Anja Pich is a commercial lawyer and the Managing Lawyer at Lawpath. She practises across all areas of commercial law and advises businesses of every size, from first-time founders to established companies, on their legal, regulatory and commercial needs.
Here’s how to start a window cleaning business in Australia: register an ABN, choose a business structure, get public liability insurance, put a written client agreement in place and set up a safe way to work at heights. Most residential window cleaners don’t need a specific licence. Commercial, high-rise and large residential jobs are different, because WHS, licensing and labour hire rules can apply depending on your state.
The squeegee part is easy. Most people starting out are confident with the work and quietly avoid the admin: the insurance quote, the contract, the question of whether that two-storey ladder job is legal. That’s normal. It’s also exactly where new window cleaning businesses come unstuck, on the first strata job or the first scratched pane.
- There’s no national window cleaning licence. Ordinary residential work needs none. The exceptions are boom lifts, rope access and some larger residential jobs in NSW.
- Height is your biggest legal risk. WHS law requires you to manage fall risks, and operating a boom lift with a boom of 11 metres or more needs a high risk work licence.
- Public liability is the cover clients check first. Strata and commercial clients will ask for a certificate of currency before you set foot on site.
- Calling a cleaner a contractor doesn’t make them one. Fair Work looks at how the relationship works day to day, not what the agreement says.
- A written agreement prevents most disputes. Scope, weather, pre-existing damage and cancellations are where window cleaning jobs go wrong.
What do you need to start a window cleaning business?
You need eight things in place before your first paid job. Some take ten minutes. A couple take a week. Here’s the order that works.
- Pick your market. Residential, commercial or both. This decides your equipment, insurance and paperwork.
- Get an ABN. You’ll need an Australian Business Number to invoice clients and register for anything else.
- Register your business name. Required if you trade under anything other than your own name. “Crystal Clear Windows” counts. “Sam Nguyen” doesn’t.
- Choose a structure. Sole trader or company. More on this below.
- Buy insurance before your first booking. Not after the first quote is accepted.
- Set up your height safety system. Ladder rules, a water-fed pole if you can afford one, PPE and a written safe work method statement.
- Write your client terms. Scope, pricing, cancellations, weather and damage.
- Set up invoicing. Register for GST once your turnover reaches $75,000.
Most people do this list backwards. They print flyers, book a few jobs, then think about insurance when a strata manager asks for it. Flip it and you’ll look more professional than half your competition from week one.
Should you start with residential or commercial window cleaning?
Start residential. Add commercial once your paperwork is ready. The two markets look similar from the footpath, but they run on very different rules.
| Residential | Commercial and strata | |
|---|---|---|
| Who books you | Homeowners and tenants | Property, facilities and strata managers |
| Height | Single and double storey, ladders and poles | Multi-storey, boom lifts, rope access |
| Paperwork they ask for | Rarely anything beyond a quote | Certificate of currency, safe work method statement, ABN, signed contract |
| Payment | On the day or within a week | Often 30 days or more after invoice |
| Licensing triggers | Large NSW residential jobs over $5,000 | High risk work licences, labour hire licensing in some states |
| How you win work | Word of mouth, local search, letterbox drops | Relationships and a ready compliance pack |
Commercial work pays more per job and gives you recurring contracts. The catch is cash flow. A 30-day payment term on a big monthly contract can leave you funding wages and fuel for six weeks before the first payment lands.
Which business structure suits a window cleaning business?
A sole trader setup is the cheapest and fastest way to start a window cleaning business. You use your own tax file number, file one tax return and keep the admin light. The trade-off is that the business is you. If a client sues over a smashed skylight, your house and savings are exposed.
A company is a separate legal entity, so business debts and claims sit with the company. That matters more once you hire staff or take on commercial sites. You can register a company online, but it brings annual ASIC fees, a separate tax return and director duties. It also won’t protect you from personal guarantees, such as the one on your van finance.
One trap our lawyers see regularly: switching to a company later doesn’t wipe out exposure for work you did as a sole trader. When you do switch, move your insurance into the company’s name before you invoice through it. Transfer your business name and logo too.
