Animal sale permits

Individuals or organisations wanting to hold an animal sale event can apply to the Minister for Agriculture for an animal sale permit.

The permit allows the sale of animals outside of a pet shop or residential property.

Sale events might include:

  • Adoption days
  • Pet shows
  • Animal charity events

When you need an animal sale permit

  • If the sale will NOT be held in a council-registered domestic animal business or residential premises
  • If you are selling dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, mice or reptiles
  • If you are selling caged birds and you are not a declared bird organisation

The process for applying for a permit and compliance requirements is as follows.

Application process

These are the steps to apply for an animal sale permit.

Step 1

Your application should be submitted 28 days prior to the intended animal sale. This will allow enough time to process your application.

Complete the animal sales permit application form:

Collate the required documents. Include a copy of:

  1. A document describing the animal accommodation at the place of the proposed sale
  2. Your animal care policies and procedures that will apply to the event, including veterinary support, emergency management and evacuation plans
  3. Your agreement with a veterinary practitioner confirming that they will remain on call for the duration of the event and that the venue is suitable for the event
  4. Your consumer sale guarantee for the sale of animals at the event

Step 2

Submit to Animal Welfare Victoria the:

  • completed application form
  • required documents
  • fee.

The fee is 14 fee units ($241.78 as at 1 July 2025). For a not-for-profit organisation it is 4 fee units ($69.08 as at 1 July 2025).

A not-for-profit organisation is one that does not operate for the personal gain, profit or benefit of any of its members or the person in charge of the organisation.

Submit the full application by email to DAS@agriculture.vic.gov.au

Or mail it to:

Minister for Agriculture
c/- Domestic Animals Registry and Permitting
475 Mickleham Road
Attwood 3049

Eligibility

An animal sale permit may be refused if:

  • the applicant does not meet the prescribed criteria
  • the Minister believes on reasonable grounds that to issue the permit would be inconsistent with the purpose of the Domestic Animals Act 1994
  • the applicant has been found guilty of an offence against the Domestic Animals Act 1994, Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 or the law of another state or territory of the Commonwealth that corresponds to this legislation.

Animal sale permit compliance requirements

During the sale event, all holders of animal sale permits must ensure that:

  • all animals have access to clean drinking water at all times, in a container that cannot be tipped over easily
  • all animals have adequate protection from adverse weather conditions at all times
  • the sale guarantee is honoured if a purchaser is not satisfied with an animal purchased at the event due to health, physical or other reasons (excluding accidents).

Further conditions may be imposed on individual animal sale permits if it is considered necessary by the Minister for Agriculture. All relevant laws and regulations, including the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986, must be abided by at all times during a sale.

Animal sales report

Within 28 days of the sale event, permit holders must provide a report to the Minister for Agriculture detailing:

  • each species of animal and the number of each species offered for sale
  • the number of each species of animals sold
  • any non-compliance that the permit holder is aware of in respect to the sale guarantee offered and the animal sale policies and procedures
  • any offence the permit holder was charged with during the sale event by a council authorised officer or restricted authorised officer (RSPCA inspector)
  • any adverse welfare outcomes for the animals during the sale event.

To assist animal sale permit holders, an animal sales report template has been prepared that meets the requirements:

You can get assistance by contacting the Domestic Animals Registry and Permitting team on DAS@agriculture.vic.gov.au or calling 136 186.

Page last updated: 08 Jul 2026