About the LCQ
The Licence Controller Qualification (LCQ) is required in New Zealand for anyone wishing to act as a duty manager at a licensed premises. It is assessed by approved providers and covers your knowledge of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 (SSAA) and host responsibility obligations.
The LCQ covers four core areas:
- Alcohol Law: the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012, licence types, licensing authorities, minimum purchase age, and obligations of licensees
- Duty Manager Responsibilities: what a duty manager must do, when they must be on duty, their legal obligations, and their relationship to the licence holder
- Intoxication and Refusal: identifying signs of intoxication, obligations to refuse service, safe transport options, and how to handle difficult situations
- Licensing Conditions and Compliance: conditions attached to licences, controlled purchase operations, compliance monitoring, and consequences of breaches
Important: The Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 replaced the Sale of Liquor Act 1989. Many people working in hospitality still reference the old Act. The LCQ assessment tests knowledge of the current law only.
Key LCQ Facts to Know
- Minimum purchase age: 18 years. It is illegal to sell or supply alcohol to anyone under 18
- Duty manager: Must hold a current manager's certificate and be on duty whenever the premises is open
- Licence types: On-licence (bars, restaurants), off-licence (bottle stores), club licence, special licence
- Licensing authority: District Licensing Committees (DLC) handle most applications. The Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority (ARLA) hears appeals
- Intoxication: Section 240 SSAA prohibits selling or supplying alcohol to intoxicated persons. This is an absolute obligation
- Host responsibility: Licensees must promote safe alcohol consumption and assist intoxicated persons to get home safely
- One-way door policy: Some licensed premises operate a one-way door after a set time, meaning patrons cannot re-enter
| Feature | Official Resources | TestReady |
|---|
| Practice questions | Limited | 100+ questions |
| All 4 LCQ sections | Not in practice format | Law, Manager, Intoxication, Licensing |
| Answer explanations | None | Every question with section reference |
| Drill by section | No | Yes |
Section Breakdown
- Alcohol Law (20 questions): Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012, licence types, minimum age, licensing process, and obligations under the Act
- Duty Manager (15 questions): manager's certificate requirements, on-duty obligations, relationship to licensee, and responsibilities when things go wrong
- Intoxication (15 questions): signs of intoxication, legal obligation to refuse, safe transport options, incident management, and difficult customer scenarios
- Licensing (10 questions): licence conditions, controlled purchase operations, DLC and ARLA roles, compliance monitoring, and breach consequences
Free sample: Try 5 randomly selected questions below. Use Drill Mode to focus on any section.
