Why a Premises Licence is FIXED but a Personal Licence is PORTABLE

Why a Premises Licence is FIXED but a Personal Licence is PORTABLE

beer 3687802 1920

Premises Licence — Fixed to a Location

A Premises Licence is tied to a specific physical address because it governs:

  • Where alcohol is sold or supplied
  • How the premises operates (e.g., layout, hours, conditions)
  • What activities are permitted (e.g., off-sales, on-sales, entertainment)

Why it’s location-bound:

Licensing authorities (local councils) assess each site individually for public safety, nuisance, crime prevention, and protection of children. Conditions are tailored to the premises—like CCTV requirements, noise controls, or signage.

Therefore: If you move your operation to a new address, you need a new Premises Licence or a variation to the existing one.

Personal Licence — Movable Across Locations

A Personal Licence is issued to an individual and allows them to:

  • Supervise the sale of alcohol
  • Be named as the Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) on any licensed premises

Why it’s portable:

It’s about the person’s suitability, not the place.  Once granted, it’s valid nationwide and doesn’t expire.  You can work at different licensed premises without reapplying—you just need to update the DPS details on the relevant Premises Licence with the relevant Council.

How the Premises Licence and the Personal Licence Work Together:

The Premises Licence sets the rules for the location.

The Personal Licence holder ensures those rules are followed and that alcohol is sold responsibly.

Make an appointment today

Please pick a date from the calendar and we can begin the process of booking you in for a consultation

Q: Why The Licensing Guys should be the licensing partner for you…? 

A: These are the three biggest themes that come out of our Google Reviews:

  1. We take away all the stress.
  2. We tailor your alcohol licence to the individual needs of YOUR business.
  3. We provide a dedicated & personal account manager to oversee your application at every step.