Bodø Municipality - Licensing Policy 2020-2024

1. Retail hours for selling beer and other beverages with up to 4.76 percent alcohol by volume are established as

• 08.00 – 20.00 on weekdays, and
• 08.00 – 18.00 on Saturdays and days before a public holiday.

On Sundays and public holidays, and on 1 and 17 May, retail sales of beer and alcopops may not take place.

2. Grocery stores are permitted to sell alcoholic beverages in Group 1.

3. A licence cannot be issued before any monies due to the tax and VAT authorities have been paid, or possibly included in a repayment agreement. In the latter case, it is a condition that the agreement is upheld. A history of failure to submit returns/failure to pay may mean loss of good repute.

4. The business is required to have satisfactory internal control procedures for retailing alcoholic beverages and the licensee must have approved employment contracts and occupational injury insurance for its employees. Bodø Municipality requires copies of employment contracts and occupational injury insurance policies, as documentary evidence of compliance.

5. Licences for retail sale of alcoholic beverages in Group 1 continue to be valid for a new period of up to four years, expiring at latest on 30 September in the year after a new municipal council takes office, cf the Alcohol Act s. 1-6. A new retail licence must nevertheless be applied for in the following cases:

• Establishments where serious or very serious contraventions of the Alcohol Act have been revealed during the previous licence period.
• Establishments where the requirement for good repute on the part of the licensee and anyone who exercises material influence on the establishment, is shown to have been breached, cf the Alcohol Act s. 1-7b.
• Any other special grounds for the licence being reconsidered.

Persons or enterprises that will run a serving establishment must apply to the Municipality for a licence to serve alcoholic beverages. The licence applies to establishing and running a serving establishment configured for eating/drinking on the premises.

The applicant requires approval from the municipal building authorities in order to conduct serving business in a building. For example, a change of use approval must have been issued, if the building is zoned for other purposes.

The general manager of the serving establishment must have passed the New Licensee Test (“etablererprøven”) for a serving establishment. You can find more information about this test on the right, under related links.

Application form

Apply here. The form requires the applicant to log into the ID Portal.

Transfer of a serving establishment

The licence lapses when ownership of the establishment is transferred.  The same also applies, for example, when a majority of the shares or units in a company that owns the establishment are transferred to new ownership.
The establishment can however continue to use the previous owner’s licence for up to three months.  This may only happen if the licensing authority is informed about the transfer and a new licence is applied for as soon as possible, and at latest within 30 days after the transfer.

Requirement of good repute

The licensee, general manager and anyone exerting material influence on the establishment must be of spotless repute including in relation to the Penal Code and legislation relating to alcohol, tax, VAT and accounting practice etc. 

Processing time 

You will receive an interim reply within two weeks of our receiving your application. You will receive a final answer once your application has been processed. The Food and Alcohol Service Act requires applications for a licence to serve alcoholic beverages to be processed as quickly as possible and within 60 days of the receipt of the application, unless special grounds exist. Special grounds may include enclosures missing from the application or delayed comments from other official bodies.
Applications for a licence to serve alcoholic beverages will be sent to the police, tax and VAT authorities for comment. 

Fees

There is no fee for processing an application for a licence to serve alcoholic beverages.

Enquiries
Executive officer: Linda Rostad, tel. 7559 3314/7555 5000, or email: linda.rostad@bodo.kommune.no

Persons or enterprises who will be running an establishment serving alcoholic beverages, must apply for a licence to retail or serve alcoholic beverages. A licence to retail or serve alcoholic beverages is granted for four years at a time. The licence may be valid for the whole year, or a specific part of the year. All owners of serving establishments are required to have a licence to serve alcohol.

Who applies for the licence?
The company that will have the financial responsibility for serving alcoholic beverages shall apply for the licence.  If the responsible business is a sole proprietorship, the proprietor must apply for the licence.

The licence may apply to

• alcoholic beverages (above 2.5 percent alcohol by volume) with a maximum of 4.7 percent alcohol by volume
• alcoholic beverages with an alcohol content lower than 22 percent by volume 
• all alcoholic beverages 

Application form

Apply here. The form requires the applicant to log into the ID Portal.

