The Sabah Biodiversity Enactment 2000 (SBE) was enacted by the State Legislature in December 2000 as a legal framework to manage and administer the sustainable utilisation of biological resources in Sabah. Under the Enactment, one of the main functions of the Sabah Biodiversity Council (SBC) is to regulate access and the export of biological resources. The Sabah Biodiversity Centre (SaBC) is responsible for administering the approval and issuance of Access and Export Licences, as agreed upon and directed by the Council.
Under the SBE, users who intend to access biological resources or traditional knowledge associated with biological resources for the purpose of research must apply for an Access Licence. The Access & Export Licence Evaluation Committee will evaluate all Access and Export Licence applications. The committee will convene four (4) times a year to evaluate licence applications.
Access licence applications are evaluated based on the following three (3) criteria:
- the contribution of the access activity to the conservation and sustainable use of biological resources;
- the impact of the access activity on biological diversity and the environment, including any adverse impacts, risks and dangers to any component of biological diversity and its sustainable use
- and the impact of the access activity on indigenous and local communities, their lifestyles and livelihoods.
If you wish to apply, please submit your completed application form along with all supporting documents to sabc.licence@gmail.com.You may download the Access Licence Application form [here].
Users who intend to access biological resources or traditional knowledge associated with biological resources in Sabah must apply for an Access Licence.
Under section 2 of SBE, User is defined as any individual, a group of individuals, educational and research institution or corporate entity seeking access to biological resources or the associated relevant knowledge and where the context so requires, the aforementioned to whom the Access Licence is granted.
Users who fall under any of the following categories must apply for an Access Licence:
a) Undergraduate or postgraduate students (local and international)
b) Individual or group researchers (local and international)
c) Universities or research institutions (local and international)
d) NGOs, civil society organisations, and corporate entities (local and international)
e) State and Federal Government officers
- Your application will not be processed until all the necessary supporting documents and information have been submitted.
- Since obtaining a letter of support, consent, or permission may involve time and specific procedures from various government departments, agencies, and organisations, you are advised to make prior arrangements to secure the necessary documents as soon as you decide to apply.
- Kindly take note of the submission deadline. Incomplete applications submitted on the due date will be carried forward to the next submission window. We strongly encourage you to submit your application as early as possible to avoid any unnecessary delays.
- It is also important to clearly specify your access location and complete the application form in detail. Provide elaboration where necessary to avoid confusion or delays during processing.
- In order to qualify as a group application, the research topic, methodology, locations, local collaborators, and institutions must be the same. Only individuals who will be conducting the research or collection need to apply. The letters of support, consent, or permission must mention all the team member's name.
- If your application is approved, the Access Licence will be issued individually under individual names.
- Additionally, to ensure uninterrupted correspondence from us, please add sabc.licence@gmail.com to your email’s safe sender list. This will help to prevent important updates or requests from being marked as spam or junk.
- You may refer to our FAQs to avoid common errors that can cause delays.
You may apply for an Access Licence by submitting the access application form together with the following supporting documents to sabc.licence@gmail.com:
| New Access Licence Application | Renewal Access Licence Application |
| 1. New Application Form | 1. Renewal Application Form |
| 2. Photocopy of Passport/MyKad (including team members). | 2. Photocopy of Passport or MyKad (including team members). |
| 3. Letter of support from your local collaborating agency (Sabah State gov/agency). | - |
| 4. Letter of support from the organisation that will sponsor your research. | - |
| 5. Letter of support from your local collaborator. If you apply as a group, your local collaborator must include the names of all your team members following your application. | 3. Letter of support from your local collaborator (to renew)*. If you apply as a group, your local collaborator must include the names of all your group members following your application; |
| 6. Research proposal. | 4. A copy of your progress report/publication. |
| 7. Permission letter from the resource manager of the area where the access will take place. The letter must mention the names of all your team members following your application. | 5. Permission letter from the resource manager* of the area where the access will take place. The letter must mention the names of all your team members following your application. |
| 8. Letter of consent from the Chief Village (to fulfil Prior Informed Consent) if your research involves access to traditional knowledge associated with biological resources owned by the native and local community; | 6. Letter of consent from the Chief Village* (to fulfil Prior Informed Consent) if your research involves access to traditional knowledge associated with biological resources owned by the native and local community; |
| 9. Security clearance letter from MKN (KK Branch), ESSCOM, and PHEDNP (only applies if your research area involves a marine water/park on the East Coast of Sabah); and | 7. Security clearance letter from MKN (KK Branch), ESSCOM, and PHEDNP* (only applies if your research area involves a marine water/park on the East Coast of Sabah); and |
| 10. Other supporting documents as requested by the secretariat to complete your licence application. | 8. Other supporting documents as requested by the secretariat to complete your licence application. |
* If the initial letter does not permit the full duration of your research.
