Text as at 15 April 2026

This provision has not been checked by a human. The text below was read automatically from the official PDF and has not yet been verified against it, so it may differ from the provision as published — in its wording, its numbering, or where one provision ends and the next begins. For the authorised text, see legislation.vic.gov.au.

16 Sentences—whether concurrent or cumulative5

(1)Subject to subsection (1A), every term of imprisonment imposed on a person by a court must, unless otherwise directed by the court, be served concurrently with any uncompleted sentence or sentences of imprisonment or detention in a youth justice centre or youth residential centre imposed on that person, whether before or at the same time as that term.

S. 16(1) substituted by No. 41/1993 s. 8(a), amended by Nos 48/1997 s. 17(1), 48/2006 s. 42(Sch. item 32.3).

(1A)Subsection (1) does not apply to a term of imprisonment imposed—

S. 16(1A) inserted by No. 41/1993 s. 8(a).

(a)in default of payment of a fine or sum of money; or

S. 16(2)(a) amended by Nos 48/1997 s. 17(1), 48/2006 s. 42(Sch. item 32.3).

(b)on a prisoner in respect of a prison offence or an escape offence; or

(c)on a serious offender within the meaning of Part 2A for a relevant offence within the meaning of that Part; or

S. 16(1A)(c) substituted by No. 48/1997 s. 7(4).

(d)on any person for an offence committed while released under a parole order6; or

S. 16(1A)(d) substituted by No. 48/1997 s. 10(1).

(e)on any person for an offence committed while released on bail in relation to another offence8; or

S. 16(1A)(e) inserted by No. 48/1997 s. 10(1), amended by No. 43/2017 s. 50(a)7.

(ea)on any person for an offence against section 31C of the Crimes Act 1958 in circumstances where the offender's conduct created a risk to the physical safety of the victim or to any member of the public; or

S. 16(1A)(ea) inserted by No. 3/2019 s. 8(1).

(f)on a young offender because of the operation of section 33(1A); or

New s. 16(1A)(f) inserted by No. 3/2019 s. 87(2).S. 16(1A)(f) inserted by No. 43/2017 s. 50(b), repealed by No. 3/2019 s. 87(1).

(g)on any person for an offence against section 317AC of the Crimes Act 1958; or

S. 16(1A)(g) inserted by No. 65/2017 s. 17(2).

(h)on any person for an offence against section 317AD of the Crimes Act 1958; or

S. 16(1A)(h) inserted by No. 65/2017 s. 17(2).

(i)on any person for an offence against section 317AE of the Crimes Act 1958; or

S. 16(1A)(i) inserted by No. 65/2017 s. 17(2).

(j)on any person for an offence against section 317AF of the Crimes Act 1958; or

S. 16(1A)(j) inserted by No. 65/2017 s. 17(2).

(k)on any person for an offence against section 317AG of the Crimes Act 1958; or

S. 16(1A)(k) inserted by No. 65/2017 s. 17(2), amended by No. 3/2019 s. 8(2)(a).

(l)on any person for common assault committed in the circumstances referred to in section 320A(1) or (2) of the Crimes Act 1958 if the assault consisted of or included the direct application of force within the meaning of the definition of assault in section 31(2) of that Act.

S. 16(1A)(l) inserted by No. 3/2019 s. 8(2)(b).

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(2)Every term of imprisonment imposed on a person by a court in default of payment of a fine or sum of money must, unless otherwise directed by the court, be served—whether that other sentence was, or those other sentences were, imposed before or at the same time as that term.

(a)cumulatively on any uncompleted sentence or sentences of imprisonment or detention in a youth justice centre or youth residential centre imposed on that person in default of payment of a fine or sum of money; but

(b)concurrently with any other uncompleted sentence or sentences of imprisonment or detention imposed on that person—

(2A)A reference in subsection (2) to a term of imprisonment imposed on a person by a court is to be read as including a reference to a term of imprisonment imposed on a person under Part 14 of the Fines Reform Act 2014.

S. 16(2A) inserted by No. 99/2000 s. 15, amended by Nos 32/2006 s. 92(1), 47/2014 s. 305(1).

(3)Every term of imprisonment imposed on a prisoner by a court in respect of a prison offence or an escape offence must, unless otherwise directed by the court because of the existence of exceptional circumstances, be served cumulatively on any uncompleted sentence or sentences of imprisonment or detention in a youth justice centre or youth residential centre imposed on that prisoner, whether before or at the same time as that term.

S. 16(3) amended by Nos 41/1993 s. 8(b), 48/1997 s. 17(1), 48/2006 s. 42(Sch. item 32.3).

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(3B)Subject to subsection (3BA), every term of imprisonment imposed on a person for an offence committed while released under a parole order made in respect of another sentence of imprisonment (the parole sentence) must, unless otherwise directed by the court because of the existence of exceptional circumstances, be served cumulatively on any period of imprisonment which he or she may be required to serve in custody in a prison on cancellation of the parole order 9.

S. 16(3B) inserted by No. 41/1993 s. 8(c), substituted by No. 48/1997 s. 10(2), amended by No. 46/2013 s. 5(1).

(3BA)Every term of imprisonment imposed on a prisoner for an offence against section 78A of the Corrections Act 1986 must, unless otherwise directed by the court because of the existence of exceptional circumstances, be served cumulatively on—

S. 16(3BA) inserted by No. 46/2013 s. 5(2).

(a)any period of imprisonment the prisoner may be required to serve in custody in a prison on cancellation of the parole order under which that prisoner was released when he or she committed the offence against section 78A; and

(b)any period of imprisonment imposed on the prisoner for an offence committed while released under the parole order referred to in paragraph (a), whether before or at the same time as that term.

(3C)Every term of imprisonment imposed on a person for an offence committed while released on bail in relation to any other offence or offences must, unless otherwise directed by the court, be served cumulatively on any uncompleted sentence or sentences of imprisonment imposed on that offender, whether before or at the same time as that term10.

S. 16(3C) inserted by No. 48/1997 s. 10(2).

(3D)Every term of imprisonment imposed on a person for an offence against section 317AC, 317AD, 317AE, 317AF or 317AG of the Crimes Act 1958 must, unless otherwise directed by the court, be served cumulatively on any uncompleted sentence or sentences of imprisonment imposed on that offender, whether before or at the same time as that term.

S. 16(3D) inserted by No. 65/2017 s. 17(3).

(3E)Every term of imprisonment imposed on a person for—must, unless otherwise directed by the court, be served cumulatively on any uncompleted sentence or sentences of imprisonment imposed on that offender, whether before or at the same time as that term.

S. 16(3E) inserted by No. 3/2019 s. 8(3).

(a)an offence against section 31C of the Crimes Act 1958 in circumstances where the offender's conduct created a risk to the physical safety of the victim or to any member of the public; or

(b)a common assault committed in the circumstances referred to in section 320A(1) or (2) of the Crimes Act 1958 if the assault consisted of or included the direct application of force within the meaning of the definition of assault in section 31(2) of that Act—

(4)A court that imposes a term of imprisonment for an offence against the law of Victoria on a person already undergoing a sentence or sentences of imprisonment for an offence against the law of the Commonwealth must direct when the new term commences which must be no later than immediately after—

(a)the completion of that sentence or those sentences if a non-parole period or pre-release period (as defined in Part 1B of the Crimes Act 1914 of the Commonwealth) was not fixed in respect of it or them; or

(b)the end of that period if one was fixed.

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(6)This section has effect despite anything to the contrary in any Act.