Three approvals, three regulators, one order
A rooming house — a building in which rooms are let and four or more people may occupy them, Residential Tenancies Act 1997 s 3(1) — sits under three separate approval regimes, and none of them substitutes for another. The building surveyor certifies the building. The council registers the premises. The Business Licensing Authority licenses the person or company that runs the business. Each has its own instrument, fee and clock, and the order in which you approach them decides whether the first resident moves in the week the occupancy permit issues or two months later.
For a new building the workable sequence is: lodge the licence application when the build is contracted, because the licence attaches to the operator, not the address (Rooming House Operators Act 2016 s 19(2)); obtain the occupancy permit at completion; then register with the council, which will ask for the occupancy permit and, in most municipalities, the licence. Whitehorse lists exactly that order on its rooming-house page; Knox requires proof of a current occupancy permit and a current operator licence with the registration form.
| Step | Who | Instrument | Output | Indicative time | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Occupancy permit | Relevant building surveyor (private or municipal) | Building Act 1993 s 39; Building Regulations 2018 regs 185–199 | Occupancy permit specifying essential safety measures | Days to a few weeks after the final inspection — set by the surveyor’s engagement, not by statute | Part of the building-permit engagement |
| 2 Operator licence (lodge early) | The person or company that will conduct the business | Rooming House Operators Act 2016 ss 7, 17, 20 | 3-year licence; entry on the public register | BLA target 85% within 35 days; average 12 days (April–June 2026) | $274.80 or $286.30 + $242.50 per relevant person + $620.90 (2026-27) |
| 3 Council registration | The proprietor — in a new build, the licensee | Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 ss 67, 71–74; Prescribed Accommodation Regulations 2020 reg 8 | Certificate of registration (up to 3 years); entry in the Rooming House Register | No statutory clock; plan assessment then inspection — allow 2 to 6 weeks | Set by each council (s 72): Port Phillip $180 + $350 a year; Knox $200 + $80 + $885 a year |
| 4 Pre-occupation set-up | Operator | RTA 1997 Part 3; Rooming House Standards Regulations 2023 | Documents, displays, registers, RTBA account | 1 to 2 weeks, alongside step 3 | Nil statutory |
| 5 First resident | Operator | RTA 1997 ss 96–97, 126–127, 406 | Signed documents; bond lodged within 10 business days | Day 1 | Nil |
Step 1 — the occupancy permit (Building Act 1993 s 39)
A new Class 1b building always needs an occupancy permit. Building Regulations 2018 reg 185 exempts only Class 10 work, alterations to a Class 1a house and alterations within a single unit of a Class 2 or 3 building — a new rooming house is none of those. Section 39(1) of the Building Act 1993 then makes it an offence to occupy the building before the permit issues: 120 penalty units ($25,092) for a natural person, 600 ($125,460) for a body corporate. Councils will not register premises without it; Knox and Whitehorse both list it as a prerequisite.
The application goes to the relevant building surveyor on Form 15 and must be accompanied by the plumbing compliance certificate and the electrical certificate of compliance for the work (reg 186). Under reg 194 the permit must specify every essential safety measure built into the building — the interconnected smoke alarms, the evacuation lighting, the exits — together with the performance level and the inspection frequency for each. That schedule becomes the owner’s maintenance calendar for the life of the building, so read it before the surveyor signs, not after.
- —Display: the owner of a Class 1b built on or after 1 July 1994 must keep a copy of the current occupancy permit displayed at the location the surveyor approves (reg 197, 10 penalty units) and make it available for inspection (reg 199, 10 penalty units).
- —Building manual: the Building Amendment (Building Manuals) Regulations 2026 (notice of decision 23 June 2026) require new Class 1b, 2 and 3 buildings to have a building manual from 1 February 2027, verified by the surveyor before the occupancy permit issues and updated by the owner at least annually. The reg 205B exemption covers only small owner-operated guest houses with no more than three dwellings and six guests, so a nine-room rooming house is inside the duty. Confirm with the building surveyor whether your permit application date brings it into scope.
- —The fire-safety package that the permit records — alarms in every bedroom, evacuation lighting, exits — is set out in Fire safety in a Class 1b rooming house.
