Dogs in Victorian pubs: 2026 law tracker

The short answer (as of 21 October 2026)

No. Pet dogs still can't go inside Victorian pubs where food is handled or served. They can join you in an outdoor dining or drinking area if the venue agrees and the area isn't enclosed. Assistance animals must be allowed in all customer areas.

The current rule

Two layers of law apply to every Victorian pub, café and restaurant:

1. Food Standards Code, Standard 3.2.2, clause 24 (national, adopted by every state). A food business must not allow live animals where food is handled. It must allow assistance animals in customer areas, and it may allow pet dogs in an outdoor dining area. That means an area used for dining or drinking that is not used to prepare food, is not enclosed, and can be entered without passing through an enclosed area. "Enclosed" means substantially closed by a roof and walls or windows, even temporarily. So when café blinds and a retractable roof are closed, dogs aren't allowed in that area while it is enclosed. (FSANZ; the 2012 variation)
2. Victoria's Food Act 1984 is the state law that applies the Code, and local councils enforce it. The City of Yarra summarises it like this: dogs "are not permitted in any area of a premises where food is handled, including where food is served such as a dining area", except an unenclosed outdoor dining area. (Yarra City Council; Food Act 1984)

Enforcement varies by council. The Age and AAP both report that many councils act only on complaints, so you will see dogs inside some pubs. That doesn't make it legal, and it can change after one complaint, as the Rose Hotel found out.

The pledge

On 24 September 2026, Premier Ben Carroll announced a package of hospitality reforms at Richmond's London Tavern. They would apply if Labor wins the 28 November 2026 state election. The package includes:

• amending the Food Act 1984 to overturn the ban on dogs inside pubs, with publicans deciding whether to allow them;
• an automatic right for pubs to trade until 3am;
• faster liquor licence approvals (six weeks instead of up to 11).

What isn't settled yet: where inside a pub dogs could go. ABC and AAP report that consultation would decide this, including whether dogs can be where food is served. Industry press has given "public bars, but not dining rooms or bistro areas" as an example of how it might work (Australian Hotelier). The Food Standards Code is national, so how a state Act interacts with clause 24 is something to watch in the drafting.

Opposition: Opposition Leader Jess Wilson said she was not opposed to dogs in pubs (AAP, 24 Sep 2026). We have not seen a formal Coalition commitment either way.

What happens next

If…	Then…
Labor is re-elected	The government has said it expects legislation in early 2027 (per PubTIC). Then comes consultation on where dogs can go. Until any law starts, the current rule applies.
The Coalition wins	There's no published policy on this yet. The current rule stays unless they legislate.

We'll update this page after the election and whenever a bill is introduced. Each update gets a date in the timeline below.

What this means for you now

• Plan on the beer garden, courtyard or deck, and look for ones that are open to the sky or not enclosed.
• On cold or wet days, if the venue closes the roof and blinds, your dog may be asked to leave that area.
• Guides that say "dogs welcome inside" may be out of date, or describe something the venue tolerates but that isn't legal. Always check with the venue.

This page is general information, not legal advice.