Holiday trading hours for licensed premises
All liquor licensees in Queensland are issued with approved trading hours (i.e. the times when you can sell liquor on licensed premises). For most licensees, ordinary trading hours are from 10am to midnight.
The trading hours on your licence don’t apply to Anzac Day, Good Friday, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve. There are special requirements on these holidays, which are outlined in this guide.
This guide doesn't cover extending trading hours on Australia Day and other public holidays. Read more about extending trading hours on these occasions.
Easter trading hours for licensed premises
Good Friday affects trading hours of Queensland licensed premises. Extra restrictions on serving alcohol and operating gaming machines apply on the Thursday evening before Good Friday and on Good Friday.
The restrictions are provided under the Liquor Act 1992.
Trading on the day before Good Friday
On the Thursday before Good Friday (Good Friday Eve), the sale and supply of alcohol must stop at midnight. Patrons have until 12.30am to finish their drinks. This applies even if you have approved extended trading hours that usually allow for later trading.
All gaming machines at hotels and clubs must also stop at midnight on Good Friday Eve and can't start again until 10am on Easter Saturday. For casinos, gambling is allowed until 3am on the morning of Good Friday.
Alcohol sales on Good Friday
On Good Friday, you can sell and supply liquor from 10am to midnight, but only with a meal, in a part of the premises ordinarily set aside for dining. The meal must be prepared, served and eaten on the premises.
(Note: A meal is food that can be eaten with cutlery while seated— for example, roast beef with vegetables, lasagne, a stir-fry or a curry with rice. It is not light takeaway food like snacks, hot chips, an entree or kid's meal.)
Patrons can buy alcohol to drink with their meal from 1 hour before to 1 hour after eating their meal.
You can't sell takeaway alcohol on Good Friday.
Gambling on Good Friday
Gambling at hotels and clubs is not permitted on Good Friday. Note that gambling is not permitted until 10am on Easter Saturday.
For casinos, gambling must stop between 3am on the morning of Good Friday and midnight on Good Friday night.
Easter Sunday and Monday trading
Your ordinary trading hours apply on Easter Sunday and Monday (and Saturday), without restriction.
Also consider...
- Find out how to extend your ordinary trading hours.
- Use the OLGR client portal to lodge an application for one-off extended hours.
- Read about Easter trading hours for retail shops
- Learn more about adult entertainment trading.
Christmas trading hours for licensed premises
Over Christmas extra restrictions apply on serving alcohol and operating gaming machines in Queensland.
The restrictions are provided under the Liquor Act 1992.
Christmas Eve trading
On Christmas Eve, the sale and supply of alcohol must stop at midnight even if you have approved extended trading hours that usually allow for later trading. Patrons must finish their drinks by 12.30am on the morning of Christmas Day.
Gambling on Christmas Eve
All gaming machines in hotels and clubs must stop at midnight on Christmas Eve and can't start again until 10am on Boxing Day.
For casinos, gambling is allowed until 3am on the morning of Christmas Day.
Christmas Day trading
On Christmas Day, you can sell and supply liquor between 10am and midnight, but only with a meal, in a part of the premises ordinarily set aside for dining. The meal must be prepared, served and eaten on the premises.
(Note: A meal is food that can be eaten with cutlery while seated—for example, roast beef with vegetables, lasagne, a stir-fry or a curry with rice. It is not light takeaway food like snacks, hot chips, an entree or kid's meal.)
Patrons can buy alcohol to drink with their meal from 1 hour before to 1 hour after eating their meal.
You can't sell takeaway alcohol on Christmas Day.
Gambling on Christmas Day
Gambling in hotels and clubs isn't allowed on Christmas Day. Gambling is not permitted until 10am on Boxing Day.
For casinos, gambling must stop between 3am and midnight on Christmas Day.
Serving alcohol to accommodation guests on Christmas Day
Accommodation premises must follow the same rules as other licensees on Christmas Day. However, in-house guests can consume alcohol in their rooms (from pre-stocked mini-bars) throughout Christmas Day. Licensees are not allowed to re-stock mini-bars or deliver alcohol by room service on Christmas Day.
Extending trading hours for wine licensees on Christmas Day
Wine licensees can apply to extend trading hours to sell wine on Christmas Day. If the extension is granted, wine can only be sold and supplied for consumption on the premises.
Boxing Day trading
Ordinary liquor trading hours and conditions apply on Boxing Day.
Note: Gaming can’t be conducted before 10am on Boxing Day, regardless of ordinary licensed hours.
Also consider...
- Find out how to extend your ordinary trading hours.
- Lodge an application for one-off extended hours via the OLGR client portal.
- Read about Christmas trading hours for retail shops.
- Learn more about adult entertainment trading.
New Year's Eve trading hours for licensed premises
On New Year's Eve, all Queensland liquor licensees can sell or supply liquor until 2am on the morning of New Year's Day. Licensees whose approved trading hours end earlier can also trade until 2am on the morning of New Year's Day without having to apply.
