Penalties for organisations under the blue card system

There are a range of penalties for not complying with the blue card system laws.

This page outlines the penalties for not meeting organisational/business obligations. There is a separate page for penalties for individual blue card holders or applicants.

Running a business

As an owner or operator of a service you must not carry on a regulated business without a current blue or exemption card (unless you are a police officer or registered teacher and, you have an exemption card application in progress).

Maximum penalty: $83,450.00 (500 penalty units) or 5 years’ imprisonment

You must also notify Blue Card Services within 14 days when you have stopped carrying on a regulated business.

Maximum penalty: $1,669.00 (10 penalty units)

Monitoring compliance

Anyone involved with the blue card system must provide Blue Card Services with information if asked to provide information as part of a formal request.

Maximum penalty: $8,345.00 (50 penalty units)

Risk management strategy

If you operate a regulated business or employ people in regulated employment, you must develop and implement a child and youth risk management strategy and review each year.

Maximum penalty: $3,338.00 (20 penalty units)

Employee register

You must record these details for all employees and volunteers:

name
date of birth
whether they need a blue or exemption card

If they do need a blue or exemption card, you must also record:

their application status (e.g. no application made, has applied, or has a blue or exemption card
the number and expiry date of their blue or exemption card.

If they do not need a blue or exemption card, you must also record if they:

are engaged in regulated employment
work under restricted employment (relying on an exemption)
have an exemption applied due to their profession.

Maximum penalty: $8,345.00 (50 penalty units)

Employing workers without blue cards/exemption cards

Paid workers, volunteers, trainee students

As an employer, you must not employ, or continue to employ, a worker (including a volunteer) in regulated employment unless they have a current blue card or they have applied for an exemption card, and you have notified us through linking that you are planning to employ them.

You must take reasonable steps to verify the person’s identity and notify us when you employ any new workers, so that we can contact you if their blue or exemption card status changes.

Additional penalties apply if you employ a disqualified person, a negative notice holder, or a someone who has had their card suspended, as this puts children and young people at significant risk.

Maximum penalty: $33,380.00 (200 penalty units) or 2 years’ imprisonment

Restricted persons and restricted employment

You must not engage a restricted person in restricted employment.