A packaged liquor licence allows you to sell alcohol in containers to people who will drink it away from your licensed premises.
Bottle shops and supermarkets are generally the type of businesses to apply for a packaged liquor licence.
This licence does not allow you to sell alcohol to people to drink on your premises. You can offer free tastings on your licensed premises as part of this type of licence.
Apply for your licence
To apply please download the kit below and fill out the Packaged liquor licence application form. The kit provides instructions on how to complete your application.
Please lodge your liquor licence applications at least 9–11 weeks in advance. The time taken to process your application will vary depending on a range of factors including the complexity of the application and any objections which may be raised.
Information needed in your application
As you prepare your application you need to gather the following information:
- local council planning permission
- community impact assessment for a large packaged liquor outlet (if the floor space of your outlet is 750 square meters or more)
- confirmation of trading hours
- compliance with required training
- red line plan
- locate a newspaper to run the liquor licence application advert when advised by LCV.
Local council planning permission
Before applying for your liquor licence you should contact your relevant local council about their planning requirements.
Your council will be able to guide you in what they need and the suitability of your business for the local area and location.
In your liquor licence application to us, you need to provide one of the following from your council:
- a planning permit
- copy of an application for a planning permit
- evidence that a planning permit is not required to supply liquor. This can be a letter from the local council (or responsible planning authority) or a copy of the relevant planning scheme.
Large packaged liquor outlet
If the floor space of your outlet is 750 square metres or more you need to undertake a community impact assessment as part of your licence application. Floorspace is the areas of the business that customers can access and does not include your offices and storage areas.
The community impact assessment provides to us information on:
- consultation undertaken by you with the local community regarding your proposed application
- the positive and negative social and economic impacts of your proposed application
- any other matters specified.
Please use the Community Impact Assessment form below. Follow the instructions on the form to complete your community impact assessment.
Trading hours
Ordinary trading hours for a packaged liquor licence are:
- 9 am to 11pm Monday to Saturday
- 10 am to 11 pm Sunday
- 12 pm to 11 pm ANZAC Day
- no trading on Good Friday and Christmas Day.
More information on public holiday trading restrictions is available.
It is possible to trade outside of these hours, but permission will only be granted in exceptional circumstances. The late night liquor trading page has more information including the application kit.
Training
As a licensee you need to complete and hold various training certificates. Please see the Responsible Service of Alcohol training page for more information.
Red line plan
Your red line plan defines the area where alcohol can be supplied. This plan needs to be included in your application. The Red line plan page has information on how to create and change your plan.
Liquor licence application newspaper advert
Once your application has been lodged, LCV will tell you when it is time to lodge your newspaper advert.
The advert must be advertised in either a physical or online newspaper that circulates in the same local area as the premises or Victoria wide.
The advert must match our template, which can be found in our fact sheet below.
Application fees
There are costs associated with applying for your liquor licence. Please see the Licence application fees and charges page for information.
When you have your licence
If your application is successful you are then obligated to abide by the terms of your liquor licence.
Information on how licensees can be compliant is in the Licensees obligations section.
You can also change, transfer or give up your licence.
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