Licensing and renewals

People with an existing Game Licence set to expire on 31 December, will receive a letter or an email in the first week of December 2023 as a reminder to renew their Game Licence.

A Game Licence does not have to be renewed before it expires, however, it must be renewed prior to hunting game in Victoria.

You should receive a renewal letter or email by 8 December 2023.

If you have not received your renewal letter by this date, you can order a replacement through MyGL.

Make sure your email and postal address are correct in MyGL. For information on signing up to MyGL, visit Accessing MyGL.

Game Licence holders with a MyGL account can renew their Game Licence online from 27 November 2023 - 30 June 2024.

MyGL will only allow you to renew your Game Licence during the licence renewal period.

Game Licence renewal is voluntary. A Game Licence does not have to be renewed before it expires, however, it must be renewed prior to hunting game in Victoria.

Game Licence renewal fees outlined in the renewal notice are only valid to 30 June 2024. After that date, fees may change and a new application is required. A new application can be submitted through MyGL.

See more information on Accessing MyGL.

Yes, you can choose to renew your licence for some species and not for others. To do this, you will need to complete a new application in MyGL.

The GMA is planning to conduct Waterfowl identification Tests in early 2024. Visit Book a Waterfowl Identification Test for session details.

The Victorian Government is considering a Parliamentary Committee’s report and its recommendations and will respond in due course.

Season arrangements are considered annually based on environmental and population information. Hunters should monitor the GMA website for details of any government announcements.

The GMA continues to deliver on current government game hunting policy, which includes renewing game licences.

'Juniors' aged between 12 and 17 can obtain a Game Licence free of charge. A "Game Licence application" must be completed but there will be no cost.

'Juniors' wishing to apply for a Game Licence can do so online via our online licensing system My Game Licence (MyGL).

The 'Provisional Game Licence', is available for juniors aged between 12 and 17.

A Provisional Game Licence allows juniors to go hunting for duck or Sambar Deer with hounds without the need to first pass the Waterfowl Identification Test or Sambar Deer hunting with Hounds Test. However, a junior hunting under a Provisional Game Licence must be under the direct supervision of an adult who holds a valid Game Licence specific to the species being hunted.

There is no fee to obtain a Provisional Game Licence and it is valid for one calendar year only, or the remainder of the calendar year in which the licence is issued.

A junior will be issued a Provisional Game Licence to hunt duck or Sambar Deer with hounds only once for each entitlement.

The licence allows a junior hunter to experience game hunting before deciding whether to continue duck hunting or hunting Sambar Deer with hounds. At the conclusion of the one-year Provisional Game Licence period, a junior who wishes to continue hunting must get a full Game Licence and pass the relevant tests before being allowed to go game hunting – Game Licences for juniors are free.

It is important to remember that any person under the age of 18 who is licensed to use a firearm must do so under the supervision of a fully-licensed adult. Contact Victoria Police for more details about firearms licensing.

To apply for a Provisional Game Licence, please go to our online licensing system My Game Licence (MyGL).

The 'Non-resident of Australia Game Licence' is available to facilitate access to game hunting for international visitors and support the commercial hunting and guiding industry. The Non-resident of Australia Game Licence removes the need for international hunters to pass the Waterfowl Identification Test or Sambar Deer Hunting with Hounds Test before going hunting. However, a Non-resident Game Licence holder must hunt under the direct supervision of an adult who holds a valid Game Licence specific to the species being hunted.

The Non-resident Game Licence is only available to people who reside outside of Australia and is restricted to a maximum period of 14 days. A Non-resident of Australia Game Licence attracts the same fee as a full 12-month Game Licence.

To apply for a Non-resident Game Licence, please go to our online licensing system My Game Licence (MyGL).

To support the commercial hunting industry, the 'Game Bird Farm Hunting Licence' is available.  The licence is free of charge and is valid for 7 days only.

The Game Bird Hunting Licence makes it easier for game bird farms to cater for corporate events and clients seeking a once-off game hunting experience in a controlled environment under expert instruction.

The holder of a Game Bird Farm Hunting Licence can only hunt introduced game birds (i.e. introduced pheasant, partridge and quail species) on a game bird farm licenced under the Wildlife Act 1975. Game Ducks & Stubble Quail must not be hunted under this licence.

Holders of a full Game Licence for game birds can also hunt introduced game birds at game bird farms and do not require a Game Bird Farm Hunting Licence.

To apply for a Game Bird Farm Hunting Licence, please go to our online licensing system My Game Licence (MyGL).

Game Licence Fees as at 1 July 2023

If you change your address, you must advise the GMA within fourteen days after doing so.

To change your address please go to our online licensing system My Game Licence (MyGL).

Providing your new address also ensures that you will receive any other information that the GMA needs to send to you.

If you hold a current Game Licence and want to add to your hunting entitlement, you will need to do so before undertaking any hunting of that game species.

To amend your Game Licence entitlement, please go to our online licensing system My Game Licence (MyGL).

To order a replacement Game Licence, go to our online licensing system My Game Licence (MyGL).

A card replacement fee may apply.

Before you can hunt game birds including duck, you need to pass the Waterfowl Identification Test. This test ensures that only those hunters able to demonstrate adequate identification skills are permitted to hunt ducks in Victoria.

Find out more about the Waterfowl Identification Test.

Before you can hunt Sambar deer with hounds, you need to pass the Hound Hunting Test. This test is designed to ensure that hunters using hounds to hunt Sambar Deer are aware of their legal, ethical and safety requirements when hunting.

Find out more about the Hound Hunting Test.