You will need a personal licence if you are supervising the sale of alcohol in any premises, including:
- pubs
- off licences
- restaurants
- hotels
Not everyone who makes an alcohol sale has to hold a personal licence, as long as a personal licence holder authorises the sale.
Before you apply
You need to read and understand the requirements set out on this page before you submit an application for a licence. We cannot proceed with your application unless you give us all the information we need.
To apply for a personal licence, you must:
- be at least 18 years old
- have the right to live and work in the UK
- have not forfeited a personal licence in the last 5 years
- have obtained a current criminal records check
- have obtained the relevant licensing qualification
Supporting documents
You must provide the following supporting documents as part of your application:
- The application fee
- A completed Disclosure of Convictions and Declaration form
- A DBS check or a subject access request from the Police dated no earlier than one month before the date of your application
- A Level 2 Award for personal licence holders
- Documents which prove your right to work in the UK
- Two passport-style photographs of you
One of the photographs you provide must be verified as accurate by a solicitor, notary, a person of standing in the community or a person with a professional qualification (such as a doctor).
You will need to provide us with your original DBS check and Level 2 Award certificate documents. We will return these originals to you when we send your licence.
Proof of right to work - which documents to provide
Please note, you must not send original documents to licensing authorities.
If you are copying a passport, please provide copies of the following pages:
- any page containing the holder’s personal details including nationality
- any page containing the holder’s photograph
- any page containing the holder’s signature
- any page containing the date of expiry
If the document you are providing is not a passport, you should provide a copy of the whole document.
Your right to work will be checked as part of your licensing application and this could involve us checking your immigration status with the Home Office. We may otherwise share information with the Home Office. Your licence application will not be determined until you have complied with this guidance.
Fees and prices
A personal licence costs £37. You will need to pay this on our website.
Licence duration
A personal licence is valid from the date we issue it to you.
You will not need to renew a personal licence.
How to apply
We are currently developing an online application form. At the moment, you can complete a PDF application form and send this to us by emailing us at licensing@bathnes.gov.uk
Before you complete the application form, you will need to pay the application fee.
You will also need to send us a completed disclosure of convictions and declaration form.
Further information
Select a topic below to find out more about personal licences:
If your application is valid and you do not have any unspent convictions for a relevant criminal offence, we will issue your personal licence.
We aim to determine applications within 60 days.
Tacit consent applies. This means that you will be able to act as though your application is granted if you have not heard from us after 60 days.
If you want to appeal a licence rejection, please contact us by email at licensing@bathnes.gov.uk
If you believe a person is selling alcohol or authorising the sale of alcohol without a personal licence, please report this to us using our online form.
If you misplace your licence, or change your name or address you must inform us and request a new one. A replacement licence costs £10.50, and you can get one by emailing licensing@bathnes.gov.uk. You will need to return any parts of the original licence that you do have to us.
You must also inform us if you commit a criminal offence in the UK or abroad.
Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974
We have made the information on these web pages as comprehensive as possible. However, in attempting to simplify the law, certain requirements have been omitted. Full details of what you must do are in the relevant legislation.
Laws can and do change. We must advise that only the Courts can give an authoritative opinion on statute law.