Language help
An interpreting service is available, and we have translated information in 8 languages.
Application time frames
Before applying for a licence, make sure your organisation is registered in our Portal.
Submit your licence application at least 10 business days before any children are scheduled to start work, and ensure you provide all mandatory information to avoid delays in the assessment process.
You cannot employ a child until you have a licence.
When assessing an application, we consider whether the applicant:
- will act with integrity and honesty
- understands child employment regulations and restrictions
- can comply with the relevant laws, including the Child Safe Standards.
Employers may be subject to a National Police Check. If a police check is required, you will be notified after submitting your licence application.
There is no cost to the licence applicant.
Your information is kept secure and will only be used for the purpose of assessing the licence application.
How to complete an application
Application time frames
Before applying for a licence, make sure your organisation is registered in our Portal.
Submit your licence application at least 10 business days before any children are scheduled to start work, and ensure you provide all mandatory information to avoid delays in the assessment process.
You cannot employ a child until you have a licence.
When assessing an application, we consider whether the applicant:
- will act with integrity and honesty
- understands child employment regulations and restrictions
- can comply with the relevant laws, including the Child Safe Standards.
Employers may be subject to a National Police Check. If a police check is required, you will be notified after submitting your licence application.
There is no cost to the licence applicant.
Your information is kept secure and will only be used for the purpose of assessing the licence application.
1. Log in to our online portal
We will send verifications and notifications to the email address you use when you set up your account.
Multiple users can now be added to an organisation’s Portal profile:
Log in to our online portal(opens in a new window)(opens in a new window)
2. Register Your Organisation or Request Access
Before applying for a licence, you will first need to register your organisation with us.
After you log in to the Portal, select ‘Register My Organisation’ and fill your details and the details for the organisation you want to register.
When your registration has been processed and approved, your organisation will appear on your Portal homepage under ‘My Submissions’. Please allow 2 business days for us to review your request.
Once your organisation has been registered or you have been provided with access to an existing organisation, you can apply for a licence by clicking on the Organisation in your Portal account.
If the organisation is already registered, you will be given the option to submit an access request, which will be sent to the Group Administrator of the Organisation Portal Profile to review.
3. Start the application
Start an application by clicking on your registered organisation in the Portal homepage under ‘My Submissions’, or the three dots ‘…’ next to the organisation.
You will then see the option to select a ‘New licence application’.
See our step-by-step guide to applying for a licence in the Portal:
4. Select licence type
Employers can apply for either a ‘General’ or ‘Entertainment’ licence type.
This will depend on the activities or duties the child is performing. See Introduction: Mandatory Code of Practice for the Employment of Children in Entertainment (2014) for information on the definition of entertainment.
Nominated officers and representatives
If you are a body corporate, such as a company, statutory corporation, incorporated association or non-profit entity, you must include details of a nominated officer.
A nominated officer is a delegate of the employer who:
- is responsible for ensuring that the licence holder complies with the child employment laws and conditions of the licence.
- participates in or makes decisions about a child’s employment and has a knowledge of the work that the child or children will do.
- has responsibilities under the Child Employment Act 2003.
Entertainment industry licence
If you are applying for an entertainment industry licence, you must nominate an employer representative who can make day‐to‐day decisions about the child’s work and ensure any licence conditions are met. They have responsibilities under the Child Employment Act 2003 and usually require a Working with Children Clearance.
The employer representative may also be the supervisor of the child or children.
5. Upload a completed Fit and Proper Person Declaration
You must complete a Fit and Proper Person Declaration and submit it along with the licence application.
The declaration on the form must be signed by a person with significant decision-making powers within the business, such as an owner, director, partner or executive. These people are called ‘officers’ under the law.
This document helps us ensure applicants are fit and proper to employ children by seeking information on their compliance history with workplace and other relevant laws. It also helps us to consider matters like integrity and whether a person has had criminal convictions in relation to offending against children.
Employers may be subject to a National Police Check. If a police check is required, you will be notified after submitting your licence application.
There is no cost to the licence applicant.
Your information is kept secure and will only be used for the purpose of assessing the licence application.
Fit and proper person declaration Word 159.69 KB (opens in a new window)(opens in a new window)(opens in a new window)
6. Enter the employment details
You will be asked where the children will work and what tasks they will perform at work.
7. List any risks and your plan to manage them
All workplaces have risks. Business Victoria and WorkSafe have information on managing risks, and we have additional guidance on completing a risk assessment.
In your application, you must identify potential hazards in your workplace. Please consider the child's age and attributes when identifying hazards.
The application allows you to attach any mitigation or job safety plans that demonstrate how you minimise the risk of harm arising from the work or activity that children are undertaking.
Attaching your risk mitigations or job safety plans is not mandatory. By providing this information as part of your application, you can centralise details of the hazards in your workplace and any mitigations you have in place, and demonstrate that the children you are employing are doing light work only.
8. Enter information about the child or children
Employers must use our online portal to notify us of each child they employ. It is preferable that we are notified before the child has started work.
If you already know the child or children you intend to employ under the licence, provide:
- their name, date of birth and home address
- the name and contact details of the parent or guardian
- information about when they will start work and what hours they will work.
You will need to notify us each time you employ a child under 15, through the online portal.
9. Declaration
Once you have completed your application, make sure the person who signed the Fit and Proper Person Declaration also completes the declaration acknowledging that the information provided is true.
If you are applying for an entertainment industry licence, the officer must also agree to the supervision requirements.
10. Parental consent
You must have the written consent of a parent or guardian before a child can start employment.
You don’t need to attach the consent as part of the application process, but you must provide it to the Wage Inspectorate on request. We have a template available that you can use.
Parental consent form (opens in a new window)(opens in a new window)
Start your application (opens in a new window)(opens in a new window)
Updated