Whether you're starting a new business or expanding an existing one, Council can guide you through the necessary registrations and permits to operate smoothly and in line with local regulations.
If you are planning to open a new business, whether it be a business that sells, prepares, or handles food, provides accommodation, a hairdresser/beauty parlour services, conducts skin penetration activities such as ear piercing and tattooing, or operates a caravan park, there is legislation in place that requires the registration of these businesses with us.
Registration commences the day that you are approved and issued with your certificate of registration. All registrations issued expire on 31 December of each year.
An application to renew registration must be submitted before the current registration expires. The application fee that is paid with the first registration covers the initial inspections of the premises and approval of the plans.
Premises registered under either the Food Act 1984, Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008, or Residential Tenancies Act 1997 are required to meet minimum standards for construction, fit out, and general operation. Before purchasing an existing business, there are a number of steps that you need to take.
Who to speak to
Anyone contemplating opening a new business should also make contact with the following organisations. They may be able to provide you with additional assistance and let you know if any other approvals, registrations or licences will be required. This list is not exhaustive but may be of assistance.
Within Council:
- Statutory Planning - for town planning advice
- Building - for any building/fire compliance requirements
- Local Laws - for advice in relation to advertising signs on footpaths and street furniture
- Rates - to discuss what rates and charges are likely to apply
Other contacts:
- North East Region Water Authority - for advice on water supply and grease traps | 1300 361 622
- Liquor Control Victoria | 1300 182 457
- Consumer and Business Affairs Victoria | 1300 558 181
Selling or handling food
Food premises information
The Victorian Food Act 1984, along with the Food Standards Code and the Food Safety Standards, cover all businesses that handle, pack, prepare and sell food. Therefore all businesses, regardless of their size, that are involved with food, must be registered, and must comply with the requirements of the legislation.
View more information about food poisoning and complaints by visiting the Department of Health.
Food premises classification
- Class 1: Handles, processes, or serves ready to eat potentially hazardous food to groups, most vulnerable to food related illness (including hospital patients, nursing home residents, or children in long day care)
- Class 2: Supplies potentially hazardous unpackaged foods (e.g. meat, dairy, etc.) which need correct temperature control throughout the food handling process, including cooking and storage, to keep food safe (such as restaurants or take away foods)
- Class 3: Supplies or handles unpackaged low risk foods or pre-packaged potentially hazardous foods which simply need refrigeration to keep them safe (such as milk bars or bread baking) and some community events
- Class 4: Premises that only sell pre-packaged low risk food and certain low risk occasional activities (e.g. a simple sausage sizzle with sausages, bread, sauce, and onion). Retailers, community groups, and warehouses selling low risk packed and prepacked foods (such sausages cooked and served immediately, cooked cakes, jams, and honey).
Food safety supervisor qualifications and requirements
Find more information about food safety supervisor qualifications and requirements by visiting the Department of Health.
Information for temporary food premises / stalls / mobile premises and community food selling events
Temporary food stalls are sites that are not permanently fixed, where food is sold, prepared, or handled. These include stalls and tents at fetes, farmers markets, craft markets, shows, festivals, or other short-term events.
Mobile food premises are vehicles such as vans, trailers, or carts from which food is sold.
Foodtrader allows registration and notification of temporary and mobile food business to the customer’s principal council.
Operators of temporary and mobile food premises, including community groups, need to access the website and proceed to complete the application online. The relevant council will be notified. The fees and charges will be advised via this website.
The Victorian Department of Health has developed a short video and interactive website to help community groups understand and meet their food safety obligations when selling food to raise funds in Victoria. The video provides an informative insight into community fund-raising activities while the website covers a range of topics, including community group obligations under the Victorian Food Act 1984.
How to register temporary and mobile food premises
- Login to Foodtrader;
- Answer questions about your food handling activities to determine your food safety risk classification and fees to pay; and
- Submit your form.
Accommodation premises
The Public Health & Wellbeing (Prescribed Accommodation) Regulations 2020 requires registration of all prescribed accommodation premises. The following information regarding prescribed accommodation may assist you when establishing your own bed and breakfast, guesthouse, or other form of accommodation.
Objectives of the regulations
- To prevent overcrowding in prescribed accommodations;
- To ensure a reasonable standard of hygiene, sanitation and safety in prescribed accommodation; and
- To minimise the risk of airborne and other communicable diseases amongst people living in prescribed accommodation.
Accommodation factors connected to ill health
- Lack of or sharing of amenities linked to gastroenteritis and dysentery especially among young children and the elderly;
- Overcrowding leading to accidents, respiratory illness in young children and the elderly and the transmission of infectious diseases;
- Problems with insulation and ventilation can result in respiratory illness;
- Dampness has been linked to respiratory illness, particularly chest infection and asthma in children; and
- Uncollected waste can lead to the spread of gastrointestinal and parasitic diseases, mainly as a result of the increase of insect and rodent vectors and poor maintenance of sewers and food waste.
