Fee calculations have changed
The Liquor Control Reform Regulations 2023 lays out how the risk of alcohol-related harm is used to determine the cost of the annual renewal fee for your liquor licence or BYO permit.
Some small businesses may see a lower annual renewal fee amount. Larger venues that operate late at night may see a renewal fee increase because they present higher risks to the community for alcohol-related harms.
This risk-based model aims to help reduce the administrative costs for small businesses, while also ensuring a fair reflection of the increased social impact associated with premises linked to higher risk factors.
The Liquor Control Reform Regulations 2023 set fees in fee units. The value of a fee unit is adjusted on 1 July each year by the Treasurer and is published in the Government Gazette. In 2024-25 one fee unit is $16.33. In the tables below, the fee units have been converted to a dollar value on the basis of the value of a fee unit as it is set for the 2024-25 financial year.
How your renewal fee is calculated
Your renewal fee is calculated using a number of different factors such as:
- Licence or permit category
- How late at night you supply liquor
- How many patrons your licence allows at your venue
- If you are (or are not) a prescribed venue type
- The size of your licensed area
- Your non-compliance history for the last 1-12 months and 13-36 months
- Your star rating
- If you provide sexually explicit entertainment at your venue
Each licence will be charged risk fees based on the activities and nature of the liquor licence or permit.
Each licence must pay the base fee, plus any risk fees you may be eligible for. These amounts add up to your total renewal fee.
For example, if you have a late night general licence that trades to 2am with 300 patrons, you will pay:
Base fee + Trading hours risk fee + Venue capacity risk fee.
Licence category base fee
Each licence or permit will be charged a base fee based on the category of licence that you hold.
| Licence category | Base fee amount for 2025 |
|---|---|
| $185.20 |
| $370.40 |
| $1,255.30 |
| $2,510.60 |
General licences, (not including late night general licences) that are in rural areas are eligible for a discount. This discount reduces the base fee to $627.70. The Modified Monash Model set out what is a rural area - your venue must be located in an MM5, MM6 or MM7 area based on your postcode and suburb on your licence. The full list of eligible suburbs are listed in Schedule 6 of the Liquor Control Reform Regulations 2023.
Trading hours risk fee
In addition to your risk fee, you may incur an additional fee based on your trading hours, particularly if you supply liquor late at night.
| Licence category | When you will be charged | Trading hours fee amount for 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| If you trade between 1am and 3am in the morning | $7,433.40 |
| If you trade after 3am in the morning | $14,231.30 |
| If you trade after 1am in the morning | $3,368.40 |
| If you trade on any of the following:
| $11,000.50 |
The following licence types do not have a risk fee for trading hours:
- BYO permit
- Full club or restricted club licence
- Producer’s licence
- Renewable limited licence
- Pre-retail licence
Venue capacity risk fee
Some licence categories have a maximum patron capacity endorsed as a condition on your licence. This is the total number of patrons you are allowed to have in your venue at any one time.
You will be charged on the total number of patrons on your licence, even if you do not have this number of people at your venue regularly.
If you hold one of the following licences, you may be charged a risk fee based on the number of patrons:
- General licence (including late night)
- On-premises licence (including late night)
- Restaurant and cafe licence
- Full club licence
- Restricted club licence
When you will be charged a venue capacity risk fee
A general, on-premises or late night licence will always be charged a venue capacity risk fee, regardless of any other fees.
A restaurant and cafe licence will only be charged a venue capacity risk fee if you have incurred demerit point in the last 3 years or if you trade after 1am.
A full club or restricted club licence will only be charged a venue capacity risk fee if you have incurred a demerit point in the last 3 years.
How much you will be charged for a venue capacity risk fee
If you are charged a venue capacity risk fee, the amount you will be charged can change if you are a prescribed venue type. This amount will be charged in addition to any other risk fees you may be charged.
| Number of patrons | Amount due if you are not a prescribed venue type for 2025 | Amount due if you have notified us you are a prescribed venue type for 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 0-200 patrons | $0 | $0 |
| 201-400 patrons | $1,160.70 | $1,160.70 |
| 401-800 patrons | $2,627.30 | $2,627.30 |
| 801-1000 patrons | $8,165.00 | $2,627.30 |
| 1001+ patrons | $20,543.10 | $2,627.30 |
If you are a prescribed venue type, you must tell us before 31 December for it to change your renewal fee.
For more information, visit how to reduce your renewal fee.
Floor space risk fee
Packaged liquor (including late-night), remote seller’s and producer’s licences are charged a risk fee based on the size of the licensed premises. This is the area included in red on your plan and is measured in m2.
This fee is charged in addition to any other fees you may be eligible for.
| Licence category | When you are charged | Floor space fee amount for 2025 |
|---|---|---|
Packaged liquor licence Late night packaged liquor Remote seller's licence | If your floor space is 751m2 or more | $10,289.50 |
| Producer’s licence | If your floor space is 151m2 or more | $433.20 |
If you are unsure on the areas that need to be included in your red line plan, visit Red line plan for licensed premises.
For remote seller’s licence, if you have multiple licensed locations, the floor space of all your locations will be added together to make one total floor space amount.
Non-compliance risk fee
The Liquor Control Reform Act 1998 has a number of breaches. However, 6 specific offences will result in you getting a demerit point. If you have incurred a demerit point in the last 36 months, you will be charged a non-compliance risk fee. For 2025, this is if you incurred a demerit point between 1 October 2021 and 30 September 2024.
Learn more on what breaches result in a demerit point in the demerit point system.
If you incurred any demerit points within the last 12 months (1 October 2023 to 30 September 2024) you will be charged:
- $12,249.50 if you incurred 1-2 demerit points
- $24,499.10 if you incurred 3 or more demerit points
If you incurred any demerit points within the last 13 to 36 months (1 October 2021 to 30 September 2023) you will be charged:
- $6,124.70 if you have 1 or more demerit points
These risk fees can stack. For example, if you have 2 demerit points, 1 from 18 month ago and another from 6 months ago, you will be charged $12,249.50 and $6,124.70.
Star rating discounts
Each licence or permit starts with a 3 star rating. If you do not incur any demerit points, over time your star rating will increase.
- Venues with a 4 star rating receive a 5% discount
- Venues with a 5 star rating receive a 10% discount
To find your star rating you can look up your licence at Liquor Licences and Applications Online.
Learn more on how your venue’s star rating is calculated.
Venues that provide sexually explicit entertainment (SEE)
As your licence has sexually explicit entertainment conditions, your renewal fees are set under the Liquor Control Reform Act 1998, rather than the Liquor Control Reform Regulations 2023.
Licences with SEE conditions fall outside of the star rating system and are not charged different fees based on licence category, trading hours or patron capacity.
They are also not eligible for star rating discounts.
You will be charged the following amounts for 2025 renewals, based on your compliance history:
- The base fee for a venue with SEE conditions is $41,907.70.
- If you have incurred 1 or 2 demerit points within the last 24 months (1 October 2022 to 30 September 2024) you will be charged $62,861.40.
- If you have incurred 3 or more demerit points within the last 24 months (1 October 2022 to 30 September 2024) you will be charged $83,815.20.
You are required to notify us if you provide sexually explicit entertainment within 21 days of starting to provide the entertainment.
Updated