Rules and restrictions and information for all people living in NSW.
Last updated: 22 April 2022
On this page
- Masks, COVID-19 Safe Check-in, vaccination evidence and registering a positive rapid antigen (RAT) result
- Visiting family and friends
- Sport, exercise and outdoor gatherings
- Education, art and culture
- Shopping and personal services
- Restaurants and hospitality
- Construction and renovations
- Work
- Events and entertainment
- Weddings, funerals and religious ceremonies
- Travel and transport
Check the rules below that apply to everyone in NSW.
Some premises may make it a condition of entry that you are fully vaccinated or wear a face mask.
NSW Health strongly advises people to get fully vaccinated and wear a face mask where they cannot physically distance themselves.
Masks, COVID-19 Safe Check-in, vaccination evidence and registering a positive rapid antigen (RAT) result
Masks
All people over the age of 12 must wear a face mask:
- on public transport and public transport waiting areas (including in taxis and rideshare services)
- at a public hospital or private health facility (including private hospitals and day procedure centres)
- at a residential care facility or hostel
- on an aircraft when the aircraft is flying above NSW, and in the airport
- at a cruise terminal
- indoor music festivals with more than 1000 people.
If you are over the age of 12 and are in a household or in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, you must also wear a face mask when you are in an indoor setting that is not your own home, including workplaces and tertiary education settings. School settings may have their own guidance for students which should be followed.
Learn more about face mask rules and using a face mask.
Masks are strongly encouraged in settings where you cannot physically distance yourself from others.
COVID-19 Safe Check-in
COVID-19 Safe QR check-ins are required at:
- nightclubs
- strip clubs
- sex on premises venues
- music festivals with more than 1000 people.
Occupiers of premises are required to continue to take reasonable steps to ensure people can check in or provide their contact details when they enter these premises.
If you are entering premises where check-in is required, you must:
- check-in with the Service NSW app
- provide your details to the occupier of the premises.
Learn more about mandatory electronic check-in.
Vaccination evidence
Most premises in NSW are now open to everyone, regardless of whether you are fully vaccinated or not.
You no longer need to show evidence that you are fully vaccinated at most premises.
However, you still need to show evidence that you are fully vaccinated if you:
- attend an indoor music festival with more than 1000 people
- if you work in certain industries.
Follow the vaccination requirements for workers.
Check what you need as vaccination evidence.
Venues may set their own COVID Safe conditions of entry
In addition to PHO requirements, some premises may choose to require people to be fully vaccinated or to wear a mask as a condition of entry.
It is a matter for the occupier of each premise to exercise judgement on what is appropriate for their premises and the well-being of their staff and customers.
If you want to enter premises where an occupier has chosen to require you to be fully vaccinated, the occupier may ask to see your vaccination evidence. You do not have to show the occupier your vaccination evidence, but if you do not, the occupier may not let you in.
Registering a positive RAT result
From 12 January 2021, if you test positive for COVID-19 from a rapid antigen test (RAT), you must register your test result with Service NSW.
Visiting family and friends
You are not required to be fully vaccinated to have people visit your home or visit people at their home.
However, if you are visiting an aged care facility or disability home, there may be rules that apply to you.
Check with the operator of the facility.
Sport, exercise and outdoor gatherings
Anyone can participate in sports, exercise, and outdoor gatherings.
- You are not required to be fully vaccinated or carry vaccination evidence
- COVID-19 Safe Check-in is not required
- Face masks are not required.
Gyms and indoor recreation facilities can operate with no person or capacity limits in place, including group fitness classes.
COVID-19 Safe Check-in is no longer required at gyms.
Indoor swimming pools are open for all purposes.
Community sports, including matches, competitions and training, can take place for all staff, spectators and participants.
Anyone can participate in an outdoor public gathering, such as a barbecue or picnic.
Education, art and culture
Schools
From Term 1 2022, there are new rapid antigen testing requirements for schools.
If a child tests positive on a rapid antigen test, parents must register the positive result with Service NSW.
Under the new close contact rules, schools are no longer included in contact tracing.
Libraries, museums and galleries
Information and education facilities, including art galleries, museums and libraries are open.
Anyone can visit an information and education facility.
- You are not required to be fully vaccinated or carry vaccination evidence.
- COVID-19 Safe check-in is not required.
- Face masks are not required.
Shopping and personal services
Anyone can visit retail or business premises.
