How to check a tradie's licence and ABN (it takes five minutes)

Two free public registers tell you whether a tradie is licensed and their business is real — here's exactly where to look and what the results mean.

Checking business paperwork and documents at a desk

Almost everything a dodgy operator relies on falls apart under five minutes of checking, because the two credentials that matter — the business's ABN and the tradie's licence — are both on free, public, government-run registers.

Here's how to check both, and what you're actually looking for when the results come back.

Checking an ABN

Every legitimate business in Australia has an ABN, and every ABN is searchable on ABN Lookup, run by the Australian Business Register. Search the number (it's usually on the quote) or the business name.

You're checking three things: the ABN exists, it's marked Active, and the entity name matches who you think you're dealing with. An ABN that's cancelled, or registered to a completely different name than the one on the ute, is worth a direct question.

Checking a trade licence

Licensing is state-based, and each state runs a public register — NSW Fair Trading's licence check, the QBCC register in Queensland, the VBA in Victoria, and equivalents elsewhere. Search the licence number from the quote, or the tradie's name.

Check the licence is current, covers the actual class of work you're hiring for (a licence for carpentry isn't a licence for waterproofing), and belongs to the person or company quoting you.

Which trades must be licensed

Electrical and plumbing work require a licence everywhere in Australia — no exceptions, no "handyman rates" versions. Beyond those, it varies by state and by job value: building work above certain thresholds, gas fitting, and specialised work like waterproofing commonly require licences too. If you're unsure whether your job needs one, the state register websites spell it out.

What QuickQuote checks for you

Tradie profiles on QuickQuote show verification signals including ABN checks against the register, and licence details where the trade requires them. It's a head start, not a substitute — for a big job, spending five minutes on the government registers yourself is never wasted.