On 17 October 2025, the Victorian Government announced reforms to the Wildlife Act 1975 and Wildlife Regulations 2024 that will affect the operation of wildlife licences. You can access the media release on the Premier of Victoria website.
The announcement includes changes to wildlife licensing to ensure that safety and welfare are protected, including a new licence category for dangerous wildlife, restrictions to wildlife breeding and a prohibition on the acquisition, possession and keeping of any Saltwater Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) or Freshwater Crocodile (Crocodylus johnstoni) species (referred to collectively as crocodiles) under private licences.
The prohibition on keeping crocodiles as pets will be implemented through reforms to the Wildlife Act legislative framework. Reform of the Wildlife Act and Regulations will take time and is subject to consideration by Victoria’s Parliament.
There are no immediate impacts on licence entitlements or application processes from the announcements, except additional conditions have been applied to Advanced Private Wildlife Licences, Wildlife Demonstrator Licences and Wildlife Displayer Licences to limit any increase in the number of crocodiles in Victoria. All licensees that are impacted by these amendments will receive written notification from the Conservation Regulator.
The Victorian Government has announced that Victoria is now aligning with other states to prohibit the keeping of crocodiles as pets under a private wildlife licence.
Saltwater and Freshwater Crocodiles are both tropical species. Saltwater Crocodiles can live for 70 years or more and grow up to 7 metres in length and over 1,000 kg. Freshwater Crocodiles live for around 50 years and grow up to 3 metres in length and 70 kg.
There are limited rehoming options for crocodiles, and given their long lifespan and size, the Conservation Regulator is taking reasonable steps to ensure that more crocodiles are not brought into Victoria.
Crocodiles have previously been able to be acquired and held under an Advanced Private Wildlife Licence. Advanced Private Wildlife Licence holders can no longer acquire (including buy, breed or import) crocodiles under their licence without express prior written permission from the Conservation Regulator. This permission is only intended to be granted in exceptional circumstances. Construction of a suitable enclosure is not considered grounds for acquiring a crocodile.
If you already have a crocodile under an Advanced Private Wildlife Licence, you can keep that crocodile in accordance with your licence conditions. You must not acquire (including buy, breed or import) any further crocodile without prior written permission from the Conservation Regulator.
Licence holders may lawfully dispose of crocodiles held under licence, subject to licence conditions.
Wildlife Demonstrators and Wildlife Displayers can still keep crocodiles to promote an understanding of the ecology and conservation of wildlife. You can no longer dispose of (including gift, trade, sell, or give) crocodiles held under your licence to the holder of an Advanced Private Wildlife Licence. You may lawfully dispose of crocodiles to other Wildlife Demonstrator licence holders, or any Wildlife Displayer licence holder authorised to possess crocodile species. It is your responsibility to check the validity and type of a licence prior to participating in any transaction. If you are unsure, contact the wildlife licensing team at the following email address: wildlifelicensing@deeca.vic.gov.au.
You may receive or acquire crocodiles from the holder of an Advanced Private Wildlife Licence.
You may import or export crocodiles into or out of the state of Victoria subject to an approved application under Section 50 of the Wildlife Act 1975, though no imported crocodile may be disposed of to an Advanced Private Wildlife Licence holder.
Strict enclosure standards continue to apply. A suitable enclosure must be in place prior to acquiring crocodiles. Prior to commencing construction, contact the Conservation Regulator to discuss the requirements, as construction of a suitable enclosure is not considered sufficient grounds for acquiring a crocodile.
Any crocodile must be housed in an enclosure that meets the following minimum standards:
- For crocodiles up to 25cm total length, the enclosure must measure at minimum 60cm long, 30cm wide, and 30cm high and may hold a maximum of two specimens.
- All crocodiles must be housed in an enclosure that provides a pool of the following dimensions:
- be at least twice the length of the largest specimen within the enclosure; and
- have a width at least as great as the length of the largest specimen within the enclosure.
- The pool must be deep enough for the largest specimen within the enclosure to submerge completely and swim freely.
- The water temperature within the pool must be maintained between 26°C to 28°C.
- The enclosure must also provide each crocodile within the enclosure with access to a dry surface:
- the area of which must measure at least as long and wide as the length of the largest specimen, and
- which has a basking site with a temperature of 30°C to 33°C.
There are no immediate changes to licence entitlements following the announcement, other than the additional conditions relating to crocodiles outlined above. To find out more about reforms to the Wildlife Act and Wildlife Regulations, and to keep up to date as reforms progress, visit DEECA's Review of the Wildlife Act 1975 page.
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