Queensland runs through the QBCC for licensing, the BIF Act for payment, WorkCover Queensland for injury cover, QBI for home warranty, WHSQ priorities for safety, and the BERT redundancy trust. Here is what operating in Queensland means. (Figures are indicative 2025-26 — confirm current.)
Licensing (QBCC)
You need a QBCC licence to carry out or contract building work over $3,300 (incl labour, materials and GST), with a lower threshold for hydraulic services design (over $1,100), and some work is licensed regardless of value — drainage, plumbing and drainage, gasfitting, termite management (chemical), fire protection, residential building inspection, building design and site classification. Employees under a licensed contractor generally do not need their own licence unless they supervise and are responsible for compliance. See QBCC Licensing.
Contracts
Domestic work runs under the Domestic Building Contracts Act 2000 framework via the QBCC — mandatory written contracts above set values, with prescribed information (cooling-off, price, scope, variations) and QBI where insurable. See Residential Contracts & the ACL.
Getting paid (BIF Act)
The Building Industry Fairness (Security of Payment) Act 2017 governs payment claims and adjudication: serve a payment claim, and the respondent must issue a payment schedule within the required timeframe or risk liability for the full claimed amount. On qualifying projects, Project Trust Accounts ring-fence money to protect subcontractor payments — a key head-contractor compliance issue. See QLD BIF Act & Project Trusts and Retention & Trust Release.
Workers' comp (WorkCover QLD)
The average net premium rate is frozen at $1.343 per $100 of wages for 2025-26 (a statewide average; your rate varies by industry classification, wages and claims history). On the timing: workers generally have 6 months from injury to lodge a claim; employers have 8 days from becoming aware to report. See Workers' Compensation.
Home warranty (QBI)
The Queensland Building Insurance / Home Warranty scheme is mandatory for most residential work over $3,300 — the contractor takes the policy in the owner's name and pays the premium before insurable work, and it covers non-completion, defective work and subsidence. Premiums are tiered by insurable value (use the QBCC's premium table or calculator — it is not a flat percentage). See Home Warranty Insurance.
WHS (Workplace Health and Safety Queensland)
The WHSQ watchlist for construction: working at heights, mobile plant, cranes and lifting, electrical risks, silica and hazardous dusts, and psychosocial risks — with targeted inspections on building and civil sites and a focus on supervising young and labour-hire workers. See Model WHS & PCBU Duties.
BERT (redundancy trust)
The Building Employees Redundancy Trust (QLD and NT) is a widely-used approved redundancy fund for site-based workers, with employer contributions set by the relevant industrial instrument. Queensland Public Ruling PTA034 confirms that BERT and QLeave (long-service) contributions are not subject to QLD payroll tax (provided they are not fringe benefits). See Payroll Tax by State and Portable Long Service Leave.
Common mistakes
- Doing building work over $3,300 (or any drainage/gas/plumbing work) without a QBCC licence.
- Missing the BIF Act payment-schedule deadline and becoming liable for the full claim.
- Not setting up a Project Trust Account where one is required.
- Treating the QBI premium as a flat percentage rather than the tiered table.
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