Public health or accommodation business

Step 1.Contact our Business Concierge 

Contact our Business Concierge at business.concierge@whittlesea.vic.gov.au to check if any planning or building permits are required before preparing for your food registration by completing the Business self-assessment checklist. You must obtain these permits before applying for registration with Environmental Health Services.

Step 2.Discuss your plans

Before setting up a new premises or refurbishing an existing one, contact our Health Services department to discuss your proposal. We highly recommend that you submit plans of the proposed works to ensure compliance. To lodge your plans, please complete the online form below.

Application to register a Health Premises or Prescribed Accommodation

Attach one copy of the floor plan of the business (drawn to a scale of 1:100). All plans must include specifications and details of surfaces, fittings and equipment, according to our Premises Development Guide:

• Health Premises Development Guide(PDF, 160KB)
• Prescribed Accommodation Development Guide(PDF, 823KB)

Pay the plans approval fee with the online form.

Note: Accommodation premises must submit plans before proceeding to registration.

Step 3.Apply for Health or Prescribed Accommodation

Complete the online form below.

Public Health and Wellbeing Act application form

Your application form will be reviewed by the district Environmental Health Officer. Based on the type of business you are applying for an invoice will be sent to you for payment.

Please note your Public Health and Wellbeing Act application won’t be assessed until full payment has been received.

Step 4.Health premises inspections

Our Environmental Health Officer will conduct progress inspections during the construction of your public health and wellbeing business or premises to ensure it complies with the approved plans and specifications.

Step 5.Final inspection and registration

Before opening the public health and wellbeing business or premises, our Environmental Health Officer will complete a final inspection. If the business or premises meets the standards, you can apply for registration with us. The Environmental Health Officer will supply an application form at the final inspection.

Step 6.Pay your fees

Public Health and Wellbeing Act businesses are registered for the calendar year that the business commenced operation. Fees will vary depending on the date the business opens.

• A full fee is charged in the first six months of the year (from January to June)
• A pro-rata half fee is charged during the three months from July to September
• In the last three months of the year (October to December) a full fee is charged that will register the business till 31 December of the following year (to a maximum of 15 months).

Health premises

• $369.15 (between 1 Jan - 30 June)
• $184.55 (between 1 Jul - 30 Sept)
• $369.15 (between 1 Oct - 31 Dec of the following year)

Prescribed Accommodation

• $451.90 (between 1 Jan - 30 June)
• $225.96 (between 1 Jul - 30 Sept)
• $451.90 (between 1 Oct - 31 Dec of the following year)

Aquatic facility

• $240.80 (between 1 July 2025 - 30 June 2026)
• $120.40 (between 31 December 2025 - 30 June 2026)
• *subject to change due to new financial year increase (between 1 April 2026 - 30 June 2027)
• $71.00 for every additional pool/spa at the same facility

Step 1.Complete the online form

Complete the online application form that relates to your business.

Application to register a health premises or prescribed accommodation

Step 2.Attach a copy of your plans

Attach one copy of the floor plan of the business. All plans must include specifications and details of surfaces, fittings and equipment, according to our premises development guides. Download the development guide that applies to your business.

Download the relevant Development Guide

• Public Health And Wellbeing Act Premise Guide - accessible Word document(DOCX, 101KB)
• Public Health And Wellbeing Act Premises Guide - PDF(PDF, 308KB)
• Public Health And Wellbeing Act Premises Guide - accessible PDF(PDF, 160KB)
• Prescribed Accommodation Guide - accessible Word document(DOCX, 1MB)
• Prescribed Accommodation Guide - PDF(PDF, 823KB)

Step 3.Pay the plans approval fee

Pay the relevant plans approval fee for your type of business. 

• Health premises: $239.40
• Accommodation premises: $380.15

Note: this fee does not cover Public Health and Wellbeing Act registration. 

Step 4.Wait for approval

We will process your application within 14 days of receiving complete plans and specifications. We will then send you back:

• a copy of the approved plan
• a letter with conditions
• contact details of the responsible environmental health officer (EHO).

We advise you not to begin any major work on setting up the new public health and wellbeing premises until you receive the approved plan.