Events involving alcohol
Victoria has liquor licensing laws to regulate the supply and consumption of alcohol in the State. The main piece of legislation that regulates how alcohol can be sold or provided to others is called the Liquor Control Reform Act 1998 (Vic). In Victoria, the Department of Justice's Responsible Alcohol Victoria section is the government agency that has responsibility for liquor licensing laws, although the Victoria Police and your local council also have a role to play.
If your organisation operates a licensed venue, please note that recent changes to the law may apply to your organisation. As of 1 January 2025 there are new requirements for licensees and employees of licensed venues to undertake compulsory Responsible Service of Alcohol training. It is also now compulsory for all venues serving alcohol on-site to provide free drinking water. Your organisation can apply for an exemption in certain circumstances. For more information about these changes, see the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regualtion website at http://www.vcglr.vic.gov.au/home/liquor/.
This section outlines some of the important issues that may arise for community organisations when planning an event where alcohol will be sold, provided or consumed.
What do the liquor licensing laws say?
In general, the Victorian liquor licensing laws require that any person or organisation selling or supplying alcohol to others must have a licence. If your community organisation is planning to sell, or supply alcohol (which includes providing alcohol for free), it will require a liquor licence. It is an offence not to have a licence and fines apply.
The legislation provides for a number of different types of liquor licences for different types of activities. Some are on-going licences, whereas others are temporary, for one-off events. It also sets out the eligibility criteria and process for applying for a licence.
If your organisation becomes a 'licensee', it will need to be aware of its legal responsibilities. In particular, it is an offence for a licensee to
- fail to comply with the conditions of the licence;
- provide alcohol to people or permit alcohol to be consumed on licensed premises (other than in accordance with the liquor licence);
- serve alcohol to a person who is intoxicated;
- selling alcohol to a minor.
There are also offences in relation to:
- public drunkenness; and
- anti-social behaviour in and around licensed premises, and disturbance of the neighbourhood amenity.
The potential penalties for breaching these include fines and licence suspension or cancellation, to imprisonment.
We are holding an event with alcohol – what do we need to do?
Decide which licence your organisation needs
You will need to work out which type of liquor licence will suit your organisation’s needs. The licence that might best suit community organisations holding a one-off event is called a ‘temporary liquor licence’. Temporary liquor licenses are provided to people who are holding one-off events, for example a ball or presentation night or a series of events over a limited season, such as a theatre performance.
There are also a number of licences that are available for clubs and a ‘BYO’ permit for when your organisation is not selling alcohol but you want to allow people to bring along their own alcohol. The Responsible Alcohol Victoria site contains a list of all the licence types available (see the Resources section below).
Nominate a licensee (and possibly attend training)
If your community organisation requires a liquor licence, a representative from your organisation must be nominated as the 'licensee'. For many licences it is a requirement that the licensee is required to undergo training at courses known as the "New Entrant Training" and the "Responsible Service of Alcohol Course". There is normally a cost for these courses and details can be obtained from the Responsible Alcohol Victoria website at the bottom of this page.
Apply for a licence and pay fee
Application forms (and online applications) and details of the relevant fees are available from the Department of Justice's website (see link at bottom pf page). Note that applications take a while to be processed and should be lodged at least 35 days before the event is to be held.
Receive a copy of the licence and read conditions
Your community organisation has a responsibility to read and understand the conditions of its liquor
licence. If you are having difficulty understanding the different sections and terms of your licence, there is a section on liquor licensing on the Responsible Alcohol Victoria website (see the Resources section below).
What is the role of the police and the local council in the liquor licensing process?
The role of the police
When a representative from your group applies for a liquor licence, they will be required to complete a Police Questionnaire. This form will be provided to the Victorian Police, who will consider the suitability of the applicant for a liquor licence. The Victorian Police may lodge an objection to the application on a number of grounds (suitability of licensee, suitability of premises where event is to be held).
When a licence is granted, the Victorian Police have the ongoing responsibility for the enforcement of liquor laws. If a law is breached, the Victorian Police may issue on-the-spot fines or charges.
The role of your local council
Your local council will also play a role in approving and administrating your liquor licence. A council may be able to object to licence applications on the ground that the grant would detract from the amenity (that is, lessen the pleasantness or attractiveness) of the community area in which you are planning to hold your event. Councils can also introduce local by-laws which limit the place and time that open containers of alcohol may be carried or consumed in public places.
If we serve alcohol, what signs are required?
At any event involving alcohol, the law requires that the licensee (your community organisation) display certain signage regarding laws relating to underage drinking, drunkenness and public safety issues. The kind of signage your organisation will be required to display will depend on the type of licence your community organisation holds.
The signs can be obtained from the Department of Justice, and must be displayed in a manner which invites public attention. If your organisation does not display the signs (or they are not displayed appropriately) your organisation may be fined. Responsible Alcohol Victoria has produced a page on the obligations and responsibilities of licensees, which is available on its website (see the Resources section below).
What about smoking?
Since 1 July 2007, all indoor licensed venues in Victoria are smoke-free areas. Therefore, to comply with the law, people at your event may only smoke in outdoor areas.
Even for outdoor events, it is a good idea to consider having designated smoking areas or making your event a smoke-free event.
What steps can we take to minimise risks at our event involving alcohol?
There are a number of precautions that your community organisation can undertake to ensure that it is complying with its legal responsibilities and to promote the safe consumption of alcohol.
Responsible Service of Alcohol
Your community organisation should make sure that the person responsible for serving the alcohol is a responsible adult (who is not drinking alcohol), well informed of the relevant laws and risks associated with the service of alcohol. Provide a wide variety of drinks at your event, including mid-strength alcoholic drinks, non-alcoholic drinks and drinking water.
As mentioned, it is an offence to serve alcohol to anyone who is intoxicated. A factsheet about Intoxication Guidelines has been produced by the Department of Justice and it is a good idea to have relevant members of your organisation to become familiar with these guidelines (see Related Resources below for a link to the fact sheet).
Food
It is a good idea to have food is readily available throughout the event. Providing the right food, in appropriate quantities, at your event is a great way to discourage excessive alcohol consumption.
Inform your local neighbourhood
It is important that your community organisation advise neighbours and local businesses of any large event in your area, especially where alcohol will be served. Your community organisation may register its event with the Victorian Police and therefore if the police need to be called to the event they already have information that they need to know.
First Aid
It is also important to plan what your community organisation will do if your guests become sick or intoxicated. This may involve preparing an appropriate first-aid kit and / or informing the local ambulance service about your event.
Public Liability Insurance
Public liability insurance is necessary for your community organisation to protect itself against claims made by participants at your event in respect of bodily injury arising out of those events or associated with your service of alcohol.
For more information about insurance, see our page at Getting started > Insurance.
Department of Justice, Responsible Alcohol Victoria