Victoria Act

Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading Act 2012 (Vic)

Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading Act 2012 supports consumer protection and fair trading rules in Victoria.

In forceVictoria4 practical checks

Plain-English explainers, not legal advice. Check the linked official source before you rely on a specific section, and get advice for your situation.

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Quick read

Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading Act 2012 is part of the local consumer protection framework in Victoria.
For small businesses, the practical point is not only whether the Australian Consumer Law applies.

Likely relevant if

Businesses selling goods or services to customers in Victoria
Retailers, ecommerce stores, marketplaces, trades and professional service businesses
Businesses advertising prices, discounts, guarantees, warranties or product features

Check first

Avoid misleading statements about price, quality, availability, guarantees or business credentials.
Keep refund, repair and replacement processes consistent with consumer guarantees.
Make advertising, discount and comparison claims clear enough to support with records.

What happens if you get it wrong

Penalties & enforcement

Fair trading breaches can lead to regulator action, court or tribunal orders, infringement notices, compensation orders, enforceable undertakings and reputational damage. Always check the current local Act and regulator guidance for the exact pathway.

Enforced by Consumer Affairs Victoria and Victorian courts/tribunals

When this shows up in real life

1
Running a sale or promotion
Keep evidence for savings claims, stock limits, exclusions and advertised timeframes. Do not let website banners, checkout wording or staff scripts overstate the offer.
2
Handling a refund dispute
Check the product or service issue against consumer guarantees before relying on a store policy. A policy cannot remove rights that the law gives customers.
3
Launching in a new state
Review local fair trading rules and regulator guidance, especially if you use door-to-door sales, licensing, trust money, gift cards or sector-specific consumer rules.

Plain-English glossary

Consumer guarantees: Baseline rights consumers may have when goods or services fail to meet legal standards, regardless of what a business warranty says.
Misleading conduct: Conduct that can lead customers into error, including half-truths, important omissions and claims that cannot be substantiated.
Local fair trading regulator: The state or territory agency that handles many consumer complaints, compliance checks and enforcement steps.

Common questions

Does this replace the Australian Consumer Law?

No. State and territory fair trading laws usually sit beside the Australian Consumer Law and help apply or enforce consumer protection rules locally.

What should a small business check first?

Start with advertising claims, refund wording, complaint scripts, warranties, pricing displays and whether the business needs any local licence or registration for its activity.

How Sprintlaw can help

Contract Review Regulatory Compliance

Update history

Amendment7 June 2026

Victorian fuel retailer amendment tracked

Victoria made the Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading (Code of Practice and Infringements for Fuel Retailers) Amendment Regulations 2025 as statutory rule 152/2025.

Amendment10 Mar 2026

Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading (Code of Practice for Fuel Retailers) Regulations 2025 history added

Victorian Legislation lists the 2025 fuel retailer code regulations as in force, with version 002 effective from 10 March 2026.

Amendment10 Mar 2026

Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading (Infringements) Regulations 2018 history added

Victorian Legislation lists the Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading (Infringements) Regulations 2018 as in force.

New5 Aug 2025

Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading (Code of Practice for Fuel Price Reporting) Regulations 2025 history added

Victorian Legislation records the 2025 fuel price reporting regulations as statutory rule 74/2025 as made.

New27 June 2022

Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading Regulations 2022 history added

Victorian Legislation lists the Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading Regulations 2022 as in force from 27 June 2022.

New2016 statutory rule

Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading (Code of Practice for Fuel Price Boards) Regulations 2016 history added

Victorian Legislation records the 2016 fuel price board code regulations as statutory rule 54/2016 as made.

New2012 statutory rule

Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading Regulations 2012 history added

Victorian Legislation records the 2012 Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading Regulations as statutory rule 62/2012 as made.

Start here

Quick read

Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading Act 2012 is part of the local consumer protection framework in Victoria.
For small businesses, the practical point is not only whether the Australian Consumer Law applies.

Likely relevant if

Businesses selling goods or services to customers in Victoria
Retailers, ecommerce stores, marketplaces, trades and professional service businesses
Businesses advertising prices, discounts, guarantees, warranties or product features

Check first

Avoid misleading statements about price, quality, availability, guarantees or business credentials.
Keep refund, repair and replacement processes consistent with consumer guarantees.
Make advertising, discount and comparison claims clear enough to support with records.

What happens if you get it wrong

Penalties & enforcement

Enforced by Consumer Affairs Victoria and Victorian courts/tribunals

When this shows up in real life

1
Running a sale or promotion
Keep evidence for savings claims, stock limits, exclusions and advertised timeframes. Do not let website banners, checkout wording or staff scripts overstate the offer.
2
Handling a refund dispute
Check the product or service issue against consumer guarantees before relying on a store policy. A policy cannot remove rights that the law gives customers.
3
Launching in a new state
Review local fair trading rules and regulator guidance, especially if you use door-to-door sales, licensing, trust money, gift cards or sector-specific consumer rules.

Plain-English glossary

Consumer guarantees: Baseline rights consumers may have when goods or services fail to meet legal standards, regardless of what a business warranty says.
Misleading conduct: Conduct that can lead customers into error, including half-truths, important omissions and claims that cannot be substantiated.
Local fair trading regulator: The state or territory agency that handles many consumer complaints, compliance checks and enforcement steps.

Common questions

Does this replace the Australian Consumer Law?

No. State and territory fair trading laws usually sit beside the Australian Consumer Law and help apply or enforce consumer protection rules locally.

What should a small business check first?

Start with advertising claims, refund wording, complaint scripts, warranties, pricing displays and whether the business needs any local licence or registration for its activity.

Update history

Amendment7 June 2026

Victorian fuel retailer amendment tracked

Victoria made the Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading (Code of Practice and Infringements for Fuel Retailers) Amendment Regulations 2025 as statutory rule 152/2025.

Amendment10 Mar 2026

Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading (Code of Practice for Fuel Retailers) Regulations 2025 history added

Victorian Legislation lists the 2025 fuel retailer code regulations as in force, with version 002 effective from 10 March 2026.

Amendment10 Mar 2026

Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading (Infringements) Regulations 2018 history added

Victorian Legislation lists the Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading (Infringements) Regulations 2018 as in force.

New5 Aug 2025

Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading (Code of Practice for Fuel Price Reporting) Regulations 2025 history added

Victorian Legislation records the 2025 fuel price reporting regulations as statutory rule 74/2025 as made.

New27 June 2022

Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading Regulations 2022 history added

Victorian Legislation lists the Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading Regulations 2022 as in force from 27 June 2022.

New2016 statutory rule

Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading (Code of Practice for Fuel Price Boards) Regulations 2016 history added

Victorian Legislation records the 2016 fuel price board code regulations as statutory rule 54/2016 as made.

New2012 statutory rule

Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading Regulations 2012 history added

Victorian Legislation records the 2012 Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading Regulations as statutory rule 62/2012 as made.

Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading Act 2012 (Vic)

Start here

What happens if you get it wrong

When this shows up in real life

Plain-English glossary

Common questions

Related topics

How Sprintlaw can help

Update history

Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading Act 2012 (Vic)

Start here

What happens if you get it wrong

When this shows up in real life

Plain-English glossary

Common questions

Related topics

How Sprintlaw can help

Update history