Do I need a permit or insurance for my event?
Almost every event needs public liability insurance, usually $20 million. Whether you also need a council permit, planning approval, a liquor licence or a music licence depends on where the event is, whether you sell alcohol and how many people come. Here's what applies in each state, and how far ahead to apply.
This is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Rules change and vary between councils, so check with your council, venue and the official sources below for your event. Tickify sells and scans your tickets. Getting the permits, licences and insurance your event needs is up to you as the organiser.
The short answer
At a licensed venue, such as a bar, club or hall, the venue's licence and approvals usually cover the space. You'll still be asked for your own public liability insurance, and you should confirm what the venue's liquor and music licences cover for an event you run.
In a park, beach or street, you need a council event permit, insurance and, for bigger events, police and traffic approvals.
On private land or in a space that isn't usually a venue, such as a warehouse, farm or pop-up, the owner's permission isn't enough on its own. You may need planning or building approval, and a liquor licence if you sell drinks. This is where first-time organisers most often get caught out.
What you might need
| What | When you need it | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Public liability insurance | Almost always. Venues and councils ask for a certificate before they approve or hire. | $20 million is the usual amount for events on council land; some halls ask for $10 million. |
| Council event permit | Events in parks, beaches, streets and other public spaces. Some councils also cover events on private property. | Apply to the local council (in the ACT, the ACT Government). |
| Planning or building approval | Warehouses, farms, pop-ups and other spaces that aren't usually venues, especially if fenced, enclosed or with marquees and stages. | Rules and size limits differ by state; see the table below. |
| Liquor licence or permit | If you sell alcohol, or include it in the ticket price, anywhere that isn't already licensed for your event. | Each state has a one-off licence for events. |
| Music licence (OneMusic) | Live or recorded music at a public event. The venue may already hold one; check it covers your event. | For ticketed music events it's a percentage of your ticket sales. |
| Police and traffic approvals | Road closures, large crowds, or events police ask to be told about. | Lead times are often 12 weeks or more. |
| Food, structures and security | Food stalls, marquees and stages above set sizes, and crowd control. | Food vendors register with the council; crowd controllers must be licensed. |
| Workers' compensation | As soon as you employ anyone, including casual staff for one night. | Compulsory, through your state's scheme. |
Public liability insurance
Public liability insurance covers you if someone is injured or their property is damaged at your event. In most cases no law requires it, but venues and councils make it a condition of hire or approval, so in practice you need it. City of Melbourne, Brisbane City Council and the ACT Government ask for at least $20 million for events on their land; some community halls ask for $10 million.
- Councils usually want the policy in the permit holder's name, covering the activity you're running, and sometimes with the council named on the certificate. Expect to send the certificate of currency with your application.
- Make sure the cover includes bump-in and bump-out, not just the hours the event is open.
- A council's casual-hirer insurance usually isn't available to events that charge admission, and a venue's own policy covers the venue, not your event.
- Your policy doesn't cover your performers and suppliers. Ask bands, DJs, marquee hire and other contractors for their own certificates.
- If you employ anyone, even for one night, workers' compensation is compulsory through your state's scheme.
- Cancellation insurance is optional; it's worth pricing for events with large upfront costs.
We didn't find a reliable public figure for what event insurance costs, as it depends on the event, crowd size and risks such as alcohol. Get quotes before you set your ticket price, and add the cost to your break-even.
Selling alcohol
If the venue is already licensed, ask whether its licence covers your event and who runs the bar. If it isn't, and you sell alcohol, you need a one-off licence or permit from your state's liquor regulator. Including drinks in the ticket price still counts as selling: Victoria and Tasmania say so explicitly.
Lead times range from 7 days (Tasmania, and small events in South Australia) to 8 weeks (Victoria) and 90 days (WA events over 5,000 people). Licensed events also bring rules about responsible service of alcohol and, for bigger crowds, licensed crowd controllers. The state table below lists the licence name and lead time for each state.
Music licensing
Playing live or recorded music at a public event needs a OneMusic licence (OneMusic is run by APRA AMCOS and PPCA). OneMusic says it's the venue or the event organiser who needs the licence, not the band or DJ. Ask whether the venue's licence already covers a ticketed event run by you; at a site that isn't a venue, you'll need your own.
