What else does it cost to run a plumber business in the ACT?

Beyond licensing: vehicle registration around $1,283 a year, WorkCover at roughly 4.29% of wages if you employ anyone, and public liability insurance typically around $1,000 a year for a sole trader.

Trade business costs · ACT · 2026-27

How much does a plumber licence cost in the ACT?

Q: How much does a plumber licence cost in the ACT? (2026-27)

In 2026-27, plumber licensing in the ACT costs about $160 a year, annualised across renewal periods. Drainer/Gasfitter/Plumber 3-year licence term fee $479.83, annualised ~$160/yr (Access Canberra, DI2025-166). Current 2025-26; 2026-27 not published at review.

About $160 a year in 2026-27, annualised across renewal periods. Drainer/Gasfitter/Plumber 3-year licence term fee $479.83, annualised ~$160/yr (Access Canberra, DI2025-166). Current 2025-26; 2026-27 not published at review. Source: regulator

What it costs to run a plumber business in the ACT

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

Cost	Amount	Notes
Licensing	$160/yr	Annualised across renewal periods
Vehicle rego	$1,283/yr	CTP partially included (choose insurer). Business CTP $30-60 more than personal. Emissions + weight based.
WorkCover	4.29% of wages	Only if you employ anyone. ANZSIC 3231 Plumbing Services suggested reasonable premium rate 2026-27 (ACT).
Long service levy	2.75% of pay	2.75% of ordinary pay. Highest PLSL rate in AU. Construction industry only. ACT Leave.
Public liability	~$1,000/yr	Sole-trader plumber public liability, ~$5-20M cover: typical ~$900-1,200/yr. VIC plumbers must hold compulsory plumber's warranty/consumer-protection cover, usually bundled into the policy - not a separate charge.

How ACT compares: plumber licence fees by state

State	Annualised licence cost
New South Wales	$260/yr
Victoria	$369/yr
Queensland	$324/yr
Western Australia	$269/yr
South Australia	$598/yr
Tasmania	$500/yr
ACT	$160/yr
Northern Territory	$500/yr

Other trades: electricians in ACT · builders in ACT · mechanics in ACT

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.