Private wildlife licence (basic and advanced) conditions

The power for the Conservation Regulator to apply these conditions is provided in Section 22(3)(ii) of the Wildlife Act 1975. Note that you may be required to comply with additional individualised conditions set out in your private wildlife licence, so make sure you read your licence carefully.

Keeping and trading wildlife

Wildlife that can be kept under a private wildlife licence

Objective

This regulation sets out which taxa of wildlife can be kept and traded under these licence types, and what the licence allows you to do with those animals.

How to comply

A private wildlife licence holder, whether basic or advanced, can buy or acquire certain species or taxa of captive-bred wildlife to keep. Taxa is the plural of taxon, meaning any formal name in the classification of living organisms (for example, species, genus, family, order, class, phylum).

The wildlife must be kept at the private address listed on the licence, which is usually your home. This is known as the specified premises. The wildlife cannot be displayed publicly, except at approved wildlife events. More information is detailed in Wildlife events.

Unless otherwise specified in the conditions on your licence, a basic licence holder can keep any of the taxa listed in Schedules 2 or 7 of the Wildlife Regulations 2024. Advanced licence holders can keep any of the taxa listed in Schedules 2, 3 or 7. Schedule 3 includes species that have more complex or demanding care requirements, or species that may be less common in legal trade, so are limited to advanced licence holders.

Wildlife listed in Schedule 4 of the Wildlife Regulations can be kept without a wildlife licence. While not legally required to be entered into your record book, you do need to maintain proof that these animals come from a lawful source. You can do this by maintaining receipts or other proof of purpose, or by recording any Schedule 4 species in your private wildlife licence record book so that you can show where they came from.

The schedules are found in the Wildlife Regulations 2024(opens in a new window). Lists of species from the Wildlife Regulations schedules that are allowed to be kept under a basic or advanced wildlife licence are also available on the Conservation Regulator website(opens in a new window).

• See Wildlife events

• Visit Wildlife Regulations 2024(opens in a new window)

• Visit Private wildlife licences(opens in a new window)

Keeping wildlife

Objective

To ensure wildlife are kept in a consistent, safe and appropriate location and are being cared for appropriately.

How to comply

Wildlife must be kept in secure cages or enclosures at the specified premises in accordance with licence conditions. Your specified premises is the address listed on your wildlife licence and is usually your home.

Anyone who possesses living wildlife must provide for the good health and welfare of that wildlife. Your enclosure must provide adequate shelter for your wildlife, prevent escape or injury, protect the wildlife from predators, and restrict access by anyone not authorised under the licence. Wildlife must be able to be readily monitored for health and wellbeing concerns, meaning enclosures must be a reasonable size to allow for this direct supervision. More information about standards of care and enclosure requirements is detailed in Housing and Care.

Emus can be kept under a private wildlife licence, but you can only keep up to 10 emus, as they are listed under Schedule 7 of the Wildlife Regulations. Emus less than four weeks old and emu eggs do not count towards the limit of 10. Emus are large animals that require a lot of space to stay healthy, and can be dangerous for inexperienced owners, especially if they are not used to people. Emus should not be kept alone, so you need space for at least two if you want to keep them. Useful guidance about keeping emus can be found online(opens in a new window).

Any wildlife held under your licence must be kept at the address listed in the licence except where you are:

• Taking the wildlife to a registered vet for treatment, including preventative health checks or microchipping.
• Undertaking a transaction with another licence holder at their specified premises.
• Participating in a wildlife event that has been approved by the Conservation Regulator and allows the wildlife to be possessed, sold, displayed, for example, under the event conditions.

When transporting wildlife for any of the reasons above, you must comply with conditions regulating wildlife transportation. Further information is detailed in Transportation(opens in a new window).

Keeping wildlife at a location other than the premises specified in your licence is a breach of licence conditions and penalties may apply. If you need to keep wildlife at an alternate location, you must seek prior written approval from the Conservation Regulator. You can do this by emailing us with details of your request, including:

• Why you need to house your wildlife at another location.
• The species and number of wildlife.
• The proposed duration of the housing at the alternate location.
• Details of appropriate enclosures and facilities at the alternate location.

• Email wildlifelicensing@deeca.vic.gov.au

• Visit Housing wildlife

• Visit Wildlife events

• Visit Transportation(opens in a new window)

• Visit Code of practice for husbandry of captive emus(opens in a new window)

Wildlife transactions

Objective

To ensure the welfare and sustainability of wildlife being possessed or traded. All wildlife transactions are required to be traceable to reduce the illegal possession and trade of wildlife.

