By Mt Hobson Group

03/13/2012 Whenever liquor is being sold, be it in a bar or restaurant, a ‘one-off’ event such as a wedding or a ball, or a local shop or cafe, a liquor licence is required. The Sale of Liquor Act 1989 sets out requirements that must be meet to obtain a liquor licence in Auckland. Obtaining a liquor licence can be a complex, time consuming process, q process where delays can be costly. Mt Hobson Properties Ltd has over ten years of experience helping over 200 people obtain a liquor licence in Auckland and throughout New Zealand. MHG has built a reputation as being knowledgeable and efficient, allowing you to get on with planning your new premise or function, leaving us to the bureaucracy and Council requirements.
Before you embark on the liquor licence process please feel free to phone for a quick, friendly chat. We can often circumvent major disasters and provide a feeling of extra confidence for your proposal. Just call us on (09) 950 5101.

TYPES OF NEW ZEALAND LIQUOR LICENCES This process is guaranteed to take longer than you think. will take longer than you think. The Sale of Liquor Act sets out the complex requirements for obtaining the various types of liquor licence in Auckland and New Zealand. Please seek professional advice when embarking on the process of obtaining a liquor licence.
1. On Licence - Authorises the sale and supply of liquor for consumption on the premises or conveyance (i.e., Restaurant, Hotel, Tavern, Plane, Boat, etc.) 2. Off Licence - Authorises the sale or delivery of liquor for consumption off the premises (i.e., bottle shop, supermarket, gift basket shop.) 3. Club Licence - Authorises the sale and supply of liquor for consumption on the premises to members of the club and their guests, and members of other clubs who hold reciprocal visiting rights. 4. Special Licence - Authorises the sale and supply of liquor for consumption on the premises or conveyance, to any person attending any occasion or event (i.e., sporting event, bus trip, a party on hired premised where alcohol is being sold, where tickets are being sold, or an event where liquor is being supplied).
If terms of an On Licence if the premises were not used to sell liquor, you will need to apply for a full on-licence, which will include applying for various planning and building certificates, certifying that the premises comply with the RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ACT 1991 and with the Building Code.
If the premises were previously used to sell liquor, you can apply for a Temporary Licence, which is valid for three months. You will be able to keep renewing this until you get a full On-Licence. When you apply for a Temporary Licence, the standard procedure for public notification of your application (see below) doesn’t apply, although the Auckland City Council (or respective local council elsewhere in New Zealand) can decide if particular people should be notified.
The law requires that a Certified Manager be on duty at any time a licensed premise is open and selling liquor. The manager is then responsible for the compliance with the Sale of Liquor Act, and adherence to the licence conditions. To become certificated you first need to obtain a Licence Controllers Qualification (LCQ). This is done by completing a course with the relevant NZQA unit standards.

APPLICATION INFORMATION AND THE LIQUOR LICENCE PROCESS A number of documents are required to complete the Liquor License process: • A Certificate of Incorporation (if you are a body corporate such as a company) • A Partnership Agreement (if a partnership) • A Company Constitution or Memorandum of Association (if you are a company) • A copy of your Proposed Food Menu and information about any Non-Alcoholic Drinks you will supply • Photos or Drawings of the outside of the premises • A Plan of the Interior, indicating areas to be used to sell • A copy of the Certificate of Title for the premises (you can get this from the Department of Survey and Land Information) • Planning and Building Certificates • Application Fees
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION OF YOUR LIQUOR LICENCE APPLICATION Within 20 days of filing the Liquor License application, you must advertise it in the Public Notices section of your local newspaper. You must do this on two separate occasions, at least six days and not more than 10 days apart. Within 10 working days after filing the application, you must also attach a notice of the application in a conspicuous place on or next to the site to which the application relates. OBJECTIONS TO YOUR LIQUOR LICENCE APPLICATION Any person who has a greater interest in your application than the general public may file a written objection to your application with the council within 10 working days after the first public notice of your application. Reports from Police, Medical Officers of Health, and Council Inspectors. When the local council receives your application, it sends copies of it to the local Police and to the district Medical Officer of Health, who inquire into your application and report to the council if they have any opposition to it. A council inspector appointed under the SALE OF LIQUOR ACT 1989 also makes inquiries and files a report with the council. The council will send you copies of all reports that it receives.
COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS What happens if there are objectors or any reports opposing my application? If there are no objectors and no reports opposing your application, the local council can proceed with your application and decide whether or not to grant it. If there are objectors or reports opposing it, the council will notify you of this and your application will be referred to the Liquor Licensing Authority. The Authority will hold a court-type public hearing on your application. You will be given at least 10 working days’ notice of the date of the hearing. The hearing will decide if you are fit to hold the licence.
How will my application be decided? In deciding whether to grant the licence, the local council or the Liquor Licensing Authority will consider matters such as: • The Suitability of the Applicant to hold a licence • The Days on which and the Hours during which you Propose to Sell Liquor • The Steps you will take to Ensure that No Liquor is Sold to People who are Under Age or Intoxicated • Proposals for Supplying Food and Non-Alcoholic and Low-Alcohol Drinks, and for Providing Patrons with Assistance and Information about Alternative Forms of Transport, such as taxis A liquor licence is granted initially for one year and then can be renewed every three years. What does a Liquor Licence Allow? A Liquor Licence allows the licensee to sell alcohol according to the conditions of the licence. Conditions cover such things as • Who alcohol can be sold to • The hours and days it can be sold • Who is allowed on the premises • The range of food, non-alcohol and low-alcohol drinks to be provided • provision of information about alternative transport arrangements It is against the law for a licensee or their staff to sell alcohol to anyone who is intoxicated or under the age of 18 years. There are heavy penalties for these offences.
How do I save time and money? The application process is long winded and the slightest mistake can cause significant delays in your application. And large delays in time can mean delays in opening a licenced premise, therefore cost you money in the end too. So it's often wise to use a consultant when getting a liquor license.

Feel free to give us a call at Mt Hobson Properties on (09) 950 5101 to discuss your needs.

Mt Hobson Group

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