Q: Can I get a refund of a licence application fee?

A: You may be eligible for a refund in certain circumstances. Please refer to the Refund Guidance available here.

The Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Regulations 1995 (the Regulations) cover licensing requirements for those who work with fluorocarbon refrigerants and refrigeration and air conditioning systems.

In June 2005 the Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) was appointed by the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources to administer the refrigeration and air conditioning aspects of the Regulations.

The ARC is responsible for granting refrigerant handling licences and refrigerant trading authorisations approved under the Regulations, as well as conducting compliance and communications activities.

Whilst the ARC can investigate areas of non-compliance or breaches against the regulations, enforcement activities are conducted by the Department.

A Refrigerant Trading Authorisation is a business level permit that allows a business to acquire, possess and dispose of refrigerants.

A Refrigerant Handling Licence is a technician level permit that allows the holder (the technician) to do certain types of work on RAC equipment.

Depending on which state or territory you live in, you may need a state level contractors licence or similar to operate your business. However, state authorities no longer issue licences for refrigerant purchase or handling. To legally undertake either of these activities you must hold the national licence / authorisation, issued by ARC.

You should also become aware of any other state / territory regulations that may impact on your activities.

With the introduction of the new online application facility, processing times of applications have reduced. New applications and re-applications may take up to 30 days to process, however the ARC will do its best to process all applications as efficiently as possible.

To read about current penalties under the Ozone legislation view ARC Fact Sheet 11

Any person who handles refrigerant or works on RAC equipment must hold a refrigerant handling licence. Handling a refrigerant means doing anything with the refrigerant, or a component of RAC equipment, that carries the risk of its emission, including:

• decanting the refrigerant; or
• manufacturing, installing, commissioning, servicing or maintaining RAC equipment, irrespective if whether or not refrigerant is present; or
• decommissioning or disposing of RAC equipment where refrigerant is present.

The refrigerant handling licence and refrigerant trading authorisation cover all fluorocarbon refrigerants: chlorofluorocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons and hydrofluorocarbons. Examples of these include R12, R22, R134A, R410A and R404A.

Fluorocarbon refrigerants are harmful to the environment if emitted to the atmosphere. Under the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Regulations 1995, persons handling refrigerant must hold a current Refrigerant Handling Licence. This licence is issued by ARC on behalf of the Australian government and can be obtained by completing the online licence application form on this website.

Under the regulations it is an offence of strict liability to handle fluorocarbon refrigerant without the appropriate ARC licence. You must apply for the relevant refrigerant handling licence. Click here to see which licences are available through the ARC.

Provided that you have advised ARC of any subsequent change of address/email address you will receive a notification to apply for your new licence.

Under the current Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Regulations 1995 (OPSGHGMR 1995), all Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) marine engineers holding a current AMSA Certificate of Competency or valid AMSA certificate of recognition as a Marine Engineer Watchkeeper, Marine Engineer Class Two or Marine Engineer Class One will not be required to hold a refrigerant handling licence (RHL) for any refrigerant handling work at sea.

These exemptions do not apply for Marine Engineer Class Three, any Marine Engine Driver grade certificates or any other maritime qualification or licence, or any other person who handles refrigerant for any work on refrigeration or air conditioning (RAC) equipment at sea. All individuals not exempt under the current OPSGHGMR 1995 are required to hold a restricted marine RHL which permits the holder to handle refrigerant and undertake work on RAC equipment only when a vessel is at sea.

Application for a restricted marine RHL must include a letter from the employer indicating that the applicant is able to competently handle refrigerant and do the RAC work.

You will need to speak to a registered training organisation (RTO) to determine which licence qualification you are seeking and enrol in the selected course.

RTOs include TAFE colleges and private providers who are authorised to issue qualification certificates; many are listed on this web site here. If you believe that you already have the relevant training and experience, but do not hold the required qualification, you may not need to do any further training.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and Recognition of Current Competency (RCC) is a process for recognising that you have gained skills, knowledge and experience from other courses, academic education, work experience and training on the job.

To use RPL or RCC to obtain a licence, you need to obtain the required qualification from a registered training organisation (RTO). In order to do so you must enrol in the relevant course and, having enrolled in the course you may complete it by:

• Applying for partial or full RPL/RCC;
• Completing a program of training;
• A combination of both of the above.

A trainee Refrigerant Handling Licence may be required. Please contact the ARC for more information on 1300 88 44 83.

No. There are national controls on all fluorocarbon refrigerants such as HCFCs, HFCs and CFCs. These refrigerants can damage the ozone layer and are potent greenhouse gases. Other ‘natural refrigerants’ such as ammonia and hydrocarbons are not subject to national controls. However their use may be controlled, for health and safety or consumer protection, by state authorities.

The ARC licence scheme is underpinned by Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) based qualifications. Certified qualifications are required to be supplied before assessment and issue of licence can be made.

For technicians who completed their qualifications before the introduction of competency-based training, and who therefore may have difficulty accessing their qualifications and proof of industry experience, the ARC advises the following options:

If the applicant has a trade qualification certificate but no proof of industrial experience:

- Documentation for 4 years of industrial experience is required. This could include information such as: level and range of experience, (through a letter from employer or state-based licence). If a sole operator, a letterhead certified by their accountant or lawyer is requested.

If the applicant has proof of industrial experience but no qualification documentation:

- The applicant should obtain recognition of prior learning (RPL) through a relevant registered training organisation or trade recognition body.

All licence fees are GST exempt. The Goods and Services Tax does not apply.

A RMP must identify potential risks which could result in the emission of refrigerant to the atmosphere and outline measures to minimise the possibility of those risks occurring.

