Check if you need a liquor licence

You need a liquor licence in most situations where you are selling or supplying alcohol or liquor for a fee.

This includes liquor:

• supplied as part of an event such as a corporate event or ball
• sold through your business.

Find out how to apply for a liquor licence. If you are unsure, you should contact Licensing NT.

Activities that don't need a licence

You don't need a liquor licence or registration if you are going to sell, supply or serve alcohol or liquor:

• as part of a gift basket or floral arrangement that contains one liquor product only
• supplying to your staff and their families and guests if you are an employer - for example, at a Christmas party for your staff
• in essences (such as vanilla) in containers of 50ml or less.

Serving free drinks to customers

If you have a business, for example, a hairdresser or a bookshop, and want to give free drinks to customers, you need to register as a complimentary server of liquor first.

You can register for one, five or 10 years by filling in an application and submitting it to Licensing NT. Once your application is approved, you will receive a certificate that shows you are a registered server of complimentary drinks.

This allows you to serve no more than two standard drinks in a day to a customer.

Find out how to register to serve free alcoholic drinks.

Locations that don't need a licence

You don’t need a liquor licence or registration if you are going to sell, supply or serve alcohol:

• at most Australian Defence Force establishments with the authority of the naval, army or air force authorities
• within the grounds of the Legislative Assembly on the authority of the Speaker
• to residents or patients in a retirement village, residential care facility or hospital - if it's no more than two standard drinks per person per day and the body responsible for the village, facility or hospital approves
• on board some vessels, aircraft or trains.

Register to sell wholesale alcohol

If you want to sell wholesale alcohol in the NT, you must be registered.

Find out how to register as a wholesaler of liquor.