Annual returns for independents and groups

There have been changes to Victoria's electoral laws following recent amendments to the Electoral Act 2002. For further information, see our page about the 2026 Electoral Act amendments.

An annual return is a summary of money a political participant receives, spends, and owes in a financial year (1 July to 30 June inclusive). For independent candidates, independent elected members and independent groups your annual return relates to your state campaign account.

We use annual returns to check political participants – including independent candidates, elected members and groups – are complying with funding and disclosure laws. This includes disclosing relevant political donations. Part 12 of the Electoral Act 2002 (Vic) (Electoral Act) outlines the annual return requirements.

The following information will help you understand your obligations. Please refer to the legislation for the full requirements or seek independent legal advice.

Who must submit a return

You must submit an annual return if you received political donations from any single donor that (cumulatively) were equal to or above the disclosure threshold during a financial year. Political donations include self-contributions to your own election campaign.

Declaration that annual return is not required

If you did not receive donations equal to or above the disclosure threshold (including contributions to your own election campaign) during the financial year, you are not required to submit a return.

You must declare this in writing to us by completing the declaration form (PDF) and emailing it to disclosures@vec.vic.gov.au by 20 October each year.

Due date for annual returns

You must submit your annual return by 20 October each year.

Please note: the annual return for the 2025-26 financial year must only cover the period 15 April to 30 June 2026.

We do not have the power or discretion to extend due dates prescribed in Part 12 of the Electoral Act. This includes when dates fall on a weekend or a public holiday.

Submissions open 1 July each year. We encourage early submissions.

How to submit a return

Independent candidates and independent elected members

You must submit your annual return through VEC Disclosures. You need to set up an account before you can submit your return.

Read how to submit an annual return for instructions and help. Please note, this document contains images and diagrams that cannot be read by a screen reader. If you have blindness, low vision, or other accessibility requirements, please contact us for an alternative format by calling 03 8620 1356 from 9 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday.

You may complete your annual return over more than one session. You can export and print your annual return for your records.

Independent groups

Groups cannot create an annual return on VEC Disclosures. Please contact the Funding, Disclosure and Registration Team by email at disclosures@vec.vic.gov.au and we will send you an annual return form with instructions about the submission process.

Information you must submit

In relation to your state campaign account for the financial year, you must submit (including GST):

  • Total disclosed political donations

    The total dollar value of disclosed political donations received during the financial year equal to or above the disclosure threshold. This includes where the donor made multiple donations that total the disclosure threshold or greater.

    You must check you have disclosed these donations before starting your annual return. This information automatically populates in the annual return and cannot be edited. If any details are incorrect, please contact us at disclosures@vec.vic.gov.au.

    This figure will not include donations disclosed in VEC Disclosures that are less than the disclosure threshold. The exception is when combined donations go above the threshold. You must manually enter these in the 'Total undisclosed political donations' field.

  • Total undisclosed political donations

    Total dollar value of all political donations under the disclosure threshold received during the financial year that are not included in the 'Total disclosed political donations', including small contributions.

  • Number of donors for undisclosed political donations

    The number of individual donors that made a political donation under the disclosure threshold for the financial year.

    • Audit requirements

    Independent candidates, elected members and groups are not required to have their annual return audited.

    Political donations

    Before you start your return

    Before you start your annual return, make sure your donation disclosures are up to date in VEC Disclosures.

    If you start your return before your donation disclosures are up to date, your return may be incomplete. If this happens, you will need to ask us to reopen your return so you can resubmit it.

    You must disclose all political donations that are equal to or greater than the disclosure threshold.

    The disclosure threshold applies to the total amount donated by a single donor during the financial year.

    Political donations include money you contribute to your own election campaign.

    The 'total disclosed political donations (inc. GST)' field is automatically filled using information from VEC Disclosures.

    Silent electors

    We publish address details in your annual return as follows:

    • organisation: full address details
    • natural person: suburb and state
    • silent elector: no address details.

