Liquor Licences NSW | Fundraising Directory

Whether you’re serving pinot noir as part of a sit-down dinner or selling stubbies at a BBQ, two things are certain – alcohol can be a pretty effective fundraiser, and you’ll probably need a liquor licence to sell it. We’ve summarised the basics.

A note of caution: this article is intended only as a general guide. Whilst the information provided is correct, to the best of our knowledge, at the time of publication, we strongly advise anyone who is planning to sell alcohol to seek the advice of the regulating authority below.

Regulating Agency: Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority

Single of Multiple Function Limited Licences

There are many different kinds of licenses. The types most relevant to fundraising are limited licenses. These are for selling alcohol at functions run by non-profit organisations (eg charities, community groups, amateur sports clubs).

Single function licenses apply (surprise, surprise) for one event. Multi-function licences can apply to up to 52 functions in a year. To hold further events selling alcohol, the licensee must apply to the Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority.

Exception: If your organization plans to sell alcohol at 6 functions annually, you may be eligible to operate without a license. However, this is subject to conditions eg the sale of alcohol can only occur for 4 hours between 6am and midnight. More conditions can be found in the pdf on the limited licence page.

Applications for a limited license must be received by the Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority at least 28 days before the first function.

Conditions:

All servers must hold a Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) certification. This includes volunteer workers and security officers.
Alcohol sold at limited license events must be consumed at the function (ie it cannot be ‘taken away’).
The licensee or a person nominated by the licensee must be present while the sale of alcohol occurs at a function.
The ILGA decides the trading hours for the licence.
Application fees apply.
Multi-function limited licences also include an annual licence fee.
You may have to notify the police about your event or prepare community impact statements.
Under 18s are not restricted from attending events where alcohol may be sold.
For more information about conditions, details, FAQs and suggestions, see the Liquor and Gaming NSW website.

Mandy Weidmann is Australia’s ‘Fundraising Whisperer’ – publisher of the Fundraising Directory and author of the Practical Fundraising Handbook for School and Club Volunteers. Mandy believes that parent volunteers shouldn’t have to reinvent the wheel all the time and is passionate about providing resources to make fundraising easier (and more fun). Click here to learn more about school and club fundraising ideas in Australia.

Last updated 2 February, 2016