Temporary Authority
Temporary Authority
If you are considering taking over an existing business that still holds a licence to sell alcohol, you should be aware of the legal requirements
for the sale and supply of alcohol. You could apply for a
Temporary Authority to be able to continue to sell alcohol.
What is a Temporary Authority?
If a premises has a current on-licence or off-licence, you can apply for a Temporary Authority to allow you to trade on the existing licence and its conditions, until you obtain a new licence in your own name. A Temporary Authority is normally issued for three months and during this time you need to apply for your own licence.
For a Temporary Authority to be issued, the existing licence needs to be current, so any annual licence fees that are due must be paid and the licence must not be surrendered by the existing licensee.
The sale of alcohol cannot occur until the Temporary Authority has been issued, so lodge the application as early as possible before the takeover date. This allows the Inspector and Police to enquire into the application, and reports to be done for the District Licensing Committee to be able to make their decision.
