Alcohol regulations in New South Wales

Licences needed

ATO Excise Manufacturer Licence and Still Permission (federal); Liquor & Gaming NSW Producer/Wholesaler Licence (state); Local Council Development Consent (planning approval).

Authority

Liquor & Gaming NSW (state) and Australian Taxation Office (federal).

Documents

Council Development Approval (DA), venue floor plan showing licensed boundaries, Statement of Risks and Potential Effects (SoRPE), National Police Check / ID, Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) and Licensee Training certificates, and ATO factory security / still capacity documentation.

Fees

NSW application fee: $483 total for Producer/Wholesaler licence with micro-brewery and small distilleries authorisation (or $207–$2,760 depending on category/authorisation); base annual fee is $394 (2026 schedule). Federal ATO excise licence is free.

Time to obtain

Typically 3 to 6 months (subject to local council planning approvals and police checks).

Who can import

Any registered commercial business entity with an Australian Business Number (ABN), or a licensed customs broker acting on their behalf.

Licences or registrations

Australian Business Number (ABN), registration with the Australian Border Force (ABF) Integrated Cargo System (ICS), and a NSW Producer/Wholesaler Licence (if selling or distributing wholesale within NSW); ATO customs warehouse licence if holding uncleared goods under bond.

Authority

Australian Border Force (ABF) and Liquor & Gaming NSW.

Documents

Customs Import Declaration, commercial invoice, bill of lading / airway bill, packing list, certificate of origin (for preferential tariff claims), and certificate of age (for rum and whisky).

Fees

No specific liquor import licence fee; ABF Import Declaration processing fees apply (approx. AUD $90 to $200 per sea/air consignment depending on value and electronic lodgement).

Time to obtain

Customs clearance takes 1 to 3 business days upon arrival; obtaining an entity ABN and NSW wholesale licence takes 4 to 8 weeks.

Required: no Process: Australia does not operate a pre-market brand or label registration system (such as US COLA or state excise brand approvals). Importers and producers are self-compliant with the Australia New Zealand Food…

Importer of record must be established in Australia or represented by a licensed customs broker; spirits in containers exceeding 2 litres require written ATO/customs permission to enter the domestic market; aged spirit rule…

Standard customs duty is 5% ad valorem under HS 2208 (reduced to 0% for most countries under Free Trade Agreements) plus a customs duty rate equivalent to the federal excise duty ($110.15 per litre of pure alcohol as of August 2026).

Federal Excise Duty on distilled spirits is $110.15 per litre of alcohol (LAL) effective 3 August 2026 (indexed biannually in February and August based on CPI). Eligible Australian manufacturers receive an Alcohol Manufacturers…

Private retail system (no government retail monopoly). Off-premises retail is conducted through private packaged liquor stores (bottle shops) holding a Packaged Liquor Licence. On-premises retail is conducted by hotels, pubs,…

Allowed but heavily restricted under NSW Liquor Act 2007 (Division 1B). Same-day delivery requires strict online age verification at checkout, standard delivery hours capped between 9:00 am and midnight (11:00 pm on Sunday),…

Must comply with Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code: English language; product name and legal designation; name and business address of Australian/NZ importer or manufacturer; lot/batch identification; country of origin…

Regulated under national co-regulation via the ABAC Responsible Alcohol Marketing Code and AANA standards, prohibiting advertisements directed at minors, depicting dangerous consumption, or associating alcohol with…

Defined under FSANZ Standard 2.7.5: Spirit must contain no less than 37.0% ABV (including whisky, vodka, gin, rum, and tequila). Brandy must be derived from distilled grape wine and contain no less than 37.0% ABV. Liqueur must…

Dry areas exist at local council level across NSW: local councils designate public roads and footpaths as 'Alcohol-Free Zones' (AFZs) and public parks/reserves as 'Alcohol Prohibited Areas' (APAs) under the NSW Local Government…

NSW Vibrancy Reforms (Tranches passed 2023–2025 and implemented through 2026) streamlined liquor licence applications by removing 30-day pre-lodgement notices, eliminated temporary outdoor space renewal fees, allowed venues to…

While Australia's excise tax is among the highest globally, New South Wales boasts a highly sophisticated consumer market with substantial premiumization demand for bespoke, aged, and craft spirits. International exporters…

1. Liquor & Gaming NSW - Liquor Fee Schedule 2026
2. Liquor & Gaming NSW - Producer Wholesaler Licences
3. Liquor & Gaming NSW - Vibrancy Reforms Overview
4. Australian Taxation Office - Excise Duty Rates for Alcohol (August 2026)
5. NSW Legislation - Liquor Act 2007 (Division 1B Same Day Deliveries)
6. Food Standards Australia New Zealand - Standard 2.7.5 Spirits