Liquor Licencing application close-off dates
The festive season is approaching fast and we would like you to be informed about the timelines and trading days for lodging licence applications – especially Special Licences.
Please note that between the following dates: 20/12/2023 to 15/01/2024 no applications can be processed. Take the time to go through the information below if you are planning to submit a licence application:
Timelines and trading days
The Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 specifies timelines, deadlines and non-working days that can impact on filing and assessment of alcohol licencing applications. The Act also specifies sacrosanct day on which the sale of alcohol is restricted. The Act defines a working day as a day that is not:
- A Saturday, a Sunday, Waitangi Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Anzac Day, the Sovereign's Birthday, or Labour Day; or
- A day in the period commencing on 20 December in one year and ending with 15 January in the next year.
Liquor licencing close off dates – 2023/2024
The following deadlines apply for ALL liquor licencing applications, including special licence applications for Christmas, New Year’s Eve and Waitangi Day:
If your event date is between 20 December 2023 and 13 February 2024, you must make your application by 20 November 2023 at the latest, to ensure it can be processed and granted and issued to you before 20 December 2023.
- Note: New Year’s Eve comes on the same date every year. Late notice applications are unlikely to be accepted as the need for a special licence can be reasonably foreseen.
- Remember, Christmas is a sacrosanct day for trading.
If you have an event on or after 14 February 2024, the 18th of January 2024 is the very last day for submitting an application (so think about filing before 20 December 2023 because of our non-working day period from 20 December to 15 January).
Waitangi Day 2024
Because we do not count the days from 20 December to 15 January this also means that all special licence applications for Waitangi Day, 6 February 2024 must be received by 20 November 2023 at the latest.
We encourage you to apply early as this is our busiest period for processing applications.
If you have any questions, please contact the licencing department on 03 769 8626 or 03 769 8607.
