New Issue

Pursuant to regulation 17(2) of the Dutiable Commodities (Liquor) Regulations, Cap 109B, the Liquor Licensing Board shall not grant a liquor licence unless it is satisfied:

• that the applicant is a fit and proper person to hold the licence;
• that the premises to which the application relates are suitable for selling or supplying intoxicating liquor, having regard to (i) the location and structure of the premises; and (ii) the fire safety and hygienic conditions in the premises; and
• that in all the circumstances the grant of the licence is not contrary to the public interest.

In general, the Liquor Licensing Board considers applications for liquor licences if the premises to which the applications relate are licensed general/light refreshment/marine restaurants (full or provisional), or likely to be licensed or provisionally licensed by the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene. A liquor licence will be issued when the premises have been issued with a restaurant licence or a provisional restaurant licence.

For club liquor licence applications, a liquor licence will only be issued if the premises concerned are issued with a Certificate of Compliance or an Exclusion Order by the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs under the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance (Cap. 376).

The Liquor Licensing Board will also consider applications for liquor licence in respect of premises other than the afore-mentioned. For such premises not under application for or not covered by a valid restaurant licence or Certificate of Compliance, the Liquor Licensing Board will, in addition to consulting the Hong Kong Police Force and Home Affairs Department, also consult concerned departments such as Planning Department, Buildings Department / Independent Checking Unit under the Office of the Permanent Secretary for Housing / Architectural Services Department, Fire Services Department and Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, in regard to the location, structure, fire safety and hygienic conditions of the premises under application. The processing time of such liquor licence applications will be longer.

Licence Renewal

Under the prevailing policy, the Liquor Licensing Board ("the Board") will consider the liquor-licensed premises with a good track record for at least two consecutive years immediately before the liquor licence renewal application for licence renewal for two years.

By "good track record", the liquor-licensed premises should meet the following criteria:

• there is no substantiated complaint/enforcement action recorded against the licensed premises or the licensees in the licences register for at least two consecutive years immediately before the renewal application;
• the premises had been granted a liquor licence of at least one year at the time when the licence was last approved or renewed; and
• the licence renewal application is not the subject of objection or adverse comment from the public.