Accommodation businesses

Under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 (The Act) and Public Health and Wellbeing (Prescribed Accommodation) Regulations 2020 (The Regulations), if you operate any following types of accommodation, then your business must be registered with Council's Health and Building Services team:

  • hotels and motels
  • hostels
  • student dormitories
  • holiday camps
  • rooming houses accommodating 4 or more people
  • residential accommodation
  • labour hire accommodation

Prescribed accommodation providers are required to meet hygiene, maintenance and other standards and requirements to minimise public health risk that may arise from shared use of facilities, high turnover of occupants and/or overcrowding.

The objective of the regulations is to set out the standards necessary to minimise the public health risks associated with prescribed accommodation.

If you plan to start a new business, you must register it with Council before trading.
If you take over an existing business, you must transfer the registration before trading.

Business Concierge

To begin the business registration process, complete and submit the Business Permit Checklist via our Business Permit Enquiry Process. Business Concierge is applicable to both new and existing businesses.

Business Permit Enquiry Process

This checklist allows your proposal to be assessed by the relevant departments – Planning, Building, and Health. Each department will review your submission and provide feedback or requirements specific to their area. 

New Businesses

Application for Registration

The applicant must submit the prescribed accommodation plans accompanied with the application form. The plan must be drawn to a scale of not less than 1:100 and showing the proposed use of each room.

Registration Inspection

An Environmental Health Officer will conduct the Registration Inspection, checking structural, hygiene and maintenance standards in line with The Act and The Regulations.  

Existing Businesses

Transfer of Prescribed Accommodation Business

If you are purchasing an existing prescribed accommodation business, you must complete the Application to transfer the Registration form once settlement has occurred.

Pre-Inspection and Report

If you are purchasing an established prescribed accommodation business, then you have an option to request an inspection prior to settlement. After the inspection the applicant will receive a comprehensive report detailing any issues that do not meet regulatory standards.  

Any outstanding issues once settlement has occurred become the responsibility of the new proprietor. 

Please note: Applicant will need the current owner's permission to request the inspection. 

Rooming House

A rooming house is a building where four or more people can live in rented rooms, some of which might be shared. Rooming houses must be registered with the local council.

Please refer to the registration process for Prescribed Accommodation as it is the same process under The Act and The Regulations but with additional requirements under Consumer Affairs. Please click on the Consumer Affairs Victoria link for more information- Rooming house - minimum standards - Consumer Affairs Victoria. 

Registration Renewal 

Registrations are renewed annually and must be paid by 31 December each year. 

We’ll send renewal reminders and your annual renewal form to the email address supplied in your application for registration.  

If you need more information, please contact Environmental Health team on 03 9747 7200.

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