How to Apply for a Licence

Who can apply for a licence

When you apply for a licence, you have to nominate an applicant who will hold the licence. The applicant can be you, a partnership or a company.

PrimeSafe cannot accept business or trading names as the applicant.

You have to nominate an operator for your facility. The operator holds an important position. The operator handles the operations of the facility.

• If the applicant is a company, the operator must be an officer of the company.
• If the applicant is a partnership, the operator must be a partner.
• If the applicant is a person, the operator must be that person.

Prepare before applying for a licence

There are steps you need to take before applying for a PrimeSafe licence.

For a facility licence

Step 1. Prepare your facility

Your facility must be:

• fit for purpose
• in a good state of repair
• cleaned and sanitised
• compliant with the applicable Standard

Learn more about Facility design and management.

Step 2. Develop a written food safety program

You have to develop a food safety program before we will give you a licence. You will be monitored against this program.

Learn about food safety programs.

Step 3. Sign an agreement with a PrimeSafe approved auditor

PrimeSafe only audits Aquaculture and Wildcatch licence holders (the only Wildcatch licences that require a Food Safety Plan are bivalve shellfish harvesters). 

For all other licences, you have to contract a third-party auditor to undertake regular audits and report the findings to PrimeSafe.

Learn about  PrimeSafe approved auditors.

For a Meat and Seafood Transport Vehicle licence

Step I. Prepare your vehicle

Your vehicle must be:

• fit for purpose
• in a good state of repair
• cleaned and sanitised
• compliant with the Australian Standard for the Hygienic Production and Transportation of Meat and Meat Products for Human Consumption (AS 4696:2007).

Step 2. Take photos or arrange for an inspection

You will need to upload photos of your vehicle as part of your online application.

If you cannot provide photos you can get your vehicle inspected:

• by a PrimeSafe approved auditor 
• at a PrimeSafe off-site inspection location (only available in May-June)

Learn about PrimeSafe approved auditors.

See PrimeSafe off-site inspection locations

There are more detailed instructions at PrimeSafe Meat Transport Vehicles

The application process

1. Complete and submit your application

Complete and submit your application by using the PrimeSafe Licensee portal.

For facility licences, PrimeSafe will inspect your facility before we issue your licence. A PrimeSafe Licensing Manager will contact you to organise the inspection.

If your facility has not been properly prepared and does not meet the construction requirements of the relevant standard, we will tell you in writing what you need to fix.

You have 30 days to fix the problems.  We may inspect your facility again.

If you can’t fix the problems within 30 days from our inspection, we will cancel your application. The annual fee will be refunded but not the application fee.

You need to tell us when you will start operating. It has to be within 30 days of our inspection. If you can’t start operating within 30 days of our initial inspection, your application will be cancelled. The annual fee will be refunded but not the application fee.

4. We issue your new licence

When we issue you with a licence you will get your:

• licence certificate
• licence conditions
• licence label (only for Meat and Seafood Transport Vehicles and Game Harvest Vehicles)
• copy of relevant standards and guidelines
• copy of the PrimeSafe Licensee Charter.

For a Meat and Seafood Transport Vehicle licence and Game Harvest Vehicles, you must attach the label to your vehicle. 

It is important that you understand the conditions of your licence. You can ask us if you’re not sure.

PrimeSafe cannot issue the licence, if:

• the facility or the vehicle does not pass the inspection, and
• you don’t rectify the issues raised during inspection within 30 days.

To apply for a licence, go to the PrimeSafe Licensee Portal.