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Outdoor Dining and Using Public Space

If you want to use public property for outdoor dining or selling things from your business, you need a licence from the Council.

Who needs a licence?

You need a licence if:

  • your business is in the commercial zones - Town Centre, First Street, and Kuripuni Shopping Village and
  • you want to have dining or displays outside.

You don't need a licence if:

  • your business is outside the commercial zones,
  • the space you want to use is private property or
  • you have a hawker's licence.

If you plan to use less than 2 square metres of public space, your application is considered minor – that means you won’t pay an application fee or an annual fee.

Standard Applications: you plan to use more than 2 square metres, everything is temporary and fully-reversible.

Major Applications: you plan to use more than 2 square metres or a carpark, there are permanent structures that can’t be easily removed.

Opening a new business?

We recommend using the free Taking Care of Business pathway. You’ll get a dedicated person to guide you through all of the different licences you need to do business in Masterton.

New Businesses

How to Apply

Fill out an application form (PDF, 188KB)

Council will contact you within 10 business days to approve your licence or ask for more information if required.

Return your form:

  • Email your form to takingcareofbusiness@mstn.govt.nz
  • Drop it to the Customer Service Centre at 161 Queen Street, Masterton
  • Post it to MDC, PO Box 444, Masterton

Renewing your licence

Your licence lasts for 3 years. The Council will send you a reminder before your licence expires.

If you sell your business, the new owner will need to apply for their own licence.

If you have questions or need help to complete an application, get in touch with mdc@mstn.govt.nz or call 06 370 6300.

Fees

Standard and Major Applications - $135

Minor application (less than 2m2) - No cost

Annual charge - $2,236 per parking space

Application Requirements

All applications need to have:

  • the applicant and business or organisation details.
  • a description of what you plan to do, including hours of operation and the food or services being offered.
  • a plan showing the proposed area with dimensions.
  • design and layout information, including the furniture, structures, displays, or infrastructure

You generally won't need to include anything else in your application. We'll be in touch if we have any questions about your plan. The minor pathway is meant to be quick and simple.

Extra information for a standard application:

  • Information about parking, pedestrian movement, accessibility, and safety.
  • Compliance information like statutory approvals, consents, licences, permits, or other permissions.
  • Proof that you've spoken to your neighbours and they support your plan.
  • Proof of public liability insurance.

Extra information for a major application:

  • Technical plans and drawings.
  • Structural and engineering information, including evidence of the safety of any structures.
  • Information about transport, parking, pedestrian movement, accessibility, and safety, including traffic impact assessments and accessibility assessments.
  • Information relating to Council assets and infrastructure, including underground services and any impact on public infrastructure.
  • Construction information - how you plan to build any structures, including staging and traffic management.
  • Maintenance information - how you plan to take care of the area.
  • Consultation information - show that you've spoken to people that are affected by your plans like neighbouring businesses, residents, and infrastructure providers.
  • Specialist assessments, reports, certifications, or technical advice we need to assess the proposal and its potential effects.

Frequently Asked Questions

Letting businesses use public spaces for dining and selling can create a cool vibe in town. At the same time, the space belongs to the public so they need to be able to do things like:

  • drive a mobility scooter,
  • push a buggy,
  • get to a parking meter,
  • and generally move around without stuff in their way.

Having a policy makes it fair - there is one set of rules that apply to everyone.

The commercial zones are:

Masterton CBD - Queen Street from the Northern Roundabout to the intersection at Renall Street, Dixon Street, Bruce Street, King Street, Park Street, Lincoln Road, Church Street, Perry Street, Bannister Street, Jackson Street, Worksop Road, Renall Street.

First Street - North side (1B to 3D First Street), South side (Ōpaki Road to Cooper Street).

Kuripuni Shopping Village - Crayne Street, 425 Queen Street to Crayne Street, Crayne St to Waltons Avenue, Crayne St to Kuripuni St)

Your licence can be reviewed, changed, suspended or cancelled if you don't stick to the plan in your application.

A Council officer will visit your business once a year to check in, we will contact you before the visit happens. If they notice something wrong they will write a compliance notice that says what you need to fix. You will have four weeks to fix the problem. If there is a risk to public safety we might ask you to sort it out more quickly.

This depends on how complex your application is and how quickly you can respond to any questions we might have. A minor application should be about 20 days, a major application will be longer.

The day you make your application is day one.

Council will take 10 days to assess the application, confirm that you’re minor, standard, or major, and ask for any extra information if it’s needed.

Once you have provided the extra information Council will take another 10 days to do a detailed assessment and make a decision.

Sandwich boards are fine and do not need a licence.

Elected Members voted to introduce the Use of Public Places by Adjoining Business Premises Policy at their meeting on 28 October 2026.

You can make changes to the plan you originally submitted. Send us an email at takingcareofbusiness@mstn.govt.nz.

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