Check whether you are paid as registered. A registered plumber's minimum is $32.80 an hour; the same tradesperson paid as unregistered gets $31.63 — the $44.76 weekly registration allowance is the difference.
Which award covers plumbers
Plumbers employed by plumbing, gasfitting, drainage and mechanical services contractors are covered by the Plumbing and Fire Sprinklers Award 2020 [MA000036]. A qualified plumber is a plumbing and mechanical services tradesperson; levels 2, special class and advanced tradesperson recognise further qualifications set out in Schedule A.
A plumber's minimum is more than the clause 18.1 rate. Every plumbing employee gets an industry allowance ($41.41 a week) and a special fixed allowance ($7.70); tradespersons also get the plumbing trade allowance ($33.57); and a tradesperson registered under state plumbing legislation gets a registration allowance ($44.76). All four are paid for all purposes, so they flow into overtime, penalties and leave.
The table rates are for weekly hire employees. Daily hire employees receive an additional lost time loading (cl 21.3(i)) and have their own Schedule C.2 rates.
Fire sprinkler fitters are covered by the same award but have different allowances; their rates are not shown here.
Read the Plumbing and Fire Sprinklers Award 2020 [MA000036] on the Fair Work Commission’s site (consolidated to 16 September 2026).
Plumber award pay rates 2026–27
These rates apply from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. Part-time employees are paid the same hourly rates for the hours they work.
Registered plumber pay rates, 2026–27 (weekly hire)
Weekly = clause 18.1 minimum + industry, plumbing trade, registration and special fixed allowances ($127.44 a week in total). Hourly and casual rates are exactly as published in Schedule C.1.3 and C.1.6.
| Classification | Hourly | Weekly (38 hrs) | Annual | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbing and mechanical services tradesperson level 1 (registered)Qualified, registered plumber | $32.80 | $1,246.54 | $64,820 | $41.00 |
| Plumbing and mechanical services tradesperson level 2 (registered) | $33.73 | $1,281.74 | $66,650 | $42.16 |
| Tradesperson special class level 1 (registered) | $34.65 | $1,316.84 | $68,476 | $43.31 |
| Tradesperson special class level 2 (registered) | $35.49 | $1,348.54 | $70,124 | $44.36 |
| Advanced tradesperson level 1 (registered) | $36.41 | $1,383.74 | $71,954 | $45.51 |
| Advanced tradesperson level 2 (registered) | $37.12 | $1,410.54 | $73,348 | $46.40 |
Annual is the weekly rate × 52, before tax and before superannuation. Casual hourly includes the 25% casual loading.
Plumbing workers and unregistered tradespersons (weekly hire)
Workers get the industry and special fixed allowances (level 2 also gets the plumbing trade allowance); unregistered tradespersons get everything except the registration allowance. Hourly and casual rates are Schedule C.1.3 and C.1.6.
| Classification | Hourly | Weekly (38 hrs) | Annual | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbing worker level 1(a) — new entrant | $27.97 | $1,062.71 | $55,261 | $34.96 |
| Plumbing worker level 1(b) — after 3 months | $28.49 | $1,082.71 | $56,301 | $35.61 |
| Plumbing worker level 1(c) — after 12 months | $28.85 | $1,096.41 | $57,013 | $36.06 |
| Plumbing worker level 1(d) | $29.26 | $1,112.01 | $57,825 | $36.58 |
| Plumbing worker level 2 | $31.63 | $1,201.78 | $62,493 | $39.54 |
| Tradesperson level 1 (not registered) | $31.63 | $1,201.78 | $62,493 | $39.54 |
| Tradesperson level 2 (not registered) | $32.55 | $1,236.98 | $64,323 | $40.69 |
| Tradesperson special class level 1 (not registered) | $33.48 | $1,272.08 | $66,148 | $41.85 |
| Tradesperson special class level 2 (not registered) | $34.31 | $1,303.78 | $67,797 | $42.89 |
| Advanced tradesperson level 1 (not registered) | $35.24 | $1,338.98 | $69,627 | $44.05 |
| Advanced tradesperson level 2 (not registered) | $35.94 | $1,365.78 | $71,021 | $44.93 |
Annual is the weekly rate × 52, before tax and before superannuation. Casual hourly includes the 25% casual loading.
