Event and festival permits

Lodge a permit application for an event or market. Find out about related approvals, including permission to serve alcohol.

Two girls sitting on the grass, surrounded by crowd at music festival.

Planning an event

As an event organiser, you must meet the requirements of the Events Local Law 2022 (the Local Law).

The Local Law sets out the requirements for event permits.

For more information:

read the Local Law and associated rules
phone Council’s Business Hotline on 133 BNE (133 263)
download the Event Customer Guide.

Event Customer Guide

PDF • 621 KB • Last modified August 2024

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Do I need a permit?

You must have a permit for an event:

with an expected attendance of 2,000 or more people
involving motorsports or firearms.

Note

Some events with an expected attendance of more than 1,000 people may also need a permit.
You must get consent from City Malls Management for venue hire if you wish to hold an event in Brunswick Street Mall or Chinatown Mall (Valley Malls).
You need to apply via Brisbane Economic Development Agency if you wish to hold an event in the Queen Street Mall.

Live music venues in the Valley

Apply for an amplified music venue permit to operate a music venue in the Valley precinct.

Learn more

Exemptions

These events and activities are exempt from the permit requirements under the Local Law.

You don’t need an event permit for:

a private party
a public gathering under the Peaceful Assembly Act 1992
an event with an expected attendance of fewer than 1,000 people that doesn't involve assessable risks
an event with an expected attendance of fewer than 2,000 people that doesn’t involve assessable risks.

You don’t need a permit for an event:

at a facility listed in Schedule 1 of the Major Sports Facilities Regulation 2014opens in a new tab
at a venue regulated under the Amplified Music Venues Local Law 2006
at Brisbane Showgrounds indoor facility
at Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre
run by a school within the school grounds
under any arrangement or agreement with Council to hold an event at a sporting facility, unless it involves firearm or motorsport activities
a thoroughbred, harness or greyhound race meeting or training activity at a purpose-built facility.

Accessibility guidelines

You must take measures to ensure your event is as accessible as possible.

Download our event accessibility guidelines for recommendations and more information.

Event Accessibility Guidelines

PDF • 433 KB • Last modified 2023

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Apply for an event permit

There are 2 types of event permits:

self-assessable
assessable.

Permit for self-assessable events

Your event is self-assessable if it has an expected attendance of at least 2,000 people and does not:

involve firearm or motorsport activities
exceed 5,000 people at any given time or more than 10,000 over the duration of the event
start before 7am (excluding bump-in)
finish after 10pm (excluding bump-out)
involve road closures or traffic management
involve the service or consumption of alcohol
involve an outdoor musical performance where the sound pressure level exceeds 95 dBC when measured 15 metres from any speaker.

Apply for a self-assessable event permit

Before you apply

Ensure your event complies with the Self-Assessable Events Rule.

Self-Assessable Events Rule

PDF • 353 KB • Last modified October 2022

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Book a park site, if required, and have your booking reference number on hand.
Make sure you apply at least 30 working days before the event start date.

Pay your fees

You must pay the $77.85 permit fee when you lodge your application.

You can pay using Visa or Mastercard.

This fee doesn’t attract GST.

Submit your application

Complete the online form to apply for a self-assessable event permit.

Apply online opens in a new tab

After you apply

You’ll be emailed your permit.

You must:

comply with the permit conditions and event obligations
prepare the documents and plans specified in the permit to manage your event safely (The Queensland Government provides useful templatesopens in a new tab.)
have your permit and documents available for inspection at the event and at least 20 working days after.

Council officers may visit the event to check that you have complied with the permit requirements.

Permit for assessable events

This type of event permit is:

issued on a short-term basis to cover the duration of one-off events
issued for up to 3 years to cover reoccurring events
renewed before their expiry (for permits issued for a 12-month period).

Your event is assessable if it:

involves firearm or motorsport activities
has an expected attendance of 1,000 or more people and:
- starts before 7am on any day (excluding bump-in)
- finishes after 10pm on any day (excluding bump-out)
- involves the service or consumption of alcohol
- involves road closures or traffic management
- involves an outdoor musical performance where the sound pressure level exceeds 95 dBC when measured 15 metres from any speaker
- expects more than 5,000 people at any given time or more than 10,000 over the duration of the event.

People gathering at Chinese Moon festival.

Apply for an assessable event permit

Before you apply

Prepare the mandatory supporting documents, including a site plan and an emergency response and evacuation plan. The Queensland Government provides useful templates for these documentsopens in a new tab.
Obtain a Certificate of Currency for Public Liability for at least $20 million in the same name as the proposed event permit holder.
Ensure your event complies with the Assessable Events Rule. Check if you need to supply additional supporting documents.

Assessable Events Rule

PDF • 339 KB • Last modified 27 June 2023

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Book a park site, if required, and keep the booking reference number on hand for your permit application.
Make sure you apply at least 30 working days before the event start date.

