Paintball venue permit
When you need a paintball venue permit, eligibility requirements, and how to apply.
When a paintball venue permit is needed
Paintball is a sport where teams or individual players compete by shooting paint-filled pellets from a paintball marker (also known as a paintball gun).
In NSW, you need a paintball venue permit to operate a paintball business this includes the following activities:
- the purchase and possession of paintball markers for use at the venue
- the supply of paintball markers at the venue solely for temporary use at the venue
- the supply of paintball markers for purchase by paintball permit holders
- the supply of paintball markers to another venue permit holder under a sharing arrangement.
Each paintball venue requires a separate paintball venue permit.
To operate a paintball venue, you'll need council approval and an insurance policy of at least $10 million. The policy must cover all paintball players aged 12 years and over.
You can apply for a 1, 3 or 5 year permit.
You must display a copy of your permit or the permit number at the venue entrance, on your website, and on your social media.
Players under 18 years old
Provided they have written consent from a parent or guardian, any child aged 12 years and over can play paintball at an authorised venue, using the paintball markers supplied by that venue.
People under the age of 18 cannot own a paintball marker.
Learn more about your responsibilities running a paintball business.
What happens after you put in an application
Review your application
Your application will be reviewed and assessed to check it meets eligibility requirements. This can take up to 5 business days to process .
We will contact you (by email or SMS) if we need more information.
This will increase the processing time, so it is important that you submit all required information and documents with your original application.
Advising you on the application outcome
We will send an email to advise you if your application has been successful.
If your application is successful, the email will include a copy of your permit.
If your application is unsuccessful, you’ll be advised of the reasons in writing and be provided with your options.
Unsuccessful applications
If your application is unsuccessful, or if your permit has been suspended or cancelled, you can ask for a review.
A review involves another officer from NSW Fair Trading, who was not involved in the original decision, reviewing the decision on your application.
For more information about the process see reviews of NSW Fair Trading decisions.
Safety training
The NSW paintball marker safety training course addresses the safe use of paintball markers, and the safe conduct of activities associated with paintball markers.
You must have completed the NSW Paintball Marker Safety Training course if you are:
- applying for a Paintball Marker Permit, or
- a new employee supervising paintball games at an authorised venue unless you hold a Paintball Marker Permit.
Existing supervisors who have previously completed the NSW Police General Firearms Course for Long Arms (as per legislative requirements) prior to 1 December 2021 do not need to complete the NSW paintball marker safety training course.
To complete the NSW paintball marker safety training course, you can visit TAFE NSW.
If you're visiting a venue, you don’t need to complete an approved training course. However, the venue may provide you with a safety induction.
Suspended or cancelled permits
Disciplinary action may happen in a number of circumstances, including where a permit holder has:
- failed to follow a condition of a permit
- engaged in improper or unethical conduct which indicated the holder is unfit to hold a permit
- not complied with the Paintball Act 2018 and Paintball Regulation 2024.
Disciplinary action can include suspension or cancellation of a permit, issuing a notice to show cause, giving cautions, imposing conditions on a permit, or disqualifying someone from holding a permit.
Ask a question
If you need help with your application or have a question, please call 13 32 20.