“The licence follows the operator and the registration follows the address — so lodge the licence the day you sign the build contract, and register the day the occupancy permit issues.”
Step 2 — council registration as prescribed accommodation (Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 s 67)
A rooming house is prescribed accommodation (Public Health and Wellbeing (Prescribed Accommodation) Regulations 2020 reg 6(f)), and s 67 of the Act requires its proprietor to register it, on a periodic basis, with the council of the municipal district it sits in: 60 penalty units ($12,546) for a natural person, 300 ($62,730) for a body corporate, or an infringement of 4 or 10 units under reg 24. The proprietor is the person conducting the accommodation business — in a new build, the licensee, not the builder.
The application is made in the council’s own form (s 71) with the prescribed particulars under reg 8: a plan of the premises at not less than 1:100 showing the proposed use of each room, the date, the proprietor’s name and address, the premises address and the proposed registration date. For a rooming house it must also carry a company applicant’s ABN or ACN, or an individual’s ABN or date of birth (s 71(ca)). Councils add their own requests — Knox wants each bedroom’s dimensions in metres and the maximum number of people per room, plus proof of the occupancy permit and the operator licence.
Before deciding, the council may demand information, inspect, and require alterations so the premises comply with the Act, the regulations or the rooming-house standards made under Division 8 of Part 3 of the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (s 73(1)); it may also register on condition that the work is done within a set period (s 73(2)). Registration runs for a period the council determines, not greater than 3 years, which must be stated on the certificate (s 74(1)(d)); Knox and Whitehorse run calendar-year registrations renewed by 31 December. The council then enters the premises in the State-wide Rooming House Register (s 73A; RTA s 142E), which anyone can search.
Two things reset every 1 July: the State’s fee unit and penalty unit — $17.27 and $209.10 for the year from 1 July 2026 under Victoria Government Gazette S234 of 5 May 2026 — and most councils’ fee schedules, which s 72 lets a council vary by the size and nature of the premises and by when in the year the application lands. Quote the financial year with every figure you budget.
| Council (2026-27) | New application | Annual registration | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Port Phillip — 1 to 10 rooms | $180 | $350 (renewal pro-rated 75 / 50 / 25% by quarter of lodgement) | Transfer $188; inspection $248 |
| Knox — rooming house up to 12 residents | $200 establishment + $80 lodgement | $885 (1 January to 31 December; half-year pro-rata) | Transfer 50% of the annual fee; premises enquiry $425 (4 working days) or $310 (10 working days) |
| Your council | Set by council resolution (s 72) | May vary by size, nature and lodgement date (s 72(2)) | Read the council’s page for the current year before budgeting |
Step 3 — the operator licence from the Business Licensing Authority (Rooming House Operators Act 2016 s 7)
Section 7(1) of the Rooming House Operators Act 2016 prohibits anyone other than a registered housing association or registered housing provider from conducting the business of operating a rooming house without a licence: 240 penalty units ($50,184) or imprisonment for 2 years for a natural person; 1,200 penalty units ($250,920) for a body corporate. The operator is whoever conducts the business, whether or not they own the property (s 3(1)); managers and company officers are relevant persons who must pass the same character test but are not separately licensed. One licence covers any number of rooming houses (s 19(2)); it is personal and cannot be transferred (s 19(1)).
The Business Licensing Authority must refuse an applicant who meets any licence disqualification criterion in s 17(1). The test is applied to the applicant and to every officer and nominated manager, and the criteria are:
- —within the preceding 10 years, a conviction or finding of guilt for an offence involving fraud, dishonesty, drug cultivation or trafficking, sexual slavery or servitude, child pornography or violence punishable by 3 months’ imprisonment or more, a sexual offence so punishable, or specified Sex Work Act 1994 offences — or an interstate equivalent (s 17(1)(a));
- —being an insolvent under administration, an externally administered corporation, or a represented person under the Guardianship and Administration Act 2019 (s 17(1)(b) to (d));
- —a licence cancelled within the preceding 5 years (s 17(1)(e));
- —within the preceding 5 years, a conviction for an offence against the Act itself (other than s 39); against Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 ss 67, 75(2), 176(2), 183, 194(4), 210 or 211 or its regulations in relation to a rooming house; against the RTA rooming house provisions; against Building Act 1993 ss 118(1), 221ZZC(1), 221ZZG, 231F or 246, or any building regulation on Class 1 or Class 3 buildings, pool barriers, change of use or essential safety measures, in relation to a rooming house; against Planning and Environment Act 1987 ss 126 or 137 in relation to a rooming house; or against Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading Act 2012 s 45 or Australian Consumer Law s 168 (s 17(1)(f));
- —a court order under Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading Act 2012 s 216 for one of those contraventions within the preceding 5 years (s 17(1)(g) and (h));
- —for a body corporate, an officer who was an officer of another body corporate when it committed such an offence or had its licence cancelled (s 17(1)(i) and (j)).
