Apply online now
If you want to operate a bar that holds a maximum of 120 patrons without gaming machines, a small bar licence may be the best fit for you.
Your application can take longer (or may not proceed) if you do not submit the correct information we need to process your application. If you don’t submit the required information, we will contact you via email to request and obtain the missing information to progress your application.
You can help us speed up the process by:
The information below will help you to prepare your application and gather all the supporting materials for your licence.
Apply online
No SoRPE required:
SoRPE required:
Once your application is lodged, you will be provided with a public site notice which you will need to affix to your premises until the application is granted. Council, police and agency stakeholders will be automatically notified of your application.
View the SoRPE process.
A paper form version of the site notices can be downloaded below if you wish to complete them manually at your convenience prior to lodgement of your application.
APP200 small bar liquor application site notice PDF, 155.84 KB
You'll need to submit the below:
Licensees and all staff involved in the selling, service or supply of alcohol need to have completed a 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.
The Liquor Regulation 2018 introduced an additional two courses for licensees and managers:
For more information, visit Licensee and Advanced Licensee Training
It is best practice to keep copies of your and your staff’s qualifications in a register on the premises.
An interim small bar authorisation (ISA) allows you to begin serving liquor two days after you have informed NSW Police and your local council when you wish to operate, and after you have lodged a small bar licence application with Liquor & Gaming NSW (L&GNSW).
You will not be eligible to apply for an interim small bar authorisation if you are required to provide a Statement of Risks and Potential Effects.
To be eligible for an ISA, you must:
Small bars may apply for an Extended Trading Authorisation PDF, 619.9 KB and/or a Minors Authorisation PDF, 342.85 KB after the liquor licence application has been finalised and a liquor licence has been approved.
All small bars issued with an interim authorisation need to notify NSW Police and the local consent authority at least two days before they start trading.
Small bars that regularly provide meals on their premises between opening time and 10pm have the option to allow minors in the company of a responsible adult until 10pm. This allows families to dine-in together in seated areas of small bars during the day and earlier hours of the evening, just as they can in dining areas of pubs and clubs.
Small bars that wish to make use of this option must ensure the correct signage is in place to convey that they are choosing to permit minors.
Small bars can also apply for a ‘Minors Authorisation’ if they wish to allow minors at other times up until 12:00am or in different circumstances. This is available where a small bar provides diverse offerings that are appropriate for minors in addition to bar services - for example:
Conditions can be attached to this Authorisation, and minors may be required to be accompanied by a responsible adult depending on the services offered.
If granted the authorisation, appropriate signage must be displayed on the premises, including the times and circumstances where minors are permitted.
Small bars that regularly provide meals on their premises from opening time until 10pm can decide whether they will allow minors in the company of a responsible adult.
This means meals need to be available for customers to order during these times.
The meals can’t be just bar snacks – they must be genuine meals that are served in seated areas on the premises.
Customers should have no difficulty locating a food menu, which shows meals can be ordered up until at least 10pm.
You can apply for the Minors Authorisation using the Minors Authorisation – Small Bars form - AM0041 PDF, 342.85 KB.
When your application is assessed, a range of relevant factors will be considered – including but not limited to:
Preferably, applications should be accompanied by a Plan of Management that explains how any risks to minors will be addressed.
Each application will be assessed on its merits.
All small bars must display the correct signage telling patrons the following information:
Small bars that do not allow minors on premises due to the nature of their business model (e.g. cocktail bars only) can simply display the sign which prohibits minors from entering the premises.
These signs may be downloaded from the Signs for your business webpage for self-print, or ordered from the Liquor & Gaming NSW online shop.
Small bars are allowed to sell
Due to restrictions on take-away sales on restricted trading days, small bars are not allowed to sell take-away alcohol on Christmas Day or Good Friday.
Note: if offering same day delivery under this authorisation, licensed premises must comply with all relevant NSW alcohol delivery laws – for example, this includes:
From 1 March 2025, it will be unlawful for small bars to sell takeaway or home delivery liquor without an approved authorisation (with the exception of selling takeaway house-made cocktails).
Apply here for an authorisation to sell takeaway and home delivery.
Small bar standard trading hours are 10:00am -12:00am, Monday to Sunday. A two-hour extension from 12:00am to 2am can be granted if approved within your development consent.
You can apply to extend your trading hours:
Applications for an extended trading authorisation to trade beyond 2am require a Statement of Risks and Potential Effects (SoRPE).
The table below outlines the standard and extended trading hours for a small bar licence.
Day
Standard trading hours
Monday - Sunday
10:00am – 2:00am* (next day)
Good Friday
10:00am – 10:00pm
Christmas Day
New Year's Eve
Normal trading
* Includes automatic extended trading between 12:00am and 2:00am for small bars under the NSW liquor laws.
You can tailor your licence to meet your needs by applying for authorisations and exemptions - fees may apply.
A Small Bar licence is subject to several requirements under the liquor laws, including::
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.
Your application costs include:
Use our Liquor Fee Schedule to calculate your fee.
A small bar licence is subject to a pro-rata annual liquor licence fee depending on the time of year your liquor licence is granted.
This fee covers the amount of time you use the liquor licence in its first year before the billing cycle starts on 15 March each year. Calculate your pro-rata fee.
A small bar licence is subject to an annual liquor licence fee, due in May each year. Read more about annual liquor licence fees.
FM2044 Licence conditions form - small bar PDF, 485.05 KB
This form contains a list of standard conditions which the Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority and/or its delegates may impose if the licence is granted.
The Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority and/or its delegates may impose additional or alternative conditions if warranted. However, the party seeking additional or alternative conditions must demonstrate the need for those conditions.
If you would like to seek alternate conditions, and/or additional conditions, please indicate the relevant condition number, alternative condition text and/or additional condition as well as the reasons in the space provided below the conditions list. You can attach additional information on separate pages if required.
Please attach the completed form to your online liquor licence application at lodgement.
Lodging this form with your liquor licence application will reduce the processing time.
You must be 18 years or older and authorised to lodge this licence application.
Create a OneGov account to apply online for a new licence or maintain your existing licence online.
Once your application is lodged, you will receive a site notice. This notice must be affixed to the location of the proposed licensed premises and must be provided to the occupiers of surrounding buildings.
We will advertise your application on the Liquor and Gaming Application Noticeboard for 30 days during which the community can comment on your application.
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 Liquor & Gaming NSW
Access the Liquor Act 2007 and the Liquor Regulation 2018