Premises Licence FAQ

You apply for a Premises to the Licensing Authority which covers the place where the premises are. The Licensing Authority will usually be the local Council for that area.

An application in writing or electronically can be made to the Licensing Authority by an individual (aged 18 or over), or a corporate or incorporate body which carries out or proposes to carry out Licensable Activities before the premises are used for those activities.

Yes.  You must either be an individual aged 18 or over, a corporate or incorporate body such as a company or partnership.

You do if you want to use your premises to do one or more licensable activities.

They are:

• Sale by retail of alcohol
• Performance of a play
• Provision of regulated entertainment
• Provision of Late Night Refreshment

Yes you do, for the place where the alcohol is despatched from to the customer

No licence is required for the place where the order is received if different.

No.  You simply need to be an individual (aged 18 or over), a corporate or incorporate body.

Yes.  A Premises Licence can authorise the ‘OFF’ sale of alcohol which must be consumed OFF the premises.

You apply to the Licensing Authority (usually the Council) that covers the area where your Premises is situated.

You complete an application form, either online or on paper, that sets out what licensable activities you would like to use the Premises for, when you want to do them and your operation will promote the Licensing Objectives.  This is called the Operating Schedule.

The Licensing Objectives are:

1. The Prevention of Crime and Disorder
2. The Prevention of Public Nuisance
3. Public Safety
4. The Protection of Children from Harm

Licensing Consultants do not operate in Scotland.  Please email us and we will direct you to our trusted solicitor-partners who apply for Premises Licences in Scotland.

This depends on the Non-Domestic Rateable Value of your Premises.  The application fee depends upon the NDRV and is set by Regulations.

Other costs will be incurred for Legal Notices and Adverts, Plans and professional fees if you take advice. Once granted a Premises Licence attracts an Annual Fee which is again set by Regulation and is referrable to the NDRV.

Mandatory Conditions are applicable to all Licensed Premises which authorise the sale by retail of alcohol and are set by Regulation.    Click on this link to see them.

You need to apply for a Premises Licence if you want to use your premises to do one or more of the licensable activities.

Clearly, selling alcohol to the public requires a Premises Licence, but so are these other licensable activities:

• Performance of a play
• Exhibition of a film
• Some indoor sporting events
• Boxing or wrestling
• Contest, exhibition or display of boxing or wrestling with a martial art
• Some live music
• Recorded music
• Some dance performances
• Late Night Refreshment (23:00 to 05:00hrs overnight).

You will need to

• pay the Application Fee
• complete the Application Form or pay for someone to do it for you
• complete a Licensing Plan of your Premises
• if you want to retail alcohol, nominate a Designated Premises Supervisor (who must hold a Personal Licence and may be you )
• display legal ‘Blue Notices’ outside your premises to tell the public that you have applied.
• advertise your Application in a local newspaper, again to tell the public that you have applied.

It allows you to sell alcohol to the public in or from a particular Premises and/or these other licensable activities:

• Performance of a play
• Exhibition of a film
• Some indoor sporting events
• Boxing or wrestling
• Contest, exhibition or display of boxing or wrestling with a martial art
• Some live music
• Recorded music
• Some dance performances
• Late Night Refreshment (23:00 to 05:00hrs overnight).

Yes. You must either be an individual aged 18 or over, a registered company or a community organisation.

Anyone who wants to sell alcohol to the public in or from a particular Premises, or do any of these other licensable activities:

• Performance of a play
• Exhibition of a film
• Some indoor sporting events
• Boxing or wrestling
• Contest, exhibition or display of boxing or wrestling with a martial art
• Some live music
• Recorded music
• Some dance performances
• Late Night Refreshment (23:00 to 05:00hrs overnight).

You need a Premises Licence if you want to sell alcohol to the public in or from a particular Premises, and also if you want to do these any of other licensable activities:
• Performance of a play
• Exhibition of a film
• Some indoor sporting events
• Boxing or wrestling
• Contest, exhibition or display of boxing or wrestling with a martial art
• Some live music
• Recorded music
• Some dance performances
• Late Night Refreshment (23:00 to 05:00hrs overnight).