Australian Government

Federal Register of Legislation

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Regulations 2025

In force

Administered by

Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

This item is authorised by the following title:

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

Latest version

View as made version

F2026C00594 C01

01 July 2026

Table of contents

Part 1—Preliminary
- 1.01 Name
- 1.02A Authority
- 1.03 Definitions—the dictionary
Part 2—Matters of national environmental significance
- Division 2.1—Nuclear action
- Division 2.2—Additional matters of national environmental significance
- Division 2.3—Actions taken to be covered by Division 1 of Part 3 of the Act
  - 2.10 Grazing domestic stock
Part 2A—Actions covered by Ministerial declarations
- 2A.01 Criteria for accreditation of management arrangements for Commonwealth managed fisheries
- 2A.02 Publication of determination about minor amendments to an accredited management arrangement or authorisation process
- 2A.03 Requirements for a declaration
- 2A.04 Publication of a declaration or instrument
Part 2B—Bilaterally accredited management plans
- 2B.01 Criteria for accreditation of management plans for World Heritage properties and National Heritage places
Part 3—Bilateral agreements to which s 47(1) of the Act apply
- Division 3.1—Preliminary
  - 3.01 Application of Part 3
- Division 3.2—General requirements
- Division 3.3—Classes of actions not needing assessment
  - 3.05 Application of Division 3.3
  - 3.06 Manner of assessment
Part 4—Referral of proposals to take action
- 4.01 Purpose of Part 4
- 4.02 The way referrals must be made
- 4.03 Information that must be included in referrals
- 4.04 Notice of proposal to take action to comply with requirement or request
Part 4A—Reconsideration of a decision under section 75 of the Act
- 4AA.01 Requirements for requests
- 4A.01 Notice of the outcome of reconsideration
Part 5—Assessing impact of controlled actions
- Division 5.1A—Assessment on referral information
  - 5.03A Minister’s decision on an assessment on referral information
- Division 5.2—Matters to be addressed by draft public environment report and environmental impact statement
  - 5.04 Matters that must be addressed in draft public environment report and environmental impact statement
- Division 5.3—Extension of the period of effect of approval
  - 5.05 Information for application to Minister to extend the period of effect of approval
  - 5.06 Publication of notice of decision to extend the period of effect of approval
- Division 5.4—Variations of proposals to take actions
- Division 5.5—Change of person proposing to take an action
  - 5.10 Information for notice of change of person proposing to take an action
  - 5.11 Publication of notice of change of person proposing to take an action
- Division 5.6—Fees
Part 6—Minister’s advice on authorising actions
- 6.01 Actions for which Minister’s advice must be obtained
- 6.02 Content of referral of proposal to the Minister
- 6.03 Notice of decision that the Minister’s advice is not required
Part 6A—Publication of information relating to assessments
- 6A.01 Request for commercial-in-confidence information not to be disclosed
Part 6B—Withdrawal of referrals
- 6B.01 Publication of a notice withdrawing a referral
Part 7—Species and communities
- Division 7.1—Listing
  - 7.01 Criteria for listing threatened species
  - 7.02 Criteria for listing threatened ecological communities
- Division 7.2—Nominations for listing
- Division 7.3—Notification of action
  - 7.08 Particulars to be notified
- Division 7.4—Register of critical habitat
  - 7.09 Identification of critical habitat
  - 7.10 Requirements for register of critical habitat
- Division 7.5—Recovery plans and threat abatement plans
- Division 7.6—Conservation agreements
  - 7.13 Variation and termination of conservation agreements
Part 8—Interacting with cetaceans and whale watching
- Division 8.1—Interacting with cetaceans
- Division 8.2—Whale watching
Part 8A—Access to biological resources in Commonwealth areas
- Division 8A.1—Preliminary
- Division 8A.2—Access to biological resources for commercial purposes or potential commercial purposes
- Division 8A.3—Access to biological resources for non-commercial purposes
- Division 8A.4—Assessment of applications
- Division 8A.5—Register of permits
  - 8A.18 Register of permits
- Division 8A.6—Records and samples
  - 8A.19 Permit holder to keep records
  - 8A.20 Disposal of samples
Part 9—Conservation of biodiversity in Commonwealth areas
- 9.01 Purpose of Part 9
- 9.02 Application of Part 9
- 9.03 Offences in relation to protected species
- 9.03A Permit to carry out prohibited action
- 9.04 Approved management plan
Part 9A—International movement of wildlife specimens
- 9A.01 Exchange of specimens
- 9A.02 Export of personal or household effects
- 9A.03 Import of personal or household effects
- 9A.04 Import of CITES II specimens
- 9A.05 Welfare of live specimens
- 9A.06 Register of applications and decisions
- 9A.06A Amendment of list of specimens suitable for import
- 9A.07 Application for amendment of list of specimens suitable for live import
- 9A.08 Publication of specifications
