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Trading hours of retail shops in Queensland
Shop trading hours in Queensland depend on the type of shop.
There are 2 categories of shops defined by the Trading (Allowable Hours) Act 1990:
- exempt shops – have unrestricted trading hours and are specifically listed in the Act
- independent retail shops – generally have unrestricted trading hours, but have limited numbers of employees
- non-exempt shops – large retailers including supermarkets and department stores.
Hours of trade may also be restricted by other regulations. For example, licensed premises must comply with the Liquor Act 1992 and the Wine Industry Act 1994.
Sunday and public holiday trading hours vary and are listed separately.
This guide explains each category of retail shop and what trading hours apply, both normally and for various public holidays.
Shop trading hours in Queensland
Trading hours for each category of retail shop are listed below. Different hours may apply to Sundays and public holidays.
Special trading hours apply for Anzac Day, Easter, Labour Day and Christmas.
Follow these steps to work out the class of shop and when the shop may trade:
- Check the list of exempt shops to see if the shop is included in that list.
- If the shop is not included in the list of exempt shops, check the criteria for independent retail shops.
- If the shop doesn't fit into either of those categories it is classified as a non-exempt shop.
Exempt shops
Exempt shops are defined in the Trading (Allowable Hours) Act 1990 and include:
- the type of shops described in the list below
- independent retail shops (see criteria below)
- a shop operating in an area to which a special event declaration applies.
List of exempt shops
- Antique shop
- Art gallery or arts and crafts shop
- Aquarium, aquarium accessories or pet shop
- Bait and tackle or marine shop
- Bookseller's or newsagent’s shop
- Bread, cake or pastry shop
- Butcher's shop
- Camping equipment shop
- Chemist shop
- Confectionery shop or ice-cream parlour
- Cooked provisions shop (where the provisions are cooked or heated on the premises immediately before sale), milk bar, restaurant, café or refreshment shop
- Delicatessen
- Fish shop
- Flower shop
- Fruit and vegetable shop
- Funeral director's premises
- Hairdresser's, beautician's or barber's shop
- Licensed premises under the Liquor Act 1992 or the Wine Industry Act 1994 (although specific trading hour restrictions apply - read Trading hours for liquor licensees)
- Nursery (plant) shop for selling garden plants and shrubs, seeds, garden and landscaping supplies or equipment, and associated products
- Photographic shop
- Premises in relation to which a pawnbrokers licence under the Second-hand Dealers and Pawnbrokers Act 2003 is in force
- Service station
- Subject to section 5(2), shop of a class declared by regulation to be a class of exempt shop
- Shop for selling motor vehicle spare parts or motor cycle spare parts, or both
- Shop in an international airport terminal, cruise terminal, casino, or tourist resort on an off-shore island
- Soap shop
- Souvenir shop
- Special exhibition or display of goods (examples – an annual 3-day caravan, camping and fishing expo, a one-off launch of a new model of campervans held at a shopping centre)
- Sporting goods shop
- Tobacconist's shop
- Toy shop
- Veterinary supplies shop
Independent retail shops (sub-category of exempt shops)
If the shop is not in the list of exempt shops and meets all of the following criteria, it is classified as an 'independent retail shop'.
- The business is run by an individual, partnership or a proprietary company (does not include a public company or related corporation).
- There are no more than 30 people, including the owner, engaged in the shop at any one time.
- There are no more than 100 people engaged by the owner in all shops throughout Queensland at any one time.
- The business is not conducted within a non-exempt shop or part thereof.
Trading hours for exempt shops
Exempt shops, except for independent retail shops, have unrestricted trading hours. They may trade 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days of the year, including all public holidays.
Independent retail shops as a sub-category of exempt shops can open at any time, including most public holidays except they must remain closed:
- on Good Friday and Christmas Day (25 December) each year*
- and
- until 1pm on Anzac Day (25 April) each year*.
*These restrictions do not apply to an independent retail shop which is predominantly a food and/or grocery shop.
Note: Hours of trade may be restricted by another Act or contract. For example licensed premises must comply with the Liquor Act 1992 and the Wine Industry Act 1994. For more information, read Trading hours for liquor licensees.
Non-exempt shops
Non-exempt shops are shops other than exempt shops and include:
- large retailers including supermarkets, department stores and hardware shops
- shops selling motor vehicles or caravans.
