General Questions

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Q: What can I do on this Web site?

This Web site is a NSW Government initiative to provide online services for NSW Government licences, registrations, certificates and permits (hereafter called licences). Services for NSW business, occupational and recreational licence holders will come online progressively, providing an additional option to traditional counter, telephone and postal services.

The objective of this initiative is to improve the quality and timeliness of licence processing to benefit businesses, individual licence holders and government.

This online service channel enables:

• Lodgement of licence applications, renewals, amendments (eg. address change) and supporting documentation (eg PDF documents).
• More self management of licences across different licensing agencies.
• Payment of fees.
• Searching of public registers.

All transactions submitted via this Web site will be processed by the NSW government agency administering the particular licence type.

Q: Where can I get paper forms for lodging changes to particulars, notice of cessation etc?

Paper forms are available from the licensing authority responsible for the licence you are interested in. Forms may be downloaded from the Business Licence Information Service (BLIS) Web site (see link on Government Licensing Service Home page) or from the applicable licensing authority's Web site where available.

Q: How do I get help?

For licence/registration specific help such as how to fill a form please contact the applicable licensing authority. How to fill form instructions are also available from the Business Licence Information Service (BLIS) Web site from the home page.

For technical information on the use of this site, please contact the Government Licensing Service support team using the contact details provided in the Contact Us page of this Web site.

Q: When is the Web site available?

As close as possible to 24 hours a day.

For technical information on the use of this site, please contact the Government Licensing Service support team using the contact details provided in the Contact Us page of this Web site.

Accessing my licence/registration (all other licences)

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Q: How do I access my licence/registration transactions?

This website is being upgraded, and that will temporarily affect the way users can sign-in, register and manage their licences.

If you are interested in applying for a valuer licence or a trade-promotion lottery permit, this site will continue to offer the old-style registration and login process for a limited time. Click here for an FAQ on this process.

For all other licences (e.g. Tobacco notification), read on...

Q: Do I need to register or login to apply for a licence?

Yes. Unless you are applying for a fishing licence, which requires no registration.

First time applicants will need to register. Returning users must login to access their applications. Registration is a very quick and simple process.

Q: What's my user ID ?

For most users, it's the e-mail address that you supplied during registration.

Authorised agents may be issued a special user-id by a relevant licensing authority. In this case you need to provide the user-id.

Q: Can I save a licence application halfway and complete it later?

Absolutely. All data you enter is saved when you click the "next" button on any page of the application form.

If you wish to return later to complete your application, simply Sign-in from the home page. Once you are logged in, click on your application from the list and you are ready to go.

Q: I have forgotten my User Id, how can I login to the Web site?

Click on "forgot my password" link in the login page.

Lodging a renewal and / or changes

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Q: I want to renew my licence/registration/certificate online using the NSW Government Licensing Service. When can I lodge a renewal online?

The period within which a licence can be renewed varies by licence type. As a general rule an application for the renewal of a fixed-term licence may be made to the relevant licensing authority by the licensee:

• In the case of a licence having a term of less than 3 months, at any time within 2 weeks before the licence expires, or
• In the case of a licence having a term of 3 months or more up to 12 months, at any time within 4 weeks before the licence expires, or
• In the case of a licence having a term of more than 12 months, at any time within 8 weeks before the licence expires.

Not all licences are renewable online.

A renewal that is lodged after the due date may incur a late fee.

Only some agencies allow an expired licence/registration to be restored. If your licence cannot be restored, you may have to apply for a new licence.

Please check with the licensing authority to determine if your licence can be restored.

Q: How do I lodge my renewal/registration/certificate online?

• In the home page, enter the licence and renewal numbers and click "Go".
• If applicable enter all mandatory details and answer all mandatory questions.
• If you have to certify details, events or occurrences regarding your licence you will be presented with a declaration that you have to answer/confirm.
• Read the declaration carefully and satisfy yourself that there are no events or occurrences to declare and /or change to your details, then proceed by ticking the ‘I agree’ button.
• If applicable choose a renewal period.
• If applicable, you may be requested to pay a fee.
• To lodge the renewal enter your credit card details and click the ‘Lodge renewal’ button.
• If your payment is successful you will be presented with a receipt/tax invoice which you can print for your records.
• The licence renewal application would be lodged with the relevant agency and will be processed as soon as possible.

Q: Can I lodge a renewal and a change to particulars at the same time?

• Yes. By Clicking on the "Amend my details" button on the renewal page

Q: Can I lodge more than one licence renewal application ?

Yes. You need to have a unique licence number / renewal number pair for each renewal.

