Alcohol licences in the UK: the plain-English guide
Written by Sam Allcock · Last updated 23 August 2026 · Facts checked against GOV.UK and legislation.gov.uk on the date above
Selling alcohol in England or Wales almost always means holding two separate things at once: a premises licence for the venue itself, and a personal licence for whoever authorises each sale.
Both sit under the Licensing Act 2003, and both are granted by your local council, not by a national licensing body.
This guide explains the licensing system in plain English - the two main licences, temporary event notices, the four licensing objectives every application has to satisfy, and how the application process actually works, based on GOV.UK's own guidance and the underlying fee regulations rather than the vague "up to 12 weeks" style claims you'll see repeated elsewhere.
This is general information, not legal advice. For anything specific to your premises or circumstances, contact your local council's licensing team or a licensing solicitor before you apply.
What is the UK alcohol licensing system?
The alcohol licensing system in England and Wales is set out in the Licensing Act 2003 and overseen by the Home Office, with your local council acting as the "licensing authority" that actually grants or refuses licences.
Councils, rather than a single national regulator, decide almost every application, which is why the practical experience of applying can vary from one area to the next even though the underlying law is the same everywhere (GOV.UK, Alcohol licensing, updated 8 August 2025).
What are the four licensing objectives?
Every alcohol licence application has to show how it promotes four legal objectives, and it's on these grounds - not personal preference - that a council or the police can object.
| Licensing objective | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Prevention of crime and disorder | Stopping the premises or event becoming a source of criminal or disorderly behaviour. |
| Public safety | Physical safety of everyone on the premises, from fire risk to overcrowding. |
| Prevention of public nuisance | Noise, litter and disturbance affecting people living or working nearby. |
| Protection of children from harm | Keeping under-18s safe from the effects of the premises or event. |
Source: GOV.UK, Alcohol licensing, updated 8 August 2025.
Do you need a premises licence, a personal licence, or both?
In practice, most venues that sell alcohol need both: a premises licence for the building or site, and at least one personal licence holder to authorise sales there.
| Licence | Who it's for | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| Premises licence | The venue itself - pubs, bars, off-licences, takeaways, cinemas, theatres, nightclubs and supermarkets operating on a permanent basis. | £100–£635 |
| Personal licence | The named individual who sells or authorises the sale of alcohol at a licensed premises. | £37 |
| Temporary Event Notice (TEN) | A one-off or occasional small-scale event, rather than an ongoing business. | £21 |
Sources: GOV.UK, Alcohol licensing and Personal licence to sell alcohol; Licensing Act 2003 (Fees) Regulations 2005, Schedules 1, 2 and 6 (legislation.gov.uk).
If you're not sure which of these applies to you, our licence finder asks a few questions and points you to the right one.
What is a Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS)?
A Designated Premises Supervisor is the named personal-licence holder who acts as the main point of contact between a licensed premises and the licensing authority, and almost every premises licence needs one.
Each business can only name one DPS at a time, though the same person is allowed to be the DPS for more than one business, and the requirement doesn't apply to qualifying members' clubs or certain community premises (GOV.UK, Alcohol licensing, updated 8 August 2025).
For the full detail on who can hold a personal licence, the training you need first, and how to apply, see our personal alcohol licence guide.
What is a club premises certificate?
A club premises certificate is a separate route for qualifying members' clubs, rather than a standard premises licence.
To qualify, a club needs at least 25 members and a membership process that takes at least two days between someone applying to join and being accepted (GOV.UK, Alcohol licensing, updated 8 August 2025).
What is a Temporary Event Notice, and when do you need one?
A Temporary Event Notice (TEN) covers a small-scale, one-off event rather than an ongoing business, and it's the route most community events, pop-ups and one-off private functions use instead of a full premises licence.
GOV.UK defines this as an event "attracting fewer than 500 people and lasting no more than 168 hours" (seven days), and the notice itself costs £21, set out in the Licensing Act 2003 (Fees) Regulations 2005, Schedule 6.
