How to Verify a Tradesperson's Licence in Queensland

Most employers verify a trade licence by looking at a photo of a card. That tells you what was true on the day the photo was taken, which may have been years ago.

Licences expire. They get suspended. They get downgraded. And in every case the card in the photo still looks fine.

Here is the actual check, by trade.

Electrical

What to verify: the licence class, not just that one exists.

Queensland has six worker licence classes - electrical mechanic, electrical fitter, electrical linesperson, electrical jointer, restricted electrical work, and the electrical work training permit. An electrical mechanic licence covers all electrical work. An electrical fitter cannot install wiring. A restricted licence covers only electrical work attached to another trade.

Also verify your own. Your business needs an electrical contractor licence to contract for electrical work. Check it is current at the same time.

Plumbing and drainage

What to verify: whether it is an occupational licence, and whether it is restricted.

Queensland issues occupational licences to individuals and contractor licences to businesses. Restricted variants - water plumber, on-site sewage facility drainer - cover defined portions of the work only.

Gas is separate. If the role touches gas work, that is its own gasfitting authorisation. Check it independently.

Refrigeration and air conditioning

What to verify: the ARCtick licence class.

There are twelve classes. RAC01 is the full stationary licence and what most commercial and industrial roles need. RSS03 covers split systems under 18kW only. RRR10, RRR11 and RRR12 are recovery-only. TL000 is a trainee licence requiring supervision as a legal condition, not a preference.

All of them appear on a CV as "ARCtick licensed".

Your business needs a Refrigerant Trading Authorisation to acquire, possess or dispose of bulk refrigerant. That is separate from your technician's licence and runs on a three-year cycle.

Solar

What to verify: SAA accreditation, not CEC.

Solar Accreditation Australia replaced the Clean Energy Council scheme in 2024. Verify the accreditation type - Design Only, Install Only, Design & Install, or GCBS for battery work, which is separate.

Then verify the electrical licence underneath it, because SAA requires one for Install accreditation and it can lapse independently of the accreditation.

The five-minute process

1. Get the licence number, not a photo. If someone will not give you the number, that is information.
2. Search the relevant public register - QBCC for plumbing and building, WorkSafe Queensland for electrical, the ARC for refrigerant handling, SAA for solar.
3. Confirm three things: status is current, the class covers your actual work, and the name matches your candidate.
4. Check expiry dates, and diarise the ones that fall inside the person's first year.
5. Check your own business licences in the same session.

Why it is worth the five minutes

Because the exposure does not sit with the tradesperson. Picture a technician who genuinely believes his licence is current, having renewed everything else that year, and it lapsed eight months ago. He is not being dishonest. The work he has done for you since is still unlicensed work, and the conversation you have with your client and your insurer is the same either way.

Five minutes at shortlist stage, once per candidate.

HJ Recruitment verifies licences and tickets on every candidate before they reach a client shortlist. We place permanent electrical, plumbing, HVAC and refrigeration, fire and solar tradespeople with Australian employers.

Sources- WorkSafe Queensland - Classes of electrical licences- QBCC - Plumbing and drainage licences- ARC - Refrigerant Handling Licence types- Solar Accreditation Australia