Shop Trading FAQ

When can my shop trade?

It depends on how large your shop is, what it sells and where it is located.

• Shops not in a Shopping District
• Exempt shops i.e. small shops or shops that sell certain goods
• Larger shops in the city and metropolitan area
• Larger shops in regional areas
• Car and boat dealerships
• Hardware, furniture, floor coverings and motor vehicle part shops

If your shop is not located in the Greater Adelaide Shopping District (Central Business District (CBD) Tourist Precinct, the Glenelg Tourist Precinct and the metropolitan area generally) or a Proclaimed Shopping District (PDF 37kb), the Shop Trading Hours Act 1977 does not apply. This means you can trade whenever you want, including on all public holidays.

If your shop is located in the Greater Adelaide Shopping District (Central Business District (CBD) Tourist Precinct, the Glenelg Tourist Precinct and the metropolitan area generally) or a Proclaimed Shopping District (PDF 37kb) and

• has less than 200 m² of retail floor area; or
• is a grocery store with less than 400 m² of retail floor area; and
• has an adjacent or adjoining storage area not exceeding one-half the retail floor area of the shop

it is an exempt shop. You can trade whenever you want, including on all public holidays.

Regardless of size, shops that predominantly sell certain goods are also exempt. See the full list of shops that are exempt.

If your shop is located in the Greater Adelaide Shopping District (the Central Business District (CBD) Tourist Precinct, the Glenelg Tourist Precinct and the metropolitan area generally) and

• has more than 200 m² of retail floor area; or
• is a grocery store with more than 400 m² of retail floor area

it is a non-exempt shop. Your shop can trade:

• until 9.00 pm on weekdays, including part-day public holidays that fall on a weekday;
• until 5.00 pm on a Saturday, including Easter Saturday; and
• from 11.00 am to 5.00 pm on a Sunday, excluding Easter Sunday.

Note: Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve (7pm until 12 midnight) are part-day public holidays in South Australia.

If your non-exempt shop is in the Central Business District (CBD) Tourist Precinct (PDF 112kb), you can also trade from 11.00 am to 5.00 pm on all full-day public holidays (except Good Friday, 25 December and before 12 noon on 25 April).

If your non-exempt shop is in the Greater Adelaide Shopping District (but outside of the Central Business District (CBD) Tourist Precinct (PDF 112kb), you cannot trade on full-day public holidays except Easter Saturday.

If your shop is located in a Proclaimed Shopping District (PDF 37kb) and

• has more than 200 m² of retail floor area; or
• is a grocery store with more than 400 m² of retail floor area

it is a non-exempt shop. Your shop can trade:

• until 6.00 pm on every weekday other than a Thursday;
• until 9.00 pm on Thursdays, including part-day public holidays; and
• until 5.00 pm on Saturdays, but not including Easter Saturday.

Note: Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve (7pm until 12 midnight) are part-day public holidays in South Australia.

If your shop is a non-exempt shop located in a Proclaimed Shopping District, you cannot trade on Sundays or any full-day public holiday.

If your shop is a boat or car dealership located in the Greater Adelaide Shopping District (Central Business District (CBD) Tourist Precinct, the Glenelg Tourist Precinct and the metropolitan area generally) or a Proclaimed Shopping District (PDF 37kb), your shop can trade:

• until 6.00pm Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday;
• until 9.00pm Thursday and Friday, including part-day public holidays; and
• until 5.00pm Saturday, but not including Easter Saturday.

Note: Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve (7pm until 12 midnight) are part-day public holidays in South Australia.

If your shop is a boat or car dealership located in the Greater Adelaide Shopping District or a Proclaimed Shopping District, you cannot trade on any full-day public holidays.

If your shop sells hardware and building materials, furniture, floor coverings or motor vehicle parts and accessories and

• is located in the Greater Adelaide Shopping District (Central Business District (CBD) Tourist Precinct, the Glenelg Tourist Precinct and the metropolitan area generally) or a Proclaimed Shopping District (PDF 37kb), and
• has more than 200 m² of retail floor area

your shop can trade:

• until 9.00 pm on weekdays, including part-day public holidays;
• until 5.00 pm on a Saturday, including Easter Saturday; and
• from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm on Sundays and all full-day public holidays (except Good Friday, 25 December and before 12 noon on 25 April).

Note: Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve (7pm until 12 midnight) are part-day public holidays in South Australia.

What are the changes to shop trading hours and public holidays legislation?

On 2 April 2012, the Statutes Amendment (Shop Trading and Holidays) Act 2012 was proclaimed, amending the Shop Trading Hours Act 1977 and the Holidays Act 1910. 

The Shop Trading Hours Act 1977 has been amended to:

• recognise the unique role of the Central Business District as the centre of South Australia's tourism industry by naming it the Central Business District (CBD) Tourist Precinct;
• allow non exempt shops located in the Central Business District (CBD) Tourist Precinct (PDF 112kb) to trade on all public holidays (except Good Friday, 25 December and before 12 noon on 25 April); and
• streamline the application and assessment processes for exemptions to shop trading hours. Exemptions to shop trading hours can now be issued for up to 30 days. In addition, the Minister for Industrial Relations can issue a blanket exemption from the requirements of the Act for a geographic area.

The Holidays Act 1910 has been amended to prescribe part-day public holidays on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve from 7.00 pm to 12 midnight.

Why have administrative processes for shop trading been amended?

This streamlining enacts recommendations by the Competiveness Council and the Productivity Commission to reduce compliance processes that currently exist for retailers seeking exemptions to trade on restricted trading days.

The amendments to the administrative processes allow:

• Exemptions to shop trading hours to be issued for up to 30 days.
• The Minister for Industrial Relations to issue a blanket exemption from the requirements of the Act for a geographic area.

What changes will there be to shop trading hours in the Central Business District Tourist Precinct?

Non-exempt shops in the Central Business District (CBD) Tourist Precinct (PDF 112kb) can now trade from 11.00 am to 5.00 pm on all full-day public holidays (except Good Friday, 25 December and before 12 noon on 25 April).

Note: Motor vehicle dealers and boat dealers are not able to trade on full-day public holidays (including Easter Saturday) or Sundays.

What are the boundaries of the Central Business District Tourist Precinct?

The boundaries of the Central Business District (CBD) Tourist Precinct, for the purposes of the Shop Trading Hours Act 1977, are the River Torrens in the north to the edge of the parklands surrounding the City of Adelaide on the other three sides. The Act defines this as "the portion of the municipality of the City of Adelaide that lies within the Hundred of Adelaide." (PDF 112kb)

The Shop Trading Hours Act 1977 used to refer to this area as "the Central Shopping District." The Statutes Amendment (Shop Trading and Holidays) Act 2012 changes this reference to "Central Business District (CBD) Tourist Precinct."

What is the impact of these changes on public holiday trading hours?

All non-exempt shops that are in the Central Business District (CBD) Tourist Precinct (PDF 112kb) can trade on all public holidays (except on Good Friday, 25 December and before 12 noon on 25 April).

Non-exempt shops in other Shopping Districts are not impacted by these amendments. To summarise the arrangements for non-exempt shops on public holidays:

- Non-exempt shops in the Greater Adelaide Shopping District (but outside the Central Business District (CBD) Tourist Precinct) will remain closed on full-day public holidays, except for Easter Saturday;

- Non-exempt shops in Proclaimed Shopping District (PDF 37kb) will remain closed on all full-day public holidays.

Exempt shops (the vast majority of South Australia's retail sector) continue to be able to trade during the hours that suit the needs of their business, including on public holidays.