Trading hours for non-exempt shops
The core trading hours permitted for non-exempt shops depend on the goods predominantly for sale and the shop's location. There are 4 types of trading areas and specific hours for:
- non-exempt shops generally
- non-exempt hardware shops
- non-exempt shops selling motor vehicles or caravans.
Type 1 trading areas
- Area of New Farm of Inner City of Brisbane
- Gold Coast Coastal Tourist Area
- Hamilton North Shore Area
- Mossman and Port Douglas Tourist Area
- The Cairns CBD Area
- The Great Barrier Reef Wonderland Tourist Complex
- The Pacific Fair Shopping Centre located at Broadbeach Waters on the corner of Hooker Boulevard and Sunshine Boulevard
- Any other area declared in a trading area order to be a type 1 trading area
Day | Opening time | Closing time |
---|---|---|
Monday to Friday | 6am | 10pm |
Saturday | 7am | 10pm |
Sunday and public holidays, other than closed days | 7am | 9pm |
Type 2 trading areas
- The South-East Queensland Area, other than a part of the area that is a type 1 trading area (generally – extending north to Noosa, south to Coolangatta and west to Gatton)
- Any other area declared in a trading area order to be a type 2 trading area
Day | Opening time | Closing time |
---|---|---|
Monday to Friday | 7am | 9pm |
Saturday | 7am | 9pm |
Sunday and public holidays, other than closed days | 9am | 6pm |
Type 3 trading areas
- An area mentioned in schedule 1AB
- Biloela Area
- Bundaberg Area
- Cairns Tourist Area
- City of Rockhampton
- City of Toowoomba
- Cooloola Cove Area
- Dalby Area
- Emerald Area
- Emu Park Tourist Area
- Fraser Coast Area
- Gladstone Area
- Gympie Area
- Ingham Area
- Innisfail Area
- Mackay Area
- Marian Area
- Moranbah Area
- Stanthorpe Area
- Tablelands Area (Mareeba and Atherton)
- Townsville Tourist Area
- Townsville and Thuringowa Area (excluding Townsville Tourist Area)
- Warwick Area
- Whitsunday Shire Tourist Area
- Yeppoon Tourist Area
- Any other area declared in a trading area order to be a type 3 trading area
Day | Opening time | Closing time |
---|---|---|
Monday to Friday |
| 9pm |
Saturday | 8am | 6pm |
Sunday and public holidays, other than closed days | 9am | 6pm |
Type 4 trading areas
- Any other area that is not a type 1, 2 or 3 trading area
This includes, but is not limited to, a number of regional towns such as:- Ayr
- Blackwater
- Bowen
- Charleville
- Charters Towers
- Childers
- Chinchilla
- Cloncurry
- Goondiwindi
- Home Hill
- Kingaroy
- Longreach
- Mission Beach
- Mt Isa
- Nanango
- Oakey
- Pittsworth
- Proserpine
- Roma
- Weipa
Day | Opening time | Closing time |
---|---|---|
Monday to Friday | 8am | 9pm |
Saturday | 8am | 6pm |
Sunday | N/A – closed | N/A – closed |
Public holidays, other than closed days | 9am | 6pm |
Closed Days: Good Friday, Anzac Day (25 April), Labour Day and Christmas Day (25 December)
Type 1 trading areas
- Area of New Farm of Inner City of Brisbane
- Gold Coast Coastal Tourist Area
- Hamilton North Shore Area
- Mossman and Port Douglas Tourist Area
- The Cairns CBD Area
- The Great Barrier Reef Wonderland Tourist Complex
- The Pacific Fair Shopping Centre located at Broadbeach Waters on the corner of Hooker Boulevard and Sunshine Boulevard
- Any other area declared in a trading area order to be a type 1 trading area
Day | Opening time | Closing time |
---|---|---|
Monday to Friday | 6am | 10pm |
Saturday | 6am | 10pm |
Sunday and public holidays, other than closed days | 6am | 9pm |
Type 2 trading areas
- The South-East Queensland Area, other than a part of the area that is a type 1 trading area (generally – extending north to Noosa, south to Coolangatta and west to Gatton)
- Any other area declared in a trading area order to be a type 2 trading area
Day | Opening time | Closing time |
---|---|---|
Monday to Friday | 6am | 9pm |
Saturday | 6am | 9pm |
Sunday and public holidays, other than closed days | 6am | 6pm |
Type 3 and 4 trading areas
Type 3 trading areas
- An area mentioned in schedule 1AB
- Biloela Area
- Bundaberg Area
- Cairns Tourist Area
- City of Rockhampton
- City of Toowoomba
- Cooloola Cove Area
- Dalby Area
- Emerald Area
- Emu Park Tourist Area
- Fraser Coast Area
- Gladstone Area
- Gympie Area
- Ingham Area
- Innisfail Area
- Mackay Area
- Marian Area
- Moranbah Area
- Stanthorpe Area
- Tablelands Area (Mareeba and Atherton)
- Townsville Tourist Area
- Townsville and Thuringowa Area (excluding Townsville Tourist Area)
- Warwick Area
- Whitsunday Shire Tourist Area
- Yeppoon Tourist Area
- Any other area declared in a trading area order to be a type 3 trading area
Type 4 trading areas
- Any other area that is not a type 1, 2 or 3 trading area
This includes, but is not limited to, a number of regional towns such as:- Ayr
- Blackwater
- Bowen
- Charleville
- Charters Towers
- Childers
- Chinchilla
- Cloncurry
- Goondiwindi
- Home Hill
- Kingaroy
- Longreach
- Mission Beach
- Mt Isa
- Nanango
- Oakey
- Pittsworth
- Proserpine
- Roma
- Weipa.
