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

Beyond licensing: vehicle registration around $841 a year, WorkCover at roughly 3% of wages if you employ anyone, and public liability insurance typically around $1,000 a year for a sole trader.

Trade business costs · NT · 2026-27

How much does a plumber licence cost in the Northern Territory?

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

In 2026-27, plumber licensing in the Northern Territory costs about $500 a year, annualised across renewal periods. Certifying plumber/drainer registration; licence fee $1,000/2yr, annualised ~$500/yr (+ one-off $333 application). NT Plumbers and Drainers Licensing Board. Current fee; 2026-27 not published at review.

About $500 a year in 2026-27, annualised across renewal periods. Certifying plumber/drainer registration; licence fee $1,000/2yr, annualised ~$500/yr (+ one-off $333 application). NT Plumbers and Drainers Licensing Board. Current fee; 2026-27 not published at review. Source: regulator

What it costs to run a plumber business in the Northern Territory

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 Northern Territory, all 2026-27 figures:

Cost	Amount	Notes
Licensing	$500/yr	Annualised across renewal periods
Vehicle rego	$841/yr	Includes MAC (CTP). Engine capacity based. No business surcharge.
WorkCover	3% of wages	Only if you employ anyone. Estimate - NT rates are insurer-set, not gazetted.
Long service levy	0.1% of pay	0.1% of total construction cost for projects >= $1M (NT Build). Construction only; scheme is active. (The scheme repealed in May 2025 was a separate, never-commenced community-services scheme - not NT Build.)
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 NT 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 NT · builders in NT · mechanics in NT

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.