Radiation compliance certificates and registrations

You need a compliance certificate before you can:

• apply for a licence to possess a radiation apparatus or source
• apply to register a radiation source or apparatus
• apply to register a radiation place.

About certificates of compliance

A certificate of compliance shows that a radiation source:

• is safe to use
• has adequate shielding
• meets Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency and Northern Territory (NT) codes of practice
• meets relevant Australian standards.

Certificates must be issued by an accredited company. Read the list of accredited NT radiation companies.

Sealed radioactive material

All sealed radioactive material must have a certificate of compliance. This certificate shows that a radiation source is safe to use. It should mention applicable codes of practice and relevant Australian standards.

Compliance certificates must be re-issued at least once every three years. 

Wipe test

All radiation sources in storage must be wipe tested at least once every ten years. 

For sources in regular use, wipe testing should be carried out at a minimum of every three years. 

Sources used in corrosive environments should be wipe tested more frequently.

Roughly treated sources and older radiation sources should be wipe tested much more frequently.

Wipe testing must be carried out as soon as possible if the source housing is significantly damaged.

Wipe testing must follow NT codes of practice.

Unsealed radioactive material

Storage of unsealed radioactive material must be certified by an accredited person. A certificate of compliance ensures that all radioactive material is stored and used in a safe way.

The radiation dose rate at the boundary of the storage facility must be less than 10 μSv/hour.

Radiation apparatus

All radiation apparatus must have a certificate of compliance issued by an accredited person in the NT.

Compliance certificates must be re-issued at least once every three years. 

When to test medical diagnostic x-ray equipment

Medical diagnostic x-ray equipment must be tested more frequently.

Read the code of practice on quality management for diagnostic radiography for more information.

Radiation shielding

New and modified medical facilities must meet the following shield design goals:

• less than 0.1 mGy per week (fraction of 5 mGy per year) for controlled areas
• less than 0.02 mGy per week (fraction of 1 mGy per year) for uncontrolled areas.

The certificate of compliance may state that it only covers radiation shielding design and is for the purpose of the initial registration of a radiation place. 

If any shielding modification takes place, a certificate of compliance must be reissued and the place must be re-registered.

What a certificate of compliance looks like

A certificate of compliance for a radiation place is a letter that:

• is signed
• is dated
• includes the accreditation number and radiation place location
• states that it is a Northern Territory certificate of compliance issued under the Radiation Protection Act.

How to get a certificate of compliance

You can get a compliance certificate from an accredited company. Read the list of accredited NT radiation companies.

Reissue certificate of compliance

Compliance certificates must be re-issued at least once every three years. The certificate must be re-issued immediately if one of the following happens:

• the radiation source is damaged or modified
• the practice is modified.

Contact Radiation Protection for more information about compliance certificates.