Liquor licensing trading hours by state — hotel, on-premises and packaged compared
General trading hours, late-night extensions and packaged-liquor cut-offs vary across NSW, VIC, QLD, WA, SA, TAS, ACT and NT. Compare standard hotel hours, packaged liquor windows and lockout rules with cited regulators.
Liquor trading hours are set under each state's Liquor Act and administered by a different regulator in every jurisdiction. The headline framework is the same — a default "standard trading period" for the main hotel/on-premises category, with extended-trading authorisations available on application and tighter packaged-liquor cut-offs.
The values in this matrix reflect the general trading period that applies to the dominant on-licence/hotel category — not the extensions a venue may have negotiated. A specific venue can have approved hours that vary substantially. Always check the venue's licence on the regulator's public register before relying on a trading-hour cell.
Several state regimes still carry late-night lockout, plan-of-management or freeze-zone overlays — most notably in CBD entertainment precincts (Sydney CBD, Brisbane Safe Night Precincts, parts of Perth) and in declared dry areas (large parts of Central Australia under NT laws). These overlays are administered separately and can override the general trading hours shown here.
For the plain-English explainer, see our companion guide: Liquor licensing trading hours in Australia.
Comparison matrix
Click any column header to sort.
Standard trading period — hotel/on-premises (general) Default hours for the main hotel/on-premises category. Individual venues may have approved extensions. | 5am-midnight Mon-Sat; 10am-10pm Sun (hotel) Liquor & Gaming NSW | 7am-11pm (auto-extension to 1am from 15 Mar 2022 for many categories) VGCCC | 10am-midnight ordinary; up to 3am with extended-hours approval; 5am in Safe Night Precincts Business Qld | Varies by licence; verify with DLGSC DLGSC WA | Varies by licence; verify with CBS SA CBS SA | Varies by licence; verify with Liquor & Gaming Tasmania Liquor Tas | Varies by licence (general 7am-midnight); verify with Access Canberra Access Canberra | Varies by authority (restaurant authority 10am-midnight); verify with NT Licensing NT Licensing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Standard trading period — packaged liquor (off-licence/bottle shop) Packaged-liquor cut-offs are generally tighter than on-premises. | 5am-11pm Mon-Sat; 10am-10pm Sun Liquor & Gaming NSW | 9am-11pm (packaged liquor) Liquor Control Vic | 10am-10pm (standard packaged-liquor approval) Business Qld | 8am-10pm Mon-Sat; 10am-10pm Sun (typical) DLGSC WA | Verify with CBS SA — typically 8am-9pm Mon-Sat; 11am-8pm Sun CBS SA | Verify with Liquor & Gaming Tasmania Liquor Tas | Verify with Access Canberra Access Canberra | Verify with NT Licensing — minimum statewide floor price (FAP) applies NT Licensing |
Late-night extension available? Whether the licence framework allows approved trading past midnight on application. | Yes — extended trading authorisation; 6-hour closure period required Liquor & Gaming NSW | Yes — up to 3am or 24-hour with VGCCC approval VGCCC | Yes — up to 3am permanent; 5am temporary; Safe Night Precinct limits apply OLGR Qld | Yes — extended-trading permits available DLGSC WA | Yes — extended-trading authorisation available CBS SA | Yes — extended-hours licence available Liquor Tas | Yes — extended trading permitted with authorisation Access Canberra | Yes — late-night extensions available NT Licensing |
Lockout / freeze-zone rules in CBD/precincts | Sydney CBD lockout lifted (Kings Cross retained until 2021); Vibrancy Reforms apply Liquor & Gaming NSW | No statewide lockout; venue-specific conditions may apply VGCCC | Safe Night Precincts — 3am last drinks (5am for venues with extended hours) Business Qld | Northbridge/Perth/Fremantle entertainment precincts have conditions DLGSC WA | Adelaide late-night code of practice CBS SA | No statewide lockout Liquor Tas | No statewide lockout Access Canberra | Banned Drinker Register + dry area restrictions; PALI presence at bottle shops NT Licensing |
Administering regulator | Liquor & Gaming NSW Liquor & Gaming NSW | Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) / Liquor Control Victoria VGCCC | Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation (OLGR) OLGR Qld | Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries (DLGSC) DLGSC WA | Consumer and Business Services SA CBS SA | Liquor and Gaming Branch (Treasury) Treasury Tas | Access Canberra (Liquor) Access Canberra | NT Liquor Licensing (Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade) NT Licensing |
Governing Act | Liquor Act 2007 (NSW) NSW Legislation | Liquor Control Reform Act 1998 (Vic) Vic Legislation | Liquor Act 1992 (Qld) Qld Legislation | Liquor Control Act 1988 (WA) WA Legislation | Liquor Licensing Act 1997 (SA) SA Legislation | Liquor Licensing Act 1990 (Tas) Tas Legislation | Liquor Act 2010 (ACT) ACT Legislation | Liquor Act 2019 (NT) NT Legislation |
Every cell links to the cited source. Rules Mate links and summarises — it does not reproduce statutory text. Confirm with the cited regulator before relying on any cell.
Frequently asked
What are 'standard trading hours' on a liquor licence?
The default trading window set by the relevant Liquor Act for the licence category. A venue's licence may have approved hours that vary substantially from the standard — extended trading is often available on application, and tighter conditions are imposed in some entertainment precincts. Always check the venue's specific licence conditions on the regulator's public register.
Is there still a Sydney lockout?
Not in the Sydney CBD. The 2014-introduced 1.30am lockout was progressively wound back from 2020 in the CBD and Kings Cross had its lockout lifted in 2021. The NSW Vibrancy Reforms have replaced lockouts with venue-specific conditions and a 6-hour closure period that still applies to all licences.
Why does Queensland have different hours in 'Safe Night Precincts'?
Brisbane CBD, Fortitude Valley and a number of regional entertainment precincts are designated Safe Night Precincts under the Liquor Act 1992 (Qld). Venues in those precincts can trade up to 3am or 5am with approval but face additional conditions including ID-scanning at certain hours and restrictions on high-strength drinks after 1am.
Does the NT really have minimum alcohol pricing?
Yes. The Northern Territory has a statewide minimum unit price ("Floor Price") on packaged liquor — about $1.30 per standard drink. It is the only Australian jurisdiction with a statewide minimum price. NT also operates the Banned Drinker Register and stations Police Auxiliary Liquor Inspectors at bottle shops in many communities.
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