View the fact sheets below to find the permits that relate to your business.
If your industry is not listed below, please contact the Economic Development Team.
Displaying 1-3 of 3 results.
Preparing for what you will be trading
What you are trading will determine the types of permits you need. We have compiled industry-specific guidelines to assist you in progressing your business.
Better understand the permits required
Hospitality
For cafes, restaurants, pubs and bars.
Do you need help getting started? For help walking you through the process view or download the Hospitality Businesses Guidelines
- How to Apply for a Planning Permit
- Building Approval Process
- Food Safety
- How to apply for a liquor licence
- Acoustics for licenced premises, food and drink and live music venues
- Liquor Licensee Responsibilities
- Types of Liquor Licence
- Acoustics and unreasonable noise
- Seeking professional advice on acoustics
Beauty and Personal Services
For beauticians, hairdressers and more
Do you need help getting started? For help walking you through the process view or download the Personal Services Guidelines
Small Industry and Manufacturing
For small businesses who are making and creating, such as a micro brewery or food and beverage production
Do you need help getting started? For help walking you through the process view or download the Small Industry Manufacturing Guidelines
Music Venues
For nightclubs and live music venues
Do you need help getting started? For help walking you through the process view or download the Music Venues Guidelines
Recreation, Gyms and Entertainment
For businesses such as escape rooms, indoor golf, indoor rock climbing and more.
Do you need help getting started? For help walking you through the process view or download the Recreation and Entertainment Guidelines
- How to Apply for a Planning Permit
- Building Approval Process
- Food Safety
- How to apply for a liquor licence
- Liquor Licensee Responsibilities
- Types of Liquor Licences
- Acoustics and Unreasonable Noise
- Acoustics for licenced premises, food and drink and live music venues
- Seeking professional advice on acoustics
Resources
Industry Guidelines
The guidelines are designed to help you understand the permits required for your particular business sector:
Business Fact Sheets
The fact sheets are designed to help you understand the types of permits required from the City of Ballarat
Food and Liquor
Planning
Contact us
The City of Ballarat’s Economic Development Team is dedicated to supporting businesses, small, large, or just starting. By providing us with the information about your business at the start, we can direct you to the right people in the City of Ballarat to progress your vision.
The team is available to assist you to:
- Conduct initial research to identify commercial or industrial sites
- Guide you through council's regulatory processes
- Connect you with regional markets, key influencers, and business associations
- Connect you with other council services
Phone: 5320 5500
Email: economicdevelopment@ballarat.vic.gov.au
Online application form: Small Business Application
The team will then be in contact with you to discuss your business over the phone or to arrange an in person meeting.
Stay up-to-date with business news
Subscribe to our Economic Development e-newsletter to receive information about:
-
City of Ballarat business development and networking events
-
Other opportunities for businesses supported by City of Ballarat
Preparing for where you will do business
The types of permits you will need will vary based on what your business vision is, together with where you would like to operate your business from.
Common business permits required
The Economic Development Team is available to guide you through which permits you may need.
Operating from home
To run your business from home while leasing your property, you need to get permission from your landlord first.
Get in touch with our Economic Development Team and let us know what your vision is, so we can ensure that your neighbourhood is not adversely affected by your business.
Once we understand what your plan is, we will confirm if we think you need a planning permit, by checking some key criteria.
This criteria includes:
- Whether you are living in the residence
- How many people will be working from your property
- Amount of home space used by the business
- How your business will impact utilities in the neighbourhood, such as sewerage and electricity demand
- How your business will impact your neighbours.
- How your customers obtain your product from you
- What your plans are for signage
Note:
- Not all businesses require a planning permit, but it is important to investigate whether you need a permit before you proceed.
- Sometimes a planning permit can be a complex and lengthy process, which can take up to two years. The complexity will vary dependant on the proposed location and the request.
Operating a mobile business
This may be a mobile food van or mobile dog wash
Operating on private land
If your business will operate on privately owned land, please touch base with our Economic Development Team, so we can understand your vision and support you in obtaining the appropriate permits
Operating on City of Ballarat land
If you would like to operate a business on land that is controlled by the City of Ballarat, you will need to apply for an Itinerant Trading Permit
To apply, you will need to provide:
- A site plan showing the location where you wish to set up
- Proposed days and times of operation
- Vehicle registration details
- Details on what you are planning to sell
- Certificate of Currency of a public risk insurance policy with a minimum cover of $20 million
To apply for an Itinerant Trading Permit
View and print the Application for Itinerant Trading Permit
Fill out the form and return:
-
Via email info@ballarat.vic.gov.au
-
Via post to Regulatory Services, City of Ballarat, PO Box 655, Ballarat VIC 3353
-
In person to Customer Service Officer at The Phoenix, 25 Armstrong Street South, Ballarat
Changing the use of an address
This may occur if your property was utilized for a different purpose and there has been a modification in the intended use.
It is important to investigate whether you need a planning permit before you proceed.
Our team will assess the classification of your business within the Planning Scheme and determine if it is allowed at your chosen property. We will then evaluate your business vision against the property's planning controls to advise you on whether you should apply for a Planning Permit.
Please contact our Economic Development team, who can support you in seeking advice from our Planning team on the most appropriate action for your property and business vision.
For more information, refer to the resources on this page
Busking in Ballarat
Artistic and cultural performances are an important part of our creative and vibrant city, and the City of Ballarat aims to improve and encourage such performances.
Visit or Busking permit page to apply or for further Information.
Resources
Industry Guidelines
The guidelines are designed to help you understand the permits required for your particular business sector:
Business Fact Sheets
The fact sheets are designed to help you understand the types of permits required from the City of Ballarat
Food and Liquor
Planning
Contact us
The City of Ballarat’s Economic Development Team is dedicated to supporting businesses, small, large, or just starting. By providing us with the information about your business at the start, we can direct you to the right people in the City of Ballarat to progress your vision.
