Your approved trading hours are set out on your liquor licence. If you want to trade outside them, Queensland has separate paths for a permanent change and for a one-off occasion. We help licensees work out which application suits their plans and gather the venue and proposal information it needs. Eligibility and approval are decided by OLGR.
Permanent or one-off: start with how often you need it
A permanent change suits a regular trading pattern. If approved, the new hours are endorsed on your licence. A one-off extension covers a specific occasion or event.
Queensland also offers a weekend-only extended trading option for most licensees, which can suit venues whose late or early demand is limited to weekends.
Limits depend on your licence and venue
What you can apply for is not the same for every venue. Late-night limits differ for restaurants and cafes, most other licensees, safe night precinct venues and certain special facilities. Trading before 10am generally requires you to demonstrate a need, and community other licensees are excluded from several options. We help you check which options apply before you prepare an application.
One-off extensions have their own conditions
One-off trading between midnight and 5am is only available when an independent third party, not the licensee, owner or occupier, wants to celebrate a special occasion at your venue. OLGR's Guideline 68 explains what counts as a reasonable time around the occasion and when you don't need to submit evidence of the third party's request.
The caps on dates also differ. Late-night one-off dates are capped each calendar year and limited each month. One-off dates before 10am have a separate cap over any one-year period. All one-off applications must be lodged a minimum period before the occasion, and late applications are not processed, so it pays to plan early.
How hours connect to your RAMP
Ongoing extended trading hours are on the list of applications that need a risk-assessed management plan (RAMP). Maximum operating hours are also one of the topics a RAMP must address, so your plan and your proposed hours need to line up. If your plans also involve more space or a different licence condition, see our licence changes page.
Information we help you gather
- Your licence type and current approved hours
- The days and times you want, and why
- Whether the need is recurring or tied to a specific occasion, and who is hosting it
- How you will manage service, security, food and noise during the extra hours
- For early trading, what shows a genuine need
Frequently Asked Questions
Do restaurants and cafes have different late-night limits?
Yes. Queensland guidance sets a separate permanent late-night limit for restaurants and cafes, which differs from the limit for most other licensees. We can check what applies to your licence before you apply.
Can I apply for extended hours on weekends only?
Yes, Queensland offers a weekend-only extended trading option, except for community other licensees. Annual fees for extended trading are lower for weekend-only trade.
How far ahead should I apply for a one-off extension?
OLGR sets a minimum lodgement period before the occasion, listed on Business Queensland's temporary trading hours page, and does not process late applications. Contact us as early as you can once the date is known.
Can I reduce my extended hours later?
Yes, there is an application to reduce extended trading hours, and there is no fee to reduce them. If you want them back later, you will need to reapply.