Apply for outdoor dining approval
Get permission to serve food and drink on a footpath or road outside your venue.
When you need to do this
If you want to set up an outdoor dining area, you need to seek approval from us.
You must have development consent to operate as a food premises and/or a licence under the Liquor Act 2007. Your business must also be on a street with enough space for outdoor dining.
Proposed changes to outdoor dining
We’re updating our outdoor dining guidelines to make spaces more attractive and accessible for everyone.
Consultation feedback is now under review.
What you need to do
Apply online
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If you’re applying for outdoor dining for the first time
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If you already have approval and want to renew it or make an update
Common updates include changing the operator, hours, layout or area, and requesting to add road space to an existing outdoor dining area.
If you’re not sure which option applies to you, call us on 02 9265 9333. We can help you pick the right form and explain what you need.
Using the road for outdoor dining
Under some conditions, you may take over an on-street parking space for outdoor dining.
If you have outdoor dining already, you can update your existing application to add road space. If you don’t have outdoor dining yet, you can include road space as part of a new application.
Applications to use the road involve more steps. Not all spaces are suitable, so we’ll work with Transport for NSW to understand the impact of reallocating a parking spot. Our traffic engineers will create a site plan to notify the public as part of the assessment.
The process takes 12 to 15 weeks, if successful. We’ll update you throughout this period.
Before you start
Check your eligibility
Outdoor dining depends on what’s happening on your street and if there’s enough space for people to walk safely.
Use our map to find out how much space you need to leave for people walking.
Some areas are managed by other agencies. If your venue is in Darling Harbour or The Rocks, you’ll need to contact Place Management NSW. If your venue is in Barangaroo, you may need to contact Place Management NSW or Infrastructure NSW, depending on your location – contact either and you’ll be pointed in the right direction.
What you need to provide
Most delays happen when important information is missing, unclear or inconsistent.
You’ll need:
- your business name, ABN and address
- proposed hours of operation
- the approximate size in square metres of your outdoor dining area
- a sketched site plan showing the dining area, size and clear path of travel for people walking.
If you plan to serve alcohol, you’ll also need to fill out the liquor licence temporary change of boundaries form and include it with your application.
Don’t over-prepare
Many businesses spend time and money preparing more than they need when applying for outdoor dining. For most applications, you can start with the list above.
You probably don’t need:
- a highly technical architectural drawing
- multiple versions of plans
- extra or unrelated documents.
If your site is complex, we’ll talk to you and may request more information.
Site plan requirements and examples
A clear plan helps up assess your application faster. For most applications, a simple measured sketch is enough to start.
Your plan should show:
- your shopfront boundary
- kerb line and the footpath area you want to use
- clear path of travel for people walking
- any obstructions – for example, poles, trees, bins and signs
- outdoor dining area boundary with dimensions
- where you’ll put your tables and chairs.
What compliant outdoor dining looks like
We accept site plans in many formats. You don’t need to hire a draftsperson or architect – a hand-drawn sketch is enough. Provide what you can and we’ll let you know if we need more information.
Before you apply, compare your site plan to these examples for a quick sense check.
After you finish
When we receive your application, we’ll check it’s complete. If information is missing, we’ll contact you.
Some applications require a site visit or public notification, such as applications for areas of more than 20m². Requests to use the road also need more review and other checks.
If your application is approved, we’ll issue a permit and store it for record keeping and reporting. You’ll receive a notice of determination, including your display notice of approval.
Your responsibilities
After your application is approved, you’re responsible for:
- taking furniture off the footpath outside of your approved hours
- keeping a clear path of travel for people walking at all times, including people using wheelchairs and prams
- staying within your approved boundary
- operating within your approved hours
- keeping furniture stable and safe
- maintaining insurance and compliance requirements
- following the conditions listed in your approval
- removing furniture for maintenance and during events.
For more information, see our outdoor dining guidelines.
