Overview of the eligibility requirements
There are incentives for venues that host live music or performance. These incentives reduce certain liquor licence fees and can extend trading hours.
Changes from 15 March 2026
- Event times: Eligible performances may be held after 6pm on weekdays, and after 12 noon on weekends, for at least 45 minutes.
- Number of performances: Live music venues in metropolitan areas must host at least 10 live music performances per month. Live music venues in regional areas must host at least 104 live music performances per year.
- Recordkeeping: Liquor & Gaming NSW (L&GNSW) may request evidence that the minimum performance requirements have been met before the fee discount is applied.
A webinar explains the changes in more detail.
Venue categories and incentives
To access these incentives, your venue must be one or more of the following:
- a live music venue
- a live performance venue
- a participating venue in a Special Entertainment Precinct (SEP).
If your venue meets the eligibility criteria and is approved by L&GNSW, it will appear on the published list of venues.
Approved venues may access incentives, including an 80% reduction on annual liquor licence fees and extended trading, subject to criteria being met.
Eligibility for live music venues
To become a live music venue, you must hold a specified liquor licence type, and host live music performances.
A live music venue must hold one of the following liquor licences:
- a hotel licence
- a club licence
- a small bar licence
- an on-premises licence
- a producer/wholesaler licence.
Live music performance must form a significant part of your venue’s normal operations. To meet this:
- metropolitan venues must host at least 10 performances per month
- regional venues must host at least 104 performances per year.
Metropolitan areas include the Greater Sydney Region and the local government areas of the Central Coast, Lake Macquarie, Newcastle and Wollongong.
A live music performance is an event where a venue engages one or more persons to play or perform live or pre-recorded music in person.
To be eligible, your venue must have a suitable room or space for live music performances:
- Metropolitan venues must have a room or space dedicated to live music performances that is a significant part of the venue and contains suitable infrastructure to support regular performances
- Regional venues must have a space predominantly or frequently used for live music performances.
Eligibility for live performance venues
To become a live performance venue, you must hold an on-premises public entertainment venue licence, and your venue must be primarily used for live performances or other creative or cultural events.
An arts and cultural event may include a focus on creative and artistic disciplines that relates to a cultural theme. For example:
- other types of performance arts such as theatre shows
- visual arts like an art exhibition
- literary arts events.
Venues likely to meet this requirement include music, concert and dance halls or theatres.
Incentives for live music and performance venues
Live music and performance venues can access the following incentives:
- an 80% reduction on annual liquor licence fees, including base fees and trading hours risk loading
- an 80% reduction on permanent extended trading application fees
- up to 2 hours liquor trading extension on nights when a relevant event is held. Your development consent must permit the extended trading.
A relevant event is a live music performance or other arts and cultural event that is of a duration of 45 minutes or more from 6pm weekdays and from 12 noon weekends.
Eligibility for participating venues located in a Special Entertainment Precinct
A Special Entertainment Precinct (SEPs) is a designated area that has special sound and trading conditions. They are governed under section 202 of the Local Government Act 1993. SEPs help support live entertainment by providing extended trading hours for live music venues and fee reductions for participating venues.
Venues interested to participate in a Special Entertainment Precinct must notify Liquor & Gaming NSW through an application.
Incentives for eligible venues
Participating venues in Special Entertainment Precincts may be eligible for:
- 80% reduction on annual liquor licence fees, including base fees and trading hours risk loading
- 80% reduction on permanent extended trading application fees
- 1-hour liquor trading extension on all nights of the week on nights where certain criteria is met.
You can learn more about SEPs on the Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner website.
Accessing the 2-hour trading extension within a SEP
Being registered as a participating venue in a Special Entertainment Precinct only gives access to the 1-hour liquor trading extension. If you meet the eligibility for the live music venue or live performance venue scheme you can access the 2 hour trading extension.
See the live music and performance venue list for more information.
How to apply
If your venue meets the eligibility requirements for one or more of these categories, you can apply to join the list of venues accessing the incentives.
- Check your eligibility: Confirm your venue meets the requirements in the relevant eligibility section on this page.
- Prepare your information: Have details ready about your licence type, live music or performance space, and your recent or planned performance schedule.
- Submit your application: Submit an application to L&GNSW. Once approved, your venue will appear on the live music and performance venue list.