- —The application is lodged through a myCAV account (Consumer Affairs Victoria, page last updated 26 May 2026). Applicants must be over 18, or a company, co-operative or incorporated association. For each applicant, officer and nominated manager, upload a completed Consent to Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check form and certified copies of identity documents including one with a certified photograph. The application fee and the initial licence fee are paid at lodgement, and an incomplete application is not lodged. Licences issue for 3 years in the first instance (s 20(3)(a)); renewals run 3 to 5 years (s 20(3)(b)); a licence continues while a renewal lodged in time is decided (s 20(1A)).
- —Illustrative arithmetic, at the 2026-27 fees: a proprietary company with two directors and one nominated manager pays $286.30 plus three times $242.50 plus $620.90 — $1,634.70 for the first three years; a sole individual operator with no manager pays $274.80 plus $620.90 — $895.70. The BLA’s published target is 85 per cent of rooming house operator licences within 35 days, and the average was 12 days for 1 April to 30 June 2026. Once granted, a copy of the licence must be displayed in a conspicuous place inside the front entrance of each rooming house (s 39, 60 penalty units). The licensee’s name, ABN or ACN, grant date and expiry date are published on the Register of Licensed Rooming House Operators (ss 43–44); that register does not record premises — the council-fed Rooming House Register does.
| Fee (2026-27, GST exempt) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application — individual | $274.80 |
| Application — body corporate | $286.30 |
| Each relevant person (officer or manager) | $242.50 |
| Initial three-year licence | $620.90 |
| Renewal application (plus $137.60 per relevant person) | $137.60 |
| Renewal licence — 3 / 4 / 5 years | $620.90 / $827.80 / $1,034.80 |
| Register search and copy extract / certified extract | $65.30 / $77.40 |
Step 4 — before the first resident: documents, bond, registers, displays
Part 3 of the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 and Consumer Affairs Victoria’s operator checklist fix what a resident must receive on or before the day they move in. None of it is optional, and several items carry their own penalty. The condition report is the one most often missed in a brand-new building: two signed copies (or one electronic copy) before the resident enters the room (s 97, 25 penalty units), returned by the resident within 5 business days.
The full room-by-room standards the premises must meet on day one — bedroom size, sanitary ratios, kitchen, locks, heating, lighting — are in Rooming house minimum standards in Victoria, and the building-side reading of the definition is in Rooming house rules in Victoria: what the building must have. Providing a room, facility or common area that does not meet the prescribed standards is an offence under RTA s 142B: 150 penalty units ($31,365) for a natural person, 750 ($156,825) for a body corporate, per limb.
- —Rooming house residents guide (the CAV publication) — on or before move-in day.
- —Operator’s full name, address and an emergency telephone number; the agent’s name and address if one is used; changes notified within 7 days.
- —Written statement of rights and duties in the prescribed form — given on or before the day the resident agrees to move in, and displayed in each resident’s room.
- —House rules, if any (s 126) — given before move-in and prominently displayed in each room; changes need at least 7 days’ written notice (s 127(1), 25 penalty units).
- —Occupancy notice stating whether the room is an exclusive-occupancy or a shared room and, if shared, the maximum number of occupants.
- —Notice of any extra services and their charges (cleaning, linen, meals).
