- Licensing
- Renew or Update Your Licence
Renew or Update Your Licence
Find out how to renew, update or cancel your licence with PrimeSafe.
Summary
- PrimeSafe licences are valid for a fixed time period regardless of the date of issue.
- To keep your licence current, you must renew your licence by the due date every year. You can’t operate if your licence is not current.
- You need to keep your licence details up to date with PrimeSafe. Update you licence as soon as your details change.
- If your business, operations or facility changes, you have to update or cancel your licence as soon as possible.
Renew your licence
You must renew your PrimeSafe licence each year. PrimeSafe will send you an email and/or text message to your mobile when the renewal is due.
If you fail to renew your licence by the due date, you may have to pay an application fee on top of the annual renewal fee.
Significant penalties can apply if you operate without a licence. These fines are set by law.
Renew your licence using our PrimeSafe Licensee Portal.
Licence periods
Each licence has a ‘licence period’. You renew your licence before the end date of the licence period.
Check the tables to see the licence period for your licence.
Meat and Poultry licence periods
| Licence Category | Licence Period |
| Abattoir Further Meat Processing Facility Prime Tallow Processing Facility Game Meat Processing Facility Inedible Rendering Facility Pet Meat Processing Facility Pet Food Establishment Poultry Processing Facility | 1 July – 30 June |
| Retail Butcher Shop | 1 January – 31 December |
Seafood Processing Facility licence periods
| Licence Category | Licence Period |
| Wildcatch Aquaculture | 1 July – 30 June |
| Wholesaler Processor Further Processor Retailer Retailer (Vehicle/Boat) | 1 January – 31 December |
Meat and Seafood Transport Vehicle (MTV) licence periods
| Licence Category | Licence Period |
| Meat Transport Vehicle | 1 July – 30 June |
Approvals and Registrations periods
| Approval / Registration category | Period |
| Game Meat Field Harvester Approval | 1 July – 30 June |
| Meat Inspector Registration | 1 July – 30 June (3 years) |
Renewing Meat and Seafood Transport Vehicles
If your vehicle was inspected since 1st September last year you do not have to have it inspected again.
Otherwise, you will need to have your vehicle inspected.
You can get your vehicle inspected by:
- booking an inspection appointment at the PrimeSafe office via our booking system, OR
- booking an inspection appointment at the PrimeSafe office by calling us, OR
- taking it to a PrimeSafe inspection location (No appointment required), OR
- a third party auditor (an inspection fee may apply).
MTV fleets for renewal
If you operate a fleet of 50 or more vehicles you only need to have 10 percent of your vehicles inspected when you renew.
For fleets between 6 and 50 vehicles, get 5 vehicles inspected.
All vehicles need to be inspected when there are less than 6 vehicles.
When one of your vehicles does not pass the inspection, all the vehicles in your fleet (regardless of fleet size) will have to be inspected.
Note: All new vehicles need to be inspected.
Processing your renewal application
Your application will be processed when we receive and verify your payment. It can take longer for payments made by cheque or cash.
When we receive your payment we will assess your renewal application within 2 – 7 business days.
We cannot process your renewal application if:
- you have not provided all the information we require in your application
- we have not received payment.
Use this guide to understand when to update or cancel your licence.
1. A change in your contact or identification details
Update your licence when you change your:
- contact details
- postal address
- Victorian Fisheries Authority licences and vessels identification.
2. Your business has changed ownership
Cancel your licence. You cannot transfer your PrimeSafe licences from one licensee to another when another business has bought your business. The new business entity owner will need to submit a new licence application.
3. Your business partners change
Update your licence if an existing partner leaves the business. You do not need a new licence.
Cancel your current licence and apply for a new licence when you get a new business partner.
4. Your business has entered into administration, receivership or liquidation
Update your licence by providing us with the contact details of the administrator, receiver or liquidator.
5. Your facility operator has changed
Update your licence by providing us with the name and contact details of the new operator.
6. Your business has moved to a new location
If your business moves to a new location:
- cancel your current licence
- apply for a new licence for the new facility.
You cannot transfer your PrimeSafe licences from one location to another.
Seafood retailer (van) businesses have to update their licence to operate from a new location. The new location will need to be approved by us.
7. Your annual throughput has changed
Update your licence with the new throughput at your facility.
We will recalculate the fee payable as per the fee schedule. You may need to pay a pro rata payment.
8. Your business activities have changed
Update your licence with the changes to the activities performed at your facility.
You need approval from us to produce smallgoods and ready-to-eat meats. There may be an extra fee as per the fee schedule. You may need to pay a pro rata payment.
9. You want to change your third party auditor
You can only get a new third party auditor after approval from us. There cannot be any outstanding corrective action requests when changing your auditor.
Update your licence by providing the new auditor agreement. We will review the update and approve it.
10. Your facility is going to stop operating
Cancel your licence. You may be entitled to a pro rata refund of unused licence fees.
A pro rata refund is not available for those who request cancellation of their licence in the last month of the licence period (June or December).
Changes to Meat Transport Vehicles
1. You have sold your PrimeSafe licensed meat transport vehicle
Cancel your licence.
The new owner of the vehicle must submit a new licence application to PrimeSafe.
Remove the licence sticker from your vehicle.
There is no refund provided.
2. You have changed the vehicle registration of your PrimeSafe licensed meat transport vehicle
Update your licence if your vehicle is the same and only the registration number has changed (such as personalised number plates).
Provide a copy of vehicle registration document from the relevant Roads Authority. The document must show the:
- old registration number
- new registration number
- same Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
When you get a new vehicle you need to get a new licence.
3. Your meat transport vehicle has been written off
Cancel your licence.
There is no refund provided.
Use the PrimeSafe Licensee Portal to update your licence.
You can also tell us by email. In the email we need:
- your name, business name and licence details
- details of the change you want to make.
Cancelling your licence
Send us an email. In the email we need:
- your name, business name and licence details
- the reason why you want to cancel your licence
- your bank account details.
You may be entitled to a pro rata refund of unused licence fees.
A pro rata refund is not available for those who request cancellation of their licence in the last month of the licence period (June or December).
We can only pay refunds into a business bank account. We cannot process refunds back to your Credit Card accounts. Provide the following business bank account details to receive your refund:
- Account name
- BSB number
- Account number.
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