Do I need a painter's licence to work as a painter in Australia?

It depends on where you work. There’s no single national painter licence Australia scheme. NSW, Queensland, and Western Australia have specific licensing or registration rules for painting work above particular values, while Victoria, Tasmania, the Northern Territory, and the ACT do not currently require a standalone painter licence for painting-only work. South Australia generally regulates contracting for painting through its building work contractor licensing system. Always check your state or territory requirements before accepting or advertising work.

Do I need a painter's licence in Victoria?

Generally, no — not if you’re only carrying out painting work. Victoria currently exempts painting-only work from the requirement to register as a building practitioner. Registration may become relevant if you perform painting together with other building work that falls within Victoria’s domestic building registration requirements. The Victorian Government is also considering future licensing reforms for painting and decorating, so it’s sensible to check current requirements before starting work. See the Skills Certified Painting Licence Victoria guide .

How can I find out the licensing requirements for painters in my state?

Check your relevant state or territory regulator before applying for a licence or taking on work. The rules differ considerably across Australia and can change over time. Skills Certified’s state-specific painting licence pages can also give you a starting point, but the government regulator should always be treated as the final authority on current licensing requirements.

What qualifications are typically required to obtain a painter's licence?

Where a formal painting qualification is required, CPC30620 Certificate III in Painting and Decorating is commonly recognised, although some regulators accept older qualifications, apprenticeships, equivalent credentials, or other prescribed pathways. The qualification alone does not automatically provide a licence. Experience, additional competencies, financial requirements, police checks, or other conditions may also apply depending on the jurisdiction.

Can I transfer my painter's licence from one state to another?

Potentially, through mutual recognition or automatic mutual recognition arrangements, but the process depends on the jurisdictions involved and whether the licence scopes are considered equivalent. Don’t assume an interstate licence automatically gives you identical rights in another state. Check with the regulator where you intend to work before starting.

Are there any ongoing requirements or renewals for a painter's licence?

Yes, where a licence or registration is required, it will usually have renewal requirements. Depending on the jurisdiction, you may also need to maintain insurance, meet ongoing eligibility conditions, or notify the regulator of changes to your circumstances. Check the relevant regulator for the requirements applying to your licence class.

A Guide to Painters Licences in Australia: Requirements by State

Name: Do I Need a Painters Licence in Australia?
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If you’re considering a career in painting or looking to offer your painting services in Australia, it’s important to understand whether you need a painter’s trade licence. While the regulations vary from state to state, it’s crucial to familiarise yourself with the licensing requirements in your specific region.

Some states require a painting contractor licence once work exceeds a particular value, while others don’t currently license painting as a standalone trade. Qualification, experience, registration, and licensing requirements also differ between jurisdictions.

In this guide, we provide an overview of how to get a painter licence in Australia, including whether you need a painter’s licence in NSW, Victoria, Queensland, and other states and territories.

Do painters require a licence?

The need for a painter’s licence depends on the state or territory in which you intend to work. Some jurisdictions license painting directly, while others regulate the work through broader building contractor or practitioner schemes.

It’s also important to distinguish between holding a painting qualification in Australia and holding a licence. A qualification such as the Certificate III in Painting and Decorating may form part of a licensing pathway, but it doesn’t automatically give you a licence.

Let’s look at the current painting licence requirements around Australia.

Painters Licence Requirements in Victoria

If you’re wondering, “Do I need a painters licence in VIC?”, the answer is generally no for painting-only work.

Victoria doesn’t currently require a separate painter licence or building practitioner registration where the job involves painting alone. Consumer Affairs Victoria specifically lists painting as one of the types of domestic building work that does not require Building and Plumbing Commission registration when performed by itself.

However, registration requirements can apply if you carry out a combination of building work — for example, plastering and painting — and the work falls within Victoria’s domestic building registration rules.

The Victorian Government has also been considering reforms that would extend occupational licensing to trades including painting and decorating, but as of 2026 these changes are still in the policy development stage.

Painters Licence Requirements in New South Wales

In New South Wales, a painter licence NSW is required to contract for, advertise, or carry out residential painting work valued at more than $5,000, including GST, in labour and materials.

Building Commission NSW currently lists CPC30620 Certificate III in Painting and Decorating as a recognised current qualification, alongside several older equivalent qualifications. Individual applicants must also provide a National Police Check that is no more than four months old.

NSW offers several licence and certificate types depending on whether you intend to contract, supervise, carry out the work, or combine those roles.

Stand-alone internal painting contracts have been exempt from the painting licence requirement since 2015, unless the painting forms part of other home building work.

For state-specific information, please see Painting Licence NSW.

Painters Licence Requirements in Queensland

In Queensland, a QBCC painting and decorating licence is required for painting work valued at more than $3,300.

