Licences

Businesses and people working in certain industries must be licensed or registered with Consumer Protection. As a consumer it is advisable to check if your service provider is licensed.

Licences and definitions

Consumer Protection is responsible for issuing and monitoring a variety licences:

Charities
Employment agents
Travel agents
Motor Vehicles:
Finance:
Plumbers and Painters
Trading Standards:
- Trade Measurements
- Public weighbridges and owners

The acronyms in the brackets represent the code for the type of licence according to the search system.

Charities (CC)

Charities are any organisations, clubs or incorporated associations collecting money or goods from the public for charitable purposes and must be licensed under the Charitable Collections Act.

Employment Agents (EA)

All individuals, partnerships or bodies corporate (companies and other incorporated bodies) who carry on business as employment agents must be licensed under the Employment Agents Act. This includes traditional employment agencies and employment brokers, plus booking agencies, babysitting agencies, house-sitting agencies and cleaning agencies.

Travel Agents (TA)

Anyone who carries on a business as a travel agent is generally required to be licensed. A licensed travel agent will have a green and gold logo displayed at their premises.

Motor Vehicle Dealers (MD)

The Motor Vehicle Dealers Act (MVDA) requires a person/s or company engaged in the business of buying or selling of certain vehicle types or numbers of vehicles to hold a dealer's licence.

Motor Vehicle Repairers (MR) & Motor Vehicle Repair businesses (MRB)

Most types of motor vehicle repair work (known as classes of repair work) are covered by the Motor Vehicles Repairers Act, however there are exclusions e.g. window tinting.

Most repairers who work on a vehicle unsupervised or supervise a person carrying out repair work will require a repairer's certificate, approved by the Motor Vehicle Industry Board.

Most repair businesses need a licence to carry out motor vehicle repair work.

Motor Vehicle Salesperson (MS)

A salesperson is someone who is employed or engaged by or on behalf of a dealer in the buying or selling of motor vehicles other than in the capacity of yard manager.

Motor Vehicle Yard managers (MY)

A yard manager is someone who is employed or engaged by or on behalf of a dealer to manage or supervise that dealer's business of buying or selling vehicles at one or more of the dealer's premises. An experienced salesperson can obtain a temporary permit to operate as a yard manager while awaiting completing a Yard Manager qualification course.

Motor Vehicle Auctioneers (MA):

An auctioneer of motor vehicles is someone who sells vehicles as an agent of the dealer or on behalf of trade owners. Auctioneers may be exempted provided the selling of vehicles does not constitute a significant part of an auctioneer's business. Exempted auctioneers are not permitted to sell vehicles on behalf of trade owners. Trade owners are defined as licensed dealers, finance companies and hire car companies.

Motor Vehicle car hire operator (MH):

A car hire operator as a person who carries on the business of hiring vehicles, where the right to purchase the vehicle is not included in that hiring.

If you are a car hire operator and in the business of selling your ex-hire vehicles directly to the public, you must hold a dealer’s licence.

If your primary business is the hire of vehicles and you do not directly sell your ex-hire vehicles to the public, but dispose of them to or through another licensed dealer or auctioneer, you may apply for an exemption.

Motor Vehicle car market operator (MO):

Aa car hire operator as a person who carries on the business of hiring vehicles, where the right to purchase the vehicle is not included in that hiring.

If you are a car hire operator and in the business of selling your ex-hire vehicles directly to the public, you must hold a dealer’s licence.

A car market operator is someone who carries on the business of providing premises for a car market (whether or not those premises are used for any other purpose).

Finance brokers (FB)

A finance broker means a person who

a. as an intermediary, in the course of business, negotiates or arranges loans of money for or on behalf of other persons; or
b. in the course of business, manages loans of money arranged or negotiated by the person for or on behalf of other persons.

Although many finance intermediaries (e.g. mortgage originators) do not handle investor funds they still fall within the definition of "finance broker".

Generally, employees of licensed finance brokers are not required to be licensed. However, any finance intermediaries who are operating as contractors, agents or franchisees of a licensed finance aggregator would not be considered to be an employee and are required to be licensed in their own right.

Debt collectors (DCL)

A debt collector is a person who, on behalf of another person, collects or requests payment of debts. Debt collectors operating in Western Australia must be licensed under the Debt Collectors Licensing Act. This Act sets out licensing requirements and regulates the management of trust accounts.

Credit providers (CP)

A credit provider is anyone carrying out the business of providing credit regulated by the Consumer Credit (Western Australia) Code has to be licensed under the Credit (Administration) Act, unless they are exempt under sub-section 7(1) of the Act. Exempt persons include banks and building societies.

Land valuers (LV)

Land Valuers provides an opinion of the market value of land. This opinion is recognised as an expert opinion by financial institutions, government departments, such as state and federal taxation offices, and courts of law. Land valuers provide an opinion on the value of an "interest in land". For example, freehold ownership provides the highest interest in land. Many lesser interests may be held such as that of a lessee or a tenant-for-life. All interests in land can be valued. "Land" includes improvements made to or upon the land itself.

Plumbers and Painters (PL, TL, RP)

An appropriate plumber's licence or permit is required to carry out water supply, sanitary and/or drainage plumbing work anywhere in Western Australia. Roof plumbing and storm water drainage can be performed without the need for a licence.

Trading Standards - Trade Measurements (SL)

Accurate weighing and measuring is important to ensure consumers can buy goods confidently and know that their transactions are conducted in a fair and honest manner.

Trade Measurement licences are for servicing licensees who are authorised to test, repair and certify the accuracy of weighing and measuring instruments.

Trade Measurement also licenses organisations that specialise in the sales and service of weighing and measuring equipment in use for trade.

Trading Standards - Public weighbridges and owners (PW)

A weighbridge (sometimes called a 'truck scale') is a large weighing system that can weigh entire vehicles and their contents. A weighbridge must not be operated as a public weighbridge unless it is certified for use under the Trade Measurement Act 2006.