Q: I have logged on to the Web site but it will not let me renew my licence/registration/certificate, why?

There may be circumstances related to your licence that may prevent its renewal being lodged online. The circumstances are determined by the licensing authority for example if your licence has expired and cannot be restored. The online service will display messages to advise you of potential reasons why your licence renewal application cannot be lodged online and alternative lodgement options.

Q: The session timed out, immediately after I clicked the ‘Lodge renewal’ button. How can I find out if my request has been processed?

Go back to the home page, re enter the licence number and licence renewal number and click the ‘Go’ button. If your request was lodged successfully, the service will display the Receipt/tax invoice details. Otherwise, you will be prompted to continue with lodging the licence renewal application again.

Q: Why are the licence/registration details on the Web site different to the details on the renewal form that I have received?

The renewal application notice is printed and mailed to you several weeks before your licence is due to expire. If you have advised changes to your licence particulars after the renewal notice has been printed, then the licence/registration details on the Web site can be different to the details on the renewal notice. The details shown on the Web site may be generally regarded as the most current approved record.

Q: I have received a letter from the licensing authority requesting further information about my licence/registration; can I reply with the details on the Web site?

No, please follow the instructions in the letter from the licensing authority.

When will the changes to particulars that I have lodged be shown online? The approved changes will be shown online after the licensing authority has processed the lodgement.

 

Fees and online payments

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Q: What are the current fees for online lodgement?

You can visit the licensing authority's Web site for a complete list of licence/registration fees or Search the BLIS site via the link on the Home page.

Q: How does the Late Fee operate?

Depending on the licence type which you are renewing, a renewal that is lodged after the licence expiry date may incur a late fee.

Some licence types do not allow the renewal of expired licences. In such cases new applications have to be lodged.

The time of lodgement via the online Web site is the time when you clicked the Pay Now button on the Payment page.

Q: Which credit cards can be used to pay online?

Most agencies accept MasterCard and Visa, and in some instances agencies accept American Express and Diners.

Q: When will my online payment appear on my credit card statement?

The settlement date will be the same day, if the payment is made up to 6 pm. If the payment is made after 6 pm the settlement date will be the next day. The payment will appear on your credit card statement based on the settlement date and your credit card statement start and end dates.

Q: How can I find out the bank receipt number for my credit card payment?

The bank receipt number for your payment is displayed on the receipt/tax invoice after your payment has been accepted.

Q: Can I cancel the payment and lodgement after I have clicked the “Pay Now” or the “Lodge Renewal” button?

No. You cannot cancel the transaction after you have clicked the “Pay Now” or the “Lodge Renewal” button.

Q: What do I do if my credit card statement is incorrect?

In the first instance, contact your credit card provider.

Q: Can I reverse my online payment?

Online payments can be reversed in the usual way by contacting your credit card provider. If you reverse the payment that you have made online, the application, renewal and/or amendment in particulars made in relation to that credit card transaction may also be reversed.

This could have implications for the continuation of your licence/registration.

Q: How can I get a receipt for my online payment?

The receipt reference number for your online payment is included on the receipt/tax invoice. Please print it for your records.

Q: Can I expect a refund if the licensing authority rejects my online request for licence, renewal and/or amendment and how will I receive it?

If the request is not granted all but the processing fee component is refunded.

Usually the licensing authority will make the refund by sending a cheque to the applicant.

Q: Can I get a pro-rata refund if I surrender my licence before the licence/registration expiry date?

Please check with the licensing authority issuing your licence.

Q: Can I pay in instalments or part payments?

No. You cannot pay in instalments or part payments.

Q: Can I pay online when I am overseas?

Yes. The Web site is accessible when you are overseas and you can pay using a credit card that is accepted.

Q: What happens if I have clicked the “Pay Now” or the “Lodge Renewal” button more than once for the one payment?

Multiple clicks on the “Pay Now” or the “Lodge Renewal” button will be ignored while your payment is being processed.

Technical problems

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Q: What browser do I need to access the Web site?

This Web site works with Internet Explorer 5.0/6.0/7.0, Netscape 4.7 and Modzilla Firefox browsers.

Q: What happens if I lose power / connection to the Web site?

Any information that you have entered on the Web site will be saved for you to resume at a later time.

Q: How do I print a screen that is displayed from this Web site?

The way Internet Explorer works, to be able to print the whole view (as you see it on the screen) you need to go into the Options tab of the print dialog box and choose the "As laid out on the screen" option. Other browsers will have similar settings.

Security

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Q: How secure are my personal details on this Web site and why are they needed?

Please refer to the privacy policy link in the home page which provides a general description of the privacy policy.

