You check a contractor's trade licence by looking it up on the public register run by the licensing regulator in the state or territory where the work happens. A photo of a licence card, a number on a quote or a signed certificate of compliance is a claim. The register entry is the evidence. If the two don't match, the register wins.
Why isn't a licence card or certificate enough?
A licence card shows what was true when the card was printed. Licences can lapse, be suspended, be cancelled or carry new conditions after that day. The card in someone's wallet does not change when that happens.
A certificate of compliance has a similar limit. It records that a licensed person said the work met the standard. It is only as good as the licence of the person who signed it, and the work it describes. A certificate on file proves a form was completed. On its own, it does not prove the person signing was licensed to sign, or that the work matches the paper.
None of this means contractors are hiding anything. Most lapses are admin: a renewal missed during a busy month. The problem is that the paper on file keeps looking valid long after it stops being true.
Where do you check a trade licence?
Licences are issued and recorded by state and territory regulators, so the register depends on where the work is done. Most regulators publish a free public search. Examples include NSW Fair Trading's licence check, the QBCC licence search in Queensland, and the public registers kept by Access Canberra in the ACT.
Some trades have their own regulator. Electrical licences, for example, are often issued by a different body from builder or plumber licences in the same state. If you can't find a licence where you expect it, check which regulator covers that trade before assuming it doesn't exist.
What should you check on the register?
Look the licence up by number, then confirm each of these against what the contractor gave you:
- Licence holder. The name on the register matches the person or business doing the work. For a company, check the name against the ABN on the contract.
- Status. The licence is current, not expired, suspended or cancelled.
- Expiry date. The work falls before the expiry date, not just today's visit.
- Class or category. The licence covers the type of work being done. A licence for one class of work does not cover another.
- Conditions. Any conditions or restrictions on the licence fit the job.
- The signer. For a certificate of compliance, the person who signed it holds a current licence of the right class.
If something doesn't match, ask the contractor before drawing conclusions. A recent renewal, a name change or a company restructure can all explain a gap. If it still doesn't match, contact the regulator.
What can a register not tell you?
A register confirms who holds a licence and whether it is current. It does not inspect the work. A current licence and a valid certificate are not proof that a particular job was done properly. That still takes a site inspection, an independent check or the regulator's own audit.
Registers also vary. Some show conditions and disciplinary history, some don't. Some update the same day, some lag. Treat a register search as strong evidence, not the final word.
Why does this keep getting skipped?
Because checking by hand doesn't scale. One contractor with one licence takes a few minutes. A panel of two hundred contractors, each with a licence in a different state, renewing at different times, becomes a job nobody was hired for. So teams collect the paperwork, file it, and trust it.
How does Vettedmark handle trade licences?
Vettedmark keeps one compliance record for each contractor. Trade licences are uploaded by the contractor and reviewed by the Vettedmark compliance team. For NSW licences, the team also checks the licence against the NSW Government licence register and keeps a record of what the register showed. Once approved, the record carries the licence's expiry date, and the contractor's status changes to not verified automatically when that date passes. Nobody sets a status by hand.
Two limits worth stating plainly. Vettedmark checks the paperwork, not the work itself. And verification is point-in-time: it confirms what the evidence showed when it was reviewed.
Teams who engage contractors can book a walkthrough or send their contractor list for a free check. Contractors can see how their record works on the contractor page.
Frequently asked questions
Is a licence number on a quote enough?
No. A number tells you where to look, not what you'll find. Look it up on the regulator's register and confirm the name, status, class and expiry.
Is a certificate of compliance proof the work is compliant?
It is a licensed person's statement that the work meets the standard. Check that the person who signed it holds a current licence of the right class. The certificate does not replace an inspection when one is needed.
Does a licence from one state cover work in another?
Not always. Many trades are covered by mutual recognition arrangements between states, but the rules differ by trade and by state. Check with the regulator where the work is done.
Does Vettedmark check licence registers?
For NSW, yes. The compliance team checks NSW licences against the NSW Government register and records the result. That check confirms the licence holder and that the licence is current. It does not confirm the licence class, so the team still reviews that from the licence itself. Licences from other states are reviewed by the team by hand. What is automatic is the status change when an approved licence reaches its expiry date.