Capacity for licensed venues

Capacity is the maximum number of people you intend to allow on the licensed premises at any one time, not the maximum capacity of the building.

It’s also important to note that premises means the entire licensed area, not just the building.

When deciding the capacity you should consider any outdoor areas - eg gardens, lawns or ovals - which will form part of the licensed premises, particularly if you intend to have outdoor events such as football games and other sporting events, weddings, concerts and festivals.

Be aware that you can't have more people on your premises at any one time than what is stated on your liquor licence and you still need to comply with any conditions on any planning and development permits or approvals, local laws and planning schemes.

The capacity of your licensed venue may affect your annual fees.

Setting capacity

When applying for a licence, or making an application to increase the capacity of a venue, you need to provide a capacity assessment as part of your application. A capacity assessment can be obtained from:

  • the council
  • a private certifier
  • a registered architect.

Capacity doesn't include:

  • areas approved under section 69 of the Liquor Licensing Act 1997 (extension of trading area)
  • areas accessible only to residents of the licensed premises, such as bedrooms and other accommodation areas.

Contact CBS Liquor and Gaming

Email: liquorandgaming@sa.gov.au

Phone: 131 882

Post:
GPO Box 2169
Adelaide SA 5001


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Page last updated 30 November 2022

Provided by:
Attorney-General's Department
URL:
https://www.sa.gov.au/topics/business-and-trade/liquor/running-a-licensed-venue/capacity-for-licensed-venues
Last Updated:
30/11/22
Printed on:
19/04/24
Copyright statement:
SA.GOV.AU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Licence. © Copyright 2024
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