** Application must be submitted to sabc.licence@gmail.com.
- If your research area involves marine water/ marine park in the East Coast of Sabah: written security clearance from the National Security Council (Kota Kinabalu branch) or Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) (refer information below) is required.
- If your research involves aerial survey/ drone/ unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV): written permission from the State Internal Affairs & Research office, Chief Minister's Department of Sabah and Department of Civil Aviation, Malaysia (refer information below) is required.
| Location / Area | Resource PROVIDER/ Authority |
|---|---|
| Forest Reserve, UNDP Project site, SAFE Project site | Sabah Forestry Department |
| Wildlife Sanctuary and Wildlife Conservation Area | Sabah Wildlife Department |
| Parks (Terrestrial and Marine) | Sabah Parks |
| Maliau Basin Conservation Area, INIKEA project site |
Maliau Basin Management Committee (If you are applying as a group with SaBC, kindly get individual approval for all group members from MBMC and submit all letter of support to SaBC) Email: damai.secretariat@gmail.com |
| Imbak Canyon Conservation Area |
Imbak Canyon Management Committee (If you are applying as a group with SaBC, kindly get individual approval for all group members from ICMC and submit all letter of support to SaBC) Email: damai.secretariat@gmail.com |
| Danum Valley Conservation Area, INFAPRO project site |
Danum Valley Management Committee (If you are applying as a group with SaBC, kindly get individual approval for all group members from DVMC and submit all letter of support to SaBC) Email: damai.secretariat@gmail.com |
|
State Lands Villages around the area |
Lands and Surveys Department/ District Office Village headman (Ketua Kampung) |
| Marine Water | Sabah Fisheries Department |
| Marine water/ Marine park situated in East Coast of Sabah |
The relevant resource manager AND clearance from: National Security Council (Kota Kinabalu branch) OR Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) *Refer to our FAQ section for more information |
|
Involve Aerial survey/ Drone/UAV Note: Apply through local collaborator to the respective State authorities. Include support letter from resource provider(s)- specifically commenting on the use of drone in the area, date and time of operations/ activities, flying radius and coordination, flying altitudes, drone specificaitons, operation purpose, Reference: View policy |
The relevant resource provider AND clearance from: (i) Director State Internal Affairs & Research Office, Chief Minister's Department 21st Floor, Block A, Sabah State Administrative Building 88400 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah *Kindly fulfil terms and conditions imposed by relevant authorities
|
Kindly take note that before you submit your application to SaBC, you are required to gather all supporting documents as stated above. There will be four (4) windows of application annually.
|
Application window (by series) |
Submission from applicant to SaBC for processing *terms & conditions apply |
Committee meetings will be scheduled anytime within these period to vet your research access application (Committee meetings to be held four(4) times a year) |
|---|---|---|
| 1/2025 | 1 October - 31 December | January/February |
| 2/2025 | 1 January - 31 March | April/May |
| 3/2025 | 1 April - 30 June | July/August |
| 4/2025 | 1 July - 30 September | October/November |
Only complete applications received within the specified time frame will be submitted to the committee meeting, provided the applicant fully complies with the terms and conditions. You are strongly advised to submit your completed documents early in case there are queries that may require you to prepare additional documents or revise your application.
- All queries raised after submission must be addressed and resolved before SaBC can submit your documents for evaluation purposes.
- Your official submission date will be on the date you have completed your application.
- It is the applicant’s responsibility to liaise with the respective agencies involved in issuing the supporting documents and to submit them to SaBC.
- It is the applicant’s responsibility to monitor any correspondence from SaBC via email. If you do not hear from us, please check your spam or junk mail folders, or contact your local collaborator.
- All applications must be submitted to sabc.licence@gmail.com. Loose applications will not be entertained.
- Only complete documents will be submitted to the committee members for evaluation.
