Published 2026-05-03 · 5 min read
Seven verifiable checks for safely hiring a tradie in Australia — ABN, licence, insurance, written quote, deposit caps, milestone payments and reviews.
Hiring a tradie safely in Australia comes down to seven verifiable checks: ABN, licence (where required), public liability insurance, written quote, reasonable deposit, milestone payments, and recent reviews. This guide walks you through each one with the official sources for every state.
Every legitimate Australian tradie has an Australian Business Number (ABN). Search the free Australian Business Register at abr.business.gov.au by ABN or business name. The result shows:
Walk away from any tradie who refuses to provide an ABN or whose ABN comes back as cancelled. They cannot legally issue you a tax invoice and you have no recourse if things go wrong. For a deeper dive, see our companion guide on ABN verification for tradies.
Plumbers, gasfitters, electricians, builders, refrigeration mechanics, asbestos removalists and several other trades must hold a current state-issued licence. Each state has a free online register:
Search by name or licence number. The result shows licence class, expiry date and any disciplinary action.
Public liability insurance covers accidental damage the tradie causes to your property or to a third party. The current Australian standard is $5–$20 million cover. Ask for a current Certificate of Currency before work starts — it's a one-page PDF the tradie can email in seconds. The certificate names the insurer, the policy number, the cover amount and the expiry date.
Workers compensation is required if the tradie employs anyone (sole traders are exempt in most states). Ask for proof if your job is large enough that the tradie will be on site for several days with their crew.
For any job over $300, ask for the quote in writing. The quote should include:
A quote is legally binding once accepted. An estimate is not — always confirm which one you have received.
State law caps how much deposit a tradie can ask for on residential building work. Typical caps in 2026:
For larger jobs, structure payments as milestones: deposit, rough-in, fix-out, completion. TaskerAsker's milestone-protected payment system holds funds until each stage is signed off, protecting both sides.
Read 3–7 recent reviews per tradie, focusing on:
For renovations or any job above the state contract threshold (typically $5,000–$20,000), use a written building contract — HIA or Master Builders contracts are the standard. They include statutory warranties: six years for major structural defects, two years for non-structural defects.
Builders working on jobs above the threshold must hold home warranty insurance. Confirm the policy is in place before paying any deposit. Without it, you have no protection if the builder becomes insolvent before completing the work.
Post your job free and verified, ABN-checked Australian tradies will send you competitive quotes — usually within a few hours.
Search the Australian Business Register at abr.business.gov.au with the ABN or business name. The result shows the entity name, ABN status, GST registration date and main business location. TaskerAsker performs this check automatically before any tradie can quote.
Each state runs an online register: NSW Fair Trading licence check, Victorian Building Authority practitioner search, QBCC licence search, Building Practitioners Board WA, Consumer and Business Services SA, CBOS Tasmania, Access Canberra, NT Building Practitioners Board. Search by name or licence number — verification is free and instant.
10% for jobs under $20,000, 5% for jobs above. State law caps deposits — for example NSW limits residential building contract deposits to 10% (or 5% above $20,000). Avoid any tradie asking for more than the legal cap.
Yes, but do it the right way. Tell the tradie in writing what is wrong, give them a reasonable opportunity to fix it, and keep paying for work that has been completed correctly. Withholding all payment usually escalates rather than resolves the issue.
A licensed tradie's public liability insurance covers accidental damage they cause. Get the certificate of currency before work starts. If damage occurs, document with photos, notify the tradie in writing, and the insurer will handle repair quotes.
A quote is a fixed price and is legally binding once you accept it. An estimate is an indicative figure and the final price can be higher. Always ask for a quote in writing for any job over a few hundred dollars.
Yes — and you should. Read 3–7 recent reviews per tradie. Look for specific, dated reviews with job details. Be wary of tradies with only short five-star reviews and no negative or neutral feedback at all — that's often a sign of curated or incentivised reviews.
Search the Australian Business Register at abr.business.gov.au with the ABN or business name. The result shows the entity name, ABN status, GST registration date and main business location. TaskerAsker performs this check automatically before any tradie can quote.
Each state runs an online register: NSW Fair Trading licence check, Victorian Building Authority practitioner search, QBCC licence search, Building Practitioners Board WA, Consumer and Business Services SA, CBOS Tasmania, Access Canberra, NT Building Practitioners Board. Search by name or licence number — verification is free and instant.
10% for jobs under $20,000, 5% for jobs above. State law caps deposits — for example NSW limits residential building contract deposits to 10% (or 5% above $20,000). Avoid any tradie asking for more than the legal cap.
Yes, but do it the right way. Tell the tradie in writing what is wrong, give them a reasonable opportunity to fix it, and keep paying for work that has been completed correctly. Withholding all payment usually escalates rather than resolves the issue.
A licensed tradie's public liability insurance covers accidental damage they cause. Get the certificate of currency before work starts. If damage occurs, document with photos, notify the tradie in writing, and the insurer will handle repair quotes.
A quote is a fixed price and is legally binding once you accept it. An estimate is an indicative figure and the final price can be higher. Always ask for a quote in writing for any job over a few hundred dollars.
Yes — and you should. Read 3–7 recent reviews per tradie. Look for specific, dated reviews with job details. Be wary of tradies with only short five-star reviews and no negative or neutral feedback at all — that's often a sign of curated or incentivised reviews.
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