Introduction
There are 2 types of hotel liquor licences.
A hotel liquor licence allows you to sell alcohol to the public for consumption on and off the premises. It also allows you to operate gaming machines, subject to separate approval. The licence is appropriate for venues such as accommodation hotels and large and small bars.
A general bar licence is more limited. It doesn't allow you to operate gaming machines or sell takeaway alcohol. A general bar licence allows the premises to offer accommodation, dining and public entertainment.
If the patron capacity is less than 100, you may only need to apply for a small bar licence.
Eligibility
You must be at least 18 years old.
What you need
- a OneGov account or MyServiceNSW Account
- a floor plan showing the boundaries proposed for the licensed premises (see How to submit a floor plan with licence application – PDF)
- requested liquor trading hours
- details of the venue owner
- contact details for you or another authorised person
- a copy of your development approval or consent
- a completed Statement of Risks and Potential Effects (SoRPE)
- a completed applicant declaration - PDF (if applicable)
- a gaming plan of management (if applicable)
- a liquor plan of management
- your payment.
If you're applying as an individual, you'll also need:
- evidence of your Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) qualifications, including Licensee and Advanced Licensee training (if applicable)
- evidence of your Responsible Conduct of Gambling (RCG) qualifications (if applicable)
- a current National Police Check certificate issued within the last 3 months
- the 3 identity documents you used when applying for the National Police Check.
If you're applying as an organisation, you'll also need to provide:
- ABN or ACN
- the names and birthdates of all directors and officeholders (if it is a proprietary company)
- a current Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) extract
- details of an appointment of manager notice (if applicable).
How to apply
- Check the eligibility requirements.
- Gather required documents.
- Select the 'Apply online' button.
- Log in or create an account.
- Follow the prompts to complete your application.
More information
Site notice
Once your application is lodged, you will be sent a public site notice. You need to attach the notice to your premises until the application is granted. Council, police and agency stakeholders will be automatically notified of your application.
You must notify:
- neighbouring premises within a 100-metre radius of your venue
- recognised leaders or representatives of the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and social services in the local government area
- (if your hotel is trading after midnight) any organisation in the local government area that receives funding from the Responsible Gambling Fund.
You can choose to complete the site notice yourself before you lodge your application: download a hotel site notice form.
Licence conditions
Conditions apply to NSW liquor licences. Some are statutory conditions that apply automatically depending on the type of premises. Other conditions may be imposed on a licence by the Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority.
You can review the other conditions on the Liquor & Gaming NSW website using the conditions forms. There are different forms for different types of premises.
Authorisations and extensions
Authorisations and extensions can help you customise your on-premises licence to suit your needs. See the Liquor & Gaming NSW website for more information about hotel licences authorisations and extensions.