Contractor Onboarding Checklist for Australia
This is what most Australian businesses collect from a contractor or subcontractor before they start. Not every item applies to every job. A cleaner and a scaffolder need different paperwork, so cut the list to suit the work.
1. Check they really are a contractor
Do this first, because the rest of the list assumes the answer is yes.
An ABN does not settle it. As business.gov.au puts it, "having an ABN is not the deciding factor of whether someone is a contractor." The Fair Work Ombudsman looks at the whole of the relationship, not the label on the contract or the invoice.
Super can apply too. The ATO says someone paid mainly for their labour can be an employee for super guarantee purposes, even if they quote an ABN.
2. ABN, checked on ABN Lookup
Ask for their ABN, then look it up on ABN Lookup. It is free and needs no login.
It shows whether the ABN is active or cancelled, the entity and business names behind it, and its GST registration. Check that the name matches the person or business you are actually dealing with.
If a supplier doesn't quote an ABN, the ATO generally requires you to withhold 47% of the payment and send it to the ATO. There are exceptions, such as a whole supply of $75 or less (excluding GST).
3. GST registration
Ask whether they are registered for GST, and confirm it on the same ABN Lookup result. It tells you whether their invoices should include GST.
4. Public liability certificate of currency
Public liability insurance covers someone dying, being injured or having property damaged because of the insured's negligence.
It is required by law only for certain occupations in some states and territories. Many businesses ask for it anyway as a condition of the contract.
Ask for the certificate of currency, not the policy schedule or a quote, and note its expiry date. A certificate that lapses mid-job is the usual gap. What to check on a certificate of currency covers the rest.
5. Workers compensation certificate of currency (if they employ workers)
Employers must hold workers compensation insurance from an authorised insurer. Workers compensation doesn't cover sole traders themselves, so a contractor working alone may have nothing to show you here.
If your subbie employs people, ask for their certificate of currency. Each state and territory runs its own scheme with its own rules, so check with your state regulator about where you stand if a contractor's workers aren't covered.
6. Trade licences
Electrical, plumbing, building and other regulated trades need a licence from the state or territory regulator.
Collect a copy with its expiry date, and check it against the regulator's public register where there is one. In Queensland, for example, the QBCC publishes a licensee register. A photo of a licence card shows what the card says, not whether the licence is current today.
7. White card (construction)
People doing construction work need a general construction induction card, the white card. SafeWork NSW lists site managers, supervisors, surveyors, labourers and tradespeople, and people who enter operational construction zones without supervision.
A card issued in one state is generally recognised in the others. The white card covers who needs one and how to check it.
8. SWMS for high-risk construction work
A safe work method statement (SWMS) is required for the 18 high-risk construction work activities defined in the WHS Regulations. Other construction work doesn't need one, though the general safety duties still apply. Safe Work Australia's interactive SWMS tool walks through what one should contain.
The business carrying out the high-risk work prepares it. On a construction project, the principal contractor must take reasonable steps to get the SWMS from the contractor before that work starts. For the wider picture, see WHS duties when you engage contractors.
9. Bank details
Account name, BSB and account number. Confirm any change of bank details by phone on a number you already hold, not one in the email asking for the change.
Treat bank details as sensitive. They shouldn't sit in an inbox or a shared spreadsheet.
10. A signed contractor agreement
A commercial contract can be legally enforceable whether it is verbal or written, but a written one is far easier to rely on.
At a minimum it should cover the scope of work, payment terms and each party's insurance obligations. If you want to own what they produce, the contract has to say so.
11. Site induction
A white card is a general induction. It does not replace a site induction.
In Queensland, a person must have a site-specific induction before starting construction work (other than housing construction work). Even off a construction site, a short induction covering site rules, emergency procedures and who to report to is good practice.
Record the date each person completed it.
After they start
Much of this list expires. Insurance policies and licences have end dates, and an ABN that was active when they started can be cancelled later.
Keep the expiry date of every certificate and licence, and ask for the renewal before the old one lapses, not after.
Requirements vary by state, industry and the work being done. Treat this as a starting point rather than legal or tax advice, and check your obligations with the ATO, business.gov.au and your state's WHS regulator.
How WorkZerk handles this
WorkZerk's Australian contractor pack asks for each of these in one private link: no account and no password. It records expiry dates, can remind people before a certificate lapses, and keeps everything on the contractor's contact record. AI reads the expiry date on an upload and flags it when it differs from the typed date, but a person at your business approves every document. WorkZerk doesn't verify a licence or policy with the issuer. See contractor onboarding in Australia.