For ticketed music events, including club nights and gigs, OneMusic charges 2.2% of net box office receipts for the songs, plus a charge for recorded music (such as DJ sets) if you declare it, with a minimum fee of $82.50 per event. Net box office excludes GST, third-party booking fees and card charges. You report your event to OneMusic within 30 days. Comedy, cabaret and other special-purpose shows, and free events, have their own rates.
State by state
Most approvals come from your local council, so the council examples are a guide to what to expect, not the rule everywhere. Times are the minimums each source states; apply earlier if you can.
At a glance
| State | One-off liquor licence | Lodge at least | Council event permit (example) |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | Limited licence (special event) | 28 days | Up to 6 weeks (Sydney, minor events) |
| Vic | Temporary limited licence | 8 weeks | 6 weeks to 3 months (Melbourne, low risk) |
| Qld | Through a licensee (not-for-profits: community liquor permit) | 21 days (community permit) | 30 business days (Brisbane) |
| WA | Occasional liquor licence | 14 to 90 days, by crowd size | 10 business days (Perth, small events) |
| SA | Short term liquor licence | 7 to 60 days, by class | 21 days (Adelaide Park Lands, small events) |
| Tas | Special permit | 7 days | 8 weeks (Launceston) |
| ACT | Commercial liquor permit | Not published | 28 days (public land permit) |
| NT | Special event licence | Usually processed in 4 weeks | 10 business days (Darwin, small events) |
The detail for your state
New South Wales
Council event application. City of Sydney: up to 6 weeks before minor events, up to 26 weeks before major ones.
Small community events can be exempt if they stay within set limits (marquees up to 300 m², stages under 50 m², set hours, not in residential or rural zones). Otherwise a development application: allow 14+ weeks.
Limited licence (special event): lodge 28+ days ahead, $207. Public events of 2,000+ apply as a large-scale commercial event.
Music festivals of 2,000+ people: early notification 120 days before, and a health and medical plan.
Victoria
Council event permit. City of Melbourne: 6 weeks to 3 months for low-risk events, 3 to 6 months for medium risk.
A council planning permit is usually needed. Enclosed or ticketed places over 500 m² need a place of public entertainment (POPE) occupancy permit; large marquees (100 m²+) and stages (150 m²+) need their own.
Temporary limited licence: apply 8+ weeks ahead, $103.60. Needed when alcohol is sold or included in the ticket price.
Tell Victoria Police at least 12 weeks before your event; large events need more notice.
Queensland
Council event permit. Brisbane: required at 2,000+ people (and some events of 1,000+), apply 30 business days ahead; also covers private property.
Check with your council; Brisbane's event permit applies on private property too.
Community liquor permits are for not-for-profits only (21+ days ahead). Commercial events sell alcohol through a licensee holding a commercial public event permit.
High-risk events (2,000+ a day, dance parties, late trading) need an event management plan and licensed crowd controllers.
Western Australia
Local government event approval. City of Perth: 10 business days for low-impact events (50 to 999 people), 3 months for 1,000+.
Outdoor events count as public buildings: Form 1 public building approval, plus a Certificate of Approval if the event is fenced or enclosed.
Occasional liquor licence: lodge 14 days ahead (up to 500 patrons), 60 days (501 to 5,000), 90 days (5,001+).
Events over 500 patrons are registered with the Department of Health.
South Australia
Council event approval. Adelaide Park Lands: 21 days before bump-in for single-day events under 1,500 people, 6 months for major events.
Development approval may be needed for events on private land; Adelaide Hills Council says to allow up to six months.
Short term liquor licence: 7 days ahead (class 1, up to 200 people), 30 days (class 2, up to 1,200), 60 days (class 3, over 1,200).
Class 3 events need a management plan, and security staff need RSA.
Tasmania
Council special event application. Launceston asks for at least 8 weeks.
A council place of assembly licence for 1,000+ people for two hours or more, and a temporary occupancy permit for stages and marquees.
Special permit: submit 7+ days ahead. A ticket price that includes drinks counts as selling alcohol.
Road closures need Tasmania Police approval.
ACT
ACT Government public land permit: allow 28+ days, up to 6 months for large events. Access Canberra's Event Coordination team is a single contact across agencies.
Ask Access Canberra's Event Coordination team what applies to your site.
