Veterinary Hospital Licence - New South Wales

Description

You will require this licence if you intend to perform major surgery on animals at any location or if you intend to advertise any premises as an animal or veterinary hospital. The board can issue three types of licences:

  • small animal hospital licence
  • large animal hospital licence
  • small and large (mixed) animal hospital licence.

Small animals include: 

  • Dogs
  • Cats
  • Aviary birds
  • Aquarium fish
  • Ferrets
  • Rabbits
  • Mice
  • Rats
  • Snakes
  • Lizards
  • Most Australian wildlife.

Large animals include:

  • Equidae
  • Pigs
  • Ruminants
  • Deer
  • Camelids
  • Any young animal from these categories.

As a holder of a veterinary hospital licence, you must ensure that the premises are managed by a superintendent who is a registered veterinary practitioner and that all hospital equipment is fit for purpose and well maintained.  

You do not need a veterinary hospital licence if you perform major surgery on an animal in an emergency or in a situation where the animal cannot be moved to a hospital.

Your application for a licence must include:

  • the business name that your hospital will operate under
  • the name of any veterinary practitioners who have a controlling interest in the corporation that is applying for a licence
  • the type of services that the veterinary hospital will provide
  • a detailed floor plan of the proposed hospital and the location of essential equipment and facilities set out in the Minimum Requirements for Veterinary Hospitals

Please consult the Contact Officer for more information.

Service type

Licence

A licence defines the need to obtain recognition / certification and registration to undertake a certain business activity.

Eligibility requirements

To be eligible for a veterinary hospital licence in New South Wales, you must:

  • be a registered veterinary practitioner or a corporation in which one or more veterinary practitioners have a controlling interest
  • be able to demonstrate to the Veterinary Practitioners Board that your proposed hospital will be able to provide an acceptable level of care to animals
  • nominate a registered veterinary practitioner to be superintendent of the hospital.

Please consult the Contact Officer for more information regarding eligibility requirements.

Ongoing eligibility requirements

The Veterinary Practitioners Board may cancel your licence if one of the following occurs:

  • the holder of the licence dies
  • the holder of the licence is a corporation and the corporation is wound up or no longer exists.
  • the holder of the licence is an individual and they are convicted of a crime or offence under a specific law or regulation
  • the holder of the licence is a corporation and the director is convicted of a crime or offence under a specific law or regulation
  • the holder of the licence is a partnership firm and any of the partners are convicted of a crime or offence under a specific law or regulation
  • the annual licence fee is not paid
  • a condition of the licence is breached.

Commencement

It will take up to 40 days for your application to be processed.

Duration

Annual.

Expiry

Licence expires on 30 June each year.

Fees

Fees Details for this service in table format.

Task Type Business Structure Amount Description
Apply Application All $185.00 -
Apply Licence All $330.00 -
Vary Variation All $45.00

Change to name of hospital.

Act(s) name

Veterinary Practice Act 2003 NSW

Regulation(s) name

Veterinary Practice Regulation 2013 NSW

Application process

Apply

You must provide a copy of the floor plans of the premises.

Transfer

If you are selling part or all of your hospital, you must submit an Application to Transfer Hospital Licence form to the Veterinary Practitioners Board.

Additional information

The Veterinary Practitioners Board must receive your application at least 7 days before their next board meeting.

The Board may impose conditions on your licence.  

Any copies of necessary documents submitted to the Board must be signed by an authorised witness.

If you intend to change the name of your licensed veterinary hospital then you must complete and submit the Application to change the name of a Veterinary Hospital form.

Administering agency

Veterinary Practitioners Board of NSW

Contact details

Contact Email, Phone and Address Details for this service in simple two column table format, header then data.

Enquiries

Veterinary Practitioners Board of NSW
Operating address: Suite 7.09
247 Coward St
Mascot
New South Wales 2020
Mailing address: PO BOX 6391
Alexandria, New South Wales 2015
Phone: 1300 366 653
Phone: 02 8338 1177
Fax: 02 8338 1077
Email: registration@vpb.nsw.gov.au