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Annual liquor licence fees for 2024

Upcoming changes to the Annual Liquor Fee (ALLF)

The Annual Liquor Licence Fees (ALLF) base fee and the compliance history risk loading have been increased in 2024 to support a range of regulatory and trading changes. However, only venues with a demerit point pay the compliance loading fee. This increase takes effect on 15 March 2024 and will be applied to the upcoming 2024 ALLF cycle.

Why are fees increasing?

Every holder of a NSW liquor licence is required to pay an annual liquor licence fee. Liquor licensing in NSW is built on a framework where the industry contributes to the cost of its regulation.

All liquor licence fees are increased annually based on the rate of inflation. For the 2024 fee cycle, the ALLF base fee component and the compliance loading fee are being increased above the annual rate of inflation. All other fees payable will be increased only at the rate of inflation.

The funds collected from the fee increase will go directly towards implementing a series of NSW Government reforms that aim to support and generate more activity within the night-time economy across NSW.

The NSW Government anticipates that these reforms will deliver substantial benefits to the industry, reducing business risk by affording greater protection from noise complaints and enhancing the long-term economic well-being of licensed businesses across NSW.  These benefits not only extend to those in cities, but also licensees across rural and regional NSW.

The fee increase to the ALLF base fee and compliance loading is proportional, with licensed venues that will benefit the most from the reforms paying a higher amount, and those receiving less paying a lower fee.

What does this mean for licensees?

Annual liquor licence fees are calculated by L&GNSW on 15 March each year using licence information held by the NSW Government. The fee increase will come into effect on the base ALLF for each licence type and the compliance history risk loading from 15 March 2024. Only venues with a demerit point pay the compliance loading fee. This increase will be applied to the upcoming 2024 ALLF cycle. See the 2024 ALLF table below for details.

Compliance discount will apply from 2024

From 2024, venues whose licensees and managers have not incurred any demerit points in the last three years will be rewarded with a 5% discount on its base licence fee and trading hours risk loading.

Dedicated live music venues

Dedicated live music and performance venues, including participating venues located in Special Entertainment Precincts, are eligible for an 80% discount on base fee and trading hours risk loading if they meet certain criteria. Only eligible venues that are included on Liquor & Gaming NSW’s live music and performance venues published list can access the discount. To learn more visit: Incentives for live music and performance venues - Liquor & Gaming NSW

Venues experiencing financial hardship

Venues experiencing financial difficulties are eligible to apply for a fee waiver for the upcoming ALLF cycle. Fee waiver applications can be submitted on the L&GNSW website and must be received before 22 May 2024 to be considered by Liquor & Gaming NSW. Supporting documentation that shows evidence of financial hardship must accompany the application.

Important dates

  • 25 March 2024 - Fee notice sent to licensees
  • 29 May 2024 - Annual liquor licence fee payment due
  • 26 June 2024 - Last day to pay before licence suspended for non-payment and late fee added
  • 25 July 2024 - Last day to pay before licence cancelled for non-payment

The annual licence fee is calculated on a simple model:

  • a base fee
  • risk-based loadings – where applicable
  • trading hours risk loading
  • compliance risk loadings - including compliance history risk loading, patron capacity risk loading

Risk-based loadings increase when the risk level of a premises increases.

For example: If you’re a business with a large, late trading premises and have a poor compliance history, your business will be identified as high-risk and attract additional risk-based loadings.

Annual liquor licence fee components

Licence type 2023 Base fee 2024 Base fee - per licence 2024 Base fee with 5% discount - per licence*
Club $617 $1,049 $997
Hotel - former community liquor licence $114 $194 $184
Hotel - full hotel licence $617 $1,049 $997
Hotel - general bar $309 $526 $500
Limited licence - multi function $125 $169 $161
On-premises - including vessels $494 $766 $728
Packaged liquor - 1-3 outlets $617 $771 $732
Packaged liquor - 4-9 outlets $1,232 $1,540 $1,463
Packaged liquor - 10 + outlets $2,461 $3,076 $2,922
Producer / wholesaler $248 $372 $353
Small bar licence $248 $335 $318

*Venues whose licensees and managers have not incurred any demerit points in the last three years will be given a 5% discount on annual liquor licence fees on base fee and trading hours risk loading.

