If you're planning to sell alcohol from a business in England or Wales, there are two separate applications you'll likely need to deal with: one for the premises itself, and one for you personally. It's easy to assume these are the same thing, but they're not, and mixing them up is one of the most common mistakes people make when starting out in licensed hospitality or retail.
At Inn Confidence, we help people through both processes regularly, and this guide breaks down exactly what each application involves, how they differ, and how to avoid the paperwork becoming a headache.
A premises licence belongs to the building or business itself. It sets out what the venue is permitted to do, including selling alcohol, providing late night refreshment, or hosting regulated entertainment, along with the specific hours and conditions attached to that permission.
A personal licence, on the other hand, belongs to an individual. It's what allows someone to authorise the sale of alcohol and typically act as the Designated Premises Supervisor for a licensed venue.
In most cases, a business needs both in place before it can legally sell alcohol. The premises needs its own licence, and at least one named individual, usually the DPS, needs to hold a valid personal licence.
A Premises Licence Application is more detailed than most people expect. It requires a completed application form, an operating schedule outlining how the venue plans to meet the four licensing objectives, a scale plan of the premises, and the correct fee based on the property's rateable value.
Once submitted, the application goes through a public consultation period, giving local residents, the police, and other responsible authorities the chance to raise objections. If no objections are received within that window, the licence is typically granted without a hearing. If objections do come in, the process moves to a licensing committee hearing, which can add several weeks to the timeline.
Getting the operating schedule right matters more than most applicants realise. A vague or poorly written schedule is one of the most common reasons applications face objections or delays, which is exactly why our Premises Licence Application service focuses on getting this part right from the start.
Before submitting an Application For A Personal Licence, you'll first need to pass the APLH exam, which confirms you understand your legal responsibilities around alcohol sales. Once that's done, the actual application requires a completed form, a basic DBS check no older than one month, two passport-style photos with one endorsed by a person of standing, and the statutory application fee.
The local licensing authority will also notify the police of your application, giving them the opportunity to object if there are any relevant unspent convictions. Assuming there are no objections, most applications are processed within four to six weeks.
It's a fairly standard process, but small errors, like an out-of-date DBS check or an incorrectly endorsed photo, are a common reason applications get sent back or delayed. That's exactly the kind of issue our Application For A Personal Licence service is built to avoid.
The paperwork itself isn't complicated in theory, but small mistakes add up quickly. Missing documents, incorrect fees, poorly written operating schedules, and outdated DBS checks are all common reasons applications get delayed or rejected outright. Each rejection means lost time, and in some cases, lost application fees that aren't refunded.
For business owners trying to open on schedule, or individuals needing certification before starting a new role, these delays can be genuinely costly.
We manage both premises licence and personal licence applications on behalf of our clients, handling the paperwork, checking every detail before submission, and dealing directly with the relevant licensing authority. That means correctly drafted operating schedules, accurately completed forms, and applications submitted with everything needed the first time around.