On this page
- Travel updates
- Summary
- About the permit
- Permit zones
- Red zone
- Orange zone
- Green zone
- Permit application questions
- NSW - Victorian border communities
- South Australia - Victorian border communities
- New Zealand arrivals
- Aircrew on domestic flights and arriving from Green Zone countries
- Map of zones
- Exceptions and exemptions
- What are exceptions?
- What are exemptions?
- More information
Travel updates
Based on an assessment of public health risks, the Chief Health Officer has declared the following areas will be designated green zones under Victoria’s ‘traffic light’ travel permit system effective 11:59pm, 11 April 2021:
- Greater Brisbane (City of Brisbane, City of Ipswich, Logan City, Moreton Bay Region, Redlands City)
- The Gladstone region in Queensland
- Byron Shire in New South Wales
For up-to-date information on travel restrictions for your state, see Travel updates.
Summary
A permit system has been established for all domestic travel into Victoria, and travel to Victoria from New Zealand.
From 11:59pm on 26 February 2021, you will need to apply for a permit to enter Victoria from anywhere in Australia or New Zealand. 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 and New Zealand 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 or New Zealand.
About the permit
- The type of permit that you require will depend on where you have been.
- When you apply for a permit you will be asked where you are coming from and where you have travelled to.
- This is like a registration system and if you want to travel into Victoria you will need to let us know if you have been in a location which has been designated in a red, orange or green zone.
- Whether you live in an area, have worked there, been shopping, or just travelled through, you will need to include these locations on your permit and there will be some conditions.
- The permit system also applies to Victorian residents returning home from interstate.
- It is an offence to provide misleading information, with fines of up to $1,652.
Permit zones
The travel permit system is a traffic light system which allows areas across Australia and New Zealand to be designated as green, orange or red zones according to their risk.
Red zone
A red zone means a location in a State, Territory or Green Zone Country assessed as high risk for SARS-CoV-2 transmission, but only during the specific period for that location detailed on the Victorian Travel Map (below) as amended from time to time with the approval of the Chief Health Officer.
A red zone means non-Victorian residents are not allowed to enter Victoria without an exception, Specified Worker Permit, transit permit, freight worker permit, or exemption.
By land border: If you try to enter Victoria at a land border without an exemption, exception or valid permit you will be turned away.
By plane or water: If you attempt to enter via an airport or seaport you will be fined up to $4,957. Non-Victorian residents will be sent back.
Victorian residents who are in, or who have been to a red zone can apply for a ‘red zone’ permit to return home.
You must return straight home (or to your accommodation), and self-quarantine for 14 days from the day you enter Victoria.
Any person who has been at a ‘very high-risk exposure site’ in a red zone (being a site for which the Victorian Chief Health Officer or the relevant local authority in a State or Territory has issued a direction requiring persons who have been at the site during the specified high risk period to self-isolate or self-quarantine until 14 days have passed from when they were at the site) is not allowed to enter Victoria.
When applying for a red zone permit, applicants should be aware of any very high-risk exposure sites in jurisdictions they may have travelled to in the 14 days before entering Victoria.
These websites contain information about current exposure sites in relevant jurisdictions:
From time to time the Victorian Chief Health Officer may determine additional sites in other jurisdictions to be very high-risk exposure sites. If this occurs, the additional sites will be listed on this page.
Orange zone
An orange zone means a location in a State, Territory or Green Zone Country assessed as medium risk for SARS-CoV-2 transmission, but only during the specific period for that location detailed on the Victorian Travel Map (below) as amended from time to time with the approval of the Chief Health Officer.
Those travelling from a designated orange zone must apply for a permit to enter Victoria. You cannot apply for a permit if you have COVID-19 symptoms, nor if you have visited a red zone. You are allowed to travel through a red zone for the purpose of transit.
In order to enter Victoria, you must agree to the requirement of self-quarantine, get a COVID-19 test within 72 hours of arrival and remain in self-quarantine until you receive a negative test result.
Green zone
Those travelling from a designated green zone must apply for a permit to enter Victoria. You cannot apply for a green zone permit if you have COVID-19 symptoms, or if you have visited a red zone.
If you notice any symptoms once you arrive in Victoria from a green zone, you should immediately get tested for COVID-19.
Permit application questions
During the permit application, along with where you have been, you will also be asked about whether you have symptoms, whether you have been diagnosed with COVID-19 or are a close contact of someone who has or whether you have visited particular high-risk locations.
NSW - Victorian border communities
Those living in our Victoria and NSW border communities will continue to be able to access the ‘border bubble’ – using their driver license to prove their residential address. If you live in one of the border communities – you do not need to apply for a permit.
South Australia - Victorian border communities
Communities on the border of Victoria and South Australia will need to use the permit system.
For more information and to find out if your local government area is in the border zone visit Information for cross border communities.
New Zealand arrivals
From 11.59pm on Friday 26 February, travellers to Victoria from New Zealand must apply for a Victorian Travel Permit. The Victorian traffic light system allows areas across New Zealand to be designated as green, orange or red zones according to their risk.
Aircrew on domestic flights and arriving from Green Zone countries
Aircrew from interstate or who are arriving from Green Zone countries are able to enter Victoria without a permit, exception or exemption on the following conditions:
Crew members must not be a diagnosed person, close contact, or required to isolate by any jurisdiction, nor can they be experiencing symptoms.
Crew members must comply with all directions in force, and they must monitor and get tested if any COVID symptoms arise.
Upon arrival, crew members whose ordinary place of residence is within a red or orange zone within the 14 days prior to entry into Victoria:
- must travel directly from the airport to their designated crew hotel.
- must only leave their designated hotel
- a) to travel to point of departure;
- b) in an emergency, or;
- c) to undertake required flight simulator or air safety training.
Crew members must wear a mask at all times while on the aeroplane into Victoria and en route to and from the crew hotel.
Crew members must comply with airline’s COVIDSafe plan and all other airline requirements during the 14 days prior to entry to Victoria.
Map of zones
The map below shows the zones across Australia and New Zealand. There is also a list of LGAs and their zones
Australian zones in this map came into effect on Thursday 1 April 2021.
The New Zealand zone came into effect from 11.59pm Thursday 11 March. A Victorian Travel Permit is required to enter Victoria from New Zealand.
Apply for a permit at the Service Victoria
Exceptions and exemptions
What are exceptions?
New South Wales border community residents do not need to obtain a permit to enter Victoria.
People may cross the border without a permit to provide, receive or accompany a dependant who is to receive emergency or essential medical care or other urgent care, including medical care requiring continuity of treatment.
This does not include ordinary child-minding, although formal shared custody arrangements can continue. Carrying a medical certificate, letter from a physician or proof of custody arrangements is strongly recommended.
Emergency workers (including healthcare workers, care facility workers and child protection workers) must carry a letter from their employer evidencing the need for that worker to travel across the border, but do not need to obtain a permit in this instance.
You must follow Victoria’s restrictions when entering this state, including wearing a mask in some indoor public spaces, public transport and on all flights. More information on face mask requirements.
What are exemptions?
You can apply for an exemption if you have a valid reason.
Reasons for an exemption may include:
- an end of life event
- going to a funeral
- returning home for health, wellbeing, care or compassionate reasons
- emergency relocation
- caring for an animal on the other side of the border
Exemptions are limited and only granted in special cases. The Department of Health and Human Services will assess your application and respond. You can apply online for an .
More information
Reviewed 11 April 2021