Medicines and poisons: retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers

Register to wholesale medicines or poisons

You must be registered to stock and sell certain medicines and poisons by wholesale in the Northern Territory.

If you want to wholesale medicines or poisons, you must apply for a certificate of registration.

For all first time applications, there is an initial service fee of $63 incurred. For further information in relation to pricing, refer step 3 outlined below.

Who you can supply

If granted a wholesaler certificate of registration, you can supply medicines or poisons to people authorised to keep them. These include:

  • medical practitioners
  • dentists
  • veterinarians
  • pharmacists
  • retailers licensed to sell schedule 2 or 7 substances
  • holders of medical kit authorisations.

You must see a person's authorisation or be satisfied they're authorised before you supply to them. They should give you a signed written order.

You may only supply the medicines specified in the authorisation or licence for retailers and medical kit holders.

When supplying retailers, it's your responsibility to make sure their licence is current. Retailers don't need a licence to sell schedule 5 and 6 substances.

Who you can't supply

You must not supply medicines or poisons to a person with a prescription. This includes prescriptions from:

  • doctors
  • nurse practitioners
  • dentists
  • veterinarians
  • optometrists
  • podiatrists.

You should tell people with prescriptions to go to a pharmacy.

How to apply

To register as a wholesaler of scheduled medicines or poisons, follow the below steps.

Step 1. Fill in the application

Fill in the application for a wholesaler certificate of registration DOCX (76.8 KB).

Step 2. Attach supporting documents

You must provide the following with your application:

  • a plan and description of your premises and the security measures in place
  • information about how your records will be kept (minimum of 2 years)
  • details of how you will check stock.

Step 3. Pay the fee

The fee to get a wholesaler certificate of registration is at least $201.

This includes the annual fee of $134 and an initial application fee of $67.

You can register for 1, 2 or 3 years.

You can pay by cheque, money order or credit card.

Payments must be made to the Darwin Receiver of Territory Monies.

Step 4. Submit the application

Submit the application, supporting documents and a copy of your payment receipt by mail, email or fax to:

Medicines and Poisons
Department of Health
PO Box 40596
Casuarina NT 0811
poisonscontrol@nt.gov.au

Fax: 08 8922 7200

Renewal

You should renew your licence before the expiry date.

You can renew for 1, 2 or 3 years. The renewal fee is $134 per year.

Conditions

The nominated person or a person acting on their behalf can supply the substances specified in the certificate of registration to a person who is also authorised to keep and use them.

Nominated persons only can hold the medicines or poisons specified in the certificate of registration.

The licence must be displayed at the premises specified on the certificate.

You must also follow the Australian Code of Good Wholesaling Practice for Medicines.

For more information, go to the Australian Government's Department of Health Therapeutic Goods Administration website.

Read more about storing medicines and poisons.

Records

You should keep records when you buy or sell scheduled substances.

These records must include when you have supplied or received substances, what they are, amounts, and the names and addresses of the supplier or who you have supplied to.

You must keep all records for 2 years after the date of the last entry.

Dangerous poisons

This licence can also be used to sell schedule 7 substances - dangerous poisons. It must be specified in your licence.

If you sell schedule 7 substances, you must keep a register.

Get the register form.

Receipts and supplies of a schedule 7 substances register form DOCX (33.3 KB)
Receipts and supplies of a schedule 7 substances register form PDF (33.7 KB)

You must record the following in your register:

  • the date you receive or sell a substance
  • the name, strength and and amount
  • if receiving, the name and address of the supplier
  • if selling, the name, address and authorisation or license number of the recipient
  • how much of the substance you have after the dealing.

Agricultural and veterinary chemicals

If you stock agricultural and veterinary chemicals, you must meet the minimum legislated obligations around safe transport, handling and storage.

You also must train your staff.

If you’re a retailer or wholesaler of AgVet chemical products, you can get accredited through Agsafe.

For more information, go to the Agsafe website.

Read more about using chemicals responsibly.

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