Do cafés and restaurants need to register for ACT portable long service leave (hospitality / beauty)?
A computed answer from the Rules Mate applicability engine, with the exact condition, the outcome for every structure and size, and the primary source.
Short answer: Depends
It depends on structure and size. Yes for any structure with 1–5 employees, 6–19 employees, 20–99 employees, 100–499 employees or 500+ employees; no below that size.
The obligation in brief
Register for ACT portable long service leave (hospitality / beauty). From 1 January 2027 (deferred from 1 July 2026), the ACT extends its portable Long Service Leave scheme to cover hospitality (cafés, restaurants, accommodation) and hair and beauty industries. Employers must register, pay quarterly levies, and lodge returns.
Trigger: Employing workers in covered industries from 1 July 2026.
Why cafés & restaurants get a different answer
Rules Mate runs its applicability engine across 9 business structures and 6 size bands for each of the 35 industries it maps. For 33 of those industries the answer for "Register for ACT portable long service leave (hospitality / beauty)" is no. Cafés & restaurants is one of the 2 where the answer is different: depends.
The deciding fact for cafés and restaurants: You have employees (6–19) · Industry: Cafés & restaurants.
About the industry: Food service businesses covered by the Hospitality Industry (General) Award 2020 and food safety standards.
Compare a professional services (general) business with 6–19 employees structured as a Pty Ltd company: the obligation does not apply (Requires employees and industry: Cafés & restaurants / Hotels, pubs & licensed venues).
Answer by business structure and size
Each cell is the engine's outcome for a business in cafés & restaurants with that structure and size, assuming it sells to consumers and small businesses and holds customer contact details. "Check" means the obligation turns on a fact the industry does not settle.
| Structure | No employees | 1–5 employees | 6–19 employees | 20–99 employees | 100–499 employees | 500+ employees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sole trader | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Partnership | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Trust | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pty Ltd company | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Public company | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Not-for-profit (unregistered) | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Registered charity | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Super fund | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Foreign company | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
What the obligation requires
- When due
- Registration from commencement; quarterly returns and levies.
- Evidence to keep
- Registration confirmation, quarterly returns, payment records.
- Maximum penalty
- Civil penalties + payment of levies in arrears with interest
- Regulator
- WorkSafe ACT
- Jurisdiction
- ACT only
Other obligations where cafés & restaurants differ from the norm
- Franchising Code of Conduct (mandatory industry code): Only if
- Hold valid liquor licence (state liquor licensing): Only if
- Appoint a certified Food Safety Supervisor (FSS): Yes
- Comply with Plain English Allergen Labelling (PEAL): Only if
- Comply with Retail Leases Act 1994 (NSW): Only if
- Comply with Retail Leases Act 2003 (VIC): Only if
- All 12 answers for cafés & restaurants
Other industries with a non-default answer
Questions
- Do cafés and restaurants need to register for ACT portable long service leave (hospitality / beauty)?
- It depends on structure and size. Yes for any structure with 1–5 employees, 6–19 employees, 20–99 employees, 100–499 employees or 500+ employees; no below that size.
- Is the answer the same for every industry?
- No. For 33 of the 35 industries Rules Mate maps, the answer is no. Cafés & restaurants is one of 2 industries with a different answer.
Related
Sources
Computed by the Rules Mate applicability engine from the published obligation corpus; facts last checked 3 October 2026. Rules Mate is not a law firm and this is general information, not legal advice. Confirm your position with the regulator source or a qualified adviser before acting.