Threatened species licence application

Apply for a licence to pick or harm a threatened species.

You can apply for a biodiversity conservation licence under Part 2 of the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 to:

harm an animal that is a threatened species or part of an ecological community
pick a plant that is a threatened species or part of an ecological community
damage habitat of a threatened species or ecological community
damage a declared area of outstanding biodiversity value.

A threatened species or ecological community means a species or ecological community identified in Schedule 1 or 2 of the Biodiversity Conservation Act.

An area of outstanding biodiversity conservation value means an area declared under Part 3 of the Biodiversity Conservation Act. Declared areas of outstanding biodiversity value were previously known as 'critical habitat'.

Processing times and fees

The department will assess your application as soon as possible. You can assist this process by providing clear and concise information in your application.

Once your application has been received and processed you will receive an invoice for a $30 licence application fee.

Some applications can take longer to process than others, due to the nature of the proposed actions. Under the Biodiversity Conservation Regulation 2017, applications must be processed within 28 days after the date an application has been made. This may be extended to 56 days at the discretion of the Secretary of the department.

Request for additional information

The Secretary may, after receiving the application, request additional information necessary for the determination of the licence application.

Protected animals and protected plants

'Protected animals' means animals identified in Schedule 5 of the Biodiversity Conservation Act.
'Protected plant' means a plant of a species named in Schedule 6 of the Biodiversity Conservation Act.

Licensing provisions for protected animals and protected plants are contained within Part 2 of the Biodiversity Conservation Act. The Threatened Species Licence class of biodiversity conservation licences may be extended to include protected animals and protected plants when these will be affected by the action.

If you are applying for a licence to cover both threatened and protected species, please provide the information requested as well as a list of protected species and details of the number of individual animals or proportion and type of plant material which are likely to be harmed or picked.

Public Register of Threatened Species Licences

Licences granted under Part 2 of the Biodiversity Conservation Act are listed on the department website at Public Register of Threatened Species Licences.

Privacy collection notice

The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water is collecting your personal information through this form.

Why are we collecting your information?

We are collecting your information to assess your application. The information will be entered into a computer system for granting licences.

How will we share your information?

We will not share your information with anyone else unless you give your consent, or the law requires or allows us to do so.

Are you required by law to give us your information?

You are not required by law to give us your information but, if you choose not to, we may not be able to approve your application for a licence.

Your right to access and correct your information

To access or correct your information, please contact:

Information Access and Privacy Team
Locked Bag 5022
Parramatta NSW 2124
Phone: 02 8275 1095
Email: [email protected]

More information

For more details on how your information is handled, refer to Privacy and security.

Applicant details

Name

Australian Business Number (ABN)

Organisation name

Position of applicant

Postal address

(include postcode)

Phone/mobile

Do you have alternative contact details for invoicing?

YesNo

Contact name for invoice

Contact phone number for invoice

Email for invoice

Describe the action

Location of the action

(include grid reference, local government area)

Attach a map with location clearly identified

Full description of the action and its purpose

(e.g. environmental assessment, development, etc.)

Details of the area to be affected by the action

(in hectares)

Duration and timing of the action

(including staging, if any)

Is the action to occur on land declared as an 'area of outstanding biodiversity value'?

YesNo

List the species or communities to be harmed or picked.

Scientific name

Common name

(if known)

Threatened or protected category

(i.e. critically endangered under Schedule 1 of the Biodiversity and Conservation Act, protected animal under Schedule 5 of the Biodiversity and Conservation Act)

Details of the number of individual animals, or proportion and type of plant material

(e.g. fertile branchlets, parts or whole plants)

Describe the condition of habitats and land use in and adjacent to the land to be affected by the action.

Provide details of any known records of a threatened species in the same or similar known habitats in the locality.

(include reference sources)

Provide details of any known habitat for a threatened species on the land to be affected by the action.

(include reference sources)

Provide details of the amount of such habitat to be affected by the action proposed in relation to the known distribution of the species and its habitat in the locality.

Provide an assessment of the likely nature and intensity of the effect of the action on the lifecycle and habitat of the species.

Provide details of measures to avoid or minimise the effect of the action.

Attach any other supporting documentation, such as a report, photo or assessment. (To add more than one document, click on Add another document. You will need to do this for each additional document you are uploading.)

Declaration

I confirm that the information contained in this application is correct. I hereby apply for a biodiversity conservation licence under the provisions of Part 2 of the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016.

Applicant's name

Applicant's position and organisation

Applicant's signature

Date

Updated 04 May 2026