FAQs

There are 3 types. Individuals can apply for the following types of third party accreditation under the Radiation Protection and Control Act 1982 in relation to dental, medical, veterinary and chiropractic X-ray apparatus:

• shielding verification only
• compliance testing only
• compliance testing plus shielding verification.

On 15 June 2009, third party testing of a limited range of diagnostic X-ray apparatus was made possible in South Australia. Fees were not initially applied to this program for a number of reasons, including wanting to attract those with the necessary skills and experience to enter the field. The EPA is required to recover the costs of administering and regulating the scheme, therefore fees are now being applied. The accreditation of third party testers has been introduced in most jurisdictions.

Detailed information on the third party accreditation scheme.

The following radiation sources must be registered under the Radiation Protection and Control Act 1982:

• premises where unsealed radioactive substances are handled or kept
• sealed radioactive sources
• radiation apparatus–X-ray apparatus.

Download detailed registration information.

If a particular ionising radiation apparatus is not listed in the table, then it is counted as ‘other than Levels 1, 2 or 3’ for the purpose of registration.

No. cosmetic tanning units for commercial use are now banned from 1 January 2015. More information on solaria. 

A Licence to Possess a radiation source is a licence which the South Australian Parliament introduced into the Radiation Protection and Control Act 1982 in 2012. They will typically be issued to a company, but can also be issued to an individual who owns or leases a radiation source. Owners or leasees of radiation sources who want to conduct a radiation practice (such as using, storing, selling or disposing of a radiation source) will generally apply for a single Licence to Possess to cover all their radiation sources, no matter where they are located within South Australia.

The purpose of the new licence is to ensure that owners and leasees of radiation sources in South Australia develop and implement appropriate, consistent radiation protection and risk management systems and practices that will promote the safe use, storage and disposal of all their radiation sources.

Radiation sources include the following:

• registrable premises where unsealed radioactive substances will be used, stored or otherwise handled
• registrable sealed radioactive sources
• registrable apparatus or devices that emits x-rays.

The EPA.

In general, any person or company that either owns or leases (or wants to own or lease):

• registrable premises in which unsealed radioactive substances will be used, stored or otherwise handled
• registrable X-ray apparatus
• registrable sealed radioactive source.

However, a Licence to possess is not required if the radiation sources are required to be covered by a:

• facilities licence, 
• licence to test for developmental purposes, or  
• kicence to carry out mining or mineral processing.

Every year.

The EPA, acting on behalf of the Minister, cannot issue a Licence to possess to an owner unless it has sufficient evidence to do so. By submitting such plans, owners clearly demonstrate they have both:

• An appropriate level of knowledge of the principles and practices of radiation protections specific to their radiation sources and the circumstances in which they use or store them, and
• Implemented systems to ensure compliance with the radiation protection legislation.

This approach is also consistent with the various nationally agreed standards, codes of practice and guidance published by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA).

Every owner/leasee of radiation sources should maintain a register that contains information on all of their radiation sources.  Depending on the situation, it will give summary information on anything from a single radiation source at a single location, through to many radiation sources at one or more locations.  It is up to individual owners/leasees as to whether or not they incorporate their Radiation Source Register into their Radiation Management Plan, or maintain it separate document. 

Where applicable, the following summary information should be included in a radiation source register for each of the different types of radiation sources to be covered by a Licence to Possess:

(a) Premises where unsealed radioactive substances will be used, stored or otherwise handled

The following details should be kept in the inventory/register relating to each unsealed radioactive substance:

• Premises’ registration number, type and location where substances used/stored/handled
• Radionuclides used
• Activity or nominal activity and the date to which the activity refers
• The name of the person in whose care the substances are/has been placed
• The date upon which the substances were first taken onto the premises.

(b) Sealed radioactive sources

For each registrable and non-registrable sealed radioactive source, the following details should be kept in the register:

• Registration number (if applicable)
• The name of the manufacturer of the source, and the make, model and serial number of the source
• The radionuclide enclosed in the source, and, in the case of a non-fissile neutron source—the target element
• For sealed sources with a half-life:
• of more than one year - the activity or nominal activity of the source and the date  to which the activity refers

• of up to one year – the maximum activity registered.
• The security category of the radioactive source    
• If the source is permanently mounted in a device, article or thing— sufficient information to identify the device article or thing, including container serial number
• if the source is:
• permanently fixed—the place where it is located
• not permanently fixed—the place at which it is usually stored.
• The name of the person in whose care the source has been placed and the date on which the person took possession of the source
• Whether or not an individual radioactive source is no longer wanted and should be considered as ‘radioactive waste’.

(c) Apparatus/devices that emit X-rays

For each piece of equipment, the following details should be kept in the register:

• registration number
• type (manufacturer, model number) of each apparatus/device
• generator serial number
• X-ray tube serial number
• date each apparatus/device was purchased/leased (and sold if appropriate)
• location of each apparatus/device.

You can use the following cost matrix to determine what you will have to authorise payment for when you lodge your Licence to Possess application.

After you have determined how many radiation sources you have, or propose to have, compare them to the numbers and costing included in the cost matrix above.

Example 1

If you own 4 registrable x-ray units and 3 registrable premises, then the fees payable are determined by the fact that you own 3 registrable premises in Category C (a total of $1,254 in the first year).

Example 2

If you own 4 registrable x-ray units and 2 registrable premises, then the fees payable are determined by the fact that both types fit within Category B (a total of $460 in the first year).

Example 3

If you own 7 registrable sealed sources, 4 registrable x-ray units and have no registrable premises, then the fees payable are determined by the fact that you have a total of 11 registrable sealed sources and x-ray units and fit within Category D (a total of $2,255 in the first year).

