Plumbing Award rates 2025/2026 (Australia)
A simple, practical guide for small business owners
• Rates effective from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2025 From 1 July 2025
Written by
Steve Harris
This guide provides general information about the Plumbing and Fire Sprinklers Award 2020 (MA000036) and related Australian workplace laws as at 5 Feb 2026.
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.
Award pay rates and allowance amounts change periodically (usually after the Fair Work Commission's Annual Wage Review). From the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2025, adult minimum award wages increased by 3.5% and related rates (including juniors/apprentices based on adult rates) increased proportionately.
Always confirm:
- Award coverage (does MA000036 apply to your business and the employee's duties?)
- Employment type (weekly hire vs daily hire vs casual — this award uses all three and they matter)
- Classification (worker level vs tradesperson level vs sprinkler fitting streams, and registration status)
- Current rates using the latest consolidated Award text and/or Fair Work tools and pay guides
Seek professional legal, payroll, or workplace relations advice for any decisions affecting actual employees or business operations. RosterElf provides rostering software but not legal or compliance advice.
Looking for MA000036?
This is it. MA000036 is the official Fair Work code for the Plumbing and Fire Sprinklers Award 2020. This guide covers all MA000036 pay rates, classifications, penalties and compliance requirements updated for 2025/26.
View official MA000036 on Fair Work →Plumbing Award rate calculator
Use this interactive calculator to see how the Plumbing Award penalty rates work. Select a classification and employment type to see the rates automatically calculated.
See how RosterElf interprets the Plumbing Award
This is an educational example showing how the Plumbing and Fire Sprinklers Award penalty rates work. It demonstrates how RosterElf automatically calculates correct pay rates based on classification level, employment type, and shift times.
Plumbing 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
- RDO accrual and arrangements
- 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 by adding award-compliant base rates and penalty multipliers. Once configured, RosterElf automatically applies the correct template to each shift based on the employee's classification, shift timing, and employment type.
Award interpretation →Define rate rules
Configure when different penalty rates apply (Saturdays with 2-hour split, Sundays, public holidays). The system automatically detects which rate to use based on shift times and days.
Penalty rates guide →Auto-apply to shifts
Every rostered shift automatically calculates the correct pay rate based on the employee's classification, employment type, and shift timing. No manual work required.
Payroll integration →📚 Learn more:
Quick casual rates 2025
These are the most commonly searched casual rates from the Plumbing Award. Casual rates include a 25% loading and have different penalty multipliers than weekly hire employees.
| Classification | Ordinary rate | Saturday (1st 2hr) | Public holiday |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worker Level 1(a) | $33.39/hr | $46.74/hr | $73.45/hr |
| Tradesperson Level 1 | $38.06/hr | $53.29/hr | $83.74/hr |
| Tradesperson Level 1 (registered) | $39.16/hr | $54.82/hr | $86.16/hr |
Note: These rates are examples for common classifications. Use the calculator above to see rates for all classifications and rate rules, or check the official MA000036 pay guide PDF.
Plumbing Award pay rates: quick summary
Looking for plumber hourly rates under the Plumbing Award? This section covers the essential Plumbing and Fire Sprinklers Award pay rates, classifications, and compliance requirements:
$26.71
Worker L1(a) base rate
$31.33
Registered tradesperson
3.5%
2025 wage increase
2.5×
Public holiday rate
- The Plumbing and Fire Sprinklers Award 2020 [MA000036] sets minimum pay and conditions for many plumbing and fire sprinkler fitting workers.
- Minimum award wages increased 3.5% from the first full pay period on/after 1 July 2025.
-
The four biggest compliance levers in this award are:
- Correct award coverage (don't assume)
- Correct stream/classification (worker vs tradesperson; sprinkler stream; registration)
- Correct employment type (weekly hire, daily hire, casual)
- Correct overtime/RDO setup (this award uses an RDO accrual system and weekend/public holiday rates can be high)
- Don't "wing it" on allowances: this award has all-purpose allowances (often already built into some rates) and separate task-based allowances (acting on licence, welding, lead burning, ship work, first aid, etc.).
