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DWE Home > Home > Water Management > Water access and trade > Licensing and trading under the Water Management Act 2000» > Application Forms

Licensing under the Water Management Act 2000

Application Forms

If you are in a water sharing plan area, you will need to fill in a form to apply for a new water access licence, water supply work and/or water use approvals, and for water dealings. Approvals are also required to construct a bore for domestic and stock use under basic landholder rights.

The Department charges fees to cover the assessment and processing costs of applications for access licenses, water supply work and/or water use approvals and water dealings under the Water Management Act 2000. These fees are listed in a fact sheet, Transaction fees for access, licences and approvals under the Water Management Act 2000. (PDF 76 KB)

Application forms are available for:

1. new water access licences
2. new water supply works and use approvals
3. water dealings
4. licence holder verification
5. security interest registration

Note: These forms are only to be used for applications under the Water Management Act 2000 ie including those water sources subject to water sharing plans. Water Act 1912 application forms for the other areas of the State can be obtained from the section on Licensing and trading under the Water Act 1912.

The water sources subject to water sharing plans are:

Regulated River systems Hunter River Gwydir River Upper and Lower Namoi River Macquarie and Cudgegong Rivers Lachlan River Murrumbidgee River NSW Murray-Lower Darling Rivers	Groundwater aquifers Alstonville Plateau Dorrigo Plateau Stuarts Point Tomago Tomaree Stockton Kulnura Mangrove Mountain Lower Gwydir Lower Macquarie Lower Murrumbidgee Upper and Lower Namoi Lower Murray
Coastal Unregulated River systems Coopers Creek Upper Brunswick River Dorrigo Plateau Apsley River Commissioners Waters Toorumbee Creek Karuah River Wybong Creek Jilliby Jilliby Creek Ourimbah Creek Kangaroo River Wandella Creek	Inland Unregulated River systems Tenterfield Creek Rocky Creek, Cobbadah, Upper Horton and Lower Horton Rivers Phillips Creek, Mooki River, Quirindi Creek and Warrah Creek Castlereagh River above Binnaway Mandagery Creek Adelong Creek Tarcutta Creek Upper Billabong

The forms and their associated guides to completing the forms, plus some background information sheets, can be obtained by clicking on the following links:

1. New water access licences:

• New specific purpose water access licence (PDF 83KB) (Word 185KB)
• New water access licence with a zero share component (PDF 78KB) (Word 168KB)
• New water access licence pursuant to a controlled allocation order (PDF 139KB) (Word 82KB). This form is only to be used where a controlled allocation order has been made – this currently applies to the Private Water Supply and Irrigation District of the Great Darling Anabranch where licensed access to piped supplies is replacing the previous replenishment flows.
• Information sheet: Applying for a new water access licence. (PDF 74KB)
• Information sheet: How much water do I need for my rural property? (PDF 92KB)

2. New water supply works and water use approvals

• Application for approval for water supply works, and/or water use under section 92 of the Water Management Act 2000 (PDF file)
• Application for approval to construct a basic landholder rights (domestic and stock) groundwater works under section 52 of the Water Management Act 2000 (PDF file)
• Information sheet: Obtaining a water use or a water supply works approval (PDF file)
• Information sheet: Applying for a domestic and stock groundwater works approval (PDF file).

3. Water Dealings

Note: Processing of water dealings applications, with the exception of assignments of water allocations will be delayed if there are unresolved ownership or security interest (eg mortgage) issues relating to the water access licence.

• TRANSFER (under section 71M of the Water Management Act 2000) you do not have to apply to a transfer of ownership. Once the transfer of the licence is complete you simply need to fill out the registration form (PDF file) to have the Department of Lands register the dealing. Note: please also read the instructions (PDF file) for completing this form.
• TERM TRANSFER (under section 71N of the Water Management Act) - this does not require an application to DNR. Just complete the registration form (PDF file) to have Lands register the dealing. Note: please also read Land's instructions (PDF file) for completing the form.
• Assign water allocations - use the forms provided by State Water for regulated rivers and contact your local DNR for groundwater allocation assignments.
• Change a water access licence (under section 71 O, 71 R, 71S and 71W of the Water Management Act 2000) (PDF file)
• Subdivide and change a water access licence (under section 71 P(1) (a), 71 O, 71 R, &71 S and 71 W of the Water Management Act 2000) (PDF file)
• Consolidate water access licences (under section 71 P(1) (b) of the Water Management Act 2000) (Word file) (PDF file)
• Assign share component between water access licences (under section 71Q of the Water Management Act 2000) (Word file) (PDF file)
• Exit a holding from a water access licence (under section 74 of the Water Management Act 2000)
• Interstate Tagging - NSW Water Access Licence to an interstate extraction point (under section 71W of the Water Management Act 2000)
• Interstate Tagging - Interstate water licence to a NSW approval (extraction point)
• Interstate Tagging (Victorian form) - Interstate Tagging: Taking of Interstate Water in Victoria
• Dealings in water

4. Licence Holder Verification

Once converted from the Water Act 1912 licences, water access licences are registered by the Department of Lands on the Water Access Licence Register. If this process has not yet been completed and you wish to undertake a water dealing where you require the water access licence certificate, you will need to submit a completed Holder verification for replacement water access licences (PDF file) to the Department.

5. Registration of Security Interests

For more information on registering security interests and application forms, please go to Registering security interests.