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.
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.
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.
For cafes, restaurants, pubs and bars.
Do you need help getting started? For help walking you through the process view or download the Hospitality Industry Guidelines
For beauticians, hairdressers and more
Do you need help getting started? For help walking you through the process view or download the Personal Service Guidelines
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
For nightclubs and live music venues
Do you need help getting started? For help walking you through the process view or download the Music Venue Guidelines
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 Entertainment and Recreation Guidelines
Industry Guidelines
The guidelines are designed to help you understand the permits required for your particular business sector:
The fact sheets are designed to help you understand the types of permits required from the City of Ballarat
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:
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.
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.
The Economic Development Team is available to guide you through which permits you may need.
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, which will determine whether you will need a planning permit.
This criteria includes:
Note:
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:
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
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
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.
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:
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
Any permit issued will expire 31 July 2026.
*The Council's adopted budget can lead to changes in these fees.
You will need:
Apply for your permit:
The City of Ballarat will notify you of the outcome of your application as soon as possible
Industry Guidelines
The guidelines are designed to help you understand the permits required for your particular business sector:
The fact sheets are designed to help you understand the types of permits required from the City of Ballarat
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:
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.
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
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.
If you would like to place signage such as an A-Frame or tear drop banner 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
If you are operating a business from home be mindful of is that you can only have a display sign at your house that is not larger than 0.2sqm (approx. 40cm x 50cm)
Please speak with the Economic Development Team if you would like to enquire about larger signage
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.
A Building Permit will cover things like the structural integrity of the build.
Every building is classified according to what it is used for, ultimately to ensure the safety of everyone within the building.
If you plan to change a building’s use, for example by turning a shop into a café, you may have to make changes to the building's classification.
A building surveyor is responsible for issuing a building permit at the start of a building project.
The surveyor should be included at the very start of the process, and can advise on what is needed to get a permit. Your appointed building surveyor will liaise with the City of Ballarat’s building team.
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 standards.
View or download these commonly used fact sheets may help you in understanding the permits required for your business:
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.
Industry Guidelines
The guidelines are designed to help you understand the permits required for your particular business sector:
The fact sheets are designed to help you understand the types of permits required from the City of Ballarat
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:
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.
Help, forms and checklists for your planning journey.
Do you have everything you need to apply for your Planning Permit? Make sure you have everything together by using one of our forms or checklists.
Application for Planning Permit
Application for a VicSmart Planning Permit
Application to Amend a Planning Permit
Application for Amendment by Secondary Consent
Amendment to Planning Application
Extension of Time Request
Request To Endorse Plans Pursuant To Conditions Of Permit
Public Open Space Form
Bond and Fees Form
Discharging condition for 173 Agreement
Application for Certificate of Compliance
Copy of Planning Permit and or Endorsed Documents
Checklist - Existing Use Rights
Checklist 1 - Construction and/or Extension of a Single Dwelling or Multi Dwellings on a Lot
Checklist 2 - Industrial
Checklist 3 - Business
Checklist 4 - Advertising Signage
Checklist 5 - Waiver of Car Parking
Checklist 6 - Subdivision
Checklist 7 - Applications for Works to Buildings in Heritage Areas
Checklist 8 - Applications for Demolition of a Building in a Heritage Area
Checklist 9 - Construction of a Water Tank
Checklist 10 - Vehicle Crossover in a Heritage Area
Checklist 11 - Solar Panels in a Heritage Area
Checklist 12 - Buildings & Works
Checklist 13 - Use of Land
Checklist 14 - Liquor Licence
Checklist 15 - Bushfire Management Overlay
Bushfire planning information
Checklist 16 - Applications within the Dowling Forest Precinct
Checklist 17 - Rural Subdivision
Checklist 18 - Rural Dwelling
Checklist 19 - Native Vegetation Removal
Checklist 1 - Realign a boundary between two lots
Checklist 2 - Subdivide land into lots each containing an existing building or car parking space
Checklist 3 - Subdivide land with an approved development into two lots
Checklist 4 - Construct a front fence in a residential zone
Checklist 5 - Construct a building or works in a Commercial, Industrial Zone or Mixed Use Zone
Checklist 6 - Construct a fence in an overlay
Checklist 7 - Remove, destroy or lop one tree
Checklist 8 - Minor subdivision, minor buildings and works, painting or tree lopping in a Heritage Overlay
Checklist 9 - Display a sign in a Commercial or Industrial Zone
Checklist 10 - Reduce a car parking requirement
Checklist 11 - Reduce or waive loading & unloading requirements
Please see our Pre-Applications Page for details.