Transfer of serving establishment

The licence lapses when ownership of the establishment is transferred.  The same also applies, for example, when a majority of the shares or units in a company that owns the establishment are transferred to new ownership.
The establishment can however continue to use the previous owner’s licence for up to three months.  This may only happen if the licensing authority is informed about the transfer and a new licence is applied for as soon as possible, and at latest within 30 days after the transfer.

Manager and deputy

A manager and deputy, approved by the licensing authority, must be appointed for ever license.  Manager and deputy must have passed the relevant proficiency test for retailing or serving alcohol. You can find information on the proficiency test on the right, under related links. Both must be over 20 years of age and they must be employed by the serving establishment, or work in the establishment by virtue of ownership. If a manager or deputy leaves, the licensee must immediately apply for approval of a new manager/deputy.

Requirement of good repute
The licensee and anyone exerting material influence on the establishment must be of spotless repute, including in relation to all legislation that applies to alcohol, tax, VAT and accounting practice etc.  The manager and deputy must also be of spotless repute, including in relation to the alcohol legislation.

Processing time 

The Alcohol Act sets no time limits for processing an application for a licence to retail or serve alcoholic beverages.  You will receive an interim reply within two weeks of our receiving your application. You will receive a final answer once your application has been processed. Processing time for an application for a licence to retail or serve alcoholic beverages may be up to 3 months from receipt of a complete application. An application is complete when all necessary enclosures are present.

All applications for a licence to retail or serve alcoholic beverages will be sent out for consultation to the police, tax and VAT authorities and the health and care department in the Municipality.  When we say that processing time can be up to 3 months, we are taking into account that the consultees may have comments and that we give the applicant the opportunity to send us feedback on the comments. The consultees also need time to process the case. 

Fees

There are no fees for an application for a licence to retail or serve alcoholic beverages, but an annual licence fee must be paid at rates determined by the Ministry.

Enquiries

Executive officer: Linda Rostad, tel 7559 3314/7555 5000, or email: linda.rostad@bodo.kommune.no

If you wish to serve alcoholic beverages at a single, specific event you must apply to the Municipality for a licence to serve alcoholic beverages. This type of licence may be granted for events such festivals and concerts, and cover a period of 1-7 days.

Application form

Apply here. The form requires the applicant to log into the ID Portal.

Describe the type of event that is being arranged as accurately as possible and how you plan to run it. If the event is to be held outdoors the landowner’s permission must be enclosed, with a drawing/sketch showing the area for the event and how its boundaries will be closed off.

Responsibility for serving alcoholic beverages during the event shall lie with the person with overall responsibility for the licence and its use. In certain cases, appointment of a deputy may be required. 

The opinion of the police and social services will be obtained. The licensee and anyone with material influence over the event must be persons of spotless repute (Alcohol Act s. 1-7 b), as must the manger and any deputy (Alcohol Act s. 1-7 c).

Processing time

The processing time for an application for a licence to serve alcoholic beverages on a single, specific occasion will normally be 4 weeks. Applications for larger events may take longer to process. Submit the application as early as possible.

Fees

The fee for a licence to serve alcoholic beverages at an open event is calculated and invoiced on basis of the anticipated volume from alcoholic beverages sold.

Enquiries

Executive officer:  Linda Rostad, tel 7559 3314/7555 5000, or email: linda.rostad@bodo.kommune.no

A licence to serve alcoholic beverages at a closed (private) party is intended for events such as weddings, anniversaries etc. All attendees must have been specifically invited and have confirmed they will attend before the event starts, and it must not be open to outsiders.

Those attending must have some form of relationship with the host. It is not sufficient for attendees to add themselves to a list or buy at ticket. Neither is having a restricted number of guests sufficient, once an event is described in an invitation or advertisement as a “private party”. Normal members’ meetings in an association will not satisfy the legal requirement for a private party.

In cases of dispute, the Municipality will decide whether a party can be described as a “private party” under the Alcohol Act.

Do you need a licence to sell alcoholic beverages?
If you receive any form of consideration for serving alcoholic beverages, directly or indirectly, you must always have a licence.

What is deemed to be “consideration”?
Consideration is deemed to include selling alcoholic beverages at cost or at an undervalue.  The form of the consideration is irrelevant. A sale takes place whether payment is in the form of money, goods, work, vouchers, tickets or some other good or service. Consideration is also present if alcohol is part of a wider package that is purchased.

