Busking or Street Entertaining Permit - City of Melbourne - Victoria

Description

You will require this permit if you intend to busk or perform street theatre or other forms of entertainment on a road or in a public place. Busking includes (but is not limited to):

  • playing a musical instrument
  • pavement art
  • singing
  • conjuring
  • juggling
  • mime
  • mimicry
  • dancing
  • puppetry
  • performance art
  • recitation
  • other theatrical or visual activities which attract, or are conducted to attract a donation (and not a set fee).

Service type

Licence

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

Eligibility requirements

General Area Busking Permit applications require the following:

  • completed and signed application form lodged at the Melbourne Town Hall;
  • photo identification presented at the Melbourne Town Hall;
  • buskers who are under 16 must be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian at the safety and amenity review and while busking. A parent or adult guardian must show photo ID and provide written consent at the time of application; and
  • attendance at safety and amenity review within 14 days of application.

Bourke Street Mall Busking Permits are available to buskers who have held a general area busking permit for six consecutive months without incident, and be assessed by Level 2 Review Criteria at a Safety, Amenity and Performance Review. Bourke Street Mall busking sites are limited and only applicable to professional buskers who are available to perform full time.

Applications for Pavement Art Permits require examples of artwork are to be provided at the time of application involving photographs, website links or photocopies displaying intended street artwork style and materials. Attendance is required at safety and amenity review within 14 days of application to have a photograph taken for permit inclusion.

Circle Act Permits apply to professional buskers who are experienced performers only. Applicants will need to provide a current Certificate of Currency to retain on file. Applicants must pass a safety review where safety and crowd management techniques will be assessed, and must be available to attend meetings for circle act site allocations.

Ongoing eligibility requirements

If your busking performance incorporates the use of any dangerous goods you will need to provide public liability insurance to the value of $10 million.

Duration

As specified on the permit.

Fees

Fees Details for this service in table format.

Task Type Business Structure Amount Description
Apply Application All $40.00

Busking permit fee (12 months). Fees for 2024-25

Apply Application All $100.00

Premium Busking permit fee (12 months). 2024-25

Forms

Act(s) name

Local Government Act 2020 Victoria

Administering agency

City of Melbourne

Contact details

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