Authority
Victorian Early Childhood Regulatory Authority (VECRA)
Victoria · reviewed 31 August 2026
Child care provider approval in Victoria.
VECRA grants National Law provider approvals in Victoria. Its published process requires each person with management or control to complete an online knowledge assessment demonstrating that they understand and can apply the National Law, National Regulations and NQF.
VIC
Regulatory authority
Victorian Early Childhood Regulatory Authority (VECRA)
Knowledge step
PMC assessment required
Practice format
46 questions · 75 minutes
Application sequence
From applicant structure to written outcome.
- 01Choose the correct legal entity and identify all people with management or control before applying.
- 02Collect current checks, identity material, entity evidence, resumes, qualifications and the required fitness and propriety declarations.
- 03Submit the PA01 application and PA02 material through NQA ITS and pay the prescribed fee online.
- 04Complete VECRA's onboarding and online knowledge assessment when instructed; each relevant PMC must complete their own assessment.
- 05Address requests for additional information through NQA ITS and wait for VECRA's written outcome.
Jurisdiction-specific planning
What Victorian applicants should account for.
VECRA publishes a 60-day decision period from receipt of a complete application, excluding applicant response and assessment completion time.
Victorian applications must be submitted through NQA ITS; complete documents and payment are essential to validity.
From 27 February 2026, VECRA states that an unsuccessful applicant cannot reapply for 12 months except with special permission.
Victoria has a separate optional approval-in-principle pathway for certain proposed multi-storey centre-based premises; that is distinct from provider approval.
Keep approvals separate
Provider, service and CCS approval are different decisions.
A National Law provider approval establishes who may be an approved provider. A service approval relates to a particular education and care service. Commonwealth CCS approval concerns administering Child Care Subsidy. One approval does not automatically grant the others.
Compare National Law and CCS approval →VIC provider approval questions
Who must complete the Victorian knowledge assessment?
VECRA states that each person with management or control included in the application must complete the online assessment.
What does the VECRA assessment cover?
VECRA describes it as testing whether a PMC understands and can apply the National Law and National Regulations and is aware of the NQF when operating a service.
Can a Victorian applicant submit a paper application?
Current national and Victorian guidance directs Victorian provider approval applicants to submit through NQA ITS.
Other jurisdictions
Compare authority guidance across Australia.
Prepare before the regulator asks
Check the application foundation, then practise provider judgement.
Use the free readiness checker to identify application gaps, then practise with scenario questions and detailed reasoning across provider-responsibility domains.
Information reviewed 31 August 2026. Regulatory processes and agency instructions can change. Confirm current official sources and seek independent advice where required. Complynce is not affiliated with or endorsed by any regulator.