Your privacy and access to information

The way VCAT handles your information is based on the legal principle that justice should usually be administered in public, with principles of privacy. 
 
This means there is a balance between the information we must share and keeping your information confidential.  
 

• We store information about people who have been involved in cases at VCAT. This can include names, addresses and phone numbers 
• If you give information to us for a case we are hearing, the law generally requires it to be given to the other parties in the case (unless it's protected information). 
• If you want to provide information to us in confidence you must first apply for confidentiality
• Most VCAT hearings are open to the public, including journalists  
• People who are not part of the case can apply to see VCAT files 
• VCAT written decisions for some case types are published on the AustLII website
• Confidentiality is a priority in guardianship cases. We decide what access to information is given, who to and on what conditions. 

Learn more about your privacy at VCAT
 

All information you give us for your case is available to anyone who looks at the case file or attends the hearing, including media. 

They might get information like your name, contact details and personal information. 

By law, with some limited exceptions, we must share information that you give us for your case with other parties. This includes your documents and evidence. 

But it’s illegal to publish or broadcast information that could identify a party in a guardianship, powers of attorney or medical treatment case, unless we make an exception. 

You can ask us at the start of the case to keep your information confidential. We may not agree to this request.

Find out more about how to apply for confidentiality
 

VCAT hearings are usually open to the public, including the media. At VCAT mediation and compulsory conferences are held in private.

Anyone can apply to view a VCAT file, or ask for a copy of the decision. Some types of case files are not available to access.

Find out more about privacy at VCAT

The names of the people attending a hearing are also published in Upcoming hearings

Sometimes a member can order a hearing or file to be closed - for example, to protect children or witnesses.

If you want your hearing to be held in private, or your name or the name of a witness not to be made public, ask us in writing before the hearing or at the beginning of the hearing. Our ability to approve these requests is limited by law.

Find out more about how to apply for confidentiality

You can look at most VCAT files at our Melbourne office at 55 King Street, Melbourne if you arrange it with us. If you’re not part of the case then you must pay a fee.  

If your request is approved, you look at the file in a private room with security cameras. You can’t remove any documents, but you can take photos with your phone, or buy a photocopy card for $2 from our Customer Service counter and make copies for 60 cents a page. 
 
1. Download the form 
Download the File and Document Access Request form or PDF and send it to us (see the last page for instructions). 
 
If you’re a journalist, download the Media Request form and send it to us. 
  
2. Make a booking 
Bookings are for 1 hour, Monday - Friday, 9.30am - 4pm. Call us on 1300 01 8228 or email us. 

Find the right email address for your type of case
 
(If you need more than one hour or want to bring more than two people with you, let us know when you book.) 
 
3. Pay the fee (if it applies to you) 
If you’re not part of the case you need to pay a fee. 

Pay when you come to VCAT between 9am - 4pm with: 

• credit card -  MasterCard or Visa 
• EFTPOS 
• cash 
• a bank cheque, solicitor firm cheque or money order - made out to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. We don’t accept personal cheques. 

Find out if you’re eligible to have this fee waived

Learn more about how to view a VCAT file
 

You can look at most VCAT files at our Melbourne office at 55 King Street, Melbourne if you arrange it with us. If you’re not part of the case then you pay a fee.

In residential tenancy cases you can access documents for free if you’re:

• a party in the case (applicant or respondent)
• representing a party at the hearing – for example, you are the renter’s representative or the rental provider’s estate agent
• advising or assisting a party who has given you permission to access documents on their behalf.

Get a template to ask for access to documents
 

Anyone can ask for an audio recording or written transcript of the hearing. You pay a fee.

Transcripts are available after the hearing day but you can pay a higher fee for a same day transcript.  
  
Find out more about recordings and transcripts
 

Everyone mentioned in an application can come to the hearing, including ‘interested persons’. 

You can ask to see the entire VCAT file. We give you access unless there’s a good reason to refuse, like the need to keep sensitive personal information private or the potential to cause another person harm. 

We may ask the other parties for their views before deciding to give access. It’s an offence under the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 1998 to publish or broadcast any material that identifies a party in a case under the Guardianship and Administration Act 1986. 

Apply to view a VCAT file