A personal licence allows an individual to sell or authorise the sale of alcohol on behalf of a business that has a premises licence.
You do not need a personal licence to work in a pub or venue that sells alcohol, but the premises must have a Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) who holds one.
The only exception is for community premises that have successfully applied to remove the DPS requirement under section 41D of the Licensing Act 2003.
Who can apply
You can apply for a personal licence if you
- are aged 18 or over
- are entitled to work in the UK
- hold an accredited personal licence qualification
- have not had a personal licence forfeited within the last five years
Right to work checks
Your right to work in the UK will be checked as part of your application. This may include verification with the Home Office.
You must either
- share your immigration status using the Home Office online service Prove your right to work to an employer
- or provide original documents listed in the Employer’s Guide to Right to Work Checks
Copies of your right to work evidence will be kept with your application. If your right to work is time limited, your licence will expire on the same date.
If you lose your right to work in the UK, your licence will lapse automatically and must be returned to the licensing authority. Failure to return a lapsed licence is a criminal offence.