When must you have a licence to serve alcohol without consideration?
Serving alcoholic beverages in public places and on publicly accessible means of transport always requires a licence.

For some other types of premises, a licence is generally required to serve alcohol, even though this may happen without consideration:

• In premises with adjacent serving establishments.
  All establishments with adjacent serving establishment that require a licence to serve alcoholic beverages pursuant to the Food and Alcohol Services Act. What constitutes an “adjacent serving establishment” must be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
• Premises that are generally open to the public.
  It immaterial whether the premises are open to the public when the event and the serving of alcoholic beverages actually takes place. (Examples are theatres, cinemas, shops, exhibition rooms/halls).
• Community halls and other publicly accessible premises.

Person responsible for serving alcoholic beverages

The person you enter as being responsible for serving alcoholic beverages when the licence is being used in practice, and who is responsible for serving taking place in accordance with the provisions in the Alcohol Act.

Application form

Apply here. The form requires the applicant to log into the ID Portal.

Describe the type of event that is being arranged as accurately as possible and how you plan to run it. If the event is to be held outdoors the landowner’s permission must be enclosed, with a drawing/sketch showing the area for the event and how its boundaries will be closed off.

Responsibility for serving alcoholic beverages during the event shall lie with the person with overall responsibility for the licence and its use. In certain cases, appointment of a deputy may be required. 

Processing time

Processing time for such applications is normally circa 1 week, but allow up to 2 weeks.
Submit the application as early as possible.

Fees

The fee is NOK 390 per event and according to the regulations this shall cover the Municipality’s costs for processing and inspection. The fee will therefore always be claimed, whether the event actually takes place or not.  If the application is refused, no fee will be charged.

Enquiries

Executive officer:  Linda Rostad, tel 7559 3314/7555 5000.

All persons approved as managers or deputies in establishments that have or are applying for a licence to retail or serve alcoholic beverages must have documented knowledge of the Alcohol Act. The knowledge requirement is fulfilled by passing a proficiency test. There are different tests for licences to retail alcoholic beverages, and licences to serve alcoholic beverages.

Test for a licence to serve alcoholic beverages

The test for a licence to serve alcoholic beverages requires you to know the content of the Alcohol Act Chapters 1, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 9 and the Alcohol Regulations (Regulations of 8 June 2005, No. 538) Chapters 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 14. The candidate should also be familiar with the other provisions of the Alcohol Act. We recommend using the study material for the proficiency test (“Læremateriell for kunnskapsprøven”), which can be ordered from http://www.vinn.no  You can also purchase access to practice tests here. You may also gain the necessary knowledge by reading the act and associated regulations, see the links in the right-hand column.

Test for a licence to retail alcoholic beverages

The test for a licence to serve alcoholic beverages requires you to know the content of the Alcohol Act Chapters 1, 3, 7, 8 and 9 and the Alcohol Regulations (Regulations of 8 June 2005, No. 538) Chapters 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 14. The candidate should also be familiar with the other provisions of the Alcohol Act. We recommend using the study material for the proficiency test (“Læremateriell for kunnskapsprøven”), which can be ordered from http://www.vinn.no . You can also purchase practice tests here. You may also gain the necessary knowledge by reading the act and associated regulations, see the links in the right-hand column.

Taking the test

The proficiency test is a multiple-choice test, where one alternative is the correct answer. To pass the test 24 out of 30 answers must be correct.

Aids: Dictionary. Interpreter not allowed. The tests can only be taken in Norwegian.

Time available: 60 minutes. Extra time may be allocated for an adapted test, for example for persons with reading difficulties/dyslexia. The requirement must be documented with a doctor’s certificate. The maximum extension is 30 minutes.

Valid proof of identity must be furnished. The test costs NOK 400, to be paid before the test is taken.

The test is taken in the service desk area at Postgården, Havnegata 9. Contact the service desk on tel. 7555 5000 to arrange a time.

Issue of certificate

All who pass the proficiency test receive a certificate. It must be looked after, as it is the documentary evidence showing that you have the necessary knowledge about the alcohol legislation. The certificate is valid indefinitely.