- 9A.09 Export or import for the purposes of research
- 9A.10 Export or import for the purposes of education
- 9A.11 Export or import for the purposes of exhibition
- 9A.12 Export or import for conservation breeding or propagation
- 9A.13 Export or import of household pets
- 9A.14 Export or import of personal items
- 9A.15 Export or import for the purposes of a travelling exhibition
- 9A.16 Approved captive breeding programs
- 9A.17 Approved CITES-registered captive breeding programs
- 9A.18 Approved artificial propagation programs
- 9A.19 Approved aquaculture programs
- 9A.20 Wildlife trade operations and management plans
- 9A.21 Approved commercial import programs
- 9A.21A Relevant offences
- 9A.22 Records
- 9A.23 Forms
- 9A.24 Breeding in captivity
- 9A.25 Artificial propagation
Part 10—Management principles for protected areas
- Division 10.1—Australian World Heritage properties
  - 10.01 Australian World Heritage management principles
- Division 10.2—Managing National Heritage places
- Division 10.2A—Adding additional values for National Heritage and Commonwealth Heritage places
- Division 10.3—Managing wetlands of international importance
  - 10.02 Australian Ramsar management principles
- Division 10.4—Managing Biosphere reserves
  - 10.03 Australian Biosphere reserve management principles
- Division 10.5—Managing Commonwealth Heritage places
- Division 10.6—Australian IUCN reserves
  - 10.03H IUCN categories for Commonwealth reserves
  - 10.04 Australian IUCN reserve management principles
Part 11—Commonwealth reserves
- Division 11.1—Application
  - 11.01 Application of Part 11
- Division 11.2—Boards for Commonwealth reserves on indigenous people’s land
- Division 11.3—Special rules for some Commonwealth reserves in the Northern Territory and Jervis Bay Territory
  - Subdivision 11.3.1—Prescribed routes and activities for mining operations
  - Subdivision 11.3.2—Town plans
Part 12—Activities in Commonwealth reserves
- Division 12.1—Preliminary
- Division 12.2—Regulatory provisions
Part 13—Conservation zones
- 13.01 Purpose of Part 13
- 13.02 Application of Regulations for conservation zones
Part 13A—List of Overseas Places of Historic Significance to Australia
- 13A.01 Removing or varying place or statement
Part 14—Enforcement
- Division 14.1—Wardens, rangers and inspectors
  - 14.01 Ranger may ask for person’s name and address
- Division 14.1A—Detention of suspected foreign offenders
- Division 14.2—Infringement notices
- Division 14.3—Review of administrative decisions
Part 15—Committees
- Division 15.1A—Independent Expert Scientific Committee on Unconventional Gas Development and Large Coal Mining Development
  - 15.01A Functions of the Committee
- Division 15.1—Disclosure of interests
  - 15.01 Pecuniary interests
- Division 15.2—Committee procedure
Part 16—Publication
- Division 16.1—General publication requirements
  - 16.01 Application of Division 16.1
  - 16.02 Publication requirements
- Division 16.2—Publication requirements for specified matters
- Division 16.3—Prescribed places for purchase of published material
Part 17—Permits
- 17.01 Application of Part 17
- 17.02 Application for a permit
- 17.03 Issue of permit
- 17.03A Permits for access to biological resources
- 17.03B Access to biological resources—effect of native title
- 17.04 Content of permits
- 17.05 Circumstances that must apply
- 17.06 Statement by applicant
- 17.07 Relevant offences
- 17.08 Contravention of condition of permit
- 17.09 Varying or revoking conditions
- 17.10 Authorities under permits
- 17.11 Transfer of a permit
- 17.12 Suspension or cancellation of a permit
Part 18—Permit fees
- 18.01 Components of a fee for a permit
- 18.02 Fee amount
- 18.03 Increase in administration component of fees
- 18.04 Exemption from fees
Part 19—Miscellaneous
- 19.01 Allowances for witnesses
- 19.01A Delegation
- 19.02 Definition of Commonwealth agency
Part 20—Application and transitional provisions
- 20.01 Instruments made and other things done under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Regulations 2000
- 20.02 Fees
- 20.03 Relevant offences
Schedule 1—Classes of actions not needing assessment
Schedule 2—Referral information
Schedule 4—Matters to be addressed by draft public environment report and environmental impact statement
Schedule 4A—Import and export of CITES specimens
Schedule 5—Australian World Heritage management principles
Schedule 5A—Management plans for National Heritage places
Schedule 5B—National Heritage management principles
Schedule 6—Australian Ramsar management principles
Schedule 7—Australian Biosphere reserve management principles
Schedule 7A—Management plans for Commonwealth Heritage places
Schedule 7B—Commonwealth Heritage management principles
Schedule 7C—Heritage strategies
Schedule 8—Australian IUCN reserve management principles
- Part 1—General administrative principles
- Part 2—Principles for each IUCN category
Schedule 9—Routes in Kakadu National Park
- Part 1—Transportation routes
- Part 2—Pipeline and power line routes
Schedule 10—Infringement notice offences
Schedule 11—Permit fees
Schedule 12—Protected species
Dictionary
Endnotes
- Endnote 1—About the endnotes
- Endnote 2—Abbreviation key
- Endnote 3—Legislation history
- Endnote 4—Amendment history