Trade business costs · SA · 2026-27
About $598 a year in 2026-27, annualised across renewal periods. Electrical contractor licence renewal $488/yr + electrical worker registration $331/3yr (~$110/yr); a working sole trader holds both = ~$598/yr (Consumer and Business Services SA). Upgraded from estimate. Current fee; 2026-27 not published at review. Source: regulator
The licence is the cost everyone googles - it's rarely the one that hurts. Here's the rest of the fixed-cost picture for electricians in South Australia, all 2026-27 figures:
| Cost | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Licensing | $598/yr | Annualised across renewal periods |
| Vehicle rego | $1,186/yr | CTP partially included (choose insurer). Cylinders + location based. |
| WorkCover | 1.97% of wages | Only if you employ anyone. SAIC 323206 Electrical Services industry premium rate, effective 1 July 2026 (RTWSA). |
| Long service levy | 2% of pay | 2.0% of remuneration. Construction industry only. Bi-monthly returns. Confirmed current 2026. |
| Public liability | ~$750/yr | Public liability $10M cover - mid-range for sole trader on $100-200K revenue. Range: $550-$1,200. |
| State | Annualised licence cost |
|---|---|
| New South Wales | $260/yr |
| Victoria | $118/yr |
| Queensland | $449/yr |
| Western Australia | $622/yr |
| South Australia | $598/yr |
| Tasmania | $647/yr |
| ACT | $160/yr |
| Northern Territory | $507/yr |
Other trades: plumbers in SA · builders in SA · mechanics in SA
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 figrdFigures 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.