Licensing and Registration

All public health activities are regulated by the ACT Health Protection Service. ACT Health requires licences and registrations for all food businesses, cooling towers, warm water systems, drinking water, infection control, radiation safety and approval to supply needles and syringes.

Please see below for more information and helpful links.

You can discuss your licencing, registrations and obligations with our public health officers on 02 5124 9700 or hps@act.gov.au.

Cooling Tower Systems

Cooling tower systems are regulated under the Public Health Act 1997 to minimise potential risks to public health. In particular, from exposure to Legionella bacteria.

The registration is issued to the owner of the cooling tower system, who is the person(s) who will have the overall responsibility for the system, including responsibility for any contraventions of the Act.

Alternatively download these forms:

Community Pharmacies

Community pharmacies in the ACT need to be licensed under the Public Health Act 1997. In addition, community pharmacy licence holders need to comply with the Public Health (Community Pharmacy) Code of Practice 2016 (No 1).

Drinking Water Utilities

Drinking water utilities are licenced under the Public Health Act 1997.

Download these forms to apply for licence or vary an existing licence:

Food Businesses

The Food Act 2001 requires most ACT food businesses to be registered with the Health Protection Service.

Hairdressing

The ACT Public Health Act 1997 no longer declares hairdressing a public health risk activity. Hairdressing businesses do not require a licence to operate in the ACT.

 A new set of public health guidelines for hairdressing replaces the Public Health (Hairdressing) Code of Practice.

The Health Protection Service still hold regulatory power under the Act to address any condition that is, or may become, a public health risk or be offensive to community health standards.

The Health Protection Service will investigate any public health complaints from the community that concern your hairdressing business.

Medicines and Poisons

Individuals or businesses may apply for a licence or permit to deal with a medicine or poison under the Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 2008. Information on the different types of licences, as well as application forms is available on the Medicines and poisons licences and permits page.

Needle and Syringe Program

This form is used to apply for approval to supply syringes under the Public Health Act 1997. Applicants must have completed an approved training program conducted by Directions Health Services.

Apply for approval to supply syringes

Radiation Licences and Source Registrations

Licences are required for any individual or organisation which deals with a radiation source. All radiation sources must be registered.

Information on Radiation Licences

Information on Radiation Source Registration

Deregulation

As part of the ACT Government's commitment to reducing red tape, boarding houses and hairdressing businesses will no longer require a licence under the ACT Public Health Act 1997 to operate.

The Public Health (Hairdressing) Code of Practice has been repealed and replaced with a set of public health guidelines for hairdressing (PDF).

It is important to note that even though boarding houses and hairdressing are no longer licensable public health risk activities, the Health Protection Service retains regulatory powers under the Act to address any condition that is, or may become, a public health risk or be offensive to community health standards. As such, the Health Protection Service will investigate any public health complaints received from the community concerning hairdressing businesses

Page last updated on: 6 Feb 2023