The team is available to assist you to:
- Conduct initial research to identify commercial or industrial sites
- Guide you through council's regulatory processes
- Connect you with regional markets, key influencers, and business associations
- Connect you with other council services
Phone: 5320 5500
Email: economicdevelopment@ballarat.vic.gov.au
Online application form: Small Business Application
The team will then be in contact with you to discuss your business over the phone or to arrange an in person meeting.
Stay up-to-date with business news
Subscribe to our Economic Development e-newsletter to receive information about:
-
City of Ballarat business development and networking events
-
Other opportunities for businesses supported by City of Ballarat
Preparing your street presence
Setting a good first impression is important, as well as ensuring that your business is not detrimental to your neighbourhood and is a safe space for your customers.
Once you have confirmed whether you need a planning permit, you may like to consider what your business will look like to your customers.
This page discusses signage and construction requirements
Outdoor trading
This could include tables and chairs or signage on the footpath.
To trade from a City of Ballarat managed land, you will need to apply for a permit.
If you have recently purchased a business with an existing outdoor trading permit, you will need to apply again.
Outdoor trading activates public spaces and creates vibrancy to our streetscapes, however we need to balance community use of the footpath and precinct too.
Outdoor trading covers three broad categories:
- Outdoor dining: such as tables, chairs, heaters, pot plants, umbrellas, barrier screens
- Advertising signage: such as temporary A-frame signs or tear banners
- Displaying goods: such as products being placed on the footpath for sale or hire
If your vision goes beyond the above-listed points, impacts existing City of Ballarat assets and contributes to activation of a streetscape please make contact with the Economic Development team, to discuss your concept in more detail.
For more information, refer to the resources on this page
Outdoor trading - Fees and charges
- $200 for outdoor dining*
- $100 for display of goods for sale or hire*
- $100 for A-frame signage*
Any permit issued will expire 31 July 2026.
*The Council's adopted budget can lead to changes in these fees.
Outdoor trading - Apply for a permit
You will need:
- A site plan of the outdoor area detailing where you wish to trade
- Photographs of the proposed footpath area
- Public Liability Insurance Certificate of Currency with $20 million coverage
Apply for your permit:
- Read the Outdoor Trading Guidelines
- Have your site plan, photos and insurance documentation ready to attached to your application
- Online: Complete the online Outdoor Dining or Trading Application
The City of Ballarat will notify you of the outcome of your application as soon as possible
Signage
Like most businesses, you may want an exterior sign to help customers find you.
The City of Ballarat need to make sure that signs don’t unduly detract from the environment, so a planning permit is sometimes required before signs can be installed.
When you talk about your business concept with the Economic Development Team, they will take your signage vision into account. They can assist you in determining whether you need to apply for a Planning Permit.
Signage on the Footpath
If you would like to place signage such as an A-Frame or flag on a City of Ballarat managed space, for example the footpath, you will need to apply for an Outdoor Trading permit.
Complete the online Outdoor Dining or Trading Application
For more information view or download the Footpath Trading fact sheet
Home based businesses
If you live within a residential area and you are operating a business from home be mindful that you can only display signage at your house that is smaller than 0.2sqm (approx. 40cm x 50cm)
Please speak with the Economic Development Team if you would like to enquire about signage for your home based business.
Modifying a building
Modifying your building can help give your business character and brand, however it is important to ensure the structural integrity of your build, together with the impact that your construction will have on the precinct.
Planning and Building assessments will look at different aspects to the application.
Building Permit
A Building Permit will cover things like the structural integrity of the build, fire safety features within a building and accessibility to and within a building.
Every building is classified and designed according to what it can be used for, ultimately to ensure the safety of the building occupiers and other property.
If you plan to change a building’s layout, configuration, occupant numbers or use, these works will require a building permit to be obtained.
A building surveyor is responsible for issuing a building permit at the start of a building project and an occupancy permit or final certificate on completion of the building works.
The surveyor should be included at the start of the process. Your appointed building surveyor will liaise with the City of Ballarat, so that City of Ballarat’s Building Service Department are aware that the correct building permits have been obtained to occupy the building.
After the building permit is issued, the building surveyor will carry out inspections at different stages during the project to make sure the building work meets minimum Building Code of Australia requirements.
View or download these commonly used fact sheets may help you in understanding the permits required for your business:
Planning Permit
A planning permit will consider the impact of your business to the precinct you are operating within.
Not all businesses require a planning permit, but it is important to investigate whether you need a permit before you proceed.
Resources
Industry Guidelines
The guidelines are designed to help you understand the permits required for your particular business sector:
Business Fact Sheets
The fact sheets are designed to help you understand the types of permits required from the City of Ballarat
Food and Liquor
Planning
Contact us
The City of Ballarat’s Economic Development Team is dedicated to supporting businesses, small, large, or just starting. By providing us with the information about your business at the start, we can direct you to the right people in the City of Ballarat to progress your vision.
The team is available to assist you to:
- Conduct initial research to identify commercial or industrial sites
- Guide you through council's regulatory processes
- Connect you with regional markets, key influencers, and business associations
- Connect you with other council services
Phone: 5320 5500
Email: economicdevelopment@ballarat.vic.gov.au
Online application form: Small Business Application
The team will then be in contact with you to discuss your business over the phone or to arrange an in person meeting.
Stay up-to-date with business news
Subscribe to our Economic Development e-newsletter to receive information about:
-
City of Ballarat business development and networking events
-
Other opportunities for businesses supported by City of Ballarat