Day | Opening time | Closing time |
---|---|---|
Monday to Friday | 6am | 9pm |
Saturday | 6am | 6pm |
Sunday and public holidays, other than closed days | 6am | 6pm |
Closed Days: Good Friday, Anzac Day (25 April), Labour Day and Christmas Day (25 December)
Car yards
Located in:
- Gold Coast Area
- Redcliffe Peninsula
- City of Brisbane Area
- City of Logan Area
- Town of Beenleigh Area
- Near North Coast Area
- Shire of Pine Rivers
- Redland Shire
- City of Ipswich
Day | Opening time | Closing time |
---|---|---|
Monday to Friday | 8am | 9pm |
Saturday | 8am | 6pm |
Sunday | N/A – closed | N/A – closed |
Public holidays, other than closed days | 8am | 6pm |
Car yards (outside of areas listed above)
Day | Opening time | Closing time |
---|---|---|
Monday to Friday | 8am | 9pm |
Saturday | 8am | 5pm |
Sunday and public holidays, other than closed days | N/A – closed | N/A – closed |
Caravan yards
Day | Opening time | Closing time |
---|---|---|
Monday to Friday | 8am | 9pm |
Saturday | 8am | 6pm |
Sunday and public holidays, other than closed days | N/A – closed | N/A – closed |
Combined caravan and car yards
Day | Opening time | Closing time |
---|---|---|
Monday to Friday | 8am | 9pm |
Saturday | 8am | 5pm |
Sunday and public holidays, other than closed days | N/A – closed | N/A – closed |
Closed days: Good Friday, Anzac Day (25 April), Labour Day and Christmas Day (25 December)
Public holidays and closed days
Closed days for all non-exempt shops
- Good Friday
- Anzac Day (25 April)
- Labour Day (first Monday in May)
- Christmas Day (25 December)
Non-exempt shops in type 4 trading areas must remain closed on Sundays.
Public holidays which are not closed days
- New Year's Day (1 January)*
- Australia Day (26 January)*
- The day after Good Friday (date varies)
- Easter Sunday (date varies)
- Easter Monday (date varies)
- King's Birthday (first Monday in October)
- Local shows (dates vary)
- Boxing Day (26 December)*
*The Holidays Act 1983 allows for additional or substitute public holidays on the following Monday or Tuesday when certain public holidays fall on a weekend:
- New Year's Day
- Australia Day
- Anzac Day (only if it falls on a Sunday)
- Christmas Day
- Boxing Day
Find out exact dates for public and show holidays.
Special conditions apply on Anzac Day, Easter and Christmas.
Protection for employees – extended hours
An employer must not require an employee to work during extended hours unless the employee freely elects to do so.
Extended hours include increased hours due to an amendment to the Act or when a trading area order takes effect or when a shop becomes an exempt shop because a special event declaration takes effect.
Advertising for business outside lawful trading hours
A person must not advertise that an independent or non-exempt shop will be open outside the hours permitted by the Trading (Allowable Hours) Act 1990.
Also consider...
- Refer to the Trading (Allowable Hours) Act 1990 and the Trading (Allowable Hours) Regulation 2014 for further information.
