Business Permit Finder
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Business Approvals Merri-bek (BAM)
Business Approvals Merri-bek (BAM) helps identify the Council approvals needed to start a business. Many new or expanding businesses require a permit or registration to operate, and some may need more than one.
If you’re unsure which permits or registrations apply to your business, BAM can help. Watch our BAM video to find out how the process works.
Step 1 - Tell us about your business
Tell us about your business by completing the BAM questionnaire below. Business permits and registrations are site specific, so once you've identified a potential site, it’s the right time to find out which approvals are required.
Step 2 - We'll support you
You’ll be contacted within two business days with advice on the permits and registrations you may require.
If multiple permits or registrations are needed, we may recommend a BAM permit check-in meeting with relevant Council teams. For more complex proposals, a pre-application meeting may be recommended and will incur a fee.
Step 3 - Commercial priority
Commercial Priority is a dedicated planning stream for commercial applications. Eligible applications are assessed faster, helping businesses open sooner.
A proposal for a new or expanding business may be eligible for Commercial Priority if you have met with Council officers through a BAM permit check-in or pre-application meeting and received in principle support.
Complete planning permit applications are prioritised and assessed within 60 days, provided no objections are received.
Find out more about Commercial priority for planning applicants:
Helpful resources
The ‘Open for Business’ industry permit guidelines and factsheets provide valuable information on the types of permits and registrations you may need and provides an overview of the permit process.
Building permits
*Please note*
It is recommended that you seek advice from a private Building Surveyor. At this stage, Council is unable to process any Building permit applications.
The Building and Plumbing Commission (BPC) maintains a list of all registered Building Surveyors in the State. You can use their Building Practitioner Search webpage to search for a building surveyor by name, type of work, suburb, postcode or any combination of the above.
Need further advice?
If you require further advice, contact Council’s Economic Development team on 8311 4131 or email businessapprovals@merri-bek.vic.gov.au