Small business retailers often have more flexibility with opening hours compared with large retailers – but it’s essential to know about the regulations which can impact different businesses across Western Australia.

The freedom to choose your own hours might have been one of the factors that inspired you to start or buy your retail business. While you can work on your business (behind the scenes) at any time that suits you, it’s important to make sure you are only open to customers during permitted trading hours.

In WA, your business trading hours can depend on a range of factors including your business type, your products and services and where you are located. Here’s an overview of different restrictions on trading hours and how these might impact your operations.

Your business type has an impact on trading hours in the Perth metro area

Here are some examples of the types of businesses which can trade at different times in the Perth metro area:

  • General retail shops (which includes all shops without a special trading permit) can trade between 8am and 9pm on weekdays, 8am to 5pm on Saturdays and 11am to 5pm on Sundays and public holidays, except for ANZAC Day, Good Friday and Christmas Day.
  • Small retail shops with a Special Retail Shop Certificate can trade 24 hours a day, every day of the week.
  • Special retail shops (for example a pharmacy, newsagency, book shop, hardware shop or garden nursery with a Special Retail Shop Certificate) can trade from 6am until 11.30pm every day – but can only sell certain goods or services according to their business type.
  • Service stations can sell fuel 24 hours a day but there are restrictions on other types of products which can be sold.
  • Motor vehicle shops are allowed to trade between 8am and 6pm on weekdays except Wednesdays when they can stay open until 9pm, and 8am to 1pm on Saturdays. They must close on Sundays and public holidays.

Please note, these trading hours apply to these certain business types in the Perth metro area. 

Explore flexible opening hours for your business

If you’re considering how longer opening hours might work for your business, it’s important to weigh up the extra operating expenses you would need to cover. This could include the costs of staffing your business, overheads such as lighting and air conditioning, and meeting the conditions of your commercial tenancy in line with the Commercial Tenancy Act, if this applies.

If you would like more flexibility around your opening hours and your business qualifies as a small retail shop or special retail shop, you can apply for a certificate from Consumer Protection. It’s free to apply and you’ll find all the details on the Consumer Protection website.

Apply for a Special Retail Shop Certificate.

Your location has an impact on your trading hours

If you’re outside of the Perth metro area, different trading hours might apply to your location.

Businesses in Shark Bay and areas north of there, known as the 26th parallel, are not regulated by the Retail Trading Hours Act and have more flexibility on their trading hours.

Below the 26th parallel, local governments can set the hours (subject to Consumer Protection approval) and different arrangements apply. For example:

  • In the City of Geraldton, a general retail shop can stay open until 9pm on weekdays.
  • The Shire of Augusta – Margaret River has unrestricted daily trading, while the Shire of Moora requires general retail shops to close at 1pm on Saturdays.
  • Businesses in some regional locations, such as Jurien and Cervantes in the Shire of Dandaragan, can operate for certain longer trading hours in school holidays and public holidays to take advantage of peak tourist seasons.

Find out more about regional variations in trading hours through the Consumer Protection website.

Be familiar with the Retail Trading Hours Act

If you’re running a small business in WA, you need to be familiar with the Retail Trading Hours Act 1987 and how this applies to your business type and location.

Some WA businesses are not covered by the Act and can open at any time. This includes shops on Rottnest Island, short term markets that are set up and packed away on the same day, and restaurants, cafes and takeaway food shops.

Find out more

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