Painting Licence Requirements Across Australia: State-by-State Guide for Homeowners

You have just accepted a quote from a painter who knocked on your door offering to repaint your exterior for $4,500 cash. He starts on Monday, gets three walls done, then disappears. The paint starts peeling within weeks. You try calling but the number is disconnected. When you check with the QBCC, there is no record of his licence. You are now paying a second painter to strip it all off and start again.

This is why painting licence requirements exist. With over 13,946 licensed painters listed on TradieVerify across Queensland, Western Australia, and New South Wales, checking a painter’s credentials takes less than a minute. Understanding the painting licence rules in your state is what separates a job done right from an expensive do-over.

This guide breaks down painting licence requirements across all eight Australian states and territories, explains the qualification and licence classes, covers lead paint regulations, and shows you how to verify any painter before signing a contract.

Do Painters Need a Licence in Australia?

The short answer: it depends on the state and the value of the work. Five states require painters to hold a licence or registration above a dollar threshold. Three jurisdictions have no specific painter licensing at all.

Painting falls under the building and construction licensing framework in states that regulate it. Each state’s building legislation defines painting and decorating as regulated work and sets a minimum job value above which only licensed practitioners can perform it. Below that threshold, the work is technically unregulated, though Australian Consumer Law guarantees still apply to any paid service.

The thresholds vary dramatically. Western Australia requires a painting contractor registration for any job over $1,000. Queensland sets the line at $3,300. Victoria does not require registration until the job exceeds $10,000. This means the same $5,000 exterior repaint is regulated work in WA, QLD, and NSW but unregulated in VIC.

The qualification that underpins every painting licence in Australia is the Certificate III in Painting and Decorating (CPC30620). This nationally recognised trade qualification takes three to four years to complete through an apprenticeship and covers surface preparation, paint application, decorative finishes, wallpapering, and colour matching.

State-by-State Painting Licence Requirements

Every state has different rules, different thresholds, and different regulators. Here is a complete breakdown.

The difference between Western Australia’s $1,000 threshold and Victoria’s $10,000 threshold is significant. A single-room repaint costing $800 requires no licence anywhere. A full exterior repaint costing $6,000 requires a licensed painter in WA, QLD, and NSW but not in VIC.

You can verify any painter’s licence on TradieVerify’s search page or through the state regulator directly.

Queensland: QBCC Painting and Decorating Licence

Queensland has one of the most structured painting licence systems in Australia. Any painting and decorating work valued at more than $3,300 (including GST) in labour and materials requires the painter to hold a current QBCC licence.

Licence classes. The QBCC offers two painting licence classes:

• Painting and Decorating — covers all interior and exterior painting, wallpapering, decorative finishes, and cement rendering up to 8mm thick
• Painting and Decorating (excluding Rendering) — same scope but without cement render application

The rendering distinction matters. If your job includes re-rendering external walls before painting, the painter must hold the full class that includes rendering. A painter with the excluding-rendering class cannot legally apply cement render, even as part of a painting job.

Licence types. Within each class, the QBCC issues three licence types:

• Contractor — can contract directly with homeowners and manage painting projects
• Nominee Supervisor — nominated person responsible for the quality of work under a company licence
• Site Supervisor — supervises painting work on site

Qualifications. Applicants need the Certificate III in Painting and Decorating (CPC30620) plus the QBCC Trade Contractor Course, a short business management course.

Penalties. Performing unlicensed building work in Queensland carries penalties of up to $71,610 for individuals and $358,050 for companies.

With 6,362 active licensed painters in Queensland, you can browse verified listings on TradieVerify’s QLD painter directory. For QLD-specific hiring advice, see our guide to hiring a licensed painter in Queensland.

Western Australia: DEMIRS Painting Contractor Registration

Western Australia has the lowest painting licence threshold in Australia at just $1,000. Any painting work exceeding this value requires the painter to hold a current registration with the Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DEMIRS).

Two-tier system. WA separates painting registration into two categories:

• Painting Practitioner (PP) — an individual who supervises and carries out painting work. Must hold Cert III in Painting and Decorating plus a minimum of five years industry experience
• Painting Contractor (PC) — a business entity that contracts directly with clients for painting work. Must nominate a Painting Practitioner

A homeowner should always confirm that the business holds a current Painting Contractor registration and that a registered Painting Practitioner is supervising the work.

