Liquor Licences
Any sale of alcohol requires a licence. The Kapiti Coast District Council administers the Sale of Liquor Act on behalf of the Liquor Licensing Authority through the Kapiti Coast District Licensing Agency (DLA).
Applying for a Liquor Licence
- Select the type of Liquor Licence you require and read How to Apply for a Liquor Licence (PDF, 4 pages, 161KB)
- Make an appointment to meet with the DLA representative, who is the Council's Liquor Licensing Inspector, in order to explain your application and discuss any issues. They can help you with every step of the process, so contact us for advice or an appointment.
- Complete the appropriate application forms downloadable from the table below or which will be given to you at your appointment.
- Submit payment of the fees along with your application. Fees for the different licences are detailed on the application forms.
What about the Sale of Liquor Regulations?
At all times liquor is being sold to the public in or from a licensed premise a certified Manager must be on duty and responsible for compliance with the Sale of Liquor Act 1989. You need to check this as part of your application process.
How long will my Liquor Licence last?
Liquor Licences are issued for a probationary period of one year. After that, they must be renewed every three years.
Select the type of liquor licence you need.
On Licence
Allows for the sale/supply of liquor for consumption 'on the premises', such as a tavern, bar, hotel, café, restaurant or entertainment venue.
Off Licence
Allows for the sale/supply of liquor for consumption 'off the premises', such as a bottle store or supermarket.
Club Licence
Allows for the sale/supply of liquor for consumption on club premises to members of the club, their guests and members of clubs with reciprocal visiting rights.
Special Licence
Allows for the sale/supply of liquor to any person attending an event, such as a private function, street party, sporting event or charitable function.
Managing Premises
The following documents give you an overview of the legal requirements you will need to work through if you are interested in pursuing a management career in the hospitality industry.
The Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand (ALAC) website has useful information on the sale of liquor, host responsibility, etc.
Liquor Licensing Bureau's Service Guide
Although managers are required to hold a qualification, general staff are not. This can leave staff ill-equipped to deal with tricky situations.
You can access the training needed at www.train2serve.com where there is a free guide with tips and techniques for all liquor service staff in the following areas:
- the object of the Act
- conditions of licences
- dealing with minors
- identifying and dealing with intoxicated persons
- server intervention and substitution techniques.
Taking over Premises
If you are taking over premises with an existing On or Off Licence you will need to arrange for a Temporary Authority Licence while your own full licence application is processed.
If you want to have chairs and tables on the footpath outside your premises, special conditions apply. Please contact the Liquor Licensing Inspector.
Starting Premises
Before a Liquor Licence can be issued, you must ensure compliance with the regulations of other Council departments. Click on the links below to take you to their pages:
- Resource Consents - location of your proposed business, zoning, parking requirements and advertising.
- Building Consents - construction requirements, building consents, access for people with disabilities and project information.
- Environmental Health - food hygiene and compliance with Food Regulations 1974.
If you want to have chairs and tables on the footpath outside your premises, special conditions apply. Please contact the Liquor Licensing Inspector.
Bylaws and Policies
- Public Places Liquor Control Bylaw 2007 (PDF, 11 pages, 1.4 MB)
The purpose of this Bylaw is to enhance the safety of the public and allow their responsible enjoyment of public places in the District, particularly shopping zones and areas close to the beach. This will be achieved by providing for liquor control in Specified Public Places, at specified dates and times, aimed at reducing the incidence of alcoholrelated offences, particularly behaviour of a violent, threatening or destructive nature.
- Sale of Liquor Policy 2000 (PDF, 30 pages, 126Kb)