Major event liquor licence

Sell or supply alcohol at big events with 5,000 people or more.

On this page

• Key features
• Who this licence suits
• Application fees
• Before you apply
• Apply now
• After you apply
• When you get your decision

If you’re running or taking part in a large event, you need a major event licence if:

• you expect 5,000 or more people to attend
• the event will need close coordination with Victoria Police, local council, public transport or emergency services
• your event is a street festival that needs busy or main roads to close or partly close.

Key features

• Allows you to sell or supply alcohol at a large event with more than 5,000 people attending.
• Is not a permit to hold the event – you may need a permit from the local council.
• Cannot be used as a licence for an ongoing business.
• Trading hours are requested and must be approved.
• Apply for events with either a single supplier of alcohol or multiple alcohol suppliers.
• Event organisers are encouraged to contact us before applying.

Apply about 3 months before your event.

Who this licence suits

This licence suits large-scale events, including those with many sellers or suppliers of alcohol.

For example:

• Good Food and Wine Show
• Meredith Music Festival
• Royal Melbourne Show
• GABS Craft Beer & Cider Festival
• Spring Racing Carnival.

If you’re organising a smaller one-off event or short run of events, read about a temporary limited liquor licence.

Application fees

You need to pay a non-refundable application fee when you apply.

For events with only one supplier of alcohol, the fee is $3,362.

For events with more than one supplier of alcohol, the fee is $504.30 per supplier.

Before you apply

Complete these steps before you start your application.

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1. 1Contact your event organiser

If your event has multiple suppliers of alcohol:

• contact your event organiser before you apply

• each supplier must submit their own application. The event organiser may have prepared information for you to submit with your application, such as:

• details of your space at the event

• type of alcohol you can provide

• trading hours when you can operate. We encourage event organisers, for events with multiple alcohol suppliers, to contact us to discuss the event.

2. 2Complete or book training

Your licence conditions are likely to require all staff serving alcohol to have a valid RSA certificate.

We strongly advise that all staff serving alcohol have a valid certificate.

Read about RSA training and find a list of approved training providers.

3. 3Check who can apply

Only an authorised person can apply for the licence. This depends on who is applying.

If you are applying as:

• an individual, you must apply for the licence yourself (on the form this is called a ’natural person')
• a company, a current director or someone the board has officially authorised to sign documents must apply
• an incorporated association, an executive committee member must apply
• a partnership, a partner must apply (partnerships can only be made up of individuals). If you are applying as a company registered outside of Australia, contact us to discuss your situation. You cannot apply through the online form.

4. 4Get your information ready

Have these details and documents ready:

• event dates
• event description, including how alcohol will be supplied
• if minors will attend, and if so, will they be with a responsible adult. If not, outline how you’ll manage the risk of unaccompanied minors.
• trading hours
• event address or location
• red line plan showing where alcohol will be supplied and consumed
• event management plan explaining how you’ll manage alcohol-related risks
• number of stall holders
• expected number of people attending
• number of security guards you plan to have
• credit card details to pay the non-refundable application fee (Visa or Mastercard).

Apply now

Complete the application form on the Liquor Portal.

The form takes about 20 minutes to complete.

Get help with unfamiliar words and details in the application form.

Apply now

After you apply

We will email to acknowledge your application, including a receipt for your application fee.

We then review your application and email if we need more information. This may take a few weeks.

We may send your application to Victoria Police and the relevant local council. If we do, Victoria Police may contact you about your application.

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• Respond if we need more details

We will email you if:

• your application has missing or incorrect details
• we need additional information to help us assess your application. Make sure you respond to any request by the date we give in the email.

If you do not, we may refuse your application – you will lose your application fee.

• Respond to any objections

Victoria Police or the local council may object to us granting the licence.

We will email you if we get an objection and advise next steps.

When you get your decision

It can take about 9 to 11 weeks to get your decision.

It may take longer if someone objected to your licence or we needed to ask for more information.

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• If we grant your licence

We email to advise that we are granting your licence.

The email will include documents you must print out and keep at the event location during the event:

• your licence, to display at the event location

• red line plan, to keep at the location. Contact us if you want to change:

• key event details

• your licensed area (red line plan)

• conditions such as increasing capacity, trading hours, types of alcohol sold.

Stay compliant

Be aware of your obligations under the law and as a licensee.

There are serious penalties if you do not comply.

Find out how to stay compliant.

• If we refuse your licence

We will email to advise that we are refusing the licence, including reasons for our decision.

• If you want to appeal the decision

You can appeal the:

• decision to grant or refuse the licence
• details of the licence, for example, the licence conditions or red line plan.

When to appeal

You must appeal within 28 days of receiving the licence decision.

How to appeal

1. Complete the internal review application form. It has details on the reasons for appeals we can accept.

Internal review application PDF 1.53 MB (opens in a new window)

2. Send the form to us either by:

• Email: secretariat@liquor.vic.gov.au
• Mail: Liquor Control Victoria GPO Box 4356 MELBOURNE VIC 3001

3. We will email you with next steps. This may take a few weeks.

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