UK Act of Parliament 2003 United Kingdom

Licensing Act 2003

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At a glance

What's here

120 compliance obligations, 45 practical guides across 2 topics · 23 journeys · 4 statutory instruments

Penalty landscape

34 of 120 obligations carry a fine up to £500. 49 carry different penalties and 37 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.

Who this Act binds

Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.

  • Any Person 90
  • Director or Officer 7
  • Applicant 1
  • Licence Holder 1

Plus 21 non-business duties on Crown ministers, regulators, local authorities or tribunals — shown collapsed under each section below.

Step-by-step journeys using this legislation

Walkthroughs that take you from a real business situation to compliance.

Relevant guidance

Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.

Direct — cites this Act

20 guides

Supporting — topic alignment

17 guides

Mentioned in related content

8 guides
View all 45 guides →

Other Acts binding the same actors

For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.

Any Person also bound by 749 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Directors and Officers also bound by 224 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Applicants also bound by 146 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Licence Holders also bound by 50 other Acts (top 5 shown)

What this Act requires

Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.

Part 1 — Licensable activities

Browse 2 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

Part 2 — Licensing authorities

Browse 8 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.005

Cumulative impact assessments

Part 3 — Premises licences

s.024

Form of licence and summary

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Licensing authority must issue premises licences in the correct form Local authority
s.033

Notification of change of name or address

Fine up to £500
  • Fail to notify licence authority of name or address change Any Person
  • Fail to notify licensing authority of change of name or address Any Person
s.040

Duty of applicant following determination under section 39

Fine up to £1,000
  • Fail to notify designated premises supervisor after licence decision Any Person
  • Fail to notify designated premises supervisor of licence decision Any Person
  • Failure to notify staff of changes to DPS status Any Person
s.041

Supplementary provision about determinations under section 41B

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Licensing authority must notify you of minor variation decisions Local authority
s.057

Duty to keep and produce licence etc.

Fine up to £500
  • Fail to keep or produce premises licence Any Person
  • Fail to keep or produce premises licence as required Any Person
  • Failure to keep or produce premises licence documents Any Person
Browse 42 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.019

Power of Secretary of State to impose section 19(4) mandatory conditions

s.025

Grant of premises licence: supply of alcohol from community premises

s.041

Application for minor variation of premises licence

s.041

Determination of application under section 41A

s.041

Variation of premises licence: supply of alcohol from community premises

s.052

Review: supply of alcohol from community premises

s.053

Summary reviews on application of senior police officer

s.053

Interim steps pending review

s.053

Review of premises licence following review notice

s.053

Interim steps pending section 53C decision coming into effect

s.055

Suspension of premises licence for failing to pay annual fee

Part 4 — Clubs

s.073

Mandatory conditions relating to the supply of alcohol to members or guests

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Licensing authority must include mandatory alcohol conditions in club certificates Local authority
s.078

Form of certificate and summary

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Licensing authorities must issue club certificates in a specific format Local authority
s.086

Supplementary provision about determinations under section 86B

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Licensing authority must notify you of minor variation decisions Local authority
Browse 31 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.073

Power of Secretary of State to impose section 73A mandatory conditions

s.086

Application for minor variation of club premises certificate

s.086

Determination of application under section 86A

s.092

Suspension of club premises certificate for failing to pay annual fee

Part 5 — Permitted temporary activities

s.100

Standard and late temporary event notices

Amended 12 times
s.104

Counter notice following objection to late notice

Amended 14 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Licensing authority must issue a counter notice for rejected late TENs Local authority
s.106

Conditions on standard temporary event notice following objection

Amended 10 times
Browse 3 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.099

Meaning of “relevant person”

Part 6 — Personal licences

s.132

Convictions etc of licence-holder: powers of licensing authority

Amended 4 times

Part 7 — Offences

s.147

Persistently selling alcohol to children

Amended 1 time
s.147

Order suspending a licence in respect of offence under section 147A

Amended 1 time
s.150

Consumption of alcohol by children

Unlimited fine Amended 1 time
  • Allow children to consume alcohol on licensed premises Director or Officer
  • Allow under‑18s to consume alcohol on licensed premises Any Person
  • Allow under‑18s to consume alcohol on your premises Any Person

Part 8 — Closure of premises

s.169

Closure notices for persistently selling alcohol to children

Amended 2 times
s.169

Effect of closure notices

Amended 2 times

Part 9 — Miscellaneous and supplementary

s.172

Power to make early morning alcohol restriction order

Amended 1 time
s.172

Procedural requirements for early morning alcohol restriction order

Amended 1 time
s.172

Making of early morning alcohol restriction order

Amended 1 time
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Licensing authority must strictly follow advert and publish alcohol orders Local authority
s.172

Variation and revocation of early morning alcohol restriction order

Amended 1 time
s.172

Exceptions from effect of early morning alcohol restriction order

Amended 1 time
s.172

Authorisation of off-sales for limited period

Amended 1 time
s.172

Summary off-sales reviews

Amended 1 time
s.172

Interim steps pending off-sales review

Amended 1 time
s.172

Off-sales review of premises licence following review application

Amended 1 time
s.172

Interim steps pending section 172I decision coming into effect

Amended 1 time
s.172

Procedural requirements in relation to off-sales reviews and hearings

Amended 1 time
s.172

Sections 172F to 172K : supplementary

Amended 1 time
s.177

Licence review for live and recorded music

Amended 13 times
s.192

Entitlement to work in the United Kingdom

Amended 1 time
Browse 1 other section in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

Schedules

s.006

Minor and consequential amendments

Fine up to £500
  • Sell or supply alcohol to a convicted habitual drunkard after notice Any Person
  • Supply or sell alcohol to a convicted habitual drunkard Any Person
Browse 5 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
Read the full Act on legislation.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)

Official guidance

Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.

Enforcement and responsible bodies

The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.

Local Authority

Primary

Local Authority (Environmental Health / Licensing / Planning)

Local councils enforce food safety (via Environmental Health Officers), issue alcohol licences, grant planning permission, and regulate certain business activities at local …

Trading Standards

Trading Standards (Local Authority)

Enforces consumer protection legislation including food labelling, weights and measures, product safety, and fair trading. Part of local authority structure. Investigates food …

Fire and Rescue Authority

Local Fire and Rescue Authority

Local fire and rescue services enforce the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 in England and Wales. Conduct fire safety inspections of …

Home Office

Government department responsible for immigration, security, and law and order. Administers UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), issues sponsor licences for employers hiring …

BBFC

British Board of Film Classification

Classifies films, videos, and some video games for age rating. Statutory authority for classifying cinema releases and video works under the Video …

Connected legislation

4 statutory instruments

These instruments amend, apply, or refer to this Act. They may not all create direct business obligations.

Explore more

Browse legislation

Find other UK business legislation with related guidance.

Regulators

Learn more about the bodies that enforce this legislation.