Plumbing Award pay guide 2026/2027
A simple, practical guide for plumbing, gasfitting and fire-sprinkler contractors
Updated • FY2026/27 rates — effective the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026
Written by
Steve Harris
Summarise with AI
This guide provides general information about the Plumbing and Fire Sprinklers Award 2020 [MA000036] and related Australian workplace laws as at the date of publication.
It does not constitute legal, financial, payroll or employment advice and should not be relied on as a substitute for advice specific to your business, workforce, or circumstances.
Pay rates, penalty rates and allowance amounts under modern awards change periodically, particularly following the Fair Work Commission’s Annual Wage Review. The rates in this guide are all-purpose — they include the industry and special-fixed allowances, and (for tradesperson classifications) the plumbing trade and registration allowances. This guide includes indicative minimum figures effective from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026. Employers must always check the current Fair Work pay guide before setting or paying wages.
The Plumbing Award covers plumbing, gasfitting, drainage and fire-sprinkler contracting. Electrical contracting is covered by the Electrical Award and general manufacturing by the Manufacturing Award. Always confirm award coverage (e.g. using Fair Work’s Pay and Conditions Tool (PACT)).
If you need award-specific guidance, see:
Looking for MA000036?
This is it. MA000036 is the official Fair Work code for the Plumbing and Fire Sprinklers Award 2020. This guide covers its pay rates, classifications, penalties and compliance for 2026/27.
View official MA000036 on Fair Work →Award rate calculator
See how RosterElf interprets the Plumbing Award
This is an educational example showing how the Plumbing Award penalty rates work. It demonstrates how RosterElf automatically calculates correct pay rates based on classification level, employment type, and shift times.
Award penalty rates
Example weekly cost (38 hours)
Example only - not for payroll use
This is a demonstration of how RosterElf calculates award-compliant rates.
The actual cost for your employees will depend on:
- Their specific classification level and employment type
- Actual hours worked and shift times
- Any additional allowances, overtime, or enterprise agreement provisions
- Current award rates (which change annually in July)
For accurate payroll calculations, always:
- Verify current rates with the official Fair Work pay guide
- Confirm your employees' correct award coverage and classification
- Use award interpretation software or consult a payroll professional
- Review your specific enterprise agreement (if applicable)
Do not rely on this example for actual wage payments.
Stop calculating penalty rates manually
Let RosterElf handle award compliance automatically
Manual award calculations are time-consuming and error-prone. One mistake can lead to underpayments, compliance issues, and Fair Work penalties. RosterElf's award interpretation engine does the work for you.
How RosterElf automates award calculations
Create pay templates
Create pay templates for each classification level with award-compliant base rates and penalty multipliers. RosterElf applies the correct template to each shift automatically.
Award interpretation →Define rate rules
Configure when different penalty rates apply (evenings, weekends, public holidays). The system detects which rate to use based on shift times and days.
Penalty rates guide →Auto-apply to shifts
Every rostered shift calculates the correct pay rate based on the employee's classification, employment type, and shift timing. No manual work required.
Payroll integration →Quick casual pay rates reference 2026/27
Casual rates for ordinary weekday hours (all-purpose, including industry/special-fixed and — for tradespersons — trade and registration allowances), generated from the current Fair Work pay guide:
FY2026/27 rates are in effect
All modern award rates rose 4.75% from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026, and the national minimum wage is now $26.44/hr. The rates below and in the calculator reflect the current Fair Work pay guide.
Casual hourly rates 2026/27 (all-purpose, ordinary weekday hours)
| Level | Example roles | Casual hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Worker L1a | Entry-level plumbing/mechanical services worker | $34.96 |
| Worker L1d | Worker after fulfilling requirements | $36.58 |
| Tradesperson L1 | Qualified/registered plumber (the trade rate) | $39.54 |
| Tradesperson L2 | Tradesperson with additional qualifications | $40.69 |
| Special class L1 | Special-class plumber/gasfitter | $41.85 |
| Special class L2 | Senior special-class tradesperson | $42.89 |
| Advanced L1 | Advanced plumbing & mechanical services | $44.05 |
| Advanced L2 | Senior advanced tradesperson | $44.93 |
Weekend and public holiday work is paid at overtime rates
Plumbers’ ordinary hours are Monday–Friday. Saturday work is overtime (time-and-a-half for the first 2 hours, then double time), Sunday is double time (200%) and public holidays are 250%. Shiftwork attracts separate loadings. Casual rates are higher again. Use the calculator for the standard figures.
