Personal Licences

What are personal licences?
Personal licences permit a person to authorise the supply of alcohol at premises licensed for that purpose. Each premises supplying alcohol must also have a "designated premises supervisor", who must be the holder of a personal licence. In limited circumstances, the person who has given a temporary event notice may authorise the sale of alcohol at their event.

There is no limit to the number of personal licence holders who may be at any one premises, although each individual may only hold one personal licence.

Conversion
If you held a Justices' licence, you could have applied in the six month period which ended on 6th August 2005, for conversion of that licence into a personal licence. This procedure is no longer available.

Who do I apply to?
An application for a personal licence must be made to the licensing authority where the person usually lives, which may not be the licensing authority for the area where they work.

When do personal licences expire?
Personal licences last for 10 years from the date of grant and are renewable. The fee is £37.00 per licence, set by the government's Department for Culture Media and Sport.

What are the criteria?
Each individual applicant will be required to hold the Level 2 Certificate for Personal Licence Holders and produce an original basic criminal record check dated no more than one month before the day on which the application is made.

No other qualification is acceptable; in particular, licensing qualifications obtained before the implementation of the Licensing Act 2003 are no longer valid. Please see the Department for Culture, Media and Sport web site (link on the right) for the latest information on acceptable qualifications.

Unfortunately, the Criminal Records Bureau in England and Wales does not yet provide basic disclosures of criminal records. This service is, however, provided online by Disclosure Scotland - follow the link on the right. A fee is payable.

If you have a very recent (no more than one month old) standard or enhanced criminal record disclosure from the CRB, this will be acceptable in support of your application.

Although the legislation mentions a third method for obtaining a suitable certificate, it is understood that advice received by the Police will prevent them from issuing a subject access request under the Data Protection Act 1998 for this purpose.

Who sets the forms and fees?
Both the forms and the fees are prescribed by the DCMS. The city council has no discretion over the format of the application forms or the amount of the fee.

How do I apply?
Links to forms and guidance appear on the right of this page - your must send each of the the following to us:

• the completed licence application form (link to the right);

• the completed criminal record declaration (link to the right;

• two passport sized photographs, one endorsed (see guidance notes);

• the fee of £37.00;

• the original criminal record disclosure (from the CRB or Disclosure Scotland) - no more than one month old, and

• the original qualification certificate (Level 2 Certificate for Personal Licence Holders) - this will be returned to you.

It is important that you check that each of these documents is completed and enclosed with your application to us. We will not be able to process your application until all the required documents have been received. If the documents are posted to us, please ensure that the correct postage is prepaid - we are unable to accept post with outstanding charges. See the Royal Mail website for further information.

Contact information

Email: licensing@southampton.gov.uk

Telephone: 023 8083 3245

Fax: 023 8083 4061

Postal address:
Licensing Team
Southampton City Council
PO Box 1344
Southampton
SO15 1WQ

Document Exchange: DX 115710 Southampton 17

Personal callers:
Licensing Team
Southbrook Rise
4-8 Millbrook Road East
Southampton
SO15 1YG

Opening hours:

Members of the licensing team will normally be available at Southbrook Rise to assist personal callers on weekdays between 09:00 and 12:00 and between 14:00 and 16:00. We may be available at other times by prior appointment.

Please note that the addresses and numbers given above should only be used for communication with the licensing team.