​Liquor Licensing close-off dates - 2025/2026

Alcohol Licensing - Timelines and trading days

The Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 specifies timelines, deadlines and non-working days that can impact filing and assessment of alcohol licensing applications. The Act also specifies protected days on which the sale of alcohol is restricted. The Act defines a working day as a day that is not:

1. A Saturday, a Sunday, Waitangi Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Anzac Day, the Sovereign's Birthday, or Labour Day; or

2. A day in the period commencing on 20 December in one year and ending on 15 January in the next year.

Liquor licensing close-off dates – 2025/2026

The following deadlines apply for ALL liquor licensing applications, including special licence applications for Christmas, New Year’s Eve and Waitangi Day:

• If your event date is between Friday, 19 December 2025 and Monday, 12 February 2026, you must submit your application by 21 November 2025 at the latest. This will ensure it can be processed, granted and issued before 19 December 2025
• Late Notice Applications: New Year’s Eve comes on the same date every year. Late notice applications are unlikely to be accepted as the need for a special licence can be reasonably foreseen.

Remember, Christmas is a protected day for trading.

• If you have an event on or after Friday, 13 February 2026, then Friday, 16 January 2026 is the very last day for applications. Avoid disappointment and file before 19 December 2025 to steer clear of the non-working day period from 20 December 2025 to 15 January 2026.

Waitangi Day 2025

• Because we do not count the days from 20 December to 15 January, this means that all special licence applications for Waitangi Day, 6 February 2026, must be received by 21 November 2025 at the latest.

We recommend applying early, as this is our busiest period for processing applications.