Accreditation Program for Australian Veterinarians

To gain initial APAV accreditation, veterinarians are required to enrol in and complete the APAV Registration Course.

The training is free for anyone wishing to learn about the Australian animal health system, however in order to become officially accredited the user must be a registered veterinarian and complete the application form at the end of the training with details of their current registration with a state or territory veterinary surgeons board. The application will then be processed by the relevant state or territory Chief Veterinary Officer’s office for approval. Following approval, a link will be provided to pay an accreditation fee. To remain accredited, an annual accreditation fee is charged thereafter with a renewal email reminder sent to the vet.

Once initially APAV accredited, veterinarians may then seek approval by a state, territory or Commonwealth agency to carry out duties in relation to specific APAV Operational Programs. Responsible agencies may require further training specific to their APAV Operational Programs, be undertaken prior to approval being granted.

Current accreditation in the APAV program is essential to keep accredited in other operational programs such as AAV and MAP. If APAV accreditation lapses, the other accreditation programs also lapse.

APAV Fee Schedule 

The APAV Policies and Procedures is the formal agreement establishing APAV and its management by Animal Health Australia. It should be read by prospective and renewing Accredited Veterinarians before attempting the course.

It is important to note that accreditation under APAV qualifies but does not entitle private veterinarians to become involved in operational activities. Further training and assessment in the requirements of specific operational programs must be successfully completed before provision of services can be approved by the Chief Veterinary Officer of the relevant jurisdiction.

The Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry manages the Australian Government Accredited Veterinarians (AAV). This is an operational program for veterinarians who wish to be accredited to undertake Approved Export Programs for livestock export. More information on the accreditation process for AAV is available on the department’s website.