Social gatherings

Seeing friends and family outside 

Current restrictions  

• Groups of up to 100 people can meet in a public outdoor space from any number of households. Children  under 12 months of age are not included in this limit.   
• You must carry a face mask with you to the place of gathering. It is strongly recommended that you wear a face mask if you cannot maintain 1.5 metres distance from others. 

Is there a limit on the number of people I can see outdoors? 

Yes, you can meet in a group of up to 100 people in an outdoor space. This means a place that is publicly accessible.

Remember to keep at least 1.5 metres distance between you and anyone you don’t live with.  

It is strongly recommended that you wear a face mask if you cannot maintain 1.5 metres distance from others.

Two or more groups of up to 100 people cannot meet for a common purpose.

What is an outdoor place'?

An outdoor space is a park or garden in a public place outside of the home. It does not include your backyard.

There is a lower risk of spreading COVID-19 between people if you are outdoors. To keep your friends and family safe, you should meet up outdoors in a public place.

You must carry a face mask when you leave home. It is strongly recommended that you wear a face mask if you cannot maintain 1.5 metres distance between you and others. Wash your hands when you return home.

Visitors to your home 

Current restrictions:

• You can travel to see friends and family who live anywhere in Victoria. 
• From 11.59pm on Friday 26 February 2021, you can have up to 30 visitors to your home per day (intimate partners are not included in this cap). There is no limit on the number of households those visitors come from.  
• Children under 12 months of age are not included in the cap. Visitors can bring young children or dependants who can’t be left alone when they visit your home, even if it would exceed five visitors for the day. 
• It is strongly recommended that you wear a face mask when someone visits you at your home. 

Does this mean I can have people over for a barbeque?  

From 11.59pm on Friday 26 February 2021, you can have up to 30 visitors per day to your home. There is no limit on the number of households those people come from. Children under 12 months of age, and intimate partners of people living in your house, are not included in this limit. 

It is strongly recommended that you wear a face mask when someone visits you at your home. Outdoor spaces such as your backyard or balcony are considered part of your home, and the private gathering limit of up to 30 visitors (excluding children under 12 months and intimate partners) applies.

My visitor has young children or dependants. Can they come to my house?

Yes. The 30-person cap for the day includes dependents but not infants under 12 months old. There is no limit on the number of households those people come from.

I’ve had 30 visitors to my home today – can my partner also visit me?  

Yes, your partner can also visit you. Your partner is not counted in the 30-person cap.

How can I keep myself and my friends and family safe?  

Everyone has a role to play in slowing the spread of COVID-19.  As these settings ease, it is even more important that we take extra steps to keep each other safe.  

• Only visit people when you, and the person you are visiting, are healthy.
• If you are feeling unwell, you must immediately self-quarantine at home and get tested. Likewise, if the person you are visiting feels unwell, they must immediately isolate at home and  get tested. You must not visit that person or have that person over to visit if either of you are unwell.  
• It is strongly recommended that you wear a face mask while visiting friends and family in their homes.
• You should wash your hands regularly and cough and sneeze into your elbow or a tissue.  
• If you can, meet people outside rather than indoors. Being outdoors reduces the risk of spreading the virus significantly. 
• You should also keep a list of the people you see and when you saw them.  

The more people you interact with, the higher the risk of COVID-19 transmission. 

Can I travel between regional Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne to visit friends or family?    

There are no restrictions on the reasons you can travel between metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria.  

Can I have visitors stay overnight?  

There are no limits on the length of time someone can visit you at your home. Friends and family can stay overnight.People staying overnight are counted toward the 30-person visitor cap for that night and the next day.

When you leave home, stay safe by washing your hands regularly, coughing and sneezing into your elbow or a tissue, and keeping at least 1.5 metres from others. It is strongly recommended that you wear a face mask when you have visitors present.

Stay home if unwell, get tested and remain at home until you get your negative test result.

Are sleepovers allowed?   

Yes. You can have up to 30 friends over for a sleepover. People staying overnight are counted toward the 30-person visitor cap for that night and the next day.