Quick summary for time-poor employers
Important: The rates here are all-purpose (they bundle industry/special-fixed allowances, plus trade and registration allowances for tradespersons). Confirm which allowances apply before paying (see the disclaimer above).
If you only skim one section, make it this one:
- The Plumbing and Fire Sprinklers Award 2020 [MA000036] covers plumbing, gasfitting, drainage and fire-sprinkler work, from worker level 1 through tradesperson and advanced tradesperson classifications.
- Minimums are reviewed each July. The FY2026/27 pay guide took effect from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026, lifting all rates by 4.75%.
- Example 2026/27 all-purpose adult pay:
- Worker level 1(a): full-time/part-time $27.97/hr, casual $34.96/hr.
- Tradesperson level 1 (plumber): full-time/part-time $31.63/hr, casual $39.54/hr.
- Ordinary hours are Mon–Fri; Saturday is overtime (1.5× then 2×), Sunday 2×, public holidays 2.5×.
- Apprentice and shiftwork rates apply separately.
- Get classification, allowances, employment type and shift type right for every employee.
Bottom line: with all-purpose allowances, overtime-based weekends and apprentice scales, manual calculation is error-prone — check your underpayment risk. Award-aware rostering software with award interpretation keeps it correct automatically.
Who the award covers (and who it doesn't)
The Plumbing and Fire Sprinklers Award covers employers and employees in plumbing, gasfitting, drainage, roofing (stormwater) and fire-sprinkler contracting. Employees range from worker level 1 (new entrants and workers) through tradesperson, special-class and advanced tradesperson classifications.
Important — who’s covered by other awards: electrical contracting → Electrical Award; general manufacturing → Manufacturing Award. Confirm coverage with Fair Work’s PACT tool before applying rates.
2026/27 pay rates overview: what you must pay
A snapshot of the current FY2026/27 all-purpose rates, generated from the same data that powers the calculator above.
What changed from 2025/26
The FY2026/27 Annual Wage Review lifted all modern award minimum rates by 4.75%. For this award, for example: worker level 1(a) is now $27.97/hr and tradesperson level 1 (plumber) is $31.63/hr (all-purpose, full-time/part-time). Penalty, allowance and casual rates rose proportionally. Always confirm against the current pay guide.
Adult – full-time & part-time
All-purpose ordinary weekday rates from worker level 1 to advanced tradesperson:
| Level | Example roles | Weekly pay | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worker L1a | Entry-level plumbing/mechanical services worker | $1,062.71 | $27.97 |
| Worker L1d | Worker after fulfilling requirements | $1,112.01 | $29.26 |
| Tradesperson L1 | Qualified/registered plumber (the trade rate) | $1,201.78 | $31.63 |
| Tradesperson L2 | Tradesperson with additional qualifications | $1,236.98 | $32.55 |
| Special class L1 | Special-class plumber/gasfitter | $1,272.08 | $33.48 |
| Special class L2 | Senior special-class tradesperson | $1,303.78 | $34.31 |
| Advanced L1 | Advanced plumbing & mechanical services | $1,338.98 | $35.24 |
| Advanced L2 | Senior advanced tradesperson | $1,365.78 | $35.94 |
All-purpose: rates include industry/special-fixed allowances, plus trade and registration allowances for tradesperson classifications.
Adult – casual
Casuals receive the same all-purpose rate plus a 25% loading. Ordinary weekday casual rates:
| Level | Example roles | Casual hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Worker L1a | Entry-level plumbing/mechanical services worker | $34.96 |
| Worker L1d | Worker after fulfilling requirements | $36.58 |
| Tradesperson L1 | Qualified/registered plumber (the trade rate) | $39.54 |
| Tradesperson L2 | Tradesperson with additional qualifications | $40.69 |
| Special class L1 | Special-class plumber/gasfitter | $41.85 |
| Special class L2 | Senior special-class tradesperson | $42.89 |
| Advanced L1 | Advanced plumbing & mechanical services | $44.05 |
| Advanced L2 | Senior advanced tradesperson | $44.93 |
Casual rates shown are the ordinary weekday rate (all-purpose base + 25% loading). Overtime, Sunday and public-holiday rates apply on top — use the calculator above.
How to classify your staff
Classification follows skills, qualifications and registration:
- Worker level 1(a)–(d) covers new entrants and workers progressing through their first year.
- Tradesperson level 1 is the qualified/registered plumber trade rate; special-class and advanced tradespersons reflect higher skills and registrations.
- Tradespersons receive the plumbing trade and registration allowances, already built into the all-purpose rate.
- Apprentices are paid stage/year-based rates.
Write each employee’s classification, registration and employment type into your payroll/rostering system. If unsure, confirm the right level.
