Restricted Commercial licence

Apply or renew your licence

You can apply for a new game hunting licence or renew an existing licence using our online licensing services. You can read more about applying or renewing online or use the links below to get started.

If you want to apply for a licence type that is Restricted, it is important to read about how to become accredited and qualify for the licence before you apply.

A technical issue is currently preventing applicants using an iOS device (iPhone, iPad, Mac) from attaching supporting documents to an application. You can still lodge an online application using a non-iOS device or computer.

Apply Renew

Commercial hunting is hunting for the purpose of selling any part of the harvested game animal.

You need to apply for a Restricted commercial licence (R-commercial) if you want to hunt game and feral animals on public land and then sell any part of the animal harvested. The R-commercial also allows you to hunt game animals on private land and then sell any part of the animal harvested.

The R-commercial licence requirements are based on international best-practice and help to increase public confidence in the sale of game meat.

Licensing of commercial harvesters ensures consistency in the harvest of meat for sale and lifts the standards of ethical behaviour, public safety and animal welfare.

Information on other legal requirements relating to the sale of wild game meat is available from the NSW Food Authority.

If you are paying by credit card, use the links above to apply or renew online. If you are paying by cheque or money order, use the application forms below.

NSW Restricted (Commercial) Game Hunting Licence - application/renewal form (PDF, 126.25 KB)

NSW Game Hunting Licence - licence replacement form (PDF, 104.41 KB)

NSW (Commercial) Game Hunting Licence - wild deer tag application form (PDF, 119.08 KB)

Qualifying

There are three requirements that must be met before you can apply for the R-commercial licence. Applicants must:

• be over 18 years of age
• be a member of an Approved Hunting Organisation (AHO)
• become accredited for one or more R-licence categories (firearms and/or dogs only for commercial purposes)
• hold a firearms licence
• provide information on the vehicle to be used for commercial harvesting
• provide written approval from the land manager to commercial harvest on public land.

Approved Hunting Organisations

Before being issued an R-commercial licence, you must become a member of an Approved Hunting Organisation (AHO). R-licence holders must also remain a current member of an AHO for their R-licence to remain valid. There are close to 200 AHOs registered in NSW.

You will be asked to provide proof of your membership when you send in your application paperwork.

Permission to commercially harvest on declared public land

Before the NSW Department of Primary Industries can consider your application, you must have obtained written permission to hunt from the manager of the public land that you wish to harvest on.

In most cases this will be the Forestry Corporation of NSW, however you must apply directly to the land manager for some Crown land areas. Contact the Game Licensing Unit on 02 6363 7650 for more information on the area you wish to hunt.

Special conditions

Identification

A vehicle identification sticker is supplied with an R-commercial licence and must be displayed on your vehicle at all times.

This is a mandatory requirement that assists with identification of commercial activities as well as enforcement.

Wild deer tags

All commercial hunters must purchase wild deer tags from NSW Department of Primary Industries before harvesting any deer. The fee is $1 per tag.

Tags must be attached to all species of deer immediately after commercial harvesting. It is illegal to have a harvested deer in your possession that is not displaying a tag.

Harvest return forms

You will be provided with quarterly harvest return forms that must be promptly returned when due. Returns must include details of the harvested animals, the location you harvested them from, and details of the person or organisation you sold the harvested animals to.

You must always keep a copy of any submitted form.

Commercial fauna harvesters

Please note that if you are a commercial fauna harvester licensed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, and you wish to harvest and sell deer in addition to kangaroos, you must also apply for and hold a commercial game hunting licence.

Exemptions from regulations

Commercial game hunting licence holders are exempt from regulations applying to the use of spotlights and electronic devices (such as night vision enhancement eyewear), hunting from vehicles and deer seasons.

Applying

Once you have become a member of an AHO and completed the accreditation requirements you need to apply to the NSW Department of Primary Industries. Use the links at the top of the page to either apply online or submit an application form.

Your application must contain:

• a completed and signed R-commercial application form (PDF, 126.25 KB)
• a hunter accreditation form (given to you by your facilitator)
• written permission to hunt on declared public land
• proof of your membership of an AHO
• payment - credit card, cheque or money order.

Applications not containing all the required information will be returned to the applicant.

Cost

The concession rate is only available to pensioners holding an eligible pension card. Minor hunters are not eligible to hold a commercial licence.

Insurance

Commercial game hunting licences do not include public liability insurance cover. Any insurance is the responsibility of the licence holder.

If you are using your licence for the purposes of private (standard) hunting, your licence includes $25 million public liability cover. You should keep a record of your paid and private hunting to satisfy the insurer should you make a claim.