- —Bond: no more than 14 days’ rent, or 28 days for a fixed-term rooming house agreement (s 96, 60 penalty units); the bond and the completed lodgement form go to the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority within 10 business days (s 406(1), which s 404 applies to rooming house operators — 150 penalty units).
- —Rent receipts, kept for at least 12 months (s 100; CAV checklist).
- —Register of occupants — names, addresses, arrival and departure dates — kept for at least 12 months after the last entry (Prescribed Accommodation Regulations 2020 reg 21, 20 penalty units).
- —Evacuation diagram prepared to section 3.5 and Appendix E of AS 3745, prominently displayed in each resident’s room and in all common areas (Rooming House Standards Regulations 2023 reg 16).
- —A copy of the operator licence inside the front entrance (RHOA s 39) and the occupancy permit at its approved location (Building Regulations 2018 reg 197).
Step 5 — the operating calendar
Once the first resident is in, the three regulators keep three clocks running. The table lists each recurring duty, its period and the instrument that sets it. The gas and electrical checks deserve a note for a new build: regs 20 and 21 of the Residential Tenancies (Rooming House Standards) Regulations 2023 require a check within the previous 2 years at the time a resident occupies the rooming house, so the new installation’s certificates should be recorded as the first check in the form regs 28 and 29 prescribe — and the position confirmed with Consumer Affairs Victoria rather than assumed.
Sale or succession: a licence does not pass with the building (s 19(1)), so a buyer needs their own before trading; an executor or administrator may operate for 150 days after a licensee dies and must apply within that period (s 41). An owner whose operator’s lease ends, or who is left with residents after abandonment, has 28 days to either give the notice under RTA s 142ZO(4) or apply for a licence (s 30). For the operating side — managers, disputes, notices to vacate — see Rooming house management in Victoria; OptimaRea and DollarBuild share a founder, so treat it as the group’s management reference rather than an independent one.
| Duty | Period | Instrument | Penalty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council registration renewal | Per the certificate, up to 3 years; Knox and Whitehorse: by 31 December each year | PHW Act s 74(1)(d); council page | s 67 — 60 / 300 PU |
| Annual essential safety measures report | Within 28 days before each anniversary of the occupancy permit | Building Regulations 2018 regs 223–224 | 20 PU ($4,182) |
| ESM report and maintenance records available at the building | Within 24 hours of a request by the municipal building surveyor or chief officer | reg 225 | — |
| Gas safety check (where any gas is installed) | Every 2 years by a licensed or registered gasfitter | Rooming House Standards Regs 2023 reg 20; records reg 28 | RTA s 142B on the standard |
| Electrical safety check | At least once every 2 years by a licensed electrician; AS/NZS 3019 and 3760 report | reg 21; records reg 29 | RTA s 142B on the standard |
| Licence renewal | Initial licence 3 years; renewals 3 to 5 years — apply before expiry | RHOA s 20 | s 7 if lapsed — 240 / 1,200 PU |
| Notify the BLA of manager or officer changes | Within 14 days | RHOA s 22 | 120 / 600 PU |
| Notify the BLA of a material change in application details | Within 14 days | RHOA s 40 | 60 / 300 PU |
| Rent increase notice | At least 90 days, prescribed form, one increase per notice | RTA s 101(1)–(2) | — |
| House-rule changes | At least 7 days’ written notice | RTA s 127(1) | 25 PU |
| Documents available for inspectors | At all reasonable times at each rooming house | RHOA s 46 | 60 PU |
Penalties at $209.10 a penalty unit (2026-27)
The Treasurer fixed the penalty unit at $209.10 and the fee unit at $17.27 for the financial year commencing 1 July 2026 (Victoria Government Gazette S234, 5 May 2026). Both reset every 1 July, so the dollar columns below are right for 2026-27 only; the unit figures are the numbers that stay in the Act. These are court maximums — infringement amounts are lower and, for the registration offence, are prescribed in reg 24 of the 2020 regulations.
