Opioid Dependence Treatment in Victoria - Approvals and Support

Approvals and forms

In Victoria, prescribers and pharmacists require training and departmental approval to treat a patient with opioid dependence.

Approval to prescribe methadone in Victoria

1.Opioid Dependence Treatment Training

The Department of Health subsidises the cost of training for medical practitioners and nurse practitioners who wish to treat patients with opioid dependence. For prescribers, training is delivered by the Royal Australian College of General Practice (RACGP) and is mandatory for prescribers seeking Department of Health approval to prescribe methadone in Victoria.

Further information about training visit Opioid Dependence Treatment training.

2.Department of Health approval to prescribe methadone

All prescribers must be approved by the Department of Health before applying for a permit to prescribe methadone in Victoria. Upon completion of RACGP Medication-Assisted Treatment of Opioid Dependence (MATOD) training, medical practitioners and nurse practitioners must complete the following form to seek department approval to prescribe methadone for opioid dependence in Victoria.

Application for approval to prescribe methadone

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Updated 15 Oct 2026

3. Apply for a permit to treat an opioid dependent person with methadone or buprenorphine

All prescribers must apply for a permit to treat an opioid-dependent person with methadone or buprenorphine by submitting the following application form at Online forms – drugs and poisons regulation or applying for a permit via SafeScript.

Application for a permit to treat an opioid-dependent person with methadone or buprenorphine

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Note: (1) and (2) apply to prescribing of methadone in Victoria. To treat patients with any formulation of buprenorphine, a prescriber is only required to apply for a permit (3). See information below about prescribing buprenorphine for opioid dependence.

Prescribing buprenorphine for Opioid Dependence Treatment

In Victoria, all medical and nurse practitioners can prescribe buprenorphine without any specific requirements to complete RACGP MATOD training or departmental approval as a prescriber.

A brief video is available to guide prescribers to safely prescribing buprenorphine for opioid dependence.

If you require advice on the clinical management of a patient, advice should be sought from a colleague familiar with the use of buprenorphine in the treatment of opioid dependence. Advice from an Addiction Medicine Specialist may be obtained by contacting the Drug and Alcohol Clinical Advisory Service (DACAS) on 1800 812 804.

For pharmacists: Approval to supply opioid dependence treatment in Victoria

Victorian pharmacies must apply to the Department of Health for approval to supply all formulations of ODT. This requirement applies even if your pharmacy is not providing a supervised dosing service. For example, if you intend to supply long‑acting injectable buprenorphine (LAIB) for administration only, approval is still required.

This form must also be completed upon a change in pharmacy ownership.

Pharmacy application for approval to supply opioid dependence treatment in Victoria

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Updated 15 Oct 2026

Note that the application form does not address all requirements of supplying ODT. Pharmacists should refer to the following documents for full details:

Resources and support for prescribers and pharmacists

Drug and Alcohol Clinical Advisory Service (DACAS)

DACAS is a 24-hour specialist telephone consultancy service that is free of charge for health and welfare professionals. DACAS provides advice and information on the clinical management of patients with alcohol and other drug use issues.

For further information call 1800 812 804 or visit DACAS website.

Victorian Pharmacotherapy Area-Based Networks

Pharmacotherapy Area-Based Networks (PABNs) support prescribers, pharmacists and health professionals treating patients with an opioid dependence. PABNs facilitate training and mentoring, disseminate information and support access to Addiction Medicine Specialist services.