Reference
Melbourne trade credentials explained
Plain-English definitions for every credential on a Melbourne Trade HQ listing — what it means, who has it, why it matters, and where you can verify it.
ESV Electrical Contractor Licence (REC)
A Registered Electrical Contractor (REC) licence, issued by Energy Safe Victoria (ESV), authorises a business to carry out electrical installation work in Victoria. Any business that installs, alters, or repairs electrical wiring must hold an REC licence — individual electricians hold separate Electrical Worker Licences (A-grade or restricted).
After completing prescribed electrical work the REC must issue a Certificate of Electrical Safety (CES) and lodge it with ESV. The CES is your statutory proof the work was done by a licensed contractor and complies with AS/NZS 3000 (the Wiring Rules). Insurance companies and conveyancers ask for it; you should keep every CES on file.
On Melbourne Trade HQ, a verified electrical credential includes the business's REC number. You can confirm any REC against the ESV public register.
Verify on the ESV register of licensed electriciansVBA Plumbing Licence
A VBA Plumbing Licence is the Victorian Building Authority licence required for any plumber carrying out work covered by the Plumbing Regulations. Plumbers can be Licensed (independent) or Registered (must work under supervision). Classes include water supply, drainage, sanitary, gas-fitting, roofing (stormwater), mechanical services, and fire protection.
It is illegal in Victoria to engage an unlicensed plumber for any prescribed plumbing work. After completing prescribed work, a Licensed plumber must issue a Compliance Certificate and lodge it with the VBA — this certificate is your statutory proof the work meets the Plumbing Regulations and the Plumbing Code of Australia.
On Melbourne Trade HQ, a verified plumbing credential includes the licence number and the licensed classes. You can confirm any plumber against the VBA Find a Practitioner register.
Verify on the VBA Find a Plumber registerVBA Registered Building Practitioner
A VBA Registered Building Practitioner is registered with the Victorian Building Authority to carry out building work. Domestic categories include Domestic Builder Unlimited (DB-U), Limited (DB-L), and Manager (DB-M); other classes include Demolisher, Erector/Supervisor, Restricted Building Work, and trade specialists like Carpentry and Bricklaying.
Domestic building work over $10,000 in Victoria must be carried out by a registered Building Practitioner in the appropriate class. Work over $16,000 also requires Domestic Building Insurance lodged before any deposit is paid.
On Melbourne Trade HQ, a verified Building Practitioner credential shows the registration number and the class. You can confirm any practitioner against the VBA Find a Practitioner register.
Verify on the VBA Find a Building Practitioner registerARCtick Refrigerant Handling Licence
An ARCtick (Australian Refrigeration Council) licence is required for any technician handling refrigerant gases — installing, servicing, decommissioning, or charging air-conditioning and refrigeration systems. The licence is administered nationally by the ARC under Commonwealth Ozone Protection legislation.
It is illegal anywhere in Australia to install or service refrigerant air-conditioning without an ARCtick licence — which means almost every domestic split-system or ducted aircon install needs an ARC-licensed technician on site.
On Melbourne Trade HQ, a verified ARCtick credential shows the licence number. You can confirm any ARC licensee against the ARCtick public lookup.
Verify on the ARCtick licensee lookupWorkCover (WorkSafe Victoria)
WorkCover is Victoria's compulsory workplace injury insurance, administered by WorkSafe Victoria. Almost every employer in Victoria must register and pay WorkCover premiums. It covers workers if they are injured on the job — protecting both the worker and the homeowner from out-of-pocket medical and wage liability.
If a worker is injured on your property and the business does not carry WorkCover, you can be drawn into a personal-injury liability claim. Hiring a WorkCover-registered business transfers that risk to the WorkSafe scheme.
WorkCover registration can be confirmed via WorkSafe Victoria. On Melbourne Trade HQ, premium listings link to the WorkSafe verification process where applicable.
Verify on the WorkSafe Victoria — WorkCover InsurancePublic Liability Insurance
Public Liability Insurance covers a contractor's legal liability for property damage or bodily injury caused by their work. For Victorian trades, $5 million in coverage is the typical minimum; $10–20 million is standard for larger commercial contractors.
If a plumber's solder joint fails six months after the install and floods your living room, the plumber's public liability policy is what pays for the damage. No insurance — or insufficient coverage — and you are chasing the contractor personally for compensation, often through VCAT or the Magistrates Court.
On Melbourne Trade HQ, verified public liability shows the coverage amount and policy expiry date. The certificate of currency is held privately on file — not displayed publicly, but checked at verification.
Australian Business Number (ABN)
An Australian Business Number (ABN) is an 11-digit identifier issued by the Australian Business Register and used for all business-to-business invoicing and tax dealings in Australia. A business with no ABN is not legally registered to invoice for services in Australia.
A current, active ABN registered to the trading name on your quote is the baseline trust signal — it tells you the business actually exists in the eyes of the ATO and the Australian Business Register. You can look up any ABN free at ABN Lookup.
On Melbourne Trade HQ, a verified ABN credential includes the ABN and the registered legal name. We confirm the entity is active before publishing.
Verify on the ABN LookupGST Registration
GST registration confirms a business is registered with the Australian Taxation Office to collect and remit Goods and Services Tax. Australian businesses with annual turnover of $75,000 or more must register for GST and charge 10% on taxable supplies.
A GST-registered business on a quote is one that is legally invoicing for taxable services. Cash-only deals at suspiciously low prices that skip GST are often signs of an unregistered or under-the-table operation — risky for warranty, insurance, and consumer-protection reasons.
You can confirm any business's GST status free at ABN Lookup using its ABN. Melbourne Trade HQ premium listings show the GST registration where verified.
Verify on the ABN Lookup (shows GST registration status)Victorian industry associations
Victorian industry associations are voluntary professional bodies for specific trades. Membership signals continuing education, peer accountability, and (for some associations) access to dispute-resolution programmes, builder warranty schemes, and ongoing technical training.
Common Victorian and national associations on Melbourne Trade HQ listings include Master Builders Victoria (MBV), Master Plumbers Australia (Victoria), the National Electrical and Communications Association (NECA Victoria), the Air Conditioning and Mechanical Contractors Association (AMCA), the Housing Industry Association (HIA), and the Master Painters Association of Victoria.
Association membership is voluntary — non-membership does not mean a business is unqualified. But for high-stakes work like a re-roof or a major renovation, association membership signals a contractor invested in industry standards beyond the legal minimum.
See verified credentials in action
Every premium Melbourne Trade HQ listing displays the credentials above with “Verify ↗” links to the public register that issued each one. Read how we verify Melbourne trades or what permits Melbourne work requires.