Buying, selling or closing an existing business
To register a new business see Business permits and registration
Legislation requires the new owners of an existing food, health & beauty, accommodation or aquatic business register the business with Council, or transfer registration of the business with Council.
On this page
Pre-purchase inspections
Before you purchase or settle on any existing registerable food, health & beauty, or accommodation business, Council recommends you arrange a pre-purchase inspection. Please note, there is a cost involved for this service. See fees and charges
A pre-purchase inspection is completed by Council and includes an inspection of the existing premises and a thorough report detailing all non-compliant items according to the relevant food or health legislation.
Once settlement has occurred, any issues become the responsibility of the new owner.
Pre-purchase inspections are not available for aquatic facilities.
What does a pre-purchase inspection report include?
The pre-purchase inspection will provide a report on:
- structural issues, including floors, tiling, surface finishes, sinks, hand washing facilities etc.
- the cleanliness and maintenance of the premises
- the condition of the premises and equipment.
The pre-purchase inspection report will detail any non-compliance identified at the time of the inspection in relation to the following legislation:
- Food Act 1984 & Australia and New Zealand Food Standards Code.
- Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008.
- Public Health and Wellbeing Regulation 2019.
- Infection prevention and control guidelines for hair, beauty, tattooing and skin penetration industries.
- Public Health and Wellbeing (Prescribed Accommodation) Regulations 2020.
Apply for pre-purchase inspection
Buying an existing business
Buying an existing food business
Legislation requires the new owners of an existing food business to register the premises with Council. Operating an unregistered food business is an offence under the Food Act 1984.
Before you purchase or settle on an existing business, Council recommends you arrange a pre-purchase inspection. If you forego the pre-purchase inspection, any issues with the premises automatically become the responsibility of the new owner once settlement occurs.
Apply for pre-purchase inspection
If you choose to register without the pre-purchase inspection, you are still required to notify Council of your intention to register.
Notify Council of intention to register
Class 4 (low risk) food premises
If you are purchasing a Class 4 (low risk) food premises you are not required to register, but you must notify Council.
Notify Council of Class 4 food premises
Buying an existing health & beauty business
Legislation requires the new owners of an existing health & beauty business to transfer the registration of the business to the new proprietor. Operating a health & beauty premises that is not registered to the person operating the premises is an offence under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008.
Registerable Health & beauty businesses include:
- a hairdressing and beauty treatment establishment
- a tattooist establishment
- an ear or body piercing establishment
- a colonic irrigation establishment
Before you purchase or settle on an existing business, Council recommends you arrange a pre-purchase inspection. If you forego the pre-purchase inspection, any issues with the premises automatically become the responsibility of the new owner once settlement occurs.
Apply for pre-purchase inspection
If you choose to register without the pre-purchase inspection, you are still required to notify Council of your intention to register.
Notify Council of intention to register
Hairdressing and/or temporary make up only premises
If you are purchasing an existing hairdressing and/or temporary make up only premises, you must apply for ongoing new registration. This ongoing registration cannot be transferred.
If you are starting a new hairdressing, beauty salon, tattooist establishment, ear/ body piercing establishment, accommodation facility or aquatic facility, please see Public Health and Wellbeing premises registration (new business) and Starting or growing your business.
Buying an existing accommodation business
Legislation requires the new owners of an existing accommodation business to transfer the registration of the business to the new proprietor. Operating an accommodation premises that is not registered to the person operating the premises is an offence under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008.
Registerable Accommodation businesses include:
- hotels/motels
- hostels
- student dormitories
- holiday camps
- residential accommodation
- rooming houses
Before you purchase or settle on an existing business, Council recommends you arrange a pre-purchase inspection. If you forego the pre-purchase inspection, any issues with the premises automatically become the responsibility of the new owner once settlement occurs.
Apply for pre-purchase inspection
If you choose to register without the pre-purchase inspection, you are still required to notify Council of your intention to register.
Notify Council of intention to register
Buying an existing aquatic business
Legislation requires the new owners of an existing aquatic business to transfer the registration of the business to the new proprietor. Operating an aquatic business that is not registered to the person operating the premises is an offence under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008. Legislation requires the new owners of an existing aquatic business to notify Council of your intention to register.
Registerable aquatic facilities include:
Public swimming pools, spas and interactive water features that are:
- used by members of the public, whether free of charge or on payment of a fee
- used in association with a class or program that is offered free of charge or on payment of a fee
- located at the premises of an early childhood service, school or other educational institution
- located at the premises at which residential aged care services are provided
- located at any of the following premises:
- public hospital
- private hospital
- multipurpose service
- denominational hospital
- privately-operated hospital within the meaning of section 3(1) of the Health Services Act 1988.
Notify Council of intention to register
Next steps
Once Council is notified of your intention to register, you will be provided with:
- Application to Register Form (Food Act 1984 or Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008)
- registration requirements
- any additional information on the food or health premises registration process
A registration inspection will be conducted by your Environmental Health Officer which may include items to be rectified.
Once your application is approved, a Certificate of Registration will be issued under the Food Act 1984 or Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008.
Selling or closing an existing business
If you have closed or sold your food business or your hairdressing, beauty, tattooing, skin penetration, accommodation or aquatic facility business, please complete the Declaration of closure or sale of registered business and email completed form to maroondah@maroondah.vic.gov.au.
Declaration of closure or sale of registered business(PDF, 524KB)
Declaration of closure or sale of registered business(DOCX, 833KB)
Helpful links
Further information
For more information, or to discuss your application in more detail please contact the Community Health team on 1300 88 22 33 or email maroondah@maroondah.vic.gov.au.