Reason Why Your Personal Licence Can be Suspended

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Nauman Farooq

July 23, 20265 min read

Yes, a Personal Licence can be suspended or revoked if any of the offences are committed by the licence holder. The Licensing Act 2003 has a complete list of these offences that can lead to suspension of your licence. It guarantees that the licence holder is an accountable, law-abiding citizen.

A Personal Licence ensures that its holder is competent enough to operate or oversee a company that provides or sells alcohol in a professional way. If licence holders don't follow the rules or expectations, their licence can be suspended or revoked.

Personal Licence holders risk having their licences cancelled for up to six months if it's found that they are not adhering to the requirements.

What Happens If a Personal Licence Gets Suspended or Revoked?

A Personal Licence can get suspended or revoked for up to six months, which means the business will face a loss of 6 months. Moreover, the staff won't be employeed or get paid during this time period. This will lead to damage to the owner's reputation for customers and staff. Once the Personal Licence gets suspended or revoked, the holder will have to re-apply for it, which means paying additional costs.

How Can You Lose Your Alcohol Licence in the UK

You can lose your Alcohol Licence in the UK if you:

fail to meet the requirements you stated you met on your application.
used false documentation or an alias.
allowed another person to use your licence to engage in licensable behaviour and receive a sentence or disposal for a relevant offence.
the date your sentence restrictions end puts you in the Automatic Refusal category of the licence criteria.
are not authorised to work in the United Kingdom (unless you are a director of a UK-registered company).
violate the licensing requirements.
are not considered a fit and proper person to hold a licence if you violate any of the licence conditions, including any additional conditions imposed on your licence.
fail to complete the required training.
receive a sentence or disposition for a relevant offence, and the date your sentence restrictions end puts you in the Consider Additional Factors category of our licence criteria.
are not qualified to have a licence.

Lost, Stolen or Damaged Personal Alcohol Licence

Under section 126 of the Licensing Act 2003, if you lose your Personal Alcohol Licence or it gets stolen, you must inform the Licensing Authority. You must complete the application form and send it to the Licensing Authority. With the application, you must pay a fee of 10.50 in the form of a cash, cheque, or postal order. You can also make credit/debit card payments over the telephone.

If your Personal Licence gets damaged, you can send the old licence with the ID card and paper copy to the Licensing Authority. Then you will receive new licence documents from the authority.

Surrender a Personal Alcohol Licence

A Personal Licence doesn't expire and has a lifetime validity, but the holder can surrender it whenever they want. If a Personal Licence holder decides to surrender the licence, they must inform the Licensing Authority in a proper way.

To surrender your Personal Licence, you must:

Complete the application form.
Send your Personal Licence with the ID card and paper copy.

Reasons for Getting Your Licence Suspended

The UK Government may suspend your licence for either one or all of the following reasons.

If they think that you are a danger to everyone's safety.
If they think that doing so is for the general welfare.

How Can a Pub Lose Its Licence in the UK

There could be a number of reasons why a pub can lose its Alcohol Licence in the UK.

Serving Alcohol to Individuals Under the Legal Drinking Age
Serving Alcohol to visitors of the pub who are under the legal drinking age is one of the serious reasons a pub can lose its licence. In the UK, this age is 18.

Breach of Licensing Hours
If a pub is caught selling alcohol outside the licensing hours, they can lose their licence.

Violation of Noise Regulations
Although pub are supposed to be a lively place with musicand alcohol, there are still some regulations. Violating noise regulations can result in losing a licence.

Breach of Fire Safety Regulations
A pub in the UK risks losing its license if found in breach of Fire Safety Regulations. It shows that a pub is compromising the safety and well-being of patrons and staff.

Selling Alcohol without a Valid Licence
In the UK, if a pub is selling alcohol without a valid licence can lead to the revocation of its licence, as it's violating one of the major regulatory requirements.

Violating Health and Safety Regulations
Violating Health and Safety Regulations shows a failure to maintain a safe and secure environment for customers and employees. It can lead to losing a licence.

How to Get an Alcohol Personal Licence?

Getting an Alcohol Personal Licence is a 3-step process. First, you must first pass an APLH Personal Licence Course. Then, get your DBS check and finally, complete and submit your application.