Rules for serving alcohol

Serve alcohol responsibly

If you are involved in the sale, service or supply of alcohol in the Northern Territory (NT), you must have a responsible service of alcohol (RSA) certificate.

This means you are qualified to serve alcohol in a licensed venue.

You must get a certificate within seven days of starting work at a licensed premises.

How to get a certificate

To get an RSA certificate, you must complete the responsible service of alcohol course (as at 2 March 2023 - SITHFAB021)  from an accredited training provider. This competency unit may be subject to changes.

Go to the Australian Government's Department of Education and Training website to find:

  • a list of accredited training providers
  • current unit of competency.

You can also contact your local Territory Business Centre.

Once you have completed the course, you will need to renew your RSA certificate every three years.

If you already have a certificate

If you already have an RSA certificate from another state or territory, it will only be accepted for use in the NT if it was issued by an accredited Australian training provider.

For a current certificate to be accepted, it must be:

  • issued by a body accredited by the Australian Skills Quality Authority or
  • approved by the Liquor Commission.

If your RSA certificate is more than three years old, you must do a refresher course.

This course must be done every three years and can be done online via the NTrefreshRSA website.

Rules for licensees

You must keep an RSA register on the premises, with a copy of each staff member's RSA certificate and refresher course certificate included.

Get the approved record of employees with an RSA register form.

Record of employees with an RSA register form PDF (140.6 KB)
Record of employees with an RSA register form DOCX (60.3 KB)

Intoxicated patrons in licensed premises

It is illegal to sell or supply alcohol to an intoxicated person in a licensed venue.

An intoxicated person is someone who is under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

It is your responsibility as the licensee to prove the patron is not intoxicated at the time of sale.

If you have reasonable grounds to suspect someone is intoxicated, you or an employee must exclude or remove them from your premises.

Find out more about alcohol consumption data on the Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade website.

How to identify an intoxicated person

A person showing one or more of these behaviours may be intoxicated:

  • spilling drinks
  • rambling conversation or slurred speech
  • annoying other customers and employees
  • swaying or dozing while sitting
  • becoming loud or boisterous
  • crude or aggressive behaviour
  • inappropriate sexual advances
  • becoming careless with money
  • bumping into or knocking over furniture
  • inability to light a cigarette or letting a cigarette burn in an ashtray
  • glassy eyes, lack of eye focus, loss of eye contact.

Children working or employed in licensed premises

Children are not permitted to possess, sell, serve or supply liquor in licensed premises without the permission of the Director Liquor Licensing.

A child is a person who is under the age of 18.

If you are a licensee in the Northern Territory (NT), you can apply for permission to employ children under exceptional cases.

Children under 15 years can't be employed in any capacity in the NT.

Under 16 years and 8 months

Permission may be granted by the director only in exceptional circumstances.

Significant consultation and limitations would apply.

Over 16 years 8 months

The director may give permission to a licensee for:

  • an existing employee, or
  • someone undergoing employment training.

Bar or servery duties can include:

  • preparation and sale of drinks, such as pouring a beer or mixing a drink
  • sale of pre-packaged liquor products - takeaway
  • wait service of liquor
  • placing orders to purchase liquor on behalf of the licensee
  • unloading deliveries of liquor to the licensee and stocking of fridges.

The child must also hold a current responsible service of alcohol (RSA) certificate. Read how to serve alcohol responsibly.

Operation of gaming machines

Under the Liquor Act 2019, any permission granted by the director doesn't include gaming machines.

Under no circumstances can you employ a child for this.

You don't need permission to employ a child on licenced premises if their duties are:

  • unloading and storage of deliveries of stock (not including liquor) to the licensee
  • re-stocking store rooms and refrigerators with non-liquor related stock
  • delivery of food orders
  • delivery of non-liquor related drinks
  • clearing of tables, including empty drink containers
  • general cleaning, maintenance and administrative duties.

You can apply for approval from the Director of Liquor Licensing by emailing liquorlicensing.ditt@nt.gov.au.

Make sure you include details and evidence of required conditions.

All of the following will be considered when your application is evaluated:

  • parent or guardian approval, where appropriate
  • the child's age and maturity
  • the size, nature and location of the licensed premises
  • the nature of tasks to be performed
  • the quality of induction training
  • whether you have provided responsible service of alcohol training
  • the quality and level of adult supervision
  • any ongoing accredited hospitality training
  • whether the child is a genuine employee
  • whether you have any areas of your licenced premises prohibited to children, including gaming machines.

Sunday takeaway alcohol

If you are a Northern Territory liquor licensee, you can only sell alcohol on certain days and at certain times in line with your liquor licence and authorities.

Takeaway alcohol restrictions

You can't sell alcohol on Sundays if you have a licence with a grocery store authority.

Register to serve BYO alcoholic drinks at a business

Businesses in the Northern Territory that want to serve BYO liquor to customers, must register as a BYO server of liquor.

Registration allows you to serve liquor that was brought onto the premises by a customer or a guest of a party.

The liquor must be served by the business and consumed with food.

A business can register for three years.

If your business already has a liquor licence to sell liquor you don't have to register to serve BYO.

How to apply

Follow these steps to apply.

Step 1. Fill in the application to register your business as a BYO server of liquor.

Application to register your business as a BYO server of liquor PDF (945.9 KB)
Application to register your business as a BYO server of liquor  DOCX (699.5 KB)

Step 2. Attach any supporting documents.

Step 3. Email your form and supporting documents to liquorlicensing.ditt@nt.gov.au.

There are no fees to register.

After you apply

Your application will be assessed and you will be advised of the outcome.

If your application is approved you will receive a certificate that allows you to serve BYO liquor to your customers.

Contact

For more information, contact Licensing NT.