Do You Have Any Questions?

Producing, selling or distributing liquor without a valid liquor licence is a criminal offence. Besides all the legal trouble you may get into, your business can be closed down while all your assets may be confiscated.

Anyone may apply for a liquor licence unless they are disqualified in terms of current liquor legislation. These disqualifying factors include:

• If you were convicted of a criminal offence and had to serve a prison sentence without the option of a fine in the last ten years (the Board may make an exception in some instances).
• If you are bankrupt.
• If you are an un-rehabilitated insolvent.
• If you are a minor.
• If you are the spouse of any of the above.

A liquor licence will only be granted if it is in the public interest. The granting thereof is in the public interest if:

• the applicant(s) are of good character and not disqualified from holding or managing a licence in terms of the act;
• the proposed premises on which the sale or consumption of liquor will occur complies with the regulations and application submitted for the licence;
• the applicant has the right to occupy the proposed premises;
• and the granting of the application does not prejudice any residents, educational institutions, places of worship, institutions of frail care, hospitals or daycare centers.

We will respond to any objections with the necessary additional motivations. Though we cannot guarantee that every objection will be overcome, we have had great success in doing so in the past.

Though licences are granted to individuals, they only apply to the specific premises stated in the application, so a licence valid for one premises cannot be used for another premises.

No, a premise does not need to be completed for an application to be submitted. You can receive conditional approval for a premises that is incomplete. You have 24 months to complete the premises before the licence is officially issued.  

No, the authorities do not licence mobile bars. All licences are registered to a fixed, immovable structure and must be registered to a business-zoned premises (except in rural areas where a Chief has authority).

There are prescribed liquor licence fees payable when applying for a liquor licence. The costs vary depending on the type of licence you apply for.

Yes, all liquor licences must be renewed annually and renewal fees are payable annually. We can assist you with the renewal process.

On average, it takes 3 to 6 months from the date of submission before a licence is granted. It takes much longer if you attempt to do the application yourself or use someone who doesn’t do this regularly.

Our fees vary depending on the type of liquor licence and the work involved in preparation and representation. Contact us to arrange a free initial phone or Zoom consultation, during which we’ll discuss our fees once we know the scope of the work involved.

A minimum of 50% of our total fee is payable as a non-refundable deposit before we begin compiling your application. The balance is payable before submission of your application.

Compliance with the guidelines does not guarantee the success of an application. The Liquor Act and its regulations are complex and applications are considered on individual merit. Though we cannot guarantee that your licence will be granted, our 33 years of licencing success ensure an excellent chance of getting your liquor licence approved.