Qualifications. WA requires the Certificate III in Painting and Decorating plus two short business courses through the National Institute of Painting and Decorating. A minimum of five years of industry experience is also required.

Verification. Check WA painting registrations through the DEMIRS Online Licence Search at ols.demirs.wa.gov.au.

With 4,799 active registered painters in Western Australia, you can browse verified listings on TradieVerify’s WA painter directory.

New South Wales: Building Commission Contractor Licence

In NSW, a painter must hold a contractor licence from Building Commission NSW (formerly Fair Trading NSW) for any residential painting work where the reasonable market cost of labour and materials exceeds $5,000 (including GST).

What is covered. The NSW painting licence covers exterior and interior painting on residential buildings where the total job value exceeds the threshold. Interior painting on a renovation valued over $5,000 also requires a licence.

Licence types. NSW uses a tiered system:

• Contractor Licence — allows the holder to contract directly with homeowners for painting work
• Qualified Supervisor Certificate — required for supervising painting work under a company licence
• Tradesperson Certificate — allows the holder to carry out painting work under supervision

Home Building Act 1989 protections. For painting contracts over $5,000, the Home Building Act requires:

• A written contract before work starts
• Home warranty insurance for jobs over $20,000
• Statutory warranties of 6 years for major defects and 2 years for minor defects

Penalties. Unlicensed painting work in NSW carries penalties of up to $22,000 for individuals and $110,000 for companies.

Verification. Check NSW painter licences through the licence verification portal at verify.licence.nsw.gov.au.

With 2,785 active licensed painters in NSW on TradieVerify, browse verified listings on TradieVerify’s NSW painter directory.

Victoria: VBA Domestic Builder (Painter) Registration

Victoria requires painter registration for domestic building work valued at more than $10,000 (including GST). This is the highest painting licence threshold among the states that regulate painting.

Registration, not licence. VIC uses a registration system through the Victorian Building Authority (VBA), which transitioned to the Building and Plumbing Commission (BPC) on 1 July 2025. Painters register as a Domestic Builder (Painter) — a specific registration category within the broader domestic builder framework.

What this means for homeowners. A single-room repaint or small job under $10,000 does not require the painter to be registered in Victoria. However, a full interior and exterior repaint of a house that exceeds $10,000 does. Given that a standard three-bedroom house repaint costs $6,000 to $18,000, many whole-house jobs will cross the threshold.

Contract protections. The Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995 applies to registered painting work:

• 5% maximum deposit
• 5-day cooling-off period for contracts signed at your home
• Implied warranties for workmanship and materials

Dispute resolution. VIC requires mandatory conciliation through DBDRV (Domestic Building Dispute Resolution Victoria) before you can take a matter to VCAT.

Verification. Check VIC painter registrations through the VBA practitioner register at vba.vic.gov.au.

South Australia: CBS Building Work Contractor Licence

South Australia requires painters to hold a Building Work Contractor Licence from Consumer and Business Services (CBS) for all residential building work, including painting. SA does not use a dollar threshold in the same way as other states — the licensing requirement applies broadly to building work performed for others.

Qualifications. SA requires the Certificate III in Painting and Decorating plus a minimum of four years of industry experience. Applicants must also complete business management training.

Verification. Check SA painter licences through CBS at cbs.sa.gov.au.

States Without Specific Painter Licensing

Three jurisdictions do not have a specific painting licence category.

Australian Capital Territory. The ACT does not issue a dedicated painter licence. Painting work falls under general builder licensing only if it involves structural work. For standalone painting jobs, there is no specific licence requirement. You should still check that your painter holds an ABN, carries public liability insurance, and has completed the Certificate III in Painting and Decorating.

Tasmania. Tasmania does not require painters to hold a specific painting contractor licence. General business requirements apply (ABN, any relevant local council permits). The Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (CBOS) regulates building work but does not have a painter-specific category.

Northern Territory. The NT Building Practitioners Board regulates builders but does not have a specific painter registration. As with the ACT and Tasmania, check for an ABN, insurance, and trade qualifications.

What this means. The absence of a specific painting licence does not mean anything goes. Australian Consumer Law guarantees still apply to all paid painting services in every state and territory. Services must be provided with due care and skill, be fit for purpose, and completed within a reasonable time. If a painter does substandard work in the ACT, TAS, or NT, you can still lodge a complaint with the state’s consumer affairs body or take action through the relevant tribunal.

