How do I know if I need to register?
A business consisting of, or including, the provision of veterinary services must not be carried on at premises that are not registered premises. Please refer to the Veterinary Premises Standard for more information on registration categories and requirements.
However, you do not need to register if the veterinary services provided at premises are only provided by telephone or other means of electronic communication without the relevant animal being present at the premises.
Hospitals registered prior to 1 July 2026 will continue to be registered under the Veterinary Services Act 2023 until the expiry of their original accreditation.
Do I need to let the VSRBSA know if my practice goes into administration?
Yes. Every premises providing veterinary services must be registered and have a responsible person appointed. It may be a condition of registration that the responsible person advises the VSRBSA within 5 days of becoming aware that a practice has entered administration.
Can I assess a patient at a friend’s house or agisted property with the owner’s consent, if their house or property is not registered?
Yes, there is an exemption in the Act for veterinary services to be provided at premises owned or occupied by the owner or person in control of the relevant animal, with the permission of that person without that premises being registered. However, if you are operating a mobile clinic or doing a house call from a bricks and mortar premises, the mobile or premises needs to be registered.
Do I need to notify the Board if I am undertaking renovations at a veterinary premises?
Yes, if you are making significant changes or changing the type of services offered, the Board needs to be notified. Notifying the Board that you are undertaking renovations provides important context in case a complaint is received from the public. If the premises is under renovations but still operating and someone states that it is not to standard or unhygienic etc, the Board is then aware that renovations are occurring.
Consideration is also then given for inspection dates for renewal if the premises is under renovations, and whether there should be a change in category from a hospital to a clinic etc.
What if my veterinary premises are unable to meet all the veterinary premises standards?
Any non-compliant premises will have an opportunity to remediate where they do not comply or provide a reason for how they will overcome the non-compliance to meet the requirements for animal health, safety and welfare and meet the public interest. This then may result in a condition or exemption being placed on their registration.
If I provide veterinary services on a farm for a private owner and not servicing the public, does the farm need to register?
Where a registered veterinarian is providing veterinary services as an employee of the owner of the animal, the owners premises does not need to be registered. However, if the veterinarian is operating a mobile service, then the mobile operation needs to be registered.
I run a veterinary practice that does home visits. Do I need to register?
Yes, the bricks and mortar premises must register but the mobile service can operate under that registration, if it is part of the same business. The vehicle used to make the home visits must be assessed as roadworthy.
The above FAQs are for general information only and are not intended to be complete. It is your responsibility to exercise your professional judgement and seek appropriate professional and/or legal advice on complying with codes, professional standards and guidelines prepared by the Veterinary Services Regulatory Board of South Australia under the Veterinary Services Act 2023.