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The type of activity or business you plan will determine the type of liquor licence you will need. Applying for a liquor license can be a complex task. We recommend that you seek advice in correctly interpreting regulations and determining the type of licence you require. Specialist advice is available by checking in the Yellow Pages under Liquor Industry Consultants. You can also confirm the licence type by checking the Sale of Liquor Act 1989.
The type of activity or business you plan will determine the type of alcohol licence you will need. You can view information regarding the different sorts of licences required at the bottom of this page
Applying for an alcohol license can be a complex task. We recommend that you seek advice in correctly interpreting regulations and determining the type of licence you require. You can also confirm the licence type by checking the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012
View The Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012
Example | Type Required |
Occasion, event or series of occasions. E.g. weddings, wine tastings, birthdays. | Special Licence |
Incorporated clubs. E.g. sports clubs, social clubs, regular office drinks. | To Apply Click Here |
Premises or conveyances that serve drinks and provide corkage/glasses. E.g. BYO premises, hotels, taverns, restaurants, night clubs. | To Apply Click Here |
Premises that sell alcohol but don't serve it. E.g. liquor stores, supermarkets, wine shops. | To Apply Click Here |
New owner of existing licensed premises. | A Temporary Authority is required when a new entity takes over an existing licensed premises and wishes to continue the sale and or supply of alcohol until their own licence is issued. Temporary Authority |
Manager's Certificate |
Managers of a licensed premises need to complete specific training and qualifications and comply with New Zealand's alcohol laws. Manager's Certificate |
Renewal of a manager's certificate. |
You must be:
|
Winemakers |
Winemakers are no longer required to hold a licence under the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012. Wine makers are now dealt with under the Wine Act 2003. Ministry of Primary Industries 0800 00 83 33 info@MPI.govt.nz Winemaking standards, requirements, and testing | NZ Government (mpi.govt.nz) |
This licence authorises a club to sell or supply liquor for consumption on the premises. A club must be incorporated. Club licences are held by sports and social clubs. There must be a person with a current manager's certificate on duty at all times when liquor is being sold or supplied to the public.
All clubs:
Please note that temporary authorities cannot be granted to club licensed premises.
Follow these steps to complete a login and access the online application form:
2. Select the service you want to apply for
3. Select the councils you want to apply with from the drop down menu
4. Select application you wish to complete and submit
Planning Certificate under the Resource Management Act 1991
Building Code Certificate
This compliance certificate is required to ensure that the premises comply with the Building Code.
Permitted occupancy number
The maximum occupancy number relates to the number and type of existing toilets serving the licensed area. This needs to be calculated and recorded on your application. Visit the Department of Building and Housing website to assess or check your current occupancy numbers.
This licence authorises the holder to sell or supply liquor for consumption off the premises. Drinking on these premises is not allowed.
There must be a person with a current manager's certificate on duty at all times when liquor is being sold or supplied to the public. You can only obtain an off licence for premises, ie no conveyance may obtain an off licence.
Follow these steps to complete a login and access the online application form:
2. Select the service you want to apply for
3. Select the councils you want to apply with from the drop down menu
4. Select application you wish to complete and submit
Step One:
Step Two:
Step Three:
Once your application has been accepted for lodgement, you must place 2 public notices within 20 working days (1 week apart) When the notices have been published, you need to send a copy of each notice from the newspaper (preferably the full page) showing the date and name of the paper to the; District Licensing Agency, Central Hawke's Bay District Council, P O Box 127, Waipawa 4240
During the 30 days it take to process your application, we will:
A copy of the inspectors and police report will be posted to you.
If you are a caterer, an endorsed off licence authorises the sale or supply of liquor for functions or events. Before you apply for your off licence you will need to obtain building and planning certificates of compliance.
General guidelines:
Step One:
Step Two:
Step Three:
District Licensing Agency, Central Hawke's Bay District Council
Once your application has been accepted for lodgement, you must place 2 public notices within 20 working days (1 week apart) When the notices have been published, you need to send a copy of each notice from the newspaper (preferably the full page) showing the date and name of the paper to the; District Licensing Agency, Central Hawke's Bay District Council, P O Box 127, Waipawa 4240
During the 30 days it take to process your application, we will:
A copy of the inspectors and police report will be posted to you.
Note: The planning and building certificates must be granted before you apply for your liquor licence.
Planning Certificate under the Resource Management Act 1991
The planning certificate, when granted, confirms that the proposed use of the premises meets requirements of the Resource Management Act 1991.
Building Code Certificate
This certificate, when granted, confirms that the proposed use of the premises meets requirements of the Building Code.
This licence authorises the holder to sell or supply liquor on premises or conveyances. Liquor cannot be removed from these premises or conveyances. There must be a person with a current Managers certificate on duty at all times when liquor is being sold or supplied to the public.
