Apply for a premises licence if you intend to sell alcohol or provide ‘licensable activities’ from a particular venue, unless you have a temporary event notice or club premises certificate.
Licensable activities include:
- sale of alcohol by retail (including via the internet or mail order)
- wholesale of alcohol to members of the public
- supply of alcohol by or on behalf of a club to, or to the order of, a member of the club
- provision of regulated entertainment
- provision of late night refreshment
You still need a licence even if the activities are for charity.
The rules regarding premises licences are in the Licensing Act 2003 and the Licensing Act 2003 (Premises licences and club premises certificates) Regulations 2005.
Exemptions
You don’t need a licence for some types of entertainment, including:
- educational or promotional films
- films shown as part of an exhibition in a museum or gallery
- incidental music (live or recorded)
Conditions
You must be, or appoint, a designated premises supervisor (DPS) when you apply for a licence. A DPS must have a personal licence to sell alcohol.
There may be other conditions added to your licence, such as having an age-checking policy if you sell alcohol.
Before you start
You’ll need to provide:
- your details
- a consent form for the Designated Premises Supervisor if alcohol is to be sold (the person nominated will need to have a personal licence)
- a plan of the premises showing certain criteria
- an operating schedule (details of licensable activity hours, opening hours and how you will support the licensing objectives)
- confirmation that the application needs to advertised at the premises by way of a notice and notice published in a local newspaper (within deadlines advised by licensing)
- a copy of a relevant document proving you have the right to work in the UK
- the application fee
Premises licence fees
You’ll be charged a fee that’s based on the rateable value of the property.
Most premises licences have an unlimited duration but you will have to pay an annual fee.
|
Non-domestic rateable value
|
Application for grant
|
Application for variation
|
Application for minor variation
|
Annual fee
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Band A
(£0 - £4,300)
|
£100 | £100 | £89 | £70 |
|
Band B
(£4,301 - £33,000)
|
£190 | £190 | £89 | £180 |
|
Band C
(£33,001 - £87,000)
|
£315 | £315 | £89 | £295 |
|
Band D
(£87,001 - £125,000)
|
£450 | £450 | £89 | £320 |
|
Band E
(£125,001+)
|
£635 | £635 | £89 | £350 |
Other premises licence fees
- Application for a copy following theft or loss - £10.50
- Notification of change of name or address - £10.50
- Application to vary to specify an individual as a Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) - £23.00
- Application to transfer a premises licence - £23.00
- Application for interim authority notice following death of licence holder - £23.00
Additional application and annual fees
There are additional fees to pay for activities which involve 5,000 or more people.
| Number of people | Application fee | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|
| 5,000 - 9,999 | £1,000 | £500 |
| 10,000 - 14,999 | £2,000 | £1,000 |
| 15,000 - 19,999 | £4,000 | £2,000 |
| 20,000 - 29,999 | £8,000 | £4,000 |
| 30,000 - 39,999 | £16,000 | £8,000 |
| 40,000 - 49,999 | £24,000 | £12,000 |
| 50,000 - 59,999 | £32,000 | £16,000 |
| 60,000 - 69,999 | £40,000 | £20,000 |
| 70,000 - 79,999 | £48,000 | £24,000 |
| 80,000 - 89,999 | £56,000 | £28,000 |
| 90,000 and over | £64,000 | £32,000 |
Apply or amend a premises licence - online forms
- New premises licence - tacit consent applies after 56 days
- Full variation of premises licence - tacit consent applies after 56 days
- Minor variation of premises or club premises - tacit consent does not apply
- Transfer of premises licence - tacit consent applies after 14 days
- Transfer consent form - part of application
- Interim authority notice - tacit consent applies after 7 days
- Vary designated premises supervisor on a premises licence - tacit consent applies after 14 days
- Designated premises supervisor consent form - part of application
- Disapply designated premises supervisor requirement - tacit consent applies after 56 days
- Request to be removed as designated premises supervisor - tacit consent applies after 56 days
Apply or amend a premises licence - application forms
- New premises licence (word 136 kb)
- Provisional statement (word 1 mb)
- Application to vary a premises licence – full variation (word 1 mb)
- Application to vary a premises licence – minor variation (word 896 kb)
- Application to transfer premises licence (word 1023 kb)
- Consent to transfer (pdf 823 kb)
- Vary a premises licence to specify a designated premises supervisor (word 882 kb)
- Consent to be designated as premises supervisor (pdf 846 kb)
- Interim authority notice (word 992 kb)
- Notification of interest in premises under Section 178 (word 1 mb)
- Application form to disapply the mandatory condition of requiring of a designated premises supervisor (word 861 kb)
- Notification of request to be removed as designated premises supervisor – and return of premises licence (word 19 kb)
- Additional notice to be removed as designated premises supervisor – instruction to premises licence holder (word 42 kb)
Supporting documentation
A plan of 1:100 scale (unless otherwise arrange with HBC Licensing Officers) of the premises which should include the following details:
- location and extent of the boundary of the building, if relevant, and any external and internal walls of the building and, if different, the perimeter of the premises
- location of points of access to and exit from the premises
- in a case where the premises is used for more than one existing licensable activity, the area within the premises used for each activity
- in case where an existing licensable activity relates to the sale of alcohol, the location or locations on the premises which is or are used for the consumption of alcohol; Fixed structures (including furniture) or similar objects temporarily in a fixed location (but not furniture) which may impact on the ability of individuals on the premises to use exits or escape routes without impediment
- in a case where the premises includes any steps, stairs elevators or lifts, the location of steps, stairs, elevators or lifts
- in a case where the premises includes any room or rooms containing public conveniences, the location of the room or rooms
- location and type of any fire safety and any other safety equipment
- location of a kitchen, if any, on the premises
After you've made an application
There is a 28 day period during which the responsible authorities and any other person can make representations about a new premises licence application. If no representations are received within this 28 day period, the application is granted with the relevant mandatory conditions and any conditions consistent with your operating schedule.
If representations are received, the application process can take longer as a licensing sub-committee might need to be arranged to to hear the application.
Displaying your application notice
You must display your ‘application notice’ at or on the premises for 28 days from the day after it was submitted.
Appealing a decision
If your licence application is refused, you can appeal. Appeals should be made to the Magistrates Court within 21 days of being notified of the Licensing Authority's decision.
You can also appeal against any conditions attached to your premises licence, including a decision to:
- exclude a licensable activity from the licence
- exclude a person from being the DPS
- reject a variation application or a transfer application
Displaying your licence
You must display the ‘licence summary’ at your premises where it can be easily seen.
The other pages of the licence should be kept safely at the premises. Police or council officers can ask to inspect them at any time.