Public liability insurance
Ask to see the certificate of currency. It covers damage to your property while the work is done. We provide ours on request.
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Painting licences in the ACT
Do painters need a licence in the ACT?
No. General house painting is not a licensed trade in the ACT. Unlike NSW, where painting work over a set value needs a licence, the ACT does not licence painters. So the things worth checking are insurance, a registered ABN and proof of past work, not a licence number.
What to check
What to ask a Canberra painter instead of "are you licensed?"
A registered ABN
Confirms a real, declared business. We hold registered ABNs 53 167 065 457 and 93 798 351 838.
References and recent jobs
Photos and a contact or two for similar work in Canberra. Preparation quality is invisible in a finished wall, so references are how you check it.
A written, itemised quote
After an on-site inspection, not a number over the phone. A clear scope is what protects both sides.
Unlicensed is not unqualified
"No licence required" is a rule about the trade, not the painter.
The skill shows up in preparation: washing, sanding, patching and priming, which is exactly where cheap quotes cut corners. Anthony, known locally as Tony, and Tyson are a father and son team. We prepare surfaces properly, match the product to the surface, keep the work tidy in occupied homes, carry public liability insurance and give you references on request. That is what to judge a Canberra painter on.
- Father and son team
- Preparation focused
- Public liability insured
- References on request
- Canberra and ACT
What to ask instead
There is no licence to check, so check these three things.
A current public liability certificate
Ask to see it rather than be told about it, and check the date on it. This is the single document that does the work a licence would do in a licensed trade. We provide ours on request.
A written quote that names the products
Not just a number. The brand, the system and the number of coats, per surface. A quote that will not say what is going on the wall is a quote that can change what goes on the wall.
Recent work you can actually look at
Addresses, photos of finished jobs, or a customer who will take the call. Painting is judged on preparation you cannot see once it is covered, so the only honest proof is work that has been standing a while.
What we take on
Houses only, across Canberra: new builds, repaints inside and out, kitchens and bathrooms, extensions and renovations, heritage restoration and pre-sale presentation. We do not take on commercial sites, strata or body-corporate common areas.
Painter licensing in the ACT: common questions.
Do painters need a licence in the ACT?
No. General house painting is not a licensed occupation in the ACT, so painters here are not issued a trade licence. Check public liability insurance, a registered ABN, and references for similar work instead, as these tell you more about quality and protection than a licence would.
Do I need a licensed painter in the ACT for a rental property?
Painting a rental in the ACT does not require a licensed painter. For body corporate or strata work, the property manager will usually ask the painter for a capability statement and current public liability insurance, both of which a professional painter can provide.
Should a painter have public liability insurance?
Yes. It is not legally required for painting in the ACT, but any professional painter should carry public liability insurance, and you should ask to see the certificate before work starts. It covers accidental damage to your property during the job.
Want a painter who shows the insurance and the references?
Send the suburb, scope and timing. We will come back with the right next step, and the certificate of currency any time you ask.