A premises licence is the licence you need in the UK to allow certain activities at a specific venue, such as selling alcohol, providing regulated entertainment, or serving late-night refreshment. It is issued by the local licensing authority under the Licensing Act 2003.

Quick Scoop

A premises licence usually covers:

  • The retail sale of alcohol.
  • Regulated entertainment, such as live or recorded music, plays, or films.
  • Late-night refreshment, meaning hot food or drink served between 11 pm and 5 am.

When You Need One

If you run a pub, bar, restaurant, club, festival site, or another venue carrying out licensable activities, you generally need a premises licence before trading.

Basic Application Facts

Applications are made to the local licensing authority and typically need:

  • An application form.
  • An operating schedule.
  • A premises plan.
  • A designated premises supervisor consent form if alcohol will be sold.

One-line version

In plain English: a premises licence is permission for a particular place to do licensed activities legally.

If you want, I can also explain the difference between a premises licence and a personal licence.