View Local Incorporated Documents on Planning Victoria website.
There are a range of factors that determine how much you have to pay for a Planning Permit.
The cost of your application depends on what you’re doing. The key factors that influence your fee include:
For a full list of Statutory Planning fees, view our fee schedule.
Request written advice when you need to clarify whether a planning permit is required for your project.
Before applying, you'll need to ensure you have the following information:
To get copies of existing planning permits or endorsed plans, you'll need to apply. Before applying, you will need to have the following information:
Please note: Copies are made available for the purposes of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 only. The information provided must not be used for any other purpose. By taking a copy of a document you acknowledge and agree that you will only use the document for the purpose specified above and that any dissemination, distribution or copying of a document is strictly prohibited.
Do you need to progress your building permit application but your registered building surveyor first needs report and consent for demolition under Section 29A of the Building Act? You will need to apply for a 29A Report and Consent for Demolition.
When a Section 29A request is received, we’ll determine whether a planning permit is required for the demolition, and if so, if a planning permit has been issued. If a planning permit has been issued for the demolition or no planning permit is required to demolish, we’ll issue consent.
A Section 29A consent request will be refused if a planning permit is required for demolition and no planning permit has been issued for the proposed demolition, or if the demolition proposed under the request differs from that extent of demolition approved in the planning permit.
The City of Ballarat can't issue Section 29A consents:
Before proceeding, make sure you have the following information:
Whether you have an existing plantation or are thinking of establishing a new plantation, you need to be aware of your responsibilities.
Native timber harvesting in Victoria’s state forests will end by 1 January 2024. If you’re considering establishing a new plantation, or harvesting an existing plantation, here’s what you need to know.
In the Ballarat Planning Scheme, ‘Timber Production’ is a defined land use, and requires compliance with Clause 53.11 (Timber Production) of the Ballarat Planning Scheme.
Clause 53.11-2 requires compliance with the ‘Code of Practice for Timber Production 2014 (as amended 2022)’, known as ‘the Code’. Some zones require planning permits in addition to compliance with the Code. The Code regulates timber harvesting in State forests, private native forests and plantations. It outlines environmental standards for planning and conducting commercial timber harvesting.
Important values like biodiversity, recreation and cultural heritage are protected under the Code. Before establishing a plantation on private land, you must submit either a ‘Plantation Development Notice’ or a planning permit application to the City of Ballarat in accordance with section 4.1 of the Code.
Before harvesting a plantation on private land, you must submit a ‘Timber Harvesting Plan’ to the City of Ballarat in accordance with section 4.5 of the Code.
Blue gums are a popular plantation wood, and a favourite food and habitat for koalas. If you are considering establishing or harvesting a blue gum plantation, then koalas will likely be present and you are required to assess if they are present. For blue gum plantations, the Conservation Regulator requires owners and managers of blue gum plantations to hold an authorisation to disturb Koalas during plantation management operations, which would come in the form of a Koala Management Plan.
Templates for both ‘Plantation Development Notice’, and ‘Timber Harvesting Plan’ is available in DELWP’s ‘Management Guidelines for private native forests and plantations’.
A Koala Management Plan template and further information is available in the State Governments ‘Minimising impacts to Koalas in blue gum plantations – Regulatory Guide’.
For more information, please contact the City of Ballarat on 5320 5500.