What approvals and licences do you need to open an indoor play centre or leisure venue in Australia?

In short

Indoor play centres, trampoline parks, climbing gyms and ninja venues usually need planning or development approval for the change of use, building approval and certification for the fitout, and registration of amusement devices or plant with the state work health and safety regulator. You also need state-based Working With Children screening for staff who will work with children, food business registration or licensing if you operate a cafe, and current public liability insurance as a commercial expectation. The exact consent authority and regulator differs in every state and territory, so the first step is to confirm the site's planning zone, permitted use and building classification before you sign a lease.

The approvals questions that decide whether a site works before anything else

Before you measure floor height or account for trampolines, ask whether the site can legally become an indoor play or recreation venue. A warehouse or cheap shed often looks attractive on rent, but it can become the expensive option once you add fire engineering, access upgrades, parking studies and the time cost of chasing a use the landlord or council did not expect.

The six questions I answer first are below. They sit upstream of every later decision.

• Zoning and permitted use: check the local planning scheme to see if indoor recreation or amusement use is permitted, discretionary or prohibited.
• Change of use: moving from retail, office, storage or warehouse to indoor play, trampolines, climbing or recreation is usually a material change of use that needs development or planning approval.
• The lease: read the permitted use clause, make-good obligations and whether the landlord must support or be notified about an application.
• Building classification: a warehouse or shop may be Class 6, 7 or 8 under the National Construction Code, while an indoor recreation venue is usually Class 9b. Changing classification triggers building approval.
• Parking: councils assess traffic generation and parking. If the site does not have enough spaces, you may need a transport impact assessment or agree to conditions.
• Why a cheap shed can cost more: low base rent plus the cost of fire safety, exits, toilets, ventilation, disabled access and parking mitigation usually costs more than a better suited shell.

Planning approval: what it involves and who decides

Planning approval is about what the land can legally be used for. The consent authority is usually the local council, except in Queensland where the State Assessment and Referral Agency may be involved, and in the ACT and Northern Territory where territory planning authorities also decide lease questions.

You lodge a development application, planning permit or material change of use with plans, a use description, parking analysis and any required reports. The consent authority assesses it against the local planning scheme, state planning policies and any applicable overlays. If the use is discretionary or impact assessable, the council may advertise it and invite submissions. The process is not a rubber stamp, so engage a planner early if the site is marginal.

You can read /guides/opening-a-venue for the full launch sequence, or /services/project-establishment if you want the approvals mapped before you commit.

Building approval and certification including change of building classification

Building approval is separate from planning approval. It checks that the actual building and fitout comply with the National Construction Code and the relevant state building legislation. The building classification determines requirements for exits, fire safety, toilets, access and structural loads.

Fitouts that change the building classification, such as from Class 7 or 8 to Class 9b assembly building, need building approval and often involve a building certifier or surveyor, fire engineering, hydraulic certification and structural certification. In Western Australia, an occupancy permit may be required when the building classification changes. In Victoria, all building work generally needs a building permit unless an exemption applies under the Building Regulations 2018.

Building approval should be in place before fitout starts. Retrofitting compliance after the floor has been poured or walls lined is slower and more expensive.

See /guides/safety-and-compliance for the operational compliance side once the building is certified.

Work health and safety registration obligations for plant and amusement devices

Trampolines, climbing structures, ninja courses, high ropes and many inflatables are plant under work health and safety law. Where they are amusement devices operated for hire or reward, they generally require design and item registration with the state WHS regulator, unless an exemption applies. State regulators refer to AS 3533.1:2009, Classification and design of amusement devices, when deciding which devices are registrable.

Each state and territory has its own regulator, so the person you register with depends on location. Registration, log books, annual inspection by a competent person and operator competency records are part of the same system. You cannot treat plant registration as optional; a regulator inspecting a venue will ask to see the registration and the current inspection records.

• Western Australia: WorkSafe WA administers the Work Health and Safety Act 2020 and the Work Health and Safety (General) Regulations 2022.
• New South Wales: SafeWork NSW administers the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017.
• Victoria: WorkSafe Victoria administers the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 and the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017, including new amusement structure registration requirements from 2026.
• Queensland: WorkSafe Queensland administers the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and Regulation 2011, and publishes the Amusement Devices Code of Practice 2023.
• South Australia: SafeWork SA administers the Work Health and Safety Act 2012 and the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2012.
• Australian Capital Territory: WorkSafe ACT administers the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011.
• Tasmania: WorkSafe Tasmania administers the Work Health and Safety Act 2012.
• Northern Territory: NT WorkSafe administers the Work Health and Safety (National Uniform Legislation) Act 2011 and Regulations 2011.