Registration for the test

Contact the service desk on tel. 7555 5000 or by email on servicetorget@bodo.kommune.no

Related links

Håndbok i alkoholloven (‘Handbook on the Alcohol Act’ - Norwegian only)

Alkoholloven (‘The Alcohol Act’ - Norwegian only)

Forskrifter til alkoholloven (‘The Alcohol Regulations’ - Norwegian only)

Læremateriell fra Vinn (‘Study material from Vinn’ - Norwegian only)

Other enquiries

Do you have other queries about the proficiency test?

Linda Rostad, 7559 3314/7555 5000, email linda.rostad@bodo.kommune.no

In order to obtain a licence to serve alcoholic beverages, the general manager of the serving establishment must have passed the New Licensee Test. The requirement also applies on change of general manager. The test is intended to ensure that the person responsible for a serving establishment has the necessary knowledge about financial management and alcohol legislation to run the business properly.

The test is based on the study manual “Læremateriell – etablererprøven for serveringsvirksomhet.” The manual was prepared for the Ministry of Trade and Industry by VINN and can be ordered on http://vinn.no/ or on tel. 7696 7200. You can also purchase access to practice tests here.

Taking the test

The New Licensee Test is a multiple-choice test. To pass the test 40 out of 50 answers must be correct.

Aids: Copies of the legislation or appendices to the study manual. Interpreter not allowed. Dictionaries are no longer allowed, cf Circular K-01/2013 - revision relating to the New Licensee Test in the Food and Alcohol Service Act - change in permitted aids

Time available: 90 minutes. Extra time may be allocated for an adapted test, for example for persons with reading difficulties/dyslexia. The requirement must be documented with a doctor’s certificate. The maximum extension is 30 minutes.

Valid proof of identity must be furnished. The test costs NOK 400, to be paid before the test is taken.

The test can be taken at the service desk in Bodø Town Hall, Kongens gate 23 (main entrance from Torvgata 9). The test can only be taken in Norwegian.

 Contact the service desk on tel. 7555 5000 to arrange a time.

You will find links to the Food and Alcohol Service Act and Regulations relating to the New Licensee Test for general managers on the right under related links.

Issue of certificate

All who pass the New Licensee Test receive a certificate. It must be looked after, as it is the document that proves you have the necessary knowledge to be general manager of a serving establishment. The certificate is valid indefinitely.

Registration for the test

Contact the service desk on tel. 7555 5000 or by email on servicetorget@bodo.kommune.no

Related links

Vinn-verdiskaping i norsk næringsliv (‘Vinn - value creation in Norwegian Business Life’ - Norwegian only).

Serveringsloven (‘The Food and Alcohol Service Act’ - Norwegian only).

Forskrift om etablererprøve (‘Regulations on the New Licensee Test’ - Norwegian only).

Other enquiries

If you have any questions about the New Licensee Test, contact Executive officer: Linda Rostad, 7559 3314/7555 5000, email:  linda.rostad@bodo.kommune.no

An annual licence fee shall be paid for a licence to retail alcoholic beverages with a maximum of 4.7 percent alcohol by volume, or for a licence to serve alcoholic beverages.

The fee is calculated on the basis of the anticipated volume of alcoholic beverages sold, cf the Alcohol Regulations s. 6-1.

At the end of the year, the licensee shall send in a return reporting the actual volume of alcoholic beverages sold.

The fee for 2020 is set using the following rates (Alcohol Regulations s. 6-2):

Retail Sale

• NOK 0.22 per litre of goods sold for alcoholic beverages in Group 1
• NOK 0.61 per litre of goods sold for alcoholic beverages in Group 2

Serving

• NOK 0.50 per litre of goods sold for alcoholic beverages in Group 1
• NOK 1.32 per litre of goods sold for alcoholic beverages in Group 2
• NOK 4.36 per litre of goods sold for alcoholic beverages in Group 3

As at 01.01.2020 the licence fee is NOK 1,700 for retail sales and NOK 5,300 for serving, and from 01.01.2021 the licence fee is NOK 1,740 for retail sales and NOK 5,400 for serving.

If there is a variance between the anticipated sales originally submitted and the actual sales, the licensing authority can carry out a retrospective calculation and require settlement, cf the Alcohol Regulations s. 6-3.

