The Ultimate Hospitality Compliance Checklist for Australian Small Businesses

Running a hospitality business in Australia means operating across at least five distinct regulatory domains simultaneously. Employment law, tax and payroll, work health and safety, liquor licensing, and food safety all have their own rules, deadlines, and penalties — and they don't coordinate with each other for your convenience.

This checklist brings them all together in one place. Use it to assess your compliance status across every domain, identify gaps, and prioritise what needs attention.

This is not a replacement for professional advice — but it is the kind of comprehensive overview that most small hospitality operators have never seen in one place.

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Part 1: Employment Law Compliance

Staff Classification and Contracts

• [ ] Every employee has a written employment contract specifying their employment basis (full-time, part-time, or casual)
• [ ] Each employee is classified at the correct level under the applicable award (HIGA or Restaurant Industry Award)
• [ ] Part-time employees have their agreed hours documented in writing
• [ ] Casual employees have received the Casual Employment Information Statement at commencement
• [ ] Casual employees with regular and systematic hours have been assessed for casual conversion eligibility (after 12 months of employment)

Pay and Entitlements

• [ ] Base pay rates are at or above the current award minimum for each classification level (updated 1 July each year)
• [ ] Saturday penalty rates are applied correctly
• [ ] Sunday penalty rates are applied correctly (different rates for permanent vs casual)
• [ ] Public holiday rates are applied correctly (check award — typically 225% or 250%)
• [ ] Evening/late night penalty rates are applied where applicable
• [ ] Casual loading (25%) is applied to every hour worked by casual employees
• [ ] Overtime is calculated and paid correctly (check part-time overtime thresholds)
• [ ] All applicable allowances are paid (meal allowance, uniform/laundry, split shift, etc.)
• [ ] Annual leave loading (17.5%) is paid when permanent employees take annual leave

Superannuation

• [ ] Super is paid at 12% (from 1 July 2025) on ordinary time earnings
• [ ] Super includes penalty rates for ordinary hours, casual loadings, and applicable allowances
• [ ] Super is paid on time (quarterly until 30 June 2026; payday super thereafter)
• [ ] Working holiday makers are set up with the correct super fund arrangements

Record-Keeping

• [ ] Employment records are maintained for all current and former employees for 7 years
• [ ] Records include: start date, employment basis, classification, agreed hours, pay rates, actual hours worked, leave balances, super contributions
• [ ] Pay slips are issued within one working day of each pay period with all required information
• [ ] Rosters or timesheets recording actual start/finish times are maintained

Fair Work Obligations

• [ ] Fair Work Information Statement has been given to all new employees
• [ ] The applicable modern award is accessible to employees (printed copy in the premises or accessible digitally)
• [ ] No unauthorised deductions from wages are being made

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Part 2: Tax and Payroll Compliance

ATO Registration and STP

• [ ] Business is registered for PAYG withholding if you have employees
• [ ] STP Phase 2 is active and configured correctly in your payroll software
• [ ] Payroll includes disaggregated income type reporting (ordinary pay, overtime, allowances, leave separately)
• [ ] Employee tax file number declarations are on file for all employees
• [ ] Year-end STP finalisation was completed by 14 July for the previous financial year

BAS and GST

• [ ] GST registration is current (required if annual turnover exceeds $75,000)
• [ ] BAS is lodged on time (quarterly or monthly, depending on registration)
• [ ] GST is correctly reported on all taxable sales (standard-rated, GST-free, and input-taxed supplies distinguished correctly)

Working Holiday Makers

• [ ] Business is registered with the ATO as a Working Holiday Maker employer (if you employ WHM visa holders)
• [ ] WHM tax rate (15% up to $45,000) is applied correctly in payroll
• [ ] WHMs are correctly set up in STP2 as the WHM income stream

Fringe Benefits Tax

• [ ] Any non-cash benefits provided to employees (meals, accommodation, cars) are assessed for FBT applicability
• [ ] FBT return is lodged by 21 May each year (if applicable)

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Part 3: Work Health and Safety Compliance

Core WHS Obligations

• [ ] WHS management system is in place (even informal — risk assessments, safe work procedures)
• [ ] A register of hazards and risks has been documented for the workplace
• [ ] Emergency procedures are documented, communicated to staff, and tested
• [ ] First aid kit is current, appropriately stocked, and accessible

