Special Licence
A Special Licence allows the sale or supply of alcohol on a given premises or conveyance (boat, plane or bus) for the duration of a specific occasion or event such as weddings, birthdays, client functions, quiz nights, sports events or social gatherings on a hired premises.
When is a Special Licence required?
A Special Licence is needed when:
- No On licence or Club licence exists for the premises.
- The caterer doesn't have an endorsed Licence.
- There are non-club members present on a Club licensed premises.
- The function is outside of the hours or the area authorised by an already existing On or Club Licence.
The holder of the Special Licence must control the sale and supply of liquor at the event and ensure statutory responsibilities are observed at all times.
You are not required to hold a Special Licence if:
- You are supplying liquor to your guests in your own private residence.
- Your guests are bringing liquor to your own private residence.
With the introduction of the new Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 a new fee schedule has been established based on a national three tier framework.
| Amount/Size of event | Fee Amount |
|---|---|
| One or two events covered by the licence that are of a 'small size' | $63.25 |
| Three to 12 events covered by the licence that are of a 'small size', or one to three events that are of a 'medium size' | $207 |
| All other, including licences for events that are of a 'large size', 13 or more events that are of 'small size', or four or more events that are of 'medium size' | $575 |
Please note that this fee is non-refundable once the application has been received by our licensing committee.
Definitions:
A 'small size' event is an event that the Territorial Authority believes (on reasonable grounds) will have less than 100 attendees (99 or less).
A 'medium size' event is an event that the Territorial Authority believes (on reasonable grounds) will have between 100 and 400 attendees.
A 'large size' event is an event that the Territorial Authority believes (on reasonable grounds) will have more than 400 attendees.
Applications must be lodged no less than 20 working days prior to the event to ensure that it will be processed in time.
To avoid any delays please ensure that all required information, including the application fee, is provided with the application.
Applying for a Special Licence
Special Licences cannot be renewed. However, if you know the dates of future events to be held at the same venue, you can obtain a Special Licence for those on one application.
To apply, complete the application form and submit it to us along with the required additional information (outlined in the application) and the fee.
Refer to the Alcohol Licensing Forms page for the form.
Note: All special licence applications must be submitted to Council on or before 20 working days prior to the event or special occasion. The Business Day Calculator can help you calculate when your event is and when you will need to submit to Council. Should your application be under the 20 working day timeframe a letter of waiver under Section 208 of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 must accompany your application advising the unforeseen reason for the application not being lodged on or before 20 working days.
Guidance for Licensed Club Premises
There are many different types of Clubs including Cosmopolitan, RSA, working men, sports, community and social clubs – any Incorporated Club that sells alcohol is required to hold a Club Licence. A condition of Club licences is only being able to sell to ‘authorised customers’ – Club members, genuine guests of members and members of affiliated Clubs. This means that Special Licences are required for any Club event that intends to sell alcohol to people outside of those categories.