Plumber penalty rates and overtime
| When you work | Full-time / part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary hours (Monday–Friday) | 100% | 125% |
| Saturday — first 2 hours | 150% | 175% |
| Saturday after 2 hours; Sunday | 200% | 225% |
| Public holiday | 250% | 275% |
| Shiftwork — 5+ consecutive shifts with 48 hours' notice | 133% | 158% |
Percentages of the ordinary hourly rate, which already includes the all-purpose allowances (Schedule C.1.3–C.1.7).
Overtime
- Monday to Saturday: 150% for the first 2 hours, then 200%; overtime after 12 noon Saturday, or starting after midnight before ordinary hours, is 200% (Schedule C.1.5).
- Sunday: 200%. Public holiday: 250%.
- Shifts worked on fewer than 5 consecutive days, or with less than 48 hours' notice, are paid at 150% for 2 hours then 200% (casual 175% then 225%).
Work out a shift with penalties or overtime using the overtime pay calculator.
Allowances
| Allowance | Amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Industry allowance | $41.41 per week | All purposes, all plumbing employees (cl 21.3(a)); included. |
| Plumbing trade allowance | $33.57 per week | All purposes, worker level 2 and tradespersons (cl 21.3(b)); included. |
| Registration allowance | $44.76 per week | All purposes, tradespersons registered under state legislation (cl 21.3(c)); included in the registered table. |
| Special fixed allowance | $7.70 per week | All purposes, all employees except apprentices; not adjusted annually (cl 21.3(d)); included. |
Plumber pay after tax
On the Plumbing and mechanical services tradesperson level 1 (registered) rate of $1,246.54 a week, a full-time plumber earns $64,820 a year before tax.
| Gross annual pay | $64,820 |
|---|---|
| Income tax (after LITO) | −$9,938 |
| Medicare levy | −$1,296 |
| Take-home per year | $53,586 |
| Take-home per week | $1,031 |
2026–27 resident tax rates with the low income tax offset and the 2% Medicare levy; no HECS-HELP repayment and no Medicare levy surcharge. Superannuation is paid on top by your employer. For the full breakdown see take-home pay on $65,000 (the nearest step to $64,820), or put in your own hours with the weekly pay calculator.
What plumbers actually earn
Jobs and Skills Australia puts median full-time earnings for Plumbers (ANZSCO 3341) at $1,990 a week ($47 an hour), against $1,852 a week for all occupations.
Median weekly pay of full-time, non-managerial adult employees before tax and salary sacrifice, from the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours (May 2025) as published by Jobs and Skills Australia. It reflects what employers actually pay, including people on enterprise agreements or above-award salaries, so it is a market figure, not a legal minimum.
What this page does not show
- Apprentice plumber rates (cl 18.2) and adult apprentice rates, which have their own summary in Schedule E.
- Fire sprinkler fitter and irrigation installer rates.
- Daily hire rates with the lost time loading (Schedule C.2), and incidence allowances such as tool, travel and height money.
Plumber pay questions
Pay rates for other jobs
How this page is sourced▼
Every minimum rate was read from the Fair Work Commission's consolidated text of the Plumbing and Fire Sprinklers Award 2020, consolidated to 16 September 2026, on 23 September 2026. Casual rates are the award's own published figures wherever it publishes them. Nothing is estimated.
The median comes from Jobs and Skills Australia’s occupation profile and is a market figure, not an entitlement. Take-home figures use the same tax engine as the rest of this site. Award rates change every 1 July, so re-check after the next Annual Wage Review.
Sources & References
- 1Plumbing and Fire Sprinklers Award 2020 [MA000036] — consolidated to 16 September 2026— Fair Work Commission
- 2Pay guides for modern awards— Fair Work Ombudsman
- 3Annual Wage Review 2025–26 decision [2026] FWCFB 3500— Fair Work Commission
- 4Plumbers (ANZSCO 3341) occupation profile — ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025— Jobs and Skills Australia
Last verified: 23 September 2026. Our content is based on the latest information from official Australian government sources.
Anita Bell
AuthorFounder & Senior Bookkeeper
Accountancy degree (2015); certified in Xero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB, Saasu, Zoho and Reckon One
Anita Bell earned her accountancy degree in 2015 and has worked as a senior bookkeeper with Prime Bookkeeping for over 5 years. This built her skills in Australian and New Zealand tax legislation and industry regulations. She is certified in Xero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB, Saasu, Zoho and Reckon One, and works with payroll and rostering software including Gusto, Deputy, Tsheets and KeyPay. She has strong experience in hospitality, building and construction, financial services, real estate, ecommerce, and medical and health services.
Areas of Expertise