Applications and fees

Find applications, fee information and how to pay online.

Apply and pay online

Manage your account in the Customer Portal today

Register for the Customer Portal to manage your  water-related matters. Once registered, you can apply and pay for water supply work and water use approvals within the portal. You can also update your details and manage your business account.

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You will start to see our existing Water Applications Online (WAO) service replaced by our new Customer Portal. During this transition, you can still use WAO to apply, pay and track the status of some other applications below.

Use our Water Applications Online service to apply and pay online:

Apply, pay and track online

  • for a new water access licence or water dealing
  • to extend a water supply work and/or water use approval.

The benefits of applying and paying online include:

  • it is quicker and easier as your online form will automatically include relevant information (such as fees)
  • online applications can be processed faster than hard copy applications
  • you can track the progress of your submitted online application using a unique application number
  • you will be emailed a receipt after submitting your application
  • there is support available through online 'help' and links to relevant information.

Applications

Approvals

Basic landholder rights

Water supply work and water use approvals

Flood work

Other

Licences and dealings

Licensing and dealings under the Water Management Act 2000

Water access licence changes made through WaterNSW are linked below

Security interests

Driller's licensing and Automatic Mutual Recognition

Please use the Drillers Portal to submit a Bore construction report (BCR) directly online.

To register for Automatic Mutual Recognition (AMR) in NSW, please visit the AMR website.

Dewatering

Application processing times

WaterNSW aims to process all applications in a timely manner. Please see the table below for our target standard processing times for approvals and assessments.

APPLICATION TYPETARGET PROCESSING TIMECURRENT PERFORMANCE
Licence dealings assignment of shares (7IQ)90% within 20 days98%
New access licences80% within 40 days94%
Water supply work and use approval80% within 60 days87%
Extend an approval90% within 20 days100%
Approval for a bore for domestic and stock rights90% within 10 days96%


Figures are for the time period of 1 January 2025 – 31 March 2025.

Depending on the application type and complexity, with other agencies involved in the approval, it may take up to 6 months for your application to be determined. You can track the progress of your application and we thank you for your patience and understanding. View our Customer Service Charter.

FAQS

Water access licence or dealing

Approval for a water supply work to take groundwater under a domestic and stock right

Note: If you want to amend an existing approval for a water supply work to take groundwater under a domestic and stock right you need to complete a hard copy application form (PDF, 863.11 KB)

More information:

Extend a water supply work and/or water use approval

Letters to approval holders notifying them about applying to extend an approval are posted by WaterNSW before the expiry date of the approval.

The letter notifying you to apply to extend a water supply work and/or water use approval includes a personal application number for you to use our Water Applications Online service to apply and pay online.

If your notification letter does not include this number you will need to fill in the hard copy application form posted to you with your notification letter

For more information, go to:

Application fees

Application fees for water access licences, dealings and approvals

WaterNSW charges fees to cover the assessment and processing costs of applications for access licences, water supply work approvals, water use approvals and access licence dealings lodged under the Water Management Act 2000.

These fees are determined by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART). The fees applying from 1 October 2025 to 30 June 2026 are listed in the following tables. These fees will increase annually on 1 July, and until 30 June 2026 those increases will be based on changes in the consumer price index (CPI). Fees are exempt from GST.

Please note: If an application has been accepted by WaterNSW, payment has been processed and a receipt has been issued, application fees will not be refunded.

2025-26 Application fees

Fees

New and surrender water access licences
APPLICATION TYPEFEE
Zero share$887.05
Controlled allocation$863.43
Specific purpose – NO groundwater assessment required$898.82
Specific purpose – groundwater assessment required$4,391.41

Surrender water access licence - non-complex

  • Zero share
  • SPAL’s S&D
$382.00

Surrender water access licence - complex

  • Water access licence attached to a dam
  • Water access licence for dewatering
$522.34

Water access licence dealings
APPLICATION TYPEFEE
All dealing applications for regulated river – 71Q, 71P, 71O, 71R, 71S, 71W, s74 $922.57

Dealing applications – unregulated river

High risk fees apply to these applications unless they are listed as low risk:

  • Exit dealing (s74)
  • 71P(a) Subdivide a water access licence   where there is a change to add a nominated work (bundled with a 71W)
  • 71P(b) Consolidate water access licences   where the nominated works on each WAL are different or adding an additional   work (bundled with a 71W)
  • 71W to nominate any works including   miscellaneous works
  • 71W to nominate an interstate work on a NSW   Licence
  • 71Q permanently assign share to another   Licence (permanent trade of water)
  • 71QA assignment of IDEC
  • 71O conversion of licence to new category
  • 71R amendment of a licence for a share   component to a new water source or management area
  • 71S amendment of an extraction component   around times, rates, circumstance etc. of a licence
$2,947.68

