Alcohol LicensingRaihana hoko waipiro

To manage an alcohol (liquor) licensed business in Central Hawke's Bay, you must hold a current managers certificate. 

Click here to apply for a new licence or a renewal

An on-licence allows for the sale and supply of alcohol to persons for consumption on a specified premises. Examples of premises that require an on-licence include hotels, taverns, licensed restaurants/cafes, night-clubs and function centres.

An on-licence is initially issued for one year. If all conditions are met during this time the licence can be renewed on a three yearly basis.

The online process provides a structured workflow which ensures all required information is received.

Click here to login and apply for a new licence or a renewal.

An off-licence allows for the sale and supply of Alcohol to persons for consumption off a licensed premises. Examples of a premises that require an off-licence include bottle stores, supermarkets or cellar door wineries.

An off-licence is initially issued for one year. If all conditions are met during this time the licence can be renewed on a three yearly basis. 

Click here to login and apply for a new licence or a renewal

A Club Licence allows for the sale and supply of alcohol for consumption on the club premises to members of the club, their guests and members of clubs with reciprocal visiting rights. To become a club you need to be an incorporate society. A Club Licence is issued for one year and if all conditions are being meet during this time, then the licence can be renewed on a three yearly basis.

Click here to login and apply for a new licence or a renewal

 Check if you need an alcohol special licence for your event:

You need an alcohol special licence if you are:

• selling alcohol at an event
• charging an entry fee or collecting donations where alcohol is being supplied for free.

Examples include:

• wine tastings
• private functions (birthdays, weddings)
• farmers' markets
• festivals
• concerts
• sporting events
• bus trips
• ticketed events
• functions in public venue where public access is not restricted.

Special licence for events spanning more than one day

You can get a special licence for an event that takes place over several days, as long as the event is the same in size, form and substance each day, and is all related.

This includes:

• an event that takes place over several consecutive days, like a music festival or food and wine show
• an event that is spread out over time with gaps in between, like a sports tournament that takes place over four consecutive Saturdays.

If you have a number of events that are unrelated to each other, or different in size, form and substance, you will need to make individual applications for a special licence for each event - i.e. one application form per event.

When you don't need an alcohol special licence

You do not need a special licence when you are supplying alcohol or guests are bringing their own alcohol to a private event, as long as it is not open to the public.

This only applies to a private event where a family occasion is celebrated in a hired venue and guests bring their own alcohol or the host supplies it for free.

We can't issue a licence for BYO events.

Advise Council of an event with alcohol here

When you need to apply for an alcohol special licence and what you need

You need to apply for a special licence at least 20 working days before your event, not including the day we receive the application and the day of your event.

If you submit your application less than 20 working days before your event, you need to include a reason why you have not known you needed a special licence earlier.

What you need

• Details of the type of event you’re having and days and hours you are selling alcohol.
• The number of people you expect to attend the event.
• How you will promote responsible drinking (an alcohol management plan) for events of more than 400 people - see Write a host responsibility policy.
• Completed application form.
• A copy of the site layout or area and marquees if the event is outside.
• A copy of the floor plans highlighting restricted or supervised areas and the main entrance.
• An application for landlord consent if it is a council-owned building, facility or land.

• Alcohol Licensing

  Alcohol Licensing	Fee (incl GST)
  Note: Fees are set by regulation under Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012. Please discuss the applicable fees for On, Off and Club Licence with the Alcohol Licensing Officer.
  Special Licence Applications
  Note: Large Event - 400 people (one large event / more than 3 medium events in a series / more than 12 small events in a series)
  Note: Medium Event - between 100-400 people
  Note: Small Event - under 100 people
  1 to 2 small size events	$63.25
  3 to 12 small, 1 to 3 medium size events	$207.00
  All other special licenses / large events	$575.00

Click here to login and apply for a Special Licence

The fees for an alcohol licence are worked out on a risk-based model, found in the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Regulations (Fees) 2013.

Click here to view our fees and charges

Determine the premises cost risk rating fee 

New Zealand’s alcohol laws were reformed in 2012, The Sale of Liquor Act 1989 was repealed and replaced with The Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 (SSAA 2012).

The new Act has put in place a new system of control over the sale and supply of alcohol with an emphasis on local decision making and harm minimisation. The object of the Act is that:

1. The sale, supply and consumption of alcohol should be undertaken safely and responsibly; and
2. The harm caused by the excessive or inappropriate consumption of alcohol should be minimise.

The SSAA 2012 enabled Councils to develop a Local Alcohol Policy (LAP) in order to control where and when alcohol can be sold. This LAP can then be utilised and considered by the District Licensing Committee when making decisions on alcohol licences.

Click here to view our Local Alcohol Policy

It is prohibited to consume or have possession of alcohol in public areas in any of the Liquor Ban areas. Members of the public are still able to transport or carry containers of alcohol through the area (for example from a bottle store to their car) but not allowed to drink, hold or store liquor in any liquor ban area.

The Liquor Control bylaw is enforced by the police who have authority to search, detain and request details.

