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Who it's for
In Victoria, you need a late night liquor licence to trade after 1am. It comes in general, on-premises and packaged versions, to match a pub, a bar or a bottle shop. Liquor Control Victoria (LCV) decides the application, and Victoria Police and the council can object. Whether a late night licence is possible depends a lot on the address, so we start there. If you haven't signed a lease, a site check answers that before you commit.
- You run a bar or pub and want to trade past 1am.
- You're opening a venue built around late trade.
- You run a bottle shop and want to sell after 1am.
Not you? Closing later but before 1am? See later trading hours. Buying a venue with a late night licence? See licence transfers.
Check the address before the lease. Some inner-Melbourne areas have had restrictions on new late night licences. Find out before you commit to a site.
The late night licence freeze: can you get one in Melbourne?
Some inner-Melbourne council areas have had restrictions on new late night licences, often called the late night licence freeze. Whether it affects you depends on the exact address and what applies when you lodge, and that can change. So we check the address every time, before you spend money. Elsewhere, including regional Victoria, the question is whether the venue can manage late trade without harm or disturbance.
Why your planning permit matters more after 1am
Since Amendment VC286 took effect on 1 July 2025, you don't need a planning permit to sell liquor. But your venue's use may still need a permit in its zone, and a binding hours condition can stop late trade even with a late night licence. If live music is part of the plan, clause 53.06 (the "agent of change" rules) and EPA noise rules apply too. We check your permit conditions and the live music position first.
What police, council and LCV look at
They want to see how the venue runs in the early hours: who's on the door, how noise is controlled and how people leave. Crowd controllers are typically tied to music above background level and late trading. Where noise for neighbours is the concern, a noise limiter is often a better answer than more crowd controllers. We negotiate these conditions directly, as we did with police for an alpine hotel.
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How it works
Address first. If the answer is no, you find out before you've paid for anything.
- Address check On a free 15-minute call we look at the address, zone and permit, and tell you if a late night licence isn't realistic.
- Fixed fee and online form If it's worth pursuing, we fix the fee. You complete our online form and upload documents.
- We prepare, you approve We prepare the application, red line plan and a venue management plan. You review and sign off.
- We lodge and manage it New licence applications are lodged within 10 business days of receiving your documents. We manage the public notice and any objections through to a decision.
Fees and timing
Our fee is fixed before we start. LCV's fees are separate, and trading hours are one of the things that set them.
- Address check
- Free 15-minute call
- Our fee
- Fixed fee, quoted before we start
- LCV fees
- Set in fee units, changing every 1 July; later hours are a risk factor
- Timeframe
- Around 12 weeks from lodgement for a straightforward new licence with no objections; objections add time
What we need from you
You upload these through your client portal, from any device.
- The address, and your lease or draft lease
- Your planning permit and endorsed plans
- The hours you want, night by night
- Your plans for security, music and noise
- New entrant training and RSA (Responsible Service of Alcohol) certificates for the licensee and nominee
Questions
Do I need a late night licence to trade after 1am?
Yes, in Victoria selling or serving liquor after 1am needs a late night licence. There are general, on-premises and packaged versions, matching pubs, bars and bottle shops. If you only want to close later but still before 1am, such as midnight instead of 11pm, that's usually an hours variation on your existing licence instead. We can tell you which applies on a free 15-minute call.
Can I get a late night licence in Melbourne?
Possibly, but it depends on the address. Some inner-Melbourne council areas have had restrictions on new late night licences, so the first step is checking whether your site is affected. Where a licence is possible, LCV looks at how you'll manage security, noise and patrons leaving, and police and council can object. Your planning permit also needs to allow the use and hours.
How long does a late night licence take?
There's no fixed time, and nobody can promise a decision date. A straightforward new licence takes around 12 weeks from lodgement when documents are complete and nobody objects. Most new licences are advertised for 28 days, and objections from police, council or neighbours add time while they're answered. We lodge new applications within 10 business days of receiving your documents.
What conditions come with a late night licence?
Conditions are set for each venue, so they vary. Crowd controllers are typically required where there's music above background level or late trading. Some licences also require security cameras covering entrances, bars and dance floors. Where noise is the concern, a noise limiter is often a better answer than more crowd controllers, and we negotiate for conditions your venue can work with.