Special Event Liquor Licence and How To Get One

Special Event liquor licence: Summer is in full swing and it’s the season for outdoor events and parties. Many charities take advantage of the good weather and long days to hold fund-raising events. If you are planning an event for your cause, make sure you stay within the law and obtain all the necessary  liquor licence permits.

Special Event Liquor Licence

If you are planning to sell alcohol at your event, you must apply for a Special Event Liquor Licence. Failure to do so could result in fines or penalties and certainly wouldn’t do the reputation of your organisation any good.

What counts as a ‘Special Event’?

The Western Cape Liquor Act 2008 (as amended) defines a ‘special event’ as any fundraising event in aid of an educational or welfare organisation or any exhibition, sports meeting, cultural gathering, or artistic performance. So if you hold a braai at your home and decide to charge your friends for drinks, that would not be classed as a ‘special event’!

How do you apply for a Special Event  Liquor Licence?

The Western Cape Liquor Authority (WCLA) has strict processes in place to ensure that the right to sell liquor is not abused. Anyone applying for a liquor licence, whether ‘on consumption’, ‘off consumption’, or ‘special event’, must provide the WCLA with the requisite documentation and comply with certain deadlines. It is important to ensure your submission is error-free or you may have to start again. It’s a good idea to seek the assistance of an experienced professional like SD Law & Associates to make sure you get it right first time.

The process

You must apply at least 14 days in advance of your event. You will need to obtain Form 12 and Form 13 from the WCLA (or from SD Law). The following documents are required to accompany your application:

• • Certified copy of your identity document
  • Proof of payment of application fee (R150 per day)
  • Written motivation in support of the application
  • Plan of the premises clearly indicating in colour the area to be licensed
  • Site plan
  • Description of the premises
  • Colour photographs of the premises
  • Motivations in support of your application
  • Proof of right of occupation of the premises

If you are applying on behalf of a company, CC, trust or organisation, you need to include a special resolution authorising you as an individual (a ‘natural person’ in legal terms) to apply and indicating who will act as manager for the event.

Applications cannot be emailed or faxed. They must be posted or hand-delivered to the WCLA offices in Belville, to arrive by 14h00 on the last Friday of the month. They must also be submitted at the same time to the Designated Liquor Officer (DLO) for the area.

Once your application has been received and assessed, the DLO or an inspector from the WCLA will send you a report, and you will have five days to respond. Provided everything is in order, your licence will be granted.

Let SD Law take the strain

Understandably, there is a lot of administration involved in the application for and granting of liquor licences. Without reasonable regulation, alcohol can be a dangerous substance. Responsible sale and consumption will ensure an enjoyable and successful event. Let Cape Town law firm SD Law & Associates handle the paperwork of your liquor licence while you concentrate on planning your big day.

Contact Cape Town attorney or call 087 550 2740 today to guarantee your function goes off without a hitch!

For more information visit wcla.gov.za/application-process or www.westerncape.gov.za/

Simon Dippenaar

https://www.sdlaw.co.za

Cape Town attorney Simon Dippenaar has a BBusSc LLB degree and Professional Diploma in Legal Practice from the University of Cape Town, and is an admitted attorney of the High Court of South Africa. He is the founder and director of private legal practice, Simon Dippenaar & Associates, with offices in Cape Town and Gauteng representing South African and international clients.

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