A person who owns/leases, or intends to own a radiation source, but has not applied for a Licence to Possess when required, could face prosecution resulting in a conviction and fines of up to $100,000.

Only those applicants for a Licence to Possess who want to use, store or otherwise handle unsealed radioactive substances have to submit a Radioactive Waste Management Plan.

Advice on what should be included in a Radioactive Waste Management plan can be gained by contacting specialist radiation health scientists (by telephone 8463 7826 or email).

You will only need to submit such plans if you own, or plan to own a Category 1, 2 or 3 ‘security enhanced’ sealed radioactive source. 

Information on how to determine whether or not any of your sealed radioactive sources are Category 1, 2 or 3 , and what you need to include in security plans is set out in the 2007 ARPANSA publication titled Code of practice: Security of radioactive sources (RPS No 11).

Advice on all security enhanced source matters can be gained by contacting specialist radiation health scientists (by telephone 8463 7826 or email.

The answer to this question depends on whether or not you have either:

• registered an ionising radiation source, or had an application in at the EPA to register an ionising radiation source on 30 June 2012

• neither of the above.

The table below provides a summary of arrangements

Licence to Possess an Ionising Radiation Source

Every applicant for a Licence to Possess must develop and submit to the EPA an appropriate Radiation Management Plan.

An RMP incorporates within it what has traditionally been called a Radiation Safety Manual. It is a written document that is maintained in hard copy and/or electronically.  It contains information on, for example:

• The types of radiation sources owned/leased by an individual, business of organisation in South Australia, and the radiation hazards and risks they present
• The radiation health and safety standards, practices and procedures that an owner/leasee of radiation sources commits to implementing, monitoring and updating when necessary to appropriately prevent, manage and control the radiation risks and to comply with their legal obligations under the Radiation Protection and Control Act 1982 and associated regulations.

What you should include in your RMP depending on a number of factors, including the types of radiation sources you own, what you are using them for, and the radiation health and safety risks they present. 

In some situations, nationally agreed guidance published by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) currently exist which sets out the types of information to be included in a Radiation Safety Management Plan. 

Depending on your situation, one or more of the following documents should be used as a key reference when developing your Radiation Management Plan:

Further information on what to include in a Radiation Management Plan will be added to this website throughout July 2012. If you would like to discuss what you propose to include in your Radiation Management Plan with a specialist EPA Authorised Officer, please email or telephone (freecall) on 1800 623 445.

When it comes to licences to use or operate a radiation source, a ‘radiation source’ is:

• an unsealed radioactive substances

• a sealed radioactive source

• a registrable apparatus or device that emits x-rays.

 No. You will only have to pay the renewal fee when your current licence expires.

For those who use or handle radioactive substances, or operate ionising radiation apparatus, you are required to hold a radiation licence. To be granted a licence, you must demonstrate that you are fit and proper, suitably qualified, and have the appropriate knowledge to carry on the operations pursuant to the radiation licence. 

These licences are granted by the EPA who administers and enforces the Radiation Protection and Control Act 1982 (RPC Act). Licensing is covered by sections 28 and 31 of the RPC Act. Radiation licences can only be issued to natural persons (not a company).

On 13 May 2019, the EPA changed the arrangements for granting of radiation licences. The changes ensure the EPA maintains an independent, consistent standard when issuing radiation licences under the RPC Act.

Key components of the change relate to the assessment and approval of individual training courses and the delivery of examinations.

The removal of the requirement for the EPA to assess and approve individual training courses now enables new training courses to be developed, and new training providers to enter the market. The changes also provide greater flexibility for training providers to update training materials, modify delivery formats, or add and remove individual training courses as they see fit. This will result in a more efficient process and will progress uniformity and consistency.

In parallel, the EPA moves towards a model where all examinations are conducted inhouse. This was implemented to provide additional assurance that every candidate meets the competency requirements for the granting of a radiation licence, providing community confidence in the radiation licensing process.

The EPA received feedback that this second initiative has resulted in process and delivery changes for some existing training providers. As a result, we are now putting in place amended arrangements for a 6-month period to enable providers to transition their business. 

During the transitional period, the following arrangements will apply:

• Providers who, prior to 13 May 2019, were approved by the EPA for purposes associated with granting a radiation licence, will be able to request to conduct the examination of candidates, for the purposes of radiation licensing, at the conclusion of a training course, subject to availability of EPA staff. Training providers wishing to exercise this option should contact the EPA for details of the arrangements. The amended arrangement will apply from the date of this notice (10 September 2019), for a period not exceeding 6 months, unless otherwise extended or revoked by the EPA.
• During the next 6 months the EPA will be consulting on longer-term plans for the future of training and radiation licensing. We intend to consult with key licensees, training providers, training users and interstate regulators. We are keen to hear views on availability of training, assessing competencies, granting of radiation licences, training course content and delivery, and accrediting training providers.

For further information, please contact us by email.

A facilities licence is a licence that will be required if a person or company wants to prepare a site for, or construct, establish, control, manage, decommission, dispose of or abandon a facility of a class that will be prescribed in the regulations under the Radiation Protection and Control Act 1982. Detailed information on what are classed as facilities will be available in November 2012.

A facility requiring such a licence is generally one where a large radiation source is used or a large quantity of radioactive material is used, stored, or disposed.

Detailed information on the licences and registrations required will be available from the EPA website by the end of the year.

If you have specific questions and/or want to register your interest in getting periodic updates on the licensing and registration scheme as they become available, please email.

Please contact the EPA via email.

Cosmetic tanning units in a private residence are not regulated and can be used providing there is no fee or reward. More information on solaria.