Who does this apply to?2024 Trading hours risk loading2024 Trading hours risk loading with 5% discount*
A very small number of regional premises who hold a Multi Occasion Extended Trading Authorisation (MOETA)$1,281$1,217
Premises authorised to trade up to 1:30am on a regular basis$3,203$3,043
Premises authorised to trade after 1:30am on a regular basis$6,400$6,080

Find out more about trading hours risk loading conditions and exemptions

*Venues whose licensees and managers have not incurred any demerit points in the last three years will be given a 5% discount on annual liquor licence fees on base fee and trading hours risk loading.

Compliance risk loadings apply if, in the past calendar year:

Compliance risk loadings include two factors:

  1. compliance history risk loading
  2. patron capacity risk loading

1. Incentive and demerit points system

Licensees, managers and clubs will incur demerit points for committing demerit offences or via a prescribed complaint. Demerit points expire after 3 years.

A demerit offence is a serious breach of liquor legislation. Most demerit offences result in the automatic imposition of 1 demerit point against a licensee, manager or club. However, offences involving the sale or supply of liquor to minors result in 2 demerit points.

Demerit points result in additional loadings attached to the annual liquor licence fee of a venue.

Demerit points2023 Compliance history risk loading2024 Compliance history risk loading
One demerit point$4,545$5,681
Two demerit points$9,090$11,362
Three demerit points $13,636$17,043

For a list of demerit offences and further information in relation to prescribed complaints, please refer to the Incentives and Demerit Point System fact sheet PDF, 444 KB.

2. Patron capacity risk loading

The patron capacity risk loading only applies if you are also required to pay a compliance history risk loading. Your patron capacity risk loading is based on the number of people your premises is allowed to hold.

Note: Accommodation areas are not included in the patron capacity of a licensed premises.

Patron capacity2024 Patron capacity risk loading
Your premises has a patron capacity of 60 patrons or less $1,281
Your premises has a patron capacity of 61 - 120 patrons $3,843
Your premises has a patron capacity of 121 - 300 patrons $7,687
Your premises has a patron capacity of 301+ patrons $10,250

Other fees

If you did not pay your licence fees by 26 June 2023, your licence was suspended and a late payment fee of $125 applied in addition to any outstanding fees.

Applications to waive the late payment fee closed on 24 July 2023.

It is illegal to sell liquor with a suspended licence.

Applications for licence reinstatements closed on 18 September 2023. Applications received after this date will not be processed.

Your licence has been permanently cancelled if you did not pay your annual liquor licence fee for the 2023 period and did not apply for a licence reinstatement by 18 September 2023. You need to apply for a new liquor licence to continue to sell alcohol.

It is illegal to sell liquor with a Suspended or Cancelled liquor licence.

Paying your licence fee

Your fee notice will include:

  • your individualised annual liquor licence fee
  • the payment due date
  • instructions how to pay.

LLM includes PayID which is a secure, instant payment method. It is easy to register and only has a $0.55 charge on all standard transactions.

To register for Liquor Licence Manager, visit the Service NSW website.

I'm experiencing financial hardship - what can I do?

Applications for fee waivers based on financial hardship for the 2024 Annual Liquor Licence Fee cycle will close on 22 May 2024.

I think I have been charged incorrectly – what can I do?

Applications for the annual liquor fee reassessment will close on 25 July 2024.

Do I still have to pay if I'm currently not trading?

You still need to pay an annual liquor licence fee if you are currently not trading.

If you have ceased trading or your licence has been temporarily or voluntarily suspended, you still need to pay your annual liquor licence fee because your licence is still valid.

Keep your details up to date

We send email reminders with important information about your liquor licence, including annual fee notices, and reminders.

Update your details online