Checks that are not approvals but are mandatory before staff and patrons arrive

Some things are not called approvals, but you should not open without them. I treat them as non-negotiable checkpoints in the same way as planning and building sign-off.

• Working With Children screening: in Western Australia the Working with Children Check is administered by the Department of Communities; in New South Wales it is administered by the Office of the Children's Guardian; in Victoria by the Department of Justice and Community Safety; in Queensland the blue card system is run by Blue Card Services; in South Australia by the Department for Human Services Screening Unit; in the ACT by Access Canberra under the Working with Vulnerable People scheme; in Tasmania by Consumer, Building and Occupational Services under the Registration to Work with Vulnerable People scheme; and in the Northern Territory by NT Police SAFE NT under the Ochre Card scheme.
• Food business registration or licence: if you operate a cafe, party catering or sell food or drink, each state and territory requires registration, notification or a licence under the relevant Food Act. Western Australia requires food business registration under the Food Act 2008, New South Wales uses the NSW Food Authority and local council notification, Victoria classifies and registers food premises under the Food Act 1984, Queensland requires a food business licence under the Food Act 2006 for unpackaged retail food, South Australia requires notification under the Food Act 2001, the ACT requires registration under the Food Act 2001, and the Northern Territory requires food business registration under the Food Act 2004.
• Public liability insurance: not an approval issued by government, but landlords, financiers and WHS regulators expect current public liability cover before you open. It is a commercial expectation, not a suggestion.

State by state: what differs in each jurisdiction

Every state and territory has its own regulator, planning instrument and lease characteristic. Do not assume what works in one place works in another. The city pages have more detail for /perth, /sydney, /melbourne and /canberra.

Western Australia

Regulator: WorkSafe WA. Planning instrument: Planning and Development Act 2005 and the relevant local planning scheme. Lease characteristic: generally a commercial or industrial lease, but the permitted use clause must match the proposed indoor recreation use. Building classification changes require an occupancy permit under the Building Act 2011. Food businesses must register under the Food Act 2008 with local government Environmental Health Services.

New South Wales

Regulator: SafeWork NSW. Planning instrument: Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, State Environmental Planning Policies, the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2021, and the relevant local environmental plan. Change of use to indoor recreation requires development consent from the local council unless an exemption applies. Building work is certified by a council or private certifier under the Building Code of Australia.

Victoria

Regulator: WorkSafe Victoria. Planning instrument: Planning and Environment Act 1987 and the Victoria Planning Provisions in the relevant planning scheme. Building approval is managed by a municipal or private building surveyor under the Building Act 1993 and Building Regulations 2018.

Queensland

Regulator: WorkSafe Queensland. Planning instrument: Planning Act 2016 and the relevant local planning scheme; the State Assessment and Referral Agency has a role for some development. Building certification is carried out by a private building certifier approved by the Queensland Building and Construction Commission, with final certification lodged with council. Child-related workers need a blue card.

South Australia

Regulator: SafeWork SA. Planning instrument: Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016 and the Planning and Design Code, which is a single statewide planning policy replacing the former development plans. The local council or State Planning Commission is the assessment manager. Food businesses must notify the local council under the Food Act 2001.

Australian Capital Territory

Regulator: WorkSafe ACT. Planning instrument: Planning Act 2023 and Territory Plan 2023. The ACT is different because most land is Crown leasehold. A change of use may require a Crown lease variation under the Planning (General) Regulation 2023 and can attract a Lease Variation Charge under the Planning (Lease Variation Charges) Determination 2026. Building approval is issued by a licensed private building certifier under the Building Act 2004.

Tasmania

Regulator: WorkSafe Tasmania. Planning instrument: Tasmanian Planning Scheme and the relevant Local Provisions Schedule, such as the Hobart Local Provisions Schedule. Building and plumbing permits are issued through private building surveyors and the council. Staff who work with children need Registration to Work with Vulnerable People through Consumer, Building and Occupational Services.

