Permit exemptions
The Heritage Act 1995 enables the Heritage Council to put permit exemptions in place. Permit exemptions allow for certain works or activities to be undertaken without having to obtain a heritage permit. Exemptions can be granted at the time of including a heritage place or object in the Victorian Heritage Register, or as a result of an owner applying for exemptions for particular works.
There are currently two types of permit exemptions which can apply to a heritage place listed on the Victorian Heritage Register:
- Site specific exemptions for a particular heritage place can be approved by the Heritage Council on the recommendation of the Executive Director. These are more focused on the significance of the individual registered place than generic standard exemptions (see below). Contact Heritage Victoria to find out what exemptions might apply to a particular place on the Victorian Heritage Register.
- Exemptions to carry out works to a registered place for liturgical purposes (PDF 21 KB).
The Heritage Council is currently preparing a third type of permit exemption: Standard exemptions for all places on the Victorian Heritage Register. Typical activities that would be exempted include maintenance and cleaning, minor repairs and conservation works. In some instances it would be possible to proceed with work without consultation with the Executive Director but in other instances consultation and written confirmation from the Executive Director would be required before works could proceed. These standard exemptions have not yet been adopted.