How to comply

Before you agree to buy or accept any wildlife from another person or sell or give wildlife to another person, it is your responsibility to make sure that the transaction is legal, meaning the person you are transacting with has an appropriate and valid licence or exemption for the wildlife being transacted. In the event of an unlawful transaction occurring, both parties to the transaction may be culpable of an offence, if appropriate effort is not made to ensure the transaction meets legal requirements.

In most cases, this means determining that the person has the appropriate licence for that species, and that the licence is current and valid. Ask to see the person’s wildlife licence before agreeing to the transaction, regardless of whether the wildlife is being bought, sold, gifted or traded.

In limited circumstances, a person may be an exempt person from holding an appropriate licence or may have written approval from the Conservation Regulator. These written approvals may be either general or only issued for a specific wildlife transaction – so ask to see a copy of the exemption to ensure the transaction is legal before trading wildlife with them.

To confirm an exemption or to seek information about obtaining written approval from the Conservation Regulator, call or email us.

All transactions must be recorded in your record book by the end of the day the transaction happened on. Further information about record keeping is available in Record keeping requirements(opens in a new window). Information on the different types of wildlife licences and which wildlife can be held under each type can be found on our website.

• Call DEECA Customer Contact Centre 136 186

• Email wildlifelicensing@deeca.vic.gov.au

• Visit Record keeping requirements(opens in a new window)

• Visit Private wildlife licences(opens in a new window)

Trade of emus

Most wildlife held under your private licence may be traded with any person or company with a valid wildlife licence. The exception to this is emus: you may purchase Emus from any person legally in possession of them, but you can only dispose of emus to other private licence holders, a person with individual written approval from the Conservation Regulator to acquire the emu, or any zoo run by Zoos Victoria.

Rehoming Wildlife

Many wildlife species have specific care requirements, and some may be quite long-lived if cared for appropriately. This means that keeping wildlife generally requires a significant commitment of time and resources across the lifetime of the animal.

Despite best intentions, wildlife owners may face challenges that make looking after their wildlife tough. This may be due to health reasons, financial hardship, growing responsibilities or other changes in personal circumstances.

Rehoming can be a difficult decision for many, and it is important to prioritise the welfare of the wildlife in your care. The Conservation Regulator has prepared a guide available online(opens in a new window) to assist wildlife keepers to ensure they can legally rehome wildlife while preserving the welfare of the animals.

Visit Rehoming wildlife(opens in a new window)

Minimum period of ownership

Objective

A minimum period of ownership has been established in the Wildlife Regulations to reduce the spread of disease in wildlife collections, as well as prevent commercial trade of wildlife under a private licence. Any acquisition of wildlife should be a well-considered decision, to reduce the risk of wildlife being treated as a commodity, and to ensure that the wildlife can settle into its new surroundings.

How to comply

Do not sell, trade or give away wildlife that has been in your possession for less than 6 months, even if it was bred in your collection.

Wildlife can benefit from occupying familiar enclosures tailored to their requirements, similar to maintaining territory in the wild. Frequent movement can stress wildlife and result in greater incidence of disease.

Wildlife can often carry diseases without showing any symptoms for a long time. The requirement to keep each animal for at least six months before trading allows time for any symptoms to appear, so the animal can be treated before being passed on. This helps reduce the spread of diseases that could affect other wildlife keepers’ animals, as well as wild animals.

If you want to sell or dispose of wildlife before you have had them for six months, you must seek prior written approval from the Conservation Regulator. You can do this by emailing the Conservation Regulator with details of your request, including:

• The species, age and condition of the wildlife.
• Where the wildlife was acquired including licence number.
• Why you need to sell or dispose of the wildlife within six months.

You may also apply by completing the form online(opens in a new window).

Your request will be considered, and you will be notified of the outcome in writing. Approval will not be issued retrospectively. Sale or disposal of wildlife you have held for less than six months without prior approval is a breach of licence conditions and penalties may apply.

• Email wildlifelicensing@deeca.vic.gov.au

• Visit Application for secondary permission under a wildlife licence(opens in a new window)

Where can a wildlife transaction take place?

Objective

To ensure that wildlife transactions under your licence occur at a suitable location.

