Explains the process for arranging a Temporary Authority for an alcohol licence

If you are taking over an existing business that is licensed to sell alcohol you will need to apply for a Temporary Authority to be able to continue to sell alcohol. A Temporary Authority allows the new owner of a licensed premises to trade on the existing licence until they obtain a new licence in their own name. It is issued for three months.

If possible, an application for a Temporary Authority should be lodged at least 20 working days before the takeover date. This allows the Inspector and Police to enquire into the application, and for the District Licensing Committee to meet to determine it. It is recommended that this timeframe be taken into account when agreeing on a takeover date.

To apply for a Temporary Authority you will need to complete the application form, attach a copy of the sale and purchase agreement and copy of the lease agreement, and pay the application fee.

Forms

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

Local Alcohol Policy

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

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