Significant events that require a special security presence can be declared Special Events by the Police Commissioner.

These events are of regional, state or national significance and will be published on the SLED website.

Once an event has been declared a Special Event, SLED will consider applications to grant visitor permits for security licence holders or corporations from other Australian states and territories to carry out security activities at that event.

Security businesses located and licensed in other Australian states and territories interested in providing security operatives at a Special Event must also coordinate and lodge the applications for the operators that wish to provide.

Individual applicants

To be eligible, an individual out-of-state applicant must prove they:

  • Live in another Australian state or territory
  • Are licensed to carry out security activities in that state or territory, or activities of the kind proposed to be authorised by the visitor permit.

Corporation applicants

If the out-of-state applicant is a corporation, they must prove that:

  • The corporation’s registered office and their principal place of business, if that is not the corporation’s office, is in another Australian state or territory
  • The corporation is licensed to carry out security activities in that state or territory, or activities of the kind proposed to be authorised by the visitor permit.

The corporation must forward all their employee’s applications to SLED as part of the visitor permit applications.

Visitor permit requirements

SLED must receive all visitor permit applications one month prior to the first day of the event.

When carrying out security activities at the Special Event, visitor permit holders must produce their permit for inspection on demand by a police officer, or any other member of the NSW Police Force, or any person with whom the permit holder has dealings during the event.

Visitor permits must be produced on demand for inspection by a police officer, any other member of the NSW Police Force or any person the permit holder deals with carrying out security activities.

If a visitor permit holder breaches any condition of their permit, they face a $22,000 fine, if they are a corporation, or an $11,000 fine if they are an individual.

Visitor permit application forms

The fee for an Operative Visitor Permit application (VP1) is $40.

The fee for an Employer Visitor Permit application (VP2) is $150 for each day or part of a day over the period of the proposed special event for which the permit is sought. This period includes relevant periods immediately before and after the event as determined by the Commissioner.

Special Event declarations
  • Byron Bay Bluesfest 2022 has been declared a Special Event for the period 11 April to 24 April 2022 inclusive in accordance with Part 3A of the Security Industry Act 1997. View a copy of the declaration here (PDF).
  • Splendour in the Grass 2023 has been declared a Special Event for the period 19 July 2023 to 25 July 2023 inclusive in accordance with Part 3A of the Security Industry Act 1997. View a copy of the declaration here (PDF).