For privacy details of your specific licence please refer to the licensing authority issuing your licence.

Q: How safe is it to use my credit card on this Web site?

This Web site uses a well established online payment mechanism provided by Westpac. The Government Licensing Service does not keep a record of the credit card details used for online payments on this Web site.

Q: What is the meaning of the padlock that appears on my browser when using this Web site?

The padlock indicates that the Web site is in a secure session using Secure Socket Layer 128 bit encryption technology. This gives you added security.

Q: Can I give my Customer Reference Number, User Id or Password to another person?

You should not disclose your Customer Reference Number, User Id or Password to any other person. You will be responsible for any transactions made on your registration record using your Customer Reference Number, User Id or Password.

Q: How do I cancel my Customer Reference Number?

Contact the licensing authority by using details provided on the Contact Us page on this Web site.

Privacy

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Q: What information is collected when I browse this Web site?

When you browse the Government Licensing Service Web site, the NSW Department of Services, Technology and Administration logs the following information for statistical purposes – your server address, top level domain name (e.g. .com, .gov, .au, .uk etc), the date and time of your visit, the pages accessed, documents downloaded, the previous site visited and the type of browser used.

The Department will not try to identify users or their browsing activities, except in the event of a lawful investigation by a licensing authority or a law enforcement agency.

Q: What is the role of the Department of Services, Technology and Administration?

The NSW Department of Services, Technology and Administration is a service provider. As the service provider, the Department operates the Government Licensing Service Web site, the software and the database, and makes these facilities available to NSW licensing authorities. The Department refers requests for access to personal information to the relevant licensing authority.

Q: Who has access to personal information I enter into this Web site?

You provide information to a licensing authority when you apply for a licence. The licensing authority has access to this information, just as if you submitted a written application. You may also provide information when you are renewing a licence or making another transaction – for example when changing your address. The licensing authority also has access to this information.

The NSW Department of Services, Technology and Administration does not access your personal information unless this is necessary when it is providing a technical service to a licensing authority. Backing up data and investigating system errors are examples of technical services. The Department reserves the right to make disclosures to relevant licensing authorities or law enforcement agencies where required by law or as part of a lawful investigation.

Public Register

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Q: What is a public register?

A public register is a publicly accessible collection of information about a licence. Legislation that establishes a licence may require or authorise a licensing authority to maintain a public register. The information in a public register varies from licence to licence. A public register may include information such as:

• applications submitted to the licensing authority
• objections or comments made by other people about a licence application
• licences issued by the licensing authority
• details about the people or organisations that hold a licence
• conditions or restrictions that apply to a licence
• the current status of licences – for example current, suspended, expired etc
• formal actions taken by the licensing authority – such as warnings or penalties
• legal proceedings taken against a licence holder.

A public register is required for some licences, but not for all licences.

Q: Are public registers available on the Government Licensing Service Web site?

The rules for inspecting a public register are usually set out in the legislation that requires or authorises the register. These rules vary from register to register. Some registers are available for inspection via this Web site. Conditions apply to some registers, for example you may need to:

• pay an inspection fee
• state who you are
• explain why you want to inspect the register
• complete a statutory declaration about how you intend to use the information.

Usually a licensing authority will not disclose personal information held in a public register.

A licensing authority may choose to make information from a public register available on the Government Licensing Service Web site. This information may be:

• an extract from the public register
• the complete public register.

Contact the licensing authority that maintains the public register to find out what information is available on Government Licensing Service Web site, and to find out about any inspection rules.

Q: How do I find information in a public register on the Government Licensing Service Web site?

Take these actions to find information in a public register on the Government Licensing Service Web site.

1. Click the Find a Licence Holder hyperlink on the Government Licensing Service Web site Home Page.
2. Choose the public register on the next screen. Enter the type of licence in the Licence Type text box – or click on the tick to get a list of available registers.
3. Select a licence type from the list - just click the Select button next to a licence type.
4. The search screen may vary from register to register. Follow any instructions on screen for the register you are searching. Generally you should enter the licence number (if known) or licensee name ie " JOE TRADER ".
5. The information provided may vary from public register to public register. Contact the licensing authority to check if other information is available - and about any inspection rules.

Q: I do not want my personal information available in a public register on the Government Licensing Service Web site. What can I do?

Contact the licensing authority that maintains the public register. You can ask the licensing authority to remove the personal information from the publicly available part of the register.

The licensing authority will make a decision about your request and will inform you about its decision. The licensing authority will consider the safety and well being of all people who could be affected – including you. It will also consider what is in the public interest. The licensing authority will inform you about any appeal rights you may have if your request is refused.

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