Accommodation premises regulations

There are several types of prescribed accommodation that require registration, including:

• hotels/motels
• hostels
• student dormitories
• holiday camps
• residential accommodation
• rooming houses

Before you commence development of your new prescribed accommodation premises, you should discuss your proposal with Council's Environmental Health Officer. Before you can begin operating the accommodation business you must be granted registration by Council. To do this you must first:

• Apply for registration with Council's Environmental Health Unit
• Meet all the requirements of the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008
• If you plan on establishing a Rooming House, you will also need to comply with the Rooming House - Minimum Standards enforced by Consumer Affairs Victoria.
• Depending on the type of prescribed accommodation business, you may also need a planning and building permit

Contact Council’s Planning and Building teams for further information.

If you require further information on your obligations under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act, please contact Council's Environmental Health Officer on (03) 5772 0333.

Before purchasing a prescribed accommodation premises, it is recommended that you arrange a pre-purchase inspection to determine if there are any outstanding compliance issues under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008.

The Public Health and Wellbeing Act registration for the premises must be transferred from the name of the current proprietor to your name before you take over its operation.

You can book an inspection of the premises by completing the application form below and submitting it to Council's Environmental Health Unit.

Click here

Please call (03) 5772 0333 to speak to an Environmental Health Officer for further information.

Murrindindi Shire Council offers a pre-registration review of your accommodation premises plans. You should first submit your plans for approval, in conjunction with your Planning and Building application (if applicable), before starting construction works.

Please contact Council's Environmental Health Unit on (03) 5772 0333 for further information.

On receipt of your application, an Environmental Health Officer will contact you to arrange an inspection of the premises to ensure it meets all relevant regulations. Council will provide a written assessment report of the inspection.

Trade cannot commence until the registration process is complete and a Certificate of Registration is issued.

Registrations need to be renewed annually. A registration renewal invitation will be sent out in November for the next calendar year.

Registration commences on the day the business operation is approved and expires on 31 December each year. Registration fees are set each year and are based on the number of beds inside the accommodation premises.

To Register a Prescribed Accommodation premises, complete the form below.

Click here

Current Fee Schedule(PDF, 186KB)

Prescribed accommodation registration can be transferred between parties by submitting an online application form for the Transfer of Registration of Prescribed Accommodation.

On receipt of this application, an Environmental Health Officer will contact you to arrange a suitable time to inspect the premises to ensure it meets all relevant regulations.

Once Council is satisfied that the accommodation premises is compliant with the regulations, Council will grant a Certificate of Registration.

Application fees: $159.60

To transfer a prescribed accommodation premises, complete the form below.

Click here

If your prescribed accommodation premises have a swimming pool and/or spa, you will be required to register it as an Aquatic Facility under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008.

The regulations outline registration requirements, general duties of aquatic facility operators, the minimum water quality requirements for aquatic facilities, response procedures for non-compliant water quality, requirements for aquatic facilities suspected or implicated as a source of infection and record-keeping.

The regulations have been broadened to include new types of aquatic facility that may pose a risk to public health. They include risk-based classification of aquatic facilities as Category 1 and Category 2.

Category 2 aquatic facilities

Most aquatic facilities in prescribed accommodation will fall under Category 2.

A Category 2 aquatic facility means a swimming pool or spa pool that is used by members of the public and is located at the following premises:

• a residential apartment complex
• a hotel, motel or hostel.

Category 2 aquatic facility operators are required to comply with the regulations, including managing health risks associated with water quality. The Department of Health has developed support materials to assist aquatic facility operators. 

The Water quality guidelines for public aquatic facilities support the regulations and provide operational guidance for maintaining water quality. You can find this on the Water quality guidelines for public aquatic facilities page of the Department of Health website.

Notification for category 2 aquatic facility

If you operate a Category 2 aquatic facility in Murrindindi Shire, you need to lodge a notification application.

You can obtain a notification application from Council by contacting our Environmental Health Unit by email at eho@murrindindi.vic.gov.au or calling us on (03) 5772 0333.

Some accommodation premises, such as Bed and Breakfast establishments, provide food for their guests, such as continental breakfast.

Any premises that provides food as part of the accommodation service for an inclusive charge is deemed to be a sale of food.

There are different classes of food premises, depending on the level of food safety risk:

• Class 4 - sale/storage of prepackaged food only
• Class 2, 3 or 3A - sale/storage of food that has to be prepared/cooked in some way and is potentially hazardous.

Please refer to Council's page on Food premises regulations for further information on your obligations to register your food services with Murrindindi Shire.

Owners of a caravan park are required to register their business with Murrindindi Shire Council.

Prior to seeking approval to register a caravan park you should first seek advice from Council's Planning Team to determine whether a Planning Permit is required.

To register your caravan park you need to provide the following:

• Complete the Application for Registration of a Caravan Park, submit it and pay the relevant scheduled fee. Contact Council's Environmental Health Unit on (03) 5772 0333 to obtain an application form.
• Supply a plan of the caravan park clearly indicating the location and number of all buildings and facilities and all long-term sites and short-term sites
• Include a recent Fire Authority Report
• Supply the Emergency Management Plan

We will review your plans to check they meet the requirements of the Residential Tenancies (Caravan Parks and Movable Dwellings Registration and Standards) Regulations 2024.

If any construction, alterations, refurbishment or renovation works are to be undertaken, when completed you will need to contact us to arrange a final inspection. If all works comply with the Regulations, your Park will receive a Certificate of Registration.

When you receive a Certificate of Registration, your business may commence trading.

Before purchasing a caravan park, it is recommended that you arrange a pre-purchase inspection to determine if there are any outstanding compliance issues under the Residential Tenancies (Caravan Parks and Movable Dwellings Registration and Standards) Regulations 2024.

The caravan park registration for the premises must be transferred from the name of the current proprietor to your name before you take over its operation.

You can book an inspection of the premises by completing the application form below and submitting it to Council's Environmental Health Unit.

Click here

Please call (03) 5772 0333 to speak to an Environmental Health Officer for further information.

If you are purchasing an existing Caravan Park, you must transfer the registration by completing the application form below and paying the applicable fee. Contact Council's Environmental Health Unit on (03) 5772 0333 for current fee.

For Council to grant the transfer of registration, the caravan park must undergo an inspection by the Environmental Health Officer and meet all the standards set out in the Residential Tenancies (Caravan Parks and Movable Dwellings Registration and Standards) Regulations 2024. Once passed, Council will then issue the Certificate of Registration.

Click here