Short answer
There is no single national register in Australia — each state and territory runs its own. Ask for the licence number, then search it on the regulator for the state the work is happening in: NSW Fair Trading, the Victorian Building Authority (or Energy Safe Victoria for electrical), QBCC in Queensland, Building and Energy in WA, Consumer and Business Services in SA, CBOS in Tasmania, Access Canberra in the ACT, or the NT Government.
The single most useful thing you can do before hiring a tradesperson takes about a minute, is free, and almost nobody does it.
There is no national register — and that is the whole problem
Australia has no single place to check a trade licence. Licensing is state-based, the categories differ between states, and a licence issued in one state does not automatically carry to another. That is why so much advice on this subject is vague: there is no one link to give you.
So here is the actual list. Ask the business for its licence number, then search it on the regulator for the state where the work is happening — not where the business is based.
| State | Who to check with | What they cover |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | NSW Fair Trading | builders, electricians, plumbers and specialist trades |
| VIC | Victorian Building Authority, and Energy Safe Victoria for electrical | building practitioners and plumbers; electricians are Energy Safe Victoria |
| QLD | Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) | building and most trade contractor licences |
| WA | Building and Energy | builders, electricians, plumbers and gas fitters |
| SA | Consumer and Business Services | building work contractors and supervisors |
| TAS | Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (CBOS) | building and occupational licences |
| ACT | Access Canberra | construction occupations licensing |
| NT | NT Government building practitioner registration | building practitioners and electrical workers |
What to do when the number checks out
- Confirm the name on the licence matches the name on your quote. A licence held by a different entity is the most common thing people miss.
- Check the licence class actually covers the work. A plumbing licence is not a gas licence; an electrical licence has classes.
- Check the expiry date, and that the licence is not suspended.
Some trades have no licence at all
Arborists, garden maintenance, and much of garage-door and pool servicing are not licensed in Australia. That is not a scandal — it just means the licence check is unavailable, and you need to substitute something else for it.
- Public liability insurance — ask for the certificate, not a verbal yes. It matters most for tree work and anything at height.
- Qualifications — for arborists, AQF Level 3 to climb and cut, Level 5 to write a report a council will accept.
- An ABN you can confirm on the national register, which at least establishes the business exists as claimed.
Two national schemes you can check directly
Most Australian trade credentials are state-based, but two are national and unusually easy to verify yourself:
- ARC licence — anyone handling refrigerant, which means anyone installing or servicing air conditioning, needs one from the Australian Refrigeration Council.
- Solar accreditation — a rooftop solar system only qualifies for the federal rebate if the installer is accredited. No accreditation, no rebate, and the rebate is worth thousands.
What the licence does not tell you
A licence establishes that someone is permitted to do the work. It says nothing about whether they will turn up, finish, or do it well. That is what the rest of the evidence is for — and across 20,703 Australian trade businesses, only 12.9% publish even an ABN you can confirm.
Where to check a licence, by state
There is no national register. Search the licence number with the regulator for the state where the work is happening.
- NSWNSW Fair Tradingbuilders, electricians, plumbers and specialist trades
- VICVictorian Building Authority, and Energy Safe Victoria for electricalbuilding practitioners and plumbers; electricians are Energy Safe Victoria
- QLDQueensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC)building and most trade contractor licences
- WABuilding and Energybuilders, electricians, plumbers and gas fitters
- SAConsumer and Business Servicesbuilding work contractors and supervisors
- TASConsumer, Building and Occupational Services (CBOS)building and occupational licences
- ACTAccess Canberraconstruction occupations licensing
- NTNT Government building practitioner registrationbuilding practitioners and electrical workers
Common questions
- Is there a national tradie licence check in Australia?
- No. Licensing is state and territory based, and each regulator runs its own register. Search the licence number with the regulator for the state where the work is happening.
- What if my tradesperson isn't licensed?
- Some trades genuinely have no licence — arborists, garden maintenance and much of pool and garage-door work are unregulated. In those cases ask for public liability insurance and relevant qualifications instead. For electrical, plumbing, gas and pest control, unlicensed work is illegal and you should walk away.
- Does a licence from one state work in another?
- Not automatically. Mutual recognition exists between states but the licence must generally be recognised or converted. Check with the regulator in the state where the work will happen.
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