The liquor bans have effect at all times (24 hrs a day) in the ‘ban’ areas..

It is important to note that the bans do not apply to private property within the ‘ban” areas at any time. They only apply in a public place.

You can view a pdf map of the Waipukurau Liquor Ban area here

You can view a pdf map of the Waipawa Liquor Ban area here

You can view the Bylaw for Liquor Control in a Public Place here

Should you have any questions with regard to the bylaw please contact Customer Service

A temporary authority allows a new owner to trade for a limited time on an existing on-licence or off-licence while an application for a new licence is in progress.

The Temporary Authority is issued for three months and can only be granted where the existing licence is still current (has not expired or been surrendered).

Click here to apply for a Temporary Authority 

https://www.alcohol.org.nz/

https://www.legislation.govt.nz/

Change of Management? Notify us by completing one form of the notices below:

• Licensing Alcohol Notice of Management Change Application (PDF | 100 KB) Downloadable

or

• Licensing Alcohol Notice of Management Change Application (Online Form)

Whakahē i te tuku raihana waipiro

Object to an alcohol licence

​When a business applies for an on-licence, off-licence, or club licence, new or renewed, they are required to publicly notify it.

​Public notices for alcohol licence applications

Public notices are also posted in local newspapers or the Sunday Star-Times.

Objection period for alcohol licence applications

Once the public notice has been published in the CHB Mail or the Hawke's Bay Today, there is a 25-working day period to make an objection to Council. 

What is 'greater interest'?

A person with a 'greater interest' may be a resident or business located in the same street as the proposed or existing business applying for an alcohol licence. Generally, someone who lives within 1km to 2km from the business applying for the licence will have a greater interest than the public.

On the other hand, someone who is concerned about the effects of alcohol on the community in general, but who lives in a different area, may not meet the criteria for 'greater interest'.

Criteria for objecting to alcohol licence applications

The Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 (section 105) outlines the only grounds for objecting to the application for a new, or renewed, alcohol licence.

The object of the act is that:

• alcohol sales, supply and consumption should be undertaken safely and responsibly
• harm caused by the excessive or inappropriate consumption of alcohol should be minimised.

What you can object about

New alcohol licence applications - new owner takes over existing licensed premises

You can object about the suitability of the applicant.

This only includes situations where the new owner takes on the same conditions as the existing licence.

All other new alcohol licence applications

You can object about:

• the object of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012
• suitability of the applicant
• relevant local alcohol policy
• days and hours when alcohol will be sold
• design and layout of premises
• other goods and services offered at the premises (excluding kai and alcohol).

You can also object about whether:

• the applicant has the appropriate systems, staff, and training to comply with the law
• the amenity and good order of the locality would be reduced by the effects of the issue of the licence, to more than a minor extent
• the amenity and good order of the locality are already badly affected by existing licences that it is not desirable to issue any further licenses
• amenity and good order includes consideration of noise, nuisance, vandalism, nearby sensitive sites, such as schools, and the density of licensed premises in the area.

For renewal alcohol licence applications

You can object about:

• suitability of the applicant
• relevant local alcohol policy
• days and hours when alcohol will be sold
• design and layout of the premises
• other goods and services offered at the premises (excluding kai and alcohol).
• the manner in which the applicant has traded
• whether the amenity and good order of the locality would be increased by the effects of a refusal to renew the licence, by more than a minor extent - this includes consideration of noise, nuisance, vandalism.

You should know

Trade-related objections from other licensed businesses are not valid grounds for objection under the act.

 If you are objecting to a new alcohol licence application for premises that are already licensed, and the new applicant is seeking the same terms and conditions as the existing licence, the only ground you can object under is the suitability of the applicant.

​How to make an objection

To object to an alcohol licence application, you'll need to:

• notify us in writing that you wish to object and the reasons why (you must refer to the relevant criteria listed above)
• make sure to include your full name, address, email address and contact telephone number. You should be aware that a copy of your objection, including your name and street name, will be given to the applicant and made public through the hearings agenda.

See the Health Promotion Agency’s Advice if you need assistance in preparing a written objection or preparing for a hearing.

 You need to file your objection with us within 25 working days of the public notice being published in the newspaper.

To object you can either:

Email customerservice@chbdc.govt.nz addressed to the Secretary of the District Licensing Committee.

By post: To the Secretary of the District Licensing Committee, PO Box 127, 4240.

In Person: At the main council office at 28-32 Ruataniwha Street, Waipawa 4210.

 What happens next:

When we receive your objection, we will:

• send you an acknowledgement letter
• send a copy of the objection to the applicant
• submit your objection to the Central Hawke’s Bay District Licensing Committee (DLC) for their consideration.

If the DLC believes the objection meets the criteria for objection, they will schedule a hearing and notify everyone involved.

You don't have to attend the hearing, but if you don't appear to answer questions on your objection, the DLC is limited in how much weight it can give to your objection.

Click here to view applications that have been received recently and may be open to objection or submissions