Alcohol licensing

Where do I find the Alcohol Policy?

The Wairarapa Local Alcohol Policy – Te Kaupapa Here Waipiro ā-rohe o Wairarapa was adopted in December 2024.

Hardcopies are available on request from the Council office in Martinborough, or the Featherston, Greytown or Martinborough library.

Holiday deadlines for food and alcohol licences

With the 2025 summer holidays approaching, here are the cut-off dates for alcohol and food licence applications.

Do I need an Alcohol Licence?

If you want to open a licensed premises to supply or sell alcohol, you will need an alcohol licence under the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012.

A licence is issued to a person, company or other legal entity in relation to a premises. Alcohol licences cannot be transferred from one person to another; or from one premises to another. You may need to include a copy of your duty manager register.

How do I apply for an alcohol licence?

Applications for alcohol licences must be lodged with the council. It is recommended you contact the office to discuss and set up a time to lodge your application.

Application forms for each type of licence can be found here.

Note: Applications for on, off and club licensed premises require planning and building certificates as per Section 100(f) of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act.

Do I need a Managers Certificate and how do I apply for one?

A certified manager must be on duty any time alcohol is being sold or supplied to the public at a licensed premises. The manager is responsible for complying with the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 and any conditions of the licence. Managers need to be at least 20 years old, have appropriate qualifications, have at least six months experience and be currently working in the industry.

What are the Alcohol Licensing Fees?

There is a fee for processing an alcohol licence and manager’s certificate applications, and an annual monitoring fee for each licence. Both fees are calculated using a risk-based assessment table. Application Fees are based on the following risk factors:

Type of premises
Opening hours
Number of enforcements you have had in the past 18 months

Annual Fees must be paid before a licence can be issued, and must be paid each year on the anniversary of the licence date. The Alcohol Licence Risk and Fee Tables can help you estimate your application and annual fee amounts. Contact us for advice at 06 306 9611 or email health@swdc.govt.nz.

Risk Category	Application Fee (incl. GST)	Annual Fee (incl. GST)
Very Low	$368.00	$161.00
Low	$609.50	$391.00
Medium	$816.50	$632.50
High	$1023.50	$1035.00
Very High	$1207.50	$1437.50

District Licensing Committee (DLC)

Decisions on the licences and certificates are made to the District Licensing Committee (DLC), but the process is administered by Council officers. If an application is opposed or generates public objections, the DLC will hold a hearing. All DLC decisions will be published and made available to the public.

Wairarapa DLC Chairs

South Wairarapa Commissioner (Chair): Alistair Plimmer
South Wairarapa Commissioner: Catherine Rossiter-Stead
Carterton Chairperson: Brian Dellar
Masterton Commissioner: Catherine Rossiter-Stead

Wairarapa DLC Committee Members

Rose Barnes
Campbell Gillam
Bill Johnson
Catherine Rossiter-Stead, Commissioner, Masterton District Council
Alistair Plimmer, Commissioner, South Wairarapa District Council
Craig Bowyer, Deputy Chair, Masterton District Council
Brian Dellar, Chairperson, Carterton District Council
Robyn Cherry Campbell, Deputy Chair, Carterton District Council