Trusted by 1 million Australians
What 13,000 plumbers did to start their business
Real registration data from plumbers who started with Honcho, covering the structure they picked, the names that win work and exactly what you need to get legal and trading
- Sole trader or company - what 86% chose
- The top business names Australian plumbers choose
- ABN, business name, licences and insurance and when you’ll need them
- Domain name, email and website options
Sole trader or company? Most plumbers keep it simple
86% of the 13,000 plumbers who registered with Honcho started as sole traders, the fastest and simplest way to get trading. A company may suit you better if you’re starting the business with someone else or planning to grow a team
Sole trader
86% START HERE- An ABN and a business name and you're trading
- You are personally responsible for debts and liabilities
- You can still hire staff and subbies
- Lowest cost, least admin
Company (Pty Ltd)
MORE ESTABLISHED- A separate legal entity
- Better separation between personal and business liabilities
- Higher ASIC fees and annual review requirements
- Makes sense with staff or serious contracts early
Partnerships and trusts are also options. For more information on choosing a business structure, speak with one of Honcho’s business specialists
What are you going to call your business?
Real names from over 13,000 Honcho registrations, showing the naming styles that help customers recognise a plumbing business at a glance
It leaves no doubt about what you do, helping you win the call the moment someone searches for a plumber near them
A straightforward, personal approach that builds on your own reputation
Highlighting a service or specialty can make your expertise clear from the start
A location-based name immediately tells customers where you work
Get set up. Get legal. Get trading
Start with the two that make it official. Add the rest in the same session if you like or let Honcho fill the gaps as you grow
Your ABN with the ATO. You can't invoice without it
Registered with ASIC. Required the moment you trade as anything other than your own legal name. 'Dave Harrison' is fine, 'Harrison Plumbing' needs registering
Mandatory once turnover passes $75,000. Registering early lets you claim GST credits on tools, the van and materials from day one
yourname.com.au and an email that isn't @gmail. Small thing, changes how quotes land
Most sites and property managers won't let you on without it. Arrange via a broker and get quotes early
Every state requires a plumbing licence to do licensed work. It comes from your state regulator: NSW Fair Trading, the VBA, QBCC and equivalents. It's completely separate from your ABN and business name and it takes time to process. Worth starting that application early. Everything else on this page happens while you wait
One search. One checkout. Sorted
Check your name, then register it with your ABN, domain and GST in the same session. Honcho lodges with ASIC and the ATO directly and every certificate lands in your Document Vault automatically
The key registrations and essentials to get your business started
We don't stop at business registration. Get paid fast, get branded and stay compliant
Free quotes, invoices and payments for 12 months, clients pay you instantly by card
Free logo design you own outright, so you look established from day one
Free quarterly compliance checks so you stay on the right side of the regulators
Check your name free, it takes seconds
I have a name in mind
I need name ideas
I will start my business using my own name
I don't need a business name. I just want to register my ABN
Questions plumbers ask before registering
General information only. This is not financial, tax or legal advice
The statistics on this page, including business structure choices, naming patterns and registration timing, are drawn from Honcho's own registration data covering more than 13,000 Australian plumbers. This forms part of Honcho's 1 million business registrations across all industries, built over 18 years of operation since 2008
Where necessary, Honcho cross-references its records against Australia's primary business and statistical registers: the Australian Business Register (ABR), the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). These sources form part of our benchmarking activities; the figures shown above are Honcho's own
As an ASIC Registered Agent, ASIC and ATO-accredited Digital Service Provider and Registered Tax Agent, Honcho works directly within these systems every day, making our dataset one of the most authoritative on Australian business registration for specific industries