Buy or sell a business

Buying or selling a food, public health or accommodation business

If you plan to buy an existing food, public health or accommodation business there are steps you must follow to ensure a smooth transition.

Food businesses

Food Act registrations can no longer be transferred between owners under changes to Victorian law that came into effect in July 2021. Before ownership of a food business can change, the current proprietor must notify us of a date to cancel their Food Act registration. The new proprietor must then complete a new registration with Council.

Public health or accommodation businesses

For public health or accommodation businesses, follow the relevant process below to make your planned purchase and transfer of ownership process easier.

Pre-purchase inspections

Before taking over a food, public health or accommodation business, it makes sense to know what you are buying. A pre-purchase inspection can give you a good understanding of the business so you can make a better-informed decision.

Food Act pre-purchase inspection process

Step 1.Get the current owner's consent

Download the consent form below and get the current owner to sign it. Attach the completed consent form to your online application. We cannot release any information to you without the current owner's consent.

Download the Food premises consent to disclose form(DOCX, 119KB)

Step 2.Complete the online form

Complete the online pre-purchase inspection and consent form for food businesses.

Go to the Food business inspection and consent form

Step 3.Pay your fee

Pre-purchase inspection fees are:

  • $305.95 for standard process time (10 working days)
  • $422.05 for express process time (five working days).

The pre-purchase inspection service includes one follow-up inspection if requested. Any follow-up inspections beyond this will incur an additional fee of $154 per inspection.

Step 4.Wait for the report

We will organise the inspection and send you (or your solicitor) a copy of the Food Act inspection report.

Step 5.Speak with a lawyer

You should talk to your solicitor and agree who will be responsible for lodging the application for registration form just before you take over the business.

Step 6.Apply for a new Food Act registration

Once you've completed the inspection process and are going ahead with the sale of the food business, you must register as the new business owner under the Food Act 2008. You can register using our online form.

Learn how to register a Food Act business

Public Health and Wellbeing Act pre-purchase inspection process

Step 1.Get the current owner's consent

Download the consent form below and get the current owner to sign it. Attach the completed consent form to your online application. We cannot release any information to you without the current owner's consent.

Download the Health premises consent to disclose form(DOCX, 116KB)

Step 2.Complete the online form

Complete the online pre-purchase inspection and consent form for health businesses.

Go to the Health premises inspection and consent form

Step 3.Pay your inspection fee

Pre-purchase inspection fees are:

  • $214.05: for standard process time (10 working days)
  • $288.75: for express process time (five working days)

Step 4.Wait for the report

We will organise the inspection and send you (or your solicitor) a copy of the inspection report.

Step 5.Speak with a lawyer

You should talk to your solicitor and agree who will be responsible for lodging the application for registration form just before you take over the business.

Step 6.Transfer public health and wellbeing registration

Once you've resolved any inspection items from the report, you must complete and sign the business registration transfer form that is relevant to your business. Lodge this form with our Environmental Health department at info@whittlesea.vic.gov.au

Download the relevant registration transfer form for your business

Accommodation business registration transfer form - accessible(DOCX, 170KB)

Accommodation business registration transfer form(PDF, 325KB) 

Public health and wellbeing business registration transfer - accessible(DOCX, 835KB)

Public health and wellbeing business registration transfer(PDF, 163KB)

Step 7.Pay your transfer fee

  • Public health and wellbeing business: $119
  • Accommodation business: $213

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