Follow these steps to complete a login and access the online application form:
2. Select the service you want to apply for
3. Select the councils you want to apply with from the drop down menu
4. Select application you wish to complete and submit
General guidelines:
Step One:
Login and complete application form
Step Two:
Step Three:
Once your application has been accepted for lodgement, you must place 2 public notices within 20 working days (1 week apart). When the notices have been published, you need to send a copy of each notice from the newspaper (preferably the full page) showing the date and name of the paper to the; District Licensing Agency, Central Hawke's Bay District Council, P O Box 127, Waipawa 4240.
During the 30 days it take to process your application, we will:
A copy of the inspectors and police report will be posted to you.
This licence is required if you plan on selling or supplying liquor in a conveyance, for example limousine, party bus, ferry, cruise vessel, etc.
General guidelines:
Contact us for information and for an application pack for an on licence for a conveyance. The application pack contains:
Note: The planning and building certificates must be granted before you apply for you liquor licence.
Planning Certificate under the Resource Management Act 1991
The planning certificate, when granted, confirms that the proposed use of the premises meets requirements of the Resource Management Act 1991.
Building Code Certificate
This certificate, when granted, confirms that the proposed use of the premises meets requirements of the Building Code.
This licence is only valid for the timeframe permitted by the special licence. It can apply to a property, location or conveyance (e.g. boat or train).
The special licence holder must control the liquor at the event and ensure statutory responsibilities are observed. This cannot be achieved if guests bring their own liquor therefore special licences do not permit BYO functions.
You can take a bottle of wine to the beach or park for a picnic and consume it on public property without the need for a liquor licence. It is only when you book public property for a function, and it is cordoned off or under cover, eg a marquee or band rotunda, that you must apply for a special licence for the sale or supply of liquor.
A special licence is required if liquor is sold or supplied to any people attending any "particular" occasion or event or series of occasions or events. It is required at any function where:
Examples of these functions include birthdays, weddings, social gatherings, client functions and other temporary bar set-ups.
Examples of a series of 'one-off' functions would be:
You are not required to hold a special licence
Follow these steps to complete a login and access the online application form:
2. Select the service you want to apply for
3. Select the councils you want to apply with from the drop down menu
4. Select application you wish to complete and submit
Special licences cannot be renewed. However, if you know the dates of future events to be held at the same venue, you can obtain a special licence for future events on the one application.
The processing time includes a period of 20 working days required by the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 for the Police and District Health Board staff to supply reports. Controversial applications or profit oriented commercial applications may need to be advertised through a public notice. Consequently, additional time is required to process these. In these cases 40 working days notice may be required.
If you are applying for a special licence, you need to provide all the required information when you lodge the application to avoid a delay in processing.
The special licence application forms and guidelines provide details on the information you are required to provide.
When liquor is being sold or supplied to the public on licensed premises, a certificate-holding duty manager must be on duty at all times and be responsible for compliance with the Sale of Liquor Act 1989 and the conditions of the licence.
The manager's certificate is portable so you can carry out the duties and responsibilities of a manager in other premises.
The Act recognises one class of Manager for all premises, however it allows a transitional period for club managers to sit an equivalence test to allow them to become Managers under the new Act.
For further advice please contact the Licensing Inspector.
For further advice please contact the Licensing Inspector.
We can provide a copy of your manager's certificate to you on request for a small fee.
There a number of training providers that provide sale of liquor training in the Hawke's Bay region. The following list is not exhaustive and you may wish to search for Sale of Liquor training providers on the Web or in the Yellow pages.
In certain circumstances you are allowed to appoint an uncertified person as an Acting or Temporary manager if a holder of a manager's certificate is not available.
Acting manager
A licensee can appoint someone without a manager's certificate as an Acting manager for up to three weeks at any one time. The total period of time for an Acting manager cannot exceed a total of six weeks in any 12-month period.
Temporary manager
A Temporary manager can be appointed if the usual duty manager is ill or absent for any reason or is dismissed or resigns. This person does not have to have a manager's certificate, however this person must, within two working days, apply for a manager's certificate. They may then continue as a Temporary manager until the application for a manager's certificate is determined.
When to appoint an Acting manager or Temporary manager
The position of Acting manager is usually a short-term appointment while a Temporary manager is likely to be a longer-term replacement for a permanent staff member. Generally, the provisions allow for the appointment of an Acting manager where the holder of a manager's certificate is ill, absent or on holiday, but where the absence is more of a short-term nature. A Temporary manager would be more appropriate when the usual or permanent manager suddenly leaves or is ill or absent for a significant period of time.
If a licensee appoints a person as an Acting or Temporary manager that person is deemed to have the responsibilities of the holder of a manager's Certificate. An Acting or Temporary manager can be prosecuted for breaches of the Act just as a manager's certificate holder can.
You are legally required to give notice of the appointment, or termination of the appointment, of any manager, Temporary manager, or Acting manager
Notice must be given within 48 hours of appointment or termination.
It is not necessary to notify these agencies if the appointment will not exceed 48 hours, however it is recommended that such appointments are recorded in a daybook, or log book, along with the reason for the appointment.
To give notice:
District Licensing Agency (DLA)
+64 6 835 7574
Liquor Licensing Authority (LLA)
+64 4 462 6686
Police
+64 6 834 0340
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