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DWE Home > Home > Water Management > Water access and trade > Consolidating Water Access Licenses

Water licensing and trading

Consolidating Water Access Licenses

You may want to consolidate two or more water access licences into one as a result of:

• receiving an additional licence as part of a property settlement;
• purchasing a licence from another licence holder; or
• rationalising your licences.

To combine the licences they have to be of the same category or subcategory, in the same zone or water source and have the same nominated works.

A typical consolidation of water access licences

Sue has a licence with a share component of 60 units. She has bought an additional water access licence with a share component of 80 units from her next door neighbour George. As part of that sale, the nominated work was changed to that on Sue's approval. Sue now wishes to combine both licences.

Do I need to contact DNR?

We suggest you contact your local DNR office before you fill in the application.

Do I need consent from other people?

As part of the application to consolidate the licence, you need to obtain the written consent of all holders of the licence. When registering the notification form at LPI, the consent of the holders of all registered security interests in the combined licence (mortgages and company charges held by a bank or other lending institution) will also be required.

How do I apply?

The application form, Application to consolidate water access licences (under section 71 P (1b) of the Water Management Act 2000) (Word file) (PDF file), needs to be completed and submitted, with your application fee to your local DNR office. The application form is available from DNR offices or from our website. Advice on how to complete the application is provided with the form.
To ensure that the application is processed quickly:

• make sure the form is signed by all holders of the licence; and
• attach the application fee.

What fees apply?

There is a DNR fee to process the application of $60 for regulated river and unregulated river applications and $48 for groundwater applications payable when the form is lodged with DNR. The fee may be paid in cash if lodged in person, otherwise by cheque or money order payable to Department of Natural Resources.

Once approved, LPI charges a fee of $73.25 to register the notification and issue the new licence certificate.

How is the application processed?

If the application is complete it will be registered on DNR's database and the fee processed. The application will be delayed if further information is required. If the requested information is not received within a specified time, DNR will reject the application and return it with an explanation and the fee will be refunded. Refusal may occur if the licence is currently suspended.

Your application will be assessed against the water sharing plan rules, dealing principles and provisions of the Water Management Act 2000. DNR will advise you in writing of the result of your application, known as the notice of determination. The notice will include an updated list of licence conditions.

Registering the consolidation with LPI

After the notice of determination has been received, it is the responsibility of the applicant to register the notification form of the consolidation with Land and Property Information NSW (LPI). The consolidation is complete and becomes legally effective only when it is registered with LPI. After registration, LPI will issue the new licence certificate.

Note: This information does not constitute formal legal advice.