Key messages
- Read and understand the conditions of your licence.
- Read and understand the requirements in the relevant code of practice. Compliance with the code is a condition of licence.
- Advise the department if your contact details change.
- Renew your licence before it expires.
Understand the conditions of your licence
Once you have been sent a new management licence take the time to carefully read and understand the conditions of licence. Section 15 of the Radiation Act 2005 (the Act) makes it an offence for a management licence holder to knowingly, recklessly or negligently fail to comply with any condition of their licence.
This includes the general conditions of licence relating to the reporting of radiation incidents and the acquisition and disposal of radiation sources.
Your licence authorises you to conduct a specified type of radiation practice - if the licence does not authorise you to conduct a particular type of radiation practice then you are not permitted to conduct that practice. For example, you can only conduct practices at the specified locations within the sites listed on your licence. Similarly, you can only possess the items authorised to be possessed by your licence.
It is also important that you are aware of who needs to use radiation sources relating to your management licence.
Carefully read and understand the relevant Codes of Practice
Your licence may refer to a requirement to comply with a particular Code of Practice(s). Compliance with the relevant code/s is a condition of licence and you must be familiar with the code's requirements. Further information can be found on the sector specific radiation management licence pages.
Where there are no applicable codes of practice, management licence holders must meet the safety requirements in the document Mandatory radiation safety requirements - Management licence holder's obligations. published by the department.
Radiation management plan
Ensure your RMP is kept up to date by reviewing it at regular intervals and whenever a change occurs that relates to radiation safety. Information regarding RMP’s can be found on the Radiation management plans page.
Change of contact details
The department will only discuss management licence matters with the licence holder and authorised contacts nominated by the licence holder. The licence holder can add or remove an authorised contact at any time by emailing radiation.safety@health.vic.gov.au. Please include a letter of authority if you are adding an authorised contact. The template letter for nominating authorised contacts can be found on the Sample letter of authorisation page.
You have an obligation to advise the department in writing by email if any of your contact details change. If you do not notify the department then you may not receive important information relating to your licence such as renewal letters, inspection notices and updates to licence conditions.
Renew your licence before it expires
A licence renewal notice will be sent to you 60 days before your licence is due to expire. It Is important that you apply to renew your licence by paying your renewal fee no less than five working days before the licence expires.
If you do not pay your renewal before the licence expires the licence will be effectively unlicenced. It is an offence under the Radiation Act to conduct a radiation practice without a licence.
The department will accept renewal payments up to 60 days after the expiry date. If the 60 day period elapses and the licence still hasn’t been renewed your licence will automatically be cancelled and you will need to submit an application for a new radiation management licence.
Inspections
Authorised officers actively conduct inspections of radiation management licence holders. The inspections can be either prearranged or unannounced and can be conducted on site or remotely. It is important to understand that the Radiation Act 2005 grants authorised officers the power to enter a licenced premises without consent. It is an offence under the Act to provide false information to an Authorised Officer or obstruct them in the course of their duties.
Variation to existing licence
If you are an existing management licence holder and you intend to acquire additional radiation sources or dispose of radiation sources already in your possession you will need to apply for a to your management licence.
A variation application can only be submitted by the licence holder or an authorised contact. Please ensure that you provide all the prerequisite documentation when you submit a variation application.
Transfer of licence
A radiation management licence is issued to a specific company or individual. The licence cannot be transferred to a different company or individual without first applying for a transfer of licence. Likewise, the licenced company is sold, an existing management licence is not automatically transferred to the new owner(s).
The licence holder applying to transfer the licence will need to provide a signed letter authorising the transfer to the new entity. The recipient will need to provide all the normal prerequisite documentation that applies for the specific radiation practice.
Reviewed 18 June 2021