Bottles
If you want to sell or supply alcohol – as a business, club or special event – you must apply for the appropriate liquor licence.
There are four types of licences. Each has its own specific application form, a non-refundable fee and requirements for additional documentation.
On Licence
An On Licence enables you to sell or supply alcohol for consumption on a premises or conveyance.
- Premises – bar, pub, tavern, club, hotel, restaurant, café.
- Conveyances – bus, boat, plane, train, car.
- Endorsed – BYO.
Off Licence
An off licence enables you to sell, supply or deliver alcohol for consumption off the premises, as well as tastings.
- Premises – bottle stores, grocery stores, supermarkets.
- Endorsed – caterers, auctioneers.
Club Licence
A club licence enables you to sell, supply and serve alcohol for consumption on the premises to club members, their guests and members of other clubs with reciprocal visiting rights.
- Club – sport, social, cultural.
Special Licence
A special licence means you can sell or supply alcohol on a given premises or conveyance for the duration of a specific occasion or event.
- Event – sporting event, wine tasting, bus trip, a party on hired premises where alcohol is being sold or supplied, an event where tickets are being sold.
Conditions
A licence is issued to an individual person, partnership, company or legal entity for a specific premises or conveyance for specific trading days and hours. It cannot be transferred to another name or location.
All licences carry conditions.
Manager Requirements
A certified manager must be on duty at all times when liquor is being sold or supplied to the public. If the certified manager is ill, absent, dismissed or has resigned, a licensee can formally appoint a temporary or acting manager.
Temporary Authority
If you have purchased a licensed business, you must apply for temporary authority to operate the business until your own licence has been approved.
Host Responsibilities
The District Licensing Agency (DLA) is serious about promoting safe drinking environments. All premises need to have a host responsibility policy and implementation plan. Applicants and licensees must demonstrate a commitment to these policies and their application to patrons and premises.
Renewals
You must apply to renew your licence initially after the first year and every three years after that. Renewal applications must be submitted at least 20 working days before the licence expires.
If a licence expires before the application is lodged with the DLA, liquor sales are required to cease immediately and all alcohol must be removed from the premises. You cannot renew an expired licence or manager's certificate.
Applications for renewals are forwarded to the appropriate authorities for their reports. They are also forwarded to the NZ Fire Service to ensure there is a current Fire Evacuation Scheme for the building.
Processing Your Application
On, off and club licence applications are generally processed within five or six weeks of receiving the application. Special licences take at least 25 working days to process. These timeframes will be delayed if there is information outstanding from your application, or if there are any objections to your application from the public or reporting authorities.
The DLA forwards copies of your application to various reporting agencies before making its licensing decision. If there has been an objection to your application, it will be handled by the national Liquor Licensing Authority (LLA) except in special licence cases where it may be resolved by a DLA hearing.
Related Links
Department Details:
Building Consents & Licensing Services
