Packaged liquor licence

Packaged liquor licences cannot be granted for:

• service stations
• takeaway food shops
• general stores including: convenience stores, mixed business or milk bars with a retail floor area of 240 square metres or less and used primarily for the sale of groceries. However, an application may be made if there is no other takeaway liquor service available to the public in the neighbourhood, and the grant of the licence would not encourage drink-driving or other liquor-related harm
• storage units or self-storage facilities.

Liquor Licence Freeze

A liquor licence freeze applies in the Kings Cross and Sydney CBD Entertainment precincts until 1 December 2020. While this freeze is in place, certain types of new liquor licences, including hotel licences, cannot be granted.

Precinct maps: 

Community impact statement

Before you apply for a packaged liquor licence, you must prepare a community impact statement (CIS).

A community impact statement (CIS) provides evidence that you’ve advised your local community of your intention to operate a packaged liquor licence, and provides them with an opportunity to provide comment.

This allows us to gauge the level of support for your application.

A Category A or Category B CIS must be completed before lodging your application.

• Category A: online, mail order and telephone home delivery sales only.
• Category B: bottle shops, supermarkets, and general stores.

You must:

• complete your CIS at least 30 days before lodging this application
• lodge the CIS with the application.

What else you need before you apply

• a floor plan clearly showing the proposed boundaries for the licensed area
• a copy of your local council development approval or consent
• requested liquor trading hours
• details of the venue owner
• contact details for you or a person authorised to submit your application
• if applicable, a completed applicant declaration (TDEC5) (PDF 173.7 KB)
• payment for your application.

If applying as an individual you'll also need:

• evidence of your Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) qualifications, including your Licensee training and Advanced licensee training qualifications,  if appropriate
• evidence of your Responsible Conduct of Gambling (RCG) qualifications (if applicable)
• a current National Police Certificate issued within the last three months
• the three identity documents you used when applying for the National Police Certificate.

If applying as an organisation you'll also need:

• ABN, ACN or Y/INC
• the names and birthdates of all directors and officeholders (if it is a proprietary company)
• a current Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) extract
• if applicable, inclusion of the appointment of manager notice.

Download: Forms for this licence

​​The licensee and all staff involved in selling, serving or supplying alcohol need to have completed an approved Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) course and hold a valid NSW competency card.

This requirement also applies to security staff and promotional staff conducting tastings on the premises.

*Clause 117 of the Liquor Regulation 2018 provides an exemption which permits certain premises to trade until these times.

Non-metropolitan venues are able to sell liquor up to 3.00am on up to 12 occasions annually: Multi-occasion extended trading authorisation (PDF 845.7 KB)

Daily 6-hour closure period

A 6-hour closure period applies to all liquor licences, including those with extended trading hours. It usually starts at 4.00am and ends at 10.00am each day.

You can apply to change the 6-hour closure period:

• temporarily
• permanently
• to different times on different days of the week.

In your application, you need to provide detail on:

• the current and proposed hours of closure, and why the closing period should be changed
• the demonstrated or likely needs of patrons
• the interests of the local community
• the opinion of local police on the proposal, if any
• ways you will minimise harm associated with misuse and abuse of alcohol - including harm arising from violence and other anti-social behaviour
• ways you will promote, sell and supply alcohol safely and responsibly
• ways the proposal will not detract from the amenity of community life.

Resources

​​​The law requires that all types of licensed venues display liquor signs. This includes a number of compulsory signs, depending on which licence and authorisations you have.

• Find out what signs you need
• Buy signs from shop.nsw.gov.au

Your application costs include:

• an application fee
• a non-refundable processing fee.

Use our Liquor Fee Schedule to calculate your fee.

Licence fees

Pro-rata annual liquor licence fee

A packaged liquor licence is subject to a pro-rata annual liquor licence fee depending on the time of year your liquor licence is granted.

The fee is calculated on a quarterly basis and reflects the amount of time you use the licence before the next billing cycle (on 15 March the following year). Calculate your pro-rata fee.

Annual liquor licence fee

A packaged liquor licence is subject to an annual liquor licence fee, due in May each year. Read more about annual liquor licence fees.

Apply online now

You must be 18 years or older and authorised to lodge this licence application.

Apply online

Create a OneGov account to apply online for a new licence or maintain your existing licence online.

• online at onegov.nsw.gov.au - create an account, or log into your existing account.

Advantages to lodging your application online:

• you receive a 10% discount
• the online form is easier to complete
• it speeds up processing time.

Next steps

Once your application is lodged, we will advertise it on the Liquor and Gaming Application Noticeboard for 30 days. The community can comment on your application, as well as people who were consulted as part of the CIS process, if applicable.

We're here to help. 

Use our online feedback form to send us your questions, suggestions or feedback. You can also:

Call: 1300 024 720 | Monday to Friday 9am - 4pm

Email: contact.us@liquorandgaming.nsw.gov.au

Access the Liquor Act 2007 and the Liquor Regulation 2018 at www.legislation.nsw.gov.au