Staff must stop serving drinks at 2am and patrons must finish their drinks by 2.30am (unless the premises is approved to trade after 2am).
New Year's Eve trading hours are determined by the Liquor Act 1992.
Extending trading hours on New Year's Eve
Licensees not currently approved to trade after 2am, who want to continue trading, must apply for an extended hours permit.
You don't need to include the usual evidence of a special occasion for New Year's Eve. Read Guideline 68: Late-night extended hours permit for more information about what is considered a special occasion.
Make sure you submit your extended hours application to the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation (OLGR) at least 21 days before New Year's Eve (i.e. on or before 10 December). We recommend you apply as early as possible.
As we can't guarantee your application will be approved, advertising or promoting your event before a permit has been granted is at your own risk.
New Year's Day trading
Ordinary trading hours and conditions apply from 10am on New Year's Day.
Also consider...
- Find out how to extend your ordinary trading hours.
- Lodge an application for one-off extended hours via the OLGR client portal.
- Read about New Year's trading hours for retail shops.
Anzac Day trading hours for licensed premises
Anzac Day (25 April) affects trading hours, alcohol service and the use of gaming machines in Queensland licensed premises.
The restrictions are provided under the Liquor Act 1992 and the Gaming Machine Act 1991.
The day before Anzac Day
On the day before Anzac Day (24 April), the sale and supply of alcohol and gambling must stop at midnight (gambling is allowed until 3am for casinos). Patrons have until 12.30am to finish their drinks.
You don't need to scan identification (ID) unless your licence requires ID scanning during your approved trading hours.
On Anzac Day
From 10am to 1pm on Anzac Day, liquor licensees must be serving a meal in part of the premises ordinarily set aside for dining to be allowed to sell or supply alcohol.
Only RSLs or services clubs (or unlicensed groups in agreements with licensees) are exempt from serving meals.
Note: A meal is food that can be eaten with cutlery while seated—for example, roast beef with vegetables, lasagne, a stir-fry or a curry with rice. It is not light takeaway food like snacks, hot chips, an entree or kid's meal. The meal must be prepared, served and eaten on the premises.
Patrons can buy alcohol from 1 hour before eating their meal and up to 1 hour after finishing their meal.
You don't need special approval or a permit from the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation (OLGR) to trade under these conditions.
If you're not serving meals, you can host other activities (such as lawn bowls) between 10am and 1pm without serving alcohol.
Read more about how you can use licensed premises outside trading hours.
Takeaway alcohol is not permitted before 1pm on Anzac Day.
Ordinary trading hours resume after 1pm on Anzac Day.
Anzac Day rules for certain licensees
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No gambling is permitted in hotels and clubs between midnight (or 3am for casinos) and 1pm on Anzac Day (25 April).
Patrons can use TAB facilities in hotels or clubs from 12 noon on Anzac Day as long as no alcohol is being sold or supplied.
After 1pm, ordinary gambling hours apply.
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From 5am on Anzac Day, RSLs and services clubs can sell and supply alcohol in association with dawn services as part of their ordinary trading hours.
You don't need to apply for a permit to do this if you're catering for Anzac Day services or commemorations.
RSLs and services clubs are also exempt from having to provide meals when serving alcohol on Anzac Day.
You also don't need to keep a sign-on register for people attending Anzac Day functions.
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Unlicensed groups—including unlicensed RSLs or services clubs—may want to host an Anzac Day commemoration and serve alcohol, for example if there's no suitable licensed RSL or services club premises available.
Your group can enter into a written agreement with a licensed premises to sell or supply alcohol for your group at the Anzac Day commemoration. Meals don't need to be served if this agreement is in place.
Note: The agreement must state that the licensed premises is holding the Anzac Day commemoration on your group's behalf. It must also state the start and finish times of the event. A letter from your group, which states the event will be held on the licensed premises and the times, will be sufficient to form an agreement.
The licensed premises can then apply for an extended trading hours permit to trade between 5am and 1pm.
Approval to trade before 10am
Liquor licensees can apply for an extended trading hours permit to trade anytime from 6am to 10am on Anzac Day.
Note: Licensed RSLs or services clubs—or unlicensed groups who have agreements with licensees—don't need this approval.
This permit will allow you to sell or supply alcohol with a meal, in a part of the premises ordinarily set aside for dining. The meal will need to be prepared, served and eaten on the premises.
Patrons will be able to buy alcohol from 1 hour before eating their meal to 1 hour after finishing their meal.
How to apply
Complete the application for an extended trading hours permit (form 10) and email it to us at OLGRlicensing@justice.qld.gov.au. The application can't be submitted online.
You must lodge your application at least 21 days before Anzac Day (i.e. on or before 4 April).
Also consider...
- Read about liquor licence fees and charges.
- Read Two-up on Anzac Day or Part 8A of the Charitable and Non-profit Gaming Act 1999 to learn about two-up regulations.
- Find out more about extending ordinary trading hours.
- Read about retail trading hours on Anzac Day to find out more about trading hours in non-licensed premises.
© The State of Queensland 1995–2026