Personal Licence Application Guidance

A personal alcohol licence allows you to sell alcohol on behalf of any licensed premises, just as a driving licence allows you to drive a car. Innpacked can complete every stage of your personal licence application, so the process is easy and stress-free for you.

Why is holding a personal alcohol licence important?

A personal alcohol licence is designed to ensure that anyone operating or managing a business that sells or supplies alcohol does so responsibly and professionally.

Once you receive your personal alcohol licence, you can act as the designated premises supervisor (DPS) for any business that sells or supplies alcohol. All licensed premises, from a home-based online sales business to a large pub, licensed for the sale of alcohol must have a DPS.

You do not have to hold a personal licence to be employed in a pub or other business that sells alcohol, but it certainly enhances your employment prospects. Anyone who does not hold a personal licence must be authorised for all alcohol sales by a personal licence holder.

How do you apply for personal alcohol licence?

To make a personal licence application you must:

• Be over 18 years old.
• Hold an accredited personal licence qualification (see below). The qualification is designed to ensure licence holders understand licensing laws and the wider social responsibilities involved in the sale of alcohol. All personal licence qualification providers must be accredited by the Home Secretary.
• Complete basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks.
  At Innpacked, we have an average turnaround time of 5 working days when we apply for DBS certificates as part of our personal licence application service. This is a significant benefit, because if you apply for a DBS yourself it is likely to take at least 14 working days and sometimes over a month.

What is a personal alcohol licence training course?(Not included in the personal licence application service)

There are various companies that deliver relevant qualifications throughout the UK, and they differ in size and quality. Innpacked can deliver the APLH personal licence course at your venue or online, whichever suits you best.

Here are the advantages of qualifying through Innpacked:

• We offer exam results within 48 hrs, or on the same day in some cases.
• We generally have your APLH certificate available within 5 days.
• Our public APLH personal licence course prices are all inclusive.
• We can complete your personal licence application for you at a discounted rate, including arranging DBS checks, so the process is cheaper and quicker.

If you choose a course through another provider, we recommend you check the following before booking:

• Confirm that your training course will run on the advertised dates and won’t be cancelled at the last minute.
• If the course is a personal licence online qualification, ensure that it is accredited by an approved awarding body.
• Can you choose where you sit your course and exam (for example, at your own venue or remotely)?
• What is the training company’s average pass rate?
• Does the company offer re-sits if needed?
• Does the price of the training course include tutor fees, exam fees, certificate fees, and refreshments?
• How long does it take the training company to inform you of your exam result?
• How long does it take to receive your certificate? If your certificate is delayed this will hold up your personal licence application.

What documents do you need to enclose with a personal licence application?

Along with your personal licence application form you will need to enclose the following:

• Two passport photographs, one of which must be countersigned. A solicitor, notary or someone of standing in the community can countersign your photograph, or we can endorse your photograph at Innpacked.
• Licensing qualification.
• DBS certificate.
• Proof of right to work in the UK.
• Proof of identity and proof of address.
• Personal alcohol licence application fee.
• At Innpacked we make sure all the correct documents are enclosed with your application to ensure it will be accepted first time.

How long will it take to receive my personal licence?

Once your application is submitted, it may take up to 3 months for your local council to issue your personal licence, although each council is different.
If you choose to work with Innpacked, your personal licence application will be submitted far more quickly than doing it yourself, saving you time and money.
We ensure your application is completed correctly, so it will not be returned to you. We can also save you time with our fast-track DBS service, and by ensuring you receive your personal licence certificate within days.
With Innpacked, you will have your own licence advisor from start to finish who will be there to support you at every stage and answer all your questions.

Can we help you apply for a personal licence to sell alcohol?

If you would like to find out about our personal licence application service, or you have a question about any aspect of alcohol licensing, our experts will be pleased to help.
Simply contact us FREE or call us on 08000 786 056