Liquor offences for businesses
If you breach liquor licensing laws you could be fined or jailed.
Penalty unit (PU) values are listed on the Department of Treasury and Finance website.
Offences and penalties for businesses
| Section of the Liquor Act | Offence | Penalty infringement notice | Maximum penalty | Who may be accountable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Section 31A (6) | A person must not contravene licence conditions relating to an ID system | 1 PU | 100 PU | Licensee or employee |
| Section 33D (1) | Liquor cannot be sold unless payment is made at time of sale (payment includes all legal tender) | 5 PU | 100 PU | Licensee or employee |
| Section 33E (1) | It is an offence to retain or hold a person’s credit or debit card as security for payment for the sale of liquor or other items | 5 PU | 100 PU | Licensee |
| Section 33I | A licensee must comply with all conditions relating to an exemption granted by the Director-General | 5 PU | 100 PU | Licensee |
| Section 47 (1) | Failure to appoint acting licensee or notify the Director-General of full name and address of acting licensee | 2 PU | 20 PU | Licensee |
| Section 47 (4) | Appointed temporary nominee Acts in position in excess of 42 days without the Director-General approval | 2 PU | 20 PU | Licensee |
| Section 47D (1A) | Failure to notify the Director-General of bankruptcy | 2 PU | 20 PU | Licensee |
| Section 47D (3) | Failure to notify the Director-General of bankruptcy in approved format - eg: in writing) | N/A | 20 PU | Licensee |
| Section 47D (4) | Vested person fails to apply to the Director-General in approved format to conduct business | N/A | 20 PU | Individual |
| Section 53 (1) | Failure to attend hearing or produce document in response to summons | 4 PU | 50 PU or six months imprisonment | Individual |
| Section 54 (1) | Failure of witness to be sworn in or to make affirmation | 4 PU | 50 PU or six months imprisonment | Individual |
| Section 75 (1) | An offence to bring into, possess, control, consume, sell, supply or dispose of liquor in a general restricted area | 1 PU | 100 PU or six months imprisonment | Individual |
| Section 75 (1B) | A person commits an offence if they consume liquor in a public restricted area | 1 PU | 20 PU | Individual |
| Section 89A | Contravention of a condition of a permit for a public restricted area | N/A | 20 PU | Permit holder |
| Section 93 | Fail to return permit when requested to do so | N/A | 20 PU | Permit holder |
| Section 95 (3) | Obstruct or fail to comply with request by inspector or officer in relation to (1) or (2) | N/A | 50 PU | Individual |
| Section 101AE (1) | Bring, possess, control, consume, sell, supply or otherwise dispose of liquor in a special restricted area | 1 PU | 100 PU or six months imprisonment | Individual |
| Section 101AK (2) | Breaches condition specified in special restricted area permit issued to individual | 1 PU | 100 PU | Permit holder |
| Section 101AL (4) | Breaches conditions specified in variation / suspension / revocation of special restricted area permit issued to individual | N/A | 100 PU | Permit holder |
| Section 101AN (3) | Obstruct or fail to comply with request made by inspector relating to search or seizure (within a special restricted area) | N/A | 50 PU or six months imprisonment | Individual |
| Section 101F (3) | A person removes, defaces or interferes with notice of restricted premises | N/A | 20 PU | Individual |
| Section 101L (1) | A person brings, possesses or consumes liquor in or on restricted premises | 1 PU | 100 PU | Individual |
| Section 102 | Sale of liquor to drunk person - sale includes supply | 5 PU | 100 PU | Licensee or employee |
| Section 103 | Sale of adulterated liquor - sale includes supply | 5 PU | 100 PU | Licensee or employee |
| Section 104 (1) | Unauthorised person on licensed premises after hours | 2 PU | 50 PU | Individual |
| Section 105 (1) | Permitting riotous conduct on or at licensed premises | 5 PU | 100 PU | Licensee or employee |
| Section 106 (3) | Failure to post notice of prohibited area for children | 2 PU | 20 PU | Licensee |
| Section 106A (1) | Child to not enter or remain on restricted area for children on licensed premises | 2 PU | 20 PU | Child |
| Section 106A (2) | Child enters or remains in restricted area without appropriate adult company | 2 PU | 20 PU | Child |
| Section 106B (1) | Licensee or employee allows child on restricted area | 5 PU | 85 PU | Licensee or employee |
| Section 106BA (1) | Child misrepresents age, through document or statement | 2 PU | 50 PU | Child |
| Section 106BA (2) | Person makes or permits document for use (in manner against the Liquor Act) | 2 PU | 50 PU | Individual |
| Section 106BA (3) | Misrepresents age in order to obtain ID for use against the Liquor Act | 2 PU | 50 PU | Child |
| Section 106BA (4) | Person provides genuine ID to another person without having regard for its correct use | 2 PU | 50 PU | Individual |
| Section 106BA (5) | Person defaces or interferes with any genuine ID and who intends to use the resultant ID for misuse against the Liquor Act, for example, to misrepresent their age | N/A | 50 PU or six months imprisonment | Individual |