Pay your fees

You must pay the relevant fee using Visa or Mastercard when your lodge your application.

These fees don’t attract GST.

Application type	Fee
New assessable event application (less than 10,000 people attending over the duration of the event)	$1,754.20
New assessable event application (more than 10,000 people attending over the duration of the event)	$3,635.10
Amendment (assessable event only)	$358.10
Transfer application (assessable event only)	$225.25
Renewal application (assessable event only)	$1,141.80

The following organisations are eligible for a 50% fee discount on assessable event permits:

Qualifying Type 1 Religious or Charitable organisations listed or defined in the Schedule of Fees and Charges
not-for-profit organisations that provide or support welfare or community services
incorporated not-for-profit community organisations established for sporting, educational, recreational, cultural or community purposes.

Submit your application

Complete the online form to apply for an assessable event permit.

You can also use the online form to:

transfer a permit
renew a permit (for recurring events)
update a permit to reflect event changes (e.g. the event date, location and number of attendees).

Apply online opens in a new tab

After you apply

You’ll receive a response within 5 working days.

Council may refuse your application if it's incomplete or not submitted on time.

If we approve your permit, you must:

comply with the permit conditions
have your permit and documents available for inspection at the event.

Council officers may visit the event to check that you have complied with the permit requirements.

Organising a market

Council regulates markets under:

When you need a permit

You may need an event permit if your market:

will be a reoccurring event
involves assessable activities.

Check if you need a permit

You may need other approvals to hold a market.

Planning approval

Your market’s location may trigger planning approval under City Plan.

Read our guide to learn about the preferred locations for markets.

Your guide to the development requirements for setting up a market in Brisbane

PDF • 255 KB • Last modified 03 July 2017

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Council consent

You need Council consent for a one-off or reoccurring market held:

in a park with an expected attendance of 500 people or more
on a road or footpath
in a Council mall.

For more information, phone Council’s Business Hotline on 133 BNE (133 263), open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Advertising approval

If you plan to promote your market, you may need to apply for advertising device approval.

Food business licensing

You must ensure that food vendors at your market have current food business licences. You may need to provide a list of all food vendors and their food business licence details to Council.

Learn more about food business licensing and safety requirements.

Liquor licensing

If you plan to serve alcohol, you may need to apply for a liquor licence.

Applying for a liquor licence

You must have Council consent to serve alcohol at an event on Council land. This includes parks, roads and footpaths.

You also need Council permission before you apply for a community liquor permitopens in a new tab from the Queensland Government. This permit allows you to sell or supply liquor on a temporary or one-off occasion at unlicensed premises.

Long-term liquor licence

If you plan to supply alcohol at a reoccurring event, you need a long-term liquor licence under the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation.

Before you apply, you must request written advice and consent from Council.

Find out more about liquor and wine licensing in Queenslandopens in a new tab.

Request Council consent

You can request Council consent:

as part of an assessable event permit application (for a temporary liquor licence consent at an event)
using the investigation into liquor licence request online form (for long-term liquor licence applications).

There is no additional fee for this application.

We'll get back to you in 5 business days.

Submit a request opens in a new tab

Frequently asked questions

Events and festivals need a permit if they:

have an expected attendance of 2,000 or more people
involve assessable risks such as firearm or motorsport activities.

Events with more than 1,000 people may also require a permit if they involve any assessable risks.

Learn more about event requirements, risks and permits.

Yes, there are specific event security requirements for events and festivals.

Events in Brisbane must have:

safe entry and exit points
qualified staff to keep the public safe and supervise activities
appropriate communications system and equipment to manage safety issues and emergencies.

All events are also required to have an Emergency Response and Evacuation Plan which:

details how potential emergencies will be managed and communicated
considers medical, weather or security emergencies such as fires, security incidents and severe weather.

Read about Emergency Response and Evacuation Plans in the Events Local Law Permit Customer Guide.

Event Customer Guide

PDF • 621 KB • Last modified August 2024

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You can’t carry out the proposed event or festival if Council refuses your permit application.

You can submit another application if:

there's enough time before the proposed event start date (at least 30 working days)
you include all the mandatory information and supporting documents when you lodge your application
the issues identified in the grounds for refusal have now been adequately addressed.

You can make changes to your event permit application after you submit it to Council by speaking to your assigned Council contact officer. The officer assigned to your case will reach out within 5 business days.

Before you submit your permit application:

prepare all the mandatory documents, including a site plan and an Emergency Response and Evacuation Plan
obtain a Certificate of Currency for Public Liability for at least $20 million in the same event as the event permit holder
ensure the event complies with the Assessable Events Rule
book the park site (if required).

Learn about the event permit application process.

Event and festival permits

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