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Personal Licence Explained

A quick overview of what a Personal Licence is all about at licensed premises that sell alcohol.

  • Any person who wishes to be responsible for the sale of alcohol must hold a Personal Licence.
  • You apply for a Personal Licence to the Authority in which you live in, not the Authority in which the premises you intend to sell alcohol is situated.
  • A Personal Licence can be taken from premises to premises. It is portable, it is not fixed to a particular premises, If you move out of the Authority from which it was issued you should inform the originating authority that you have moved.
  • You should then notify the Authority into which you are moving into if you are going to be the Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) of a premises. A Variation of the Premises Licence will be required. The Designated Premises Supervisor is named on the premises licence. Other Personal Licence holders at the premises are not named on the premises licence.
  • If you are a DPS and you vacate a premises, the incoming Personal Licence holder must notify the Local Authority to become the DPS to allow the premises to sell alcohol.
  • A personal licence does not expire. A designated premises supervisor (DPS) must hold a Personal Licence as they are responsible, along with the premises licence holder, for authorising the sale of alcohol at the premises.
  • Before you can apply for a personal licence you need to take a qualification, so that you have a good understanding of the Licensing Act 2003 and the responsibilities involved when selling alcohol. Call me, Johnny Walker on 07970 134 730 for details of how to arrange the one-day Personal Licence training course.
  • Not every person who sells alcohol at licensed premises (for example bar staff) needs a personal licence, but every sale must be authorised by the designated premises supervisor (DPS). For that reason I strongly suggest that the DPS authorises, in writing, members of staff to sell alcohol in their absence.  
  • You don’t need a personal licence to sell alcohol under a Temporary Event Notice, but if you do hold a personal licence, the number of TENs you can apply for in a year increases from 5 to 50.

Call me, Johnny Walker for more information about getting qualified. My advice is always free and without obligation.