How to apply for a premises licence to sell alcohol

To legally sell alcohol from any physical location in the UK, you must get a Premises Licence from your local council. This is a detailed legal process that involves completing a comprehensive application form, providing detailed floor plans of your premises, and creating an ‘Operating Schedule’ that explains exactly how your business will operate and uphold the law. The application requires a fee and must be submitted to both the council and other public bodies like the police.

What is a Premises Licence?

A Premises Licence is a permanent licence granted for a specific location, which authorises ‘licensable activities’ to take place. The most common of these is the sale of alcohol. The entire licensing system is built around promoting four key objectives:

• The prevention of crime and disorder
• Public safety
• The prevention of public nuisance
• The protection of children from harm

Your application must prove to the council and other authorities that your business will not undermine any of these objectives.

Before You Apply: Key Requirements

Before you can even submit your application, you must have one crucial thing in place: a Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS).

The DPS is the person who has day-to-day responsibility for the running of the business and is the primary point of contact for the police and the council. Crucially, the DPS must hold a Personal Licence to sell alcohol. You cannot apply for a Premises Licence without naming a DPS who holds a Personal Licence on the application form.

The Application Process: A Step-by-Step Guide

1. Get the Application Form: You can download the official application form from the licensing section of your local council's website.
2. Prepare your Operating Schedule: This is the most important part of your application. It is a detailed document describing how your business will operate. You must explain the hours you will be open, the licensable activities you want to carry on, and, most importantly, the steps you will take to promote the four licensing objectives. For example, under 'The protection of children from harm', you would detail your age verification policy (e.g., Challenge 25).
3. Draw Detailed Floor Plans: You must submit a clear, detailed plan of the premises. It doesn’t need to be an architect’s drawing, but it must be to scale and show the property boundary, all entry and exit points, the location of fire safety equipment, areas where alcohol will be displayed for sale, and the location of the sales counter.
4. Submit the Application and Fee: You must send your completed application form, the operating schedule, the floor plan, and a form of consent from your proposed DPS to your local council. The fee is based on the rateable value of your property.
5. Serve Copies to Responsible Authorities: You are legally required to send a complete copy of your application to several other public bodies on the same day you submit it to the council. These ‘Responsible Authorities’ include your local police, fire service, trading standards, and environmental health, among others. The full list will be available on your council's website.

After You Apply: The 28-Day Consultation

Once your application is submitted, a 28-day consultation period begins. During this time, you have two very important legal duties:

• Display a Public Notice: You must display a pale blue notice (often called a 'blue poster') in a prominent position at your premises, where it can be easily read by the public. This notice must stay up for the entire 28-day period.
• Advertise in a Local Newspaper: You must place an advertisement containing the key details of your application in a local newspaper that circulates in the area of your premises. This must be done within 10 working days of submitting your application.

Top Tip: Failing to display the notice correctly or place the newspaper advert can invalidate your entire application, forcing you to start and pay for the whole process again. Take photos as proof and keep a copy of the newspaper page.

What Happens Next?

If no objections (known as 'representations') are made by the responsible authorities or local residents during the 28-day period, your licence will be granted automatically.

If representations are made, the council will arrange a hearing in front of its licensing committee. You will be invited to attend to put your case forward, and the committee will then decide whether to grant the licence, grant it with conditions, or refuse it. This process can be complex, and if you face a hearing, it is often wise to seek advice from a specialist licensing solicitor.