- The dates stated above are based on Malaysia local time GMT/UTC + 08:00 hour
Additional Information
- For export licence procedures, kindly check the details here.
- You should only confirm your travel dates once you receive an email notification confirming the approval of your licence application.
All applications must be submitted to sabc.licence@gmail.com. If you do not receive any confirmation email from us after submission, please check your spam or junk mail folders, or contact your local collaborator. To ensure you receive future replies or correspondence from us, please add sabc.licence@gmail.com to your email’s safe sender list.
What's next?
- Once we have the result of your application from the Access and Export Licence committee and/or Sabah Biodiversity Council, you will be notified through email whether your application is approved or rejected (please check your spam or junk mail if you do not hear from us).
- If your application is successful, you are required to collect the physical copy of your Access Licence at the Sabah Biodiversity Centre (SaBC) office. Payment must be made prior to collection. You may obtain the payment form at the SaBC office:
Sabah Biodiversity Centre (SaBC)
Chief Minister Department
Level 19, Block A, Menara Kinabalu
88400 KOTA KINABALU
- Licence fee must be paid at the following counter:
Sabah State Treasury Department,
Level 9, Block A, Menara Kinabalu
88400 KOTA KINABALU
(Operation hours: Mon to Fri - 9:00 am – 3:00 pm (close on Sat, Sun and Public Holidays))
- You must ensure that you keep a copy of your access licence and comply with the licence Terms and Conditions.
- You are only authorised to access the list of biological resources and place(s) where access is permitted as stipulated in your access licence.
- You must apply for a Professional Pass from the State Immigration of Sabah, Kota Kinabalu. Only Sabahan is exempted from this procedure. Check out the list of documents required by the Immigration Department of Malaysia. Important note: It is the applicant's responsibility to check with the Immigration Department of Malaysia and to fulfill the visa/ pass requirements as the requirements and charges vary from country to country.
- Report to your local collaborator, to the relevant resource manager(s) or to collect the relevant entry pass before entering the area(s) as mentioned in the notice/letter of support given by the relevant authorities.
- You must comply with relevant laws, rules and regulations, code of conduct governed by the resource manager(s) and relevant authorities.
- You must submit progress report and/or final publications/ thesis to local collaborator and SaBC.
- Application for patent or other intellectual property rights to the relevant authority in or outside Malaysia subject to first obtaining the prior written consent of the Sabah Biodiversity Council.
- You must comply with other terms and conditions stated in your Access Licence
If your application is not approved, you may appeal through SaBC within 3 months from the date you receive the decision.
Access Licence: Please present the access licence issuance email notification containing your access licence reference number to the officer in charge at the SaBC counter. You will then be presented with a payment form to pay the licence fee at Sabah State Treasury Department counter.
Export Licence: Your local collaborator must complete the Material Transfer Declaration form before you can export the biological resources. A fee will be imposed to all Export licence(s).
* To pay for the licence fee, please collect the payment form from SaBC counter and proceed to the State Treasury Department counter.
Yes, you can add new member(s) and new location(s) to your active access licence within the first six months of your Access Licence validity date.
You may apply for additional member(s) and new location(s) by submitting the application form together with the following supporting documents to sabc.licence@gmail.com:
| Additional member(s) | New location(s) |
| 1. Application form | 1. Application form |
| 2. Support letter from your local collaborator to add new member(s). The letter must mention the name of the member. | 2. Support letter from your local collaborator to add new location(s). The letter must mention the name of the new location. |
| 3. Photocopy of Passport/MyKad (new team members). | - |
| 4. Permission letter from the resource manager(s). The letter must mention the name of the new team member(s). | 3. Permission letter from the resource manager(s). The letter must mention the name of the team member(s). |
| - | 4. Map(s) (preferably with GPS point) of the new location(s). |
- Secretary of Natural Resources- Chairman
- Secretary of Sabah Biodiversity Council (Sabah Biodiversity Centre)- Secretariat
- State Attorney General's Chambers
- State Internal Affairs and Research Office
- State Economic Planning Unit
- Sabah Forestry Department
- Sabah Wildlife Department
- Environment Protection Department
- Sabah Parks
- University Malaysia Sabah
- DVMC/MBMC/ICMC Secretariat
- Immigration Department of Malaysia
- Royal Malaysian Police (Special Task Force- security screening)