| Section 106BB (1) | Person purchases takeaway liquor and misrepresents identity through document or statement | 3 PU | 50 PU | Child |
| Section 106BB (2) | Misrepresenting to authority in order to get ID for misuse against the Liquor Act | 3 PU | 50 PU | Child |
| Section 106BB (3) | Creates document to misrepresent self or other for purpose of misuse against the Liquor Act | 3 PU | 50 PU | Individual |
| Section 106BB (4) | Person gives genuine identification to another person (without regard for misuse against the Liquor Act) | 3 PU | 50 PU | Individual |
| Section 106BB (5) | Person defaces or interferes with any genuine ID and intends to use the resultant ID for misuse against the Liquor Act, for example, to misrepresent their identity | N/A | 50 PU or six months imprisonment | Individual |
| Section 106BD (1) | Fail to seize false, fake or misrepresented identification (licensed premises) | 2 PU | 20 PU | Licensee or employee |
| Section 106BD (3) | Fail to provide person of seized ID, as to the process relating to seized ID, including address or contact details of Licensing NT | 2 PU | 20 PU | Licensee or employee |
| Section 106BD (4) | Fail to provide seized ID document to Director-General of Licensing within 72 hours after seizure | 2 PU | 20 PU | Licensee or employee |
| Section 106C | Irresponsible sale or supply of liquor to a child or children (several matters for consideration are involved in this offence, please refer to the relevant section of the Act) | N/A | 100 PU | Individual |
| Section 106CA (1) | To supply / sell, permit other to supply / sell, or assist child to be supplied / sold liquor | 5 PU | 85 PU | Licensee or employee |
| Section 106CA (4) | Child consumes or is in possession of liquor on licensed premises | 2 PU | 20 PU | Child |
| Section 107 (1) | Licensee fails to keep copy of licence on premises | 1 PU | 20 PU | Licensee |
| Section 108 (1) | Licensee fails to produce licence on request by inspector | 1 PU | 20 PU | Licensee |
| Section 109 (1) | Licensee commits offence is a person is found guilty of an offence against Gaming Control Act on the licensee’s licensed premises | 5 PU | 100 PU | Licensee |
| Section 110 | Licensee contravenes licence condition or Acts in contravention to the Act (where not listed as a separate offence) | 5 PU | 100 PU | Licensee |
| Section 111 (3A) | Licensee fails to keep records in form approved by the Director-General or to keep for three years | 3 PU | 50 PU | Licensee |
| Section 112 | Licensee fails to produce records of liquor purchases on request of inspector | 2 PU | 20 PU | Licensee |
| Section 113 (1) | Licensee fails to lodge returns | 2 PU | 20 PU | Licensee |
| Section 113A (1) | A person must not sell liquor to a licensee unless they are a registered wholesaler, or licensee | N/A | 250 PU or 12 months imprisonment | Individual |
| Section 114 (1) | Wholesaler fails to lodge returns | 2 PU | 20 PU | Individual |
| Section 115 | Sale of liquor without possessing current liquor licence | N/A | 250 PU or 12 months imprisonment | Individual |
| Section 116 | Purchase liquor from a person who is not currently licensed to sell liquor | N/A | 100 PU | Individual |
| Section 117 (1) | Child sells or supplies liquor without the Director-General approval | 5 PU | 85 PU | Individual |
| Section 118 (1) | Offence to send a child to collect or purchase liquor from a licensed premises | 3 PU | 50 PU | Individual |
| Section 118 (2) | Child purchases liquor from licensed premises | 2 PU | 20 PU | Child |
| Section 119 (1) | Licensee allows material alternation to premises without approval of the Director-General | 5 PU | 100 PU | Licensee |
| Section 119 (10) | Licensee conducts business without the Director-General approval during period of alterations being made | 5 PU | 100 PU | Licensee |
| Section 120Y (1) | Licensee knowingly permits banned or excluded person to enter licensed premises in contravention of their order | 1 PU | 100 PU | Licensee |
| Section 120Y (2) | Employee knowingly permits banned or excluded person to enter licensed premises in contravention of their order | 1 PU | 50 PU | Employee |
| Section 121 (1AA) | Licensee must exclude a person who is intoxicated, violent, quarrelsome, disorderly or incapable of controlling their behaviour | 5 PU | 100 PU | Licensee |
| Section 121 (1AA) | Employee must exclude a person who is intoxicated, violent, quarrelsome, disorderly or incapable of controlling their behaviour | 3 PU | 100 PU | Employee |
| Section 121 (2) | A person who is intoxicated, violent, quarrelsome, disorderly or incapable of controlling their behaviour must leave as soon as requested by licensee, employee, licensing inspector or police officer | 1 PU | 20 PU | Individual |
| Section 121A (1) | Person excluded under s121 attempts to, or re-enters premises within 12 hours | 1 PU | 20 PU | Individual |
| Section 123 (1) | Fail to return or surrender licence as directed by the Director-General | 2 PU | 50 PU | Licensee |
Last updated: 01 February 2019