Use of boating facilities
Our facilities and requirements

As a marina or harbour operator, the Department of Transport must ensure that all vessels berth or moored at our facilities comply with the relevant legislation and Australian Standards, and have the appropriate insurance.
When applying for or renewing a boat pen or mooring licence, vessel owners will needs to provide the following:
- Proof of compliance with electrical and gas requirements.
- Proof of appropriate third party liability insurance.
The Department has developed a set of guidelines for boats owners, which include:
- Safely connecting to shore-based power.
- Complying with relevant legislation and Australian Standards for onboard electrical and gas systems.
- Obtaining the required third party liability insurance.
Please download the guidelines below.
The Department manages approximately 50 small boat facilities and sites across Western Australia, including:
- Major metropolitan boat harbours (e.g. Hillarys Boat Harbour).
- Single jetties in regional areas (e.g. in Leeman).
- Quarries (e.g. Roelands).
- Commercial ports (e.g. Wyndham).
The Department also issues approximately 4,000 licences for jetties, ferries and mooring areas.
For more information, please go to the following pages:
Electrical, gas and insurance requirements: Transport operated maritime facilities | Kb |
---|---|
Vessel accommodation agreement terms and conditions | Kb |
Living onboard
As part of a general boat pen or mooring licence, commercial and recreational boat users may live on their vessel overnight for up to:
- 6 consecutive days.
- 10 days per calendar month.
Any overnight stays onboard a vessel over this period will require separate approval from the Department of Transport, which will be granted according to the 'Live Onboard' policy (see below).
The policy covers the following information:
- Conditions for living on board.
- Number of live on board approvals within a maritime facility.
- Bona fide boat travellers.
- Commercial vessels moored adjacent to leased areas within a maritime facility.
- Commercial vessels working in and around Western Australia.
- Duration of live on board arrangements.
Live onboard policy | Kb |
---|
Maritime facilities: schedule of fees and charges (2020/2021)
In recognition of the current economic environment DoT has not increased vessel accommodation fees in 2020-21, and invoicing for vessel accommodation will reflect 2019-20 charges. For further information regarding fees and charges applying from 1 July 2020 at DoT maritime facilities, please refer to the documents below.
The 'Maritime facilities: Schedule of marine fees and charges' document contains fees and vessel accommodation information on numerous DoT managed facilities, including the following;
- Ferry licence fees.
- Fuel wharfage fees.
- General notes.
- Jetty and mooring area licence fees.
- Statewide fees.
Waterways governance fees and the law
The Department of Transport charges fees for the governance and management of Western Australia's waterways, under the following laws:
- Western Australian Marine Act 1982.
- Shipping and Pilotage Act 1967.
- Shipping and Pilotage (Ports and Harbours) Regulations 1966.
- Shipping and Pilotage (Mooring Control Areas) Regulations 1983.
- Mooring Regulations 1998.
The Waterways Governance Fees schedule covers charges related to:
- Moorings.
- Marine pilots.
- Geographic data.
- Digital charts.
Please download the fee schedule below. For information on how to pay, please go to Marine fees and payments.
Commercial mooring fees
Fee type | Fee |
---|---|
Moorings commercial, annual licence fee | $2,700.00 |
Maritime geographic data fees
Fee type | Fee |
---|---|
Costs for prints: | |
Maritime geographic data, A4 size | $11.00 |
Maritime geographic data, A3 size | $11.00 |
Maritime geographic data, A2 size | $11.00 |
Maritime geographic data, A1 size | $13.00 |
Maritime geographic data, A0 size | $18.00 |
A search fee for extraction also applies (in addition to the print fee) | |
Maritime geographic data search fee, minimum | $85.00 |
Maritime geographic data search fee, per hour | $85.00 |
Mooring Control Areas, shipping and pilotage fees
Fee type | Fee |
---|---|
Mooring Control Areas, shipping and pilotage registration fee | $117.70 [*] |
Mooring Control Areas, annual hiring fee | $682.00 [*] |
Mooring Control Areas, inaugural hiring fee | $96.80 [*] |
[*] Includes GST
Moorings, Swan/Canning Rivers
Fee type | Fee |
---|---|
Swan/Canning Rivers, annual fee per mooring | $620.00 |
Note: In addition to the annual fee the following charges are applicable: | |
Swan/Canning Rivers, application for mooring licence | $115.00 |
Swan / Canning Rivers, late payment | $115.00 |
Swan/Canning Rivers, exchange of mooring licence | $115.00 |
Swan/Canning Rivers, application for transfer of mooring licence | $115.00 |
Swan/Canning Rivers, substitution of licensed vessel | $115.00 |
Swan/Canning Rivers, application to register additional vessel | $115.00 |