Dealing applications – unregulated river

Low risk fees apply to these transactions only:

  • 71Q Assign share components between water access licences where the receiving water access licence has no nominated works
  • 71Q Assign share components between water access licences where the receiving water access licence nominates ground water works with a bore extraction limit
  • 71W Remove a nominated work on a water access licence ONLY
  • 71P(a) Subdivide a water access licence ONLY with no change in the nominated work or removing of work only
  • 71P(b) Consolidate water access licences ONLY with no change in the nominated works or removal of work
$1,335.72

Dealing applications – Groundwater

High risk fees apply to these applications unless they are listed as low risk with Groundwater assessment:

  • Subdivide (s71P (a)) a water access licence   where there is a change to the nominated work
  • Consolidate (s71p(b)) water access licences   where there is a change in nominated works
  • 71W to nominate any works including   miscellaneous works
  • 71W to nominate an interstate work on a NSW   licence
  • 71Q permanently assign share to another   licence (permanent trade of water)
  • 71O conversion of licence to new category
  • 71R amendment of a licence for a share   component to a new water source or management area
  • 71S amendment of an extraction component   around times, rates, circumstance etc. of a licence
$6,440.27

Dealing applications – Groundwater

High risk fees apply to these applications unless they are listed as low risk (No groundwater assessment):

  • Exit dealing (s74)
$2,947.68

Dealing applications – Groundwater

Low risk fees apply to these transactions only:

  • 71Q Assign share components between water   access licences where the receiving water access licence has no nominated   works
  • 71Q Assign share components between water   access licences where the receiving water access licence has the same   nominated work as the sellers nominated work
  • 71Q Assign share components between water   access licences where the receiving water access licence has a BEL in place   to accommodate the assigned share being transferred
  • 71W Remove a nominated work on a water   access licence ONLY
  • 71W change of nominated work where BEL is   in place
  • 71P (a) Subdivide a water access licence   ONLY with no change in the nominated work or removing of work or all works   involved have a BEL only
  • 71P (b) Consolidate water access licences   ONLY with no change in the nominated works or removal of work or all works   involved have a BEL only
$1,335.72

Water allocation assignments (temporary trade)
APPLICATION TYPEFEE
Regulated rivers – 71T, 71V$64.12
Unregulated rivers – 71T, 71V$64.12
Groundwater no referral for GW assessment – 71T, 71V$64.12
Groundwater – referral for GW assessment – 71T, 71V$426.14

Please note: application fee(s) for water trade will NOT be refunded if an allocation assignment application is unsuccessful, withdrawn or incomplete.

Basic landholder right bore applications
APPLICATION TYPEFEE
New basic landholder right bore - groundwater assessment NOT required or meets triage$1,102.31
New basic landholder right bore - groundwater assessment required$1,439.41

Administrative amendment – No groundwater assessment required

  • Replacement BLR bore that meets WSP rules. Original bore must already be constructed with a Form A/BCR received
  • Consolidate approval no change to the existing works
  • Subdivide an approval no change to the existing works
  • Remove a work
$652.75

Groundwater applications
APPLICATION TYPEFEE

Combined approval – Water supply work approval & use approval – Groundwater assessment required (High risk)

  • Water Supply work approval groundwater assessment required (doesn’t meet triage)
$10,075.05

New/Amend approvals – Groundwater assessment required (High risk)

  • Water supply work approval groundwater assessment required (doesn’t meet triage) – does not include combined approvals

Note – does not include combined approval

$8,982.03

Combined approval – Water supply work approval & use approval - Groundwater assessment not required (High risk)

  • Add an irrigation lot
  • Use approvals (new & amend   applications)
  • Water supply work approvals (or combined   approval) that meets groundwater triage
$6,582.46

New/Amend approvals – Groundwater assessment not required (High risk)

  • Add an irrigation lot
  • Use approvals (new & amend applications)
  • Water supply work approvals that meets groundwater triage

Note – does not include combined approval

$5,489.44

Amend approvals – administrative. Groundwater assessment required

  • Subdivide an approval – where split of BEL is required
  • Consolidate approval where BEL not in place on all approvals being consolidated
  • Consolidate approval where BEL is at approval level and not work level
  • Review a BEL or get a BEL on an approval that currently doesn’t have one
  • Customer requests a review of a current bore extraction limit (must be accompanied with a pumping test)
$4,145.34