Lead Paint Regulations and Painting Licences

Lead paint is a safety issue that sits alongside licensing requirements. If your home was built before 1970, there is a high chance it contains lead-based paint, and any painter working on it must follow specific regulations.

The history of lead in paint. Australian house paint contained up to 50% lead before 1965. The limit dropped to 1% in 1965, then 0.25% in 1992, and 0.1% in 1997. Lead was fully banned as a paint additive in 2010. An estimated 3.7 million Australian homes built before 1970 contain lead paint.

AS/NZS 4361.2:2017. This Australian Standard covers hazardous paint management in residential and commercial buildings. It provides guidance on determining whether lead is present, assessing the risk, and selecting an appropriate management strategy. Any painter working on pre-1970 homes should be familiar with this standard.

What a licensed painter must do:

• Conduct or arrange a lead paint assessment before disturbing painted surfaces on pre-1970 homes
• Use approved removal methods only: wet scraping, chemical stripping, or power tools with HEPA vacuum extraction
• Never dry sand, dry scrape, or use heat guns above 400 degrees Celsius on lead paint
• Contain and collect all paint debris using drop sheets sealed at the edges
• Dispose of lead-contaminated waste according to state EPA requirements
• Wear appropriate PPE including P2 respirator, disposable coveralls, and gloves

State-specific lead paint requirements. WorkSafe Victoria has specific guidance on managing lead-based paint removal. SafeWork NSW and Workplace Health and Safety Queensland also publish lead paint guidelines. In all states, work health and safety legislation requires painters to manage the risk of lead exposure on any job where lead paint may be present.

What to ask your painter. Before any work on a pre-1970 home, ask: “Have you worked with lead paint before, and what removal methods do you use?” If they do not mention wet methods, HEPA filtration, or containment, they are not following the regulations. The Australian Government publishes a free guide called “Lead Alert: The Six Step Guide to Painting Your Home” through the Department of Climate Change and Energy.

For more on lead paint safety and hiring qualified painters, see our guide to hiring a licensed painter in Australia.

Penalties for Unlicensed Painting Work

Performing painting work without the required licence carries serious consequences in every state that regulates it.

These penalties apply to performing the work without a licence, not to hiring an unlicensed painter. However, hiring an unlicensed painter exposes you to significant risk: no access to state dispute resolution, no home warranty insurance coverage, and limited legal recourse if the work is defective.

If you suspect someone is performing unlicensed painting work, report them to your state regulator. In Queensland, report to the QBCC. In WA, contact DEMIRS. In NSW, report to Building Commission NSW.

How to Verify a Painter’s Licence

Checking a painter’s licence takes less than a minute. Here is how to do it in each state:

1. Search on TradieVerify. Enter the painter’s name or licence number on TradieVerify’s search page. We pull data directly from state regulators for QLD, WA, and NSW.

2. Check the state register directly:

   • QLD: QBCC licence search
   • WA: DEMIRS Online Licence Search
   • NSW: Verify Licence NSW
   • VIC: VBA Practitioner Register
   • SA: CBS Licence Search

3. Verify these details:

   • Licence status is current and active (not expired, suspended, or cancelled)
   • Licence class covers painting and decorating (and rendering if needed)
   • Business name and ABN match the quote
   • Check for any disciplinary history or enforcement actions

4. Ask for proof. Any legitimate painter will provide their licence number without hesitation. If they dodge the question or claim they do not need one for a job above the threshold, find someone else.

DIY Painting: What You Can Do Without a Licence

Unlike electrical or gas work, painting is not entirely restricted to licensed tradespeople. Homeowners can legally do their own painting in every state, with some practical limits.

What you can do yourself:

• Interior painting and repainting of your own home (any state)
• Fence painting and staining
• Touch-up work and maintenance painting
• Deck staining and oiling
• Choosing colours and purchasing paint

When you should hire a licensed painter:

• Any job exceeding your state’s licensing threshold ($1,000 in WA, $3,300 in QLD, $5,000 in NSW, $10,000 in VIC)
• Work involving lead paint disturbance on pre-1970 homes (safety risk regardless of licensing)
• Exterior work requiring scaffolding or elevated work platforms (working at heights regulations apply in all states)
• Strata or body corporate common property (usually requires licensed contractors by the strata by-laws)
• Spray painting (requires proper equipment, masking, and ventilation to avoid overspray damage to neighbouring properties)

Even when you can legally paint a room yourself, a professional painter delivers a better finish with trade-grade equipment and materials. Surface preparation accounts for 60 to 80 percent of a quality paint job, and that is where experience shows.

