A liquor licence in South Africa isn’t a portable asset that automatically follows your business to a new address. It’s granted for specific premises, described down to the floor plan. Moving, even a short distance, or to another shop in the same shopping centre, puts that licence at risk if it isn’t handled correctly.
The licence belongs to the premises, not just the business
When a liquor board grants a licence, it isn’t only approving a licensee. It’s approving that licensee to trade at a defined location, based on a detailed floor plan, zoning approval, and an assessment of the surrounding area (proximity to schools, churches, residential zones, and so on). Move the business to a different location, and none of that original approval automatically transfers with it. Moving a licensed business to a new location without following the correct process can get the licence revoked.
This applies even in situations that feel minor:
- Relocating to a different unit within the same shopping centre
- Moving next door within the same building
- Relocating to a new address entirely, whether around the corner or across town
The correct process: an application for removal (relocation)
If you need to move, the licence holder must lodge a formal application for removal (sometimes called relocation) with the relevant liquor authority before trading resumes at the new address. This is a substantive application, not a notification. It requires:
- A notice displayed at the new premises (Form 27B in the Western Cape, headed “Notice of Lodgement of Application for Removal of Liquor Licence”), so the public and interested parties can raise objections
- A new, detailed floor plan of the proposed premises
- Colour photographs of the completed internal and external features of the new site
- Confirmation of the new premises’ proximity to schools, places of worship, and other relevant institutions
- Certified identity documents and, where applicable, updated company or trust registration details
Applications for removal are generally lodged by a set deadline each month. In the Western Cape, that’s 14h00 on the last Friday of the month, or the preceding working day if that Friday is a public holiday, so timing your move around the application calendar matters.
At national level, businesses registered with the National Liquor Authority use a dedicated relocation process through the NLA’s case management system. That process has applied since mid-2024 for registrants moving their macro-manufacturing or distribution operations.
Don’t move before the licence is approved for the new site
The removal application needs to be assessed and approved, and it can attract objections from neighbours, the police, or the local community police forum, just like a fresh application. Don’t start trading at the new premises before approval comes through. Trading liquor at an unlicensed location, even temporarily while a relocation application is pending, carries the same risk as trading with no licence at all.
Practical planning tips if a move is on the horizon:
- Start the removal application well before your lease ends at the current site. Processing isn’t instant, and delays are common if the pack is incomplete.
- Confirm the new premises’ zoning supports liquor trading before you sign a lease, not after.
- If your new floor plan changes how liquor is stored, served, or displayed, make sure that’s reflected accurately. Mismatches between the application and the actual premises are a common cause of objections or delays.
Planning a move? Get the licence sorted first
Relocating a licensed business is entirely possible, but it needs to be done through the correct channel, in the correct order, well before the removal van arrives. Getting this wrong can mean weeks or months without a valid licence at your new address.
If you’re planning to relocate a licensed business in the Western Cape, Vincent Bergh Liquor Law & Business Consulting can manage your application for removal from start to finish, so your licence is ready before you open the doors at the new site.
This article is for general information and does not constitute legal advice. Requirements can vary by province and by licence type. Speak to a liquor law specialist before relocating a licensed business.