Commercial liquor permit for selling alcohol at events (fees scale with liquor value, from $155).
$20 million public liability is required for commercial events or those over 75 people.
Northern Territory
Council event application. City of Darwin: at least 10 business days for small events, 1 month for larger ones, 3 to 6 months for major events.
Check with your council and NT Police.
Special event licence for events under 1,500 people (usually processed within 4 weeks); a major event licence above that.
NT Police ask for major event documents at least 3 months before.
How far ahead to start
- At a licensed venue: sort out insurance and check the venue's licences before you announce.
- Small events in public spaces: 10 business days to 6 weeks, depending on the council.
- Alcohol, marquees, road closures or 1,000+ people: three months or more. Development applications and road closures in Sydney need at least 14 and 12 weeks.
- Major events and festivals: 6 to 12 months.
Common mistakes
Applying too late
Councils can decline late or incomplete applications. City of Sydney warns that applications lodged less than six weeks out may be declined.
Missing documents
An application without insurance, a site map, a risk assessment or an event plan is often not assessed at all.
The wrong name on the insurance certificate
Councils want the policy in the same name as the permit holder, covering the activity you're running, including bump-in and bump-out.
Assuming someone else's insurance covers you
Council casual-hirer cover usually excludes ticketed or commercial events, and a venue's policy covers the venue, not your event.
Not collecting certificates from suppliers
Performers, marquee hire and other contractors should hold their own public liability cover. Ask for their certificates.
Assuming the venue's music licence covers you
Check whether the venue's OneMusic licence covers a ticketed event run by a promoter, or whether you need your own.
Thinking drinks in the ticket price don't count
In Victoria and Tasmania, alcohol included in the ticket price counts as selling alcohol, so you need a licence.
Selling tickets once you're approved
Approvals often come with a capacity limit. Set your ticket numbers to match it, and keep a record of who came. For the full setup, see how to sell tickets for an event online, and if you're starting a regular night, how to start a club night.
On Tickify
Set how many tickets each release can sell, scan tickets at the door on your staff's phones with the free Tickify Launch app, and export your attendee list after the event. It's free for organisers: buyers pay the booking fee, with card processing included, so you keep the full ticket price. See pricing.
Start selling ticketsFrequently asked questions
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Sources
Checked against these official pages on 4 November 2026. Council examples show typical requirements; your council's may differ.
- NSW Government: Event Starter Guide
- NSW Government: Event Starter Guide, music and performers
- City of Sydney: Holding outdoor events in parks and public spaces
- NSW Planning: Running a temporary community event (fact sheet)
- NSW Planning Portal: Temporary uses and structures
- Liquor & Gaming NSW: Limited licence
- Liquor & Gaming NSW: Liquor licence fees
- NSW Government: Planning a music festival
- NSW Government: Music festival common questions
- City of Melbourne: Event permits and planning
- City of Melbourne: Public liability insurance
- Glen Eira City Council: Occupancy permits for events
- City of Casey: Place of public entertainment exemptions
- Liquor Control Victoria: Apply for a temporary limited liquor licence
- Liquor Control Victoria: Do you need a liquor licence?
- Victoria Police: Events
- Wyndham City: Casual hirers insurance brochure 2026–27
- Brisbane City Council: Event and festival permits
- Brisbane City Council: Event customer guide
- Business Queensland: Community liquor permits
- Business Queensland: Liquor licence and permit types
- Business Queensland: High risk events (Guideline 33)
- City of Perth: Event planning guidelines
- WA Government: Occasional liquor licence lodgement guide
- WA Health: Guidelines for concerts, events and organised gatherings
- City of Adelaide: Public events in the Park Lands
- Adelaide Hills Council: Festivals and events application
- SA Government: Short term liquor licence
- business.gov.au: Short term liquor licence (SA)
- City of Launceston: Event planning
- City of Hobart: Place of assembly licences
- Tasmanian Government: Liquor permits
- Tasmanian Government: Special permits
- ACT Government: Event bookings on public land
- Access Canberra: Get help to plan an event
- Access Canberra: Liquor permits
- City of Darwin: Event types and notice periods
- NT Government: Liquor licence types
- NT Police: Major events
- OneMusic Australia: Event licences guide (May 2026)
- business.gov.au: Types of business insurance