Environmental licences and permits
The department provides information about how to obtain environmental licences and permits. This includes fee information, application forms, information sheets and guidelines relevant to a range of activities.
When planning a project or activity that could impact upon the environment, it is important to first determine what kinds of approvals are required.
We strongly encourage you to take advantage of our free consultation service before lodging any application with the department. This will ensure the correct information has been provided and the application can proceed without delays.
- email: palm@ehp.qld.gov.au
- phone: 13QGOV (13 74 68) or download the form Application for a pre-design/pre-lodgement meeting - EM1125.
Types of licences and permits
The department issues three main types of licences and permits. The first type is those that are triggered under the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 requiring a development approval. These include:
- engaging in a concurrence environmentally relevant activity (prescribed ERAs)
- conducting tidal works or development in a coastal management district
- development involving contaminated land or land where a notifiable activity has or is to occur
- engaging in certain agricultural or animal husbandry activities in a wild river area
- altering a heritage place
- conducting high impact earthworks in a Great Barrier Reef wetland protection area.
The second type is those that are triggered under the Environmental Protection Act 1994 requiring an environmental authority. These include:
- conducting an ERA that is a prescribed activity or a prescribed ERA project
- conducting an ERA that is a resource activity or a resource project.
Only registered suitable operators can hold an environmental authority.
If you are not already a registered suitable operator you can apply before or at the same time you apply for an environmental authority. You can view the register of suitable operators to obtain your reference number or to see if you are already registered.
Environmentally relevant activities (ERAs) can be industrial activities, mining activities or other resource activities with the potential to release contaminants into the environment. These activities may include:
- chemical manufacturing
- waste treatment
- coal mining
- mineral mining or extraction
- petroleum and gas activities.
Some agricultural activities such as piggeries, prawn farms and cattle feedlots are also ERAs.
ERAs are split into two main categories, prescribed activities and resource activities. Prescribed activities are those ERAs defined in schedule 2 of the Environmental Protection Regulation 2008. Resource activities are those activities that involve a geothermal activity, a greenhouse gas storage activity, a mining activity or a petroleum activity.
For further information in relation to applying for and managing an environmental authority please refer to the Business and industry portal.
The third type is those which are triggered under other legislation and include:
- collection authorities for collecting native biological resources from State Lands or Queensland waters for biodiscovery purposes
- licences for taking, keeping, using or moving native wildlife for commercial, recreational or other purposes
- licences for the commercial harvesting, trade or use of protected native plants.
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