Start and register a new health related business

All health-related businesses must register with Council under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008.

Health-related businesses include:

Personal care and body art businesses (hairdressing, beauty treatment, skin penetration procedures and colonic irrigation)
Prescribed accommodation including rooming and boarding houses and motels, hostels and caravan parks.

Current legislation does not require the registration of massage businesses.

Find out more information about the different types of health-related business.

Before starting a new health-related business

If you are thinking of starting a new health-related business, we strongly recommend that you discuss your plans with Council. Council can provide advice about fittings and the layout of your business to help you meet the required standards.

It is your responsibility to apply for any necessary planning permits or building permits before you can commence works on your new business. For example, if you want to operate your health business from home you need to follow Council's guidelines for working from home (DOC 220Kb) and you may need permits if you intend to renovate or extend the building.

Starting any type of prescribed accommodation can involve a number of areas within Council and may include obtaining a:

planning permit
building permit
occupancy permit
registering as prescribed accommodation

If you are thinking of starting a new health-related business, Council's Environmental Health Officers can support and assist you with the process and help you understand and achieve compliance with relevant standards and codes.

If you are buying an existing health-related business, see buying or transferring a health-related business.

How to register a new health-related business

Council has a fixed registration period that runs from 1 July to 30 June each year. The annual registration fee is set by Council. Council sends an annual renewal notice to all registered health-related businesses and you can pay the renewal fee online by Visa or MasterCard.

If your premises is hairdressing and/or temporary make-up only then your registration is a 'one-off' registration and does not require renewal each year. A one-off registration is non-transferable.

What To Include With Your Registration Application

It is recommended that when registering a new health related business that you submit your plans and specifications to Council along with the details of the type of business you wish to operate.

The plans submitted should include

a plan layout and specifications of the proposed business (see an example of plans and elevations (DOC 146Kb)
dimensions and details of fixtures and fittings, including location and elevations, and
specifications of various material to be used on surfaces and finishes

For Prescribed accomodation plans must be provided drawn to a scale of not less than 1 to 100 and show:

Every part of the premises including yards and outbuildings
Indicate the proposed use of each room
Indicate the number of bedrooms and number of beds in each room, and
Indicate the intended number of occupants.

How To Apply

Online

To register your new health related business:

Select the type of health related business from the list 'Environmental Health Licences'.
As part of the online registration process, you upload digital files and pay the fee by Visa or MasterCard.

Submit an application to register a health related business

When Council receives your registration application, you receive an automated email confirmation that your application has been received.

The application is allocated an application number and given to a Council environmental health officer who begins the assessment process. You are notified of the registration application number, officer's name and contact details.

Councils online lodgement guide (DOC 1Mb) (DOC 1Mb) should help if you are having any issues lodging online.

Council will assess your application, inspect your premises and let you know if your registration has been granted, granted with conditions or refused.

By Mail or in Person

Complete the Application to Register a Health Act Premises form (DOC 78Kb) and submit all the required documentation and applicable registration fee.

You can submit your application and fee by post to Locked Bag 10, Merri-bek 3058 or in person to Moreland Civic Centre

Councils Environmental Health team operates digitally and does not work with hard copy documents. When Council receives a hard copy application for registration, Council must first scan all documents and plans. The application registration is then allocated a number and given to an Environmental Health officer.

If an email address is provided, you will receive notification of the application number and officer's contact details by email. Otherwise, notification is sent by post.