Assistance animal pass

Key points

• You can apply for an assistance animal pass if you need your animal to help manage your disability while you use public transport.
• You can use assistance animal passes from other states on Victorian public transport.
• The animal's handler must have their own valid ticket.
• Guide dogs and hearing dogs (working or in-training) travel free and don’t need an assistance animal pass.

Eligible animals

An assistance animal is trained to help you ease or manage the effects of a disability or condition. This includes:

How to get this pass

Complete the assistance animal pass application form (PDF).

If you'd like help with your form, call 1800 800 007 or visit the PTV Hub at Southern Cross Station. View the hub address and opening hours. 

To get the pass, you must provide evidence that your assistance animal: 

• is formally trained to help you manage your disability
• meets similar standards of hygiene and obedience as a guide dog. 

Public access test

Other Australian states require assistance animals to pass a public access test. This assesses an animal’s ability to work and behave as an assistance animal in public places, including on public transport.

In Victoria your animal doesn’t need to complete a public access test. We strongly recommended your trainer use the requirements as a guide to minimum standards of behaviour and hygiene.

Assistance animals need to be:

• non-aggressive
• obedient to their handler's commands
• quiet (no barking)
• experienced in real life situations
• calm in confined and crowded spaces
• calm in noisy and stressful situations.
   

Find out more about the test:

• Queensland’s public access test
• Western Australia’s public access test.

Ineligible animals

These animals are not considered assistance animals:

• companion, therapy and facility animals
• animals being house trained or obedience trained.

Read more about animals on public transport.