Small Bar Liquor Licence

A small bar liquor licence is generally considered not to be high risk, some benefits include:

• exemption from trading hours risk loading fees

• does not require a cumulative impact assessment

• later standard trading hours

• may be exempt from completing a community impact statement

• minors are permitted until 10pm without special authorisation, provided the premises is regularly providing meals

Small bars are limited to a maximum patron capacity of 120 only.

A small bar liquor licence does not permit gaming machines, keno or other forms of gambling. 

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Apart from the exemption in relation to house-made cocktails in sealed containers, a small bar liquor licence does not permit the sale of liquor for consumption off premises.

Later standard trading hours

One significant benefit of a small bar liquor licence is that standard trading hours are 12pm - 2am every day. This provides an extra 2 hours of licensed trade Monday to Saturday and 4 hours of licensed trade on Sundays. This means there is no need to apply for a potentially costly extended trading authorisation unless your business intends to trade beyond 2am.

Minors are permitted in certain circumstances

Small bars that regularly provide meals may choose to allow minors on the premises in the company of a responsible adult until 10pm. This allows families to dine in together.

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To utilise this option, genuine meals must always be available. Such meals must be served in seated areas and must consist more than simple bar snacks.

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If a small bar wishes to admit minors (in the company of a responsible adult), without utilising the genuine meals exemption, then it may apply for a Minors Area Authorisation.

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This option is suitable where the small bar does not regularly offer genuine meals, or wishes to admit minors after 10pm. Unlike the genuine meals exemption, this authorisation must be applied for and therefore may be refused if it lacks sufficient merit and risk controls.

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