If your event involves selling alcohol, providing late-night refreshment (hot food or drink between 11pm and 5am), or certain types of regulated entertainment, you may need a premises licence. This guide walks through the application process for England and Wales under the Licensing Act 2003.
Disclaimer: This guide covers the premises licence application process in England and Wales. Scotland operates under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 with a different process and fee structure. Northern Ireland has its own regime under the Licensing (Northern Ireland) Order 1996. Always seek professional legal advice for your specific circumstances.
When do you need a premises licence?
A premises licence is appropriate when your event exceeds the limits of a Temporary Event Notice (more than 499 attendees, or longer than seven days), when you plan to hold regular events at the same location, or when you need to authorise licensable activities on an ongoing basis. If your event is a one-off with fewer than 499 people, a TEN may be simpler and cheaper.
Step 1: Determine which licensable activities you need
The Licensing Act 2003 covers four categories of licensable activity:
- Sale of alcohol -- any retail sale of alcoholic drinks.
- Supply of alcohol by a club -- for qualifying clubs.
- Provision of regulated entertainment -- live music, recorded music, dance performances, plays, films, and indoor sporting events (with various exemptions for smaller scale activities since the Live Music Act 2012).
- Provision of late-night refreshment -- hot food or drink supplied between 11pm and 5am.
Your application must specify exactly which activities you want to be authorised and during which hours. Being precise here avoids problems later. Think carefully about your venue requirements before submitting.
Step 2: Prepare your operating schedule
The operating schedule is the heart of your application. It describes what licensable activities will take place, the times they will occur, and the steps you will take to promote the four licensing objectives (prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, prevention of public nuisance, and protection of children from harm).
Your operating schedule should be detailed and specific. Vague statements like "we will ensure public safety" are not helpful. Instead, describe concrete measures: the number of SIA-licensed door staff per hundred attendees, your noise management plan, your CCTV policy, your age verification approach, and your procedures for dealing with incidents.
Step 3: Submit the application
Applications are made to the local authority where the premises are located. You will need:
- A completed application form.
- A plan of the premises (to scale, showing the layout, entry and exit points, and the location of any bars or stages).
- The consent of the proposed Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) if the application includes the sale of alcohol.
- A copy of the DPS's personal licence.
- The application fee (which varies by rateable value of the premises, ranging from £100 to £1,905 for the initial application).
You must also send copies of the application to each of the responsible authorities on the same day. These include the police, the fire authority, environmental health, trading standards, the local planning authority, public health, and the authority responsible for child protection (typically social services).
Step 4: The consultation period
Once the application is submitted, there is a 28-day consultation period during which responsible authorities and any other person (members of the public, local businesses, residents) can make representations. You must also advertise the application by displaying a notice at or near the premises for 28 consecutive days and publishing a notice in a local newspaper or similar publication.
The notice must be in a prescribed format, on pale blue paper (A4 size or larger), with black text of a specified minimum size. Failure to display the notice correctly can invalidate the entire application.
Step 5: Dealing with representations
If no representations are received during the consultation period, the local authority must grant the licence as applied for. If representations are received, the matter goes to a hearing before the licensing sub-committee.
At the hearing, you will have the opportunity to present your case and respond to any concerns raised. The committee can grant the licence as applied for, grant it with modified conditions, exclude certain licensable activities, refuse the application, or reject the application to specify a particular DPS. Having professional legal representation at the hearing is strongly advisable.
Step 6: Annual fees and ongoing obligations
Once granted, premises licences attract an annual fee (again based on rateable value, ranging from £70 to £1,050). You must comply with all licence conditions at all times and ensure the licence summary is displayed prominently at the premises. Any changes to the DPS, the premises layout, or the licensable activities require a formal variation application.
Timelines and practical considerations
From start to finish, expect the premises licence process to take at least 8 to 12 weeks, and longer if there is a hearing. For outdoor events, factor in additional time for site surveys and consultations with the fire authority about temporary structures.
Start the process as early as possible. A common mistake is to assume that because you have booked a venue and started selling tickets, the licence will follow automatically. If your application is refused or significantly amended at a hearing, you could find yourself with ticket holders and no permission to operate.
Alternatives to a premises licence
For smaller events, a Temporary Event Notice may be more appropriate and can be arranged in as little as 10 working days. For events at venues that already hold a premises licence, you may be able to operate under the existing licence rather than applying for your own. Always check the existing licence conditions to confirm they cover the activities you plan to offer.
For authoritative guidance, consult the section 182 guidance published by the Home Office, your local authority licensing team, and consider instructing a solicitor who specialises in licensing law.
