Fees from 1 March 2026
The following fees will apply from 1 March 2026.
Application fees
These fees are for filming in one NSW national park or reserve. If more than one NSW national park or reserve is selected, the applicant will be charged an application fee for each park.
Filming applications are referred to each National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) area office for assessment.
Application fees must be paid before applications are reviewed.
The application fee is non-refundable for cancellations or declined applications.
Only one of the criteria needs to be met for low, medium or high impact film shoots to determine which type of approval will be required.
| Size of film shoot | NPWS assessment time included | Application fee** | Drone application fee |
|---|---|---|---|
Small scale
| N/A | $0 | N/A |
Low impact
| Up to 2 hours | $350 | $166 |
Medium impact
| Up to 4 hours | $532 | $166 |
High impact
| Up to 8 hours | $830 | $166 |
*All equipment brought onto park and planned construction is subject to approval and may require a Review of Environmental Factors (REF) or other environmental or heritage assessments. Please refer to the NPWS development guidelines.
** Registered charities and students undertaking a filming project as part of their education, who have a letter of support from their education provider, may receive 50% discount on the application fee.
Additional fees
| Description | Fee information |
|---|---|
Late application fee Late applications are subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed. | Low impact – $350 Medium or high impact – late applications not accepted |
| Amendment fee | 50% of the application fee each time an amendment is submitted, payable before amendments are assessed |
Additional staff (if required), including:
Applicants also cover expenses incurred for the use of motor vehicles. | $110 per staff member per hour, with a 3-hour minimum charge 0.44c – 0.86c per km |
| Vehicle entry fees | Payable upon entering a fee-charging park. The number of vehicles on site is subject to approval. |
| Venue hire fees | See Fees for venue hire. |
| Exclusive use fees | Fees apply for the exclusive use of locations within a park – see Fees for venue hire. |
| Site remediation/cleaning fees | $110 per hour, with a 3-hour minimum charge |
| Equipment hire | Subject to approval |
| Key deposit | Price on application (if required) |
| Environmental Management Bond | Medium impact – $500+ High impact – $1,000+ |
| Review of Environmental Factors (REF) or environmental or heritage assessment | Price on application (if required) |
Damages
The applicant must pay all costs, including damages, paid or incurred by NPWS with respect to the licence approval. This is in addition to any fees for site remediation or cleaning.
Cancellation
The applicant/licensee may cancel the application or licence by notice in writing to NPWS at any stage before the filming commencement date.
NPWS may cancel due to unforeseen circumstances (such as extreme weather or bushfire).
NPWS takes no responsibility for any third-party commitment entered into by the applicant.
Cancellation by applicant/licensee
- Application, amendment and assessment fees – withheld in full.
- Additional fees – 100% refund.
- Refer to Fees for venue hire for cancellation fees relating to venue hire.
Cancellation by NPWS
Fees and bonds – 100% refund if an alternative date cannot be arranged.
Notes
- Fees increase in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) at the start of each financial year.
- Fees are GST-inclusive.
- The drone application fee is non-refundable if an applicant/licensee cancels their application or drone use.
- The additional assessment fee will be charged where an application requires additional NPWS staff hours due to the complexity of the filming/photography proposal and/or environmental or cultural sensitivity of the location. NPWS will detail additional assessment fees after the application has been lodged and paid. These fees will only be charged to recover staff costs to support filming approvals.
- Additional lead time (40 calendar days) is required for applications that require a Review of Environmental Factors (REF) or other environmental or heritage assessments.
- NPWS may not be able to provide the applicant with the use or occupation of the location. Where the location cannot be offered and an alternate location is not found, NPWS will refund the application fees.
- Exclusive use of an area may be required where an applicant requires use of a site for the construction of infrastructure or restricts the public from accessing the site.
- Drone applications that involve 1 x crew and 1 x pilot fall under low-impact filming and photography. No commercial drone use is permitted under a small-scale application type.
- Applicants should make themselves familiar with the relevant park’s Plan of Management before applying. The Plan of Management contains information about the natural environment, Aboriginal heritage, history, and recreational opportunities in a park.
- Where amendments to an approved application are required by NPWS due to unforeseen circumstances (such as extreme weather or bushfire), no amendment fee will be charged.
- If the proposal includes filming locations or material that is culturally sensitive for Aboriginal people, the applicant must consult with the relevant Aboriginal custodians to seek endorsement of the filming before it begins. The endorsement must specify the relevant activities and who endorsed them. It is important to note that this information is required before applying to film on park. The applicant can contact the NSW Aboriginal Land Council to assist in identifying a local Aboriginal land council that represents the Aboriginal custodians of where the filming will be undertaken. You can also request advice from NPWS at 02 9585 6082 or via email to [email protected].
- Where an NPWS park or reserve is managed under an Aboriginal joint management agreement, the board of management of the park or reserve is also required to approve applications. Each jointly managed park has its own management approach so we cannot guarantee that an application will be assessed within 14 full days. Please allow up to 12 weeks for approval to film in a jointly managed park. For more information about joint management agreements, please visit Aboriginal joint management of parks.
- For all applications received for proposals on Worimi Conservation Lands, the application will be referred to the Worimi Conservation Lands Board of Management for approval and this includes a separate fee structure, policy and approval process.