OpSpot Blog
Industry Best Practices
Subcontractor Pre-Qualification Checklist for Australian Head Contractors
29 October 2026
Short answer: before a subcontractor starts on your job, check that their ABN is active, their licence is current and covers the work, their public liability and workers' compensation insurance are current, every worker has a white card, and you have a SWMS for any high risk construction work. In NSW, also get a signed Subcontractor's Statement. Then keep checking: licences can be suspended and insurance expires every year.
Facts checked against Australian Government and state regulator sources on 21 October 2026. This is a practical checklist, not legal advice; your head contract may require more.
The checklist
| # | Check | What to ask for | How to verify | When to re-check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business identity | ABN, legal entity name, trading name | Search ABN Lookup (abr.business.gov.au): the ABN is active, the name matches, and GST registration matches their invoices | Before the first payment |
| 2 | Licence for the trade | Licence number and class | Search the state register (see below). The licence is current, the class covers the work, and the name matches the entity you're contracting | At expiry, and periodically: licences can be suspended mid-term |
| 3 | Public liability insurance | Certificate of currency | The insured name matches, the cover limit meets your head contract, the policy covers their trade, and it hasn't expired | Before expiry, every year |
| 4 | Workers' compensation | Certificate of currency if they have workers. In NSW, a signed Subcontractor's Statement | Check the insured name and dates. Keep the statement on file | Every year, and for each new contract period |
| 5 | Other insurance your contract requires | For example contract works or professional indemnity for design work | Same as public liability | Before expiry |
| 6 | White cards | General construction induction card for every worker they send | Sight the card. White cards are recognised Australia-wide | For each new worker on site |
| 7 | High risk work licences | For work such as scaffolding, rigging, cranes or forklifts | Sight the licence for each operator. It's separate from the white card | At expiry |
| 8 | SWMS | A safe work method statement for any high risk construction work | Read it before the work starts: does it match the actual task and site? | When the task or method changes |
| 9 | Signed subcontract | Scope, rates, variations clause, payment terms | Your own template, signed by both parties | For each job |
| 10 | Bank details | Account name, BSB and number on their letterhead | Confirm by phone on a number you already have, never one from the email | Whenever they ask to change them |
Where to check a licence
| State | Register | Our step-by-step guide |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | NSW Government Verify a licence (verify.licence.nsw.gov.au) | How to check a licence in NSW |
| Victoria | Building and Plumbing Commission Find and check a practitioner | How to check a builder's registration in Victoria |
| Queensland | QBCC licence search | How to check a QBCC licence |
Workers' compensation: the state differences that catch head contractors
- NSW: get a signed Subcontractor's Statement. Revenue NSW can recover a subcontractor's unpaid payroll tax from the principal contractor when the tax relates to wages for work under your contract, it wasn't paid within 60 days of the end of the financial year, and you didn't obtain a signed statement. The form (Revenue NSW OPT 011, "Subcontractor's Statement regarding Worker's Compensation, Payroll Tax and Remuneration") says a correctly completed statement relieves the principal contractor of liability for the subcontractor's workers' compensation premiums, payroll tax and remuneration. Keep a copy: currently up to seven years.
- Victoria: WorkSafe Victoria says that each time you hire a contractor you must work out whether they count as your "worker". If they do, you become their employer for WorkCover purposes and include what you pay them in your remuneration.
- Queensland: WorkCover Queensland says some contractors are treated as workers, and the test looks at the working arrangement. Check its guidance on who your policy needs to cover.
Safety documents: white cards and SWMS
- White card. Workers must show their general construction induction card to the business running the site, and to inspectors who ask. It's earned through the course "Prepare to work safely in the construction industry" and recognised across Australia.
- SWMS. A business carrying out high risk construction work must prepare a SWMS, keep it, follow it and review it, and give it to the principal contractor. High risk construction work includes, among other things, work with a risk of falling more than 2 metres, work on or near energised electrical installations, disturbing asbestos, and demolition of load-bearing elements.
Keep checking after day one
A one-off check goes stale fast. Insurance renews every year, licences expire, and a regulator can cancel or suspend a licence mid-term. Keep each document with an expiry date and set a reminder before it lapses, so you're not finding out from an incident or an auditor.
Doing this in OpSpot
- Licences and insurance on each person, with the number, issuing body, dates and a copy of the certificate. OpSpot emails the person 15 days before a document expires (see Subcontractor licence and insurance tracking).
- NSW licences checked against the government register when they're added and again every week, so a licence cancelled or suspended mid-term shows up.
- Subcontractors keep their own documents current in their own company, so your office doesn't re-key them.
- SWMS, subcontractor statements and certificates can sit in the project's files, with access levels that control who sees them (see Construction document management).
- QR code sign-in records who was on site and when (see Site checklists with photo proof).
FAQ
What is subcontractor pre-qualification? It's the checks a head contractor makes before a subcontractor starts work: who they are, that they're licensed and insured for the job, and that their workers and methods meet safety requirements.
How often should I re-check a subcontractor? At every expiry date as a minimum, and periodically for licences, which can be suspended or cancelled before they expire. Insurance certificates usually renew every year.
Do I need a Subcontractor's Statement in NSW? It's strongly advisable if you're the principal contractor. Revenue NSW's form says a correctly completed statement relieves you of liability for the subcontractor's workers' compensation premiums, payroll tax and remuneration, which you could otherwise be pursued for.
Is a white card enough for scaffolding or crane work? No. A white card is general construction induction. Work such as scaffolding, rigging, cranes and forklifts needs the relevant high risk work licence as well.
Sources
- Australian Business Register: ABN Lookup
- NSW Government: Verify a licence
- Building and Plumbing Commission (Victoria): Find and check a practitioner
- QBCC: Queensland Building and Construction Commission
- Revenue NSW: Contractors and payroll tax · Subcontractor's Statement (OPT 011)
- WorkSafe Victoria: Understand if contractors are considered workers for WorkCover insurance purposes
- WorkSafe Queensland: Who your policy needs to cover
- Safe Work Australia: Working on a construction site · Managing risks
