To sell alcohol from business premises in Scotland, you need a premises licence from your local Licensing Board. Scotland has its own licensing system under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005, which is different from England and Wales.
-
Check your local Licensing Board's policy statement for any overprovision assessments in your area — if overprovision is identified, new applications face a presumption of refusal
-
Prepare your operating plan detailing proposed hours, activities, and capacity
-
Draw up a layout plan of the premises showing the areas where alcohol will be sold and consumed
-
Identify your premises manager — they must hold a valid Scottish personal licence
-
Complete the application form and submit it to your local Licensing Board with the required fee — fees are set nationally as maximum amounts by rateable value band (£200 to £2,000); each Board determines its fee up to the cap
-
The Licensing Board notifies the relevant bodies (including Police Scotland) — the chief constable has 21 days to respond, and the public objection window is 21 days from the site notice
-
Attend the Licensing Board hearing if objections are received or if the Board requires further information
-
Once granted, display your premises licence summary prominently on the premises
Operating plan: Your operating plan is a key part of the application. It must describe the type of premises, proposed opening hours (on-sales and off-sales separately), activities offered, and any children and young persons policy.
Off-sales hours: The maximum permitted off-sales hours in Scotland are 10am to 10pm. Individual Licensing Boards may restrict these further.
Legal basis
Primary legislation and key regulations
Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005
Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Act 2012
The Licensing (Fees) (Scotland) Regulations 2007
Browse UK legislation (opens in a new tab)
legislation.gov.uk