Amend Approvals - administrative. No groundwater assessment required

  • Replacement BLR bore that meets WSP rules. Original bore must already be constructed with a Form A/BCR received
  • Remove land (lot/DP) or work(s)
  • Consolidate approvals no change to the existing works or use area
  • Consolidate approvals where BEL is listed for each work or BEL at the approval level is the same
  • Subdivide an approval no change to the existing works or use area
  • Downgrade a commercial/irrigation approval to a BLR bore
$652.75

Specialised assessment fee

  • Additional assessment required by a consultant; these could be for noise assessment, water quality, ecohydrologist assessment etc
$1,559.63

Change of application fee (after assessment commenced)

  • Changes to the application or adds locations/works after assessment has commenced
$1,024.41

*This fee is currently waived due to recent amendments to the non-urban metering regulation.

Surface water applications
APPLICATION TYPEFEE

Combined approval – High risk:

  • Combined approvals (works & use)
$6,582.46

New/Amend approvals - High risk:

  • Use approval only
  • Water supply work approval only – pumps, channels, dams, storages, floodplain harvesting (FPH) amendments
  • Increase pump/work size

Note – does not include combined approval

$5,489.44

Combined approvals - Low risk

  • Application has current GTA’s for Works only provided through IDAS process
$3,579.12

New or Amended works or use approvals - Low risk

  • Application has current GTA’s for Works only provided through IDAS process
$2,981.38

Administrative amendment – No groundwater assessment required

  • Remove land (lot/DP) or work(s)
  • Consolidate approvals no change to the existing works or Use area
  • Subdivide an approval no change to the existing works or use area
  • Reduce pump size
$652.75

Specialised assessment fee

  • Additional assessment required; for example noise assessment, water quality, ecohydrologist assessment, flood study for works on a floodplain
$1,559.63

Change of application fee (after assessment commenced)

  • Changes to the application or adds locations/works after assessment has commenced
$1,024.41

*This fee is currently waived due to recent amendments to the non-urban metering regulation.

Surrender approval
APPLICATION TYPEFEE

Surrender approval – non complex

  • Pumps
  • Use approval
  • Non constructed works – bores/flood work/dams
$123.17

Surrender approval – complex

  • Combined approvals
  • Constructed dams/Flood works/Floodplain harvesting/Bores
$273.44

Construction dewatering applications
APPLICATION TYPEFEE

High risk new/amend (Groundwater assessment required) apply to all applications unless they are listed as low risk:

  • All new & amended construction dewatering applications
  • All new/amended applications that have not   been through IDAS process
  • All drained basements even if previously   referred at IDAS stage
$8,982.03

New/Amend approvals – Groundwater assessment not required (High risk)

  • Water supply work approvals that meets groundwater triage
$5,489.44

New or amended works and/or use approvals, low risk - groundwater assessment NOT required

  • Household swimming pools
$2,981.38

Amended approval, administrative - groundwater assessment required

  • Review to increase BEL or to add a BEL to an approval
$4,145.34

Specialised assessment fee

  • Additional assessment required; for example noise assessment, water quality, ecohydrologist assessment etc.
$1,559.63

Change of application fee (after assessment commenced)

  • Changes to the application or adds locations/works after assessment has commenced
$1,024.41

Approval extension applications
APPLICATION TYPEFEE

Extension pre-expiry fee

 $627.85
Extension post expiry fee - less than 60 days from expiry date $627.85
Extension post expiry fee – more than 60 days from expiry date $1,160.39

Extension fees are charged to recover WaterNSW costs. The difference in the fee for applications to extend an approval after the expiry date is to cover the additional administrative and assessment costs as WaterNSW may need to reassess the application to ensure that it meets the relevant legislation. The late application fee has been reviewed and determined by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART). Under the Water Management Act 2000, approval holders are responsible for ensuring their approvals are valid and up to date. The approval holder is responsible for applying to extend the approval prior to its expiry.

Applications not set by IPART
APPLICATION TYPEFEE
FLOOD WORK
Flood work New/Amend Approval – Full assessment including advertising & Flood Engineer review if required

$5,100.00

Flood work Amend Approval – Administrative (Flood Engineer review NOT required)

  • Remove works
  • Consolidate Approvals ONLY where there is no change to the existing works
  • Subdivide an Approval ONLY where there is no change to existing works
  • Add an additional work that has been previously assessed by WNSW and is awaiting a Crown Land licence
$652.75

Specialised assessment fee

  • Additional assessment required by a consultant; these could be for noise assessment, water quality, ecohydrologist assessment etc.
$1,559.63

Change of application fee (after assessment commenced)

