How to Check a Cleaning Company's Labour Hire Licence in Victoria (and Keep Checking)
In Victoria, a business that uses an unlicensed cleaning provider can be fined, as we explained in the fines for using an unlicensed cleaner. The good news is that checking takes about five minutes, costs nothing, and gives you a record you can show anyone who asks.
This guide is for office managers, practice managers, centre directors and facilities managers. It is general information, not legal advice.
Step 1: Search the register yourself
The Labour Hire Authority (LHA) runs a public Labour Hire Licence Register, linked from the LHA's website. You can search by:
- business name
- licence number
- ABN or ACN
- suburb or postcode
- industry
Search by ABN where you can. Names can be similar. There are dozens of cleaning businesses with "shine", "sparkle" or "clean" in the name. The ABN on the cleaner's quote or invoice should match the ABN on the register entry exactly.
Do not accept a certificate, a screenshot or a PDF in place of the search. The LHA specifically warns hosts not to rely on paper documents, because they can be fake or out of date.
Step 2: Read the entry properly
A register entry shows more than a name. Check each of these:
| Field | What to check |
|---|---|
| Licence holder | The same legal entity you are signing with, not a related company or a trading name with a different owner |
| ABN | Matches the quote, the contract and the invoices |
| Status | Active. Suspended, cancelled, refused or expired means stop and ask |
| Industry | Includes cleaning, such as commercial cleaning or non-domestic building cleaning |
| Conditions | Whether the LHA has put conditions on the licence. If it has, ask what they are |
| Dates | When the licence was granted and when it is due for renewal |
If the renewal date has passed but the status still shows Active, the provider has usually lodged a renewal that the LHA has not yet decided. It is reasonable to ask the provider to confirm that in writing.
Step 3: Check who you are actually talking to
Licences are sometimes "borrowed". An unlicensed operator quotes under a licensed company's name. Before you sign:
- confirm the person you are dealing with works for the licensed business, for example by calling the number on the business's own website rather than the one on the quote
- make sure the contract, invoices and bank details all belong to the licensed entity
- be wary if you are asked to pay a different company or a personal account
Step 4: Ask who will clean your site
The licence check covers the company you sign with. Since 1 October 2026, the law is clear that a licence is needed to supply labour at any point in a supply chain. So ask, and get the answer in writing:
- Will the cleaners be your employees, subcontractors, or independent contractors?
- If subcontractors, what are their business names and ABNs?
- Will you tell us before that changes?
Then check any subcontractor on the register the same way. Our post on the 1 October subcontracting rule explains why this matters.
Step 5: Keep a record
Take a dated screenshot or PDF of each register entry and file it with the contract. If the LHA, an auditor or your own management ever asks, that record shows you checked. Many practices and centres keep it in the same folder as the cleaner's insurance certificates and safety data sheets.
Step 6: Keep checking during the contract
A licence that was active when you signed can lapse, be suspended or be cancelled later, and the 2026 changes make that more likely for operators who fall behind on tax, super or safety. Two easy habits:
- Subscribe to "Follow My Providers" on the register. You will be notified when a provider's licence status changes.
- Recheck at renewal of your cleaning contract and at least once a year, and file the new screenshot.
Warning signs
- The cleaner cannot or will not give you an ABN or licence number.
- The name on the register is close to, but not the same as, the name on the quote.
- The quote is far below others for the same scope.
- Workers are paid in cash, or you are asked to pay in cash.
- The person who quoted is never seen again, and the people who arrive do not know the company's name.
- The answer to "who will clean our site?" changes each time you ask.
A one-page checklist
- Searched the LHA register by ABN
- Licence holder and ABN match the contract
- Status active; cleaning listed as an industry
- Any conditions explained
- Contact verified through the business's own published details
- Workforce model confirmed in writing, and subcontractors checked
- Contract includes licence warranty, notice of change and approval before subcontracting
- Dated screenshot filed
- Subscribed to Follow My Providers
Where we stand
You can find Star Shining Facility Solutions on the LHA register by name or ABN. We hold a Victorian labour hire licence for commercial cleaning, and we include our licence details in every proposal. If you are reviewing your current arrangements, see our guide to switching cleaners without a gap in your records, or ask for a walkthrough.