It is strongly recommended that anyone aged 12 years and older wear a face mask when visiting friends and family.

You should wash your hands regularly and cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue.

If you, your children or those being visited feel unwell, they should immediately self-quarantine and  get tested. 

If you are leaving your home to visit someone, you must carry a face mask with you, unless an exception applies.

My relatives or parents are elderly – how can I keep them safe?  

If the person you are visiting is at a higher risk of becoming very sick from COVID-19, you should wear a fitted face mask while visiting and keep at least 1.5 metres distance from them.    

You should consider the vulnerability of people that you visit and limit your interactions where that person is an elderly friend, relative or parent.   

If you are more vulnerable to serious complications because of coronavirus (COVID-19), it is strongly recommended that you wear a mask while visiting. Stay home if you feel unwell, get tested and remain at home until you receive your negative test result.

Do I have to wear a face mask when friends and family visit me at home? 

It is strongly recommended that you wear a face mask while people visit your home or while you visit them at their home.   

Can anyone else visit my home? 

Anyone can visit your home, including people who visit your home for care or caregiving or work:  

• a tradesperson to do work
• a cleaner
• a person coming in to do child-minding or a child you are providing care to  
• a person coming in to provide services or care (for example, cooking or cleaning)  
• medical or emergency services staff coming to your home to render assistance  
• in-home personal care services such as beauticians  

People who visit your home for work or care-giving must wear a face mask, unless an exception applies. It is strongly recommended that you also wear face mask while the visitor is in your home.

You should keep at least 1.5 metres between yourself and others and practise good hygiene by washing your hands and coughing and sneezing into a tissue or your elbow.

People who visit your home for work or care-giving are not included in the 30 person a day limit on visitors.

Can tradespeople or cleaners come into my home?  

Tradespeople and cleaners can come into your home. Try to keep their time in your home to a minimum. If possible, remove yourself from the room where the service provider is working.

It is strongly recommended that people who visit your home for work or care-giving wear a face mask. It is strongly recommended you also wear a face mask when tradespeople or cleaners are working in your home.

Where possible, you should keep at least 1.5 metres between yourself and the service provider.

When a service provider comes to your home, minimise physical contact by paying with a direct bank transfer or contactless payment if possible.

Can I have a party in my home? 

From 11.59pm on Friday 26 February 2021, you can have up to 30 visitors to your home per day, meaning the household members plus 30 visitors (children under 12 months of age and intimate partners of people living in your house do not count towards the 30-person cap).

You can have up to 100 people at a party if held outdoors in a public place (such as at a local park or beach), but not in your home. 

Seeing your partner 

Current restrictions  

• You can travel to visit your partner. 
• You can stay overnight with your partner. 
• Your partner is not counted within the 30-person visitor cap.

Children and family 

We have children in a shared custody arrangement. How does this affect them? 

All shared custody arrangements, whether informal or court-ordered can continue as normal. 

Visits as part of shared custody arrangements are not counted as part of the 30-person visitor limits.

Can I get a baby-sitter to come to my home? 

Yes. You can arrange in-home child minding. There are no restrictions on the reasons for arranging child minding. 

It is strongly recommended that people who visit your home for work or care-giving wear a face mask. It is strongly recommended you also wear a face mask when they are in your home.

You should keep at least 1.5 metres from other people where possible and practise good hygiene by washing their hands regularly and coughing or sneezing into their elbow.

Can I drop my children at childcare – or to someone's house to have them minded? 

Yes. You can use childcare services or take your child to the house of a friend or family member so they can be cared for.

Visiting people 

Can I visit people in nursing homes or care facilities? 

You can visit people in care facilities but there are rules to keep people safe. 

Can I visit people in hospital?  

You can visit people in hospital but there are rules to keep people safe.

Can I visit people in prisons?  

For information on personal visits to prisons visit   Corrections Victoria. 

Can I have a wedding or funeral?  

For information on weddings, funerals and cemeteries visit the religion and ceremony page.