EPA Permissions: Licence, Permit or Registration?

In Victoria, ask which permission applies to an activity. A simple “licence or no licence” comparison leaves out permits, registrations and other duties.

The facts behind the comparison

EPA Victoria’s permission system includes licences, permits and registrations. Its activity-based guidance helps identify the appropriate pathway; industrial waste duties also apply to generators. Source: EPA Victoria — Licences, permits and registrations ; EPA Victoria — Understand your waste obligations and duties.

What to compare

Decision	Business question	Evidence to request
Generating waste	What is the material and its classification?	Document the assessment and handling procedure.
Transport arrangement	What activity and waste category are involved?	Check the relevant transport permission and conditions where required.
Receiving facility	Can this destination legally receive this waste?	Check permission details and accepted waste categories.
Changing activity	Will volumes, storage, treatment or material types change?	Reassess the permission pathway before the change.

Before you decide

Identify the activity and waste category rather than starting with the company’s general description.
Use EPA’s permission guidance for the specific proposal.
Check the scope and conditions of any relevant permission.
Keep classification, transporter and destination evidence together.

What this comparison cannot tell you

No blanket exemption is established here. A supplier collecting the waste does not remove the generator’s responsibilities, and permission requirements cannot be decided from a bin size alone.

Related decisions

Discuss your waste setup with Bundle Waste.

Sources

EPA Victoria — Licences, permits and registrations. Types of permissions; Find which permission you need. Checked 18 September 2026.
EPA Victoria — Understand your waste obligations and duties. Managing industrial waste; Industrial waste. Checked 18 September 2026.