Apply for a premises licence

Apply for a premises licence if you intend to sell alcohol or provide ‘licensable activities’ from a particular venue, unless you have a temporary event notice or club premises certificate.

Licensable activities include:

  • selling alcohol (including online sales)
  • serving hot food and drinks between 11pm and 5am

You’ll also need a licence if you provide the following types of entertainment:

  • theatrical performance
  • showing a film
  • indoor sporting event
  • boxing or wrestling (indoor or outdoor)
  • live music
  • recorded music
  • dance
  • facilities for making music
  • dancing facilities

You still need a licence even if the activities are for charity.

The rules regarding premises licences are in the Licensing Act 2003 and the Licensing Act 2003 (Premises licences and club premises certificates) Regulations 2005.

Exemptions

You don’t need a licence for some types of entertainment, including:

  • educational or promotional films
  • films shown as part of an exhibition in a museum or gallery
  • incidental music (live or recorded)

Conditions

You must be, or appoint, a designated premises supervisor (DPS) when you apply for a licence. A DPS must have a personal licence to sell alcohol.

There may be other conditions added to your licence, such as having an age-checking policy if you sell alcohol.

Before you start

You’ll need to provide:

  • your details
  • a consent form for the Designated Premises Supervisor if alcohol is to be sold (the person nominated will need to have a personal licence)
  • a plan of the premises showing certain criteria
  • an operating schedule (hours when alcohol will be sold)
  • a copy of a relevant document proving you have the right to work in the UK
  • the application fee 

Premises licence fees

You’ll be charged a fee that’s based on the rateable value of the property.

Most premises licences have an unlimited duration but you will have to pay an annual fee.

Non-domestic rateable value

Application for grant

Application for variation

Application for minor variation

Annual fee

Band A 

(£0 - £4,300)

£100 £100 £89 £70

Band B 

(£4,301 - £33,000)

£190 £190 £89 £180

Band C 

(£33,001 - £87,000)

£315 £315 £89 £295

Band D 

(£87,001 - £125,000)

£450 £450 £89 £320

Band E 

(£125,001+)

£635 £635 £89 £350

Other premises licence fees

  • Application for a copy following theft or loss - £10.50
  • Notification of change of name or address - £10.50
  • Application to vary to specify an individual as a Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) - £23.00
  • Application to transfer a premises licence - £23.00
  • Application for interim authority notice following death of licence holder - £23.00

Additional application and annual fees 

There are additional fees to pay for activities which involve 5,000 or more people.

Number of people Application fee Annual fee
5,000 - 9,999 £1,000 £500
10,000 - 14,999 £2,000 £1,000
15,000 - 19,999 £4,000 £2,000
20,000 - 29,999 £8,000 £4,000
30,000 - 39,999 £16,000 £8,000
40,000 - 49,999 £24,000 £12,000
50,000 - 59,999 £32,000 £16,000
60,000 - 69,999 £40,000 £20,000
70,000 - 79,999 £48,000 £24,000
80,000 - 89,999 £56,000 £28,000
90,000 and over £64,000 £32,000

Apply or amend a premises licence

You can complete the following forms using your My EHDC account.

Designated Premises Supervisor forms

Please complete the online form using your My EHDC account.

More information about tacit consent can be found on our website.

After you've made an application

There is a 28 day period during which the responsible authorities and any other person can make representations about a new premises licence application. If no representations are received within this 28 day period, the application is granted with the relevant mandatory conditions and any conditions consistent with your operating schedule.

If representations are received, the application process can take longer as a licensing sub-committee might need to be arranged to to hear the application.

Displaying your application notice

You must display your ‘application notice’ at or on the premises for 28 days from the day after it was submitted.

Appealing a decision

If your licence application is refused, you can appeal. Appeals should be made to the Magistrates Court within 21 days of being notified of the Licensing Authority's decision.

You can also appeal against any conditions attached to your premises licence, including a decision to:

  • exclude a licensable activity from the licence
  • exclude a person from being the DPS
  • reject a variation application or a transfer application

Displaying your licence

You must display the ‘licence summary’ at your premises where it can be easily seen.

The other pages of the licence should be kept safely at the premises. Police or council officers can ask to inspect them at any time.