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Understanding business details

Get to know your tradie before you hire

A Service.com.au profile helps you look beyond the quote. Explore a business’s services, read customer reviews and see photos of past work. Where supplied, you can also find ABN, licence and insurance details in Qualifications & Licences.

Use this guide to understand those details and decide what to ask before work starts.

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What you can learn from a business profile

Start with the work you need done. Look for relevant services and examples of similar jobs, then read the details behind the business.

Services and service area
See the work the business offers and the areas it covers.
Photos of past work
Look for projects similar to yours and ask the business about the work shown.
Customer reviews
Read about other customers’ experiences, including the dates and any replies from the business.
ABN and legal entity name
Compare the business details with the name on your quote or invoice.
Licence details
Find the supplied licence type and number, then follow the register link where available.
Insurance details
See the information the business has shared and ask for a current certificate of insurance.

The information available depends on what the business has added to its profile.

How our business checks help

When a business submits an ABN through our business details form, we look it up on the Australian Business Register. A successful check retrieves the registered legal entity name and ABN status.

On a profile, a dated ABR check shows that the displayed ABN matched an active registration when it was checked. Tap or hover over the icon beside the detail to see its status.

“Provided by the business” means the business supplied that information. A published licence or insurance entry has not been independently verified by Service.com.au.

An ABN check relates to business registration. Check the licence and insurance details separately for your job.

Check a tradie’s licence in the relevant register

In Qualifications & Licences, use View register beside a licence to open the relevant register. Compare the supplied number and holder name, then look at the current status and the classes of work listed.

Ask the business which licensed person or entity will carry out your work. If you cannot find a matching record, ask for clarification before proceeding.

Find a licence register

Choose a state or territory to browse the available registers, or look under National for Australia-wide credentials. The licence you need to check depends on the work being carried out. If a credential is not listed, contact its issuing organisation.

Australian Capital Territory
New South Wales
Northern Territory
Queensland
South Australia
Tasmania
Victoria
Western Australia
National

Ask for insurance details that relate to your job

A profile may include the insurer, type of cover, cover amount and expiry date supplied by the business. Ask for a current certificate of insurance and confirm that it relates to the business doing the work.

For questions about the scope of cover, ask the business to clarify or contact the insurer.

Use reviews and photos to start a conversation

Read the detail in reviews as well as the rating. Comments about communication, timing and the completed work can help you choose what to ask.

Reviews marked “From around the web” come from external sources. Check the date and source when comparing feedback.

If a project photo looks like the work you have in mind, ask the business about it. Discuss the materials, finish and approach they would recommend for your job.

What our profile badges mean

Service.com.au’s Verified, Trusted and Recommended badges reflect profile information and activity.

Verified

To earn the first badge, a business must provide an Australian Business Number (ABN) that passes our number-format check, a business description, a logo, an owner profile photo and at least one picture of past work.

Trusted

To earn the next badge and become a trusted business on Service.com.au , a business must obtain badge 1, have a minimum 2 pictures of past work, have at least 2 real reviews from customers and complete 50% of a customer service questionnaire.

Recommended

To earn the status of a recommended business on Service.com.au, a business must complete the requirements of both of the above badges, have a minimum 3 pictures of past work, at least 5 real reviews from customers, a Facebook link or website back link and have completed 100% of the customer service questionnaire.

A profile badge is separate from a dated ABR check. It does not confirm a current licence or insurance cover.

Before you choose a tradie

Once you have compared profiles, ask for a written quote that sets out the work, price and timing. Confirm the business details and ask any questions about licences or insurance before agreeing to the job.

If something on a Service.com.au profile looks incorrect, contact our team with the profile link and the detail you want us to review.

Contact our team

Questions about business details

Does an active ABN mean a tradie is licensed?

An active ABN records business registration. Trade licences are separate. Use the relevant licence register to check the supplied licence details.

Where can I find a tradie’s licence number?

Open Qualifications & Licences on the business profile. Published numbers appear with the licence details where the business has chosen to display them. If a number is missing, ask the business for it.

What does “Verified on” mean beside an ABN?

It records the date Service.com.au matched the displayed ABN to an active registration through the Australian Business Register. Use the register link to check the latest information.

What if a profile has no licence or insurance details?

Ask the business for the information relevant to your job. An empty section means those details have not been published on that profile.

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