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Your responsibilities as a manager

As well as renewing your manager's certificate before it expires, there are legal requirements you must meet as a manager of a licensed premises.

You must follow your licence and the law when you're on duty

When you are the manager on duty you are responsible for making sure that the premises follows the conditions of its licence and the requirements of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012.

Read the conditions on the licence and make sure that you follow them.

 

Fact sheet for managers

(136KB PDF)

Key rules to follow under the Act

  • Only sell alcohol to people who are 18 or older
  • Don’t let people get intoxicated
  • Don’t sell alcohol to people who are intoxicated
  • Don’t let people who are intoxicated on the premises
  • Only sell alcohol to people during your licensed hours
  • Don’t drink or let staff drink while on duty
  • Don’t serve spirits in vessels bigger than 500ml
  • Don’t allow disorderly conduct on the premises
  • Don’t let minors into restricted (R18) areas, or into supervised areas unless they are with a parent or legal guardian
  • Promote alcohol responsibly

Principles of host responsibility

A responsible host:

  1. prevents intoxication
  2. does not serve alcohol to minors
  3. provides and actively promotes low-alcohol and non-alcohol alternatives
  4. provides and actively promotes substantial food
  5. serves alcohol responsibly or not at all
  6. arranges safe transport options.

Police and Licensing Inspectors can inspect your premises. If you’re not doing what your licence or the law says, they can take action against you personally. Your manager’s certificate could be suspended or cancelled and you could get a fine.

Display your name when you are on duty

If you are the manager on duty, you must make sure that your name is displayed on a sign at the principal entrance to the premises. If you don’t do this, you could be fined.

Keep a manager’s register and tell the DLC/Police about any changes

If your employer appoints a new, acting or temporary manager, or if they terminate a manager’s appointment, they have to tell us within 2 working days. You may be asked to do this. You should log this appointment in your manager’s register.

Appointing managers

If you have changed jobs and your manager’s certificate needs to be renewed, you need to apply to the council that covers the area where you are working.

Tell us if you change address

You need to tell us if you change your address. You also need to let us know if your right to work in New Zealand changes – for example, if you get a new visa or if your visa is withdrawn.

Need help?

You can phone or email an alcohol licensing inspector. They're available Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm.

Alcohol Licensing 
Phone: 04 801 3760
Email: secretaryDLC@wcc.govt.nz