With the summer holidays approaching, here are the cut-off dates for alcohol and food licence applications.
Food application
If you want to start operating a food business in December 2025, you will need to submit a complete application by Friday 31 October 2025.
New alcohol licence (On and Off)
If you want to start operating an alcohol business in December 2025, you will need to submit a complete application by Friday 24 October 2025.
If applicable, Temporary Authority applications take up to 15 working days to process. Applications received outside this timeframe may not be processed in time.
Please note, if there are any issues with the application, it will take longer to process.
Special Licences
If you are planning to hold an event where alcohol will be sold and supplied over summer, you need to apply for a special licence. Below are the deadlines for submitting your complete application.
Please note, 20 December to 15 January are non-working days.
| Date of event | Size | Complete application must be submitted by: |
| Between 20 December 2025 and 27 January 2026 | Large event (more than 400 people attending) | 24 October 2025 |
| Between 20 December 2025 and 27 January 2026 | Small to Medium (no more than 400 people attending) | 21 November 2025 |
| Between 28 January 2026 and 14 February 2026 | Any | 5 December 2025 |
A complete application must be submitted at least 20 working days before the event.