Responsibilities of occupiers
Occupiers of premises must follow the rules to calculate the capacity of a venue if required by safety plans issued under the public health orders.
The square metres rules do not apply to
- a place of residence
- an entertainment facility
- a cinema
- a nightclub
- a recreation facility (major)
- commercial tours on boats used for scuba diving, snorkelling or whale, dolphin or marine animal watching, if there are up to 50 people on the boat
- caravan parks and camping grounds
- holiday homes and short-term rentals
- certain essential gatherings.
Learn more about the COVID-19 rules in NSW.
How the rules work
The rules help to determine the maximum number of people who can be on a premises. It does not determine the distance between people.
Physical distancing means reducing the close physical contact we have with people and staying 1.5 metres away from people we don't live with.
Businesses, venues and occupiers of premises should consider how their COVID-19 Safety Plan will allow customers and visitors to practice physical distancing.
Calculating the number of people for the size of your premises
Who to include in your calculations
When you are working out the maximum number of people allowed on the premises, do not include people who are
- working on the premises
- on the premises because of an emergency.
For food and drink businesses, do not include people who are ordering or collecting orders that will not be consumed on the premises.
Maximum number of people
An occupier of premises must not allow more than 25 people on the premises if the size of the premises is insufficient to ensure at least 2 square metres of space for each person.
This rule does not apply to a place of residence, holiday home or short-term rental or exempt gatherings.
What to include in your measurement
In calculating the space available for each person on any premises, only the areas that are open to the public are to be included in the calculations.
Calculate your area
- Measure the length of your space.
- Measure the width of your space.
- Multiply the length by the width to calculate the area in square metres.
- Divide the area of your space (calculated in square metres) by 2 (if the 2 square metre rule applies) or 4 (if the 4 square metre rule applies) to calculate the maximum number of people allowed.
| Number of people | 2 square metres Minimum space required |
4 square metres Minimum space required |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 square metres | 4 square metres |
| 10 | 20 square metres | 40 square metres |
| 20 | 40 square metres | 80 square metres |
| 30 | 60 square metres | 120 square metres |
| 40 | 80 square metres | 160 square metres |
| 50 | 100 square metres | 200 square metres |
| 60 | 120 square metres | 240 square metres |
| 70 | 140 square metres | 280 square metres |
| 80 | 160 square metres | 320 square metres |
| 90 | 180 square metres | 360 square metres |
| 100 | 200 square metres | 400 square metres |
Example
- Length = 8.25 metres
- Width = 10.6 metres
- Square metres: 8.25 x 10.6 = 87.45
- Maximum number of people using 2 square metres rule: 87.45 ÷ 2 = 43 people
- Maximum number of people using 4 square metres rule: 87.45 ÷ 4 = 21 people
COVID-19 Safety Plans
|
Approved COVID-19 safety checklist |
Premises or event |
|---|---|
|
Caravan parks and camping grounds |
|
|
Business premises that are used for nail salons, beauty salons, waxing salons, tanning salons, spas, tattoo parlours and massage parlours |
|
|
Sex on premises venues, being restricted premises where sex between patrons is permitted on the premises |
|
|
Sex services premises |
|
|
Amusement centres |
|
|
Drive-in cinemas |
|
|
Entertainment facilities |
|
|
Crematoria |
|
|
Funeral homes |
|
|
Community centres |
|
|
Public swimming pools (other than natural swimming pools) |
|
|
Recreation facilities (indoor) |
|
|
Casinos |
|
|
Food and drink premises |
|
|
Food courts |
|
|
Function centres |
|
|
Micro-breweries, small distilleries holding a drink on-premises authorisation under the Liquor Act 2007 or cellar door premises |
|
|
Nightclubs |
|
|
Party buses |
|
|
Pubs, small bars and registered clubs |
|
|
Strip clubs |
|
|
Vessels used for hosting functions or for commercial tours |
|
|
Aquariums |
|
|
Information and education facilities |
|
|
Properties operated by the National Trust or the Historic Houses Trust |
|
|
Zoological parks and reptile parks |
|
|
Recreation facilities (major) |
|
|
Agricultural shows or agricultural field days |
|
|
COVID-19 safe outdoor public gatherings |
|
|
Controlled outdoor public gatherings |
|
|
Places of public worship and religious services on other premises |
|
|
Auctions, open houses or other inspections or viewings of real property for sale or lease |
|
|
Business premises that are used for auction houses, other than clearing houses |
|
|
Business premises that are used for betting agencies |
|
|
Markets |
|
|
Funerals and memorial services and gatherings after funerals and memorial services |
|
|
Places of residence, holiday homes and short-term rentals with more than 100 visitors |
|
|
Wedding services and gatherings after wedding services |
Gatherings exempted from the square metres rules
The square metres rules do not apply to normal operations for the following activities and premises which are considered essential gatherings.
- Airports
- Transport, including in vehicles or at truck stops, stations, platforms or stops or other public transport facilities
- Hospitals and other medical or health service facilities
- Emergency services and emergency services training
- Prisons, correctional facilities, youth justice centres or other custody facilities
- Disability or aged care facilities
- Courts and tribunals
- Parliament
- Supermarkets, grocery stores, shopping centres and markets that mostly sell food, but not other retail businesses
- Office buildings, farms, factories, warehouses, commercial vessels (excluding vessels providing tours or hosting functions or parties), commercial fishing operations, mining or construction sites
- Schools, universities, other educational institutions or childcare facilities, excluding events that involve members of the community in addition to staff and students
- Hotels, motels or other accommodation facilities
- Outdoor space for the purposes of transiting through the place such as Pitt Street Mall or Parramatta Square
- Food banks and other services that assist vulnerable and homeless people
- Early education and care facilities
For more detail, see the public health orders.
Related information