Workers compensation in Victoria is run by WorkSafe Victoria through WorkCover insurance. Generally, you must register if you or your company employs any workers in Victoria, and WorkSafe must receive your registration within 60 days of the date you first meet the requirements. You're exempt if you have no apprentices and don't pay more than $7,500 in remuneration in a financial year, as of October 2026.
If you run a small business in Victoria, WorkCover is one of the first compulsory costs you'll hit once you hire. The rules are simpler than most people expect, but there's one catch that trips up company owners. Here's what WorkSafe's own pages say.
Do you need WorkCover insurance?
| Your situation | Do you register? |
|---|---|
| You or your company employs any workers in Victoria | Generally, yes |
| Your company employs you personally | Yes, you're a worker of your own company |
| No apprentices and $7,500 or less in remuneration a year | No |
| Sole trader with no workers | No |
| Individual in a partnership, or an individual trustee, with no workers | No |
| Contracting company that depends on another business | Maybe not, if you count as a deemed worker of that business |
Those thresholds are WorkSafe Victoria's, as of October 2026. If you're a labour hire employer, WorkSafe says you need to contact a WorkSafe agent before you register.
The catch for company owners
This is the one people miss. A sole trader with no staff doesn't need WorkCover. But WorkSafe says if your company employs you personally, then you are a worker of your own company and need to register. So the moment you move from sole trader to a company that pays you a wage, you can cross the line, even with no other staff, unless your company stays under the $7,500 remuneration test with no apprentices.
There's a narrow exception for incorporated contractors. If your company depends on another business for its existence, you may count as a deemed worker of that other business, unless you run an owner driver business. In that case your company may not need to register, and WorkSafe treats amounts the other business pays your company as remuneration for the other business.
How to register, step by step
- Check you meet the requirements using the table above.
- Register online through WorkSafe's Online Employer Services portal, or complete the new registration form and post it to the WorkSafe agent of your choice.
- Make sure WorkSafe receives it within 60 days of the date you first meet the requirements.
- Wait for your premium. WorkSafe calculates it after registration is complete, and you have the right to ask for a review if you disagree.
- Set up a register of injuries and know how you'd lodge a claim before anyone gets hurt.
Paying the premium and the discounts
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Pay in full before 17 August | 5% discount |
| Pay in full before 1 October | 3% discount |
| Premium of $1,000 or less | Must be paid as a one-off payment by 1 November |
| Instalments | Quarterly or monthly are available |
| Missed instalment | The plan may be cancelled and future instalments become due immediately |
Those are WorkSafe's figures as of October 2026. The early discount applies even if your premium is the minimum amount, so if cash flow allows, paying in full before 17 August is the easy saving. You can pay by EFT, BPAY or phone.
Your first-year WorkCover checklist
- Diarise the date you first hire, because the 60 days run from when you first meet the requirements.
- Keep your registration and remuneration details up to date in Online Employer Services, where you can also view mail and make payments.
- Decide whether to pay in full or by instalments when your renewal notice arrives.
- If you disagree with the premium WorkSafe calculates, ask for a review rather than leaving it.
- Download WorkSafe's suggested template for recording injuries so your register is ready from day one.
What happens if you don't register
WorkSafe is blunt about it: if you're not registered when you should be, you may face severe penalties, and you can be required to reimburse WorkSafe for any compensation paid to your injured workers. That second part is the expensive one. A single serious injury claim can cost far more than years of premiums.
When a worker is injured
WorkSafe publishes a guide for employers covering the immediate response, how to report an incident, how to fill out your register of injuries and how to submit your employer claim documents. Injured workers use a separate form to lodge their own claim. Keep both easy to find. If you're hiring for the first time, my guides to the National Employment Standards and payroll tax in Victoria cover the other employer basics, and workers compensation explains how the idea works more broadly.
My verdict
If you employ anyone in Victoria, including yourself through a company, assume you need WorkCover until the $7,500 test says otherwise. Register inside the 60 days, pay before 17 August for the 5% discount, and keep your injury register up to date. It's a small admin job that protects you from a very large bill.
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Frequently asked questions
Who needs WorkCover insurance in Victoria?
Generally, any business that employs workers in Victoria. You don't need it if you have no apprentices and pay $7,500 or less in remuneration in a financial year, as of October 2026.
Do sole traders need WorkCover in Victoria?
Not if they don't employ any other workers. WorkSafe says sole traders, individuals in partnerships and individual trustees with no workers don't need to register.
Do I need WorkCover if my company pays me a wage?
Usually yes. WorkSafe says if your company employs you personally, you're a worker of your own company and need to register.
What's the deadline to register for WorkCover?
WorkSafe must receive your registration within 60 days of the date you first meet the eligibility requirements.
Is there a discount for paying WorkCover early?
Yes. Paying in full before 17 August gets a 5% discount, and before 1 October gets 3%, as of October 2026.
What happens if I don't have WorkCover?
You may face severe penalties and can be required to reimburse WorkSafe for compensation paid to your injured workers.
Can I pay my WorkCover premium in instalments?
Yes, quarterly or monthly. But if your premium is $1,000 or less, it has to be paid as a one-off payment by 1 November, as of October 2026.
