What this covers
Why you need it
Parliament created it. The power to require it comes from Licensing Act 2003.
What the Act carries
What our graph holds for Licensing Act 2003 as a whole — the Act behind this licence, not the licence conditions themselves.
- Duties on businesses
- 87
- Penalties
- 92
- Exemptions
- 21
Duties on businesses under the Act
- Hold or apply for a personal licence if convicted of a relevant offence Schedule 4
- Sell or supply alcohol to a convicted habitual drunkard after notice Schedule 6
- Supply or sell alcohol to a convicted habitual drunkard Schedule 6
- Ensure alcohol is sold by or authorised by a personal licence holder s.19
- Restrict child access to film exhibitions based on age ratings s.20
- Fail to notify licence authority of name or address change s.33
… and 81 more business duties in the same Act.
What happens if you get it wrong
- Carry out licensable activity without a licence 6 months imprisonment
- Carry on licensable activity without authorisation 6 months imprisonment
- Display alcohol for sale without a licence 6 months imprisonment
- Expose alcohol for unauthorised sale 6 months imprisonment
- Hold or apply for a personal licence if convicted of a relevant offence 6 months imprisonment
… and 87 more penalties in the same Act.
Exemptions that may take you outside it
- Avoid licence suspension for late fee due to error or dispute — Failure to pay fee due to administrative error OR written dispute of fee before due date, and grace period (21 …
- Avoid licensing hearings through notice modification — Agreement between the premises user and all relevant persons (like police/local authority) to modify the notice before a hearing is …
- Due diligence defence for certain licensing offences — A business accused of one of the specified offences (s.136(1)(a), 137, or 138) can avoid conviction if it proves: (a) …
- Electronic applications exempt businesses from notifying police — Application is submitted to the licensing authority through a relevant electronic facility
- Electronic licence transfers exempt applicants from notifying police manually — Application submitted via a relevant electronic facility
… and 16 more exemptions in the same Act.
Read our full dossier on Licensing Act 2003
Who issues it
Your local council issues this. Councils apply the same statute but set their own fees, conditions and timescales.
Where to apply
Duty, penalty and exemption labels are Guvnor’s analysis of the enabling instrument, not the instrument itself. Fees, forms and conditions are set by the issuing authority — always check the linked source.