Possum Removal Laws in NSW: What the Licence Actually Requires

Why possums are protected in NSW

Native animals in New South Wales are protected under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016. Section 2.1 of the Act makes harming or attempting to harm a protected animal an offence. For a protected animal that is not threatened, the maximum is a Tier 4 monetary penalty under section 13.1, with an additional penalty possible for each animal involved.

We have deliberately not published a dollar figure. Penalty tiers can be amended, and several pest control websites quote figures that do not match current legislation. Check section 13.1 directly if you need the current amount.

In the licence documents, “harm” has a specific meaning: capture. Trapping a possum is legally an act of harm even when the animal is not injured. That is why putting a cage trap in your roof requires authority, while leaving a possum sitting undisturbed on your fence does not.

Common brushtail, common ringtail and mountain brushtail possums are covered. All three appear on the record sheet used by licensed handlers.

The release distance most websites get wrong

Search for possum laws in Australia and you will see both 50 metres and 150 metres. They belong to different jurisdictions.

For Sydney properties, 150 metres is the distance limit. More importantly, the NSW standard licence conditions separately require release on the property where the possum was captured. Both rules apply. On a suburban block, the property boundary is usually the binding limit. There is no lawful version of this process where the possum is driven somewhere else.

If a quote includes taking the animal away, ask where it will go. The department explains that possums are territorial and that releasing them too far from their capture point, including in local parks, greatly reduces their chance of survival.

What a catch and release possum licence actually permits

The department publishes the conditions attached to a catch and release possum licence. In plain English, a licence holder must:

• Capture the animal alive in a cage trap measuring at least 30 centimetres by 30 centimetres.
• Never use a lethal trap, leg snare or poison.
• Never leave the animal caged for more than 24 hours, and check every cage daily between 5am and 10am.
• Cover the cage with a permeable material before removing it from a roof cavity.
• Provide food and water, place traps on a level and sheltered surface away from cats and dogs, and provide ventilation and weather protection during movement.
• Release the possum unharmed after sunset, on the capture property, within 150 metres of the capture point, against something it can climb and away from places with a high risk of injury or death.
• Keep a written record of the date, species, number, address and authorised person for every capture. Update it within 24 hours and provide it to National Parks and Wildlife Service on request.
• Submit the record to NPWS within 30 days of the licence ending or expiring.

Only people named on the licence may capture animals under it, and the licence cannot be transferred. A business may hold a licence and authorise employees under it, so the technician attending may operate under the business licence rather than personally holding a separate one.

Sealing the roof is a licence condition, not an upsell

Before releasing the animal, the licensee must make a reasonable effort to have the roof cavity sealed, and only after checking that no animals remain inside. The department also strongly encourages permanent sealing of potential entrances to avoid a repeat problem.

Sealing is not an optional add-on to trapping. It is part of the conditions and the only step that resolves the building problem. A possum released on the property while its entry point remains open can go straight back into the roof. See how roof inspection and possum proofing fit together. Terrace rows are the hardest case, because a sealed roof on one house can push the possum next door. Our possum removal in Newtown terraces page explains how we handle shared rooflines.

Your two legal pathways

The second route suits a person willing to manage the trap, morning checks and record keeping. The same capture and release conditions still apply, so it does not create a shortcut.

What you can lawfully do yourself without a licence

The licence covers capture. Several useful actions do not capture the animal and need no licence.

Injured, sick or orphaned possum? Do not attempt removal. Call Sydney Wildlife Rescue on 02 9413 4300 or WIRES on 1300 094 737. For the full roof-eviction sequence, read the Sydney homeowner's possum guide.

Why timing matters: dependent young in the roof

Brushtail possums usually raise one joey. Most births occur in autumn, roughly March to May, with a smaller spring peak around September to November. Warmer conditions can extend breeding beyond those periods. A joey stays in the pouch for about four to five months, then rides on its mother's back before becoming independent.

For much of the year, a female in the roof may carry a dependent joey or leave one in the nest while feeding. Watching one adult leave does not prove the cavity is empty. Sealing at that point can trap the young inside, causing an animal-welfare problem and an odour issue later.

This is the strongest reason for a proper cavity inspection, especially from March to November. Confirmation matters more than assumption.

Does the law treat ringtails differently from brushtails?

Not in terms of protection. Brushtail, ringtail and bobuck possums appear on the NSW catch and release record sheet.

The practical difference is behaviour. Brushtails commonly den in roof cavities when tree hollows are scarce. Ringtails usually build a nest of leaves and bark, called a drey, in dense vegetation and only occasionally enter a roof. A ringtail in a garden that is causing no structural problem is not a situation that calls for licensed capture.

How to check a possum removalist is licensed

The department publishes a regional list of licensed possum handlers, including Sydney. Inclusion is voluntary, so absence does not prove an operator is unlicensed. Presence is a useful positive signal. DCCEEW also maintains a public register of wildlife licences.

1. 1. “Where will the possum be released?”The answer should describe a place on the capture property, after sunset. Anything involving driving away is wrong.
2. 2. “Are you sealing the entry points as part of the job?”Making a reasonable effort to seal the roof is written into the licence conditions.
3. 3. “Which licence number are you operating under?”A licence may be held by a person or business, with technicians authorised under an employer's licence. The answer should be straightforward.

Sydney CBD property owners can also read about the practical constraints of possum work in dense city buildings.

Frequently asked questions