What a handyman can legally do in Queensland without a licence
Queensland has one of the lowest licensing thresholds in the country. Cross $3,300 — labour, materials and GST together — and the job legally needs a QBCC-licensed contractor, no matter how simple it looks.
The $3,300 ceiling
In Queensland an unlicensed person may carry out building work valued at no more than $3,300. That figure includes labour, materials and GST — not labour alone, which is the assumption that catches people out. The QBCC applies it to the total value of the project, not to individual invoices.
That last point matters. Breaking a $6,000 job into two $3,000 invoices does not bring it under the threshold, and treating it that way is treated as non-compliance rather than clever scheduling. The threshold is a project test, not a paperwork test.
Queensland’s limit is materially lower than the equivalents interstate, which is why tradespeople moving here from New South Wales or Victoria are frequently surprised by what now needs a licence.
Work that needs a licence at any value
Some work sits outside the threshold entirely. Electrical and plumbing work of any value can only be carried out by appropriately licensed individuals — there is no dollar figure below which a handyman may legally do it. A $40 powerpoint swap is unlicensed electrical work.
There is also a lower trigger that is far less well known. Building work is caught at $1,100 rather than $3,300 where it involves drainage, plumbing and drainage, gas fitting, chemical termite management, or fire protection. If your job touches any of those, the ceiling drops.
The rule that is not the handyman rule
Owner-builders work to a different figure. An owner carrying out work on their own property is subject to an $11,000 threshold, not $3,300. These two numbers get conflated constantly, including by tradespeople. They are separate rules covering separate situations, and the $11,000 figure does not extend to anyone you pay to do the work.
Why it is worth checking
Above the threshold, licensed work comes with a written contract and access to the QBCC-administered Queensland Home Warranty Scheme, which covers defective, incomplete or subsidence-affected residential work. Unlicensed work above the threshold is outside that scheme entirely — if it goes wrong, the protection is not there to claim on.
The QBCC maintains a free public licence register. A licence number takes under a minute to verify, and a good operator will offer it before being asked. For work comfortably under the threshold — hanging shelves, assembling furniture, patching a screen — no licence is required and none of this applies.
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum value of work a handyman can do in Queensland?
A handyman may carry out building work valued at no more than $3,300, provided it is not electrical or plumbing work and does not require an occupational licence. The $3,300 includes labour, materials and GST.
Does the $3,300 limit apply per invoice or per job?
Per job. The QBCC applies the threshold to the total value of the project, not to individual invoices. Splitting a larger job into smaller invoices to stay under the figure is treated as non-compliant.
Can a handyman do electrical or plumbing work in Queensland?
No. Electrical and plumbing work of any value can only be carried out by appropriately licensed individuals. There is no dollar threshold below which unlicensed electrical or plumbing work is permitted.
Is there a lower threshold than $3,300 for some work?
Yes. Building work is caught at $1,100 where it involves drainage, plumbing and drainage, gas fitting, chemical termite management, or fire protection.
Is the owner-builder limit the same $3,300?
No. An owner carrying out work on their own property works to an $11,000 threshold. That is a separate rule and it does not apply to anyone you hire to do the work.
How do I check whether a Brisbane handyman is licensed?
The QBCC maintains a free public online licence search. You can look up a contractor by licence number, business name or ABN, and the register shows the class of work the licence actually covers.
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