About us
Under the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure (OEI) framework, the Offshore Infrastructure Registrar's functions include the following:
- receiving and assessing applications for licences
- giving advice to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy as the decision-maker on licence applications
- maintaining the Register of Offshore Infrastructure Licences
- ongoing licence compliance.
On 14 February 2024, the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, the Hon Chris Bowen MP, as the responsible Commonwealth Minister for the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Act 2021, issued the Registrar with a statement of expectations. The Registrar responded with a statement of intent on 11 April 2024.
Statement of Expectations – February 2024
PDF | 234 KB
Statement of Intent – April 2024
PDF | 3.1 MB
Registrar Activities Report
After the end of each financial year, the Registrar must prepare a report on the Registrar’s activities under the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Act 2021. The following report was presented to parliament in accordance with section 159 of the Act for activities during the 2022–23 financial year.
Registrar Activities Report 2022-23
PDF | 160 KB
Contact us
Contact the Registrar at offshoreelectricity@nopta.gov.au or on (08) 6424 5306.
Forms
Application forms
Applications must be made in the form that is approved by the Registrar and published on the Registrar’s website.
Application for a Feasibility Licence
DOCX | 521 KB
Change in Control – Application for Approval
DOCX | 511 KB
Application to Transfer Licence
DOCX | 543 KB
Other forms
Body Corporate Suitability Disclosure Form
DOCX | 122 KB
Natural Person Suitability Disclosure Form
DOCX | 81 KB
Withdrawal of Application Form
DOCX | 513 KB
Acceptance of Offer
DOCX | 516 KB
Change in Control – Notification of Change in Circumstance
DOCX | 509 KB
Change in Control – Notification Change Has Taken Effect
DOCX | 502 KB
Declaration of Agreement to make Licence Transfer Application
DOCX | 528 KB
Notification – Change of Licence Holder Details
DOCX | 509 KB
Guidance
Guidance documents provide general information. They do not replace or amend the requirements of the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Act 2021 and associated Regulations. You should carefully consider the accuracy, currency, completeness and relevance of the information for your individual circumstances.
Applications for a licence are assessed using the guidance in force at the time the application was made. Once a licence has been granted, licence holders should refer to the Guideline in force at that time in relation to future applications and expectations.
The following guidance documents should be referred to for applications made from 31 January 2025:
Guideline: Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Licence Administration – Feasibility Licences
The Guideline provides information to help feasibility licence applicants understand the requirements and processes for licencing under the OEI framework. It also provides guidance on how the merit criteria are assessed.
Guideline: Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Licence Administration – Feasibility Licences (effective 31 January 2025)
PDF | 475 KB
Guideline: Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Licence Administration – Feasibility Licences (effective 31 January 2025)
DOCX | 142 KB
Registrar Forms Guidance (RFG)
The RFG provides guidance about how to submit valid applications and notifications to the Registrar and application content requirements.
Registrar Forms Guidance (effective 31 January 2025)
PDF | 616 KB
Registrar Forms Guidance (effective 31 January 2025)
DOCX | 554 KB
Attachment A: Feasibility Licence Application Accompanying Information Template
XLSX | 297 KB
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions: Feasibility Licence Process
PDF | 210 KB
Frequently Asked Questions: Feasibility Licence Process
DOCX | 460 KB
Guidance for applications submitted from 5 March 2024 and prior to 31 January 2025
Guideline: Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Licence Administration – Feasibility Licences (for applications submitted from 5 March 2024 and prior to 31 January 2025)
PDF | 496 KB
Guideline: Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Licence Administration – Feasibility Licences (for applications submitted from 5 March 2024 and prior to 31 January 2025)
DOCX | 145 KB
Registrar Forms Guidance (for applications submitted from 5 March 2024 and prior to 31 January 2025)
PDF | 509 KB
Registrar Forms Guidance (for applications submitted from 5 March 2024 and prior to 31 January 2025)
DOCX | 537 KB
Guidance for applications submitted from 8 August 2023 and prior to 5 March 2024
Guideline: Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Licence Administration – Feasibility Licences (for applications submitted from 8 August 2023 and prior to 5 March 2024)
PDF | 463 KB
Guideline: Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Licence Administration – Feasibility Licences (for applications submitted from 8 August 2023 and prior to 5 March 2024)
DOCX | 130 KB