For typical painting costs, see our house painting cost guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do painters need a licence in all Australian states?

No. QLD, WA, NSW, VIC, and SA require painter licensing or registration above certain dollar thresholds. The lowest threshold is WA at $1,000 and the highest is VIC at $10,000. The ACT, Tasmania, and the NT do not have specific painter licensing. Even in unlicensed states, check for an ABN, insurance, and a Certificate III in Painting and Decorating (CPC30620).

What is the painting licence threshold in Queensland?

In Queensland, any painting and decorating work valued at more than $3,300 (including GST) in labour and materials requires the painter to hold a current QBCC licence. The QBCC offers two classes: painting and decorating (which includes cement rendering up to 8mm), and painting and decorating excluding rendering. Penalties for unlicensed work reach $71,610 for individuals.

How do I check if a painter is licensed?

Search for any painter’s licence on TradieVerify’s search page, which pulls data from state regulators for QLD, WA, and NSW. You can also check directly with the QBCC, DEMIRS, Building Commission NSW, or VBA. Ask for the licence number upfront and verify it matches the business name on your quote before signing anything.

What happens if I hire an unlicensed painter?

Hiring an unlicensed painter is not illegal for the homeowner, but it carries significant risk. You lose access to state dispute resolution schemes, home warranty insurance does not apply, and you have limited legal recourse if the work is defective. Your home insurance may also exclude claims arising from work performed by unlicensed tradespeople. In states that regulate painting, always verify the licence first.

Do I need a licensed painter for lead paint removal?

There is no separate lead paint removal licence in Australia, but any painter disturbing lead paint on a pre-1970 home must follow AS/NZS 4361.2:2017 for hazardous paint management. This includes wet removal methods, HEPA filtration, containment, and proper waste disposal. All state WHS legislation requires painters to manage lead exposure risks. Ask your painter specifically about their lead paint experience and methods before work begins.

What qualifications does a painter need in Australia?

The standard qualification is the Certificate III in Painting and Decorating (CPC30620), completed through a three to four year apprenticeship. This covers surface preparation, paint application, decorative finishes, wallpapering, and colour matching. In states that require licensing, the painter also needs to complete state-specific business management courses (such as the QBCC Trade Contractor Course in QLD) and meet experience requirements (such as five years in WA).

Summary

Painting licence requirements in Australia vary by state:

• WA has the lowest threshold at $1,000 with a two-tier practitioner/contractor system
• QLD requires a QBCC licence for work over $3,300, with two classes covering rendering
• NSW requires a contractor licence for work over $5,000 with Home Building Act protections
• VIC requires registration for domestic work over $10,000
• SA requires a building work contractor licence for all residential painting
• ACT, TAS, and NT have no specific painter licensing

Before hiring any painter, verify their credentials on TradieVerify or the relevant state register. Check for the Certificate III in Painting and Decorating (CPC30620), current public liability insurance, and an active ABN. For pre-1970 homes, confirm your painter understands lead paint management under AS/NZS 4361.2.

With over 13,946 licensed painters across Queensland, Western Australia, and New South Wales listed on TradieVerify, finding a qualified painting professional starts with a simple licence check.

Sources

1. Queensland Building and Construction Commission: Painting and Decorating Licence, https://www.qbcc.qld.gov.au/licences/apply-licence/available-licences/other-trade/painting-decorating
2. NSW Government: Painting Work Licences, https://www.nsw.gov.au/business-and-economy/licences-and-credentials/building-and-trade-licences-and-registrations/painting-work
3. WA Government: Painters’ Registration, https://www.wa.gov.au/government/multi-step-guides/painters-registration
4. Victorian Building Authority: Domestic Builder Registration, https://www.vba.vic.gov.au/
5. Standards Australia: AS/NZS 4361.2:2017 Guide to Hazardous Paint Management, https://store.standards.org.au/product/as-nzs-4361-2-2017
6. Department of Climate Change and Energy: Lead in House Paint, https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/protection/chemicals-management/lead/lead-in-house-paint
7. Standards Australia: AS/NZS 2311:2017 Guide to the Painting of Buildings, https://store.standards.org.au/product/as-nzs-2311-2017
8. ACCC: Consumer Guarantees, https://www.accc.gov.au/consumers/buying-products-and-services/warranties