Electrician, plumber, carpenter, painter, or something else, the setup steps are largely the same. Here's the full checklist, in order.
Whatever your trade, going out on your own follows roughly the same path. The details, licensing, insurance minimums, differ by trade and by state, but the shape of the job is the same for almost everyone. Here's the checklist.
Most tradies starting alone go with sole trader, the simplest option. Two people going in together is usually a partnership. See our guide on sole trader vs partnership vs company if you're unsure.
Done through the government's own service, register.business.gov.au, about 15 to 20 minutes. You generally need to register for GST once your GST turnover reaches, or you expect it to reach, $75,000, check current ATO guidance or an accountant for your circumstances.
Your trade association is usually the fastest way to get a straight answer here, most offer a free info call for exactly this kind of question.
A broker can tell you what suits your specific trade and risk, get a few quotes before settling on one.
You'll need a way to send quotes and invoices, take card payments, and keep records for tax time. Traditionally these are separate logins and separate subscriptions, worth looking for something that connects the three rather than juggling them apart.
A website, a business email, and a Google Business Profile are what turn "I've gone out on my own" into something a customer can actually find and trust. This is often the step tradies underestimate, and the one that takes longest to do properly from scratch.
Done one step at a time, this checklist easily stretches into weeks. Build your Biz helps organise the practical launch work in parallel: your website, business email, invoicing, payment setup and Google Business Profile, while you register your ABN and confirm the licensing, insurance and professional advice relevant to your situation. We aim to have the practical launch materials ready within 2 to 3 business days once your registration and the details we need are in place.
Decide your structure, then register your ABN. Everything else can happen in parallel once that's underway.
An ABN, a licence, and other registrations each serve a different purpose, whether each one applies to you depends on your trade, your state, and your circumstances. Check the relevant government and trade regulator guidance before you start work. A polished website and Google listing aren't a legal requirement, but they're what turns one job into a steady stream of them.
Government registration fees can change, check the current ASIC fee schedule before applying, they're roughly in the $45 to $105 range for a business name at time of writing. Everything else varies widely depending on your trade, tools, insurance and software choices, worth getting a few quotes and comparing what's actually included before committing.
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