Start a Painting Business in Australia: The Complete Guide
To start a painting business in Australia: choose a structure, register an ABN, check painter licensing for your state, sort insurance, set your rates, and win your first jobs. Licensing thresholds differ sharply by state — use the table below, then confirm with the regulator.
General information for Australian painting businesses, not legal, financial, tax or safety advice. Rules change and vary by state or territory. Confirm anything you rely on with the relevant regulator (ATO, ASIC, and your state licensing and WHS regulators) before acting.
The startup checklist
- Decide your business structure (sole trader or company)
- Register an ABN, and a business name if you use one
- Check painter licensing for your state
- Sort insurance (public liability at minimum)
- Set your rates and price your first jobs
- Get your tools, equipment and a way to take payment
- Win your first work and quote it professionally
- Set up basic bookkeeping and put safety in from day one
Licensing by state
Sourced from state regulators (July 2026). This is a summary for orientation, not legal advice — classes, prescribed areas and carve-outs change.
| State | Licence required? | Threshold / note | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | Usually yes (with internal carve-out) | Over $5,000 labour + materials inc. GST; stand-alone internal paintwork often exempt since 2015 | Building Commission NSW |
| VIC | No for painting-only | Painting-only jobs generally exempt; registration can apply if combined trades over $10,000 or a building permit is needed | Consumer Affairs Victoria / Building & Plumbing Commission |
| QLD | Yes | Over $3,300 labour + materials inc. GST | QBCC (Painting and decorating) |
| WA | Yes (painting contractor) | $1,000 or more in the Board’s prescribed areas | Building and Energy / Building Services Board |
| SA | Yes | No general “under $X paint free” licence exemption found; painting is treated as building work | Consumer and Business Services (CBS) |
| TAS | No painter licence | n/a — painting is not a licensed building occupation | CBOS |
| ACT | No painter licence today | n/a — painting/decorating not on current construction occupation registers (reforms have been discussed) | Access Canberra / ACT Planning |
| NT | No dedicated painter class | Ordinary painting is not a BPB painter category; separate rules apply to prescribed residential building work | NT Building Practitioners Board |
Source: NSW Government Source: QBCC Source: WA Painters registration Source: Consumer Affairs Victoria Source: SA.GOV.AU Source: CBOS Tasmania Source: NT BPB
ABN, structure and GST
Most painters start as a sole trader with an ABN and move to a company as they grow. You must register for GST once your GST turnover reaches $75,000 (current or projected over 12 months), then charge 10% GST. You need an ABN before you can register for GST, and a valid tax invoice must show your ABN.
Source: ATO — registering for GST Source: ATO — tax invoicesInsurance
Public liability is the baseline most clients ask for, and other cover depends on your setup. What insurance you actually need →
Price your first jobs
Set a charge-out rate that covers your real costs before you quote anything:
Win work and stay safe
Quote professionally from day one (the quoting method), pick a name that lasts (name ideas), and put safety in from the start (painting SWMS).
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a licence to paint in Australia?
It depends on the state. Queensland generally needs a QBCC painting licence above $3,300. NSW usually needs a contractor licence above $5,000, with a stand-alone internal-paint carve-out. WA needs painting contractor registration from $1,000 in prescribed areas. SA generally requires a building work contractor licence for painting. Victoria, Tasmania and the ACT generally do not require a painter-specific licence for painting-only work. The NT has no dedicated painter class. Confirm with your own regulator before taking on work.
How much does it cost to start a painting business?
Modest compared with many trades: tools and access equipment, insurance, a vehicle, registrations, and working capital for paint before you are paid. The biggest early cost is usually the time spent quoting.
Do painters make good money in Australia?
A painting business can be profitable, but the margin lives in accurate quoting and controlling prep time, not in the day rate alone. Price from a real charge-out rate and a target margin.
Do I need an ABN to start?
In practice yes. The ATO treats an ABN as what you need to operate as a business, register for GST, and put on tax invoices. Without an ABN, enterprise clients may withhold tax from payments. Registering an ABN is free.
When do I have to register for GST?
When your GST turnover reaches $75,000 (current or projected over 12 months), or sooner if you choose to register voluntarily. Non-profits use a $150,000 threshold. Register within 21 days of meeting the rule.