    We check whether anyone named in an annual return has silent elector status. This helps us make sure we do not publish addresses that are protected.

    You must provide full and accurate name and address details in your annual return. We use this information to check whether an address is suppressed.

    State campaign accounts

    Under section 264 of the Electoral Act, you must keep a state campaign account for state elections. These accounts must be with an authorised deposit-taking institution. This separation helps identify relevant transactions for disclosure.

    Offences

    It is a serious offence to breach the Electoral Act. Consequences for breaches of Part 12 may include, but are not limited to:

    • fines
    • prison sentences
    • forfeiture of prohibited donations to the state.

    A person who:

    • fails to provide an annual return as required under Part 12 of the Electoral Act is guilty of an offence under section 274(1), with a penalty of 200 penalty units
    • knowingly provides an annual return that contains false or misleading information is guilty of an offence under section 274(2), with a penalty of 300 penalty units or 2 years imprisonment or both.

    See Division 7 of Part 12 for a full description of offences and related penalties.

    Our role

    We provide information in relation to the operation of the Electoral Act. This information is not:

    • legal advice
    • an indication of liability, or
    • an exemption of liability for offences under the Electoral Act.

    We take no responsibility for decisions made by recipients, donors, agents, or other entities with obligations under the Electoral Act.

    By law, the VEC cannot and will not exempt any person from prosecution for any offence under the Electoral Act.

    What happens after you submit your annual return

    We will check you have supplied all the information required by the Electoral Act. We may contact you for more information or clarification, or if we identify an error to be addressed. This may require you to amend your annual return.

    If you have made an error in a submitted return, please request an amendment in VEC Disclosures and we will contact you about next steps.

    We will publish all annual returns by 31 December on our website. This information is available to the public.

    Contacting us

    If you have any questions or cannot access VEC Disclosures, please email disclosures@vec.vic.gov.au or call us on

    03 8620 1356.

    Silent electors

    We publish address details in your annual return as follows:

    • organisation: full address details
    • natural person: suburb and state
    • silent elector: no address details.

    We check silent elector status to ensure we do not publish suppressed addresses. You must provide a full name and address in your annual return to enable these checks.

    State campaign accounts

    Under section 264(1) of the Electoral Act, you must keep a state campaign account to manage money associated with state elections. These accounts must be with an authorised deposit-taking institution. Having separate accounts helps identify relevant transactions for disclosure.

    Offences

    It is a serious offence to breach the Electoral Act. Consequences for breaches of Part 12 may include, but are not limited to:

    • fines
    • prison sentences
    • forfeiture of prohibited donations to the state.

    A person who:

    • fails to provide an annual return as required under Part 12 of the Electoral Act is guilty of an offence under section 274(1), with a penalty of 200 penalty units
    • knowingly provides an annual return that contains false or misleading information is guilty of an offence under section 274(2), with a penalty of 300 penalty units or 2 years imprisonment or both.

    See Division 7 of Part 12 for a full description of offences and related penalties.

    Our role

    We provide information in relation to the operation of the Electoral Act. This information does is not:

    • not constitute legal advice
    • an indication of liability, or
    • an exemption of liability for offences under the Electoral Act.

    We take no responsibility for decisions made by recipients, donors, agents, or other entities with obligations under the Electoral Act. 

    By law, the VEC cannot and will not exempt any person from prosecution for any offence under the Electoral Act.

    What happens after you submit your annual return

    We will check you have supplied all the information required by the Electoral Act. We may contact you or your auditor for more information or clarification, or if we identify an error. You  may need to amend your annual return and/or submit a new audit certificate.

    If you make an error in a submitted return, please request an amendment in VEC Disclosures. We will contact you about next steps.

    we will publish all annual returns by 31 December on our website. This information is available to the public.

    Contacting us

    If you have any questions or cannot access VEC Disclosures, please email disclosures@vec.vic.gov.au or call us on 03 8620 1356.