What is the plumbing and fire sprinklers Award?
Think of the award as the minimum rulebook you can't go below. It sets:
- Minimum wage rates (by classification/stream and sometimes registration status)
- How overtime/weekend/public holiday rates apply
- Ordinary hours arrangements and RDO accrual rules
- Allowances and reimbursements (industry/trade/registration, leading hand, on-call, travel, etc.)
- Links into the National Employment Standards (NES) and the Fair Work Act framework for certain issues (including casual status changes)
You can always pay more, but you can't legally pay less than the award minimums.
Who the plumbing Award covers (and who it doesn't)
Commonly covered work and roles
The Fair Work Ombudsman summary describes coverage broadly as employers/employees in the plumbing and/or fire sprinkler fitting services industry, including plumbing services like:
- plumbing, gas fitting, roof plumbing
- lead burning, ship plumbing
- heating/air-conditioning/ventilation plumbing
- irrigation installing, pipe-fitting, domestic engineering work
…including work done on established sites or construction sites. Note: some workers may be covered by the Building & Construction Award instead, depending on the work performed.
Examples of covered roles include plumber's labourers, sprinkler fitter assistants, qualified plumbers/gasfitters, apprentices, irrigation installers, fire technicians, and sprinkler fitter tradespersons.
Labour hire
The summary also flags coverage can extend to labour hire businesses placing employees into plumbing/fire sprinkler services where another award doesn't cover that work.
Reminder: Award coverage can be fact-specific (business activities + employee duties). Don't decide based on "what everyone else pays."
"Most searched" plumbing Award topics (and the real answers)
You can't see everyone's Google search volumes from the outside, but when you look at what Fair Work publishes targeted help pages about (and what payroll platforms write help articles for), the same questions keep coming up — so this guide includes dedicated sections for them.
"Do plumbers get RDOs under this award?"
Yes (generally) — and there are exceptions. Fair Work has a specific library article on RDOs in the Plumbing Award, which is a strong signal this is a high-friction topic.
See Ordinary hours & RDOs"Is the hourly rate inclusive of allowances?"
Sometimes yes, sometimes no — and double-counting is a common payroll mistake. For daily hire plumbing/mechanical and irrigation employees, the award states the ordinary hourly rate includes the industry allowance, special fixed allowance, lost time loading, and (where applicable) the plumbing trade and registration allowances.
See Allowances"What are the overtime/weekend/public holiday rates?"
They're significant — and casual rates are higher because of the loading. The award's schedules show Saturday, Sunday and public holiday rates as multipliers and dollar figures by classification.
See Overtime, weekends & public holidays"What travel time / fares / kilometre rates do I need to pay?"
There are specific travel and vehicle reimbursement rules and rates in the award (including per-km amounts).
See Travel, fares & vehicle reimbursements"What's the casual conversion / employee choice rule now?"
It's largely governed by the Fair Work Act framework for changes to casual employment status, and the award points you to that framework.
See Casual employment status changes2025 pay update: why your rates changed
From the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2025:
- the National Minimum Wage increased by 3.5%, and
- adult minimum award wages increased by 3.5% (with proportionate flow-on to many other award-based rates).
Practical takeaway: if you didn't update your pay tables after 1 July 2025 (or your first full pay period after that date), you're at real underpayment risk.
Plumbing Award pay rates 2025 (snapshot)
Looking for plumber wages or minimum wage information? Below are examples of plumber hourly rates taken from the Award's published rate summaries for plumbing/mechanical services. These show the minimum plumber pay rates by classification. Use these as a sanity check, not a "copy/paste forever" solution. For accurate calculations, use payroll software with award interpretation.
