General Liquor License Info

Categories of Liquor licence(s)

Western Cape Liquor Act

The Liquor Licensing Tribunal may grant the following licences—

(a) a licence for the micro-manufacture and sale of liquor for consumption both on and off the premises where the liquor is sold;

(b) a licence for the sale of liquor for consumption on the premises where the liquor is sold;

(c) a licence for the sale of liquor for consumption off the premises where the liquor is sold;

(d) in exceptional circumstances, a licence for the sale of liquor for consumption both on and off the premises where the liquor is sold;

(e) a licence for the sale of liquor for consumption on or off the premises upon which liquor is sold at special events; and

(f) a temporary liquor licence for the sale of liquor for consumption on or off the premises upon which liquor is sold.

National Liquor Act

Registration as Manufacturer or Distributor or both. 

“Any person may be registered as a manufacturer or distributor of liquor, or both, except a person who –

(a) is a minor at the date of submitting the application for registration;

(b) is an unrehabilitated insolvent;

(c) at the time of application is committed in terms of the Mental Health Act, 1973 (Act No. 18 of 1973);

(d) has been convicted of a contravention of this Act within the three years immediately preceding the date of application; or

(e) has been convicted, under applicable legislation, of an offence the elements of which are inconsistent with the objects and purposes of this Act, at any time – (i) after the coming into operation of this Act; and (ii) within the three years immediately preceding the date of application”

Threshold volumes for manufacturing are as follows: 

A micro-manufacturer may not exceed the following threshold volumes:

a) For manufacturers of beer, 100 million litres per year

b) For manufacturer of Traditional African Beer, 50 million litres per year

c) For manufacturers of wine, 4 million litres per year; and

d) For manufacturer of spirits and/or any other liquor, 2 million litres per year.

A manufacturer produces or bottles liquor for sale and may sell liquor to another manufacturer or distributor. Liquor so manufactured or bottled may also be sold to a retailer if and to the extent permitted by the conditions of registration.

A distributor sells liquor to a manufacturer, a distributor, a micro-manufacturer or a retailer, but may not manufacture liquor unless also registered as a manufacturer.

Lodgement Procedure with the NLA (National Liquor Authority):

  1. Upon receipt of all the relevant information, the application for registration will be completed on your behalf and submitted for signature by the authorised persons;
  2. The prescribed fees will be paid to the NLA and the application for registration will then be hand delivered at the offices of the National Liquor Authority in the prescribed manner;
  3. After considering the application, the National Liquor Authority may deliver to the applicant either –  (a) a final statement of conditions of registration in Form NLA8; or (b) a statement of proposed conditions in Form NLA6
  4. Within the prescribed time, the applicant must respond to any proposed conditions by filing a consent to, or refusal of, proposed conditions in Form NLA7;
  5. Upon receiving a consent to proposed conditions, the National Liquor Authority must deliver a final statement of conditions of registration in Form NLA8;
  6. Upon receiving a refusal of proposed conditions, and after considering the submissions by the applicant in support of that refusal, the National Liquor Authority must deliver in a final statement of conditions of registration in Form NLA8;
  7. If the applicant does not respond at all to the Form NLA6, the National Liquor Authority must notify the applicant in writing that the application is refused in terms of section 13(7)(b)(i);
  8. When an applicant had paid the initial annual registration fee, as set out in Form NLA8, the National Liquor Authority must deliver a registration certificate in Form NLA9 to Registrant;
  9. We will monitor the consideration of the application and advise you in due course.

Time Frame of Liquor License Applications

Western Cape Liquor Authority: between 3 and 6 months.

National Liquor Authority: between 6 and 9 months.

Cost of Applications

Western Cape Liquor Act – Fees payable in respect of certain applications:

Please contact us for current fees.

Item No. Nature of application Fees payable (R)
1. Application for a licence in terms of Section 36(1)(e) –
2. Application for a temporary licence in terms of Section 48(1) –
3. Application for a special events licence in terms of Section 48(4) –
4. Application to amend the conditions of a licence in terms of section 49(6) –
5. Application to procure a financial interest in the business to which the licence relates in terms of section 51(2) –
6. Applications for alterations of the licensed premises, the change of the nature of the business or consent to conduct business under the licence on premises on which any other business, trade or occupation is carried on or pursued in terms of section 53(1)(a), (b) or (c), respectively –
7. (a) Application to store liquor in terms of section 57(1) (b) Granting of application to store liquor in terms of section 57(1)

–

–
8. (a) Application for the extension of trading hours in terms of section 59(4) (b) Granting of application for extension of trading hours in terms of section 59(4)

–

–
9. Application for renewal in terms of section 64(1) –
10. (a) Application for the transfer of a licence in terms of section 65(1) (b) Application for the transfer of a licence in terms of section 65(3)

–

–
11. Application for the removal of a licence in terms of section 66(2) –
12. (a) Application for exemption in terms of section 84(2) (b) Granting of an application for exemption in terms of section 84(2)

–

–
13. Requests for reasons for a decision by the Liquor Licensing Tribunal –
14. Application for a copy of a licence and the conditions thereto or of any application –
15. Copies of minutes of proceedings of Authority, Liquor Licensing Tribunal or Appeal Tribunal The fees are the same as those prescribed in Part II (Fees in respect of public bodies) of Annexure A of the Regulations regarding access to information in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act, 2000, published in GN R 187 in Government Gazette 23119 of 15 February 2002.
16. Maximum amount of fine that the Liquor Licensing Tribunal may impose in terms of section 20(3)(b)(v) –

Fees payable in respect of licences, transfers, removals, renewals and upon granting of certain applications.

Please contact us for current fees.

Part A Part B Part C
Item Fees payable in respect of a new licence and upon granting of certain applications Fees payable in respect of the transfer or removal of a licence Renewal fees
1. On-consumption licence – – –
2. Off-consumption licence – – –
3. On and off­consumption licence – – –
4. Micro-manufacturing licence – – –
5. Temporary liquor licence – – –
6. Special events liquor licence – – –
7. Altering licensed premises – – –
8. Change nature of licences business – – –
9. Conduct business on premises on which another business is conducted – – –

National Liquor Act – Fees payable in respect of certain applications:

For purposes of determining the application and initial registration fee, the following criteria are applicable:

If the annual turnover from the activities regulated under the Act is (Regulation 11 of Act):

Less than R 5 000 000 (contact us for fees payable)

At least R 5 000 000 but less than R 15 000 000 (contact us for fees payable)

At Least R 15 000 000 but less than R 250 000 000 (contact us for fees payable)

At Least R 250 000 000 but less than R 1 billion (contact us for fees payable)

At Least R1 billion (contact us for fees payable)