A premises licence is an essential legal requirement for businesses that want to sell alcohol, provide regulated entertainment, or serve food late at night. Whether you’re opening a pub, a restaurant, or even hosting events, this licence ensures that your activities comply with the law. In this article, we’ll guide you through everything you need to know about premises licences, how to apply for one, and the responsibilities that come with it.
A premises licence applies to permanent venues like bars, restaurants, shops, or event spaces. It permits certain licensable activities, including the sale of alcohol, the provision of late-night refreshments (hot food or drinks served between 11 pm and 5 am), and regulated entertainment.
Regulated entertainment includes live music, dancing, film screenings, indoor sporting events, and playing recorded music to the public. If your venue offers any of these activities, you’ll likely need a premises licence.
What’s the Difference Between a Premises Licence and a Personal Licence?
Before we go any further into the process of getting a premises licence, it’s important to know how it differs from a personal licence.
A premises licence allows businesses to carry out activities like selling alcohol, providing entertainment, or offering late-night food. It relates to the venue itself, such as a pub, bar, restaurant, shop, or event space. If you want to host events or run a business involving alcohol, you will need to apply for this licence.
A personal licence is different. It’s required for the individual responsible for selling alcohol on the premises. This means that the premises licence relates to the venue, while the personal licence applies to the staff member who handles alcohol sales.
Understanding the differences between personal licence and premises licence is important to staying compliant. This infographic will help you quickly clarify the purpose of both the personal licence and the premises licence
How to apply for a Premises Licence for your business: A step-by-step guide
If you’re running a business that sells alcohol, offers live entertainment, or serves food late at night, you’ll need a premises licence. The idea of applying for one can seem confusing at first, especially if you’re doing it for the first time, but once you understand the steps, it becomes much more manageable. Here’s a simple explanation of the process, what you’ll need, and what to expect at each stage.
Step 1: Start with the Application Form
Every application begins with filling out the Premises Licence application form. You can get this form from your local council’s website or through Gov.uk.This form asks for basic but essential details, including:
- Who you are and what your business does
- Where your premises is located
- What kind of activities you want to offer, such as selling alcohol, playing music, or serving hot food late at night
- The days and hours you plan to do those activities.
Some councils let you apply online, while others may ask you to send it by email or post. Either way, the instructions will be on your council’s site.
Step 2: Draw a Plan of Your Premises
You’ll need to send in a simple floor plan of your venue with your application. Don’t worry, this isn’t a fancy architectural drawing. It just needs to show things like:
- Where alcohol will be sold
- Seating areas
- Toilets, entrances, exits, and emergency exits
- The kitchen, if you’re selling food
This helps the licensing authority understand how your space is set up and how you plan to operate safely.
Step 3: Write Your Operating Schedule
Next, you’ll be asked to describe how your business will run daily. This is called an “operating schedule.”
Here, you’ll outline things like:
- Your opening hours
- When you’ll sell alcohol or offer entertainment
- How you’ll keep the premises safe
- How you’ll avoid public nuisance (like noise or crowding)
This part shows the council that you understand your responsibilities and have a plan to run things smoothly.
Step 4: Choose a Designated Premises Supervisor
If you plan to sell alcohol, you must name someone as the Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS). This is the person who will be in charge of the premises and make sure alcohol laws are followed.
The DPS needs to hold a personal licence, which proves they’re trained and legally allowed to take on that role. If you’re the business owner, you can be the DPS yourself, as long as you have (or apply for) your personal licence.

Want to Become a Designated Premises Supervisor?
It all starts with your APLH qualification, which is a legal requirement when applying for a personal licence. Hurak makes it simple, fast, and stress-free. Get Your APLH Qualification | Apply for Your Personal Licence