Example: plumbing & mechanical services — worker Level 1(a)
Ordinary hourly rate (example classification):
- Plumbing & mechanical services worker Level 1(a) (new entrant): $26.71/hr
- If the same worker is casual, the "ordinary hours" figure shown in the schedule is $33.39/hr (reflecting the casual loading in the schedule's structure).
Example: qualified plumber (tradesperson) — registered (State-based)
For a plumbing & mechanical services tradesperson Level 1 who is registered in accordance with relevant State legislation, the schedule shows:
| Rate type | Hourly rate |
|---|---|
| Ordinary hourly rate | $31.33/hr |
| Saturday (first 2 hours) | $47.00/hr |
| Saturday (after 2 hours) | $62.66/hr |
| Sunday | $62.66/hr |
| Public holiday | $78.33/hr |
Example: advanced tradesperson — registered
For advanced plumbing & mechanical services tradesperson Level 2 (registered stream shown in the schedule):
- Ordinary hourly rate: $35.45/hr
- Public holiday: $88.63/hr
Employment types in this award: weekly hire, daily hire, casual
A very common Plumbing Award "gotcha" is assuming the award only has the usual full-time/part-time/casual split. It doesn't.
This award uses:
- Weekly hire
- Daily hire
- Casual
Why it matters (in practice)
- Daily hire has its own rules, and the award explicitly states that for certain daily hire classifications, the ordinary hourly rate includes specific allowances (industry, special fixed, lost time loading, and sometimes trade/registration).
- Casual rates in the award schedules are presented at higher figures consistent with a loading approach (and have their own overtime interactions in the tables).
If you're not 100% sure whether a worker is "weekly hire" or "daily hire" under this award, don't guess — document the category in the contract/letter of engagement and align payroll settings. Using rostering software that tracks employment types ensures consistent pay calculations.
Ordinary hours & rostered days off (RDOs)
Do all employees get RDOs?
Fair Work's Plumbing Award RDO guidance says: Yes, but there are exceptions.
Key exceptions highlighted by Fair Work include:
- Individual flexibility agreements can change RDO arrangements (including removing RDOs).
- Some small businesses (<15 employees) may agree in writing not to have RDOs if they are not working alongside other building and construction workers and they pay overtime for hours worked over 38 each week.
How RDO accrual interacts with leave and public holidays
The Fair Work RDO article also explains (in practical terms) that:
- Paid leave counts toward accumulating an RDO, and the article describes how the "extra" accrual still builds.
- Public holidays also count for RDO accumulation (even if not worked).
Why employers search this: if you roster, payroll, or accrue leave incorrectly under an RDO system, errors compound quickly. A time and attendance system with built-in RDO tracking helps prevent these errors.
Plumbing Award overtime, weekends & public holiday rates
In this award, weekend and public holiday work can move fast (and expensive). The Award's schedules show multipliers and dollar figures by classification.
Example (weekly hire-style schedule presentation) for worker Level 1(a):
| Rate type | Hourly rate |
|---|---|
| Ordinary hours | $26.71/hr |
| Saturday first 2 hours | $40.07/hr |
| Saturday after 2 hours | $53.42/hr |
| Sunday | $53.42/hr |
| Public holiday | $66.78/hr |
Example (casual schedule presentation) for the same classification:
| Rate type | Hourly rate |
|---|---|
| Ordinary hours | $33.39/hr |
| Saturday first 2 hours | $46.74/hr |
| Saturday after 2 hours | $60.10/hr |
| Sunday | $60.10/hr |
| Public holiday | $73.45/hr |
Practical takeaway: you can't sanity-check payroll in this award using only a single flat hourly rate.
Plumbing Award allowances: calculating the true hourly rate
Wondering about the true plumber rate per hour or plumber cost per hour? The base hourly rate isn't the full story — allowances significantly impact the actual cost. This section explains which allowances apply and how they affect the plumber's hourly rate.