| Breach | Natural person | Body corporate | Instrument |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conducting the business of operating a rooming house without a licence | 240 PU = $50,184, or imprisonment for 2 years | 1,200 PU = $250,920 | Rooming House Operators Act 2016 s 7(1) |
| Operating with a manager or officer not disclosed to the BLA | 240 PU = $50,184 | 1,200 PU = $250,920 | RHOA s 28 |
| Occupying the building before the occupancy permit issues | 120 PU = $25,092 | 600 PU = $125,460 | Building Act 1993 s 39(1) |
| Not registering prescribed accommodation with the council | 60 PU = $12,546 (infringement 4 PU = $836.40) | 300 PU = $62,730 (infringement 10 PU = $2,091) | Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 s 67; PA Regs 2020 reg 24 |
| Providing a room, facility or common area below the prescribed standards | 150 PU = $31,365 | 750 PU = $156,825 | Residential Tenancies Act 1997 s 142B |
| Bond not given to the RTBA within 10 business days | 150 PU = $31,365 | 150 PU = $31,365 | RTA s 406(1) |
| Manager or officer change not notified within 14 days | 120 PU = $25,092 | 600 PU = $125,460 | RHOA s 22 |
| Licence not displayed inside the front entrance | 60 PU = $12,546 | 60 PU = $12,546 | RHOA s 39 |
| Owner who is not the operator failing to tell the council of an unregistered rooming house | 60 PU = $12,546 | 60 PU = $12,546 | RTA s 142D |
| Bond above 14 days’ rent (28 days fixed term); no condition report | 60 PU = $12,546; 25 PU = $5,227.50 | 60 PU = $12,546; 25 PU = $5,227.50 | RTA ss 96, 97 |
| Occupancy permit not displayed; no annual ESM report | 10 PU = $2,091; 20 PU = $4,182 | 10 PU = $2,091; 20 PU = $4,182 | Building Regulations 2018 regs 197, 223 |
| No register of occupants, or not kept for 12 months | 20 PU = $4,182 | 20 PU = $4,182 | PA Regs 2020 reg 21 |
Who holds what: the builder, the owner, the operator
The approvals attach to different parties, and a new-build contract should say so in writing. DollarBuild designs and builds the Rooming House 300 as a Class 1b building inside the 300 m² and 12-resident envelope, and hands over the occupancy permit with its essential safety measures schedule, the electrical certificate of compliance and plumbing compliance certificate that supported it, and a minimum-standards checklist mapped room by room to the two standards instruments. DollarBuild does not operate rooming houses and does not hold registrations or licences on anyone’s behalf.
The owner, or the operator the owner appoints, is the proprietor who registers with the council and the person or company that holds the licence. Where the owner leases the building to an operating company, three duties still stay with the owner: the Building Regulations’ occupancy-permit display and annual essential safety measures report (regs 197, 223); the RTA s 142D duty to tell the council if the building is being run as an unregistered rooming house (60 penalty units); and the s 30 28-day window if the operator’s lease ends. Forum versions of who needs what are corrected in Ten things forums get wrong about rooming houses.
- —Builder: building permit, mandatory inspections, the Form 15 occupancy permit application with its certificates, and the handover file.
- —Owner: occupancy permit display and the annual ESM report; the s 142D notification duty; the building manual under the 2027 regime; the s 30 window.
- —Operator (the owner or an appointee): council registration, the operator licence, every RTA Part 3 duty, the registers and the safety-check records.
Questions people ask
What is the order of operations for a new rooming house in Victoria?
Lodge the operator licence application with the Business Licensing Authority as soon as the build is contracted — it attaches to the operator, not the address (Rooming House Operators Act 2016 s 19(2)). At completion the building surveyor issues the occupancy permit (Building Act 1993 s 39). Then register the premises with the council as prescribed accommodation (Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 s 67), which will ask for the occupancy permit and usually the licence. Residents move in only after all three.
Do I need the operator licence before I register with the council?
The Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 does not make the licence a statutory precondition, but councils build it into their process: Knox requires proof of a current rooming house operator licence with the registration form, and Whitehorse lists the CAV licence as the step before council registration. Since the licence takes the BLA a target of 35 days and the licence offence in s 7 bites the moment you operate, apply first.
How long does a rooming house operator licence take?
