Granting a licence
Applying or renewing online
Applications and renewals must be completed online through the Hunt NSW portal.
- New applications - you don't need login details to apply for a licence through Hunt NSW.
- Renewals - please log in to Hunt NSW with your username and password.
Our processing time is generally 20 working days but may be longer in peak periods.
If your licence is approved for issue, you will receive an email requesting payment of the licence fee. You must log in to the Hunt NSW portal to make a payment. If it's your first time logging in, we will also send you an email that has your username and a link to set up your password.
Payments are processed through the secure Service NSW payments portal. Licence fees can only be paid by credit or debit card; we no longer accept cheque or money order payments.
Proof of identity
Proof of identity is required every 5 years. You are able to use the secure Document Verification Service (DVS) as part of your application or renewal.
DVS checks whether the information on your identity document matches the original record. This means the name you've entered on your licence application must exactly match the name on your identity documents, including your middle name (if relevant).
When you use DVS to verify your identity, the department doesn’t need to store this information on our servers.
If you're unable to complete identity verification using DVS, you are able to skip this section and proceed to the next page. You'll need to upload evidence of your primary and secondary identity documents for the department to verify.
DVS identity documents list
| Primary | Secondary |
|---|---|
| Australian passport | Medicare card |
| Driver Licence | Centrelink card |
| Birth Certificate | |
| Security Identification Card | |
| Citizenship Certificate | |
| ImmiCard | |
| Marriage Certificate | |
| Change of Name Certificate | |
| Registration by descent | |
| Visa document |
Additional secondary proof of identity documents (non-DVS)
| Aviation security identification card | A current card issued in the Individual’s name, including their photo and issued by the Department of Home Affairs. |
| Maritime security identification card | A current card issued in the Individual’s name, including their photo and issued by the Department of Home Affairs. |
| Electoral enrolment | Proof of electoral enrolment in the Individual’s name and showing their current address provided by the Australian Electoral Commission. |
| Certificate of Identity | Issued in the individual’s name or former name by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. |
| Document of Identity | Issued in the individual’s name or former name by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. |
| Australian secondary or tertiary student photo identity document | Issued by an Australian secondary school, TAFE, University, Registered Training Organisation or State Government Agency. |
|
Foreign identity documents (e.g. driver licences) Note: documents in languages other than English must be accompanied by a NAATI accredited translation | Issued by the relevant Foreign Government. |
Attachments
Before applying or renewing, you need to have all documents that support your application saved as electronic files (.doc, .pdf or .jpg).
The documents you need depend on the type of licence you want to apply for, but could be:
- R-Licence Accreditation Form/s
- proof of membership with an Approved Hunting Organisation (AHO) - a membership card (physical or digital), membership letter or email, or payment receipt that shows:
- AHO name
- your name
- membership number, and
- membership expiry date.
- parent/guardian consent form (PDF, 58.71 KB) for a minor licence at the concession rate
- proof of your veterans or pensioner concession
- proof of your completed Waterfowl Identification Test (WIT) if you want to hunt native game birds.
Concession rates
You can apply for the concession rate if you are a minor (between 12 years and 18 years) or an eligible veteran or pensioner.
Pensioner & veterans concessions
Our legislation limits the types of pension cards we can accept for the concession rate.
You can claim the pensioner concession rate if you hold one of the following:
- a current Pensioner Concession Card issued by Centrelink
- a current Pensioner Concession Card issued by the Department of Veterans' Affairs
- a Commonwealth Department of Veterans' Affairs Gold Treatment Card endorsed as:
- TPI: Totally and Permanently Incapacitated
- EDA: Extreme Disablement Adjustment
- WAR WIDOW or WAR WIDOWER.
- a letter from the Commonwealth Department of Veterans' Affairs stating that the person receive a disability pension of 70 per cent or higher, or an intermediate pension.
Only the person who signs the card where it reads 'Signature of cardholder' is the holder of that card. If an additional person is listed on the card (usually a spouse), this relates to health care benefits and not to other exemptions/concessions available to the pensioner concession cardholder.
Senior's Cards, Health Care Cards and Repatriation Health Cards do not qualify you for a concession rate.
Minor concessions
If you are under 18 years of age, you will pay the concession rate, provided we're able to verify your age via the proof of identity check.
Your parent or guardian needs to consent to you having a licence. Have them fill in and sign the consent form (PDF, 58.71 KB) and attach it to your online application.
Processing time
Applications for NSW Game Hunting Licences are usually processed within 20 working days (four weeks), however may be longer during peak periods.
If you are missing documents or other information that we need to process your application, we will return it to you by email.
The 20-day processing period starts when the department receives your complete application.
When we have processed and approved your application, and you have successfully paid the licence fee online, we'll issue you a digital licence. We'll also send your details to our licence card provider. The provider only prints Game Hunting Licences once a week.
The processing period ends when your digital licence is available.
We cannot estimate how long it will take for you to receive the physical licence after it is sent. Please allow extra time during peak periods.
Licence payments
All licence fee payments are handled through the secure Service NSW payment portal. The department is unable to take payments over the phone, or by cheque or money order.
If your licence or renewal is approved, you will receive an email requesting payment of the licence fee.
New licence applicants will also receive a welcome email with their username and a link to set up a password for the Hunt NSW portal.
How to make a payment
- Log in to Hunt NSW using your username and password
- Select the 'Licence applications' menu
- Select 'Make a payment'
- Confirm the amount due to be paid
- Enter your credit or debit card information
- Validate your card information
- Make the payment.
Your licence is granted once we receive payment of the licence fee. You'll be able to access other sections of Hunt NSW, depending on the type of licence you hold.
A payment receipt is available to download from the 'My profile' section.
Digital licences
If your licence application or renewal is approved, and you have paid the licence fee, a digital licence will be immediately available in the Hunt NSW portal. We no longer issue interim licences.
To access your digital licence:
- log in to the Hunt NSW portal with your username and password (you will already have set up your access to pay the licence fee)
- select the icon in the top right-hand corner
- select 'My profile'
- from the 'My licences' page, navigate to the right of the page
- select 'Licence' from teh downloads column.
A version of your digital licence will also be available in the updated Hunt NSW app.
Restrictions
We must refuse to grant a NSW Game Hunting Licence to a person who:
- has been found guilty of any firearms offence in the past 10 years.
- has been found guilty of an offence in the past 10 years involving:
- cruelty or harm to animals
- personal violence
- damage to property or unlawful entry into land.
- has been found guilty of an offence for releasing game animals for the purpose of hunting.
- is not a fit and proper person to hold the licence.
- has been found guilty of an offence prescribed by the Game and Feral Animal Control Regulation 2022 in the past 10 years.
This includes convictions from other Australian jurisdictions as well as overseas jurisdictions.
Find out more about the declarations you must make when applying for a NSW hunting licence.
Updating your contact information
Once we have granted your licence, you must advise us of any changes to your contact information within 14 days.
You can update your details through the Hunt NSW portal or by contacting the customer service team.
