There's a common misconception in Victoria that a pressure vessel has to be “re-registered” every few years. It doesn't. Victoria abolished item-of-plant registration and the old renewal cycle in 2014 — what remains is design registration, which is a different thing and sits with the designer/manufacturer side.
What you actually have to do
Under Victoria's occupational health and safety duties, an owner or operator of pressure equipment has to have a competent person periodically inspect the plant, and has to keep the records of that inspection and maintenance — particularly for hazard-level A, B and C equipment under AS 4343. WorkSafe Victoria points duty holders to AS/NZS 3788 as the basis for that inspection.
There's no renewal notice chasing you. The obligation is standing, and managing it is on you — which is precisely the gap most owners have no system for.
The record-keeping duty is the sharp end
Because the duty includes keeping the records, an inspection report that ends up in a drawer only half-solves the problem. Speqo keeps your equipment register, documents and due-date reminders in a free platform, so the record-keeping duty doesn't rely on someone remembering — and a complimentary 3D model of the asset makes the record something you'll actually use.
Interstate is different
If you operate outside Victoria, note that several states still tie inspection to item registration and a competent-person “safe-to-operate” statement — so the rules, and the triggers, differ. Check the requirements for each state you operate in.
Not sure where your equipment stands?
Send a photo of the equipment and its nameplate and we'll tell you plainly under AS 4343 — free, no obligation.
Common questions
- Do I need to register my pressure vessel in Victoria?
- Victoria abolished item-of-plant registration in 2014. Only design registration remains. What you do have is a standing duty to have the equipment inspected by a competent person and to keep the records.
- Who is a 'competent person' for inspection in Victoria?
- A person with the qualifications and experience to inspect the equipment to AS/NZS 3788 — in practice, a certified in-service pressure-equipment inspector such as an AICIP-certified inspector.
// Read next
This guide is general information, not legal or engineering advice. Inspection requirements depend on your specific equipment and jurisdiction; confirm against the current edition of the applicable standard. Speqo supplements but does not replace your own duty-holder obligations.