The Queensland Building and Construction Commission recognises two relevant licence scopes:

Painting and Decorating
Painting and Decorating, Excluding Applying Cement Render

For the full Painting and Decorating class, the technical qualification requirements include CPC30620 Certificate III in Painting and Decorating plus the relevant competency for applying trowelled texture coat finishes, or another qualification or recognition pathway accepted by the QBCC. The restricted class excluding cement render can use CPC30620 without that additional competency.

Other licensing requirements may also apply depending on whether you are applying as a contractor, supervisor, or company nominee.

You can find more information at the Painting Licence Queensland page

Painters Licence Requirements South Australia

South Australia doesn’t issue a standalone licence called a “painter’s licence”. Instead, a person or business contracting to carry out painting as building work generally needs the appropriate building work contractor’s licence through Consumer and Business Services.

Subcontractors who operate their own business and contract for building work also need the appropriate contractor licence. Sole traders will generally need both a contractor licence and suitable building work supervisor registration, or an approved supervisor who covers the relevant scope of work.

Applicants must meet the relevant experience and knowledge requirements. A National Police Certificate no more than 12 months old is also required in many cases.

See the Painting Licence South Australia page for more information.

Painters Licence Requirements Western Australia

Western Australia has some of the clearest standalone painting licence requirements in Australia.

If you want to provide painting services valued at $1,000 or more within the Building Services Board’s jurisdiction, you generally need to be registered. WA distinguishes between:

Painting practitioners, who perform or supervise painting work, and
Painting contractors, who offer painting services to the public.

A painting contractor must have an appropriately registered painting practitioner associated with the business.

For painting practitioner registration, WA currently provides more than one pathway. Depending on the pathway, applicants may rely on:

Certificate III in Painting and Decorating, together with prescribed additional units and relevant experience,
A completed painting apprenticeship,
At least four years of full-time equivalent painting experience, or
The approved Painters’ Registration course, practical trades test, and five years of relevant experience.

Experienced workers may also be able to use Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) through an RTO to demonstrate skills and knowledge relevant to a qualification.

Painters Licence Requirements Tasmania

Tasmania does not currently require a specific occupational licence for painting work itself.

Consumer, Building and Occupational Services states that not all forms of building work require a licence and specifically lists painting among the types of work that don’t.

That said, other requirements may still apply depending on the type of project, contract, or other building work being performed. General business, insurance, WHS, and building requirements should still be checked before taking on work.

A Certificate III in Painting and Decorating can still provide formal recognition of a painter’s skills and may be useful for employment, contracting, or working across jurisdictions where qualifications are required.

To check whether your project requires a licence, check out the Painting Licence Tasmania page.

Painters Licence Requirements in the Northern Territory

The Northern Territory doesn’t currently issue a specific occupational licence for general painting and decorating work.

NT WorkSafe’s licensing framework covers regulated activities including electrical work, high-risk work, asbestos removal, gas fitting, and other specified activities, but general painting is not currently listed as a separately licensed occupation.

However, painters still need to comply with WHS requirements and any rules affecting the work they perform. For example, asbestos removal above regulated thresholds requires appropriate licensing, and construction workers generally require construction induction training.

Formal qualifications such as the Certificate III in Painting and Decorating may still help demonstrate competency to employers and clients.

Painters Licence Requirements in the Australian Capital Territory

As of 2026, painting and decorating isn’t yet a separately licensed construction occupation in the ACT. The ACT Government is, however, actively considering extending trade licensing to painting and decorating, along with several other building trades, so watch this space.

Until any reform is introduced, painters should check the latest ACT Government requirements before taking on work, particularly where the project also involves building work that falls within an existing licensed category.

How do I obtain a painter’s licence?

For states that require a painting contractor licence, registration, or another form of building licence, the process depends on the relevant state regulator.

Generally, you may need to:

Check the licence class: Confirm which licence, registration, or certificate matches the type and value of work you intend to undertake.
Meet the qualification requirements: This may include CPC30620 Certificate III in Painting and Decorating, an apprenticeship, approved competencies, or an equivalent qualification.
Provide Evidence of Experience: Some jurisdictions require specific periods or types of practical painting experience.
Meet other eligibility requirements: Depending on the state, this might include identity documents, police checks, financial requirements, insurance, or supervisor arrangements.
Apply through the relevant regulator: Licensing is managed at state or territory level, so the application process differs across Australia.

Experienced painters who already have the required practical skills but do not hold the corresponding formal qualification may be able to explore Recognition of Prior Learning through an RTO.

Skills Certified can also help experienced painters explore Trade Recognition and the Certificate III in Painting and Decorating – CPC30620.

Licensing requirements change, so always confirm the current rules with the relevant state or territory regulator before advertising, contracting for, or carrying out work.