Permits for concession businesses in parks

Concessions are stands that vendors set up to sell products or services that complement the venue and occasion.

If you want to run a concession business in a park or reserve in the Northern Territory (NT), you must apply for a permit.

You should apply at least 3 months before you want to start doing business. Not all permit applications are successful.

The Parks and Wildlife Commission does not provide permits for Kakadu or Uluru Kata Tjuta National Parks.

For more information about national parks, go to the Australian Government's Department of the Environment website.

What you can apply for

Commercial work is for money or financial gain.

This includes any of the following:

  • specialised guided tours
  • tours to specific parks and reserves
  • on-park commercial activity
  • guided bushwalking tours
  • guided mountain bike tours
  • guided spot lighting tours
  • mobile kiosk sales
  • restricted area guided walking tours
  • restricted area guided vehicle tours
  • ballooning tours
  • non-motorised canoe hire
  • dinghy hire
  • guided abseiling and rock climbing
  • guided horse and camel rides
  • helicopter tours
  • tented (safari) camps.

Types of permits

There are 2 kinds of permits for commercial activities:

A minor concession includes all of the following:

  • a refreshment kiosk
  • tea rooms
  • souvenir or craft shops
  • small hire operations such as canoes or bicycles
  • a safari camp
  • a park-based tour such as a caving tour and instruction
  • a cruise boat tour and instruction.

A major concession includes all of the following:

  • services or guided leisure activities
  • a motel
  • a caravan park
  • a camping area
  • a food outlet that also hires canoes, bicycles
  • a luxury safari camp
  • guided boat tours.

How to apply

You can find out how to apply for a permit to start a:

If you want to conduct other commercial activities inside a park, you may need a concession permit instead.

Apply online
Estimated completion time: 15 to 20 minutes.

All steps must be completed in one go. You can't save your application and complete it at a later stage.

Make sure you have all of the documents and information listed above before you start.

If you can't apply online, contact the Parks and Wildlife permits office.

Fees

Each permit application costs $300.

You can apply for more than one permit at a time for the same cost.

You do not have to pay a fee if you want to renew your permit.

If your application is not successful, you will get your $300 back.

If you are not allowed a permit

If you are not allowed to get a permit, you will be told why.

How to renew

You may be allowed to renew your permit.

See the conditions of your permit and the terms of its renewal.

Contact

Contact the Parks and Wildlife permits office by emailing pwpermits@nt.gov.au or calling 08 8999 4795.


Last updated: 20 February 2023

Give feedback about this page.

Share this page:

URL copied!