- You are not required to be fully vaccinated or carry vaccination evidence
- COVID-19 Safe Check-in is not required
- Face masks are not required.
Personal services
COVID-19 Safe Check-in is not required using the Service NSW app at hairdressers, spas, nail salons, beauty salons, waxing salons, tanning salons, tattoo and massage parlours.
Restaurants and hospitality
Restaurants, cafes, hospitality venues and nightclubs in NSW are open.
Anyone can visit a restaurant, cafe, hospitality venue or nightclub.
- You are not required to be fully vaccinated or carry vaccination evidence
- COVID-19 Safe Check-in is not required at hospitality venues
- COVID-19 Safe Check-in is still required at nightclubs
- Face masks are not required.
NSW Health strongly advises that patrons consider being seated while drinking.
From 18 February 2022, there are no restrictions for singing and dancing.
Drinking indoors and outdoors may be seated or standing.
Examples of hospitality premises include casinos, restaurants, cafes, function centres, food courts, take away food and drink premises, kiosks, micro-breweries or small distilleries, cellar doors, pubs, registered clubs and small bars.
Construction and renovations
Construction and renovations across NSW can continue.
Anyone can enter a construction site.
- You are not required to be fully vaccinated or carry vaccination evidence
- COVID-19 Safe Check-in is not required
- Face masks are not required.
Work
Employers can allow staff to work from home at their discretion.
There are no restrictions about travelling for work in NSW.
From 6 pm on Friday 22 April, the critical worker exemptions from isolation rules will no longer be required. However, close contacts will still need to comply with any COVID-19 safety measures that have been put in place in their workplace by employers.
Read the business rules in NSW.
Events and entertainment
At music festivals with over 1000 people in attendance, you must check in with the Service NSW app. For indoor music festivals with over 1000 people, you must also be fully vaccinated.
For other entertainment facilities, or indoor and outdoor recreation facilities with less than 1000 people in attendance:
- You are not required to be fully vaccinated or carry vaccination evidence
- COVID-19 Safe Check-in is not required
- Face masks are not required.
Entertainment facilities include cinemas, theatres, musical halls, concert halls, dance halls, drive-in cinemas and play centres.
Indoor and outdoor recreation facilities include stadiums, theme parks, zoos, aquariums, and showgrounds.
From 18 February 2022, there are no restrictions for singing and dancing at entertainment facilities and major recreation facilities.
Music festivals
Rules apply to music festivals with over 1000 people in attendance.
An indoor music festival is:
- a music-focused or dance-focused event
- has performances by a series of persons or groups that perform live or are pre-recorded
- the persons or groups provide musical or live entertainment
- held indoors, within a defined area
- is a ticketed event.
Music festivals do not include events that:
- use a single stage,
- are proposed to be held over a period of fewer than 5 hours, and
- have less than 2 headlining performers and less than 4 performers in total.
If you are fully vaccinated you can attend:
- an indoor music festival with more than 1000 people in attendance
- an outdoor music festival with any number of people in attendance.
Singing and dancing at music festivals are now allowed for everyone.
Weddings, funerals and religious ceremonies
Anyone can attend a wedding, funeral or place of worship.
- You are not required to be fully vaccinated or carry vaccination evidence.
- Face masks are not required for indoor premises.
- COVID-19 Safe Check-in is not required at places of worship, funerals, memorial services, or gatherings afterwards.
From 18 February 2022, there are no restrictions for singing and dancing at hospitality venues.
Standing while drinking is permitted but it is strongly discouraged by NSW Health.
Travel and transport
You are able to travel anywhere within NSW.
If you have recently arrived from overseas, follow the rules for international arrivals.
You can travel in a vehicle with people you do not live with.
You can travel in a vessel with people you do not live with.
Holidays and holiday homes
There are no restrictions on travelling between Greater Sydney and regional and rural NSW for a holiday or recreational visits within NSW.
Holiday homes and short-term accommodation can be used by anyone.
There are no capacity limits for holiday homes and short-term accommodation.
International travel
New rules are in place for people travelling to NSW from overseas.
For more information about the rules around leaving and entering NSW from outside Australia, visit International travel to and from NSW.
Stay safe and stop the spread of COVID-19.
Get vaccinated when you are eligible.
Get tested if you have the mildest of symptoms and even if you have been vaccinated.
Wear a face mask when required.
