How to apply for your personal alcohol licence?

What is a personal alcohol licence?

A personal licence allows a person to authorise the sale or supply of alcohol.

As a result you or a member of your staff must hold a personal licence if you sell alcohol from licensed premises. In turn this means every sale or supply of alcohol has authorisation by a personal licence holder. The person named on the premises licence is therefore responsible for the daily running of these premises.

What are Licensed Premises?

‘Licensed premises’ are establishments where you intend to sell alcohol or provide licensable activities.

You don’t need a personal licence to sell alcohol under a temporary events notice.

The Licensing Act 2003 covers the sale & supply of alcohol, the provision of regulated entertainment and the provision of late night refreshment.

As a result, the following activities will require a licence, by law:

  • Retail sale of alcoholpersonal alcohol licence holders, APLH
  • Supply of alcohol
  • Performance of a play
  • Exhibition of a film
  • Indoor sporting events
  • Boxing or wrestling
  • Performance of live music
  • Playing of recorded music
  • Performance of dance
  • Providing facilities for making music or dancing
  • Supply of hot food or drink between the hours of 11pm and 5am.

How to apply for a personal alcohol licence?

Who can apply:

A personal licence holder must:

  • be 18 or over
  • have not forfeited a personal licence within five years prior to making an application
  • have not been convicted of any relevant or foreign offence
  • possess an accredited licensing qualification

How to apply:

If you would like to apply for a personal licence, you will need to submit;

  • A personal licence application form (available from your local authority)
  • A disclosure of convictions & declaration form (also available from your local authority)
  • Two passport photos of yourself. One of which needs endorsing by a solicitor, person of standing in the community or a professional
  • Your accredited personal licence qualification certificate
  • Proof of my right to work in the UK
  • Payment for your application

In addition to the above, you will need to apply for a basic disclosure certificate. This should be dated within one month of the authority receiving your application. Due to this, we would suggest doing this task last.

All applications are made to your local authority. In order to find out who this is in your area search your postcode here.

Choosing your accredited qualification;

Our Level 2 Personal Licence Holder (APLH) is fully accredited by HABC. The gov.uk website has a list of all suitable courses, all of which you can check by visiting there approved course list. 

Overall, your chosen personal alcohol licence qualification should cover;

  • The Licencing Act
  • Licensing authorities and policy
  • Licensable activities
  • The role of a Licence Holder
  • Applying for a Personal Licence
  • Premise Licences
  • Unauthorised activities
  • Sale, purchase & consumption of alcohol
  • Powers and enforcement
  • Temporary Event Notices
  • Early morning alcohol restrictions

Can I receive objections to my application?

Yes. The police can object to your personal licence. This may occur if you have a conviction of a relevant or foreign offence. They must also believe that granting you a personal licence would undermine the crime prevention objective.

Consequently if the Police have objected, the licensing authority must give reasons of their decision. As a result the applicant & the Police will then receive a report of these objections.

You can appeal the objection with the Magistrates Court, if you feel the decision is unjust.