Form for completion

You can find a link to the electronic form here.

The sales turnover return shall be confirmed by an auditor. If the company is not obliged to have an auditor, a copy of the sales turnover returns from all suppliers of alcoholic beverages shall be enclosed.

The deadline for submitting the sales turnover return is 15 March 2021.

NB. Failure to submit the return will result in two penalty points, cf the Alcohol Regulations s. 10-3 third paragraph.

Enclosures that are forwarded shall be sent to postmottak@bodo.kommune.no or to: Bodø Municipality, Service Desk, PO Box 319, 8001 Bodø

Executive officer: Line Støvset, tel. 7559 3313/7555 5000

Email: line.stovset@bodo.kommune.no

Permitted opening hours for retailing and serving alcoholic beverages up to 30.09.2024, pursuant to the City Council’s decision on Proposition 20/50.

Retail sale

 Retail hours for selling beer and other beverages with up to 4.7 percent alcohol by volume are established as;

• From 08.00 – 20.00 on weekdays, and
• From 08.00 – 18.00 on Saturdays and days before a public holiday. This does not apply to the day before Ascension Day.
• On Sundays and public holidays, and on 1 and 17 May, retail sales of beer and alcopops may not take place.

Pursuant to the Alcohol Act s. 3.7.3, the Municipal Executive Board decided on 28.01.2009 (Proposition 09/5) that alcoholic beverages in Group 1 could only be sold in a retail outlet if the drink is paid for before the end of opening hours.

Serving

Beer and wine may be served from 06.00 to 0300 on all days.
Spirits may be served from 13.00 to 03.00 on all days.

Serving establishments shall close half an hour after serving has ceased.

Outdoor service shall cease at 03.00, cf forskrift om åpningstider (‘Opening time regulations’ - Norwegian only) for serving establishments in Bodø Municipality.

You can find information about serving during the transition between summer and winter time under related links to the right.

Enquiries

Please direct any questions about opening hours for retail outlets and serving establishments to Executive officer: Linda Rostad on telephone 7559 3314 or email: linda.rostad@bodo.kommune.no 

When clocks are reset for the transition between summer and winter time, the question of how to adjust opening hours for the new time arises. The starting point is that the serving hours follow real time i.e., the regulations on opening hours state a specific time and not a number of hours.

Transition to summer time

Clocks are adjusted forward from 02.00 to 03.00. Serving establishments that are licensed to be open for serving until 02.00 or later must stop serving at the time when the clock is adjusted forward i.e., 02.00. Clocks will then show the new time of 03.00.

Transition to winter time

Clocks are adjusted backward from 03.00 to 02.00. In accordance with the maximum opening hours for serving, opening hours expire at 03.00 (when the clock shows 03.00 for the first time that night) and the hours are not extended by an extra hour.

A new system for awarding penalty points was established in the regulations of 01.01.2016.

The Alcohol Regulations Chapter 10
s. 10-2.
The Municipality is required to award a set number of penalty points to a licence holder for contraventions specified in s. 10-3.  Similar contraventions revealed during the same inspection are deemed to be a single contravention.
If a licensee is awarded a total of 12 penalty points during a period of two years, the Municipal Council shall suspend the licence for one week. If more than 12 points are awarded in the course of a two-year period the Municipal Council shall increase the period of suspension correspondingly.
When calculating the two-year period, the times of the contraventions shall be used as the basis.
The two-year period applies independently of any licence renewal during the period, cf the Alcohol Act s. 1-6. On transfer, a new period begins at the time of transfer, cf the Alcohol Act s. 1-10 first paragraph.

The standard sanction shall be used as a starting point in those cases where the basis of suspension is twelve penalty points. If the basis of suspension is more than twelve penalty points, the period of suspension shall be increased “correspondingly”. 12 extra penalty points thus mean that the suspension period is increased by one week. On practical grounds and to ensure that the scheme is kept as simple as possible, two extra points should be taken to correspond to one whole day’s suspension. If the licensed establishment is awarded more than 12 penalty points, the Municipality will therefore mete out periods of suspension as follows:
1 penalty point = 1 day’s suspension
2-3 penalty points = 2 days’ suspension
4-5 penalty points = 3 days’ suspension
6-7 penalty points = 4 days’ suspension
8-9 penalty points = 5 days’ suspension
10-1 penalty points = 6 days’ suspension12 penalty points = 7 days’ suspension

s. 10-3

The following contraventions lead to an award of eight penalty points:

• selling, supplying or serving to a person under 18 years of age, cf the Alcohol Act s. 1-5 second paragraph
• breach of the obligation to assist, cf s.4-1 second paragraph in these regulations
• breach of the obligation to operate in a proper manner, cf the Alcohol Act s. 3-9 and 4-7
• obstructing a municipal inspection, cf the Alcohol Act s. 1-9.

