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When you need a paintball venue permit, eligibility requirements, and how to apply.
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When a paintball venue permit is needed
Apply for a paintball venue permit
Key information
- In NSW, you need a permit to operate a paintball business.
- To operate a paintball venue, you must have council approval and a valid insurance policy for at least $10 million dollars.
- If you have a permit from NSW Police that was current at 1 July 2019, you have an extra 12 months from your permit expiry date to renew.
- Paintball permits do not allow you to use a paintball marker outside an authorised venue.
When a paintball venue permit is needed
Paintball is a sport where teams or individual players compete to eliminate each other by shooting paint-filled pellets from a paintball marker (also known as a paintball gun).
In NSW, you need a paintball venue permit to operate a paintball business and:
- purchase and possess paintball markers for use at the venue
- supply paintball markers at the venue solely for temporary use at the venue
- supply paintball markers for purchase by paintball permit holders
- supply paintball markers to another venue permit holder under a sharing arrangement.
Each paintball venue requires a separate paintball venue permit.
To operate a paintball venue you'll need council approval and an insurance policy of at least $10 million. The policy must cover everyone allowed to play paintball aged 12 years and over.
You can apply for a 1, 3 or 5 year permit.
Players under 18 years old
Provided they have written consent from a parent or guardian, any child 12 years and over can play paintball at an authorised venue, using the paintball markers supplied by that venue.
People under the age of 18 cannot own a paintball marker.
Learn more about your responsibilities running a paintball business.
Eligibility
Who can apply
Before you apply for a paintball marker permit you must:
- be at least 18 years old
- pass a ‘fit and proper’ person assessment
What does 'fit and proper' mean?
Fair Trading will perform checks (including financial and police checks) to determine whether you are a suitable person to hold a permit.
For example, this means you:
- have not been convicted of a relevant offence in the last 10 years under the Paintball Act 2018, the regulations, or another Act administered by the Minister for Fair Trading
- are not a mentally incapacitated person
- are not an undischarged bankrupt (including a body corporate or director of a body corporate)
- are not a member of or regularly associate with members of a declared criminal organisation.
Apply for a paintball venue permit
What you need
Before you begin your application for a paintball venue permit, make sure you have:
- the application form for a paintball venue permit
- the paintball permit additional details form (if applicable)
- your business details, including names of any directors, body corporate, partnership or sole trader
- names of any close associates
- the address of each paintball venue
- council approval to operate a paintball venue
- payment for the permit fee.
You can apply for a 1, 3 or 5 year permit.
Note: there is one flat fee for a paintball venue permit regardless of the length of time selected. A separate fee applies for each venue location and permit.
How to apply
This is for new applicants only. Find out how to renew your permit below.
- Download and complete the application form.
- Submit your payment online and enter the receipt number on the application form.
If you answered yes to any questions in the 'applicant's history' section of your application form, you'll also need to complete the paintball permit additional details form.
- Email the application form and any supporting documents to [email protected] or visit a service centre to submit in person.
What happens next?
Review application
Your application will be reviewed and assessed to check it meets eligibility requirements. This can take up to 5 business days to process .
We might contact you (by email or SMS) if we need more information.
If we need to request additional information, the processing time will increase, so it is important that you submit all required information and documents with your original application.
Outcome advised
We will send an email or to advise you if your application has been successful.
If your application is successful, the email will include a copy of your permit.
If your application is unsuccessful, you’ll be advised of the reasons in writing and be provided with your options.
Renewing a permit
You need to renew your paintball venue permit before it expires.
When your current permit is nearing its expiry date, we will notify you via email prompting you to renew.
If you have a permit from NSW Police, that was current at 1 July 2019, you have an extra 12 months from your expiry to renew.
You must have a valid permit in order to trade. Conducting paintball games without a venue permit may result in significant penalties and your professional indemnity insurance being made void.
What you need
Before you begin your application to renew a paintball venue permit, make sure you have:
- the application form for a paintball venue permit
- the paintball permit additional details form (if applicable)
- your business details, including names of any directors, body corporate, partnership or sole trader
- names of any close associates
- the address of each paintball venue
You can apply for a 1, 3 or 5 year permit.
Visit our paintball fees page to find out what you need to pay.
How to renew
- Download and complete the application form.
- Submit your payment online and enter the receipt number on the application form.
Note: If you answered yes to any questions in the 'applicant's history' section of your application form, you'll also need to complete the paintball permit additional details form.
- Email the application form and supporting documents to [email protected] or visit a service centre to submit in person.
Updating permit details
You need to tell us of any changes to your details (e.g. change of contact details or address) if you’re a paintball venue operator.
This ensures that your renewal notice is sent to the right contact.
What you need
Before you begin your application to renew a paintball venue permit, make sure you have:
- the change of details for a paintball permit form
- the details that have changed
- a copy of name change documentation (if applicable)
- business details.
Visit our paintball fees page to find out what you need to pay.
How to update your details
- Download and complete your change of details for a paintball permit form.
- Submit your payment online and enter your receipt number on the form.
- Email the form and any supporting documents to [email protected].
You can also submit your application in-person at your nearest Service NSW centre.
Replace a permit
If your permit is lost, stolen, damaged, destroyed or issued with a printing error you can apply for a replacement.
What you need
Before you begin your application to replace a paintball marker permit, make sure you have:
- the replace a paintball permit application form
- your permit number (if known)
- your contact details
- proof of identity (such as a driver licence or Australian passport)
- business details
- the reason for replacement.
Visit our paintball fees page to find out what you need to pay.
How to replace your permit
- Download and complete your change of details for a paintball permit form.
- Submit your payment online and enter your receipt number on the form.
- Email the form and any supporting documents to [email protected].
You can also submit your application in-person at your nearest Service NSW centre.
Safety training
The NSW paintball marker safety training course addresses the safe use of paintball markers and the safe conduct of activities associated with paintball markers.
From 1 Dec 2021, you must have completed the NSW Paintball Marker Safety Training course if you are:
- applying for a Paintball Marker Permit, or
- a new employee supervising paintball games at an authorised venue unless holding a Paintball Marker Permit.
Existing supervisors who have previously completed the NSW Police General Firearms Course for Long Arms (as per legislative requirements) prior to 1 December 2021 do not need to complete the NSW paintball marker safety training course.
To complete the NSW paintball marker safety training course, you can visit TAFE NSW.
If you're visiting a venue, you don’t need to complete an approved training course. However, the venue may provide you with a safety induction.
Suspended or cancelled permits
Disciplinary action, including suspension or cancellation of a permit, serving a notice to show cause, cautions, imposing conditions on a permit and disqualification from holding a permit may be taken in a number of circumstances including when a permit holder has:
- failed to comply with a condition of a permit
- engaged in improper or unethical conduct which indicated the holder is unfit to hold a permit.
- not complied with the Paintball Act 2018 and Paintball Regulation 2019.
Contact us
Need help applying?
If you need help with your application or have a question, please call 13 32 20.
Unsuccessful applications
If your application is unsuccessful, or if your permit has been suspended or cancelled, you can ask for a review.
A review involves another officer from Fair Trading, who was not involved in the original decision, reviewing the decision on your application.
For more information about the process see reviews of Fair Trading decisions.