How to apply for a permission

You must get permission from us to engage in certain activities that have risk of harm to human health and the environment. These are called prescribed activities and are defined in Schedule 1 of the Environment Protection Regulations 2021(opens in a new window).

Our permissions include licences, permits and registrations. We also issue authorisations for waste discharge or disposal, permission exemptions, and designations.

You can apply for a permission if you're a:

• person
• company
• statutory corporation
• municipal council.

You may also need approval from other regulators or authorities – for example, a permit from your local council.

Find out if you need permission

If you're unsure of the type of permission you need, we recommend that you use our free permission pathway process before you apply for a permission. Application requirements are generally complex and activity specific. We can advise whether you need a permission and, if so, which one and how to apply.

For a list of prescribed activities that require permission, visit Find which permission you need.

Prepare for your application

Once you know the type of permission you need, you can prepare for your application. You submit your application through our portal(opens in a new window). However, it's important to prepare for your application before starting your application in the portal.

To prepare, you must follow the instructions for that permission type and activity. This could involve preparing your own application documents or using an EPA application form.

You need to provide evidence and relevant documentation to support your answers. You need to meet any specific requirements.

The required information is mandatory. Without this information, your application is incomplete, and by law we cannot assess it.

For some permissions, we recommend you get independent advice to help you prepare your application and understand your obligations.

Information to include in your application

The amount and type of information you need to provide depends on what permission type and what activity you are applying for.

For all permissions, you must provide information about your business, including:

• company or business name
• ASIC Certificate of Incorporation or Certificate of Registration
• ABN or ACN
• details of the person who is legally authorised to act on behalf of the company or business making the application
• details of the person who is managing the application
• details of your consultant or environmental auditor, if relevant
• information about any current permissions your business holds
• location of your business activity.

For most types of permissions, you must provide information and evidence on how you'll:

• meet your obligations under the general environmental duty and any other relevant duties
• assess and mitigate your risk and your impact on human health and the environment
• demonstrate that you're a fit and proper person to perform the activity
• address the 11 principles of environment protection
• address the climate change and biodiversity requirements
• use the best available and suitable techniques and technologies, so far as is reasonably practicable
• engage with the community and any other interested parties
• be consistent with the requirements of the Environment Protection Act 2017(opens in a new window) and the Environment Protection Regulations.

You can see current development licence applications(opens in a new window) on the Engage Victoria website. To see the permissions we've issued, visit our Public register.

Submit and pay for your application

We recommend that you contact us on 1300 372 842 or permissions@epa.vic.gov.au before submitting your application. We can let you know whether you need a pre-application meeting with us.

We recommend that you submit your application well in advance of your proposed start date.

Your application must be comprehensive and complete.

How to submit

Submit your application and supporting documents through our portal(opens in a new window). The portal asks you to summarise details of your application. You can cross-reference to more detail in your attached documents.

You need to sign up to use the portal. If you need help, call 1300 372 842.

When you submit your application, you'll receive confirmation and an application identification number.

Application fees

Fees for our permissions comply with the Environment Protection Regulations. You pay a fee when you submit your application in our portal.

An extra fee may apply if we need more time than specified in the Regulations to assess your application.

Fees also apply for managing your permission – for example, extending, transferring or amending. Visit Fees to see a list of all current fees and how they're calculated.

We assess your application

How we assess your application depends on what type of permission you've applied for.

We must be satisfied that we have everything we need to assess your application against the requirements in the Act and the Regulations.

If your application is incomplete, by law we cannot assess it. We let you know if it's incomplete. In this case, you need to submit a new application and may need to pay a new fee.

Our Permissions scheme policy outlines our standard process for assessing permission applications.

How long it takes

We need time to assess your application and make a decision. These timelines can change if we need more information to make a decision.

We recommend that you submit your application well in advance of your proposed start date. Allow for extra time in case we consider your application incomplete or we need additional information.

We make a decision

We may refuse or approve your application.

If we approve your application, we discuss the proposed conditions with you before we make a decision.

We may send you draft conditions before we finalise your permission. We can still refuse to issue a permission after sending draft conditions.

You can appeal our decision

You can apply to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal to review the decision about your application. You need to appeal within 15 business days of receiving the decision.

Visit Appeal our decision.