Trainer / Driver Licence (Harness Racing) - New South Wales

Description

You will need this licence to operate as a trainer and / or driver of a harness racehorse (standardbred horse).

A driver is the person steering the horse, not a jockey. There are three grades of driver licences that you can apply for:

  • Grade C: allows you to drive at trials, to carry out track work on registered tracks and to drive at any meeting to prepare a horse to race at that meeting other than during the horse's immediate pre-race preliminary.
  • Grace B: has the same driving rights as a Grade C licence and is also licensed to drive at restricted meetings, other than in races of a metropolitan class, at country or provincial meetings, including country or provincial class meetings at metropolitan sites.
  • Grade A: has the driving licence rights of Class B and Class C and is licensed to drive at any meeting.

A trainer is the person who trains the horse intended for racing. There are three grades of trainer's licences that you can apply for:

  • Grade C: allows you to prepare, educate and exercise a horse, however you cannot trial it or nominate it to race.
  • Grade B: allows you to train a horse which you own or partly own or which is owned by your spouse, other domestic partner, parent, sibling or child, or any horse approved by the Agency upon your written application.
  • Grade A: allows you to train any horse.

Licensed trainers must ensure that all persons carrying out the activities of a stablehand are licensed as stablehands. This is a separate application process.

Please be aware that you must comply with the specified rules and your licence may be subject to conditions.

Service type

Licence

A licence defines the need to obtain recognition / certification and registration to undertake a certain business activity.

Eligibility requirements

To be eligible for a Driver Licence you must:

  • be at least 15 years old (Grade C), or be at least 16 years old (Grade B and Grace A)
  • provide two recent passport photographs
  • provide certified extract of birth
  • provide a police record
  • complete the training modules.

To be eligible for a Trainer Licence you must:

  • be 18 years or older
  • have two references from licensed trainers
  • own, lease or otherwise have available for use stables which in the opinion of the Agency are suitable or the training of horses
  • if required, provide evidence of financial capacity to operate a training establishment
  • complete the required training.

Please be aware that eligibility will vary depending on the licence grade you are applying for.

Duration

Up to 1 year

Expiry

31 August

Fees

Fees Details for this service in table format.

Task Type Business Structure Description
Apply Application All

Fee information is in the attached fee resource.

Regulation(s) name

Australian Harness Racing Rules New South Wales

Approval time

2 to 6 weeks

Administering agency

Harness Racing New South Wales

Contact details

Contact Email, Phone and Address Details for this service in simple two column table format, header then data.

Contact Email, Phone and Address Details for this service in simple two column table format, header then data.