Does registering a business name protect your brand?
No. Registering a business name lets you trade under it. It doesn’t stop a competitor two suburbs over from using something nearly identical. If you want exclusive rights to your name and logo, you need a separate trade mark registration, and the name has to be distinctive enough to qualify. “Sydney Window Cleaning” won’t be. “Glassbird” might.
When do you need to register for GST?
Once your GST turnover reaches $75,000, you have 21 days to register for GST with the ATO. Projected turnover counts, not just past income. Landing a single large commercial contract can push you over the line before you’ve earned a dollar from it.
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What are the legal requirements for starting a window cleaning business?
Your legal requirements come from four places: work health and safety law, state licensing rules, the Australian Consumer Law and employment law. None of them is written specifically for window cleaners. All of them apply.
Do window cleaners need a licence in Australia?
Not for ordinary residential work. There’s no national window cleaning licence. Four situations change that.
- NSW residential jobs over $5,000. You need a contractor licence for minor maintenance and cleaning work when residential building work is worth more than $5,000 including GST in labour and materials. Unlicensed work carries fines of up to $22,000 for individuals and $110,000 for companies. A standard house clean won’t come close, but a bundled job with pressure washing on a large home can.
- Boom lifts. Operating a boom-type elevating work platform with a boom of 11 metres or more requires a high risk work licence in every state and territory. Scissor lifts don’t, but you still need training.
- Rope access. There’s no government rope access licence. Building owners require industry certification (IRATA or the Australian Rope Access Association) before you go over the edge, so treat it as compulsory.
- Supplying staff to commercial sites. Labour hire licensing can apply in some states. See below.
A Certificate II in Cleaning (which replaced the old Certificate II in Cleaning Operations) isn’t compulsory. It’s worth doing if you plan to tender for commercial work, because it covers glass maintenance and workplace safety and gives facilities managers something to tick.
What does WHS law expect when you clean windows at height?
You must manage the risk of falls so far as is reasonably practicable. In plain English: work from the ground if you can, use a platform if you can’t, and only then reach for a ladder or harness. That order matters if something goes wrong and a regulator asks why you chose the ladder.
This is why water-fed pole systems have taken over residential window washing. They let you clean second-storey glass from the ground, which removes most of your ladder risk in one purchase. Insurers and strata managers both notice.
Write a short safe work method statement for each type of job you do: ground level, ladder, pole, platform. It’s legally required for high risk construction work. For everything else, commercial clients will ask for it anyway, so have it ready.
Does labour hire licensing apply to window cleaners?
It can, and it catches people off guard. Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and the ACT run labour hire licensing schemes. Victoria’s regulator treats businesses that supply workers other than a director to clean commercial premises, window cleaning included, as generally needing a licence.
Whether it applies to you depends on who directs the work. If you run the job and your staff work under your instructions, you’re more likely providing a cleaning service. If your workers slot into the client’s operations under the client’s direction, that looks like labour hire. Check with your state regulator before you send staff to commercial sites, because operating unlicensed attracts heavy penalties.
State-by-state quick view
| State or territory | Window cleaning licence? | Labour hire licensing scheme? |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | No, but a contractor licence applies to residential building work, including cleaning, over $5,000 | No |
| VIC | No | Yes, and it commonly covers commercial cleaning |
| QLD | No | Yes |
| SA | No | Yes |
| ACT | No | Yes |
| WA, TAS, NT | No | No |
High risk work licences for boom lifts apply everywhere. Local councils can also have rules on footpath work and parking for your vehicle in busy commercial strips.
How does the Australian Consumer Law affect you?
Your services come with consumer guarantees you can’t contract out of. You must do the work with due care and skill, within a reasonable time. A “100% streak-free or we come back” promise is a commercial choice. The guarantee to fix a genuinely poor job exists whether you advertise it or not.
What insurance does a window cleaning business need?
Three covers matter from day one, and a fourth once you hire.
