Things to consider before applying - Bar or night club

It's a condition of on-premises or late night (on-premises) licences that the use of the licensed premises does not breach the planning scheme under the Planning and Environment Act 1987.

Applicants are required to provide a copy of the following information with their application:

• A planning permit; or
• A copy of an application for a planning permit; or
• Evidence that a planning permit is not required to supply liquor as allowed for by the licence type you are applying for. This evidence may be a letter from the local council (or responsible planning authority) or a copy of the relevant planning scheme.

This ensures that the activities undertaken are consistent and appropriate for that area. For example, a licensee cannot operate a night club in an area where night club activity is not permitted under the local planning zone restrictions.

Contact your Local Government Authority for information about obtaining a planning permit.

Authorised trading hours for an on-premises licence are:

• 7am to 1am the following morning Monday to Saturday (excluding ANZAC Day and Good Friday)
• 10am to 1am the following morning on Sunday
• 12 noon to 1am the following morning, ANZAC Day and Good Friday.

To trade until 1am you must comply with certain restrictions and requirements, please see our 1am trading hours webpage to understand how you can trade to 1am under this licence.

If you want to extend your trading hours after 1am, you will need to apply for a late night (on-premises) licence. 

Note that a freeze is currently in place on granting applications to trade after 1am in the local government areas of Melbourne, Port Phillip, Stonnington and Yarra unless there are exceptional circumstances. 

For information about the application fee for a general licence, see Application fees and timing.

Licensed venues that supply alcohol for consumption onsite are required to provide free drinking water to their patrons. See Free water for patrons.

Training for licence applicants helps potential licensees to understand their obligations under the Liquor Control Reform Act 1998.

Applicants must complete mandatory training requirements, including Responsible Service of Alcohol, before a liquor licence is granted.

See new entrant training for more information.

For a licence to be issued, the applicant must have the right to occupy the premises. A right to occupy the premises may arise from:

• being a tenant under a lease agreement
• as a freehold owner of the property, or
• through some other legal arrangement.

A declaration can be found in the liquor licence application kit.

One of the following documents is required to determine a maximum patron capacity:

• the most recently issued planning permit which contains a maximum patron capacity, or
• a copy of an occupancy permit showing a prescribed patron capacity, or
• a report from a registered building surveyor.