First, understand "all-purpose rate of pay"
The award defines all-purpose rate of pay as ordinary weekly pay inclusive of relevant all-purpose allowances, calculated in accordance with the Award's schedule structure.
All-purpose allowances (plumbing & mechanical services stream)
The award provides, for example:
- Industry allowance: $39.53 per week (plumbing/mechanical classifications)
- Plumbing trade allowance: $32.05 per week (for specified classifications)
- Registration allowance: $42.74 per week (for registered plumbing/mechanical tradesperson classifications)
Critical "don't double count" note (daily hire)
For plumbing/mechanical and irrigation employees employed on a daily hire basis, the award states the ordinary hourly rate includes:
- industry allowance
- special fixed allowance
- lost time loading allowance
- and where applicable, plumbing trade allowance and registration allowance
This is one of the biggest real-world payroll traps: adding those again "because they're in the allowances list".
Common task-based / responsibility allowances (paid in addition when applicable)
Examples shown in the award's allowance summaries include:
| Allowance | Rate |
|---|---|
| Requirement to act on plumber's licence | $1.46 per hour |
| Oxy-acetylene welding allowance | $0.84 per hour |
| Electric welding allowance | $0.84 per hour |
| Lead burning allowance | $2.81 per hour |
| Ship work allowance | $1.97 per hour |
| First aid allowance | $3.85 per day |
Leading hand allowance (daily hire employees)
The schedule summary shows leading hand allowance rates by crew size, including:
| Crew size | Rate |
|---|---|
| Not more than 1 employee | $0.70/hr |
| 2 to 5 employees | $1.54/hr |
| 6 to 10 employees | $1.97/hr |
| Over 10 employees | $2.61/hr |
On-call (fire sprinkler employees)
The schedule summary includes on-call amounts such as:
- Permanent stand-by: $72.65 per week
- Other than permanent stand-by (Mon–Fri): $7.48 per night
- Other than permanent stand-by (Sat/Sun/Public holiday): $53.42 per day
Travel, fares & vehicle reimbursements
This is another top-search area because it's easy to underpay accidentally.
Examples of rules/rates shown in the award include:
- If employees are transferred from one job site to another during ordinary working hours, they must be paid their ordinary rate for travel time and reimbursed reasonable fares (unless transported by the employer).
- If the employer requests (and the employee agrees) to use their own vehicle for such a transfer, the allowance is $0.98 per kilometre.
- There's also an additional $0.54 per kilometre reimbursement described for certain "beyond defined radius" travel fuel costs.
Casual employment status changes (employee choice pathway)
If you're searching "casual conversion plumbing award", the real answer is mostly in the Fair Work Act, and the award points you there.
What the award says (high level)
The Plumbing Award includes a clause about changes to casual employment status that references sections 66A to 66MA of the Fair Work Act 2009.
What the act requires (key operational points)
Under the Act's Division 4A — Casual employment:
- A casual employee may give an employer a written notification if eligibility requirements are met (including minimum employment period: generally 6 months, or 12 months for small business employers).
- The employer must provide a written response within 21 days, and must consult before responding.
- If the employer accepts, the change takes effect on the first day of the first full pay period after the response (unless another day is agreed).
- The Act sets out dispute processes (including referral to the FWC and possible arbitration orders).
Practical tip: keep clear written records of casual engagement terms, rosters, and any employee notifications/responses — this is a "paper trail" area.
Step-by-step compliance plan
Confirm award coverage
Use the award coverage info and confirm duties genuinely match MA000036.
Pick the correct stream & classification
Don't rely on job titles ("plumber", "apprentice") — match the award's classifications and registration status.
Set the right employment type
Weekly hire vs daily hire vs casual matters in this award. Document the category clearly.
Set base rates and build in overtime/public holiday logic
Use the award schedules as your reference points for rate multipliers and dollar figures.
Handle RDO rules correctly
If RDOs apply, make sure your payroll accrual method matches Fair Work guidance and your workplace arrangements.
