Local laws
The Local Government Act 1989 permits each local government to make 'local laws' to assist it in carrying out its functions and powers in its district. The City of Melbourne has three such local laws dealing with a wide range of community, environmental and governance issues.
The Activities Local Law 2024 and the Environment Local Law 2024 allow the Council to prescribe various matters including exemptions and forms. The Conduct of Meetings Local Law 2019 provides guidelines for the conduct of Council and committee meetings.
Activities Local Law 2024 (commenced on 4 April 2024)
The objective of the Activities Local Law is to the Council's long-term and responsible approach to the ongoing health, vitality, prosperity, security and welfare of the city's residents, businesses and environment
Activities Local Law 2019 (revoked on 4 April 2024)
Incorporated documents
The Activities Local Law refers to the Code of Good Practice for Construction Sites ('Code'), clause 7.1.
View the document at Code of Practice for Building, Construction and Works.
The Activities Local Law refers to the Design and Construction Standards for Public Infrastructure Works in the Docklands Area ('Standards'), clause 7.2.
Homelessness protocol
Council and Victoria Police have a formal operating protocol to address rough sleeping in the city.
Council continues to work with the Victorian Government and housing and homelessness agencies on medium and long-term solutions to homelessness.
The protocol and our ongoing work to address homelessness means we can act quickly to protect public safety and amenity, while also ensuring that the most vulnerable people in the city have access to the services they need.
Environment Local Law 2024 (commenced on 4 April 2024)
The objective of the Environment Local Law is to promote a safe, cleaner and more pleasant environment for all people living in, working in or visiting the City of Melbourne.
Environment Local Law 2019 (revoked on 4 April 2024)
Prescriptions
| Prescription number and file download | Description | Date of effect |
|---|---|---|
| Prescription 1-2024 (PDF 123 KB) | Exempting licensed premises from the prohibition against causing excessive noise. | 4 April 2024 |
| Prescription 2-2024 (PDF 121 KB) | Exempting premises from the requirements of clause 12.8 of the Local Law, 'Prohibition against causing excessive noise', during the period that notified Building Works are taking place. | 4 April 2024 |
| Prescription 3-2024 (PDF 124 KB) | Exempting defined private roads from the requirement for a permit to install, alter or remove a gate in certain cases. | 4 April 2024 |
| Prescription 4-2024 (PDF 379 KB) | Exempting requirements for permits, in certain circumstances, and where approved by Fed Square Pty Ltd. | 4 April 2024 |
| Prescription 5-2024 (PDF 179 KB) | Exempting the requirement for a permit under the activities Local Law, where the activity is carried out by a person in accordance with a permit. | 4 April 2024 |
| Prescription 6-2024 (PDF 169 KB) | The prescribed designated sound levels excepting spruiking and busking. | 4 April 2024 |
| Prescription 7-2024 (PDF 378 KB) | The prescribed designated sound levels for busking in the Bourke Street Mall. | 4 April 2024 |
| Prescription 8-2024 (PDF 1.2 MB) | Relating to permits being required for filming and special events. Refer attached maps. | 4 April 2024 |
| Prescription 9-2024 (PDF 273 KB) | The form of notice to comply under the Environment Local Law. | 4 April 2024 |
| Prescription 10-2024 (PDF 167 KB) | The prescribed designated sound level for spruiking in the Capital City Zone. | 4 April 2024 |
| Prescription 12-2024 (PDF 789 KB) | Riding of toy vehicles. | 4 April 2024 |
| Prescription 13-2024 (PDF 256 KB) | Exempting persons from the requirement to obtain a permit for mooring a vessel within certain areas in the Docklands as per the attached map. | 4 April 2024 |
| Prescription 14-2024 (PDF 281 KB) | Exempting persons from the requirement to obtain a permit for mooring a vessel within certain areas in the Docklands as per the attached map. | 4 April 2024 |
| Prescription 15-2024 (PDF 7.1 MB) | The area known as The Causeway as shown on map is a smoke free area. Howey Place, Equitable Place, Corp. Lane 493 and Block Place as shown on maps are smoke free areas. The areas known as the QV site and Goldsbrough Lane as shown on maps are smoke free areas. The areas identified as Smoke-free zone areas on the attached maps of Fulham Place and Collins Way, are smoke free areas. The areas identified as Smoke-free zone areas as shown on maps of The Tan Track and the Princes Park Track, are smoke free areas. | 4 April 2024 |
| Prescription 16-2024 (PDF 530 KB) | Prohibiting persons from collecting or allowing waste to be collected from 'Hotspots' (shown on the attached map), unless in accordance with a permit. | 4 April 2024 |
| Prescription 17-2024 (PDF 3.2 MB) | Prohibiting consumption and possession of liquor in certain circumstances throughout the whole of each year to those parts of the municipality shown shaded on the attached map. | 4 April 2024 |
| Prescription 18-2024 (PDF 2.2 MB) | Prohibiting consumption and possession of liquor in certain circumstances throughout the whole of each year to those parts of the municipality shown shaded on the attached map. | 4 April 2024 |
| Prescription 19-2024 (PDF 3.4 MB) | Prohibiting consumption and possession of liquor in certain circumstances throughout to those parts of the municipality shown shaded on the attached map. 31 December and 1 January each year;
| 4 April 2024 |
| Prescription 20-2024 (PDF 2.8 MB) | Prohibiting consumption and possession of liquor in certain circumstances throughout to those parts of the municipality shown shaded on the attached map.
