Alcohol Licensing

Alcohol at events

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Need a special licence for a specific occasion or event? 

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Alcohol licensing forms

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Download Alcohol licensing forms for On Licence and Off License premises...

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If you own, operate or manage a business or venue, where alcohol will be sold and supplied, you need to be familiar with the laws and regulations that apply to liquor under the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 and amendments.

Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012

Which licence do you require?
If you want to sell and supply alcohol, you must apply for the appropriate alcohol licence. Each licence has its own application form, a non-refundable fee and requirements for specific additional documentation.

On Licence
This allows you to sell and supply alcohol for consumption. An On Licence may be issued for building premises and conveyances:

  • Tavern
  • Hotel
  • Night Club
  • Restaurant or café
  • Conveyances; bus, boat or ship, aircraft, train, vehicle
  • Endorsed premises; BYO.

Off Licence
This allows you to sell, supply or deliver alcohol for consumption off the premises. An Off Licence may be issued for:

  • A "stand alone" bottle shop or store
  • A supermarket or grocery store
  • A brewery
  • A winery

Club Licence
This allows Clubs to sell; supply and serve alcohol for consumption, on Club premises to Club members, their guests and members of Clubs with reciprocal visiting rights.

Club - sport, social or corporate.

Host Responsibility
Host Responsibility is being responsible with the serving of alcohol at any venue, licensed premises, special occasion or special event to reduce the problems that can be caused from excessive drinking.

Below is a set of guidelines that supports this aim.

As a responsible supplier of alcoholic drinks, you are legally required to ensure that Host Responsibility is followed at all times while alcohol is being served or consumed.

  1. Provide and promote substantial food as long as alcohol is being served
  2. Provide and promote non-alcoholic and low alcohol beverages
  3. Offer free non-alcoholic drinks to designated drivers
  4. Do not encourage promotions e.g. happy hours, specials, giveaways.
  5. Have a telephone accessible for your patrons to use to arrange transport options.
  6. Have a system in place for checking the age of patrons and for refusing service to underage patrons.
  7. Ensure staff is trained to watch for and be able to recognise patrons that have had too much to drink and prevent driving under the influence of alcohol.
  8. Ensure that alcohol is not supplied to intoxicated persons.

Licensing Inspectors together with the Police and combined agencies conduct routine inspections of licensed premises and venues where Special Licences have been granted to ensure compliance with the requirements of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 and licence conditions.

Applying for a licence

If you are applying for a licence for a special occasion or a special event you will need to supply adequate information for the application to be processed speedily.  Application forms, Host Responsibility and Special Licence information sheet guidelines are available from the Council offices at Mangawhai and Dargaville for your assistance.