The following contraventions lead to an award of four penalty points:

• selling or supplying to a person clearly under the influence of intoxicants, cf s. 3-1 in these regulations; serving a person who is or must be presumed to be clearly under the influence of intoxicants, cf s. 4-2 first paragraph in these regulations
• breach of the regulations governing permitted opening hours for retail sale, supply or serving of alcoholic beverages, cf the Alcohol Act s. 3-7 and s. 4-4
• serving an alcoholic beverage in Group 3 to a person of 18 or 19 years of age, cf the Alcohol Act s. 1-5 first paragraph
• breach of the age requirement for persons selling, supplying or serving alcoholic beverages cf. the Alcohol Act s. 1-5 third paragraph.

The following contraventions lead to an award of two penalty points:

• allowing entry to a person who is clearly under the influence of intoxicants, or failure by a licensee to ensure that a person under the influence of intoxicants leaves the premises, cf s. 4-1 in these regulations
• deficiencies in the licensee’s internal control, cf the Alcohol Act s. 1-9 final paragraph cf Chapter 8 in these regulations
• failure to submit a sales turnover return by the Municipality’s deadline, cf Chapter 6 in these regulations
• failure to pay a licence fee by the Municipality’s deadline, cf Chapter 6 in these regulations
• breach of the requirement to have a manager and deputy, cf the Alcohol Act s. 1-7c
• repeated sale of narcotics in the establishment, cf the Alcohol Act s. 1-8 second paragraph
• repeated discrimination, cf the Alcohol Act s. 1-8 second paragraph.

The following contraventions lead to an award one penalty point:

• breach of the requirement for non-alcoholic alternatives, cf s. 4-6 in these regulations
• breach of the rules on volume served, cf s. 4-5 in these regulations
• consumption of alcoholic beverages brought in by a guest, cf s. 4-4 in these regulations
• guests take alcohol off the premises with them, cf s. 4-4 in these regulations
• breach of the requirement on placement of alcoholic/non-alcoholic beverages in a retail outlet, cf s. 3-3 in these regulations
• breach of terms in the licensing decision, cf the Alcohol Act s. 3-2 and s. 4-3
• breach of the prohibition on advertising, cf the Alcohol Act s. 9-2 cf Chapter 14 in these regulations
• other contraventions covered by the Alcohol Act s. 1-8 first paragraph, cf other Alcohol Act provisions including s. 3-1 sixth paragraph, s. 4-1 second paragraph, s. 8-6, s. 8-6a, s. 8-12 and s. 8-13.

s. 10-4
If there are very special and strongly mitigating circumstances, the Municipality may award fewer penalty points for a contravention than provided in s. 10-3.
If there are strongly aggravating circumstances, the Municipality may award more penalty points for a contravention than provided in s. 10-3. In strongly aggravating circumstances, the Municipal Council may also increase the length of any suspension beyond that provided in s. 10-2, in the most serious cases for the rest of the licence period.
If weight is attached to circumstances such as those in the first and second paragraphs, the grounds must be included in the decision.

s. 10-5

If there are grounds for awarding penalty points, the Municipality must give prior notice of the award of points, cf the Public Administration Act s. 16.
The Municipal Council makes individual administrative decisions on the award of penalty points. In relation to the decision, the licensee must be informed of the possible consequences if further penalty points are awarded.
A decision made under the second paragraph can be appealed in accordance with the rules in the Public Administration Act. If the right of appeal is not exercised, the award of penalty points can nevertheless be appealed in connection with a later decision on suspension, which is based on penalty points awarded.

s. 10-6

If suspension is based on penalty points awarded, the Municipality shall give prior notice of suspension of the licence, cf the Administration Act s. 16.
The Municipal Council makes individual administrative decisions on suspension of a licence on the grounds of penalty points awarded.
The Municipality should implement a decision on suspension within four weeks of the date of the decision.

s. 10-7 (formerly s. 10-1)
A licence can be revoked if it has not been used during the last year.
The licence cannot however be revoked if the reason for its lack of use is an impediment beyond the licensee’s control, whose consequences he/she could not reasonably have avoided or surmounted. This only applies to the extent that it can be presumed that operation can start again within a reasonable time.

