Yes—an NSW contract cleaning employer that employs workers on wages or salary to perform cleaning work must pay a levy as part of its quarterly return, according to the Australian Business Licence and Information Service (ABLIS). The same source says registration provides employees with long service leave entitlements that are portable between employers. Figures checked 1 October 2026; the source does not state a levy rate or amount.
Who must apply for registration?
ABLIS says an operator must apply when it runs a contract cleaning business and employs workers on wages or salary to perform cleaning work.
| Business or worker situation | Position stated by ABLIS |
|---|---|
| A contract cleaning business employing workers on wages or salary to perform cleaning work | Must apply for registration |
| Companies, partnerships, sole traders, trusts and other employing entities meeting those conditions | The registration is available to these business structures |
| A person engaged solely to supervise workers | Not eligible for this registration |
ABLIS classifies the service type as a licence. The supervisor exclusion should not be treated as a broader exemption for a business that also employs other workers; the source does not explain mixed employment arrangements.
What does portable long service leave provide?
Registration provides long service leave entitlements for employees in the industry. Those entitlements are portable between employers, rather than being tied to one employer alone.
The ABLIS page does not explain how the entitlement accrues, how a balance transfers or the process for making a claim. It also does not provide a rate, threshold or amount, so those matters need to be checked through the current regulator or scheme information.
How is the levy paid?
The levy is payable as part of the quarterly return.
| Levy detail | What the source confirms |
|---|---|
| Connection to the return | The levy must be paid as part of the quarterly return |
| Levy rate | Not stated |
| Levy amount | Not stated |
| Calculation method | Not provided |
| Due date or payment method | Not stated on the ABLIS page |
Without a supplied rate or calculation method, an employer cannot calculate the levy from this source alone. The quarterly return should be checked against current scheme requirements before payment.
Which rules and bodies are identified?
ABLIS lists the following legal instruments:
- Contract Cleaning Industry (Portable Long Service Leave Scheme) Act 2010 New South Wales
- Contract Cleaning Industry (Portable Long Service Leave Scheme) Regulation 2022 New South Wales
It identifies The Treasury and Long Service Corporation as the administering agencies. The contact details listed on the page are:
- Phone: 13 14 41
- Email: info@longservice.nsw.gov.au
What should an employer do next?
- Check whether the business employs workers on wages or salary to perform cleaning work and therefore meets the registration criteria.
- Use the Employer Registration Application – PDF, which ABLIS lists for all business structures.
- Read the Employer Guide – PDF for compliance information.
- Check the current regulator or scheme page for registration, quarterly return and levy requirements.
- Contact Long Service Corporation using the details above if the published material does not resolve the question.
- For insurance matters, check the policy’s Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) separately for the applicable terms.
This is general information, not financial or legal advice.
Sources
FAQ
Must every NSW cleaning business register?
ABLIS says an operator must apply if it operates a contract cleaning business and employs workers on wages or salary to perform cleaning work.
What does portable long service leave mean?
Registration provides long service leave entitlements, and those entitlements are portable between employers. The source does not set out the accrual or claiming process.
Does the source publish a quarterly levy rate or amount?
No. It confirms that the levy is payable as part of the quarterly return but provides neither a rate nor an amount, so no calculation can be made from this source alone.
Is someone engaged solely to supervise workers eligible to register?
ABLIS says a person engaged solely to supervise workers is not eligible for this registration.
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