Before applying for a licence applicants must read and understand the game hunting requirements. If you are applying to renew your licence, you must also first have returned the
Hunting Take Return form for the previous season.
Hunters are reminded that hunting licences, purchased for taking species with a firearm, are only valid in conjunction with the applicant's current firearms licence.
Hunting Licence Fact Sheet (PDF 161Kb)
Who needs a hunting licence?
Anybody who wants to hunt:
- Deer
- Wild Duck
- Muttonbird
- Wallaby
- Brown Quail
- Pheasant
Am I eligible for a hunting licence?
Applicants must;
- Be older than 14 years of age if use of a firearm is required
- Hold a current firearms licence if applying to take deer, duck, wallaby, brown quail or pheasant. Current firearm licences issued from all Australian states or territories will be accepted (there are firearms exemptions for deer and wallaby)
- Have completed a Hunting Take Return if applying to renew a licence
- Have the permission of the landowner if on private land
- Have passed a Waterfowl Identification Test if applying for a licence to take wild duck
Do I need a firearms licence?
Everybody aged 18 and older who wants a hunting licence will need a current firearms licence (except those hunting muttonbirds, or those who are participating in the hunt but not shooting)
Everybody aged 14 to 17 needs a current Tasmanian Minor's (Firearms) Permit to use a firearm. Hunting licences will not be issued to a person under the age of 14 where a firearms is required to be used
Interstate visitors applying for a hunting licence require a current firearms licence from their home state
Overseas firearms licences are not recognised in Tasmania It is necessary for international hunters to obtain a Tasmanian exemption permit
Applicants purchasing via the hunting licensing website may be required to produce their firearms licence for verification.
Any hunting licence application sent via post, that does not show an applicant's current firearms licence number, will be returned to the applicant without processing.
Please contact Firearm Services on (03) 6173 2720 for further information on firearms licences.
If applying for a wallaby and/or deer hunting licence only to be a non-shooting participant in a property protection activity (for example, as a spotlight holder or driver) write 'non-shooting HL' on the hunting licence application form.
Requirement to declare prior convictions
All hunters making an application to purchase a hunting licence are required to declare any
relevant offence of which they have been convicted during the last 5 years.
Applications made through any Service Tasmania shop where the YES box is ticked in relation to the question "Have you been convicted of a wildlife related offence in the past five (5) years?" will be declined and the applicant directed to Wildlife Services.
Similarly if you answer Yes to this question when applying online please contact Wildlife Services before completing the application. Details can be found at the bottom of this page.
The
Nature Conservation (Wildlife) Regulations 2021 require that a hunting licence is not to be granted to any person convicted of a relevant offence within the last five years. Please note that the Wildlife Services cannot overturn or waive a conviction to allow granting of a hunting licence. If an applicant wishes to contest their conviction, they must do so with the agency that made the conviction.
What is included with my hunting licence?
Licence purchasers will receive:
Each new hunting licence applicant is issued with a unique licence number. You will see this number cited on your;
Renewal application (for people who have held recreational hunting licences before)
Plastic hunting licence card
Interim hunting licence receipt
Applicants can purchase a hunting licence for one or more game species at the same time, or individually as required at the start of each hunting season. If you need to update your personal details during the season this can be done at no additional cost by contact Wildlife Services.
Please contact Game Services Tasmania for a copy of Game Tracks.
Licence conditions and compliance obligations
The Nature Conservation (Wildlife) Regulations 2021 govern hunting in Tasmania. There are a number of regulations applicable to all species;
Conditions
The licence holder must only take and possess the game species specified on the Hunting Licence Card
You must only hunt within the specified season and comply with bag limits as set in the Nature Conservation (Open Seasons) Order 2004
Wildlife can only be hunted in areas where you have authority from the landholder
You must not shoot from or on a public road
You must not discharge a firearm within 250 meters of a dwelling without consent from the occupier
Take must be by means of shooting only (except muttonbirds)
Muttonbird take must be by hand removal only
You must comply with wildlife-specific animal welfare standards and guidelines/codes of practice
Any wounded wildlife and dependent young, that are unlikely to survive in the wild, must be humanely killed immediately. This must be done in accordance with approved methods in the animal welfare standards and guidelines/codes of practice
Live juvenile wildlife must not be sold or gifted to anyone as a pet or to be rehabilitated, raised, or cared for without written approval from the Department
You must provide take returns for all species harvested (except wallaby)
Obligations
This Hunting Licence is issues subject to the Nature Conservation (Wildlife) Regulations 2021
Non-shooting Hunting Licence holders for deer or wallaby must only possess deceased deer or wallaby, taken by an authorised person
You must notify Wildlife Services if you lose or damage your deer tag. A statutory declaration must be completed and submitted prior to a replacement deer tag being issued
If a Hunting Licence Card is lost or damaged, the holder should contact Wildlife Services and apply for a replacement card. There is no charge for a replacement card.
You must only hunt wildlife with the permitted type and calibre of firearm for that species as described in the Nature Conservation (Wildlife) Regulations 2021
You must not hunt wildlife during the period beginning one hour after sunset on any day and ending one hour before sunrise on the next day without written authority from the Department
You must not use, or possess, a detection device e.g. thermal or light for the purpose of taking wildlife during the period beginning one hour after sunset on any day and ending one hour before sunrise on the next day
You must not shoot from a conveyance; or within 10 metres of a conveyance
You must not sell or offer for sale any wildlife taken under this licence
The use of baits, live decoys, traps, snared, spears, bow and arrows, crossbows, explosives, nets, poison, bird lime and chemical compounds is prohibited
The use of dogs to catch, kill, or injure wildlife is prohibited
Immediately after taking an adult male deer, you must affix and lock your prescribed 'M' tag to the antler of that deer, around the beam between the brow tine and trez tine
You must not remove a prescribed tag that has been fixed to a deer
You must not damage, interfere with or deface a prescribed tag
You must not remove the head, or sever the body, of a deer at a location other than your usual residence unless the deer was tagged and all products of wildlife relating to the deer have been labelled with your name, residential address, licence number and tag number.
Hunting take return
Hunting take returns must be submitted at the conclusion of each game season and before the purchase of the new season's licence. Hunting Take Returns can be submitted after the 1st of July each year online, or via email or post. Do not submit an online return until you have finished all hunting activities, as once submitted you will be unable to edit your take return numbers.
Licence holders that provide their take information are automatically sent a licence renewal application for the following game seasons.
Information collected is used to ensure the sustainable management of Tasmania's game species and forms the basis of the hunting season reports provided in Game Tracks.
More information on is available via the
Hunting Take Return page.
Hunting Take Return Form and Map (PDF 372Kb)
Please note: A hunting licence holder who does not provide their take information as required will not receive a re-application in the post. They will not be able to purchase a hunting licence for the following hunting season until the take information is submitted.
Lost or damaged hunting licence cards or tags
Hunting licence cards
If your hunting licence card is lost or damaged a replacement may be requested by completing a hunting licence application form. Selecting the application type 'I want to replace a lost or damaged current hunting licence card'.
Deer tags
Lost or damaged deer tags may be replaced. Please contact Wildlife Services on the contact details at the bottom of the page to arrange a replacement.
A statutory declaration must be completed and submitted prior to a replacement tag being issued.
How to apply
There are two ways to apply for a hunting licence once the Hunting Season opens each year:
1. In person
Visit your closest Service Tasmania shop and submit a Hunting Licence Application Form
2. Apply online
Click on the declaration below to proceed to the online application portal.
We accept Mastercard and Visa payments.