Northern Territory

Regulator: NT WorkSafe. Planning instrument: Planning Act 1999 and the Development Consent Authority, or the Minister for Lands, Planning and Environment outside division areas. Land tenure includes freehold and Crown lease under the Crown Lands Act 1992; Crown lease redevelopment may require ministerial consent or surrender. Building approval sits under the Building Act 1993.

The order to do things in

Doing approvals out of order is what costs money. The sensible sequence is to confirm the planning and building answers before you commit cash, then secure the statutory approvals before you fit out, then put the operational checks in place before you trade.

Start by confirming zoning and permitted use before you shortlist sites. Check building classification and major constraints before you sign a lease. Get planning or development approval before building work begins. Arrange building approval and certification before the fitout starts. Register plant and amusement devices before you commission them. Finally, complete WWC screening, food registration and insurance before staff and patrons arrive.

/services/venue-audits can review what is already in place if you have started and want to know what is missing.

The mistakes that cause delay

Most delays come from treating approvals as an afterthought. The same problems show up repeatedly on projects I review.

• Signing a lease before checking the permitted use clause and the landlord's appetite for a change of use.
• Assuming no building approval is needed because the fitout looks minor or the shell is already built.
• Installing amusement devices or plant before confirming design and item registration with the regulator.
• Forgetting that Working With Children screening has lead times, which can delay staff starting.
• Opening a cafe or party food operation before food business registration or notification is complete.
• Buying imported or second-hand equipment without design registration certificates, manuals or inspection records.

An honest next step

This guide is general information. It is not legal or planning advice, and your site, council and building will have specifics that change the answer. Paul can walk through the approvals and licencing pathway for your location, your lease and your proposed venue type.

Venue North has no equipment to sell and earns no supplier commissions. The work is independent advice on what will actually be required. See /about for Paul's background, or get in touch through the form below to map approvals before you sign.

Questions operators ask

What licences do I need to open an indoor play centre?

You typically need planning or development approval for the change of use, building approval and certification for the fitout, WHS registration of amusement devices and plant with the state regulator, Working With Children screening for staff, food business registration or licence if you serve food, and current public liability insurance. The exact authority and forms depend on the state or territory.

Do I need council approval to open an indoor play centre or trampoline park?

In most cases, yes. Changing from retail, warehouse, storage or office to indoor recreation, amusement or play use is usually a material change of use assessed under the relevant planning legislation by the local council, territory planning authority or Development Consent Authority.

How long do planning and building approvals take?

Timeframes vary with the council or certifier, the complexity of the change of use, and whether referrals or public notification are required. Some councils publish service standards for straightforward applications. Ask the consent authority for its current processing timeframe before you sign a lease.

Can I open before approval is final?

Generally no, if planning or building approval is required for the use or the works. Operating before approval can lead to stop-work or enforcement notices and makes insurance, finance and leasing warranties difficult to obtain.

What happens if I change the use of a building without approval?

The consent authority can require you to stop operating, apply for retrospective approval, remove unauthorised works or comply with conditions. It also puts your lease, insurance and finance arrangements at risk.

Do amusement devices have to be registered?

Under the state and territory WHS regulations, listed amusement devices generally require design and item registration with the regulator unless an exemption applies. Exemptions are narrow, so confirm the device classification with the regulator before you assume one applies.

Does every staff member need a Working With Children Check?

Anyone doing child-related work generally needs the relevant state clearance, such as a Working with Children Check, blue card or Ochre Card. Some exemptions exist for short-term volunteers or supervised workers, but operators should verify each role with the relevant screening unit.

What insurance do I need before I open?

Public liability insurance is the commercial expectation. Landlords, regulators and financiers usually require evidence of current cover before occupation. You should also discuss workers compensation, asset and management liability cover with your broker.

Should I sign the lease before or after I know the site will be approved?

After, or with a clause that makes the lease conditional on planning and building approval. Once you sign, you are carrying the site cost while the approval is assessed, and a refusal or adverse condition can make the site unviable.

