Liquor licensees and use of CCTV

Certain licensees must maintain the CCTV that they operate at their licensed premises. These licensees are those who:

  • trade after 1am within the Brisbane City Council area
  • have a specific condition on their licence.

These new obligations ensure that licensees comply with any requirements prescribed by the Liquor Regulation 2002 about maintaining the CCTV equipment.

Maintaining CCTV equipment at licensed premises

Download a copy of the CCTV equipment review register and use it record your daily equipment checks, malfunctions and 6-monthly certifications.

Daily CCTV equipment checks

During each trading period your licensed premises is open for business:

  • check by no later than 12.30am that your CCTV equipment is working properly
  • record the following details
    • date and time the equipment was checked
    • name of the person who checked the equipment
    • whether the equipment was operating effectively.

What to do if your CCTV equipment fails

If your CCTV equipment is not operating effectively, or it otherwise malfunctions, you must arrange for it to be repaired within 48 hours. At this time, you must also record:

  • the date and time the equipment malfunction was identified
  • the name of the person who identified the malfunction
  • details of arrangements made to repair the equipment, including the
    • date and time the arrangements were made
    • name of the person who made the arrangements
    • nature of the arrangements made to repair the equipment
    • date the equipment is repaired.

Important note: You must continue to comply with your CCTV obligations (as set out in the Liquor Act 1992, Liquor Regulation 2002 and conditions endorsed on your licence) if your CCTV equipment is under repair. This includes ensuring that CCTV is operational at the required times if the premises is open for the sale of liquor.

Six-monthly CCTV equipment checks

At least every 6 months, your CCTV equipment (and any related device) must be checked and certified by an appropriately qualified person. The certification must be recorded in a register and state that the equipment (and any related device) is in good working order.

The register must detail that the:

  • equipment is able to record images clearly
  • equipment is able to store each recording made by it for at least 28 days
  • equipment or a related device is able to store each recording made by the equipment for at least 1 year
  • and
  • equipment and any related device is able to produce a digital copy of each recording stored on the equipment or device.

An appropriately qualified person is someone who holds a current 'security equipment installer's licence'. To check if your appropriately qualified person is licensed, search the security provider register. The security equipment installer licence is issued by the Office of Fair Trading under the Security Providers Act 1993.

Download a copy of the CCTV equipment review register and use it record your 6-monthly equipment checks.

Storing CCTV reporting and recordings

You must store in a secure place at the licensed premises the:

  • recorded details of the daily and 6-monthly checks conducted and any malfunctioning of CCTV equipment (see 'Maintaining CCTV equipment at licensed premises' above)
  • the register used to record the CCTV certification, which must be carried out at least every 6 months.

The new obligations also require licensees to store CCTV recordings in a secure manner and keep each recording available for inspection by an investigator (i.e. Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation investigator or police officer). In addition, a licensee can no longer destroy a CCTV recording that has previously been provided to an investigator until the investigator provides written notice to the licensee advising them that the recording is 'viewable'.

Also consider...

  • Last reviewed: 25 Sep 2020
  • Last updated: 25 Sep 2020