District Licensing Committee

What is the District Licencing Committee (DLC)?

There is at least one DLC situated within each territorial authority (local council). It has the prime responsibility for issuing alcohol licences.

The DLC is deemed to be a Commission of Inquiry. It also provides information to ARLA (the Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority). Each territorial authority must appoint one or more DLCs to manage licensing matters within its district.

Functions of the DLC include:

• determining applications for licences, managers’ certificates and renewals
• determining temporary authority applications (on/off-licences)
• varying, suspending or cancelling special licences
• referring applications to ARLA
• conducting inquiries and making reports as required by ARLA
• other functions conferred on it by any Act.

Members of the South Waikato District Licensing Committee - As at October 2025