Who it's for
A police objection to a liquor licence in Victoria can feel like the end of the road. It isn't. Liquor Control Victoria (LCV) still decides the application, and the objection is answered with a written submission and, often, conditions agreed with police.
- Police have objected to your new licence application
- Police want crowd controllers, earlier closing or a lower capacity on your variation
- Police have questioned the buyer's suitability on a licence transfer
- You've been asked to accept conditions and don't know what they cost you
Not you? If residents or council objected, see objections to your application. If you haven't applied yet, start with changing your liquor licence.
What to do first
Don't treat it as a refusal. Your application is still alive.
Don't agree to conditions over the phone. Conditions go on your licence and stay there. Ask for them in writing and work out what each one costs you per week.
Don't fire back. A calm, specific response does more than an angry one. Send us the objection as soon as it arrives.
Victoria Police liquor licence conditions
Crowd controllers are typically tied to music above background level or late trading, and they are a large running cost. Often there is a better answer. If the concern is amenity, such as noise reaching neighbours, a noise limiter condition deals with it more directly. If the concern is one part of the venue, the condition can be limited to that part. Planning late hours? Read about late night licences and how LCV works out patron capacity.
Police objection to a licence variation
On a variation, the question for LCV is the change, not the whole licence again. If you're asking for an extra hour or more patrons, harm and amenity are assessed against that change, and we answer on that basis.
An objection is not a refusal. LCV decides the application, after hearing your response.
Crowd controllers aren't the only answer. Where the concern is amenity, a noise limiter often deals with it better.
How it works
We deal with police directly, then put the agreed position to LCV.
- Read the objection We work out exactly what police object to: hours, capacity, one area, or the people involved.
- Talk to local police We contact the licensing officers directly to understand the concern.
- Propose conditions that fit Conditions aimed at the real risk, such as a noise limiter or controls for one area only.
- Put it in writing and manage it We prepare the submission to LCV, you approve it, and we stay the contact point until a decision.
Speak with Jacob
Principal. Twelve years running venues and working inside local government.
The first conversation is free.
Book a 15-minute call(03) 7064 8477We reply within 24 hours.
Fees and timing
The fee is fixed before we start. An objection adds time, and how much depends on police and LCV.
- First call
- Free, 15 minutes
- Our fee
- Fixed fee, quoted before we start
- Without objections
- Around 12 weeks from lodgement for a straightforward new licence
- With a police objection
- Longer; depends on how quickly terms are agreed and LCV's workload
What we need from you
If we lodged your application, we already hold most of this.
- The objection and any LCV correspondence
- Your application and red line plan
- Your current licence and conditions, for a variation or transfer
- How you trade: hours, capacity, music, security
- Any incidents police might raise
Questions
Can police object to my liquor licence?
Yes. Victoria Police can object to new licences, to variations such as longer hours or more patrons, and to a buyer's suitability on a transfer. Council and members of the public can object too. An objection doesn't decide anything. LCV makes the decision after considering both sides, which is why your written response, and the conditions you offer, matter so much.
What happens after a police objection?
You get to answer it before LCV decides. The answer is a written submission explaining how the concern is dealt with, often with conditions police have agreed to. Most of the work happens before that, in talking to local licensing officers about what actually worries them. The application then continues to a decision, usually later than it would have without the objection.
Can I negotiate the conditions police want?
Yes, and you usually should. Police often start with standard conditions that may not fit your venue. Each can be discussed: whether it covers the whole venue or one area, what hours it applies to, and whether another control answers the same risk. A noise limiter can sometimes replace crowd controllers where the concern is amenity. Never accept a condition before you know its cost.
Will a police objection stop my licence?
Not on its own. LCV must weigh the concerns police raise, and the outcome depends on how well they are answered. Many objections end with agreed conditions rather than a refusal. We can't promise a result, but we deal with police early and directly, and make sure LCV sees a clear, factual response and conditions your venue can trade with.