Forms & permits
Improved security for online payments
From 25 October 2024, online payments will be handled through the secure, PCIDSS-compliant BPoint platform. If the online form you are using requires payment, you will be directed to a BPoint page to enter your credit card details.
Following is a list of forms and permits used across Council. Some forms are provided as downloadable PDF files and others are links to online forms.
Information for the building and development industry, property owners and solicitors acting on behalf of vendors. Applications and forms for building plans, house relocation, siting dispensation and more.
Forms to apply for Council approval to conduct certain business activities including food, entertainment, accommodation, advertising, business parking, general activities, trade waste and business recycling.
Information and forms for burials including graves, mausoleums, niches, memory garden sites and inurnment.
A number of different tenure agreements (the conditions under which land or buildings are held or occupied) are available for not for profit (NFP) groups, such as:
- short and long term leases
- permits or licences
- management and user agreements, or
- a combination of the above.
The type of tenure offered by Council will depend on:
- the type of activity undertaken
- what infrastructure is required
- the suitability of the premises, and
- how regularly the activity occurs.
Under a tenure arrangement, Council’s consent must be obtained before making any improvements, additions or alterations within or to the leased area; permit or licence area; management agreement area and/or user agreement area via the Go Clubs Application for Improvement Works.
Our Payble online payment platform helps you manage your payments. You can easily set up and manage your own direct debit arrangement to pay your Rates and Water usage notices. You can schedule regular weekly, fortnightly or monthly payments in advance with no interest.
If you have an outstanding balance, you can also schedule payments over an extended period with interest. (Compound interest at the rate determined by Council is accrued on all rates and charges which remain unpaid after the due date.)
Payble is free, easy to set up and you can check your balance at any time. Plus if your circumstances change, you can login and adjust how often you pay.
Council maintains a register of Drinking Water Quality Critical Customers. These are high risk stakeholders (eg elderly, immuno-compromised) who would be significantly affected by a water quality failure. We give priority notification to registered people in the event of a potential water quality issue.
Cairns Regional Council acknowledges that the death of a loved one can be traumatic. As such, Council’s approach to the issue of memorialisation within public spaces is to provide a compassionate, consistent and effective approach to the management of requests for acknowledgements, memorials and monuments in public spaces.
Permitted acknowledgements, memorials and monuments
Use this form to apply to Council for the installation of acknowledgements, memorials and monuments in public spaces.
These include:
- Memorial: A temporary object, arrangement or activity delivered in memory of a person or event.
- Monument: A permanent statue or structure which is built for commemorative purposes
- Tree dedication: A dedication tree of an approved species in an appropriate location. Please note a memorial plaque on or near the tree is not permitted
- Donated assets: A physical asset provided to Council for a community benefit in the form of standard public infrastructure or equipment where no return benefit expected.
Non-permitted acknowledgements, memorials and monuments
Council will not approve applications for any of the following in public spaces:
- Plaques
- Memorials for pets
- Memorials for persons, groups or events already commemorated elsewhere in the region
- Memorials, in the opinion of Council, that are considered to be offensive or which have the potential to offend
- Memorials with religious or political affiliation
- Establishment of memorial gardens
Generally, new memorials or monuments will not be supported at:
- Esplanades within the local government area, including the Cairns esplanade and Northern Beaches.
- The Cairns Botanic Gardens, including Flecker Gardens, Centenary Lakes, Visitor Centre, Tanks Arts Centre, Mount Whitfield Conservation Park, and Munro Martin Park.
Please note this application form does not cover plaques, memorial or monuments in Council-owned cemeteries, naming of infrastructure, public art, social awareness initiatives, temporary or permanent interpretive signage, display boards, banners, and plaques associated with Council projects.
Allow at least 20 business days from lodgement of your form before you receive an acknowledgement of receipt from Council.
Commemorations of deceased persons will not generally be considered until an individual has been deceased for a period of at least twelve (12) months to allow for historical perspective to be gained.
For details on the Acknowledgements, Memorials and Monuments Policy click the following link: Click here for the policy
Information and applications for parking permits, including hire of parking bay, Lake Street parking station, Grafton Street parking station, replacement or transfer of parking permit label.
Information & applications for: dog registration; guide dog, hearing dog and assistance dog registration; noisy bird permit; pet shop, cattery, kennel.
Plumbing assessment and inspections, compliance certificates on plumbing work on all buildings in the Cairns regional area. Inspection and testing on water supply and sewage installation in new subdivisions and approval of applications for buildings
Information & applications for use of Council lands and public facilities including improvement works on Council-controlled property, aircraft landing in public places, and hire of halls, parklands, reserves and foreshores.
Rates forms and applications including Change of Address, Land Record Search, Pensioner rate remission application, Notice of Objection against Categorisation.
Council collects and stores information about the region, properties, land, individuals, even animals. The Right to Information Act 2009 and Information Privacy Act 2009 support your access to much of this information, while maintaining appropriate access restrictions for personal or confidential information.
Forms and permits for: temporary road closure and traffic control; transport abnormal load on Council managed road; undertake sporting, social or commercial filming activity on road reserve; locate temporary structure on an easement.
If you are considering buying an existing food, accommodation or personal appearance services business, we recommended you request a health pre-sales search.
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Use this online form to request Land Record Searches for Rates/Water meter reading, Plumbing and trade waste (including sewer mains plans), Planning & development (town planning) certificates, Building (including swimming pool compliance, permit search and building notices search), Flood zone, and Health (including food business, accommodation facility and sale search).
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Use this form to request a Land Record Search. You can request searches for rates, water meter reading, plumbing and trade waste (including sewer mains plans), planning & development (town planning) certificates, building (including swimming pool compliance, permit search and building notices search), flood zone, and health.
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To be completed by the current operator of the food premises in order for a Health Search to be conducted and submitted with a completed Land Record Search application.
Information & applications for trade waste handling; liquid waste; grease arrestors; prohibited substances.
Information & applications for: new wheelie bin; replacement wheelie bin; repair wheelie bin.
For an additional set of bins, an additional cleansing service application is available to property owners. Please contact Customer Service on 1300 69 22 47
Information & applications for: water fees & charges; metered standpipes; rates & water overpayment; water meter testing; new water services (residential, rural, commercial); subdivisional connections; water service relocation; subsidiary water meter; alterations to sewer and water mains; and water quality testing.
Last Updated: 28 March 2025
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