Water markets forms and fees
Fees
The Department of Local Government, Water and Volunteers charges application fees for processing applications to change, subdivide or amalgamate water allocations.
The Registrar of Water Allocations charges lodgement fees for:
- lodging documents
- searching the Water Allocations Register.
Additional fees may apply depending on the request.
Forms
Any form you do not complete accurately may be returned to you with a request for additional information. To ensure this does not happen:
- read the guidelines where provided
- contact staff at your local business centre to discuss your application before you lodge it.
- Access the forms for water allocation dealings.
Improving accuracy on trade forms in the Queensland Murray Darling Basin
From 1 July 2024 there are changed expectations for trades and transfers in Murray–Darling Basin water markets.
All information provided by water markets participants in a trade or transfer application, or a conveyance form must be comprehensive and accurate. This means:
- trade or transfer information must be provided, even if it is commercially sensitive, commercial in confidence, or personal information (including that under the definition of the Privacy Act 1988)
- the changes apply only to information currently requested on relevant forms
- if a form does not require price and/or reason for trade details, there is no obligation to provide or record that information
- penalties apply for non-compliance with these requirements, enforced by the Australian Government.
Records must be kept for 5 years in relation to reason for trade and price information.
The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water has more information about water market reform, including The Water Amendment (Restoring Our Rivers) Act 2023.