Anyone hunting game in Victoria, including juniors (12–17 years), must hold a current Game Licence. The Game Licence must be endorsed for the type(s) of game that you wish to hunt and only permits you to hunt that game in Victoria.
'Game' includes those species of duck, deer, quail, pheasant and partridge declared to be game in Victoria.
Hunters should carry their licence on them at all times while hunting.
Unless specified, licences can be purchased for a period of up to one year (short term) or up to three years (long term).
A range of licence types are available, depending on the requirements of the individual hunter
Game Licences enable the Game Management Authority to enforce the hunting laws, track trends in hunting demands and identify the needs of hunters. Licensing also provides an avenue to communicate important information to licenced hunters.
Traditional owners acting in accordance with a Natural Resource Agreement or other authorisation are exempt from the requirement to hold a Game Licence.
However, traditional owners who wish to hunt duck or Sambar Deer with the use of hounds must obtain a pass in the relevant test before hunting that species.
Licenced Game Bird Farmers can keep, breed, release and sell introduced game birds (eg. pheasant, partridges and non-indigenous quail) for the purposes of hunting. The minimum age for applicants of this licence is 18 years of age.
Introduced game birds cannot be bred or brought and released for hunting on public land. These birds can be released on private land, but only if the owners have a Game Bird Farmer Licence. Anyone caught releasing game birds without a licence can face significant penalties and prosecution.
Game Bird Farms are the only legal commercial hunting enterprise in Victoria and are strictly regulated. Game Bird Farmers must comply with the Wildlife Regulations 2024 and meet minimum standards of housing and care for birds and report on their activities. These facilities are licenced, audited, inspected and regulated by the Game Management Authority.
Applicants for a Game Bird Farmer Licence must provide supporting documentation with their application. Details of supporting documents can be found under the Additional Information section in the application.