- Find more information about public holidays in the Holidays Act 1983.
Anzac Day trading hours
Trading hours for Anzac Day depend on the category of the retail shop.
Exempt shops
Exempt shops, except for the sub-category of independent retail shops, have unrestricted trading hours and may trade on Anzac Day.
Independent retail shops as a sub-category of exempt shops
Independent retail shops must remain closed until 1pm on Anzac Day, except if they are a predominantly food and/or grocery store, which can trade without restriction.
However, specific trading hour restrictions apply for licensed premises. For more information, read Trading hours for liquor licensees.
Non-exempt shops
Non-exempt shops must remain closed on Anzac Day.
Factories and shops (which includes offices) in Queensland are required to close on Anzac Day (25 April each year) with the following exceptions:
- racing venues (horses or greyhounds)
- offices or agencies of TAB (Qld)
- premises licensed under the Liquor Act 1992 (Qld) or Wine Industry Act 1994 (Qld) (see Anzac Day trading hours for licensed premises)
- real estate offices, which may open only for the purpose of rental transactions and must not sell real estate or conduct open house inspections
- premises engaged in:
- printing, publishing and distributing newspapers
- manufacturing, distributing or supplying gas, electricity or water
- necessary continuous manufacturing or mining
- essential services
- supplying of milk
- manufacturing bread and the preparation of food in restaurants, cafes, pastry cook and hot takeaway food kitchens.
Places of public amusement such as cinemas, amusement parks and sporting events (for the entertainment of the general public, whether or not an entry fee is charged) are not permitted to open until 1.30pm, unless written permission has been granted by the Minister for Industrial Relations.
Easter trading hours
Trading hours for Easter depend on the category of the retail shop.
Exempt shops
Exempt shops, except for the sub-category of independent retail shops, have unrestricted trading hours and may trade during the Easter period.
Independent retail shops as a sub-category of exempt shops
Independent retail shops must remain closed on Good Friday except if they are a predominantly food and/or grocery store, which can trade without restriction.
However, specific trading hour restrictions apply for licensed premises. For more information, read Trading hours for liquor licensees.
Non-exempt shops
Non-exempt shops must not open on Good Friday. Trading may be permitted for non-exempt shops on the other public holidays during the Easter period and will depend on the location or type of trading area.
For more information, read a summary of the 2024 Easter trading hours (PDF, 186KB) including car and caravan sales.
Christmas trading hours
Special trading hours arrangements apply for retail shops over the Christmas period each year and depend on the category of the retail shop.
Extended trading applies to areas throughout Queensland for the 3 Sundays before 18 December and from 18–24 December each year.
Exempt shops
Exempt shops, except for the sub-category of independent retail shops, have unrestricted trading hours and may trade during the Christmas period.
Independent retail shops as a sub-category of exempt shops
Independent retail shops generally have unrestricted trading hours and can trade during the Christmas period but must remain closed on Christmas Day, except if they are a predominantly food and/or grocery store, which can trade without restriction.
However, specific trading hour restrictions apply for licensed premises. For more information, read Trading hours for liquor licensees.
Non-exempt shops
Trading hours for non-exempt shops
These extended hours do not apply to non-exempt shops selling motor vehicles or caravans.
Day | Opening time | Closing time |
---|---|---|
The 3 Sundays before 18 December | 8am | 6pm |
18 to 23 December | The shop's usual opening time* | Midnight |
24 December | The shop's usual opening time* | 6pm |
25 December | Closed day for all non-exempt shops |
* If this day is a Sunday, the opening time is taken to be 9am for all non-exempt shops which are in a type 4 trading area. Otherwise, refer to trading hours for non-exempt shops.
Non-exempt shops in type 1 trading areas and all non-exempt hardware shops which have an earlier opening time or a later closing time than set out above may continue to trade those hours on the 3 Sundays before 18 December.
All non-exempt shops must close at 6pm on 24 December.
Special trading hours apply to:
- Westfield Chermside shopping complex
- and
- Westfield Garden City shopping complex.
Day | Opening time | Closing time |
---|---|---|
23 December | 8am | Midnight |
24 December | 12am | 6pm |
For more information, read a summary of the 2023 Christmas trading hours (PDF, 147KB) including car and caravan sales.
© The State of Queensland 1995–2024
- Last reviewed: 08 Sep 2021
- Last updated: 08 Sep 2021