Your RMP must reflect risks and measures relevant to what occurs with your refrigerant both on and off the job. This applies whether your business is conducted from a vehicle or building, or whether you are a sole trader or employ 100 technicians.

It is important that RTA applicants understand what is required in an RMP as insufficient RMPs are one of the main reasons RTA application assessments are not approved.

A sample RMP covering the broadest risk assessment is available on the ARC website – click here

Only the risks that are valid for your business should be included in your RMP, and the format and medium of the RMP is at the RTA’s discretion.

Below is a guide to ensuring your RMP has the correct information for your application to be approved – and importantly, ensure all risks are identified and the appropriate measures are put in place to minimise refrigerant emissions.

NO. Importers of equipment containing fluorocarbon based refrigerants require an import licence issued by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. Further details can be found at http://www.environment.gov.au/atmosphere/ozone/licences/index.html

The Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Management Regulations 1995 provide that persons or businesses that acquire, store or dispose of refrigerants must hold a current Refrigerant Trading Authorisation issued by ARC on behalf of the Australian Government.

Businesses that acquire refrigerant (other than halon) for use in the manufacture of RAC must hold a current Refrigerant and Air-conditioning Equipment Manufacturing Trading Authorisation (RAEMTA).

Since the amendments to the regulations, a new class of authorisation has been made available for businesses that have no need to purchase refrigerant. The Restricted Refrigerant Trading Authorisation (RRTA) allows the holder to acquire, possess and dispose of refrigerant provided that the refrigerant is only acquired by being recovered from equipment at the end of its useful life and it is only disposed of by being provided to the operator of a refrigerant destruction facility.

All three types of Refrigerant Trading Authorisation can be obtained by submitting a Refrigerant Trading Authorisation application via the ARC website, http://www.arctick.org

NO. If the refrigerant is contained in equipment, such as a split system air conditioner, a Refrigerant Trading Authorisation is not required. However a refrigerant handling licence is required to install this type of equipment. You should note that restrictions on the sale of this type of equipment may apply in some states and territories. Restrictions can be checked with the relevant state or territory government authorities.

A Pre-charged Equipment import licence is required if you intend to import refrigeration or air conditioning equipment that contains a HFC or HCFC refrigerant charge. More details can be found on the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water website here.

YES. Complete a Refrigerant Trading Authorisation application form and when approved your listing will appear under your nominated major activity.

No. There are national controls on all fluorocarbon refrigerants such as HCFCs, HFCs and CFCs. These refrigerants can damage the ozone layer and are potent greenhouse gases. Other ‘natural refrigerants’ such as ammonia and hydrocarbons are not subject to national controls. However their use may be controlled, for health and safety or consumer protection, by state authorities.

It depends on the ownership. If the business has a materially new ownership (completely different people), it will need a new RTA. But RTAs whose ownership has not changed can keep their existing RTA number – you will be asked for some documentation to confirm the ABN and ownership details and there may be a processing fee, but you will not need a new RTA. Please contact ARC for further information.

All licence fees are GST exempt. The Goods and Services Tax does not apply.

Current Refrigerant Trading Authorisations can be cancelled at any time. Simply fill in the cancellation form here and email completed form to enquire@arctick.org or mail to ARC, Locked Bag, 3033 Box Hill VIC 3128.

• From 1 Jan 2018 to 31 Dec 2018 a new option for a three (3) year RHL and RTA became available – along with the standard permit durations (transition period)
• From 1 Jan 2019 onwards the duration for all RHLs (except for trainee RHL) and RTAs can be one (1), two (2) or three (3) years.
• Costs for the 3 year RTA/RHL are the annual fee applied over three years.
• Trainee RHLs default to 1 year in duration.

From 1 Jan 2018 the process for re-applying for your RTA or RHL was streamlined, becoming a ‘renewal’ process, compared to a re-application. The renewal option is only be available for RHL or RTA holders renewing before or at 30 days prior to their permit expiring. If it is within 30 days of expiry, the normal application process applies.

In 2016 a review of the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Program – including the refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) licence scheme - was completed by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, following extensive consultation with RAC industry stakeholders through public consultation and targeted consultation with industry representatives.

The review identified a number of measures to be implemented. These measures seek to reduce the administrative cost of the Regulations on business by reducing the length of time a business or individual needs to spend, over the longer-term, gathering information together and applying for a permit.

Your overseas qualifications will need to be assessed to Australian standards before they can be accepted as part of the licence assessment process. VETASSESS is a national organisation who can assist. As well, there are many state-based registered training organisations (RTO) who can provide recognition of prior learning. Visit the Training Organisations directory on the ARC website to search for RTOs.

For further information we recommend you visit their websites. We suggest you contact ARC once you arrive in Australia and we will assist you with your application. Information regarding Refrigerant Handling Licences can be view on our web site here

In most circumstances you are required to complete some form of Gap Training. If you have an “Offshores Technical Skills Record” and you’re working for an employer you can apply for a trainee licence. Your proof of enrolment will be the Offshores Technical Skills Record and you will also need to supply a photo along with the supervisor declaration.

Yes, however if you haven’t had your qualifications/experience recognised by the above organisations, your application will be assessed as incomplete. You will have 4 months from the date of the application to supply your documentation, e.g. proof of Enrolment, Supervisor’s Declaration and Passport Quality Photo.

If you fail to supply the documents within the required time frame then the application is taken to have been withdrawn with loss of the application fee, and you will be required to start again as a new applicant.

We suggest you contact ARC once you arrive in Australia and we will assist you with your application. Information regarding Refrigerant Handling Licences can be viewed on our web site www.arctick.org