The Complete Trades Compliance Checklist for Australian Small Businesses

Trade businesses — electricians, plumbers, carpenters, tilers, painters, refrigeration mechanics, and others — operate under a dense set of regulatory obligations. Licences, WHS obligations, employment law, tax, and apprenticeship compliance all demand attention simultaneously.

Use this checklist to assess your compliance position and identify gaps.

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Part 1: Licensing and Registration

• [ ] Trade licence/registration is current for all work being performed
• [ ] Licence covers all activities being offered (e.g., gas fitting requires separate authorisation from plumbing in many states)
• [ ] If working in another state: appropriate licence obtained for that jurisdiction
• [ ] High-risk work licences (scaffolding, rigging, crane operation, explosive power tools) held by all workers who perform those activities
• [ ] ARC Refrigerant Handling Licence current (for refrigeration/AC mechanics)
• [ ] Licence renewal dates tracked with 60-day advance reminders
• [ ] Workers compensation insurance current and premium paid

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Part 2: Work Health and Safety

• [ ] WHS risk assessment conducted for typical work activities
• [ ] Safe work procedures documented for hazardous tasks
• [ ] SWMS prepared for high-risk construction work (if applicable)
• [ ] Workers trained in relevant safe work procedures
• [ ] New workers inducted before commencing work
• [ ] Personal protective equipment provided and maintained
• [ ] First aid kit available and current on all work vehicles/sites
• [ ] At least one trained first aider in the business
• [ ] Incident reporting process in place
• [ ] Plant and equipment maintained and inspected regularly
• [ ] Hazardous substances register and SDS for all chemicals used
• [ ] Psychosocial hazards assessed (particularly for sole traders or small teams under pressure)

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Part 3: Employment Law

• [ ] Employment contracts in place for all employees and apprentices
• [ ] Applicable award identified for each employee (varies by trade)
• [ ] Pay rates at or above current award minimums (updated 1 July each year)
• [ ] Apprentice wages increased at each year anniversary
• [ ] Allowances paid as required (tool allowance, travel allowance, first aid allowance)
• [ ] Casual Employment Information Statement provided to casual employees
• [ ] Fair Work Information Statement provided to all new employees
• [ ] Casual employees assessed for conversion eligibility at 12 months
• [ ] Super paid at 12% of ordinary time earnings and on time
• [ ] Employment records maintained for 7 years
• [ ] Pay slips issued within one working day of each pay period

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Part 4: Apprenticeships

• [ ] Training Contract registered with state training authority
• [ ] Apprentice released to attend RTO training on agreed training days
• [ ] Apprentice supervised appropriately for their year of training
• [ ] Apprentice exposed to a variety of tasks required for their qualification
• [ ] Australian Apprenticeships Incentives Program registration complete (for eligible incentive payments)
• [ ] Apprentice wage rate updated at each year anniversary

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Part 5: Contractor Management

• [ ] Written contracts in place for all subcontractor engagements
• [ ] ABN, insurance, and licence verified for all subcontractors before engagement
• [ ] Super guarantee assessed for sole trader subbies engaged primarily for their labour
• [ ] Contractor vs employee classification reviewed for all workers
• [ ] TPAR lodged by 28 August each year for all contractor payments

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Part 6: Tax and Payroll

• [ ] ABN registered and current
• [ ] GST registration current (required if turnover >$75,000)
• [ ] BAS lodged on time
• [ ] STP Phase 2 configured correctly
• [ ] TPAR lodged annually
• [ ] Business name registration current

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How Reguladar Helps

Reguladar gives trade business owners a single compliance dashboard tracking all their obligations — licensing, WHS, employment, tax, and apprenticeship — in one place. Also see The Complete Construction Compliance Checklist for cross-industry obligations.

Start your free compliance check at Reguladar →

This checklist is general information only. Requirements vary by state, trade, and business type. Seek professional advice.