Governor Linda Dessau signed the writs on Tuesday morning, ending the 59th parliament and formally triggering the election process.
The writs have been returned to the Victorian Electoral Commission and will be issued by Electoral Commissioner Warwick Gately later in the day.
The government will enter caretaker mode at 6pm and can no longer make major policy decisions, sign contracts or make significant appointments.
It comes as Labor dismissed an independent report into Melbourne Airport Rail that urged it to consider delaying the $8 billion to $13b project.
Infrastructure Australia has evaluated the business case for the link, which will take passengers from the airport to Melbourne's CBD in fewer than 30 minutes, and recommended more work to improve certainty of the cost estimates.
It found most benefits from the link won't materialise until the recently widened Tullamarine Freeway reaches capacity, forecast in 2036.
"Consequently, the business case forecasts lower passenger volumes on a volume-to-capacity basis for the first 10 years of operation, before ramping up substantially in the 2040s," the report said.
"This indicates that construction could be deferred to better align with forecast demand."
The Victorian and federal governments have each committed $5b to build Melbourne Airport Rail by 2029 and state Labor indicated it won't change the construction timeline.
"Others have talked about a rail line to Melbourne Airport for decades - the Andrews Labor government will get on and deliver it," a spokeswoman said.
Treasurer Tim Pallas has confirmed Labor will release its policy costings two days before polling day.
"We will produce costings and we'll produce them on the Thursday," he told reporters.
He said policy-minded Victorians could hold off voting via the post or at early voting centres until after the costings were unveiled.
The coalition has also committed to release costings for its full program of policies before the 26th.
Victorians will be able to apply for postal votes from Wednesday and cast ballots at early voting centres from November 14, ahead of election day on November 26.
Meanwhile, Deputy Premier Jacinta Allan has declared Daniel Andrews should remain premier in the event it is forced into forming a minority government.
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