Consumer Affairs Victoria publishes a target of 85 per cent of rooming house operator licence applications decided within 35 days, with an average of 12 days for 1 April to 30 June 2026. The clock runs from a complete application — the myCAV lodgement is not accepted until every relevant person’s criminal history check consent and certified identity documents are attached and the application and initial licence fees are paid.
How much does a rooming house operator licence cost in 2026-27?
On Consumer Affairs Victoria’s fee page (updated 30 June 2026, all GST exempt): $274.80 for an individual application or $286.30 for a body corporate, plus $242.50 for each relevant person (every officer and nominated manager), plus $620.90 for the initial three-year licence. A company with two directors and one manager therefore pays $1,634.70 — an illustrative sum at 2026-27 rates. Renewal is $137.60 per applicant and relevant person plus $620.90, $827.80 or $1,034.80 for a 3, 4 or 5 year licence.
Who is the proprietor who must register with the council — the owner or the operator?
The proprietor under s 67 of the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 is the person conducting the accommodation business. Where the owner runs the rooming house, the owner registers; where the owner leases the building to an operating company, that company registers and holds the licence. The owner then keeps the RTA s 142D duty to notify the council if the building is being used as an unregistered rooming house (60 penalty units).
How long does council registration last?
Section 74(1)(d) of the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 lets the council determine the period, not greater than 3 years, and requires it to be stated on the certificate. In practice Knox and Whitehorse issue calendar-year registrations that run 1 January to 31 December and must be renewed before 31 December; Port Phillip pro-rates its renewal fee to 75, 50 or 25 per cent by the quarter in which the application is lodged.
What does the fit-and-proper test look at?
Section 17(1) of the Rooming House Operators Act 2016 lists the licence disqualification criteria, applied to the applicant and every officer and manager: specified convictions within 10 years (fraud, dishonesty, drugs, violence or sexual offences punishable by 3 months or more); insolvency, external administration or being a represented person; a licence cancelled within 5 years; and, within 5 years, convictions under the Act, the Public Health and Wellbeing Act, the RTA rooming house provisions, the Building Act or the Planning and Environment Act in relation to a rooming house.
Can a company hold the licence, and do the directors need police checks?
Yes. A company, co-operative or incorporated association may apply, and it is the entity that conducts the business that is licensed (s 3(1)). Every officer of the company and every nominated manager is a relevant person: each must supply a completed Consent to Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check form and certified identity documents, each is assessed against s 17(1), and each attracts the $242.50 relevant-person fee. Changes of officers or managers must be notified within 14 days (s 22).
What is the penalty for operating a rooming house without a licence?
Section 7(1) of the Rooming House Operators Act 2016 sets a maximum of 240 penalty units or imprisonment for 2 years for a natural person and 1,200 penalty units for a body corporate. At the 2026-27 penalty unit of $209.10 (Victoria Government Gazette S234) that is $50,184 and $250,920. Operating with a manager or officer who was not disclosed to the BLA carries the same maximums under s 28.
Does the builder register or licence the rooming house?
No. The builder’s output is the building and its occupancy permit under the Building Act 1993, with the essential safety measures schedule and the electrical and plumbing certificates that supported it. Registration under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 belongs to the proprietor and the licence under the Rooming House Operators Act 2016 to the operator — the owner or whoever the owner appoints. DollarBuild designs and builds; it does not operate rooming houses.
What must be displayed inside a rooming house?
Four things, each with its own instrument: a copy of the operator licence in a conspicuous place inside the front entrance (Rooming House Operators Act 2016 s 39, 60 penalty units); the current occupancy permit at the location the surveyor approved (Building Regulations 2018 reg 197, 10 penalty units); the statement of rights and duties and the house rules in each resident’s room (RTA Part 3; CAV); and an AS 3745 evacuation diagram in each room and every common area (Rooming House Standards Regulations 2023 reg 16).
When must a rooming house bond be lodged with the RTBA?
Within 10 business days after the amount is received, together with the completed bond lodgement form — Residential Tenancies Act 1997 s 406(1), which s 404 applies to rooming house operators; the maximum penalty is 150 penalty units. Consumer Affairs Victoria’s bond page phrases the period as 14 days; the Act’s wording is 10 business days, so work to that. The bond itself is capped at 14 days’ rent, or 28 days for a fixed-term rooming house agreement (s 96).
