Do mechanics need a licence in New South Wales? (2026-27)

No - mechanics aren't a licensed trade in any Australian state or territory, so the licence fee in New South Wales is $0. The running costs below still apply.

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

Beyond licensing: vehicle registration around $1,540 a year, WorkCover at roughly 3.69% 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

Do mechanics need a licence in New South Wales?

No licence required - $0. Mechanics aren't a licensed trade in any Australian state or territory. Running a workshop in New South Wales still carries the fixed costs below.

What it costs to run a mechanic 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 mechanics in New South Wales, all 2026-27 figures:

Cost	Amount	Notes
Licensing	$0	Not a licensed trade
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	3.69% of wages	Only if you employ anyone. WIC 532900 Automotive Repair and Services nec rate, frozen for 2026-27.
Public liability	~$750/yr	Public liability $10M cover - mid-range for sole trader on $100-200K revenue. Range: $550-$1,200.

How NSW compares: mechanic licence fees by state

State	Annualised licence cost
New South Wales	$0
Victoria	$0
Queensland	$0
Western Australia	$0
South Australia	$0
Tasmania	$0
ACT	$0
Northern Territory	$0

Other trades: electricians in NSW · plumbers in NSW · builders 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.