Please visit Liquor Control Victoria’s website for liquor licensing, compliance, and regulatory information.
The VGCCC is moving the renewal process to digital. Renewal notices and liquor licences will now be sent via email.
If you don't create a Liquor Portal account, you'll receive your renewal notice by post. You'll still need to ensure your postal address contact details are up to date or you run the risk of missing your annual renewal notice leading to non-payment of your licence.
Renewal notices are issued each year from late November with payment due in full by 31 December irrespective of when the licence was granted. Each licence incurs a separate fee. Several factors determine how much you are required to pay.
For information on licence fees see: Liquor fees and fines 1 July 2022
To receive your annual renewal notice via email, you'll need to register a Liquor Portal account, associate your licence and sign-up for eLicence.
Payment options are listed on the renewal notice. Once payment is made, your liquor licence will be emailed within five working days ready to print and display at the licensed venue.
The following table outlines the important dates for licence and permit renewals each year:
| Date | Renewal milestone |
| 31 December | Renewal fees are due. |
| 31 March (or next working day) | Licensees who have not paid their fees by this date and continue to supply liquor, will be doing so illegally. |
| 30 June | If the licence or permit has not been renewed by this date, the licensee or permittee has no further right to renew the licence or permit. |
| 30 September | Where a licensee has failed to renew a licence or permit by 30 June, then an owner, mortgagee or other person who is prejudicially affected by the failure may apply by this date for renewal of the licence or permit. |
| Late November - early December | The State Revenue Office issues annual renewal notices to licensees for the following year by this month. |
Payment must be made in full using one of the following methods:
Payments cannot be made via EFT.
Submit an enquiry with details of the licence number and postal address, or return email address if an electronic copy is preferred. If the licence number is unknown, the premises and licence number can be located at Liquor Licences and Applications Online.
Licence fees are due 31 December.
If full payment is not made by 31 March, the licensee cannot continue to lawfully supply liquor on the premises until the full amount is paid. If they continue to supply liquor, enforcement action may be taken against them.
The licence fee could still be paid in full at any time after 31 March until 30 June and the licensee could then resume supplying liquor from the date of payment.
If licensee cannot renew the licence after 30 June; only an owner, mortgagee or other affected person can renew the licence (please see 'Who can renew a liquor licence?' below for more information).
Licensees should continue to display the previous copy of their licence in their premises until it is replaced with a new licence.
Licence fees are due 31 December.
If full payment is not made by 31 March, the licensee cannot continue to lawfully supply liquor on the premises until the full amount is paid. If they continue to supply liquor, enforcement action may be taken against them.
The licence fee could still be paid in full at any time after 31 March until 30 June and the licensee could then resume supplying liquor from the date of payment.
If licensee cannot renew the licence after 30 June; only an owner, mortgagee or other affected person can renew the licence (please see 'Who can renew a liquor licence?' below for more information).
Licensees should continue to display the previous copy of their licence in their premises until it is replaced with a new licence.
There are a number of ways licensees may be able to reduce an annual renewal fee. In some circumstances a licensee can:
The result of making any of the above changes will vary depending on the individual licence category. The licence category appears on the annual renewal invoice and in the top left corner of the liquor licence.
For information about reducing or waiving renewal fees see Reduce or waive renewal fee.
The licensee can renew the liquor licence up to 30 June.
After 1 July, the licensee no longer has the right to renew the licence. Only the following persons can apply to renew the licence or permit between 1 July and 30 September:
When applying to renew the licence the outstanding renewal fee must be paid. The applicant must also provide proof they are entitled to possession of the property.
The Renewal of licence or permit by owner, mortgagee or other affected person application kit (PDF, 908 KB) is available for download.
If the former licensee is also the owner or currently leasing and entitled to the licensed premises, the only way they can commence supplying liquor again is to lodge an application for a new licence. Liquor cannot be supplied unless a new licence is granted.
After 1 October, any person wishing to supply liquor at the premises must apply for a new liquor licence.
A licensee can surrender a liquor licence by completing and submitting the Surrender a liquor licence or permit form (PDF, 227KB).
No, licence fees are not refundable.
Renewal notices will be issued in early December, with payment due on 31 December.
If a licensee pays the licence renewal before 31 December, the new licence will be sent out in early-to-mid February.
For payments made after 31 December, licences will be mailed-out fortnightly from late February onwards.
You must display your existing licence until you receive your new one.
An eLicence is a electronic copy of a renewed liquor licence that is emailed to licencees following fee payment and a short processing time. Registration is required for licensees to receive an eLicence.
To register for eLicence, licensees are required to enter their details on the eLicence portal, including their licence number and the security PIN provided in their liquor licence renewal notice. Renewed liquor licences will then be emailed to the nominated e-mail address for printing and display once full payment of their renewal fee has been received. Further information about printing requirements can be found at the base of the Liquor signage page of our website.
Find information about how liquor licence fees are calculated in the Liquor licence fees fact sheet (PDF, 478KB).
The star rating system provides incentive for licensees to comply with Victoria's liquor licensing laws. Under this system, responsible licensees will receive a discount on their annual liquor licence renewal fees.
To be eligible for your discount you must not have had a non-compliance incident recorded against your licence in the last three years.
All new liquor licences begin at the three star level.
For more information, see Star rating system.