References
- 1.Rooming House Operators Act 2016 (Vic) — authorised version 009 (ss 3, 7, 17, 19–22, 28, 30, 39–41, 43–44, 46) — checked 19 September 2026
- 2.Rooming House Operators Act 2016 — legislation.vic.gov.au in-force page — checked 19 September 2026
- 3.Rooming House Operators Regulations 2017 (Vic) — prescribed fees and forms — checked 19 September 2026
- 4.Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 (Vic) — authorised version 070 as at 1 July 2026 (ss 67, 71–76) — checked 19 September 2026
- 5.Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 — legislation.vic.gov.au in-force page — checked 19 September 2026
- 6.Public Health and Wellbeing (Prescribed Accommodation) Regulations 2020 (Vic) — authorised version 005 (regs 6, 8, 21, 24) — checked 19 September 2026
- 7.Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (Vic) — authorised version 114 (ss 3, 96–101, 126–127, 142B, 142D–142F, 404–406) — checked 19 September 2026
- 8.Residential Tenancies (Rooming House Standards) Regulations 2023 (Vic) — authorised version 002 (regs 3, 16, 20–21, 28–30) — checked 19 September 2026
- 9.Building Act 1993 (Vic) — s 39 occupancy permit must be obtained (legislation.vic.gov.au in-force page; authorised version 152 read) — checked 19 September 2026
- 10.Building Regulations 2018 (Vic) — regs 185–199 (occupancy permits), 223–225 (essential safety measures), 228 — checked 19 September 2026
- 11.Building Amendment (Building Manuals) Regulations 2026 — notice of decision, 23 June 2026 (Class 1b, 2, 3 from 1 February 2027; reg 205B exemption) — checked 19 September 2026
- 12.Victoria Government Gazette S234, 5 May 2026 — Monetary Units Act 2004 notice: fee unit $17.27, penalty unit $209.10 from 1 July 2026 — checked 19 September 2026
- 13.vic.gov.au — Notice under section 6 of the Monetary Units Act 2004 fixing the fee unit and penalty unit (2026-27) — checked 19 September 2026
- 14.Consumer Affairs Victoria — Apply for a licence (rooming house operators), last updated 26 May 2026 — checked 19 September 2026
- 15.Consumer Affairs Victoria — Fees for rooming house operators, 2026-27, last updated 30 June 2026 — checked 19 September 2026
- 16.Consumer Affairs Victoria — Penalties and ongoing legal obligations (penalty unit $209.10 for 2026-27), last updated 30 June 2026 — checked 19 September 2026
- 17.Consumer Affairs Victoria — Licensing and registration processing times (rooming house operator licence: 85% within 35 days; average 12 days, April–June 2026) — checked 19 September 2026
- 18.Consumer Affairs Victoria — Public register of licensed rooming house operators, last updated 3 October 2025 — checked 19 September 2026
- 19.Register of Licensed Rooming House Operators — search — checked 19 September 2026
- 20.Rooming House Register (registered premises, council-maintained) — search — checked 19 September 2026
- 21.Consumer Affairs Victoria — What must an operator give a new resident, last updated 30 November 2025 — checked 19 September 2026
- 22.Consumer Affairs Victoria — Checklists for rooming house operators, last updated 30 November 2025 — checked 19 September 2026
- 23.Consumer Affairs Victoria — Rooming house minimum standards (gas and electrical checks, evacuation diagrams), last updated 30 March 2026 — checked 19 September 2026
- 24.Consumer Affairs Victoria — Lodging the bond with the RTBA, last updated 18 December 2025 — checked 19 September 2026 — page says 14 days; RTA s 406(1) says 10 business days
- 25.City of Port Phillip — Prescribed accommodation registration and fees (1–10 rooms: new $180, annual $350) — checked 19 September 2026
- 26.Knox City Council — Register a prescribed accommodation business (2026-27 fees; occupancy permit and CAV licence required with application) — checked 19 September 2026
- 27.Whitehorse City Council — Rooming house (sequence: occupancy permit, CAV licence, council registration; 1 January–31 December) — checked 19 September 2026
