When will the new fees and charges commence?
The revised cost recovery arrangements will take effect from 1 February 2023. The fee that will apply depends on the time an application (that meets the application requirements) is lodged in the Online Services Portal.
The revised cost recovery arrangements are not retrospective. Applications lodged prior to 1 February 2023 will be finalised under the fee and module structure that applied when they were made.
There is no change to most application fees (including all fixed fee or non-modular items), or to registration renewal fees. However, we have created some new modules to capture assessment types where a reduced timeframe and fee is considered appropriate.
The new modules, timeframes and fees are described in the module descriptors.
You will be able to select the new modules in the Online Services Portal from 1 February 2023.
Which module levels and fees will change?
The timeframes and fees section on our website lists all Item and Module application fees. There is no increase in fees for any application type. The changes will only affect some modular application types (items 2, 10, 14, 21, 23 and 27).
We have created new modules for assessments where a reduced timeframe or fee was deemed appropriate. This includes new Chemistry 4 and Chemistry 5 modules as well as a new Environment 4 module. We have changed to the Residues modules to remove permit-specific modules and redistribute work across all 5 modules.
We have also simplified the Toxicology and Work Health and Safety modules by combining these into a single Health module (Health 1 to 6):
|
New Health modules |
Health 1 |
Health 2 |
Health 3 |
Health 4 |
Health 5 |
Health 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Equivalent pre-1 February module/s |
3.1 + 6.1 |
3.1 |
3.2 +6.2 |
3.3 + 6.3 |
3.3 OR 6.3 |
New module |
The other change is to provide timeframe and fee reductions for applications where appropriate overseas assessments are submitted, along with the supporting data. Pre-application assistance and a project plan are required to use this pathway.
Full details of the new modules are in the module descriptors.
Will the levy rates change?
No – there will be no changes to levy rates on 1 February 2023.
What happens to applications started in the Online Services Portal pre-1 February?
The fee that will apply depends on the time an application (that meets the application requirements) is lodged in the Online Services Portal.
However, if you start an application in the Online Services Portal prior to 1 February 2023, our IT system will apply the ‘old’ modules, whether the application is submitted before or after 1 February 2023.
If your application is submitted after 1 February 2023, the APVMA will assess the application and apply the equivalent new modules. Generally, this will be done by the admin team at the time you are notified that the application has been accepted and are invoiced for the application fees (preliminary assessment).
Where it is not entirely clear what the equivalent new module should be and technical input is required, the application will be accepted through preliminary assessment, and then formally recategorized through a section 70B notice.
This process replicates what currently occurs when modular applications are received with incorrect modules.
You may prefer to wait until 1 February 2023 to start a new application, as this will allow you to select the appropriate new modules.
If my application is subject to a re-categorisation after 1 February, what fees will I pay?
Applications subject to a re-categorisation will pay fees for the modules that applied at the time the application was lodged.
Is pre-application assistance advice on modules and/or fees given pre-1 February 2023 still valid if my application is lodged after this date?
From mid-January 2023 the APVMA will provide the new modules as part of pre-application assistance (PAA) written advice. If you request PAA before this time and would like to know the relevant new modules, please ask.
For existing PAA advice with the pre-1 February 2023 modules, you will need to use the module descriptors to identify the equivalent new modules. We can help you with this – please contact Enquiries@apvma.gov.au with your PAA application number.
There has been no change to the fees charged for PAA.