contractor, and that the person on site is operating under that licence. If the licence number on the quote belongs to a different business than the one that turns up to do the work, ask why before the job starts.
What an unlicensed tradie costs you
Hiring an unlicensed tradie for licensable work is a real legal and financial risk. The home warranty insurance the customer was supposed to receive may not exist. The work may not pass certification, which affects future sale of the property. Insurance claims related to the work, including fire, water damage or third-party injury, may be denied or reduced. Any future tradie called in to fix the problem may charge significantly more once they see what they’re dealing with. The discount on the original quote is rarely worth it.
Asking to see a tradie’s licence is not insulting. It is a basic safety check that costs nothing and protects both sides of the deal. Get the licence number on the quote, verify it on the relevant state regulator’s website, confirm the licence covers the work you’re hiring for, and check the expiry date. The good tradies appreciate it because it makes their professional credentials visible. The ones who flinch tell you what you needed to know.