Most homeowners assume that if someone is working as a tradesperson, there’s a licence behind it — a card they could ask to see, a register they could check. With painting in Victoria, that assumption is wrong. Painting and decorating isn’t a licensed trade here, in the same way plumbing or electrical work is. Anyone can put “professional painter” on a van and start quoting jobs, with no qualification required by law.
The state government passed legislation in 2023 to introduce a licensing scheme covering painting and several other construction trades, but as of now it isn’t in effect. Until it is, the responsibility for vetting a painter properly sits entirely with the person hiring one. That’s not necessarily a bad thing — there are excellent painters operating without any government licence requiring it of them — but it does mean homeowners need to do a bit more of the checking themselves. Here’s what’s actually worth checking before you commit to anyone.
Ask About Insurance — Specifically
Every legitimate painting business should carry public liability insurance, and it’s worth asking for the certificate rather than taking it on trust. Industry guidance from the Master Painters Association recommends a minimum of $5 million in cover, with extended protection for risks specific to painting work, such as overspray — the fine droplets from spray equipment that can drift and damage a neighbouring car, fence, or window if a job isn’t managed carefully. If a painter can’t produce proof of current cover, that’s a reasonable enough reason to keep looking.
Check for Industry Association Membership
Because painting isn’t licensed, industry bodies like the Master Painters Association effectively do the vetting that government licensing would otherwise provide. Membership isn’t automatic — applicants need to demonstrate trade qualifications, hold current WorkCover for any employees, and carry adequate public liability insurance before they’re accepted. A painter who’s a current member has already been through a vetting process; one who isn’t may still be perfectly capable, but you’re relying entirely on your own judgement instead.
Get a Written, Itemised Quote — Not a Verbal Estimate
A number scribbled on the back of a business card isn’t a quote. A proper one should specify the surfaces being covered, the number of coats (the Australian Standard for most exterior work is three coats, which is worth knowing if a quote only mentions two), the brand and type of paint being used, and what preparation work is included. Preparation is where corners get cut most often, because it’s the labour-intensive part that doesn’t show up in an after-photo — sanding, filling, priming, and addressing any damp or rot before a single coat goes on. Two quotes that look similar in price can represent very different amounts of actual prep work.
Ask About On-Site Compliance
For any construction-related work, including residential painting, anyone on site is required to hold a White Card — the compulsory WorkSafe Victoria construction induction training. It’s a basic, easy thing to ask about, and a legitimate operator will have it sorted for every painter on the job, not just the person who showed up to quote.
Don’t Default to the Cheapest Quote
This is the part that’s easy to know and still get wrong in the moment. A noticeably cheaper quote usually means less time spent on preparation, a lower-grade paint, or fewer coats — and on an exterior job in Melbourne’s weather, that often shows up as peeling or fading within a year or two, well before it would on a properly prepared surface. Comparing three quotes side by side on scope, not just on the bottom-line number, is the easiest way to catch this before it costs you a second paint job sooner than it should.
The Bottom Line
Because there’s currently no licence standing behind the word “professional” in this trade, the checking that would normally happen at a government level needs to happen at the kitchen-table level instead — insurance, association membership, a detailed written quote, and a couple of direct questions about preparation and compliance. None of it takes long to ask about, and it’s a lot cheaper than finding out the hard way which painter cut corners.
This article was contributed by Classico Painting, a team of professional painters in Melbourne with over 20 years’ experience across residential and commercial projects. Find out more at classicopainting.com.au.