Registrar Forms Guidance (for applications submitted from 8 August 2023 and prior to 5 March 2024)
PDF | 607 KB
Registrar Forms Guidance (for applications submitted from 8 August 2023 and prior to 5 March 2024)
DOCX | 543 KB
Guidance for applications submitted prior to 8 August 2023
Guideline: Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Licence Administration – Feasibility Licences (for applications submitted prior to 8 August 2023)
PDF | 496 KB
Guideline: Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Licence Administration – Feasibility Licences (for applications submitted prior to 8 August 2023)
DOCX | 145 KB
Registrar Forms Guidance (for applications submitted prior to 8 August 2023)
PDF | 509 KB
Registrar Forms Guidance (for applications submitted prior to 8 August 2023)
DOCX | 537 KB
Submit an application
Current Invitations
Bass Strait
Feasibility licence applications in relation to Offshore Electricity Infrastructure (Invitation to Apply for a Feasibility Licence) Instrument (No. 4) 2024 (Bass Strait) can be made from 12 December 2024 until 12 March 2025. This invitation to apply relates to Offshore Electricity Infrastructure (Declared Area OEI–04–2024) Declaration 2024
Bunbury
Feasibility licence applications in relation to Offshore Electricity Infrastructure (Invitation to Apply for a Feasibility Licence) Instrument (No. 3) 2024 (Bunbury) can be made from 3 September 2024 until 30 January 2025. This invitation to apply relates to Offshore Electricity Infrastructure (Declared Area OEI–03–2024) Declaration 2024
Submission methods
Applications can be submitted online via the National Electronic Approvals Tracking System (NEATS) Secure Portal. This is the preferred method of submission.
Additional approved submission methods are found in the following Approved Manner as applicable to the application type:
Applications for a feasibility licence
Applications for approval of change in control of licence holder
Offshore Electricity Infrastructure (Offshore Infrastructure Registrar) Approved Manner 2024 No.1 – 8 July 2024
PDF | 229 KB
Applications to transfer a licence
For more information on submitting an application, email offshoreelectricity@nopta.gov.au
For more information on NEATS, please see Register of Offshore Infrastructure Licences section below.
Fees and Levies
Application fees
For an application to be considered validly made, the Registrar requires:
- the application to be accompanied by any legislatively prescribed documents/information, submitted in the manner approved by the Offshore Infrastructure Registrar, as set out in Approval of Manner of Application’s document, and submitted within any prescribed time frames,
- a correctly executed application form to be lodged, and
- the fee to be paid.
Application fees must be paid in full. Split or partial payments will not be accepted.
Application fees under the OEI framework are detailed in the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Regulations 2022.
Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Levies
Annual levies imposed on licence holders are set out in the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure (Regulatory Levies) Regulations 2022.
Relevant excerpts are provided in the Application Fees and Annual Levies document below.
Note: the application fee is exempt from GST.
Application Fees and Annual Levies
PDF | 242 KB
Application Fees and Annual Levies
DOCX | 521 KB
Payment methods
Available payment methods are described in the following document:
Fee and Levy Payment Methods
PDF | 188 KB
Fee and Levy Payment Methods
DOCX | 504 KB
Register of Offshore Infrastructure Licences (Register of Licences)
The Registrar must keep a Register of Offshore Infrastructure Licences that is made available for public inspection on the internet (section 162 of the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Act 2021). The Register of Licences is contained on the National Electronic Application Tracking System (NEATS) website.
NEATS includes a Public Portal which provides access to information held within the Register of Licences and application tracking.
Access NEATS at neats.nopta.gov.au.
NEATS Secure Portal
Licence holders and applicants may register for a Secure Portal account to submit applications and track the progress of applications.
The NEATS Secure Portal can be accessed via https://secure.neats.nopta.gov.au or through the NEATS website.
NEATS Secure Portal Guidance
PDF | 2.9 MB KB
The NEATS secure portal will continue to be developed and additional functionality will continue to be added. To express your interest in being part of the NEATS working group, please email NEATS.Admin@nopta.gov.au.
Compliance
The Registrar monitors licence holder compliance with legislative obligations. The Registrar’s Compliance and Enforcement policy outlines its approach to compliance and possible consequences for non–compliance.
Compliance and Enforcement Policy
PDF | 327 KB
Compliance and Enforcement Policy
DOCX | 512 KB
Spatial data
The following link provides access to spatial data for offshore infrastructure licences.
The spatial data provided is based on GDA94 datum.
Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Licences (Public REST Service Directory)