When Is graffiti considered illegal?

Generally, in Australia and New Zealand graffiti is considered illegal whenever it is marked on property without the owner’s consent.

Graffiti includes defacing, writing, scratching or drawing on property so that the marks can’t be removed easily.

Solvers across Australia and New Zealand have different rules around penalising and removing illegal graffiti.

When you report graffiti via Snap Send Solve, your Snap will be sent to a Solver who will follow up appropriately based on the details of your Snap.

Why is graffiti against the law?

While some view graffiti as a form of expression, under the law graffiti is considered vandalism. 

Not only can graffiti cause damage to property, but it costs councils, businesses and authorities a large amount of time and money each year to clean and replace property. 

The annual costs to remove graffiti in Australia exceeds more than $2 billion. In Melbourne the annual cost to remove graffiti exceeds $100 million. 

Should I report graffiti? 

When you report graffiti using the Snap Send Solve app or form, you can have an impact on issues like damaged and vandalised property, which can be Solved quickly and efficiently when you create a Snap. 

There are several reasons why graffiti can have a negative impact on your local area:

• It is considered to be unsightly and represents a threat to community safety.
• Graffiti is a visible form of crime and disorder, particularly among young people.
• It has a potential impact on the long term viability of businesses.
• Graffiti is often linked (correctly or incorrectly) to other crime types and escalating levels of criminal behavior.
• The cost associated with cleaning graffiti from property is considerable.

When you report offensive graffiti using our graffiti reporting form, you can be a part of making your community cleaner, safer and better. 

How do I report graffiti online?

Snap Send Solve makes collecting details such as the location and images of graffiti on a building simple and streamlined. 

This makes your Snap super easy to Solve. Just Snap a photo, add a description and we’ll notify the right people!

Our graffiti reporting app makes finding the right place to report graffiti extremely easy.

If you’re unsure where to create a Snap, try one of the categories under the ‘Graffiti & Vandalism’ incident type.

So, what happens next?

When you Snap illegal graffiti, your photos, notes and location information help the Solver pinpoint active issues and start working to Solve them.

While each council has their own graffiti management framework, it is likely that they will send a contractor out to solve the issue, or distribute a graffiti removal kit. 

If graffiti is in progress, contact your local authority.

We’ve found that Snappers report high response rates and prompt resolutions when using Snap Send Solve, without time spent waiting on the phone or following up emails. 

Snap using the app so you can easily track the progress in the History section, as well as provide feedback, along with your satisfaction rating.

Solvers each have their own customer service level standards and will provide feedback on your Snaps depending on their time and resources.

If your report isn’t Solved right away, you can also send a Nudge two weeks after sending your Snap, which is a friendly follow up signal to the Solver.

Report graffiti – NSW 

When you report illegal graffiti in Sydney and the rest of New South Wales, you’ll need to include:

• When and where the property was last seen and when it was discovered damaged,
• Details and estimated value of the damage,
• Images or videos of the damage.

Reporting illegal graffiti in NSW has never been easier, Snap Send Solve allows you to take photos on the go and report in just seconds. 

The exact geo location of your Snap also helps the Solver pinpoint the exact location of the graffiti. 

In New South Wales you may be issued fines for illegal graffiti. Marking property can attract a fine up to $440, or, for an aggravated offence, $2,200 or 12 months imprisonment.

Report graffiti – QLD

When you report illegal graffiti in Brisbane and the rest of Queensland, you’ll need to include:

• Date,
• Time,
• Location,
• Type of Damage,
• Images.

Collecting these details has never been easier, Snap Send Solve allows you to take photos on the go and report in just seconds. 

The exact geo location of your Snap also helps the Solver pinpoint the exact location of the graffiti. Use our app or form above to connect with the right Solver for your local area.

Report graffiti – WA

When you report illegal graffiti in Perth and the rest of Western Australia, you’ll need to include:

• Whether the property belongs to you and whether it is residential or a business,
• Location of the graffiti,
• Some brief details about the graffiti,
• Your contact information,
• Images of the graffiti.

Collecting these details has never been easier, Snap Send Solve allows you to take photos on the go and report in just seconds. 

The exact geo location of your Snap also helps the Solver pinpoint the exact location of the graffiti. Use our app or form above to connect with the right Solver for your local area.

Report graffiti – VIC

When you report illegal graffiti in Melbourne and the rest of Victoria, you’ll need to include:

• Date,
• Time,
• Location,
• Type of Damage,
• Images.

Collecting these details has never been easier, Snap Send Solve allows you to take photos on the go and report in just seconds. 

The exact geo location of your Snap also helps the Solver pinpoint the exact location of the graffiti. Use our app or form above to connect with the right Solver for your local area.

Report graffiti – SA

When you report illegal graffiti in Adelaide and the rest of South Australia, you’ll need to include:

• Date,
• Time,
• Location,
• Type of Damage,
• Images.

Collecting these details has never been easier, Snap Send Solve allows you to take photos on the go and report in just seconds. 

The exact geo location of your Snap also helps the Solver pinpoint the exact location of the graffiti. Use our app or form above to connect with the right Solver for your local area.

The maximum penalty for graffiti in South Australia is $5,000 or imprisonment for 12 months.

Report graffiti – ACT

When you report illegal graffiti in Canberra and the rest of the Australian Capital Territory, you’ll need to include:

• Date,
• Time,
• Exact Location,
• Type of Damage,
• Images.

Collecting these details has never been easier, Snap Send Solve allows you to take photos on the go and report in just seconds. 

The exact geo location of your Snap also helps the Solver pinpoint the exact location of the graffiti. Use our app or form above to connect with the right Solver for your local area.

Report graffiti – NZ

When you report illegal graffiti in Auckland and the rest of New Zealand, you’ll need to include:

• Type of property the graffiti is on,
• Property address,
• Images,
• Type of damage,
• Description of damage.

Collecting these details has never been easier, Snap Send Solve allows you to take photos on the go and report in just seconds. 

The exact geo location of your Snap also helps the Solver pinpoint the exact location of the graffiti. Use our app or form above to connect with the right Solver for your local area.

For graffiti or tagging in New Zealand you can be fined up to $2,000, be given a community-based sentence, or both.