The Environment Protection Act 1993 (SA) provides that a person must not undertake a prescribed activity of environmental significance without an environmental authorisation in the form of a licence under the Act [see s 36].

Prescribed activities of environmental significance are listed in schedule 1 of the Act and include many forms of manufacturing, primary production and waste generation. Under the Act, three kinds of environmental authorisations are created. These are works approval, licences and exemptions, however licences are by far the most common. A works approval is required for the construction or alteration of a building to be used for a "prescribed activity of environmental significance" or the installation or alteration of equipment for such an activity. Approval will usually also be required under the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016 (SA).