Managing your Mooring Licence

How to maintain your mooring licence

Once you have received your mooring licence, attached the red sticker clearly to your boat, and paid your annual fee, you can now use your licensed mooring whenever you choose. But it is not a once-and-done affair—you need to ensure that you keep your mooring licence current, in order to retain access to your mooring site.

Keeping your mooring licence active

As the mooring site licensee there are  steps you need to take in order to maintain your mooring licence and ensure it does not lapse. 

• Annual renewal. Your mooring licence is granted for a 12-month period and must be renewed each year if you want to continue using it. To renew it, all you need to do is pay your annual fee. If you do not want to renew your licence, simply notify Rottnest Island Authority (RIA) at [email protected], and the mooring will be offered to the next person on your bay’s waitlist.
• Maintaining your mooring equipment. As the licensee, the equipment at your mooring site is your responsibility. This includes upkeep and maintenance. You must:
  • Ensure the mooring complies with Rottnest Island Authority-approved specifications.
  • Arrange an annual inspection for your mooring.
  • Possess a valid mooring inspection report at all times.

Changing your contact details

You need to notify RIA in writing if your contact details change. This ensures that RIA are able to contact you about your  mooring site licence when required. 

All you need to do is send an email to [email protected], from your nominated email address, to advise your new contact details.

Only the person whose name is on the  mooring site licence can make these changes.  

Adding another boat

You may have more than one boat that you want to bring to Wadjemup.

As the licensee, you are able to add additional boats to your mooring licence, as long as they are registered under your name and are suitable for the mooring. Simply complete an application form, and send it along with a Certificate of Registration to [email protected].

Once your application is approved, you will be contacted to arrange payment for your new boat’s annual admission fee.

As with all vessels mooring at Rottnest Island, your new boat must be covered under an insurance policy with the required level of third-party legal liability.

Adding an authorised user

It is easy to add another authorised user to your mooring site access. Use the forms below which need to be signed by both parties - proxy signatures are not accepted:

• If the person you want to add is an existing authorised user or licensee complete an application for licensee mooring site authorisation.

• If the person does not have a current Shared Mooring System (SMS) permit, then they will need to complete an application for authorised user permit.

Email the completed form to [email protected], and once it gets approved, the authorised user will receive their permit sticker and they can start using the site.

RIA will also allocate authorised users to your mooring site licence under the SMS and your mooring site licence conditions. You will be provided with their details when they have been allocated. 

Selling your licensed vessel

There may come a time when you choose to sell your boat. If this happens, you need to inform RIA in writing at [email protected] providing the date of sale or disposal of the vessel. RIA can then approve up to six months for you to nominate a new vessel. 

Before the boat changes hands, remove all permit stickers for the current season and return them to us at:

Marine Administration
Rottnest Island Authority
PO Box 693
Fremantle, WA 6959

Failure to return your stickers may result in the forfeit of any applicable refunds, the inability to transfer fees to a substitute vessel and/or the cancellation of your licence.

Registering a new boat

After the sale, you can now register a new boat to your mooring site licence. Any fees you have paid for the current season will be transferred to your new vessel if you have returned all your prior permit stickers. 

Exchanging a mooring licence

It is possible to exchange your mooring licence with another licensee in the same area.  To do so, you and the other licensee need to make a request in writing to [email protected].

If your request is successful, both of you need to pay the current season’s mooring exchange fee of $326.50 for your new mooring.

Cancelling your mooring licence

It is easy to cancel your mooring licence.

Simply send an email to [email protected] requesting a cancellation and return all your current licence stickers. You may be eligible for a refund based upon the date the stickers are received. 

Check the refund and cancellation terms and conditions for further details.

Navigating the Shared Mooring System

Under the Shared Mooring System, as a mooring licensee or authorised user, you are allowed to access moorings all across the island on a casual basis. This is designed to provide better access and greater flexibility for mooring licensees and authorised users looking for moorings around Wadjemup.

Learn how it works

Auditing and compliance

Rottnest Island Authority take compliance seriously, so there may be times when RIA will contact you to conduct an audit of your licence.

You will be notified by email in writing to confirm or update your details, verify ownership of your boat, and confirm your insurance requirements.

Failure to respond within 21 days, or if RIA is not satisfied that you or your boat meet the necessary requirements, may result in the cancellation of your licence. If this happens, you will not receive a refund for any fees for that season.