Licence to serve alcohol at public and private events

When do I need to apply for a licence to serve alcohol at events?

You must apply for a licence to serve alcohol if:

  • you lease premises, receive money for alcohol or if your premises only have a licence to serve food
  • you want to serve alcohol at a private gathering such as a wedding, anniversary or internal company event
  • you want to hold a public event in premises without a licence to serve alcohol, or outdoors in a restricted area

Which requirements must I satisfy?

  • The applicant must be at least 20 years old.
  • You must nominate a person who will be responsible for the serving of alcohol (licensee). The licensee must be at least 20 years old.

How much does it cost?

  • The fee for private events, such as weddings, anniversaries and company parties is currently NOK 460 per event.
  • The minimum fee for public events is currently NOK 6,400 per event. The size of the final licence fee depends on how much alcohol is sold. You must send a report to Næringsetaten stating how much alcohol has been sold no later than 14 days after the event.

  • Submit your report here.

  • You can apply for a reduced fee in some cases. A reduced fee can be given for art and cultural events and for regular events and the like, where there will be a modest sale of alcohol and few participants. In such cases, the fee is reduced to NOK 1000.

Apply here

Apply for a licence
(Log in, application in Norwegian)

How long does it take to get a response?

  • For private events, usually 1 week.
  • For public events, usually 4 weeks.
  • The answer is sent to your digital mailbox.

Using public spaces for events

When holding an outdoor event in Oslo you are obliged to obtain certain permissions and notify a number of authorities, depending on what you are planning.

Informasjon på norsk for arrangører av små og mellomstore arrangementer.