What are business licences?

The Business Licence Information Service (BLIS) uses the term business licence very broadly to refer to any form of government regulation, registration, permit or approval which applies to a business.

Local, state and federal governments are each responsible for regulating different aspects of business activities.
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Common business licences

There are a broad range of "licences" which may apply. The following activities are commonly associated with owning and running a small business. Each of these activities require some form of business licensing and are an example of some of the areas covered by BLIS:
  • registering a business name
  • choosing a business structure
  • working from home
  • employing staff
  • registering for taxation purposes
  • building works or erecting signage
  • playing music in the workplace
In addition to these general activities, you will need to carefully consider the other types of activities your business will be involved in as this will determine which additional licences are required. Submit a licence enquiry to see which licences apply to your business.

We strongly recommend that you also contact the SBDC to help ensure you have identified all aspects of your business that may require licensing - our staff can provide one to one assistance with your business licence needs. Call in to the Business Information and Licence Centre at 553 Hay Street, Perth or telephone us on 08 9220 0234 (or 1800 199 125 for regional WA callers).
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Codes of Practice

Another type of regulation which may apply to a business is a Code of Practice. These are guidelines concerning the way business is conducted and they prescribe standards and other specifications a business must use.

There are Codes of Practice associated with particular licences but generally Codes cut across industry sectors and relate to topics such as the environment, workplace safety, food preparation, textile labelling, and the handling of explosives and dangerous goods.

We suggest checking with your industry association for Codes of Practice relevant to your business. Refer to the Useful Links section for a listing of industry and professional associations in WA.
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Finding licences for your business

BLIS finds the licences which apply to your business in 3 easy steps. Go to the licence enquiry section of this website. After selecting a business activity (Step 1) and providing some details about your business (Step 2), BLIS creates a listing of local, state and federal government licences relevant to your business (Step 3).

You are able to view the summary information for each licence individually or you can prepare a full licence report (in PDF format) which contains the summary and application forms (where available) for each of the licences you select. (Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view PDF files and is available free for downloading. Click on the Icon below for download instructions.)

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Where do I send application forms?

While application forms are available from BLIS, the licences are not processed by BLIS or the Small Business Development Corporation. Forms should be sent directly to the responsible agency (contact details are provided with each licence summary).
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Assistance with business licensing

The Business Information and Licence Centre can assist you with general licensing enquiries, however if you require assistance relating to a particular licence (for example, determining whether it applies or completing the application form), we suggest contacting the relevant licensing agency directly. BLIS licence reports contain the contact details for these agencies.

The information provided by BLIS relates to the business activity you select and also depends on the answers you supply to questions asked. We suggest contacting the Business Information and Licence Centre to help ensure all licensing requirements for your business have been identified.

Business Licence and Information Centre, Small Business Development Corporation

  Telephone 08 9220 0234
1800 199 125 (regional WA callers)
  Fax 08 9221 3780
  Address 553 Hay Street (Cnr Pier St), Perth WA 6000
  Opening hours Weekdays 8.30am – 5pm (Western Standard Time)
  Email Email your licence enquiry and a licence report will be sent to you.

Email us with feedback on the BLIS website or any general questions.


The Small Business Development Corporation (SBDC) has a range of other services available to assist you to develop your business including business workshops, publications for sale and a range of small business reference materials. Call in, telephone or visit the SBDC website at www.sbdc.com.au for more information.
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