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A public land permit is required for any events on public land that may impact the amenity or other people's enjoyment of the area. This includes any ACT Government owned parks and reserves. This could include gatherings such as weddings, private functions and charitable collections, and larger events such as markets, festivals and rallies.
If your event will include objects or equipment such as jumping castles, a stage or tents, you will need a permit.
Some activities may not require a permit, such as small private and recreational activities that are not open to the public and have a defined number of participants.
Please note permit costs vary depending on location and activity. Please see below for more details.
Allow at least 28 days processing time for your public land application to be finalised once all supporting documentation has been provided. If your event involves a large number of people or high-impact activities (e.g. car rallies) please apply up to 6 months in advance.
Depending on the event, there may be other requirements such as public liability insurance or a temporary traffic management plan. See the events checklist to make sure you have everything you need to plan your event.
Events checklist
If you are planning an event on public land, please make sure you have considered the following:
️️✔ Your responsibilities. As the event organiser you must ensure everyone involved in your event is safe and obeying the law. As the permit holder you are responsible for any damage to ACT Government property or land caused by the event. You must remove any rubbish or litter after the event, including temporary signs . You must also follow the ACT’s noise standards.
✔ Public liability insurance. If you are a business, commercial entity or incorporated group or your event is larger than 75 people, you will need public liability insurance worth at least $20,000,000. If your event is non-commercial/non-profit and involves less than 75 people, you may be covered under the ACT Government public liability insurance scheme. For more details please contact us.
✔ Traffic impacts. You will need a temporary traffic management plan if your event disrupts traffic, impacts on parking or public safety, or is likely to attract extra traffic to the area.
✔ Placing signs. Please see the movable signs page for information about placing a sign on public land.
✔ Power/gate access for your event. If you will need access to public power or gates, please select ‘yes’ on your application form.
✔ Food and drink. If you will serve food at your event you may need a food handling permit. Please contact the Health Protection Service on (02) 5124 9700 or email hps@act.gov.au for more information.
✔ Fees and charges. Costs for using public land for events vary depending on location. Check the permit zones map for more details. There may be additional costs per person or per vehicle depending on the event. Fees and charges may also apply for certain activities, such as power access and commercial activities. See the fees and charges page for more details.
You may need to provide supporting documentation, such as a detailed site map, risk management plan and waste management plan, depending on the nature of your event.
Please allow sufficient time for your application in case additional documentation is required. We aim to assess your application within 28 days upon receipt of all supporting documentation, unless additional consultation or approvals are required.
Please note, an application fee is applicable at the time of each submission.
Apply to amend an approved event permit
Use this application to amend an approved event permit when you wish to seek approval to change an already approved permit. For example, this form is to be used if a permit holder is wishing to extend duration, change current event location or seek an additional service, such as gate access or power access to an already existing permit.
Please note, an application fee is applicable at the time of each submission.
You may need to provide supporting documentation, such as a detailed site map, risk management plan and waste management plan, depending on the nature of your activity.
Please allow sufficient time for your amendment application to be considered. We aim to assess your application within 28 days upon receipt of all supporting documentation, unless additional consultation or approvals are required.
Fees and charges
The ACT is divided into 3-tiered commercial payment zones for public land use. Check the fee tables below and see the interactive map for which tier maybe applicable to your activity.
Your land use fees will vary depending on which tier your activity is held and what government infrastructure is impacted. These fees are based on the potential impact to public amenity and territory assets.