Sources

1. WorkSafe WA - Amusement devices guide for local government. https://www.worksafe.wa.gov.au/amusement-devices-guide-local-government
2. WorkSafe WA - Work health and safety laws. https://www.worksafe.wa.gov.au/work-health-and-safety-laws
3. WA Legislation - Planning and Development Act 2005. https://www.legislation.wa.gov.au/legislation/prod/filestore.nsf/FileURL/mrdoc_1665.pdf/$FILE/Planning%20and%20Development%20Act%202005%20-%20%5B00-h0-03%5D.pdf?OpenElement=
4. WA Government - Working with Children Check. https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/department-of-communities/working-children-check
5. WA Health - Registration of a food business. https://www.health.wa.gov.au/Articles/N_R/Registration-of-a-food-business
6. SafeWork NSW - Amusement devices. https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/hazards-a-z/amusement-devices
7. NSW Legislation - Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979. https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-1979-203
8. NSW Planning Portal - Change of use of a building. https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/development-and-assessment/planning-approval-pathways/complying-development/change-use-building
9. NSW Office of the Children's Guardian - Working With Children Check. https://ocg.nsw.gov.au/working-children-check/who-needs-check
10. NSW Food Authority - Starting a food business. https://www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/industry/starting-a-food-business
11. WorkSafe Victoria - New requirements for amusement rides. https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/new-requirements-amusement-rides
12. Victorian Legislation - Planning and Environment Act 1987. https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/acts/planning-and-environment-act-1987
13. Victorian Legislation - Building Act 1993. https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/acts/building-act-1993
14. Victorian Government - Working with Children Check. https://www.vic.gov.au/working-with-children-check
15. WorkSafe Queensland - Amusement device regulation. https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/laws-and-compliance/work-health-and-safety-laws/amusement-device-regulation
16. Queensland Legislation - Planning Act 2016. https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-2016-025
17. Queensland Government - Blue Card system. https://www.qld.gov.au/jobs/blue-card/required/individuals-businesses
18. Queensland Government - Food business licences. https://www.qld.gov.au/health/staying-healthy/food-pantry/starting-a-food-business/food-business-licences/do-i-need-a-food-business-licence
19. SafeWork SA - Plant registrations. https://safework.sa.gov.au/licence-and-registration/apply-renew/plant-registrations
20. SA PlanSA - Planning and Design Code. https://plan.sa.gov.au/resources/planning/planning_and_design_code
21. SA Screening - Screening Checks. https://screening.sa.gov.au
22. SA Health - Starting a Food Business. https://www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/Public+Content/SA+Health+Internet/Public+Health/Food+safety+for+businesses/Starting+A+Food+Business
23. WorkSafe ACT - Plant guidance. https://www.worksafe.act.gov.au/health-and-safety-portal/safety-by-industry/building-and-construction/plant
24. ACT Legislation - Planning Act 2023. https://www.legislation.act.gov.au/a/2023-18/
25. ACT Legislation - Territory Plan 2023. https://www.legislation.act.gov.au/ni/2023-540/Current
26. ACT Planning - Changes to a Crown lease. https://www.planning.act.gov.au/community/buy/leasing-and-titles/crown-leases/changes-to-a-crown-lease
27. ACT Access Canberra - Register a food business. https://www.accesscanberra.act.gov.au/business-and-work/hospitality-liquor-and-gaming/register-a-food-business
28. WorkSafe Tasmania - Acts and Regulations. https://worksafe.tas.gov.au/topics/laws-and-compliance/acts-and-regulations
29. City of Hobart - Preparing a planning application. https://hobartcity.com.au/Development-and-Business/Preparing-a-planning-application
30. CBOS Tasmania - Registration to Work with Vulnerable People. https://cbos.tas.gov.au/topics/licensing-and-registration/registration-to-work-with-vulnerable-people
31. NT WorkSafe - Plant registration. https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/licensing-and-registration/plant-registration
32. NT Legislation - Planning Act 1999. https://legislation.nt.gov.au/Legislation/PLANNING-ACT-1999
33. NT Government - Apply for a Working with Children clearance. https://nt.gov.au/emergency/child-safety/apply-for-a-working-with-children-clearance
34. NT Government - Register a food business. https://nt.gov.au/industry/business-and-employment/starting-a-business/register-a-food-business

Regulatory and standards references checked against the sources above on 2026-10-11. Venue North is not a law firm and this page is general information about operating these venues, not legal advice.