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Hospitality annual compliance checklist

Annual compliance checklist for hospitality businesses covering all key regulatory obligations: licence renewals, fire safety reviews, food safety system updates, gas safety checks, insurance renewals, tipping policy reviews, waste management, and music licensing.

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Use this checklist each year to confirm your hospitality business meets its key regulatory obligations. It covers pubs, bars, restaurants, cafes, hotels, and other premises serving food or alcohol.

Work through each section and resolve any gaps before moving on. Many of these items have fixed renewal dates; missing them can result in fines, prosecution, or forced closure.

Licensing and permissions

  • Premises licence annual fee paid to the local authority by the due date
  • Personal licence details current - personal licences no longer expire (renewals were abolished by the Deregulation Act 2015), but you must notify the licensing authority of any change of name or address
  • Designated premises supervisor (DPS) details current and notified to the licensing authority
  • TheMusicLicence (PPL PRS) renewed for the current year
  • Pavement licence renewed (if using outdoor seating on the public highway)
  • Gaming machine permit current (if applicable)

Food safety

  • HACCP or Safer Food, Better Business (SFBB) system reviewed and updated for any menu or process changes
  • Allergen information updated for all current menu items, including specials
  • Food hygiene training current for all food handlers
  • Temperature monitoring records up to date (fridges, freezers, hot holding, cooking)
  • Food business registration current with the local authority: register each new premises and notify the authority of significant changes to your activities, operator details or closure

Health, safety and fire

  • Fire risk assessment reviewed (annually or after any significant premises change)
  • Fire extinguishers, alarms, and emergency lighting serviced (annual service required)
  • Gas appliances and flues maintained in a safe condition by a Gas Safe registered engineer. There is no fixed statutory interval for your own commercial premises — the 12-month check in regulation 36 applies to landlords of residential premises — but annual servicing is the industry standard and is what most insurers expect
  • Portable appliance testing (PAT) completed for electrical equipment
  • First aid kit restocked and first aiders identified
  • Accident book reviewed for trends and follow-up actions
  • Employers' liability insurance renewed (annual, minimum cover £5 million)
  • Public liability insurance renewed
  • Martyn's Law preparedness monitored - the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 3 April 2025 but its duties are not yet in force (expected 2027). If your venue has a capacity of 200 or more, monitor GOV.UK and ProtectUK for commencement dates: standard tier (200-799) will require notification and basic preparedness procedures, enhanced tier (800+) additional measures, regulated by the Security Industry Authority

Employment

  • Right to work checks completed for all new starters before their first day
  • National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates updated (new rates apply each April)
  • Tipping policy reviewed and compliant with the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023
  • Pension auto-enrolment re-declaration submitted to The Pensions Regulator (every 3 years)
  • DBS checks current for any roles involving unsupervised contact with children or vulnerable adults
  • Working time records maintained for all staff, including opt-out agreements where applicable

Operations

  • Waste carrier registration valid (check on your national regulator's public register: Environment Agency in England, Natural Resources Wales, SEPA in Scotland, or NIEA in Northern Ireland)
  • Trade effluent consent current (if discharging trade waste to the public sewer)
  • CCTV signage displayed and data protection impact assessment reviewed
  • Privacy notice up to date and accessible to customers and staff
  • TV licence for business premises renewed (if showing live broadcasts or BBC iPlayer)
  • Business rates paid or small business rate relief confirmed

Set calendar reminders for each item. Many hospitality compliance failures happen because renewal dates are missed, not because operators are unaware of the requirement.

Related guidance

Official guidance and legislation