Your clearing category is the easy part. What the map hides underneath — the Plant Community Type, the threatened communities, what you can't touch without penalties — is what you actually need to find out. Enter your address below for a free, personalised check of your own block.
You've got your category. That's not what catches people out.
The NSW Native Vegetation Regulatory map sets categories under the Local Land Services Act 2013:
Category 1 — Exempt. Regulated clearing is permitted without approval, subject to Routine Agricultural Management.
Category 2 — Regulated. Clearing is regulated. Three sub-types, in order of protection: Regulated, Vulnerable, and Sensitive — where clearing is most restricted.
Excluded land sits outside the scheme. Finding your colour on the free viewer tells you the category. It doesn't tell you what the vegetation actually is, or what it's worth.
Category 1 — Exempt: you can generally clear without approval. Category 2 — Regulated: clearing is controlled, in three steps — Regulated, Vulnerable, then Sensitive (strongest). The map gives you the colour. It doesn't tell you what kind of bush is under it, whether it's protected, or what it's worth — that's the rest of this page.
The category is the headline. The fine print is underneath.
Under your colour sits the Plant Community Type — the actual vegetation the law cares about. It decides whether a clearing is allowed, whether you're sitting on a threatened community, and whether a job you've done for years has quietly become a problem. The free map never shows it. A MapCheck report does.
Plus bushfire-prone land, flood, native title, Crown land, land capability, stream networks, heritage — and another 130-plus NSW Government layers.
Same land. Different lens. The free map is a category. A MapCheck report is the picture.
Want your property checked? Send it through.
Send the address or LGA — no Lot/DP needed. We'll come back with the report tier we'd recommend, the price, and an example of what your lot is likely to surface. Within 1 business day. By submitting you agree we may contact you about your enquiry; see our privacy policy.
Average reply within 1 business day · human-reviewed · 140+ NSW Government datasets
1 in 5 NSW lots is regulated. Most owners found out too late.
From our analysis of 3.34 million NSW lots, around 1 in 5 carries Category 2 regulated land — and tens of thousands carry the most restricted, sensitive class. Clearing the wrong vegetation carries real penalties under NSW law. Knowing exactly what's on your block, before you act, is the whole point.
It's a screening tool, not a clearing approval. Always confirm with Local Land Services before you act.
The same bush that limits you might pay you.
The same listing that limits clearing can make the vegetation the asset. Category 2 land with intact native vegetation may be eligible to generate biodiversity credit income through a stewardship agreement — the part of the picture almost no one checks.
The full report includes a value assessment of that potential. Eligibility depends on assessment under the NSW Biodiversity Offsets Scheme — the report shows whether it's worth exploring.
Can't clear it? It may still be worth something. We flag it.
The categories, the layers underneath, and the terms.
Frequently asked questions
What is Category 2 regulated land?
Land where clearing of native vegetation is regulated under the NSW Local Land Services Act 2013. It has three sub-types — Regulated, Vulnerable and Sensitive — in increasing order of protection. Category 1 land is exempt; clearing there is permitted without approval, subject to Routine Agricultural Management.
Category 2 sensitive vs vulnerable — what's the difference?
Both are Category 2 (regulated), but with stronger protection than standard Regulated land. Vulnerable covers things like steep or protected riparian land with heightened limits; Sensitive is the most restricted class, where clearing is effectively not permitted. A MapCheck report shows which sub-type applies on your lot and where.
What do the NVR map colours mean?
Each colour is a category: typically blue for Category 1 (exempt / unregulated), through to the Category 2 shades for Regulated, Vulnerable and Sensitive land, plus excluded land. The free viewer shows the colours; the report explains what each means for your specific block, in plain English.
Can I clear regrowth, and what can I still do on Category 2 land?
Allowable activities exist on Category 2 land, and they vary by sub-type — Sensitive land is far more restricted. Vegetation that regrew after past clearing can still be mapped as regulated today. The report helps you understand your categorisation; it is a screening tool, not a clearing approval. Always confirm what you can do with Local Land Services before acting.
Does the NVR map affect property value?
