Licensed trades
To work in some trades in NSW, you must be licenced. The Commissioner does not issue licences or qualifications, only a Certificate of Proficiency. You will need to contact the relevant trade organisations to obtain a license.
Do I need a trade license?
A number of trades in NSW require a license issued by the relevant licensing authority. The Commissioner for Vocational Training does not issue licenses.
Below are trade or industry sectors requiring professional licenses and who to contact. You should contact the relevant licensing authority for further information regarding licensing matters.
Aircraft Trades
- Visit the Civil Aviation Safety AuthorityExternal link website or call 13 17 57External link.
Automotive, building, construction, electrical, plumbing and refrigeration/air-conditioning trades
NSW Department of Fair Trade licenses all residential builders, tradespeople specialist and motor vehicle repairers and insurers in NSW.
- for Automotive trades visit Motor repairers licensingExternal link
- for Building and Construction Trades, Electrical, Plumbing, and Refrigeration/Air-Conditioning visit Licence classes and qualificationsExternal link
- for nearest department branch visit the NSW Fair TradingExternal link website or call 13 32 20External link (8.30am to 5.00pm, Mon to Fri).
Related information
- Trades Recognition AustraliaExternal link - Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) is a skills assessment service provider specialising in assessments for people with trade skills gained overseas or in Australia, for the purpose of migration and skills recognition.
- Working in AustraliaExternal link - Information on how to apply for work visas, information on skilled occupations in Australia, licensing and registration requirement and regional employment.
- Federal Department of EducationExternal link - Information about recognition of overseas qualifications in Australia.
- Translation ServicesExternal link - Multicultural NSW Language Services provides comprehensive interpreting and translation services in 104 languages and dialects.