Apply for an Aboriginal heritage impact permit

Create an AHIMS account

To apply online, you first need an AHIMS account.

If you already have an AHIMS Client ID and access to the AHIMS Quarantine Station, go to Step 4.

To create an AHIMS account:

• go to AHIMS Web Services
• select 'Create new account' below the Login button
• read the terms and conditions and tick the acknowledgement box
• select 'Register'
• complete the User Registration form, including your contact details and password
• select 'Register' to submit your registration.

Request access to AHIMS Quarantine Station

Before you can access the AHIMS Quarantine Station, you will need an AHIMS Client ID.

Provide these details:

• your full name
• the email address you registered with
• organisation details (if applicable)

and email them to: [email protected].

Heritage NSW will create your access and send you an email containing your AHIMS Client ID.

Complete your first-time registration

Once your access has been created:

• check your email (including your junk folder) for a registration email
• select the 'Register now' link
• follow the prompts to complete your registration
• enter your contact details using the credentials provided in the email
• select 'Register' to finish setting up your account.

After you have registered for the first time you can simply fill in your details within the AHIMS Quarantine Station and select 'Login'.

Prepare your information and documents

With the new online process there is a file upload limit. Each document you upload can be no larger than 50MB.

Before you start your application, have these ready.

Project details

You will need:

• project manager details (the person responsible for overseeing AHIP-related actions)
• heritage consultant details, if different from the project manager
• project name and description
• project location details including:
  • street address
  • local government area
  • Lot/Section/Deposited Plan details
• proposed AHIP duration (in years). 

Site and Aboriginal heritage information

You will need:

• AHIMS site numbers and site information for the proposed AHIP area
• to ensure all AHIMS site cards are submitted and any required site impact recording forms are completed
• details of any Aboriginal objects or areas within the AHIP boundary that will not be harmed during the AHIP period.

AHIMS automatically fills in your site information. If your AHIMS site cards are not up to date, you may need to manually enter or update this information yourself during the application.

Reports, approvals and consultation information

You will need:

• an Aboriginal cultural heritage assessment report, prepared in line with the Guide to investigating, assessing and reporting on Aboriginal cultural heritage in NSW
• development consent information, including:
  • the type of consent, and
  • a PDF copy of the consent related to the proposed works
  • approved plans associated with that development consent
• to advise whether native title or an Indigenous land use agreement applies to any part of the AHIP application area
• Aboriginal community consultation information, including whether a modified or alternative consultation process was used, for example, relating to an Indigenous land use agreement.

Storage, maps and spatial data

If Aboriginal objects will be removed from the proposed AHIP area, you will need:

• temporary storage arrangements, including:
  • storage location name
  • street address
  • any other relevant details

Storage locations need to be within NSW.

You will also need:

• spatial data showing the proposed AHIP boundary as a polygon dataset, such as an ESRI shapefile, ESRI file geodatabase, MapInfo TAB file, or Google Earth KML file. Upload individual files or ZIP format.
• a map of the proposed AHIP area showing:
  • exclusion or no harm areas
  • proposed AHIP boundaries, with labelled corner points (vertices) and their coordinates
  • project area, if applicable
  • Lot and Deposited Plan details
  • scale and north arrow
  • labelled AHIMS site extents.

Start your application

Use your account details to login to the AHIMS Quarantine Station. To start a new AHIP application:

• select 'New AHIP application' from the left-hand menu
• begin your application.

Your application is saved automatically as a draft, so you can come back to it at any time before submitting.

Apply online

Submit your application and pay

Once you have completed all fields and uploaded the required documents, you can submit your application and pay the application fee online.

Fees vary depending on the type of work and the estimated cost of the proposed works. For details about application fees, see Aboriginal heritage impact permit application fees.

Payment is by credit or debit card only and is completed as part of the online application.

After you submit your application and payment, you will receive:

• an application reference number
• a payment reference number
• a tax invoice.

You can login to the AHIMS Quarantine Station at any time to:

• track the progress of your application
• respond to requests for information from an assessing officer
• download a copy of your application
• download a copy of your tax invoice
• withdraw your application.

Application assessment and outcome

The statutory timeframe for assessing an AHIP application is 60 days. This timeframe starts once we receive your completed application and payment.

If we need more information to assess your application, we will contact you. The assessment is placed on hold while we wait for you to provide the requested information. The time you take to respond is not included in the 60-day assessment timeframe.

We will assess whether your proposed activities may harm Aboriginal cultural heritage and the extent of that harm. Specialists will provide advice where needed.

We look at:

• whether the activity will harm an Aboriginal object or Aboriginal Place
• the significance of that Aboriginal object or Aboriginal Place
• whether harm can be avoided or reduced
• whether there is clear justification for allowing the harm.

Once the assessment is complete, we will prepare a determination report. You will receive the outcome in writing.

If your application is approved, we will email you and include a PDF copy of your permit.

You can also login to the AHIMS Quarantine Station to download a copy.

If a decision is not made within the statutory 60-day timeframe, the application is taken to be refused. The 60-day timeframe does not include any periods where the assessment is put on hold while we are waiting for requested information.

The applicant may seek a review of a deemed refusal in the Land and Environment Court. We may continue to assess the application after this time and may still grant or refuse the permit.