See the Directorate of Health’s comments on the Alcohol Act s. 1-8 and the Alcohol Regulations ss. 5, 6, 9 and 10, effective from 01.01.2016. See the link in the menu to the right.

Enquiries

Please direct any questions about types of sanction for contravention of the provisions in the Alcohol Act to Executive officer: Linda Rostad on telephone 7559 3314 or email: linda.rostad@bodo.kommune.no 

1. Serving of:

• alcoholic beverages in Groups 1 and 2 may take place from 06.00 - 03.00 on all days
• alcoholic beverages in Group 3 may take place from 13.00 - 03.00 on all days.
• The serving establishment shall close 30 minutes after the end of opening hours.
  Outdoor serving shall cease at the end of opening hours.

2. No ceiling on the number of licences is being introduced.

3. Permission will be granted to serve alcohol in Group 3 outdoors.

4. Licenses to serve alcohol in Group 3 will not be granted to serving establishments aimed at young people, and where the age limit is 18 years. For establishments with licences for all alcohol groups, alcohol in Group 3 must be removed from the shelves for events where the age limit is 18 years.

5. Unless special grounds exist, a licence to retail or serve alcoholic beverages will not be granted to establishments that combine their operation with snack bar activity, in public areas during sports events, and establishments located in areas set aside for child and adolescent leisure activities.

6. In conformity with the Act relating to Primary and Secondary Education s. 9-5, a licence to retail or serve alcoholic beverages will not be issued for events at primary and lower secondary schools or events involving schools and other purposes. In special cases, exceptions may be made for combined events for social and cultural purposes outside school hours. For combined events of this nature, a licence to retail or serve alcoholic beverages in Groups 1 and 2 may be issued, primarily to local non-profit organisations for cultural and social purposes.

7. A licence cannot be issued before any monies due to the tax and VAT authorities have been paid, or possibly included in a repayment agreement. In the latter case, it is a condition that the agreement is upheld. A history of failure to submit returns/failure to pay may mean loss of good repute.

8. The business is required to have satisfactory internal control procedures for serving alcoholic beverages and the licensee must have approved employment contracts and occupational injury insurance for its employees. As documentary evidence of compliance, Bodø Municipality requires copies of employment contracts and occupational injury insurance policies.

9. All establishments that have a licence to retail or serve alcoholic beverages are required to train their own employees in serving regulations and the Alcohol Act. It is also a condition for the issue of a licence to retail or serve alcoholic beverages that serving staff undergo a Responsible Host course. Managers and deputies shall take the course during the first 6 months of their employment.

10. Events that are granted licences to serve alcohol in large areas, for example at concerts and festivals, will be subject to especially strict control.

11. Licences to serve alcoholic beverages in Groups 1, 2 and 3 continue to be valid for a new period of up to four years, expiring at latest on 30 September in the year after a new municipal council takes office, cf the Alcohol Act s. 1-6. A new licence to retail or serve alcoholic beverages must nevertheless be applied for in the following cases:

• Establishments where serious or very serious contraventions of the Alcohol Act have been revealed during the previous licence period.
• Establishments where the requirement for good repute on the part of the licensee and anyone who exercises material influence on the establishment, is shown to have been breached, cf the Alcohol Act s. 1-7b.
• Any other special grounds for the establishment being reconsidered.

You can find the Regulations on opening hours for serving establishments in Bodø Municipality in the menu to the right

For more information about the transition between summer and winter time see under related links to the right.

For more information about the sanctions for contravention of the Alcohol Act, see under related links to the right.

Do you want to arrange a larger event in our wonderful town? Here is some information about events on municipal land that have to be approved by Bodø Municipality.

Events - applications to rent municipal land