Chauffeur salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a chauffeur is $57,200 per annum, before tax, up $12,000 since 2018.
Employee chauffeurs are usually paid by the hour under the passenger vehicle transport award, which sets penalty rates for nights, weekends and public holidays. Owner-drivers are paid differently, through a share of the fare or a company split, and they carry the cost of the car, fuel, insurance and cleaning before they take anything home. Corporate account work tends to pay more steadily than one-off private bookings.
Roles that pay more than chauffeur
The largest typical pay rise is $44,700 a year, moving into Truck Driver.
- Truck Driver+$44,700/yr
- Bus Driver+$36,100/yr
- Delivery Driver+$10,800/yr
How to negotiate a higher chauffeur salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time chauffeur salary is $57,200; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Driving and transport operations and Operations management tend to command a premium over general chauffeur experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Truck Driver pays a typical $44,700 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Chauffeur salary questions
How much do chauffeurs earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a chauffeur is $57,200 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is chauffeur pay rising or falling?
The median chauffeur salary is up $12,000 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than chauffeur?
Truck Driver pays a typical $44,700 a year more and draws on similar skills to chauffeur.