Apply for outdoor dining approval

The NSW Government is continuing fast-track outdoor dining approvals for licensed premises.

If eligible, your food and beverage business can apply for a fast-track process to extend the liquor licence boundary and include new outdoor dining space.

New types of land, such as carparks and bowling greens, are now eligible for a fast-track temporary alfresco dining approval until 31 December 2023.

With the dining approval your venue can include outdoor spaces such as footpaths, roads and other private or public land.

You can apply for a fast-track outdoor dining approval if you own an existing NSW food and beverage venue, such as a café, restaurant, small bar, pub or registered club that:

• does not currently trade outdoors
• has an existing permit to trade outdoors and you want to extend the outdoor dining area.

If you're wanting to establish, modify or extend an outdoor dining area, you may be eligible for the fast-track application process.

There are 2 pathways to applying. The one you use is determined by the type of land you wish to use for outdoor dining:

Pathway 1 – outdoor dining on footpaths and roads

For this type of outdoor dining, you'll need to:

1. Get local council approval for the use of the land for outdoor dining.
2. When you receive approval your council will provide you with a 'Liquor licence temporary change of boundaries - footpaths and roads' form.
3. Complete the form and return it to your local council.
4. Allow 3 days for your permit to be approved by Liquor & Gaming NSW.

Your council will send the form to Liquor & Gaming NSW on your behalf. 

Pathway 2 – outdoor dining on other types of land

Other types of land include private and public land such as bowling greens and carparks adjacent to licensed premises.

Under the Government's outdoor dining measures, in most instances you will not need council approval for outdoor dining. If you're unsure, contact your local council.

For this type of outdoor dining, you'll need to have the landholder's consent to use the land for outdoor dining, then:

1. Complete and submit the Liquor licence temporary change of boundaries – outdoor land excluding footpaths and roads – PDF form.
2. Allow 10 days for your permit to be approved by Liquor & Gaming NSW.

Making your temporary boundary change permanent

Venues that have been operating with the temporary boundary change liquor licence for 12 months or more (excluding any COVID-19 lockdown periods) may be eligible to apply for fast-track process to make your temporary boundary change permanent.

There is no application fee for the temporary change of liquor licence boundary.

There is no application fee for the temporary change of liquor licence boundary, however your council may charge a fee for your temporary outdoor dining permit.