Queensland Security of Payment Deadline Calculator
Calculate Queensland BIF Act deadlines: payment schedule, due date and adjudication application dates, with the holiday-period exclusions.
This tool provides general estimates only and does not constitute legal advice. For advice specific to your situation, contact Vitt Legal for a consultation — expert, transparent legal advice.
How the calculator works
- You choose the state or territory where the work was done and who you are claiming from. Security of Payment laws are state-based, so the deadlines differ.
- From the date you served your payment claim, it counts forward the business days allowed for the payment schedule and the due date for payment, skipping weekends and any Christmas–New Year days the Act excludes.
- Depending on how the other side responded, it works out the last day to give a notice of intention (where one is required) and to apply for adjudication.
- Where a rule could not be confirmed from an official source, the calculator does not guess: it tells you to confirm that step with a lawyer.
Rules last checked .
Queensland Security of Payment rules
Queensland (QLD)
Building Industry Fairness (Security of Payment) Act 2017 (Qld)
- Which contracts
- The BIF Act replaced the Building and Construction Industry Payments Act 2004 (now repealed). The old Act only continues for payment claims given before the BIF Act commenced.Source: Building Industry Fairness (Security of Payment) Act 2017 (Qld)
- Counting business days
- Business days exclude weekends, public holidays, 22–24 December, 27–31 December and 2–10 January.Source: Building Industry Fairness (Security of Payment) Act 2017 (Qld)
- Time limit to serve a payment claim
- Progress claims: within the longer of the contract period or 6 months after the work was last carried out (s 75(2)). Final claims have their own time limits.Source: Building Industry Fairness (Security of Payment) Act 2017 (Qld)
- Payment schedule
- 15 business days after the claim is given, or earlier if the contract requires (s 76). Not needed if the claim is paid in full by the due date.Source: Building Industry Fairness (Security of Payment) Act 2017 (Qld)
- Due date — claiming from the principal
- The contract date; if the contract is silent, 10 business days after the claim (s 73). Commercial building contracts cannot push payment past 15 business days, and construction management trade contracts and subcontracts past 25.Source: Building Industry Fairness (Security of Payment) Act 2017 (Qld)
- Due date — claiming from a head contractor
- The contract date; if the contract is silent, 10 business days after the claim (s 73). Subcontract payment terms longer than 25 business days are void.Source: Building Industry Fairness (Security of Payment) Act 2017 (Qld)
- Homeowner (owner-occupier) contracts
- Contracts with a resident owner for their home are generally excluded (s 61(2)(b)).Source: Building Industry Fairness (Security of Payment) Act 2017 (Qld)
- Adjudication — schedule for less than claimed
- Within 30 business days after you receive the payment schedule.Source: Building Industry Fairness (Security of Payment) Act 2017 (Qld)
- Adjudication — scheduled amount not paid
- Within 20 business days after the due date for payment.Source: Building Industry Fairness (Security of Payment) Act 2017 (Qld)
- Adjudication — no schedule and not paid
- Within 30 business days after the later of the due date and the last day a payment schedule could have been given. No notice of intention is needed.Source: Building Industry Fairness (Security of Payment) Act 2017 (Qld)
- Applications are made to the Adjudication Registry (QBCC), and a copy must be given to the respondent within 4 business days.
- A claim of more than $750,000 is a complex payment claim, which changes some adjudication response times.
Security of Payment deadlines by state
Maximum periods under each Act. A contract can shorten the payment schedule and due date periods. Adjudication periods run from the event shown.
| State | Payment schedule | Adjudication: schedule for less | Adjudication: no schedule | Claim time limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VIC | 10 business days | 10 business days after receipt | Notice within 10 days of due date, 5-day second chance, then 5 business days | 6 months after practical completion (or contract, if later) |
| NSW | 10 business days | 10 business days after receipt | Notice within 20 days of due date, 5-day second chance, then 10 business days | 12 months after work last done (or contract, if later) |
| QLD | 15 business days | 30 business days after receipt | 30 business days | 6 months after work last done (or contract, if later) |
| WA | 15 business days | 20 business days after receipt | Notice within 20 days of due date, 5-day second chance, then 20 business days | 6 months after work last done (or contract, if later) |
| SA | Confirm with a lawyer | Confirm with a lawyer after receipt | Confirm with a lawyer | Confirm with a lawyer |
| TAS | 10 business days | 10 business days after receipt | Notice within 20 days of due date, 5-day second chance, then 10 business days | 12 months after work last done (or contract, if later) |
| ACT | 10 business days | 10 business days after receipt | Notice within 20 days of due date, 5-day second chance, then 10 business days | 12 months after work last done (or contract, if later) |
| NT | 10 working days | 65 working days after receipt | 65 working days | Set by the contract |
What this calculator does not cover
- Public holidays. They are not skipped, so a real deadline can be a day or more later than shown.
- Earlier deadlines set by your contract, beyond the due date you enter.
- Final payment claims, performance security and retention claims, and adjudication responses.
- Contracts signed before the current rules started (see “Which contracts” for each state).
- Whether your payment claim or schedule is valid, or whether the Act covers your contract at all.
- South Australian dates, which could not be confirmed against the current Act.
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