Explanatory guide to the remake of the Local Land Services Regulation
The new Local Land Services Regulation 2026 has replaced the Local Land Services Regulation 2014, which was automatically repealed on 1 September 2026.
The new regulation helps Local Land Services (LLS) deliver key services in NSW, including biosecurity, emergency management, primary production, and natural resource management.
The new Regulation is available on the NSW Legislation website at Local Land Services Regulation 2026.
What has changed?
The Regulation looks different, but there are actually minimal changes of substance.
Most of the changes are to:
- bring the regulation into line with current drafting conventions
- ensure sufficient powers
- update outdated references.
The following changes have also been made:
- Cobar Shire Council is now formally designated as the controlling authority for 3 specified stock watering places
- Adjustments have been made to penalty notice amounts, for consistency with guidance from the Department of Communities and Justice.
- Clause 139 of the LLS Regulation 2014 has not been reproduced. Section 60N of the Local Land Service Act 2013 (LLS Act) prohibits the same conduct.
- Part 12 (Stock Identification) of the LLS Regulation 2014 has not been reproduced. LLS has never required the establishment of a stock identification scheme under Part 12.
Summary of changes
| 2026 Regulation Part | Division | Clauses | Original clauses (2014 Regulation) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part 1 Preliminary | - | 1 – 4 | Part 1 Preliminary 1, 2, 3(1), 3(2) |
| Part 2 Local Board Members | - | 5 – 8 | Part 11 Eligibility for election or appointment of members of local boards 90, 91-94, 95 |
| Part 3 Rates | Division 1 | 9 – 10 | Part 2 Rates 4, 3(3) |
| Division 2 | 11 – 15 | 5, 6, 6(8), 7(1), 7(2), 8, 25(1) | |
| Division 3 | 16 – 22 | 9, 10, 11(1)-(4), 12, 13, 14, 15, 21, 22(2), 23, 24, 26(1) | |
| Division 4 | 23 – 26 | 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22(1) | |
| Part 4 Catchment Contributions | Division 1 | 27 | Part 4 Catchment Contributions 31 |
| Division 2 | 28 – 34 | 32, 33(1)-(4), 35, 36, 37(1)-(6), 38(1)-(3), 39(1)-(2) | |
| - | Not reproduced | 40 | |
| Division 3 | 35 – 41 | 38(4), 39(3), 41, 42, 43, 46, 47(1)-(3), 48, 49(1)-(2), 50 | |
| Part 5 Annual Returns | - | 42 – 45 | Part 3 Annual Returns 28, 29, 30 |
| Part 6 Native Vegetation | Division 1 | 46 | Part 14 Land Management (Native Vegetation) 106 |
| Division 2 | 47 – 58 | 107, 108, 109(1)-(2), 111-113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120(1), 121, 122, 123 | |
| Division 3 | 59 – 64 | 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130 | |
| Division 4 | 65 – 72 | 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138 | |
| - | Not reproduced. | Division 5 139 and 140 | |
| Part 7 Public roads and travelling stock reserves | Division 1 | 73 | Part 5 Travelling stock reserves and public roads 51, 71(6) |
| Division 2 | 74 – 82 | 51, 52(1)-(9), 53(2)-(3), 54, 55, 56, 57, 102 | |
| Division 3 | 83 – 90 | 53(1), 58, 59, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 70, 75, 76 | |
| Division 4 | 91 – 94 | 71(1)-(5), (4A), (4B), 72, 73, 74 | |
| Division 5 | 95 – 98 | 67, 68, 69, 77 | |
| Part 8 Stock watering places | - | 99 – 102 | Part 6 Stock watering places 78, 79, 80 |
| Part 9 Transportation of stock | - | 103 – 105 | Part 8 Transportation of stock by vehicle 82, 83, 84 |
| - | - | Not reproduced. | Part 12 Stock identification 96, 97, 98 |
| Part 10 Miscellaneous | - | 106 – 111 | Part 13 Miscellaneous (other than native vegetation land management) 27, 81, 87, 88, 99, 104 |
| - | 112 | - | |
| Schedule 1 Local Board elections | - | - | Schedule 1 Elections for members of local boards |
| Schedule 2 Category 2- regulated land | - | - | 113(1) |
| Schedule 3 Category 2- sensitive regulated land | - | - | 108 |
| Schedule 4 Penalty notice offences | - | - | Schedule 2 Penalty notice offences |
| Schedule 5 Dictionary | - | - | - |
Frequently asked questions about changes to the Regulation
Learn more about the LLS Regulation, the process of staged repeal and community consultation.
