Transferring a liquor licence

If you take over the operation of a Queensland business with a liquor licence, you must apply to transfer the licence from the previous operator.

You won't be able to sell or supply liquor at the licensed premises until you're granted an interim authority to trade—i.e. a temporary approval to continue trading until the transfer is finalised—or the transfer is approved.

Applying for a transfer or interim authority

New operators must complete and lodge an application to transfer a liquor licence. If the premises has a current gaming machine licence, you must also apply for a new gaming machine licence.

Applicants wanting an interim authority to continue trading—and a special authorisation to conduct gaming, if applicable—must submit a statutory declaration with their application. The statutory declaration needs to include:

  • your name and address
  • the name and address of the licensed premises
  • evidence of your legal tenure—i.e. ownership, holding or occupation—of the licensed premises
  • if the occupier is a company, your position within that company
  • a statement that you're legally in possession of the premises
  • a statement that you wish to start trading in liquor (and gaming, if the premises is currently approved for gaming).

Lodge your completed application, statutory declaration and any supporting documents with the correct application fee, to the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation (OLGR):

Approval process and timeframe

We grant licences based on whether you're a 'fit and proper' person to hold one. Read Guideline 07: Fit and proper or suitable person for more information.

Interim authority applications—including a special gaming authorisation, if applicable—typically take 2 to 3 working days to process if all requirements are satisfied.

Most transfer applications are finalised in around 2 months, provided all information is lodged and no issues are identified during the assessment process.

Transfer applications lodged in conjunction with a new gaming machine licence will generally take longer.

Delays can also occur due to:

  • incomplete application forms, including material required for police and credit checks
  • missing or incorrect signatures
  • insufficient information to allow us to identify all associates or executive officers of companies
  • our requests for further information not being actioned in a timely way.

Review a refused application

If your application is refused, you can lodge a request for review with the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT).

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