Introduction

The following information was taken from the Victorian DSE web site. For up-to-date information, or to download a Private Wildlife Licence Application form, check out their site.

Important Contacts
Game & Wildlife Licensing Unit
PO Box 500
East Melbourne VIC 3002
Fax: (03) 9412 4788

DSE Customer Service Centre
Phone: 136 186
Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm

Useful Links

• Code of Practice for the welfare of animals - Private keeping of reptiles (Victoria)
• Code of Practice for the Public Display of Exhibition Animals
• Code of Practice for the Operation of Pet Shops
• A list of Victorian Reptile Clubs

General Information

• Some reptile species can be kept without a licence, as long as those animals have been obtained legally (such as from the holder of an appropriate Wildlife Licence).
• You can keep any number of allowed species, but you're limited to a maximum of 10 self-sufficient individuals of any one species. You're not allowed to dispose (e.g. sell) an animal within 6 months of obtaining it (I'm not sure how this applies to any animals you've bred yourself), without written permission from the Department.
• All licences expire on 30th September.
• You must be over 10 years of age to get a licence. If you're between 10 and 18 (inclusive), you need written and signed consent from your parent or legal guardian.
• Records must be kept in the record book supplied by the authority. Yearly returns must be submitted within two weeks of the end of March. If you fail to do this, your licence might not be renewed when it expires.
• Allow at least three weeks for your application to be processed. You can't obtain any animals until you've received and signed your licence.

Licence Types

Private Wildlife (Basic) Licence
$44 a year.
Allowed to keep "standard" reptiles.

Private Wildlife (Advanced) Licence
$120 a year.
Under this licence you're allowed to keep everything a Basic licence covers, plus some rare or hard to maintain animals (I'm not sure how the Department decided on these species), venomous snakes, and crocodiles.
If you're under 18 and you want to keep venomous snakes, you need to have "written demonstration of competency in the handling of venomous snakes."
If you transfer animals from schedule 4 (the rare, difficult, or venomous ones) you must notify the Game & Wildlife Licensing Unit within 14 days.

Disclaimer
Do not rely on this information in a court of law. Not to be taken internally. The author is not to be held responsible for any personal discomfort experienced due to the reading of this page.

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