APY Permit Requirements and Information
Important Notice: APY Permit unit closure dates for Xmas and New year
Please Note: There will be No Permits processed during the break- from Wednesday 25th December to Thursday 9th January 2025.
You are encouraged to put in your permit applications in advance if you intend visiting during the closure period. Please contact:
Transit Permits for Crossing the APY Lands
Transit permits are NOT ISSUED to tourists/travellers/4WD enthusiasts who want to pass through any part of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands.
Recent Changes 13 July 2023
Following a comprehensive review of APY entry requirements, the APY Executive Board of Management has approved changes that come into effect as of 13 July 2023. These amendments are in response to the significant improvement in the COVID-19 situation, thanks to our successful pandemic response measures, including a high percentage of vaccinations amongst our residents
The following permit entry requirements will no longer be in place:
- Vaccinations are no longer required for entry into the APY Lands
- Mask wearing will not be mandatory
- Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT) are not required for entry
Working in High Risk Areas
However, please note, individuals working in high-risk areas such as health clinics, aged care, and disability settings are strongly encouraged to participate in a rapid antigen testing regime.
We recommend testing the day before entering the APY Lands, then again on days 3 and 7 of your stay.
Additionally, these individuals should consider wearing masks while at work.
Each respective organisation should continue to enforce their policies and recommendations around COVID-safe measures and requirements.
The APY permit entry requirements
- Filling out a permit application
- Undergoing an annual National Police Check or Working with Children Check
How Long will it take to process my permit?
APY Permits will assess applications with all the relevant required documentation within 10 to 14 days. Please remember that APY is a small team with a large area of land to supervise. thank you for your support and patience.
APY Application forms
Type of Permits that can be requested
You must apply for your permit 30 days before your intended visit to the APY Lands.
General – permits for all individuals who are coming to visit as friends or family – permits issued on each occasion you enter the lands
Organisation/Contractor – permits for individuals coming to work on the lands contracted by organisations permits may be issued annually. Employment – permits for individuals coming to work on the lands
Media – permits for individuals who are coming to film or record on the APY lands – permits issued on each occasion you enter the lands
Research – permits for individuals coming to conduct any kind of research on the lands – permits issued on each occasion you enter the lands
Notification – if you are a current permit holder the Notification form can be completed to advise Permits of your intended travel on each occasion – permits issued on each occasion you enter the lands
All permits expire at the end of each financial year, unless otherwise stated to expire earlier on the issued Permit.
Permit Renewals MUST be submitted for consideration by May 30 of each year.
***Pemits requests for Entry to the APY are processed from Monday 9am to Friday 9am. Please note that permit requests will not be processed outside of these times nor on a public holiday and may take up to 10 - 14 days to process***
Step 1. Applicants are required to fill in an APY Permit or Notification form application
If you are travellng for your organisation please fill in the organisation permit application ORGANISATION PERMIT APPLICATION
For current permit holders Notification of Entry Form
If you are not travelling for business purpose please submit Individual Permit Request INDIVIDUAL PERMIT REQUEST
Troubleshooting - if you are experience technical difficulties please send an email to
Fee for Permit Application
$22.00 per Adult
$11.00 Concession Seniors and Children
Who Must Apply for a Permit
The APY Permits Officer processes the following types of permit applications:
- Employees of NGO’s based on the APY Lands
- government officials
- genuine Parliamentary candidates
- transport operators air and road
- media
- visitors with an authorised work purpose
- visitors to families living and working on the APY Lands
- APYLRA (Entry to the Lands) By-Law 2009 notification of Ministerial Approval for Entry on to the APY Lands
All other types of requests for entry onto the APY Lands are referred to the Development and Planning Officer attached to the Consultation Land and Heritage Unit for a fee for service enterprise assessment. Please follow the link to Consultation Land and Heritage Unit for further information about this Unit. You would go to this site if you fit into these categories:
- Members of Australian Defence Forces undertaking training courses/excursions
- Miners and mineral explorers
- Cattle graziers
- Art collectors
- Recyclable materials collectors, for example car body removalists
- Anyone with a private enterprise intent
- Researchers
AIATSIS Guidelines for Ethical Research in Indigenous Studies - Museum and Gallery operators
Requirement for National Police Clearance Certificate
APY have determined that it is necessary and reasonable that applicants for permits submit a Police Clearance before a permit is issued. Your Permit Application will not be assessed unless you submit a National Police Clearance Certificate.