How to comply

A transaction to buy, acquire, receive, sell, or dispose of wildlife can only take place at your specified premises (the address listed on your licence), or the premises of the other party involved in the transaction. You cannot conduct these transactions in a public place, at a business or any location not listed on either licence.

These transactions can be highly stressful for the wildlife and conducting them at unapproved locations increases the risk of wildlife escaping. It is important to keep the process as calm and low-stress as possible for the animals.

For consignment or sending of wildlife, whenever possible, the departure and delivery points should be the licensed premises (in Victoria) or the premises where the wildlife legally resides (if outside Victoria). An animal courier service can help to arrange door-to-door delivery services. See Transportation(opens in a new window) for further information.

Trade outside of Victoria may require an Import and export permit(opens in a new window).

If you are unable to arrange door-to-door consignment, or need to trade at a premises not covered under the above conditions, you can apply for written approval for alternative arrangements by emailing us with details of your request, including:

• Why you are unable to facilitate trade at the specified premises of one of the parties to the transaction.
• The location of the proposed alternative transaction location.
• Why the alternative transaction location has been chosen, and whether it is appropriate for trade of wildlife.
• For consignment, limitations on door-to-door service and the proposed alternative arrangements (for example, pick up and drop off from a courier depot).

• Visit Transportation(opens in a new window)

• Visit Import and export(opens in a new window)

• Email wildlifelicensing@deeca.vic.gov.au

Wildlife events

Objective

Wildlife interest groups hold public events across Victoria for the display and trade of wildlife. These events allow wildlife licence holders to attend with their wildlife, share knowledge and promote the lawful keeping of wildlife. More information about wildlife events can be found online(opens in a new window).

The Conservation Regulator approves wildlife events under the Wildlife Regulations 2024, so holders of wildlife licences can display, buy, sell, acquire, receive, keep, or possess wildlife in accordance with their licence and the event conditions imposed. Approved wildlife events are listed online(opens in a new window).

To ensure animal welfare, under Wildlife Regulation 113 (3)(c), wildlife events must be approved by the Conservation Regulator and conditions can be specified that apply to the displaying, buying, selling, acquiring, receiving, keeping or possessing of wildlife at the wildlife event.

How to comply

Attend only Conservation Regulator-approved wildlife events. You must meet the event conditions specified in the event approval for the individual event.

You can check Victoria Government Gazette(opens in a new window) and Conservation Regulator(opens in a new window) websites to find approved wildlife events. The notice for an approved event includes:

Name of the event.

• Organiser.
• Date.
• Venue.
• Categories of wildlife licence holders that the event applies to.
• Conditions that event participants must comply with, in addition to existing legal requirements.

You may need to register with the event organiser to attend.

• Visit Wildlife events

• Visit Approved wildlife events(opens in a new window)

• Visit Victoria Government Gazette(opens in a new window)

Display of wildlife

Objective

To ensure wildlife held under a private wildlife licence are kept as companion animals and not unnecessarily exposed to stressful environments.

How to comply

A wildlife basic or advance licence is a private, non-commercial licence. This means that while you may sell or trade wildlife under your licence as you would any other companion animal, the purpose of wildlife being kept must not be for financial gain.

Displaying wildlife held under your wildlife basic or advanced licence to the public must only occur in association with trade at a wildlife event, and you cannot charge for anyone to view your wildlife.

If you wish to hold wildlife for commercial purposes, including displaying wildlife for commercial purposes, it may be more appropriate for you to hold a wildlife demonstrator licence (for travelling display/exhibition), a wildlife displayer licence (for static display/exhibition), or a wildlife dealer licence (for commercial sale of wildlife). See the Conservation Regulator website(opens in a new window) for further information on commercial wildlife licences.

Visit Commercial wildlife licences(opens in a new window)

Exemptions for trade of emu eggs and parts of emus

Objective

To reduce unnecessary restrictions on activities, including where activities are not likely to impact wild populations or animal welfare

How to comply

If you keep emus under your private wildlife licence, and the emus produce for example, you can sell or dispose of those eggs to any person as long as they are infertile or are eggshells. You can ensure that eggs are infertile by separating male and female animals during the breeding season or seeking information on checking egg viability with expert emu keepers. If in doubt whether an egg is fertilised or not, do not trade the egg.

You can also trade processed (but not taxidermied) parts of any emu that has been kept under your licence, such as tanned skins or feathers.