Producer Resources

About Exemptions to Standard Requirements 

The RSPCA Australia Standards set out the requirements that Producers must meet to be certified. The RSPCA Certified Rules includes provision for a Producer to apply for a formal exemption from a specific Standard requirement where exceptional, temporary, or unavoidable circumstances prevent compliance. 

An exemption will only be granted where the Certification Committee is satisfied that: 

• the intent and animal welfare outcomes of the Standard are maintained through alternative means; 
• the circumstances are exceptional and appropriately justified; and 
• the exemption does not create an undesirable precedent or normalise nonconformance. 

All approved exemptions are subject to conditions set by the Committee, including a defined duration, ongoing monitoring requirements, and provision for withdrawal where animal welfare outcomes deteriorate or the conditions of the exemption are not upheld. 

Exemptions are decided by the Certification Committee and remain subject to review at each scheduled Committee meeting for the duration of their exemption. Although an application is made by an individual Producer in respect of their own circumstances, an approved exemption constitutes a precedent available equally to all applicants. Where another Producer can demonstrate that their circumstances are comparable – in both detail and rationale – the exemption may be made available to them on equivalent terms and conditions by the Certification Body, and without the requirement to submit an application to the Certification Committee. This ensures consistency, transparency, and equitable treatment across all certified operations.