General information

Non-indigenous or exotic animals are a feature of everyday life for many people. They include most of our pets, agricultural animals and a range of amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals housed in zoos.

Many non-indigenous animals have become pests to agriculture or the environment and some can threaten human health and safety. Many introduced vertebrate species have established wild populations, which cause adverse impacts on agriculture and the environment through activities including the destruction of native plants and displacement of native animals. Other impacts including grazing, predation and competition by non-indigenous vertebrates are major threats to many endangered native species and communities.

Australia is committed internationally to the maintenance of biological diversity and the precautionary principle in this regard. The 1992 International Convention on Biological Diversity, to which Australia is a signatory, recommends that where there is a threat of significant reduction or loss of biological diversity, lack of full scientific certainty should not be used as a reason for postponing measures to avoid or minimise such a threat.

As a result the private keeping of many “controlled category” non-indigenous animals in NSW is regulated through the Non-Indigenous Animals Act 1987. These animals are listed in Schedule 1 of the Non-Indigenous Animals Regulation 2006. The Act’s main purpose is to control and regulate the entry of certain non-indigenous animals into NSW and the movement and keeping of those animals within the State. The Act provides for categories of non-indigenous animals and establishes a licensing and movement permit scheme. The licensing system under the Act establishes a person’s eligibility to keep non-indigenous animals, based on factors such as the character of the applicant and the premises where animals are to be kept, authorises licence holders to keep certain animals and may also impose conditions on their keeping, such as security and safety requirements to prevent the escape of animals.

The Non-Indigenous Animals Regulation prescribes various matters including the classification of categories of non-indigenous animals  15Kb, the Non-Indigenous Animals Advisory Committee (NIAAC), fees for licences and permits and standards for keeping animals.

Licensing

Anyone wishing to keep controlled category non-indigenous animals in NSW must apply to NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) for a licence under Section 14 of the Non-Indigenous Animals Act.

As of 2010 licences are issued from 1 July 2011 for a three year period. The application fee varies with the Category of animal to be licensed but is either $360 or $60 (Category 3b). Fees are under review at present with a new Regulation to be made in September 2011.

It is an offence to keep or be in charge of controlled category non-indigenous animals without a licence. This includes such species as camels, American bison, water buffalo, gazelles, squirrels and most zoo-type animals such as monkeys and other primates.

Licences are only issued to persons, corporations or incorporated associations. Licences are not issued to partnerships or business names.

Note that an animal display establishment is a premises used for the exhibition of animals. It also includes a bird aviary or other animal display installed as an attraction. The public exhibition of animals requires a licence to be issued under the Exhibited Animals Protection Act 1986. “Public exhibition” includes any animal display (or bird aviary) installed as an attraction at a premises and it includes display of domestic animals as well as non-indigenous animals. See the relevant information under Welfare of zoo, circus, exhibited & other animals.

See also

• Privately Kept Non-Indigenous Animals - Frequently Asked Questions

Licence and Permit Conditions 

Licences are issued with general and specific conditions. Where specific conditions are applied to a licence they will appear only on that licence. The general conditions which are to be applied to most licences are provided for information here 50Kb. These should be referred to before applications for licences are submitted.

Movement permits also include some standard conditions which appear here  27Kb.

Annual returns

All licence holders in NSW are required to provide a return each year which contains information about the animals they keep. This includes details of where animals come from, or are disposed of to, and details of all births and deaths of licensed animals.

Policies

Published policies show the way in which NSW DPI regulates non-indigenous animals. These should be referred to before applications for licences and permits are submitted.

• Non-indigenous animals regulatory activity policy

Codes of Practice

A number of Codes of Practice are available to provide guidance in best practice animal welfare and management of some non-indigenous animals. Several of these are available from the web site of the Animal Welfare Unit. 

• Farmed buffalo (Asian Water Buffalo)
• Camels 
• American Bison 
• Other specific codes are published by NSW DPI for Spider monkeys, Macaques, Chipmunks, Northern palm squirrels and Blackbuck.

Many ruminant animals, including American bison, buffalo and blackbuck, can be infected with and spread bovine Johne’s disease (BJD) This disease should be considered when these animals are to be kept, especially if they are sourced from interstate. Additional information is available from the NSW DPI web site under BJD movement controls in NSW and where relevant a National Animal Health Statement for Johne's disease should be sought from vendors. 

Legislation 

• Act and Regulations (with Delegations)
• Non-Indigenous Animals Act 1987 
• Non-Indigenous Animals Regulation 2006 

Forms  

• New licence application  390.0 KB
  

  Download print-friendly PDF version (150 kb)

• Licence renewal application  365.0 KB
  

  Download print-friendly PDF version (150 kb)

• Movement permit application  165.0 KB
  

  Download print-friendly PDF version (110 kb)

Appeal processes

The Administrative Decisions Tribunal Act 1997 allows an applicant or licence holder to appeal against any decision made in relation to an application, licence conditions or licence cancellation.

• Appeals processes

Contacts