The rules around spent convictions have changed. For more information about how the Business Licensing Authority now treats that information, view the Spent convictions page.
Reasons for requiring permission
Certain circumstances disqualify you from:
- holding a motor car trader's licence
- working for a motor car trader in a customer service capacity
- being a partner or director, or involved in the management of a motor car trader business.
You may apply to the Business Licensing Authority (BLA) for permission if one or more of the following disqualifying circumstances apply to you:
- you have had a claim against you admitted by the Motor Car Traders Guarantee Fund
- within the last 10 years, you have been convicted or found guilty of a disqualifying offence involving fraud, dishonesty, drug trafficking or violence punishable by 3 months or more in prison. It must not be a spent conviction within the meaning of the Spent Convictions Act 2021 (Vic) or any equivalent law of a state or territory of Australia or of the Commonwealth. For more information, view the Spent convictions page.
Apply for permission
Complete and lodge a Motor car traders application for permission (Word, 444KB).
If you are a new applicant, lodge the permission application with your licence application.
The BLA will take into consideration whether you have disclosed disqualifying offences as required in determining whether to grant you a motor car trader’s licence. You are not required to disclose any information in relation to a spent conviction to the BLA. For more information, view Spent convictions.
There is a fee for requesting permission. For current fee amounts, view Fees and forms.
Additional documents required with the application
Lodge these documents with your permission application:
- Completed Consent to national criminal history and other records checks (Word, 235KB).
- Certified copies of the required identification documents.
- Two written character references.
- If you are applying for permission to work in a customer service capacity of a motor car trader, you should provide a letter from your proposed employer confirming they:
- are aware that you are making this permission application, and
- are prepared to employ you to work in a customer service capacity in their motor car trading business if you are granted permission by the Business Licensing Authority.
- If you are a company director, provide a letter signed by every director of the company confirming they are aware of your application for permission.
- If you are a partner, provide a letter signed by every partner of the partnership confirming they are aware of you application for permission.
- If you are an existing licensed motor car trader, you must provide a profit, loss and balance sheet for:
- the last full financial year (up to 30 June), and
- the current financial year (from 1 July to the date of this application).
- Any additional papers you wish to attach.