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Licensee Obligations and Responsibilities

Licensees have obligations and responsibilities to their customers, staff and the broader community.

Read and understand your licence

For an explanation of the different sections and terms of a liquor licence, see Understanding your Liquor Licence in 'Related Publications' on the right, which provides annotated notes about the various parts of a licence.

Understand and comply with Victoria’s liquor laws

You should be familiar with your obligations under the Liquor Control Reform Act 1998. To obtain a copy of the Act, see Liquor Laws of Victoria in 'Related Publications' on the right.

Read and understand the code of conduct for packaged liquor licensees

If you hold a packaged liquor licence, you should be familiar with the contents of the code. To view a copy of the code, see ‘Code of Conduct for Packaged Liquor Licence’ on the right.

Display your licence in a prominent position and also the required liquor licensing signage

For more information on your responsibilities regarding signage, see the ‘Required Signage for Licensed Premises’ on the right.

Undertake training

Responsible Alcohol Victoria administers educational programs for licence holders and service staff. Completing the New Entrant Training (or Club Seminar) and Responsible Serving of Alcohol (RSA) courses is a pre-requisite for any licence holder. For more information about these and other related programs, see 'Liquor Licensing Training' (which can be found on the right).

Refresh your knowledge and stay up to date with changes to liquor law and best practice issues

Regularly undertake online refresher courses, attend seminars and subscribe to the Grapevine, Responsible Alcohol Victoria’s periodic newsletter for the liquor industry.

Serve liquor responsibly and promote responsible consumption by customers

Establish and implement policies and procedures to ensure staff understand and observe responsible serving practices. For information on intoxication, see Intoxication Guidelines Factsheet (found on the right).

Respond to neighbourhood complaints quickly and positively

Be mindful of local residents and minimise any adverse impact on the amenity of the neighbourhood

Participate in local liquor licensing Forums and Accords

Forums and Accords are when members of a local community meet together to address liquor-related issues and work out collaborative solutions. For more information see 'Forums and Accords' (located on the right).

Plan and seek approval for those times you need to temporarily trade beyond your licence conditions

Be aware that you may need to apply for a temporary licence to cover additional hours on your liquor licence if you are holding a special event.

Get to know your local Victoria Police licensing inspector

Every police district has a local licensing inspector. It is a good idea to introduce yourself to your local inspector and try to establish a good working relationship by responding quickly to any concerns.

More Information

Responsible Alcohol Victoria regularly publishes brochures, guides and factsheets covering issues of concern to licensees. See ‘Publications’, which can be found via the Alcohol Home page.