General information about alcohol Off Licences, and the application form.

An off-licence allows the sale of alcohol for consumption off the premises e.g. bottle stores and supermarkets. Some hotels and taverns may hold both an off and on-licence.

Forms

Forms for licence applications have been updated. Please ensure you use the latest version on this website.

Apply now

To apply online for a new or renewal through Business Connect you will need to have a RealMe account (see below).

  1. Business Connect
  2. Login using your RealMe account.
  3. If you don’t have a RealMe account or if it’s your first time logging onto Business Connect, you will need to create an account using your email address. You don’t need to verify your account, just need to confirm your email address.
  4. Once you have done that, go to the Business Connect dashboard.
  5. Click the Alcohol License tab.
    Click the check eligibility button once you have read the information.
  6. Start typing ‘Selwyn District Council' in the 'Your Council' field and select.

About Business Connect:

With Business Connect, registering a food business will be easier and more streamlined. Once you register to use Business Connect, most of your business details will be pre-populated thanks to integration with the New Zealand Business Number.

Overall, Business Connect aims to make things easier for small and medium business owners in New Zealand, and offer a more consistent user experience across a range of application forms. Some of the benefits include:

  • one place to go to fulfil compliance requirements and track interactions across government
  • making regular renewals quick and easy through pre-populating information
  • sending automated renewal reminders for businesses
  • providing notifications on changes to application status
  • saving important documents to be reused in future.

You can find out more on the Business Connect website.

Note: The online form is administered by Business Connect; you can find their Privacy Statement online. Any Technical issues can be emailed to hello@businessconnect.govt.nz

Information Sheets

An information sheet is available that details how to make an application.

Local Alcohol Policy

Selwyn District Council has had a Local Alcohol Policy [PDF, 116 KB] in place as of 24th April 2017.

Requirements for Off Licences

Under the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act there are criteria that your business must meet before a new or renewed licence can be issued. These include the suitability of the applicant, the hours proposed, the design and layout of the premises, and whether the amenity and good order of the locality will be affected by the business. The application form details the information that needs to be provided as part of the application.

Types of Premises That Can Hold an Off Licence

The Act specifies which types of premises can have an Off-Licence. Premises that cannot have an off-licence include petrol stations, garages, conveyances, dairies and convenience stores. Grocery stores that mainly sell food products may have an Off-Licence.

Promotion and Display of Alcohol

There are strict rules on the advertising and promotion of alcohol outside the premises which mean you cannot advertise free alcohol, promote discounts of more than 25%, or offer prizes if customers buy alcohol.

Related Links

If you have any questions in regard to applying for an Off-Licence, please contact us.