Find out how to register your accommodation business, including fees and permit requirements.
If you are opening, buying or selling an accommodation business, you need to ensure the premises is registered with us, as a requirement of the Public Health & Wellbeing Act.
Accommodation businesses include:
- motels
- hotels
- hostels
- student dormitories
- rooming houses.
A rooming house requires registration if there are four or more residents.
For all other types of accommodation, registration is required if there are six or more residents (excluding members of the operator's family).
On this page
- Registering your accommodation business
- Registration fees
- Fit-out requirements
- Transfer registration of an existing business
- Update your registration details
Registering your accommodation business
Step 1: Submit a new business concierge enquiry
A business concierge enquiry helps us understand what your business needs are, including what permits you may require.
An Economic Development Officer will be your main point of contact with us. They're here to guide you from the start and continue supporting you once your business is up and running.
Step 2: Apply for other permits (if required)
After we have reviewed your business concierge enquiry, we will inform you about any additional permits you need to secure before registering your health premises.
This may include:
Step 3: Apply for accommodation business registration
Once your business concierge enquiry is complete, we will send you a confirmation email with the link to the application form to register your accommodation business.
You must log into your account to complete the application.
The form will ask about the services you plan to offer, which helps us determine the applicable fees.
You will need to provide the following information:
- the services your business will offer
- your general business information, including the property address
- contact numbers and an email address a that is accessed regularly (all relevant correspondence will be sent to this email)
- proprietor name (company, individual or partnership)
- Australian Business Number ABN
- your trading name (registered business name).
Registration fees
The fees you'll pay depend on the services your business offers. We calculate registration fees on a pro-rata basis for the period from 1 January to 31 December.
| Classification | Application Fee | Registration/Renewal fee | Transfer Fee | Fee for additional resident (more than 5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial | $169 | $338 | $169 | $16.90 |
| Not-for-profit | $84.50 | $169 | $84.50 | $8.45 |
Once your premises is registered you will need to renew each year. You'll receive a renewal notice in November, reminding you to renew before the registration expires on 31 December.
For businesses that register between 1 October and 31 December the fee will be calculated to cover 15 months. This will ensure your registration period is through to the end of the following December.
Fit-out requirements
Find fit-out requirements such as the maximum number of residents per room in the Public Health and Wellbeing (Prescribed Accommodation) Regulations 2020.
Transfer registration of an existing business
If you are taking over an existing accommodation business in Yarra, it's essential to transfer the registration to your name.
To transfer and update the business details, please contact the business concierge team.
Update your registration details
Please let us know if any of the following has changed:
- contact details (phone, email or postal address)
- business details (trading name, ABN, type of premises, change in services)
- trading hours.
If you have recently closed your business or transferred ownership, it's important to officially register the business closure with us.