Special licenses, consents or applications might be required if you sell alcohol, provide food, set up temporary structures or amusement devices at your event.
Alcohol licences for events
If you are holding an event where alcohol will be sold or consumed, then you may require a special licence.
We encourage you to contact our event facilitation team in the first instance to discuss the event’s feasibility and to offer advice and guidance on the next steps to take.
Please note that special licence applications must be lodged a minimum of 20 workings days before the date of your event. For larger events, we recommend lodging your application three to six months in advance to ensure that your special licence is approved in time.
Alcohol-free areas
Some areas in Tauranga have permanent or temporary alcohol bans in place.
Tauranga alcohol-free areas
Private functions
Some private functions may require a special licence. We encourage you to contact our event facilitation team in the first instance, who will be able to offer advice.
Caterers providing alcohol at events
Some caterers are able to provide alcohol at events, depending on the conditions of their licence. We encourage you to contact our event facilitation team in the first instance, who will be able to talk through the details of your event and offer advice.
Food at events
If you are planning to sell food at your event, it is important that you are aware of the changes associated with the Food Act 2014, which came into effect on 1 March 2016. More information on food at events.
Temporary structures at events
If you are having temporary structures at your event, you may need to obtain a building consent or an exemption from a building consent if you are using any of the following:
- marquee over 100m2
- stage over 1.5m high
- scaffold structure that provides access to public or is over 100m2
- grandstand
- portable building over 10m2
- temporary artwork over 6 square meters in surface area and exceeding 3m in height.
Please note that building consents must be lodged a minimum of 20 working days before the date of your event. For events that are having larger or more complex infrastructure, we recommend lodging your application three to six months in advance to ensure that your building consent is granted in time.
Apply for a building consent
Amusement devices at events
Information on operating Amusement devices at events