It can, both ways. Regulated land limits clearing, which affects use. But the same vegetation may be eligible to earn biodiversity credit income through a stewardship agreement — so a regulated block isn't automatically worth less. The report covers both sides.
Can regulated land earn income?
It may. Category 2 land with intact native vegetation may be eligible to supply credits into the NSW Biodiversity Offsets Scheme through a Biodiversity Stewardship Agreement. Eligibility depends on a formal assessment of the Plant Community Types on the lot. The ADVANCED report includes a value assessment of that potential so you know whether it's worth exploring.
What does it cost?
The on-screen preview is free. Reports: BASIC AU$499 inc. GST, ADVANCED AU$1,499 inc. GST, Education Package AU$2,499 inc. GST for first-time rural buyers. All include the 12-month data refresh.
Is MapCheck official, and can I rely on the report?
No — MapCheck is independent and not affiliated with the NSW Government. The report is an indicative interpretation of public government data, not a determination and not legal or clearing advice. It sits alongside your title, planning and conveyancing searches — never instead of them. Confirm any clearing decision with Local Land Services and qualified advisers.
What the report covers
Zoning & planning
Land use zone (e.g. RU1, R1), Local Environmental Plan (LEP) provisions, State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) overlays including Housing and Biodiversity and Conservation. Minimum lot size, development standards where mapped.
Native vegetation
NSW Native Vegetation Regulatory (NVR) map categories — Cat 1 Exempt, Cat 2 Regulated, Cat 3 Vulnerable, Cat 4 Sensitive. Plant Community Types (PCTs) drawn from NSW BioNet, with Endangered Ecological Community (EEC) status where listed.
Biodiversity & credit potential
NSW Biodiversity Values Map, Biodiversity Corridors, threatened species records (Atlas of Living Australia: BioNet, SPRAT, iNaturalist, eBird, museums). On the ADVANCED tier: BSA Viability Score and indicative biodiversity credit value.
Bushfire & flood risk
Bushfire Prone Land categories (Cat 1, 2, 3), Asset Protection Zone (APZ) implications. Flood planning overlays where mapped at LGA level.
Water, soils & landform
Drinking water catchment, groundwater vulnerability, groundwater-dependent ecosystems, salinity risk, landslide risk, BSAL (Biophysical Strategic Agricultural Land).
Heritage, cultural & environmental
State Heritage Register, Environmental Planning Instrument (EPI) heritage layers, Aboriginal Places, Sensitive Aboriginal Land, Declared Wilderness, NPWS Estate, Wetlands (EPI), Littoral Rainforest, Coastal Environment and Use overlays.
Mining, subsidence & hazards
Mining Titles, Mine Subsidence districts, EPA Licensed Premises, asbestos (NOA), and a range of buffer overlays (odour, STP, explosive storage, landfill, airport, defence comms).
Native title, tenure & access
Native Title status, Crown land overlays, Travelling Stock Routes, road frontage and access classification, Koala Habitat (SEPP Biodiversity & Conservation 2021) and Koala Management Area (KMA).
Terms in plain English
NSW property terms — explained
- NVR
Native Vegetation Regulatory map — the NSW map that sets your land's clearing category under the Local Land Services Act 2013.
- PCT
Plant Community Type — the vegetation classification underneath your category. It determines biodiversity credit eligibility and value.
- BSA
Biodiversity Stewardship Agreement — a NSW Government-registered conservation agreement that can let eligible land generate and sell biodiversity credits.
- TEC
Threatened Ecological Community — vegetation listed for protection under NSW or federal law. Whether your vegetation is a TEC changes what you can do and what it's worth.
- Category 2
Regulated land under the LLS Act, in three sub-types — Regulated, Vulnerable and Sensitive — in increasing order of protection.
See what's actually on your land.
Search any NSW property above for a free preview, or order a full plain-English report.
From AU$499 inc. GST · 1–2 business days · human-reviewed.
MapCheck is an indicative interpretation of public NSW Government data — not a determination, and not legal or clearing advice. We are not affiliated with the NSW Government. Confirm any clearing with Local Land Services before you act.