Specific Hospitality Hazards

• [ ] Manual handling risks assessed and controls implemented (lifting, carrying kegs, crockery, etc.)
• [ ] Slips, trips, and falls — wet floors, uneven surfaces identified and managed
• [ ] Heat and burn risks in kitchen — controls in place (PPE, procedures)
• [ ] Workplace violence and aggression — procedures in place for dealing with aggressive patrons
• [ ] Psychosocial hazards assessed (stress, customer aggression, fatigue from shift work)
• [ ] Lone working arrangements (late-night close, solo staff) — risk assessed and controlled

Workers Compensation

• [ ] Workers compensation insurance policy is current and covers all employees (including casuals)
• [ ] Premium is paid and up to date
• [ ] Injury management and return-to-work procedures are in place

WHS Training

• [ ] All new employees receive WHS induction before commencing work
• [ ] Staff are trained in relevant safe work procedures
• [ ] First aid officers are trained and current (first aid certificate valid)

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Part 4: Liquor Licensing Compliance

• [ ] Liquor licence is current and valid (not expired or lapsed)
• [ ] Licence renewal date is tracked with a 60-day advance reminder
• [ ] All staff who serve alcohol have current RSA certification for your state
• [ ] RSA certificate renewal dates are tracked
• [ ] Responsible Manager nomination is current and on file with the licensing authority
• [ ] Trading hours are being observed (no service before or after licensed hours)
• [ ] Patron capacity limits are being managed
• [ ] Incident register is being maintained as required by your jurisdiction
• [ ] Required signage is displayed (minors prohibited signage, RSA signage)
• [ ] Any special event or extended trading permits are applied for in advance of the event
• [ ] Licence conditions (e.g., food service requirements, outdoor patron limits) are being observed

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Part 5: Food Safety Compliance

• [ ] Food business registration is current with your local council
• [ ] Food safety supervisor is nominated and holds a current Food Safety Supervisor certificate (state-specific)
• [ ] Food safety management system is in place and current (temperature records, cleaning schedules, pest control)
• [ ] Food handler training is completed by all food-handling staff
• [ ] Allergen management procedures are in place and communicated to staff and customers
• [ ] Cooling, reheating, and storage temperature procedures comply with the Food Standards Code
• [ ] Equipment is maintained and cleaned in accordance with food safety requirements

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Part 6: Corporate and Business Registration

• [ ] ABN is current and registered details (address, business activities) are up to date
• [ ] ACN is current (for companies) and ASIC address is up to date
• [ ] Business name registration is current (renewed every 1 or 3 years via ASIC)
• [ ] Company's annual review fee paid to ASIC (due annually on the anniversary of registration)
• [ ] Any required industry memberships (e.g., accommodation association) are current

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How Often Should You Review This Checklist?

Monthly: Pay and entitlement compliance, STP reporting, BAS lodgement

Quarterly: Super payment (until June 2026), WHS hazard review, record-keeping audit

Annually (or more frequently): Award rate review (1 July), liquor licence renewal, RSA certifications, food safety supervisor certificate, workers compensation premium, casual conversion eligibility review

As needed: When employees start/finish, when business activities change, when staff hours change significantly

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Too Much to Track? That's the Point.

This checklist covers more than 60 distinct compliance obligations — and it's not exhaustive. Hospitality businesses operate in one of the most compliance-intensive regulatory environments in Australia.

Most small hospitality operators don't have a compliance team. They have themselves, a bookkeeper, and their accountant — all of whom are focused on different parts of the puzzle.

Reguladar is built for exactly this situation. It gives you a single dashboard showing every compliance obligation that applies to your specific business, when each one is due, and what you need to do. You get alerts before deadlines, not after them.

Get your personalised compliance dashboard at Reguladar →

This checklist is general information only. Requirements vary by state, territory, and business type. Seek professional advice for your specific situation.

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Related articles:

• Wage Theft Laws in Australia: What Hospitality Business Owners Need to Know
• How to Prepare for a Fair Work Audit: A Hospitality Business Guide
• Payday Super: What Australian Hospitality Businesses Need to Know
• Food Safety Compliance for Australian Hospitality Businesses
• Liquor Licensing Obligations for Small Hospitality Businesses