Liquor License Fact Sheet

Law

The Liquor License Act, 1974 is the law that governs the granting of liquor licenses, the conduct of licensed premises and the punishment of individuals/companies that break the law. 

Liquor Licensing Authority

The Liquor License Authority (the “LLA”) is under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport and consists of seven members, appointed by the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport for a period of three years. The Minister shall appoint one of the members to be the chairman and another to be the deputy chairman. 

Functions of the licensing authority

The functions of the licensing authority are 

  1. To receive, consider and determine applications for liquor licenses or renewal of liquor licenses; 
  2. To maintain a register containing a record of the liquor licenses granted under the Act;
  3. To advise the Minister of any policy matters, including the total number of licenses granted;
  4. To make recommendations to the Minister on any matter related to the Act;
  5. To assist the Minister in the formulation of policies and strategies relating to the Act;
  6. To make periodic reviews of the Act for the purpose of recommending amendments. 

Licenses

There are 9 classes of Liquor Licenses:

  1. “A” (e.g. liquor and grocery stores)
  2. Restricted “A”; “B” (eg bars)
  3. Hotels
  4. Restaurants
  5. Night Club
  6. Proprietary Club
  7. Members Club
  8. Tour Boat
  9. Occasional Licenses including Occasional License, Tourism Event License, Special Events License, Itinerant License

Applications for Licenses

  • Applications for licenses are made through the Liquor License Portal;  https://lla.gov.bm/
  • Applications for annual liquor licenses must be filed by the 14th March of each year.
  • Occasional/Tourism Event and Special Event licenses shall be filed at least 3 weeks prior to the vent.

Fees

Class of License Fee
License A $3000
Restricted License A $1500
License B $1000

Hotel License 

  1. Where sleeping accommodation is provided for not less than 30 but not more than 100 guests
  2. Where sleeping accommodation is provided for more than 100 but not more than 300 guests
  3. Where sleeping accommodation is provided for more than 300 guests

 

 

$1000

 

$1500

 

$2500

Restaurant License $1500
Night Club License $2000
Proprietary License $550
Members Club License $187.50

Tour Boat License where the boat is licensed under the Marine Board (Island Boats) Regulations 1965-

  1. To carry not more than 50 passengers
  2. To carry not less than 50 passengers but not more than 100 passengers
  3. To carry more than 100 passengers

 

 

$250

 

$500

$750

Occasional License

Tourism Event License –

  1. One-day event 
  2. Two-day event
  3. Three-day event

Itinerant License

Special Event License

 

 

$300

$500

$650

$300

$200

Objections

Any person ordinarily resident in the parish of a licensed premise or who owns or occupies property lying within 300 yards of a licensed premise may object to the grant or transfer of a liquor license. Grounds of objection include; (i) undue noise; (ii) disruption of traffic (iii) accumulation of trash (iv) disturbances attributable to alcohol misuse. Objections may be made by submitting written notice with the grounds of objection to the Liquor Licensing Authority c/o Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, 30 Parliament Street, Hamilton