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.
Annual liquor licence fees are calculated by L&GNSW on 15 March each year using licence information held by the NSW Government.
The annual licence fee is calculated on a simple model:
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 located in a major entertainment precinct, with a poor compliance history, your business will be identified as high-risk and attract additional risk-based loadings.
This loading applies if a premise is authorised to regularly trade after midnight.
Compliance risk loadings apply if, in the past calendar year:
Compliance risk loadings include three factors:
Compliance history risk loading is based on the compliance history of your liquor licence in the previous calendar year.
The level of your loading depends on the number of offence events committed by the licensee or manager of your licensed premises, or if your venue was listed as a Level 1 or 2 declared premises under the violent venues scheme.
If more than one of the following loadings applies to your licence, you will only pay the highest amount.
Compliance risk loadings were introduced in 2017 to encourage all licensees to maintain safe and low-risk premises. The introduction of these loadings were the result of the independent liquor law review by the Hon Ian Callinan AC QC in 2016.
Find out more about compliance risk loadings.
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.
Location risk loading only applies if you are required to pay a compliance history risk loading. Venues in the Kings Cross and Sydney CBD precincts automatically attract a $2,000 location risk loading fee.
Location risk loading only applies if you are required to pay a compliance history risk loading and you are located in the Kings Cross and Sydney CBD. This risk loading attracts a $2,000 fee.
Annual licence fees are due annually by 26 June. Payments made after this date attract a late payment fee and the liquor licence will also be suspended.
You are able to apply for a waiver for the late payment fee that you received. Applications close annually on 25 July.
If you did not pay your annual liquor licence fee and late payment fee, your licence will be cancelled. In 2018 licences were cancelled on 26 July 2018.
To legally serve or supply liquor or operate gaming machines, you needed to apply to reinstate your licence and pay a reinstatement fee of on top of your annual liquor licence fee and late payment fee.
Liquor licences are permanently cancelled when:
You must apply for a new liquor licence if you wish to re-enter the industry and sell or supply alcohol.
Significant penalties apply if you sell or supply liquor or operate gaming machines without a valid licence.
If you think your fee is incorrect you can apply for a fee re-assessment. Applications close annually on 25 July.
If you applied for a fee reassessment and were not informed of the outcome before 20 July, you are required to pay your annual liquor licence fee and the late payment fee in full.
If you were informed that your application has been successful after you made the payment in full, the difference will be refunded to you.
If you are experiencing financial hardship you can apply for a fee waiver. Applications close annually on 22 May.
In some circumstances, the Secretary may accept a late fee waiver application. If you are experiencing financial hardship and did not lodge your fee waiver application before 22 May due to exceptional circumstances, please contact us.
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.
Depending on the contact details we have for you, you may receive your notice of your annual liquor licence fee via email, SMS, or mail.
We will contact you with:
It's important to keep your contact details up-to-date so that you receive your liquor licence fee payment notices and reminders in the future.
Update your contact details online or contact us.