- Public liability. This covers injury to other people and damage to their property. Think a ladder through a glass balustrade or a dropped bucket on a parked car. Read up on how public liability insurance works before you buy. Many strata and commercial clients set a minimum cover amount in their contractor terms, so check it before you quote.
- Personal accident and illness. As a sole trader, workers’ compensation doesn’t cover you. If you fall and can’t work for three months, this is what pays your bills.
- Tools and portable equipment. Pure water systems, poles and ladders live in your vehicle, and vans and utes get broken into. Check whether your policy covers theft from an unattended vehicle overnight. Some only pay out with signs of forced entry.
- Workers’ compensation. Compulsory in every state once you employ staff. It’s a state scheme, not optional extra cover.
To protect your gear from theft, photograph every item, record serial numbers and use a lockable storage box bolted to the vehicle. Your insurer will want that list the day you claim.
Should you hire employees or use contractors?
Most window cleaning businesses grow by adding a second pair of hands, and the contractor route looks easier. No payroll, no award, no leave. The problem is that the label doesn’t decide it.
If you set their hours, supply the equipment, put them in your uniform and tell them how to do the job, Fair Work is likely to see an employee. Sham contracting penalties are significant. Contractors paid mainly for their labour can also attract superannuation guarantee obligations, even when they’re genuine contractors.
Employees in cleaning businesses are covered by the Cleaning Services Award 2020, which sets minimum rates, classifications and casual loading. If you hire casuals, use a casual employment agreement. If you genuinely engage contractors who run their own business, use a contractor agreement with a right of substitution and clear safety responsibilities.
There are different types of employees you can hire. Learn more about how each one affects your business in the webinar below.
What should a window cleaning contract include?
Window cleaning disputes are rarely about the cleaning. They’re about what was included, who pays when it rains, and whether that scratch was there before you arrived. A Cleaning Services Agreement settles all of that before it becomes an argument. Here’s example wording you can adapt.
- Scope and exclusions. “The price covers external glass, frames and sills on the ground and first floors. Flyscreens, skylights and window tracks are quoted separately.”
- Weather. “If wind, rain or storm conditions make the work unsafe, we will reschedule at no cost to either party.”
- Pre-existing damage and stains. “We will note visible scratches, failed seals and mineral staining before starting. We are not responsible for pre-existing damage. Hard water stain removal is quoted separately.”
- Toughened glass. “We do not use scrapers on toughened or heat-treated glass unless the client approves in writing.”
- Cancellations. “Cancellations with less than 24 hours’ notice incur a call-out fee of $[amount].”
- Access. “The client will provide safe access, move furniture away from windows and notify the strata manager or neighbours where needed.”
The toughened glass clause deserves a second look. Scrapers can leave permanent scratches on heat-treated glass, and that’s one of the more expensive claims a window cleaner can face. Put it in writing.
Don’t overreach on the other side, either. Since November 2023, unfair terms in standard form contracts with consumers and small businesses can attract penalties. A clause that makes the client responsible for everything, including your own negligence, is a liability rather than a protection.
How should you price window cleaning jobs?
Price the access, not the glass. A three-storey townhouse with a narrow side path takes far longer than a single-storey house with the same number of windows. Window counts alone will leave you underpaid on exactly the jobs that carry the most risk.
Four pricing models dominate. Per window or pane suits simple homes. Per hour suits jobs you can’t scope in advance. A fixed price per job is what homeowners prefer. Recurring maintenance contracts are where commercial money lives. Quote residential work as a fixed job price and commercial work as a recurring schedule.
Set a minimum call-out fee from day one. Undercutting competitors to win your first clients feels sensible, but those clients expect the same price next year, and raising it is harder than starting at the right number.
What equipment do you need to start a window cleaning business?
You can start lean and add the expensive gear as the work justifies it. Your starting kit:
- Squeegees with spare rubbers, strip washers and buckets
- Extension poles and microfibre cloths for frames and sills
- Industrial-rated ladders with stabilisers
- A water-fed pole with a pure water filtration system (your biggest upfront cost and your best safety investment)
- PPE: non-slip footwear, gloves, eye protection and a harness if you’ll work on roofs
- A van or ute with lockable storage
- Booking and invoicing software
Test any new cleaning product on a small corner first. Some solutions mark tinted film, leadlight and powder-coated frames, and replacing a client’s window film costs more than a month of jobs.
