Getting approval to exhibit
Under the legislation, NSW DPI must issue an authority (permit, licence or approval) before animals can be exhibited. The licensing scheme details steps exhibitors must take to house and care for their animals.
Different authorities are needed depending on how you intend to exhibit the animals and the type of animals you intend on exhibiting.
The Exhibited Animals Protection Regulation provides for three classes of animal display establishments:
- Fixed
- Mobile
- Off-display.
Authorities needed
| Class of establishment | Definition | Examples | Authority required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed Establishment | An animal display establishment comprising premises used, on an ongoing basis, for the display, and the keeping for display, of animals, not being the following: a) an off-display establishment | Premises which are open to the public and where animals are permanently kept for display and displayed to the public in fixed enclosures. These include for example zoos, fauna parks and oceanariums. Standards apply to the keeping of animals for display and display of the animals, including requirements for the public (eg. signage, education, facilities like toilets and seating, public safety). | Licence - fixed establishment (authorises the ongoing use of a single premises for the display, and the keeping for display, of animals) Permit for animals of prescribed species (authorises the ongoing use of a single premises for the display, and the keeping for display, of animals) Related forms: FORM A - Application for approval to construct an animal display establishment FORM D - Part 1 Application for a Permit to exhibit a prescribed species FORM G - Application for approval to construct or alter an animal enclosure or facility |
| Mobile Establishment | An animal display establishment comprising premises used, on a temporary basis, for the display of the following animals, but only while the animals are displayed or kept for display at the premises: (a) animals that are the subject of an approval under section 22 of the Act, (b) animals that are the subject of a permit. | A mobile exhibitor does not have a fixed establishment for the public display of animals. A mobile exhibitor temporarily takes animals to display them in transportable enclosures at places like fairs or schools. These include for example circuses, mobile animal displays of reptiles or young farm animals. Standards apply to the transport and display enclosures of the animals, including requirements for the public (eg. signage, education, public safety). | Approval for animals of non-prescribed species Permit for animals of prescribed species (authorises a person to display animals at mobile establishments) Related forms: FORM B - Application for an Approval to exhibit animals at mobile establishments FORM D - Part 1 Application for a Permit to exhibit a prescribed species |
| Off-display establishment | An animal display establishment comprising premises used for the keeping for display of animals, but not the display of animals, that are: (a) the subject of an approval under section 22 of the Act, or (b) the subject of a permit, or (c) ordinarily exhibited at a fixed establishment, and includes the land, buildings, enclosures and facilities used for that purpose. | These premises are not open to the public and animals are not displayed here. These premises are only used for exhibitors to keep animals when they are not being displayed at a fixed or mobile establishment. These include the home base premises of a mobile exhibitor. They also include a separate premises of a fixed exhibitor used for keeping animals for display at the fixed establishment, but not used for the display of animals. | Licence - off-display establishment (authorises the ongoing use of a single premises to keep animals that are displayed elsewhere - either at a mobile establishment or a fixed establishment) FORM D - Part 1 Application for a Permit to exhibit a prescribed species FORM G - Application for approval to construct or alter an animal enclosure or facility |
Special requirements
Prescribed species
Related forms:
- FORM D - Part 1 Application for a Permit to exhibit a prescribed species
- FORM D - Part 2 Supplementary Information in Support of an Application to Acquire a Non-Indigenous Species for Exhibition
A Permit is required before certain species of animals may be exhibited. A list of these prescribed species can be found in Schedule 2 of the Exhibited Animals Protection Regulation 2010.
Exhibitors of these species must meet particular standards because of the special nature of these prescribed species. These animals are special because they meet one or more of the following descriptions:
- Species that require specialist care and/or which pose a threat to keeper or public safety.
- Species that are subject to studbooks or cooperative conservation programs such as those conducted under the auspices of the Australasian Species Management Program of the Zoo and Aquarium Association.
Fees and charges
A lodgement fee will be charged when the application is received by the Department.
The pro-rata licence fee will then be charged from the date of approval to the 30 June of that year.
Issue Fees for Approval / Licence to exhibit animal
Pro-rata fee between 30 June each year
| Licence type | Fee |
|---|---|
| 30 animals or less are exhibited (displayed or kept for display) | $285 |
| More than 30 animals are exhibited (displayed or kept for display) | $1035 |
Renewing your authorities
Authorities are renewed annually and expire on 30 June each year. NSW DPI issues renewal paperwork for existing authority-holders in the second quarter of every year.
Approval / Licence Renewal Fees (Lodgment Fee + Issue Fee)
| Licence type | Fee |
|---|---|
| 30 animals or less are exhibited (displayed or kept for display) | $400 |
| More than 30 animals are exhibited (displayed or kept for display) | $1150 |
Submitting Annual Record Returns
As part of the renewal process, authority holders must submit their annual record returns with their renewal paperwork.
The submission of annual record returns is a requirement under the legislation. These record returns ensure the government's records are accurate. The records returns also help by assisting exhibitors who may be impacted from a zoonotic disease outbreak.
Exhibitors can request additional animal record books by contacting the department at exhibited.animals@dpi.nsw.gov.au
