Victorian Travel Permit System

Summary

A permit system has been established for all domestic travel into Victoria.

From 5:59pm on 11 January 2021, you will need to apply for a permit to enter Victoria from anywhere in Australia. Apply for a permit at the Service Victoria website.

The permit system is based on a traffic light system which allows for areas across Australia to be designated as green, orange or red according to their risk. Find more information about red, orange and green permit zones.

The permit system is for both travellers to Victoria and residents of Victoria returning home from interstate travel.

New Zealand travel update

If you have arrived in Victoria from New Zealand between 14 January 2021 and 25 January 2021, you should get tested within 72 hours of your arrival into Victoria (or as soon as possible if you arrived more than 3 days ago) and isolate until you get a negative result.

This is a precautionary approach in response to the discovery of community exposure in New Zealand.

The Australian Government has also suspended the current ‘travel bubble’ arrangements between New Zealand and Australia for 72 hours, commencing 4:30pm Monday 25 January 2021.

This means that travellers coming from New Zealand into Victoria in the next 72 hours will enter mandatory hotel quarantine for 14 days. If you plan to travel to Victoria from New Zealand over the coming days, you are strongly encouraged to reconsider.

The Department of Health and Human Services will contact individuals who have entered Victoria from New Zealand since January 14 to inform them about isolating, getting tested, and staying isolated until they receive a negative test result.

The Chief Health Officer will continue to monitor the situation in New Zealand over the next 72 hours and will provide further updates.

You can find out where to get tested for COVID-19 at Getting tested.

New South Wales

Greater Sydney zone changes

• Victoria’s Chief Health Officer has now declared that only one Local Government Area (LGA), in New South Wales – Cumberland Council – will remain as a red zone.
• If you have been in the LGA of Cumberland Council in the last 14 days (other than for transit) you cannot enter Victoria without an exemption, exception, Specified Worker Permit or Freight Worker Permit.
• From 6pm on Friday 22 January 2021, a person who has been in all other areas Blue Mountains, Wollongong and all of Greater Sydney – excluding Cumberland Council - can apply for an Orange Zone Permit and enter Victoria. To be eligible for an Orange Zone Permit the person must not been in any other currently listed red zone in the past 14 days and agree to the conditions of an Orange Zone Permit – self-quarantine, get a coronavirus (COVID-19) test within 72 hours and remain in self-quarantine until receiving a negative test result.
• If eligible, you can apply for an Orange Zone Permit at Service Victoria.
• Exemption applications are not required if you have been in Greater Sydney, Blue Mountains and Wollongong in the 14 days prior to 6pm Friday 22 January 2021 – unless you have been in the LGA of Cumberland Council.
• However you may still request an exemption based on your specific and general circumstances, if you have been in a currently listed red zone in the last 14 days other than for direct and short term transit purposes or if you do not meet the relevant requirements of the Orange Zone Permit.

Regional New South Wales

• Victoria’s Chief Health Officer has now declared all areas in NSW - outside the orange zone areas in Greater Sydney, Blue Mountains and Wollongong and excluding the red zone of Cumberland Council - to be green zones.
• From 6pm on Friday 22 January 2021 a person who has been in NSW outside of Greater Sydney, Blue Mountains and Wollongong excluding the red zone of Cumberland Council for the last 14 days can apply for a Green Zone Permit. You cannot enter Victoria without a Green Zone Permit unless an exemption, exception or Specified Worker Permit or Freight Worker Permit applies.
• If you have been in a currently listed orange zone in the last 14 days (other than for transit) – such as Greater Sydney, Blue Mountains and Wollongong, you cannot enter Victoria without an Orange Zone Permit unless an exemption, exception or Specified Worker Permit or Freight Worker Permit applies. If you apply for an Orange Zone Permit, you must agree to the conditions including the requirement to self-quarantine, get a coronavirus (COVID-19) within 72 hours of arrival and remain in self-quarantine until you receive a negative test result.
• If you have been in the LGA of Cumberland Council - which is a currently listed as red zone - in the last 14 days you cannot enter Victoria unless an exemption, exception or Specified Worker Permit or Freight Worker Permit applies.

Queensland

Queensland zone changes

• Victoria’s Chief Health Officer has now declared all areas of Queensland to be green zones.
• From 6pm on Friday 22 January 2021 a person who has been in Queensland for the last 14 days can apply for a Green Zone Permit. You cannot enter Victoria without a Green Zone Permit unless an exemption, exception or Specified Worker Permit or Freight Worker Permit applies.
• If you have been in a currently listed orange zone in the last 14 days – such as the Greater Sydney, Blue Mountains and Wollongong you cannot enter Victoria without an Orange Zone Permit unless an exemption, exception or Specified Worker Permit or Freight Worker Permit applies.
• If you have been to a currently listed red zone area in the last 14 days you cannot enter Victoria without an exemption, exception, Specified Worker Permit or Freight Worker Permit.