business.gov.au

Interstate Certification Assurance (ICA) Accreditation - Victoria

Description

You will require this accreditation if you intend to operate a business that can issue Plant Health Assurance Certificates (PHAC). A PHAC is taken as evidence of compliance with quarantine requirements for interstate and intrastate trade.

A PHAC is required for:

  • plants and plant products
  • used agricultural equipment
  • used packaging
  • soil.

It will be required for the above items if they are grown, produced, packed, treated or tested in Victoria, as well as if any of the above listed items are to be imported, introduced or brought into Victoria.

The Interstate Certification Assurance (ICA) scheme is a national scheme which enables your business to be accredited by a plant quarantine authority to issue PHAC's for your produce. Once your business is accredited, you also assume responsibility for specified treatments, inspections or other processes.

Service type

Licence

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

Eligibility requirements

To apply for this accreditation you must be the legal entity (individual, partnership, company, cooperative or association) that owns and operates the business to be covered by the ICA.

You must demonstrate effective in-house procedures that ensure any material consigned to intrastate or interstate markets meets the specified legal (quarantine) requirements.

You are required to submit a separate application for each ICA arrangement you require.

Ongoing eligibility requirements

Quarantine authorities will carry out audits on your business to ensure you continue to meet your obligations and maintain your accreditation.

Duration

As specified

Fees

Fees Details for this service in table format.

Task Type Business Structure Description
Apply Application All

Please consult the responsible agency for information on fees to be submitted.

Forms

Other resources

Task Business Structure Resources
Comply All Procedures for Victoria (Opens in new window)

Act(s) name

Plant Biosecurity Act 2010 Victoria

Regulation(s) name

Plant Biosecurity Regulations 2016 Victoria

Application process

Apply

To apply for this accreditation, you must:

  • complete the prescribed application form
  • provide details of qualification and experience relevant to the identification of plants and plant products
  • provide any other required information and documentation
  • pay any required fees.

Additional information

Your ICA arrangement will be audited by the department before you are approved as an accredited certifier. Audits systematically examine your business processes, staff, equipment and facilities to verify that it meets the requirements of the operational procedure covering the ICA arrangement.

If an ICA does not exist for your produce, you will need to check the entry conditions for the state or territory where you would like to send your produce, and the regulators in the state or territory where the produce is grown, to get a PHAC.

Administering agency

Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action

Agriculture Victoria

Contact details

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