Types of prescribed accommodation
Within the State of Victoria the following classes of accommodation are prescribed to be subject to Division 1 of Part 5 of the Public Health & Wellbeing Act 2008:
- Residential accommodation;
- Hotels and motels;
- Hostels and backpackers;
- Student dormitories;
- Holiday camps; and
- Rooming houses.
Definitions
A holiday camp means any house, building or structure, whether temporary or permanent, which is used for accommodation of student groups, youth groups, or family groups for holiday or recreational purposes.
A rooming house means a building in which there is one or more rooms available for occupancy on payment of rent in which the total number of people who may occupy that room or those rooms is not less than four.
This includes short-term bed and breakfast premises if five or more persons are accommodated, unless the following exemptions apply:
- A house or self-contained flat under the exclusive occupation of the occupier;
- Premises in which, other than the family of the proprietor, five persons or fewer are accommodated, and which is not a rooming house;
- Any house, building, or structure to which Part 4 (caravan parks are separately requested with Council) of the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 applies;
- Any vessel, vehicle, tent, or caravan;
- Public hospitals or registered health services establishments; and
- Retirement villages.
Overcrowding
The Public Health and Wellbeing (Prescribed Accommodation) Regulations 2020 detail the maximum number of persons that can be accommodated based on room size and varies depending on the length of stay (more than or less than 31 days).
Under these regulations:
- Each bedroom must have a minimum floor space of 7.5 square meters;
- One child under three is not counted as a person;
- 2 children under the age of three are counted as one person; and
- Floor area includes the area occupied by any cupboard or other built-in furniture, fixture or fitting but does not include any area occupied by any bathroom or toilet in, or attached to, the bedroom.
| People permitted | Holiday camp (m2) | 1-31 days (m2) | 31+ days (m2) |
| 1 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 7.5 |
| 2 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 12 |
| 3 | 7.5 | 10 | 16 |
| 4 | 8 | 12 | 20 |
| 5 | 10 | 14 | 24 |
| 6 | 12 | 16 | 28 |
| 7 | 14 | 18 | 32 |
| 8 | 16 | 20 | 36 |
| 9 | 18 | 22 | 40 |
| 10 | 20 | 24 | 44 |
| 11 | 22 | 26 | 48 |
| 12+ | 24 (add 2m2 for each additional person) | 28 (add 2m2 for each additional person) | 52 (add 2m2 for each additional person) |
| 1 child less than 3 years | Do not count | Do not count | Do not count |
| 2 children less than 3 years | = 1 adult | = 1 adult | = 1 adult |
Toilet and bathing facilities
Proprietor must provide at least one toilet, one bath or shower and one hand basin for every 10 persons or fraction of that number of persons occupying the premises. All facilities to be maintained in a clean and hygienic condition and in a good state of repair.
Drinking water
Water intended for drinking must be fit for human consumption. Private drinking water supplies used for commercial premises need a higher level of management then that required for private dwellings.
If the water supply is roof catchment and tank storage, then maintenance procedures will be necessary to ensure compliance with the Australian Drinking Water Standards.
Kitchens or food premises
Many prescribed accommodation premises also operate a kitchen or kiosk and, as such, registration under the Food Act 1984 may also be required.
Where a prescribed accommodation premises provides meals for residents, a separate registration for food premises must be obtained from our Environmental Health team.
Premises not supplying food, such as self-catering, will have their kitchen facilities assessed in terms of overall structural and cleanliness.
Registration
If you intend opening, buying or have a prescribed accommodation premises, please submit an application to our Environmental Health Officers.
Floor plans showing the layout of the premises, number of persons to be accommodated, size of all bedrooms and details of sanitary facilities, including number of showers, toilets, and hand basins, must be supplied.
Email your completed application to health@alpineshire.vic.gov.au.
Once the application is assessed, we will arrange for an inspection of the premises. This can be during construction if applicable. When all works have been completed to satisfaction, a certificate of registration to operate can be issued and forwarded to you.
Health premises (hairdresser, beauty, piercing, or tattooing)
The infection prevention and control guidelines for hair, beauty, tattooing, and skin penetration industries is a set of guidelines to assist those involved in the personal care and body art industry to comply with the Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations 2009 by providing information on:
- How infection can be associated with the procedures employed in the industry; and
- Precautions to protect clients and employees.
If you intend opening, buying or have a health premises, please submit an application to our Environmental Health Officers..
Email your completed application to health@alpineshire.vic.gov.au.
Caravan parks
The Residential Tenancies Act 1997 requires registration of all caravan parks. Many caravan parks also operate a kiosk and, as such, registration under the Food Act 1984 may also be required.
All caravan parks are required to have in place an Emergency Management Plan. It is advisable to obtain a copy of this plan prior to taking over so that you are fully aware of your obligations under that plan.
If you intend opening or buying a caravan park, please speak with our Environmental Health Officers.
Domestic animal business
When you open a kennel or other domestic animal business, you must register your business with us.