  • Changes to the application or adds locations/works after assessment has commenced
$1,024.41
DRILLERS LICENCE
Driller's licence $437.00
Amend a driller's licence – change a licence class $177.00
SOLICITOR'S ENQUIRIES
Urgent per 20 Lot/DP searches (within 48 hours) $375
Normal pricing per 20 lot/DP searches (up to 10 days) $187
WATER ACT
Application for a test bore $151.00
Application for a monitoring bore$151.00
Application for a groundwater licence $151.00
Application to renew a groundwater licence (extend licence) $151.00

Fire fighting purpose only bore
APPLICATION TYPEFEE

New fire fighting purpose bore – Groundwater assessment required

$1,439.41
New fire fighting purpose bore – Groundwater assessment not required or meets triage $1,102.31

Administrative amendment – No groundwater assessment required

  • Replacement fire fighting purpose bore that meets WSP rules. Original bore must already be constructed with a Form A/BCR received
$652.75

Unintended works (Inactive/active works) - currently free of charge
APPLICATION TYPEFEE

Classify a work on an approval under the unintended works regulation

  • all water supply work approvals including FPH.
$107.52

*Applications not set by IPART include flood work, drillers licence, solicitor enquiries and Water Act applications.

Notes on fees

Notes for application fees

'New' work approval means any work proposed which is not currently listed on a water approval or is replacing an existing work which is listed on a water approval. *Note that forms are sent directly to these holders.

These fees are determined by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART).

WaterNSW collects the groundwater assessment fee on behalf of the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (NSW DCCEEW). NSW DCCEEW hydrogeologists are responsible for undertaking the groundwater assessment, when required.

Consent Transactions in relation to Monopoly Services provided by Water Administration Ministerial Corporation (WAMC).

Consent transaction in relation to drillers licences, solicitor enquiries and special meter reads are not stated, as they have not been regulated by IPART and are deemed to be unregulated services.

Impact and rules-based assessments:
Applications generally require a detailed impact assessment. This includes case by case investigation to consider potential local impacts and determine whether those impacts require refusal or consent, or consent subject to conditions.

Depending on the type of transaction, impact assessment can include identifying and addressing impacts on adjoining pumps or bores, Aboriginal heritage sites, native vegetation, threatened species, wetlands, land degradation, salinity, soil compaction, geomorphic instability, hydrology, water logging, acidity, contamination and water quality, in addition to consideration and resolution of any lodged objections. In some cases where significant risks are identified, WaterNSW may require the applicant to commission third-party experts to determine the extent of those risks and how they might be mitigated.

Applications determined by IPART which are identified as ‘low risk’ are processed with a rules-based assessment which does not require the above detailed impact assessment.

Lower fees are charged for transactions which are identified as ‘low risk’.

WAMC charges are determined by IPART under the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal Act 1992 (IPART Act) and the WAMC determination. The reasons are:

  1. Section 11 of the IPART Act gives IPART a standing reference to conduct investigations and make reports to the Minister administering the IPART Act on the determination of the pricing for a government monopoly service supplied by a government agency specified in Schedule 1 of the IPART Act.
  2. The Water Administration Ministerial Corporation (Corporation) is listed in Schedule 1 of the IPART Act.
  3. The services which are declared as government monopoly services under clause 3 of the Independent Pricing and  Regulatory Tribunal (Water Services) Order 2004 are services supplied by the Corporation which involve:
    (1) the making available of water;
    (2) the making available of the Corporation’s water supply facilities; or
    (3) the supplying of water, whether by means of the Corporation’s water supply facilities or otherwise, (together, the  Monopoly Services).
  4. Under section 4(6) of the IPART Act, the Corporation is taken to be the supplier of the services for which fees and  charges are payable under Chapter 3 of the Water Management Act.
  5. In practice, charges for such water resource management activities are made as charges under licences, permits,  approvals or authorities granted by:
    (1) the Minister under Chapter 3 of the Water Management Act (in areas of NSW in which proclamations under  sections 55A and 88A of the Water Management Act are in force); and
    (2) the Corporation under the Water Act (in other areas of NSW).
  6. Accordingly, in determining maximum prices for the Monopoly Services, IPART has determined maximum prices payable for these services under various licences, permits, approvals or authorities granted under the Water Management Act and the Water Act.

Other fees or charges

Other fees or charges

Include:

  • Charges applied by WaterNSW to all water licences and approvals for water management services, such as water resource management and metering. These charges are set by IPART.
  • Fees applied by NSW Land Registry Services to cover the cost of Water Access Licence Register transactions and for issuing new water access licence certificates.
  • Charges applied by WaterNSW for water delivery services for water taken from regulated rivers.

Related links

2023-24 Water pricing

Customer assistance

Applications and fees

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