Application assessment process

Reporting agencies

The reporting agencies are the other parties who are able to comment and oppose alcohol licence applications. They include:

• New Zealand Police
• Lakes DHB Medical Officer of Health (usually their representative)
• Taupō District Council Alcohol Licence Inspector(s)

These agencies may oppose an alcohol licence application for a number of reasons. If an agency opposes your application, you will be notified.

Common reasons for oppositions include (but are not limited to):

• Lack of information in applications or poorly put together applications
• The potential impact on the amenity and good order of the location in which the premises is based
• The potential social impact of the application in its location.
• The history of the operator and any compliance issues
• Applicant suitability in relation to other legal obligations or conviction history.

For more information see objections

Publicly notify your application

You’re required to publicly notify your new or renewal application for an on-licence, off-licence or club-licence. There is a prescribed format you need to follow for these public notices, and instructions are provided after submitting an application.

If you've applied for a special licence, you may be asked to publicly notify the event if it is deemed in the public interest.

Copies of your published public notices will need to be sent to the DLC secretary at businesssupport@taupo.govt.nz in order to progress your application.

Public notice requirements for new licences:

When you apply for a new on-licence, off-licence or club-licence, you need to run public notices in two places - a local newspaper and your premises:

• Local newspaper: applicants must place the public notice in a local newspaper twice, at least 5 days apart, but no more than 10 days apart.
• Display on your premises: applicants must display a public notice at the front of your proposed premises for at least 10 days after the first newspaper publication.

Public notice requirements for licence renewals:

When you apply to renew an alcohol licence, what you need to do will depend on what is being renewed but it's typically:

• Displayed on our alcohol public notices page for a period of 25 working days (the objector period)
• Displayed as a notice on your premises for at least 10 days
• In addition, if you are wanting to make changes to your licence conditions in your renewal application, we may require you to advertise in a local newspaper in the same way as a new application.