The type of criminal offences that may lead to a permit not being approved includes:
Violent or sexual offences, substance abuse offences, dishonesty type offences.
APY would like all communities, employing agencies and service providers to support these decisions, which were made at the request of our members, and at the same time be prepared to accept a decision when one is made.APY desires all people working on the Lands to be good role models and every employing agency should try to maintain a high standard of the people they employ.
Non-compliance with Permit Conditions and Unauthorised Entry onto the APY Lands
If you enter the APY Lands without a Permit or breach a Condition of Entry, then APY will obtain assistance from South Australian Police and have you removed from the APY Lands.
APY will also file proceedings against you in the Magistrates Court of South Australia under section 19(5)(c) of the APY Land Rights Act which provides that the maximum penalty for an offence against subsection (5b) is a fine of $2 000 plus $500 for each day (if any) during which the convicted person was on the lands, or a particular part of the lands, in contravention of the condition.
You will have to defend the proceedings.
http://www.courts.sa.gov.au/OurCourts/MagistratesCourt/Pages/Civil-Jurisdiction.aspx#minor
Transit Permits for Crossing the APY Lands
Transit permits are NOT ISSUED to tourists/travellers/4WD enthusiasts wishing to pass through any part of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands.
Additional Conditions of Entry onto the APY Lands
Your Permit, once approved, enables you to conduct your business on the APY Lands but you (the Permit Holder) must observe the following conditions at all times:
- Permit Holder must inform yourself of and comply at all times with, the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Land Rights Act (1981) as amended.
- The permit holder must comply with any laws currently in force concerning the sale and possession of alcohol and/or other volatile substances on the Lands.
- This permit does not authorise the entry of any person to a dwelling or living area of a camp occupied by, or belonging to, an Aboriginal without the prior consent of the owner or occupant.
- Issue of this permit does not imply that notice of intention to visit the Aboriginal land specified has been served upon the Traditional Owners concerned. The permit holder is responsible to ensure that Aboriginal communities are informed of their intention to visit.
- This permit is valid only to enable the permit holder to perform the duties associated with their visit.
- This permit must be carried at all times while the holder is on the Lands and produced for inspection on demand.
- The permit may be revoked at any time.
- In the event of a valid permit being revoked for any reason, the permit holder shall immediately leave the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands.
- Executive members, Community Councillors and Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara staff may inspect permits and may at any time give direction to permit holders in relation to their conduct and activities on the Lands.
- Any special conditions for the Permit Holder are noted on the Permit.
- The body of the form is for the permit holder’s information only.
- Any Visitors, Agency staff, Employee or Contractor working on the APY lands requires a National Police Clearance certificate.
- All artworks purchased by the permit holder must be declared and accompanied by the appropriate sales documentation from the relevant community art centre. Except in the case of approved galleries, the permit holder shall not deal privately in the works of Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara artists.
- No work or consultations will be undertaken unless first approved in writing by the APY Executive Board or its delegate.
- No premises will be negotiated for, occupied or used without a lease or licence arrangement approved by the APY Executive Board.
- You will co-operate with and answer questions asked by any investigator appointed by APY.
- Holders of permits shall not: i) make representations about the nature and extent of Anangu legal rights under the APY Land Rights Act; ii) the powers and functions of APY ownership of the lands by APY; and/ or, iii) APY’s entitlement to exclusive possession of the Lands and buildings erected on the Lands and/or APY’s entitlement to collect the rents and profits from the Lands or buildings erected thereon; iv) occupy buildings or other areas without the consent of APY; or, v) collect rents for buildings or lands or other money from Anangu or communities without the written consent of APY.
- In addition to these, the following also applies: i) Permit Holder is not to engage in any private commercial activities ii) Permit Holder is not to remove any flora, fauna, or rocks iii) Permit Holder is not to leave established roads without the express consent of the appropriate Traditional Owner or their representative iv) Permit Holder is to check at all times with local authorities or Traditional Owners regarding the taking of photographs or making of videos.
Safe Driving on the APY Lands
Community Safety Notice - Drivers Beware!!
The roads on the APY Lands are in significant need of urgent maintenance. There are many washouts, corrugations, dips, etc.
There are a large number of feral animals including donkeys and camels that wander the Lands. Their numbers seem to increase in the hot and dry times of the year (October - February) when they are looking for water.
BEWARE ANIMALS ON ROAD!!
Drivers are advised to take extreme precaution when driving on the APY Lands.
Read the APY 4WD Safe Driving Tips
pdf
4WD Vehicle Safety
(36 KB)