Licence to serve alcohol (application)
About this form
All businesses looking to serve alcoholic beverages must contact the relevant municipal authority for the application form.
Requirements for the submission of attachments may vary from one municipality to the next. The requirements will be described on each form. It is a good idea to get an overview of the various requirements before you start completing the form. The following are usually required:
Plan drawings of the premises' floor space and functions.
Documentation of passed Alcohol Act knowledge test.
Documentation of passed knowledge test on the Food Services Act.
Documentation of the manager/ deputy manager's connection to the enterprise.
Certificate of registration from the Brønnøysund Register Centre.
Tax certificate.
The licence to serve alcoholic beverages is granted for a maximum period of four years at a time, but not for longer than until 30 June in the year following the year in which a new municipal council takes up office. Processing time on the part of the municipality is estimated to be approximately three months. The licence lapses in the event of an enterprise transfer. The business can nevertheless operate under the previous licence for up to three months, provided that the licensing authorities are informed of this and that a new application is submitted at the soonest opportunity (no later than 30 days from the date of the transfer). This does not apply in the case of compulsory liquidation or death.
Criteria/conditions:
Anyone involved in serving alcoholic beverages must have a licence to serve alcohol. It cannot be granted on its own; a licence to serve food must also exist. A record of good conduct is required.
The licence holder shall appoint a manager and a deputy manager for the establishment. The manager and deputy manager must both have passed the Alcohol Act knowledge test.
Licences are granted on the basis of a discretionary assessment.
Anybody selling, distributing or serving alcoholic beverages containing 22% alcohol or more by volume must be aged 20 or older, and anybody selling, distributing or serving other alcoholic beverages must be aged 18 or older.
Remarks:
Changes to a licence often take place several times during the licence period. Such changes can, for example, take the form of a change of manager and/or deputy manager for the licence, a change of business concept or a change of ownership. Such changes will often require re-approval or a new licence. Notification of changes shall be sent to the municipality, which will make a new decision in the case.
Fee:
There is no application fee, but a licensing fee based on the anticipated volume of alcoholic beverages sold, according to the alcohol regulations §6-1 og § 6-2.
Case processing deadlines:
Processing time on the part of the municipality is estimated to be approximately three months.
Right of appeal:
Decision on the allocation and rejection of applications for municipal sales permits according to Chapter 3 of the Alcohol Act can be appealed to the County Governor, cf. §16-1, first paragraph of the Alcohol Act, in accordance with the Public Administration Act §§ 28 and 29.
Any appeal must be in writing and substantiated. The appeal is to be sent to the licensing authority/the municipality.