Usefully, you don't need a personal licence to sell alcohol under a TEN - the notice itself covers that (GOV.UK, Personal licence to sell alcohol).
We're building a full, dedicated guide to Temporary Event Notices - see our TEN guide for the step-by-step process once it's live.
How much does a premises licence cost?
A premises licence application costs between £100 and £635, and which figure you pay depends on your premises' rateable value band, not the type of business you run.
| Band | Rateable value | Application fee |
|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £4,300 | £100 |
| B | £4,300–£33,000 | £190 |
| C | £33,001–£87,000 | £315 |
| D | £87,001–£125,000 | £450 |
| E | £125,001 and above | £635 |
Source: The Licensing Act 2003 (Fees) Regulations 2005, Schedules 1 and 2 (legislation.gov.uk).
You can check which band your premises falls into on the Valuation Office Agency's website (GOV.UK, Alcohol licensing).
Premises licences also carry an ongoing annual fee once granted, set under the same regulations - budget for this as a running cost, not a one-off, and check the current figure for your band with your council.
What does it actually cost, all in?
On top of the statutory fee paid to your council, some applicants choose paid help completing the forms and operating schedule - here's exactly how that breaks down.
You don't have to use our service - most applicants apply directly to their council. The free official route on GOV.UK →
✓ Fees verified against legislation.gov.uk and GOV.UK, 23 August 2026
How do you apply for an alcohol licence?
You apply to your local council - the licensing authority - rather than to a national body, and most councils now offer this online.
- Work out which licence you need - premises, personal, or a TEN - use our licence finder if you're not sure.
- If you need a personal licence, complete your accredited qualification first - see our personal licence guide.
- Complete the relevant application form and pay the statutory fee to your council.
- Your council may send copies of your application to the police and other "responsible authorities" for comment.
- If nobody objects, the council must grant your application - this is treated as an administrative step, not a discretionary one.
- If someone objects ("makes representations"), and the council decides the objection is relevant to the licensing objectives and not frivolous or vexatious, it must hold a hearing before deciding.
- If you disagree with the outcome, you have the right to appeal to the magistrates' court.
What happens if someone objects to your application?
If the council decides an objection is relevant to one of the four licensing objectives, it has to hold a hearing rather than simply accepting or rejecting your application on paper.
At a hearing, the council can grant your application, grant it subject to modified conditions, reject one or more of the activities you asked for, reject the application outright, or refuse to approve your proposed Designated Premises Supervisor (GOV.UK, Alcohol licensing, updated 8 August 2025).
Either side can appeal a licensing decision to the magistrates' court if they disagree with it.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a licence to run a one-off event with alcohol?
Usually, yes, but the route is normally a Temporary Event Notice rather than a full premises licence - it covers events attracting fewer than 500 people and lasting no more than 168 hours, and costs £21.
Can I apply for a premises licence and a personal licence at the same time?
Yes, they're separate applications to your council, and there's nothing stopping you running both at once, though you'll usually need your personal licence training completed before that application can be finalised.
What happens if my premises licence application is refused?
You have a right of appeal to the magistrates' court; if this happens to you, it's worth speaking to a licensing solicitor about your options rather than relying on general guidance like this page.
Does a personal licence tie you to one venue?
No - it's held by the individual, not the premises, which is also why the same person is allowed to act as Designated Premises Supervisor for more than one business.
Do I need a personal licence to sell alcohol under a Temporary Event Notice?
No - GOV.UK confirms no personal licence is needed to sell alcohol under a TEN, though other TEN conditions still apply.
How is the premises licence fee worked out?
By your premises' non-domestic rateable value band (A to E), checked on the Valuation Office Agency's website - not by the type of business you run.
apply for licence is an independent guide and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to GOV.UK, any local council or any government body. This page is general information, not legal advice - for anything specific to your premises or circumstances, contact your local council's licensing team or a licensing solicitor.