What are the types of alcohol licences?

There are four types of alcohol licence:

• On-licence

For bars (hotel, tavern), restaurants and cafes, BYO restaurants and caterers i.e. anywhere that sells alcohol for consumption on the premises.

All on-licences need to ensure food is available at all times when alcohol is offered for sale.

The national maximum trading hours are 8am until 4am the following day.

• Off-licence

For bottles stores, grocery stores, supermarkets, cellar doors and internet sales, this type of licence is where alcohol is sold with the intention that it is taken away to be consumed off the premises.

The national maximum trading hours are 7am until 11pm.

• Club Licence

A Club Licence allows you to:

• Sell or supply alcohol for consumption on a club premises.
• Sell or supply alcohol to club members, their guest, and members of clubs with reciprocal visiting rights.

The national maximum trading hours are 8am until 4am the following day.

• Special Licence

This is needed where:

• An event is being held in a place that is not licensed e.g. a park or community hall

Or

• The event will run outside the licensed premises current hours or conditions.

There are two types of special licence:

• If the alcohol is to be consumed at the place it is sold (for example, at a social event) then you should apply for a special licence.
• If the alcohol is to be sold and taken away for consumption (for example at a wine festival) then you should apply for an off-site special licence.

Find more information here: Alcohol Licences - Central Otago District Council

All applications must be made at least 20 working days prior to the event.

Where an application is filed with less than 20 working days prior to the event, the District Licensing Committee may consider the application only if it is satisfied that the need for a special licence could not have been reasonably foreseen earlier.