Add allowances correctly (and avoid double counting)
Especially if you use daily hire arrangements where some allowances are already included in the ordinary hourly rate. Award interpretation software handles this automatically.
Review casuals regularly
Be ready for employee notifications and respond within Act timeframes.
Common mistakes (and why they happen)
Using one flat hourly rate for everyone
This tends to ignore registration status, overtime/public holiday rates, and allowance triggers.
Double counting all-purpose allowances on daily hire
The award explicitly says certain daily hire hourly rates already include specific allowances.
RDO accrual errors
RDOs are a dedicated "hot topic" for this award and exceptions exist.
Missing "acting on licence" and similar task allowances
These often get missed because they're not "every pay run" items.
Not updating rates after 1 July
The 2025 increase applies from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2025. Underpayment claims can be costly.
Sources & official resources
All pay rates and conditions in this guide are based on official Fair Work resources:
- Plumbing and Fire Sprinklers Award 2020 [MA000036] — Full award text on Fair Work
- Plumbing Award summary — Fair Work Ombudsman overview
- Pay Guide PDF (MA000036) — Official hourly rates and allowances
- Fair Work Pay Calculator (PACT) — Calculate rates for your employees
- Annual Wage Review 2024–25 — 3.5% increase announcement
Always verify: Award rates change annually (usually 1 July). Use the Fair Work Pay Calculator to confirm current rates for your specific situation.
Frequently asked questions
- The Plumbing and Fire Sprinklers Award 2020 (MA000036) covers employers and employees in the plumbing and/or fire sprinkler fitting services industry. This includes plumbing, gas fitting, roof plumbing, lead burning, ship plumbing, heating/air-conditioning/ventilation plumbing, irrigation installing, pipe-fitting, and domestic engineering work. It applies to plumber's labourers, sprinkler fitter assistants, qualified plumbers/gasfitters, apprentices, irrigation installers, fire technicians, and sprinkler fitter tradespersons. Labour hire businesses placing employees into plumbing/fire sprinkler services may also be covered.
- Classification depends on the stream (plumbing/mechanical services, fire sprinkler fitting, or irrigation), skill level (worker level vs tradesperson level), and registration status. The Award distinguishes between workers, tradespersons, and advanced tradespersons, with separate rates for those registered under State legislation. Correct classification is critical because rates vary significantly between levels and registration status. Don't rely on job titles — match the employee's actual duties, qualifications, and registration to the Award's classification structure.
- Unlike most awards with just full-time/part-time/casual, the Plumbing Award uses three distinct types: weekly hire, daily hire, and casual. This matters significantly because daily hire has specific rules — the ordinary hourly rate for daily hire classifications already includes the industry allowance, special fixed allowance, lost time loading, and where applicable, the plumbing trade and registration allowances. Document the employment type clearly in contracts to avoid payroll errors.
- The 2025/26 rates took effect from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2025, following the Fair Work Commission's Annual Wage Review. Adult minimum award wages increased by 3.5%, with proportionate flow-on to junior/apprentice rates based on adult rates. If you didn't update your pay tables after 1 July 2025 (or your first full pay period after that date), you're at real underpayment risk.
- Yes, generally — but there are exceptions. Fair Work has specific guidance on RDOs in the Plumbing Award, indicating this is a high-friction compliance topic. Key exceptions include: individual flexibility agreements can change RDO arrangements (including removing RDOs); and some small businesses (under 15 employees) may agree in writing not to have RDOs if they're not working alongside other building and construction workers and they pay overtime for hours over 38 per week. RDO accrual errors compound quickly, so ensure your payroll system handles this correctly.
Related award rate guides
Explore other Australian Modern Award pay rate guides
Simplify Plumbing Award compliance
RosterElf's award interpretation engine handles complex RDO accruals, daily hire rates, overtime calculations, and allowances automatically.