Fertility treatment, law and funding in Victoria

A GP referral is the usual starting point. Victoria has both a large private sector and Public Fertility Care, a state-funded programme led by the Royal Women's Hospital with partner public health services across metropolitan and regional Victoria. Public places are limited, eligibility criteria apply and waiting times vary.

Legislation: Assisted Reproductive Treatment Act 2008 (Vic)

The Assisted Reproductive Treatment Act 2008 governs who may receive treatment, consent, record keeping and donor arrangements. Reforms commencing 1 January 2025 moved the statutory regulatory functions to the Secretary of the Department of Health, with VARTA continuing as the information and support body.

Oversight: The Secretary of the Victorian Department of Health is the statutory regulator for assisted reproductive treatment. Clinical accreditation is handled through RTAC.

Statutory donor-conception register operating

• Victoria operates a Central Register for donor conception, administered through the Department of Health.
• Donors cannot be anonymous. Donor-conceived people in Victoria have a statutory right to apply for identifying information about their donor, including for historic donations.
• Counselling is provided as part of applications to the register, for donor-conceived people, donors and their families.
• A limit applies to the number of families that may be created from one donor. Check the current Department of Health guidance for the number in force.

Legislation: Assisted Reproductive Treatment Act 2008 (Vic)

• Only altruistic surrogacy is lawful; commercial surrogacy is prohibited.
• Surrogacy arrangements involving treatment in Victoria must be approved before treatment begins, and counselling and legal advice are required.
• A substitute parentage order is applied for after the birth.

Surrogacy arrangements have serious legal consequences for everyone involved, including the child. Get independent legal advice in this jurisdiction before you agree to anything.

State-funded public fertility treatment programme

• Public Fertility Care provides state-funded fertility assessment and treatment, including IVF and ICSI, through the Royal Women's Hospital and partner public health services.
• The programme includes a public egg and sperm bank, which is unique in Australia.
• Referral from a GP or specialist is required, eligibility criteria apply, and there are waiting lists.
• Public Fertility Care is not universally free. Medicines, some tests and specialised services may still cost you money — ask the service what you will be charged.

• Public Fertility Care

  Open with a waiting list

  Victoria's state-funded public fertility programme, led by the Royal Women's Hospital with partner public health services across metropolitan and regional Victoria. It includes fertility assessment, IVF, ICSI and IUI, and a public egg and sperm bank.

  Victorian Department of Health

• Public egg and sperm bank

  Open

  A publicly run egg and sperm bank operating as part of Victoria's Public Fertility Care programme — the only one of its kind in Australia.

  Victorian Department of Health

Fertility preservation is available through the public programme for people whose medical treatment may affect their fertility, as well as privately. Eligibility is assessed clinically.

Raise a concern with the clinic first — every accredited service must have a complaints process. If you are not satisfied, you can take it further.

• Melbourne IVF

  4 location(s) in VIC

• Adora Fertility

  1 location(s) in VIC

• Monash IVF

  3 location(s) in VIC

• City Fertility

  1 location(s) in VIC

• Rainbow Fertility

  1 location(s) in VIC

• Number 1 Fertility

  1 location(s) in VIC

• Public Fertility Care (Victoria)

  3 location(s) in VIC

• Public Fertility Care — Victorian Department of Health, checked 2026-09-11
• The Central Register for donor conception — Victorian Department of Health, checked 2026-09-11
• Assisted reproductive treatment regulation — Victorian Department of Health, checked 2026-09-11
• Assisted Reproductive Treatment Act 2008 — Victorian Legislation, checked 2026-09-11
• Ethical guidelines on the use of assisted reproductive technology — NHMRC, checked 2026-09-11
• Reproductive Technology Accreditation Committee (RTAC) — Fertility Society of Australia and New Zealand, checked 2026-09-11