How do you find your first window cleaning clients?
Go narrow before you go wide. Letterbox drop four or five streets in one suburb rather than scattering flyers across the city. Route density is how a window cleaning business makes money, because every minute driving between jobs is unpaid.
Set up a free Google Business Profile, post before-and-after photos (with the client’s permission) and offer a quarterly or six-monthly booking at the end of every job. A homeowner who books four times a year is worth more than ten one-off cleans.
For commercial work, your compliance pack is your sales pitch. Property managers, strata managers and builders doing post-construction cleans all want the same things: certificate of currency, safe work method statements, ABN and a signed agreement. Send it with your first email and you’ll skip a week of back-and-forth.
What we see in Lawpath consultations
Lawpath lawyers speak with cleaning business owners every week. The same four issues come up again and again.
- Contractor models that look like employment. Owners want contractors for flexibility, then set their schedules, supply their equipment and train them. Our lawyers point out that induction and safety training alone don’t make someone an employee, but control over how and when the work is done does.
- Labour hire licensing surprises. Cleaning businesses supplying staff to commercial premises in Victoria and Queensland learn about labour hire licensing late, sometimes after a client’s compliance check asks for their licence number.
- Paperwork left in the old name. Owners who incorporate keep invoicing, contracting and insuring in their sole trader name for months. Every one of those documents needs to move to the company.
- Template terms with holes. We review plenty of cleaning terms drafted from templates or AI tools. The common gaps are unfilled square-bracket placeholders, broken clause numbering, and indemnities so one-sided they risk being unfair.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a licence to be a window cleaner in Australia?
No national licence exists for window cleaning. You’ll need a high risk work licence to operate a boom lift with a boom of 11 metres or more, industry certification for rope access, and in NSW a contractor licence for residential building work over $5,000. Labour hire licensing can apply in VIC, QLD, SA and the ACT.
What are the legal requirements for starting a window cleaning business?
You need an ABN, a registered business name if you don’t trade under your own name, and GST registration once turnover reaches $75,000. You must manage fall risks under WHS law, meet consumer guarantees, and pay employees under the Cleaning Services Award 2020. Workers’ compensation is compulsory once you hire.
Can I start a window cleaning business as a sole trader?
Yes. Most window cleaners start as sole traders because it’s cheap and simple. The downside is personal liability for business debts and claims. Many owners move to a company once they hire staff or win commercial contracts.
What insurance do window cleaners need?
Public liability insurance is the essential cover, and commercial clients will ask for your certificate of currency. Add personal accident and illness cover if you’re a sole trader, tools and equipment cover for theft, and workers’ compensation once you employ staff.
Can I hire window cleaners as contractors?
Only if they genuinely run their own business. If you control their hours, equipment and methods, Fair Work is likely to treat them as employees regardless of the contract. Contractors paid mainly for labour can also trigger superannuation obligations.
Do I need a contract for residential window cleaning jobs?
Yes. A short written agreement sent with your quote covers scope, price, cancellations, weather and pre-existing damage. It takes five minutes and prevents the most common disputes, such as arguments over flyscreens or a scratch that was already there.
Do window cleaners have to register for GST?
Only once your GST turnover reaches $75,000, counting both past and projected income. You then have 21 days to register. Below the threshold, registration is optional.
How do I protect my window cleaning equipment from theft?
Store gear in a lockable box bolted to your vehicle, photograph every item and record serial numbers. Then check your insurance covers theft from an unattended vehicle overnight, because some policies only pay with signs of forced entry.
Ready to start your window cleaning business?
You don’t need everything perfect before your first job. You need an ABN, insurance and a safe way up to the glass. The rest you build as you grow, and plenty of successful window cleaners started with one ladder and a borrowed bucket.
Your next step: set up your Cleaning Services Agreement, fill in your scope and cancellation terms, and send it with your very first quote.