| 4 April 2024 |
| Prescription 21-2024 (PDF 3 MB) | Prohibiting the consumption and possession of liquor in certain circumstances on both 31 December and 1 January in any year in those parts of the municipality shown hatched and within the bold lines on the attached map. | 4 April 2024 |
| Prescription 22-2024 (PDF 1.5 MB) | Exempting requirements for permits, in certain circumstances in the QV Village where approved by Commonwealth Managed Investments Limited or Victoria Square QV Investments Pty Ltd. | 4 April 2024 |
| Prescription 23-2024 (PDF 860 KB) | Prohibiting the consumption of alcohol in the Kings Domain at all times. | 4 April 2024 |
| Prescription 24-2024 (PDF 168 KB) | Notification of building works. | 4 April 2024 |
| Prescription 25-2024 (PDF 280 KB) | Notice to comply form. | 4 April 2024 |
| Prescription 26-2024 (PDF 315 KB) | Confiscation notice. | 4 April 2024 |
| Prescription 27-2024 (PDF 166 KB) | All persons are exempted throughout the whole of each year from the requirement to have a permit under clause 5.5(b) of the Local Law for filming in a public place prescribed by the Council, where the filming is classes as 'low impact' by the Council as it falls within the Council’s low-impact filming criteria. | 4 April 2024 |
| Prescription 29-2024 (PDF 1.1 MB) | The area identified as Smoke-free area on the attached map of Bourke Street, is a smoke free area. | 4 April 2024 |
| Prescription 30-2024 (PDF 2.7 MB) | Areas where the consumption and possession of liquor is prohibited on both 31 December and 1 January in any year. | 4 April 2024 |
| Prescription 31-2024 (PDF 294 KB) | Subject to conditions, persons exempted throughout the whole year from a requirement to have a permit under clauses 4.2, 4.9, 5.1, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.7 and 5.10 of the Local Law in a prescribed area at 80 Collins Street, Melbourne. | 4 April 2024 |
| Prescription 32-2024 (PDF 266 KB) | The area identified as Smoke-free zone area on the attached map of Market Street Park, is a smoke-free area. | 4 April 2024 |
| Prescription 33-2024 (PDF 287 KB) | The area identified as Smoke-free zone on the attached map of McKillop Street, is a smoke-free area. | 4 April 2024 |
| Prescription 34-2024 (PDF 171 KB) | Council leased areas exempted throughout the whole year from the requirement to have a permit under clauses 4.1, 4.2, 4.9, 5.1, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.7 and 5.10 of the Local Law, where the location of the activity is the subject of a written lease or licence entered into with the Council. | 4 April 2024 |
| Prescription 35-2024 (PDF 5.6 MB) | Between the hours of 7am and 7pm, once waste has been collected from a waste container, a person must not keep or allow that waste container to remain in or on a public place in the central city for more than 3 hours other than each area identified as a Waste Bin Prescribed Area on the attached 66 maps provided that: A waste container in a Waste Bin Prescribed Area must not interfere with the egress from or obstruct services to or from any adjoining building. The person keeping or allowing a waste container/s to remain in a Waste Bin Prescribed Area, must comply with such conditions on when and where the waste container/s can be kept, as set by the Council from time to time. | 4 April 2024 |
Confiscated items
Confiscated items can be collected from Melbourne Town Hall, 120 Swanston Street, Melbourne Monday to Friday from 8am to 4:30pm.
A fee may be payable to retrieve the confiscated items that were prescribed by Council as part of the annual budget process. The fee for the release of confiscated items;
- Release of impounded items (includes first day only) attracts a minimum charge of $50.00 per m2/per day.
- Release of impounded items (additional days after first day) attracts a charge of $2.00 per m2/per day.
Confiscated items
Confiscated items can be collected from Melbourne Town Hall, 120 Swanston Street, Melbourne Monday to Friday from 8am to 4:30pm.
A fee may be payable to retrieve the confiscated items that were prescribed by Council as part of the annual budget process. The fee for the release of confiscated items;
- Release of impounded items (includes first day only) attracts a minimum charge of $50.00 per m2/per day.
- Release of impounded items (additional days after first day) attracts a charge of $2.00 per m2/per day.
Victorian legislation
- Building Act 1993
- Carlton (Recreation Ground) Land Act 1966
- Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006
- City of Melbourne Act 2001
- Crown Land (Reserves) Act 1978
- Cultural and Recreational Lands Act 1963
- Domestic Animals Act 1994
- Emergency Management Act 1986
- Environment Protection Act 2017
- Food Act 1984
- Freedom of Information Act 1982
- Graffiti Prevention Act 2007
- Health Records Act 2001
- Impounding of Livestock Act 1994
- Infringements Act 2006
- Local Government Act 1989
- Melbourne Lands (Yarra River North Bank) Act 1997
- Melbourne (Flinders Street Land) Act 1958
- North Melbourne Lands Act 1966
- North Melbourne Lands Act 1996
- Planning and Environment Act 1987
- Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014
- Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008
- Public Records Act 1973
- Queen Victoria Market Lands Act 1996
- Road Management Act 2004
- Road Safety Act 1986
- Sex Work Act 1994
- Shrine of Remembrance Act 1978
- South Melbourne Land Act 1986
- Subdivision Act 1988
- Summary Offences Act 1966
- Tobacco Act 1987
- Valuation of Land Act 1960.
To access the full text any of these acts, go to AustLII: Victorian Law ResourcesOpens in new tab.
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Local laws and permits
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