Medical devices & therapeutic goods compliance obligations in Australian Capital Territory: partnership
Computed by the Rules Mate applicability engine for a partnership with 1–5 employees, turnover $100K–$1M, in medical devices & therapeutic goods, operating in Australian Capital Territory and selling to consumers and small businesses.
Short answer: 38 obligations
38 obligations apply (14 critical) across 24 regulators, plus 11 to check. Risk rating: medium. No licensed regime, but you employ staff (WHS, Fair Work, super and payroll duties); 14 critical obligations apply.
Partnership or company: what changes
Compared with the same business run through a Pty Ltd company (1–5 employees) in Australian Capital Territory, 0 obligations apply that did not, and 9 drop away.
- No longer applies: Apply for a Director Identification Number (Director ID)
- No longer applies: Comply with directors' general law and statutory duties
- No longer applies: Prevent insolvent trading (s 588G)
- No longer applies: Pay company PAYG/GST/SG or face Director Penalty Notice (DPN)
- No longer applies: Lodge the ASIC annual company statement and review fee
- No longer applies: Determine large proprietary company status annually
- No longer applies: Pay ASIC fees + lodge prescribed forms
- No longer applies: Discharge of directors' duties — practical evidence
Australian Capital Territory law that applies
3 Australian Capital Territory obligations apply on these facts:
| Obligation | Why it applies |
|---|---|
| PCBU primary duty of care (ACT WHS Act s 19) | Every business is a PCBU — the primary duty of care applies whether or not you employ anyone · ACT law |
| Industrial manslaughter offence (ACT WHS Act s 34A) | Applies to every PCBU and its officers — a death caused by reckless or negligent breach of a WHS duty is a crime · ACT law |
| Comply with Workplace Privacy Act 2011 (ACT) | You have employees (1–5) · ACT law |
Payroll tax in Australian Capital Territory (FY2026-27)
ACT: 6.75% on Australian wages above the $1.75 million tax-free threshold (FY2026-27). On these facts the business is below the Australian Capital Territory threshold, so payroll tax does not apply yet.
- How the threshold works
- Flat tax-free threshold, apportioned by days employed and the ACT share of Australia-wide wages.
- Returns
- Monthly by the 7th of the following month; annual reconciliation by 28 July
- Administered by
- ACT Revenue Office
Australian Capital Territory regulators
Where the obligations sit
| Area | Obligations |
|---|---|
| Workplace | 7 |
| Tax | 6 |
| Whs | 4 |
| Privacy | 3 |
| Consumer law | 3 |
| Super | 2 |
| Medicines | 2 |
| Migration | 2 |
| Marketing | 2 |
| Wages | 1 |
Critical obligations on this profile
- Pay superannuation on every payday (Payday Super) (You have employees (1–5))
- Pay employees in accordance with the applicable modern award (You have employees (1–5))
- Manage psychosocial hazards at work (You have employees (1–5))
- Take reasonable and proportionate measures to prevent sex discrimination, sexual (You have employees (1–5))
- Australian Business Number (ABN) application (Every business carrying on an enterprise needs an ABN)
- Lodge Business Activity Statements at assigned frequency (Turnover above the $75K GST registration threshold)
- Withhold PAYG from employee and contractor payments (You have employees (1–5))
- Provide 10 days paid family + domestic violence leave (FDV) (You have employees (1–5))
Check whether these apply
- Lodge an FBT return and pay FBT by 21 May: only if you provide fringe benefits (cars, entertainment, loans) to employees
- Wash outbound marketing lists against the Do Not Call Register: only if you make outbound telemarketing calls
- Comply with self-assessed clearance + Integrated Cargo System (ICS): only if you import goods into Australia
- Comply with anti-dumping + countervailing duties: only if you import goods into Australia
- Influencer + ad disclosure under ACL + AANA Code: only if you advertise to consumers or engage influencers
- Customs Act 1901 — import declarations + duties: only if you import goods into Australia
- Track eligibility for the electric car FBT exemption: only if you provide electric vehicles to employees
- Comply with AANA Code of Ethics + community guidelines: only if you advertise to consumers or engage influencers
Thresholds to watch
- Lose the Privacy Act small-business exemption at $3M annual turnover (removal of the exemption altogether is proposed, not yet law) (threshold $3M; approaching)
Questions
- How many compliance obligations apply to medical devices and therapeutic goods in Australian Capital Territory run as a partnership with 1–5 employees?
- 38 obligations apply (14 critical) across 24 regulators, plus 11 to check. Risk rating: medium. No licensed regime, but you employ staff (WHS, Fair Work, super and payroll duties); 14 critical obligations apply.
- Which Australian Capital Territory laws apply?
- PCBU primary duty of care (ACT WHS Act s 19), Industrial manslaughter offence (ACT WHS Act s 34A) and Comply with Workplace Privacy Act 2011 (ACT)
Related
- Medical devices & therapeutic goods compliance in Australian Capital Territory
- Medical devices & therapeutic goods: all obligations
- Compliance obligations by industry, state and size
- Medical devices & therapeutic goods in ACT: sole trader
- Medical devices & therapeutic goods in ACT: sole trader with employees
- Medical devices & therapeutic goods in ACT: trading trust
- Medical devices & therapeutic goods in ACT: no employees
- Medical devices & therapeutic goods in ACT: 1–5 employees
- Medical devices & therapeutic goods in ACT: 20–99 employees
- Medical devices & therapeutic goods in ACT: 100–499 employees
- Medical devices & therapeutic goods in ACT: 20–99 employees, turnover $1M–$3M
- Medical devices & therapeutic goods in ACT: 6–19 employees, turnover $3M–$10M
- Medical devices & therapeutic goods in ACT: 100–499 employees, turnover $100M–$1B
- Medical devices & therapeutic goods in ACT: 500+ employees, turnover $1B+
- Medical devices & therapeutic goods in New South Wales: partnership
- Medical devices & therapeutic goods in Victoria: partnership
- Medical devices & therapeutic goods in Queensland: partnership
- Medical devices & therapeutic goods in Western Australia: partnership
- Medical devices & therapeutic goods in South Australia: partnership
- Medical devices & therapeutic goods in Tasmania: partnership
- Medical devices & therapeutic goods in Northern Territory: partnership
- Conduct post-market surveillance of therapeutic goods: does it apply to medical devices & therapeutic goods?
- In-vitro diagnostic medical device classification + ARTG: does it apply to medical devices & therapeutic goods?
- Notify ACCC of a voluntary recall within 2 days: does it apply to medical devices & therapeutic goods?
- Comply with the Therapeutic Goods Advertising Code: does it apply to medical devices & therapeutic goods?
Sources
- ACT Revenue Office: payroll tax thresholds and rates
- PCBU primary duty of care (ACT WHS Act s 19)
- Industrial manslaughter offence (ACT WHS Act s 34A)
- Comply with Workplace Privacy Act 2011 (ACT)
- Pay superannuation on every payday (Payday Super)
- Pay employees in accordance with the applicable modern award
- Manage psychosocial hazards at work
- Take reasonable and proportionate measures to prevent sex discrimination, sexual harassment and victimisation (positive duty)
Computed by the Rules Mate applicability engine from the published obligation corpus; facts last checked 3 October 2026. Rules Mate is not a law firm and this is general information, not legal advice. Confirm your position with the regulator source or a qualified adviser before acting.