The Livestock Disease Control Act requires the registration of beekeepers as a disease control measure. Beekeepers must be registered, pay the necessary fees to the DPI and brand their hives with the registered brand issued to them by the DPI. Beekeepers registered in another state may keep bees in Victoria for three months without registration.

The DPI must be notified within seven days if a beekeeper wishes to dispose of their hives. If they acquire hives, they must cancel the exisiting brand and substitutue their own within 7 days.

Beekeepers must ensure that infected hives or products are not exposed to bees and must take all reasonable precautions to prevent bees having access to honey. Penalties of 60 penalty unit can apply for failure to comply with the Act.

You are required to register beehives in Victoria through the Animal Health Operations Branch of the DPI. Registration expires on 30 June each year and must be renewed if you want to continue to keep hives. The current annual fee is $11.50 for up to 60 hives but if you have more, the fee is 19 cents per hive (fees are exempt from GST). Registration forms are available on the DPI website.

There is very helpful publication called Beekeeping and the Livestock Disease Control Act 1994, which is available through the DPI at www.dpi.vic.gov.au