Liquor licensing

Manager's certificate

When liquor is being sold or supplied to the public on licensed premises, a certificate-holding duty manager must be on duty at all times and be responsible for compliance with the Sale of Liquor Act 1989 and the conditions of the licence.

The manager's certificate is portable so you can carry out the duties and responsibilities of a manager in other premises. You must have completed training in the Sale of Liquor Act 1989 before you apply for your manager's certificate.

Types of manager's certificates
Apply for a new manager's certificate
Renew your manager's certificate
Training in the Sale of Liquor Act
Notify us of changes to mangers

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Types of manager's certificates

A Club Manager's Certificate limits you to managing premises holding a club licence or where a special licence is in force.

A General Manager's Certificate will authorise you to manage any licensed premise where an on licence, off licence, club licence or special licence is in force.

As of April 1 2006 there are new regulations controlling who may hold a General Managers Certificate. The change is the introduction of a nationally recognised qualification - the Licence Controller Qualification (LCQ).

Anyone applying for a General Managers Certificate is required to hold this qualification. The LCQ can be acquired in one of two ways, depending on whether you are applying for a new managers' certificate, or if you are applying to renew a current managers' certificate.

Those applying for a new Club Managers Certificate or wanting to renew their existing club managers certificate are not required to hold the LCQ. However, the LCQ training given by Auckland City Environments covers the syllabus required for both a Club Managers Certificate and a General Managers Certificate.

Apply for a new manager's certificate

If you are applying for a new Managers Certificate two unit standards are required

4646 (Sale of Liquor Amendment Act 1999) and
16705 (host responsibility).

These unit standards can be acquired by completing the training in the Sale of Liquor Act. The standards require 10 hours of study in addition to attendance at the training course which involves a days training followed by an hours closed book examination the following week.

When you have gained these unit standards, you need to request a Licence Controller Qualification (LCQ) application form from the Hospitality Standards Institute of New Zealand (HSI). Visit their website for information on how to obtain an application form: www.hsi.co.nz

The HSI are managing the distribution of the new national qualification. You will also need to obtain a special student ID number, known as a hook on number, from the New Zealand Qualifications Authority. For further information, visit www.nzqa.govt.nz.

General guidelines

the fee is $132, which must be lodged at time of application and is not refundable
you must be working in the Auckland City area to file your application with us
non-residents must have a work permit
you must complete training in the Sale of Liquor Act, preferably prior to application
Note: if you have sat unit standards 4646 and 16705 you can apply for your manager's certificate without having to repeat the course
the certificate will not be granted unless you submit a reference from your employer stating that it is required for your position on the premises
certificates are issued for one year initially then renewed on application, normally for three years
applications take 25 working days to process.

To apply

Step 1	Complete the Managers certificate application form (115kb PDF)
Step 2	Include supporting information A copy of a your Licence Controller Qualification certificate A reference from your employer stating that it is required for your position on the premises A photocopy of identification, eg driver's licence, passport, birth certificate
Step 3	Send your application with the $132 fee to: The Secretary District Licensing Agency Auckland City Council Private Bag 92516 Wellesley Street Auckland
Next	If we are satisfied with your application (which includes an interview) and there is no adverse police report, a manager's certificate will be issued.

Renew your manager's certificate

If you are applying to renew an existing Managers Certificate two unit standards are required

4646 (Sale of Liquor Amendment Act 1999)
16705 (host responsibility).

Note: as of 1 March 2008 Auckland City Council no longer holds Transition Tests.

General guidelines

the fee is $132, which must be lodged at time of application and is not refundable
renewal applications must be made before the expiry date of your manager's certificate. If you do not renew it before it expires, you will need to apply for a new manager's certificate
you need to apply for renewal with the District Licensing Agency (DLA) for the area in which you are now working. If you are not currently working on licensed premises, you need to apply with the DLA for the area in which you live
applications take approximately six weeks to process.

Once you have lodged your application for renewal it keeps the certificate current until a decision is made.

To apply

Step 1	Complete the Renewal of managers certificate application form (448k PDF)
Step 2	Include supporting information A photocopy of the manager's certificate to be renewed Details of the licensed premises where you are currently employed (if relevant) A copy of Licence Controller Qualification (LCQ) certificate.
Step 3	Send your application with the $132 fee to: The Secretary District Licensing Agency Auckland City Council Private Bag 92516 Wellesley Street Auckland

Training in the Sale of Liquor Act

Auckland City Council runs a training course in the Sale of Liquor Act (Licence Controller Qualification).

The one day course

runs from 9.30am to 3pm
costs $175 per person.

An examination is held on the following Tuesday at 3.30pm.

To register for the course, download and complete the Managers Certificate training course registration form (689k PDF)

Notify us of changes to managers

Licensees are legally required to give notice of the appointment, or termination of the appointment, of any manager, temporary manager, or acting manager.

Notice must be given within 48 hours of appointment or termination.

To give notice:

Step 1

Complete the Liquor Licensing - manager notification form (13k PDF)

Step 2

Fax copies to all of the below agencies

District Licensing Agency (DLA)	Fax: 09 353 9091
Liquor Licensing Authority (LLA)	Fax: 04 462 6686
Police	Fax: 09 375 4666

Updated March 2008