When to apply
Apply for a new alcohol licence if you want to begin selling alcohol to members of the public from your place of business or club.
- If your business sells alcohol to drink on the premises, apply for an on-licence.
- If your business sells alcohol to drink elsewhere, apply for an off-licence.
- If you run a club that will sell alcohol, apply for a club licence.
If you have an alcohol licence already but it will soon expire, apply to renew your licence.
Other types of alcohol licence
How to apply
Once your application is submitted, the process takes at least 35 working days.
If you have any questions during the process, you can meet with an alcohol licensing inspector for help or advice – it's free.
1. Before you start your application
Applying for an alcohol licence is one of many things you might need to do when you start a business. Before you apply, make sure you've done things like:
- arranged building and resource consents for any building work you'll be doing
- started the process of registering to sell food (if you'll be selling food)
- decided who your duty managers will be
- discussed your plans with neighbours and the community to avoid objections later in the process.