Sale & supply of alcohol

As Monday 27 January 2025 is Auckland Anniversary Day, the following court locations will be closed (including High Courts and National Office functions):

Kaitāia, Kaikohe, Whangārei, North Shore, Waitākere, Auckland, Manukau, Papakura, Pukekohe, Huntly, Hamilton, Morrinsville, Tokoroa, Te Awamutu, Te Kūiti, Thames, Waihi, Tauranga, Whakatāne, Ōpōtiki, Rotorua, Taupō, Taumarunui, Ruatōria, Gisborne and Auckland Specialist Courts and Tribunals Centre (this includes the Northern Tribunals Unit, as well as the Auckland office for the Environment and Employment Courts). Any questions, call our Contact Centre.

We administer legislation regulating the sale and supply of alcohol and provide advice to the Government on policy relating to alcohol-related offending and crime prevention.

The Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 aims to improve New Zealand's drinking culture and reduce the harm caused by excessive drinking. It replaced the Sale of Liquor Act 1989.

Key features of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act

increasing the ability of communities to have a say about alcohol licensing in their local area
allowing local-level decision-making for all licence applications
requiring the consent of a parent or guardian before supplying alcohol to a minor
requiring anyone who supplies alcohol to under 18-year-olds to do so responsibly
strengthening the rules around the types of stores allowed to sell alcohol
introducing maximum default trading hours for licensed premises
restricting supermarket and grocery store alcohol displays to a single area.

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This page was last updated: 13th December 2024