Long Service Leave Calculator
Updated November 2026 · Free · No sign-up
Calculate long service leave in Australia — every state's accrual (NSW 2 months/10 years, VIC 1/60th from 7, QLD 8.67 weeks/10), pro-rata entitlements on exit, and the cash value.
Quick answer: The common benchmark: ~8.67 weeks of paid leave after 10 years (≈0.867 weeks/year), with pro-rata payouts on termination after 5-7 years depending on the state. 10 years at $1,800/week = ~$15,600 of LSL — Victoria lets you take it from 7 years.
State-by-State Accrual
| State | Entitlement | Weeks/year | Pro-rata on exit |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | 2 months (8.67 wks) / 10 yrs | 0.867 | From 5 yrs if ended by employer/illness/domestic necessity |
| VIC | 1/60th of service | 0.867 — takeable from 7 yrs | From 7 yrs, any reason |
| QLD | 8.67 wks / 10 yrs | 0.867 | From 7 yrs (dismissal/illness/etc.) |
| WA | 8.67 wks / 10 yrs | 0.867 | From 7 yrs |
| SA | 13 wks / 10 yrs | 1.3 | From 7 yrs |
| TAS | 8.67 wks / 10 yrs | 0.867 | From 7 yrs |
| ACT | 6.07 wks / 7 yrs | 0.867 | From 5 yrs |
| NT | 13 wks / 10 yrs | 1.3 | From 7 yrs |
Worked Examples
Example 1 — the decade mark (NSW). 10 years, $1,800/week: 8.67 × $1,800 = $15,600 of paid leave — or payout at exit at the current (not historical) rate.
Example 2 — Victorian early access. 8 years in VIC: 8 × 0.867 = 6.9 weeks — takeable now, the most flexible scheme in the country.
Example 3 — SA/NT generosity. 10 years in Adelaide: 13 × $1,800 = $23,400 — the 1.3-week accrual states are worth 50% more than the 8.67 pack.
Example 4 — leaving at year 9 (QLD, resignation). Simple resignation before 10 years without a qualifying reason: typically zero — a year early can cost five figures; time exits around the thresholds.
What Counts and What Pays
- Continuous service survives approved leaves (unpaid leave usually doesn't count but doesn't break it) and business sales (entitlement transfers).
- Rate: paid at your ORDINARY rate when taken/paid out — generally excludes overtime; averaged for variable earners (state formulas vary).
- Casuals accrue too — regular and systematic casuals qualify in every state, averaged over the service.
- Portable schemes: construction, cleaning, security, and community services in several states carry industry-portable LSL funds — service follows you between employers.
Tax on LSL Payouts
LSL taken as leave taxes as normal salary. Termination payouts tax at marginal rates with special withholding schedules — and pre-1993 service components get concessional treatment. Big payouts can cross brackets: landing the exit in a low-income year (or salary-sacrificing more super that year) softens it — same year-end logic as the salary sacrifice math, adapted to Australian caps.
Employer Accounting
Accrue ~0.87 (or 1.3) weeks per employee-year from day one — the liability vests late but accrues steadily, and AASB rules want it on the books probability-weighted. The operational trap: forgetting pro-rata triggers (redundancy at year 8 pays out in most states) and rate updates (payouts price at final, raised salaries — a decade of increases lands in one line).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much long service leave do I get?
Most states: about 8.67 weeks after 10 years (0.867/week per year); SA and NT give 13 weeks. Victoria allows taking it from 7 years.
Do I get long service leave if I resign before 10 years?
Depends on the state and reason: VIC pays pro-rata from 7 years for any exit; NSW/QLD need employer-initiated endings or pressing necessity for early pro-rata; plain resignations before the threshold usually forfeit.
Is long service leave paid at my current salary?
Yes — at your ordinary rate when taken or paid out (not historical rates), excluding overtime; variable earners use state averaging formulas.
Do casual employees accrue long service leave?
Yes — regular and systematic casual service counts in every state, with earnings averaged for the payout rate.
What happens to LSL when a business is sold?
Continuity transfers — the new employer inherits accrued service and the eventual liability.
How is a long service leave payout taxed?
As ordinary income with special withholding schedules; pre-1993 components get concessional rates. Timing exits into lower-income years helps.
✓ Formula verified • Last updated: November 3, 2026