Guide
How to start a cleaning business in Australia
Cleaning is one of the cheapest businesses to start and one of the first to be asked for a certificate of currency. Here is what to register, the award that applies once you hire, the checks commercial clients ask for, and the insurance a cleaning business holds from its first contract.
- The registrations and when GST starts
- The Cleaning Services Award once you hire
- The cover clients ask for before the first job
What you need before the first job
The same registrations as any business: a structure and an ABN, a business name if you trade under one, GST once your turnover reaches $75,000, and PAYG withholding before you pay a first employee. There is no national cleaning licence, but commercial clients commonly ask for a police check, a certificate of currency for public liability, and, for schools and aged care, the working-with-children or screening checks those sectors require.
Most cleaners start as sole traders with their own gear and a car, then add staff and a van. Each of those steps adds a cover.
The rules that apply to a cleaning business
| Rule | What applies |
|---|---|
| Cleaning Services Award | Once you employ cleaners, the Fair Work Ombudsman’s Cleaning Services Award summary sets minimum rates, casual loading, allowances and penalty rates |
| Contract cleaning | The Fair Work Ombudsman has specific help for contract cleaning, including the rules on engaging cleaners as contractors |
| Workers compensation | Compulsory once you employ, from the threshold in your state |
| Super | 12% of qualifying earnings, paid with each payday from 1 July 2026 |
| Chemicals and heights | Window cleaning at height and some chemical work are rated differently by insurers, and work at height usually goes to a broker |
| Client checks | Police checks and sector screening are set by the client, not a licence |
The insurance a cleaning business holds
| Cover | Why |
|---|---|
| Public liability | A client slips on a wet floor, or a vacuum scratches a timber floor. Commercial clients ask for the certificate before you start, often at $10 million or $20 million |
| Tools & equipment | Vacuums, polishers and pressure washers stolen from the car or damaged on a job |
| Commercial vehicle | The car or van that carries you and the gear |
| Workers compensation | Once you employ cleaners |
| Cyber insurance | If you take bookings and payments online and hold clients’ access details or alarm codes |
Our cleaners page covers the limits clients ask for and the questions insurers ask, including keys and alarm codes in your care.
Compare cleaning business insurance
Starting a cleaning business: questions
Do I need a licence to start a cleaning business in Australia?
There is no national cleaning licence. You need an ABN, a business name if you trade under one, and the registrations your turnover and staff trigger. Clients set their own checks, such as police checks and public liability.
What insurance does a cleaning business need?
Public liability first, because clients ask for a certificate of currency before the first job. Then tools and equipment, your vehicle, and workers compensation once you employ.
Do I need to register for GST to clean houses?
Only once your GST turnover reaches $75,000, and then within 21 days. Below that, registration is optional.
What award covers cleaners?
The Cleaning Services Award. The Fair Work Ombudsman’s summary sets the minimum rates, casual loading and penalties once you employ.
Can cleaners compare insurance online?
Yes. Cleaners can compare public liability, tools and vehicle cover online. Window cleaning at height is arranged by a broker.
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Cleaning