Under the Subordinate Legislation Act 1989, regulations in NSW automatically expire after 5 years.
The new LLS Regulation 2026 replaces the LLS Regulation 2014, which was automatically repealed on 1 September 2026 under this Act.
If the new regulation was not made LLS Act would have no supporting regulations from 1 September 2026. This would impact LLS’s ability to provide services and support to customers, including farmers and other regional landholders.
The Regulation helps LLS deliver key services in NSW, including biosecurity, emergency management, primary production, and natural resource management.
Staged repeal is the process under the Subordinate Legislation Act where regulations automatically lapse after 5 years.
The purpose of staged repeal is to ensure that regulations are regularly reviewed, updated, or repealed rather than staying in force indefinitely.
Regulations proposed to be remade through the staged repeal process require the release of a draft regulation and accompanying RIS, for a minimum 28-day public consultation.
The proposed Regulation and supporting Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) was made available for public consultation from Friday 27 March 2026 through to Tuesday 28 April 2026 through the Have your say platform.
LLS received 8 written submissions during the consultation period from government agencies, industry peak bodies, environmental groups and a landholder.
Most of the submissions raised either relatively minor concerns, or issues that are outside the scope of the remake and will require further consideration and consultation.
The Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) sets out the economic and social costs and benefits of the proposed Regulation. This ensures that the NSW Government and members of the community can be satisfied that the benefits of the proposed Regulation exceed the costs.
Read the Regulatory Impact Statement on the remake of the LLS Regulation.
The RIS outlines the potential impacts, costs and benefits of three options:
- Option 1 – Let the current LLS Regulation lapse, with no replacement regulation.
- Option 2 – Remake the LLS Regulation with no material changes (except changes needed to make it legally valid and to meet current drafting standards).
- Option 3 – Remake the LLS Regulation with the minor proposed amendments.
The RIS says Option 3 is considered the preferred option because it will deliver a streamlined, modern regulation that supports the purpose and objectives of the LLS Act. It is expected to benefit the community, businesses, government agencies and the environment, without significant change.
Under the LLS regulation 2014, LLS was the controlling authority for 3 Stock Watering Places:
- Stock Watering Place No.927, known as Elouera Tank
- Stock Watering Place No.27, known as Nymagee Tank
- Stock Watering Place No.19 Known as Nullamut Tank.
Cobar Shire Council leased these Stock Watering Places from LLS and paid an annual lease fee. The change does not materially change the Council’s obligations except:
- transferring from LLS to the council the obligation to replace assets as a result of fair wear and tear, damage caused by natural disasters or structural damage of assets, and
- removing the obligation to pay lease fees to LLS.
All penalty notice amounts have been reviewed and changed to align with Department of Communities and Justice guidance on penalty notice amounts. The changes ensure that offences with the same penalty unit amount have a consistent penalty notice amount.
For example, in the LLS Regulation 2014 penalty notice amounts for offences that incurred a maximum of 10 penalty units ranged in value from $150 to $500. These amounts have been standardised in the LLS Regulation 2026, so that all 10 penalty unit offences have a penalty notice amount of $180. In practice, this means that some penalty notice amounts have increased.
The remake of the LLS Regulation has no impact to services provided by LLS.
No. The LLS Regulation 2026 does not change rates.
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