Overtime, weekends & shiftwork
Plumbers’ ordinary hours are Monday–Friday; weekend work is paid at overtime rates (on the all-purpose rate):
- Saturday (overtime): time-and-a-half (150%) for the first 2 hours, then double time (200%).
- Sunday: double time (200%).
- Public holiday: 250%.
- Shiftwork loadings apply for afternoon and night shifts (separate from the calculator above).
- Living-away, travel and fares allowances apply for distant work.
The calculator above covers ordinary hours, Saturday (first 2 hours overtime), Sunday and public-holiday rates. For shiftwork, later overtime hours and travel, use Fair Work’s PACT tool or award-interpreting software.
Stop calculating overtime and allowances by hand
RosterElf's award interpretation engine applies Plumbing Award overtime, weekend, public-holiday and shift rates automatically from each shift's times.
See award interpretationFull-time vs part-time vs casual
Full-time & part-time
- Full-time is around 38 hours per week, ongoing; part-time has a regular agreed pattern.
- Both receive paid annual and personal/carer’s leave (pro-rata for part-time) and other NES entitlements. Part-time hours should be agreed in writing.
Casual
- Paid a 25% casual loading on the all-purpose rate instead of paid leave, with a minimum engagement per shift.
- Casual overtime, Sunday and public-holiday rates are higher than the permanent rates because the 25% loading is added to the penalty (for example, casual Saturday’s first 2 overtime hours are 175% of the base rate).
Casuals working regular, ongoing hours may be eligible for casual conversion to permanent employment.
Allowances
The Plumbing Award has several all-purpose allowances built into the rates above:
- Industry & special-fixed allowance – included in all rates.
- Plumbing trade & registration allowance – included in tradesperson rates.
Other allowances apply separately, including first aid (about $4.03/day), leading hand (from about $1.56/hr for 2–5 employees), computing quantities (about $6.71/day) and travel/fares/living-away allowances. Exact amounts update each pay guide — see the Fair Work pay guide.
Step-by-step compliance plan
- Confirm the award applies (plumbing/gasfitting/fire sprinklers; not electrical or manufacturing).
- Download the latest pay guide (FY2026/27).
- Classify each employee by level, registration and apprentice stage.
- Set all-purpose rates (industry/trade/registration allowances) and apply overtime, Sunday, public-holiday and shift rates.
- Use award-interpreting software so overtime and allowances are calculated automatically, and keep records for 7 years.
Final takeaways
- Worker level 1 → tradesperson → advanced tradesperson, with tradesperson level 1 the plumber trade rate.
- Rates are all-purpose — they bundle industry/special-fixed (and trade/registration for tradespersons) allowances.
- Ordinary hours are Mon–Fri; Saturday is overtime, Sunday 2×, public holidays 2.5×.
- Apprentice and shiftwork rates are separate.
- Update every July and keep good records.
For official guidance, visit the Fair Work Ombudsman website.
Industries using this award
Explore rostering solutions for businesses covered by the Plumbing Award
Run the Plumbing Award on autopilot
RosterElf builds the award rules into your rosters, timesheets and payroll.
Award interpretation
Automatically applies overtime, Sunday, public-holiday and shift rates from shift times.
Rostering software
Build award-aware rosters in minutes with live wage cost and compliance warnings.
Time & attendance
Capture exact start and finish times with GPS clock-in across job sites.
Payroll integration
Send award-interpreted timesheets straight to Xero, MYOB and other payroll systems.
Plumbing Award knowledge base
Step-by-step help for applying the award inside RosterElf.
Related award rate guides
Explore other Australian Modern Award pay rate guides
Stop calculating the Plumbing Award by hand
RosterElf applies Plumbing Award (MA000036) overtime, weekend, public holiday and shift rates automatically based on shift times.
Plumbing Award FAQ
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The Plumbing and Fire Sprinklers Award 2020 (MA000036) covers plumbing, gasfitting, drainage and fire-sprinkler contracting. Employees range from worker level 1 (new entrants) through tradesperson, special-class and advanced tradesperson classifications. Electrical contracting and general manufacturing are covered by their own awards.
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The rates in this guide already include certain all-purpose allowances paid for all hours worked: the industry and special-fixed allowances (all employees) and, for tradespersons, the plumbing trade and registration allowances. Because they’re all-purpose, they also form the base for overtime and penalty calculations. Always check which allowances apply to each employee.
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Apprentices are paid stage/year-based percentages of the trade rate that increase each year. The rates differ for junior vs adult apprentices and depending on when the apprenticeship started. Use the Fair Work pay guide or PACT for the exact apprentice rates.