DOC’s Online Hunting Permit System Celebrates Its First Anniversary
Since its launch in November 2024, the Department of Conservation’s (DOC) online hunting permit system has grown significantly in scope and functionality. Today, hunters can use the platform to book or obtain permits for hunting on 93% of Public Conservation Land (PCL)—that’s about 7.8 million hectares! And the improvements aren’t stopping there: in 2026, South Island hunting ballots will also be integrated into the system.
The system began by enabling hunters to check block availability in real time and make online bookings for Stewart Island / Rakiura’s 35 restricted hunting blocks. Since then, DOC has added a secure payments gateway and full online booking management. Open hunting permits were introduced in April 2025 with the duration extended to 12 months and number of regions streamlined from 54 to 8. More recently, restricted blocks in the Queenstown area and the Molesworth Recreation Reserve have been migrated across to the new digital platform.
Mark Beardsley, DOC’s Hunting Permits Business Owner, says the goal is to make hunting more accessible. “We’re removing unnecessary barriers and restrictions to make hunting easier for everyone. We are seeing on average 2,500 hunters per month jumping online and grabbing an open hunting permit. That is over 20,000 hunting permits since the new system’s launch. It does not seem to be slowing down, and there’s more to come.
In 2026, DOC will begin migrating South Island ballots to the platform. “Ballot slots are highly sought after and for that reason need to be carefully managed during the design process,” says Mark. “We’re committed to making the process simple, fair, and secure, with checks in place to prevent people from gaming the system.”
In late March or early April, DOC will migrate the Blue Mountains ballot onto the system, and throughout 2026 further ballots will be added. “Once ballots are online, hunters will find the process much more straightforward,” Mark explains. “You’ll need an account to apply for a ballot, but for the thousands of hunters who already have one, you’re ready to go.”
For those who haven’t yet created an account, it’s quick and easy. All you need is a unique email address, and the setup takes just a few minutes. Once you have an account, you can use it to apply for any permits or licences available through the DOC Permits and Licences Portal (https://permits-licences.doc.govt.nz/).
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