Department of Health

Wholesale (by Indent) - Information for interstate businesses

The Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981 (the Act) is Victorian legislation that regulates of transactions of wholesale supply of scheduled poisons (medicines) in Victoria. Transactions of supply include directing a third-party logistics company to make wholesale supply of a scheduled poison to an authorised customer.

It is a requirement under section 19 of the Act that a licence lists the location of the premises. The department only issues a wholesale (by indent) licence where that licence lists the address of a physical premises occupied by the organisation in Victoria. The location of the physical premises listed on the licence is where staff of the organisation are physically located when undertaking transactions of supply of scheduled poisons under the wholesale (by indent) licence.

Requirements

Before a wholesale (by indent) licence can be issued, applicants may be required to provide extra information to the department. This is to confirm that the organisation occupies the physical premises listed in application. The department may ask for evidence of this, which may include:

  • a Victorian land title certificate indicating ownership by the applicant organisation
  • a rental agreement between the applicant organisation and the owner of the premises. This should include evidence such as:
    • a rental agreement between these two parties
    • a receipt indicating payment of a bond by the applicant organisation and the owner of the premises
    • a Victorian land title certificate indicating ownership by lessee

Businesses where staff are located outside of Victoria when undertaking transactions of supply of a scheduled poison should contact the relevant Medicines and Poisons Unit in that jurisdiction about authorisations to wholesale by indent.

A business should seek independent legal advice if they are uncertain if a wholesale (by indent) licence is required. Legal advice should take into account the specific circumstances of the business.

Record of Transactions

After completing a transaction of supply of scheduled poisons in Victoria, a record of transactions must be made. Records must follow the requirements of the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Regulations 2017. You must produce these records on demand to an officer of the department authorised under the Act. Officers may attend the premises listed in the licence to inspect records of transactions.

Reviewed 19 March 2026

Health.vic

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