The following guides have been developed to assist both applicants and licence holders achieve and maintain compliance with the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Act 1998 (the Act) and the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Regulations 2018 (the Regulations).

For information about inspections visit our Inspections page.

Licensing

Content last updated: 19 September 2025 Periodic review
Content last updated: 22 August 2025
Content last updated: 07 May 2025 Periodic review. Addition of G3-8(h) Mobile/portable betatron producing high energy X-rays. Update of links where required. Updates to align with the wording of the Regulations, the three source licence application forms and the source licence template.
Content last updated: 07 June 2024 Periodic review – minor formatting changes and update of hyperlinks. Additional reference.
Content last updated: 03 June 2024 Periodic review
Content last updated: 01 June 2024 Periodic review
Content last updated: 29 September 2023 Separate category added to PRF-4 for mining or mineral processing; RHS24 removed from PRF-1 & PRF-2.
Content last updated: 01 July 2023 References updated; added RPS G-3 Guide for Radiation Protection in Emergency Exposure Situations & chapter 9 on Decommissioning
Content last updated: 05 January 2023 Minor editorial update
Content last updated: 05 January 2023 Minor editorial update
Content last updated: 05 January 2023 To reflect updated 2018 Regulations and latest version of laser standard
Content last updated: 05 January 2023 Updated to align with Regulations 2018 and minor editorial update
Content last updated: 01 November 2022 Updated to align with Regulations amended in August 2022; technical, human & organisational factors added to Section E; replaced ‘accident’ with ‘incident’; updated Medical Code RPS-14 to RPS C-5; updated payment methods.
Content last updated: 01 November 2022 Updated to align with changes to Regs in August 2022 – added Technical, human and organisational factors to Section I; updated references & hyperlinks; ‘accident’ replaced with ‘incident’; included requirement to provide version of application suitable for public review; updated payment methods.
Content last updated: 01 March 2021 Original issue
Content last updated: 01 May 2020 Administration update - no change to content
Content last updated: 01 January 2019 Updated to align with 2018 Regulations. This guide is currently under revision.
Content last updated: 01 August 2014 Document updated consistent with IBP; structured to clearly distinguish between mandatory requirements that must be met by an applicant and guidance which may assist an applicant meet the essential requirements.

Changes and amendments

Content last updated: 19 September 2025 Periodic review
Content last updated: 25 March 2025
Content last updated: 03 December 2024 Periodic review
Content last updated: 03 June 2024 Periodic review
Content last updated: 01 June 2024 Periodic review
Content last updated: 01 July 2023 Updated to align with amendments to section 65 of the Regulations where additional options are provided for disposal of low hazard sources without prior approval.
Content last updated: 01 January 2021 Updated references and removed reference to PSAR

Codes and standards - licence conditions

Content last updated: 07 May 2025 Periodic review. Addition of G3-8(h) Mobile/portable betatron producing high energy X-rays. Update of links where required. Updates to align with the wording of the Regulations, the three source licence application forms and the source licence template.
Content last updated: 29 September 2023 Separate category added to PRF-4 for mining or mineral processing; RHS24 removed from PRF-1 & PRF-2.

Compliance

Content last updated: 07 May 2025 Periodic review. Addition of G3-8(h) Mobile/portable betatron producing high energy X-rays. Update of links where required. Updates to align with the wording of the Regulations, the three source licence application forms and the source licence template.
Content last updated: 29 September 2023 Separate category added to PRF-4 for mining or mineral processing; RHS24 removed from PRF-1 & PRF-2.
Content last updated: 01 July 2023 References updated; added RPS G-3 Guide for Radiation Protection in Emergency Exposure Situations & chapter 9 on Decommissioning
Content last updated: 28 April 2023 Replaced ‘accident’ with ‘incident’ & added ‘notifiable incident’ consistent with the Regulations; included reference to section 57A of the Regulations relating to human and organisational factors
Content last updated: 01 November 2022 Added a worked example to show how to use ‘activity value division steps’ to determine a notifiable incident.
Content last updated: 01 June 2020 Updated references; slight change to document title

Exemptions

Content last updated: 01 September 2020 Updated to reflect 2018 Regulations

Holistic safety/human and organisational factors

Content last updated: 22 August 2025
Content last updated: 01 July 2023 References updated; added RPS G-3 Guide for Radiation Protection in Emergency Exposure Situations & chapter 9 on Decommissioning

Incident reporting and site preservation

Content last updated: 01 November 2022 Added a worked example to show how to use ‘activity value division steps’ to determine a notifiable incident.
Content last updated: 01 May 2020 Administration update – no change to content

Inspections

Content last updated: 01 July 2024 Periodic review – updated reference IAEA SSG-55

NIR apparatus

Content last updated: 05 January 2023 Updated to align with Regulations 2018 and minor editorial update
Content last updated: 05 January 2023 Minor editorial update
Content last updated: 05 January 2023 To reflect updated 2018 Regulations and latest version of laser standard
Content last updated: 05 January 2023 Minor editorial update

Plans and arrangements

Content last updated: 19 September 2025 Periodic review
Content last updated: 01 July 2023 References updated; added RPS G-3 Guide for Radiation Protection in Emergency Exposure Situations & chapter 9 on Decommissioning
Content last updated: 01 November 2022 Updated to align with Regulations amended in August 2022; technical, human & organisational factors added to Section E; replaced ‘accident’ with ‘incident’; updated Medical Code RPS-14 to RPS C-5; updated payment methods.
Content last updated: 01 November 2022 Updated to align with changes to Regs in August 2022 – added Technical, human and organisational factors to Section I; updated references & hyperlinks; ‘accident’ replaced with ‘incident’; included requirement to provide version of application suitable for public review; updated payment methods.
Content last updated: 01 May 2020 Administration update - no change to content
Content last updated: 01 January 2019 Updated to align with 2018 Regulations. This guide is currently under revision.
Content last updated: 01 August 2014 Document updated consistent with IBP; structured to clearly distinguish between mandatory requirements that must be met by an applicant and guidance which may assist an applicant meet the essential requirements.

Reporting

Content last updated: 01 July 2023 Updated to align with amendments to section 65 of the Regulations where additional options are provided for disposal of low hazard sources without prior approval.
Content last updated: 28 April 2023 Replaced ‘accident’ with ‘incident’ & added ‘notifiable incident’ consistent with the Regulations; included reference to section 57A of the Regulations relating to human and organisational factors
Content last updated: 01 November 2022 Added a worked example to show how to use ‘activity value division steps’ to determine a notifiable incident.

Reviews

Content last updated: 01 May 2020 Administration update – no change to content

Safety analysis

Content last updated: 01 March 2021 Original issue
Content last updated: 01 May 2020 Administration update – no change to content

Security

Content last updated: 01 July 2024 Periodic review – updated reference IAEA SSG-55
Content last updated: 01 May 2020 Administration update – no change to content

Transfer or disposal

Content last updated: 01 July 2023 Updated to align with amendments to section 65 of the Regulations where additional options are provided for disposal of low hazard sources without prior approval.

Transport

Content last updated: 07 July 2023 Updated references

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