You can view the current list of approved venues
Mandatory recordkeeping
You must keep records of events held on nights when the extended trade incentive is used. Licensees must make records available to L&GNSW compliance officers or police officers if requested.
The following information must be recorded for each event:
- date of the event
- type of event (either a live music performance or other arts and cultural event)
- a brief description of the performance or event
- start and finish times for the event
- main contact details for the event organiser, including name and phone contact
- if a live music performance, the name of the performer/s or act/s.
Important notes
If you are counting more than one performance on the same day:
- each performance must be recorded as a separate entry, with its own description and its own start and finish times (for example, “Afternoon show” and “Evening show”, or “Early show” and “Late show”, or the advertised event name)
- the description for each entry must make clear that the performances were presented to patrons as separate events (for example, different event names/descriptions, or the room being cleared between shows).
Venues can maintain a register in either hard-copy or digital format and may use the template below or their own documents that contain the above information.
Download the live music mandatory recordkeeping template (XLSX 87.32KB)
In addition to the above, L&GNSW may request records of live music performances held at your venue over the past 12 months as evidence that you have met the required number of live events before the liquor licence fee discount is applied. L&GNSW may request this evidence in the form of:
- records that show the live events held at the licensed premises during a specified period, or
- a declaration by the licensee that specifies the live events held at the licensed premises during a specified period.
If the requested evidence is not provided, the liquor licence fee discount may not be applied and the venue may be removed from the eligible venues list.
Excluded venues
L&GNSW may decide not to apply these incentives in certain circumstances, including:
- Venues with a poor compliance record. This includes where the licensee has been liable for compliance history risk loading in the last two years or will be liable in the future. Venues can check the L&GNSW Demerit Point Register to see if there are any demerit points currently attached to their licence
- Venues operating as a karaoke bar or primarily providing adult entertainment of a sexual nature.
L&GNSW will remove a venue from the list if its business model changes and it no longer meets the eligibility criteria. L&GNSW may also remove a venue if it does not meet its obligations, such as keeping the required records.
Once removed, the venue will no longer be able to access the incentives.
Common questions
Can I count more than one performance on the same day?
Yes. You can count more than one performance on the same day when each performance is run as a separate event.
Events are separate when they are advertised and, where applicable, ticketed as different shows, or otherwise clearly presented to patrons as distinct sessions (for example, the room is cleared between shows or audiences enter at separate times).
This can include a venue offering two shows on the same day, such as an afternoon set and an evening set, provided each is marketed, sold, or otherwise presented as a different event.
Where more than one event occurs on the same day, each must be recorded as its own entry in the venue’s mandatory records, with separate start and finish times and the relevant performer or act named.
If my event has multiple performers, how many performances can I count?
If multiple performers appear as part of the same advertised event, it is counted as one performance.
A single event that features different performers or acts (for example, support acts followed by a headline act) is treated as one performance when it is advertised or ticketed as one show, even if the performers are different or appear in separate time slots.
What if I can’t use the liquor trading extension due to my development consent conditions?
Venues can only use the liquor trading extension if their development consent (or Precinct Management Plan in a Special Entertainment Precinct) permits the venue to stay open during the extended time.
Contact your local council if you need to change your development consent trading hours.
Will I pay extra trading hour risk loading if using the liquor trading extension?
No. There are no additional charges.
What happens if I am applying for a licence to establish a new venue with a focus on live music and performance? Am I eligible for these discounts?
Once your application for a new liquor licence has been granted, you may apply for the live music discount.
When is the 80% annual liquor licence fee (ALLF) reduction paid?
If you are already a listed Live Music or Performance venue, your fee reduction is automatically included into your ALLF invoice. Your invoice will only show the amount the venue owes after discounts are applied.
I have paid the full fee for an extended trading authorisation (ETA) and I am also on the list of live music venues. How do I get the 80% fee reduction?
L&GNSW can refund 80% of the application fee for a permanent extended trading authorisation if your venue appears on the list within 12 months of making the application.
What if I stop providing live music or performances due to changed operations?
If you are no longer eligible to access these incentives, you must email Liquor & Gaming NSW as soon as possible.
L&GNSW may also rely on operational information to assess ongoing eligibility. Venues that are no longer eligible will be removed from the list, and L&GNSW will confirm this with the licensee.