What else does it cost to run a builder business in New South Wales?

Beyond licensing: vehicle registration around $1,540 a year, WorkCover at roughly 4.84% of wages if you employ anyone, and public liability insurance typically around $750 a year for a sole trader.

Trade business costs · NSW · 2026-27

How much does a builder licence cost in New South Wales?

Q: How much does a builder licence cost in New South Wales? (2026-27)

In 2026-27, builder licensing in New South Wales costs about $520 a year, annualised across renewal periods. Building contractor licence renewal, annualised ($569/1yr to $2,380/5yr; 5yr ~$476/yr). 2026-27 not published at review; current in-force fee shown.

About $520 a year in 2026-27, annualised across renewal periods. Building contractor licence renewal, annualised ($569/1yr to $2,380/5yr; 5yr ~$476/yr). 2026-27 not published at review; current in-force fee shown. Source: regulator

What it costs to run a builder business in New South Wales

The licence is the cost everyone googles - it's rarely the one that hurts. Here's the rest of the fixed-cost picture for builders in New South Wales, all 2026-27 figures:

Cost	Amount	Notes
Licensing	$520/yr	Annualised across renewal periods
Vehicle rego	$1,540/yr	Excludes Green Slip (CTP purchased separately, ~$550-900). MVT is $897 for business use vs $579 personal (1505-2504kg). Business surcharge: $318.
WorkCover	4.84% of wages	Only if you employ anyone. WIC 411100 House Construction rate, frozen for 2026-27 (residential building nec is higher, 5.09%).
Long service levy	0.25% of pay	0.25% of project cost for works ≥$250K. Project-based, not wage-based. Construction only.
Public liability	~$750/yr	Public liability $10M cover - mid-range for sole trader on $100-200K revenue. Range: $550-$1,200.

How NSW compares: builder licence fees by state

State	Annualised licence cost
New South Wales	$520/yr
Victoria	$748/yr
Queensland	$406/yr
Western Australia	$179/yr
South Australia	$570/yr
Tasmania	$470/yr
ACT	$400/yr
Northern Territory	$500/yr

Other trades: electricians in NSW · plumbers in NSW · mechanics in NSW

These costs are why your hourly rate isn't your wage

Every dollar above has to come out of the jobs you do - before you've paid yourself a cent. If your charge-out rate was set by asking around, odds are it doesn't carry these costs plus the vehicle, tools, fuel and the quiet weeks.

Two minutes in our free hourly rate calculator shows what you're actually keeping per hour. figrd then does that thinking on every quote - your real costs, built into every price.

Get set up with figrd

Figures are for the 2026-27 financial year, last reviewed 2026-06-28. Annualised licence costs spread multi-year renewals across each year. Where a regulator had not yet published its 2026-27 fees at that review, the current fee is shown. WorkCover rates are base or suggested rates - your actual premium depends on claims history - and insurance figures are market estimates, not official rates. Always confirm current figures with your state regulator before relying on them. This is general information, not financial advice.