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Veterinary Practitioners Registration - Victoria

Description

You will need this registration to operate as a veterinary practitioner or specialist in Victoria. Veterinary practitioners or specialists typically work in veterinary clinics or veterinary hospitals and provide treatment to injured and sick animals. Veterinarians may also work at zoos, farms, and other wildlife centres.

Only holders of this registration can use the title of a registered veterinary practitioner, claim to be qualified to practise as a veterinary practitioner, or carry out any services that are required to be performed by a registered veterinary practitioner, including:

  • inspecting animals at a rodeo or rodeo school
  • humanely destroying sick or injured wildlife
  • administering, prescribing or selling certain drugs for the treatment of animals
  • implanting or removing identification devices into animals
  • treating marine animals
  • purchasing, possessing, prescribing, administering or supplying certain drugs for the treatment of animals.

Interstate veterinary practitioners who are registered to practise in their home state can use their interstate registration to start practising in Victoria. However, if they make Victoria their principal place of residence, they must register in Victoria before their interstate registration expires.

Automatic recognition of veterinary registration does not apply to people registered in other countries including New Zealand. You cannot come to Victoria and immediately start working as a veterinary practitioner if you are not registered as a veterinary practitioner in Australia.

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 general registration, you must:

  • apply in writing to the Board
  • be of good character and fit to practise
  • have not been found guilty of an indictable offence within the last 10 years or another offence where it is not in the public interest for you to hold registration as a veterinary practitioner
  • have completed a degree in veterinary science or medicine accredited and recognised by the Board or have passed a qualifying examination conducted by or on behalf of the Board
  • have competency in speaking and communicating in English
  • pay the required fees.

To be eligible for specialist endorsement in a branch of veterinary surgery or medicine, you must:

  • have been granted general registration in Victoria
  • have satisfactorily completed a post-graduate qualification in a branch of veterinary surgery or medicine recognised by the Board, and
  • have practised in, or be currently practising in, the relevant branch of veterinary surgery or medicine.

To be eligible to apply for specific registration, your circumstances must be as described in section 7(1) of the Veterinary Practice Act 1997.

Ongoing eligibility requirements

It is an ongoing requirement of registration as a veterinary practitioner in Victoria that you abide by all industry standards and codes of practice and engage in a program of Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

Commencement

Commences when registration is granted by the board

Duration

One year (general registration) - general registrants can apply to renew their registration before their registration expires.

Expiry

30 June

Fees

Fees Details for this service in table format.

Task Type Business Structure Description
Apply Application All

Fee information is in the attached fee resource.

Act(s) name

Veterinary Practice Act 1997 Victoria

Regulation(s) name

Veterinary Practice Regulations 2018 Victoria

Lodgement process

Apply

Please lodge your application and all accompanying documentation by online form.

Approval time

Please allow up to three weeks for your application to be processed

Additional information

You may apply for one of the following types of registration:

  • General registration - for new graduates and those registered in other jurisdictions whose qualifications are recognised for general registration and whose principal place of residence is or will be in Victoria. A list of qualifications generally recognised for general registration can be viewed on the website of the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council.
  • Specialist endorsement - for veterinary practitioners granted general registration who have obtained the qualifications to be endorsed as a veterinary specialist
  • Specific registration - for persons whose qualifications are not recognised for general registration who are applying to work or study in circumstances described in section 7(1) of the Veterinary Practice Act 1997 (VPA), for example they have been offered:
  • a veterinary teaching or research position - section 7(1)(b) VPA
  • a government position which requires them to be a veterinary practitioner - section 7(1)(ba) VPA
  • a position to fill an identified need for a person with their qualifications to practise as a veterinary practitioner - section 7(1)(d) VPA
  • a position where can obtain training to obtain the competencies required for general registration under the direct supervision of a registered veterinary practitioner - section 7(1)(c) VPA.
  • Non-practising registration - for persons who will not be practising in Victoria (for a temporary period or permanently) but wish to be connected to the veterinary profession in Victoria via the Register of Veterinary Practitioners.

Administering agency

Veterinary Practitioners Registration Board of Victoria

Contact details

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