Step one, once: approved association
To run fundraising raffles in the NT, the organisation must be an approved association with Licensing NT — a one-off application showing a constitution, office holders, and a nominated person responsible for lotteries. School communities and P&Cs fit the mould; many are already approved.
Then the thresholds (counted in ticket sales, not prizes)
- Up to $5,000 in total ticket sales: no permit — just run it under the standard conditions.
- $5,001 to $20,000: a minor lottery permit before tickets go on sale.
- Over $20,000: a major lottery permit.
The standing conditions
- Prizes must be worth at least one-third of total ticket value — donated hampers usually sail past this, but check the maths on a big print run.
- Nobody gets paid — no commission or fee to anyone for running the raffle.
- Fair draw, advertised date, numbered tickets, proper records — the national basics.
The fine print: general information for school fundraisers, not legal advice. The authoritative source is Licensing NT (nt.gov.au). Thresholds change — check before a big raffle.
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