Licence

Premises licence (Scotland)

You'll need a premises licence if you want to sell alcohol or offer entertainment from a particular venue

Apply for this licence

For example SW1A 2AA

Find a postcode on Royal Mail's postcode finder

Contact your council to apply for a premises licence if you want to carry out ‘licensable activities’ from a particular venue.

Licensable activities include:

  • selling alcohol
  • serving alcohol (even if it’s free)
  • serving hot food and drinks between 11pm and 5am
  • providing entertainment (theatre, film, indoor or outdoor sporting, live music, dance performance, nightclub)

You still need a licence even if the activities are for charity - but you may not have to pay for it.

Restrictions

You must be 18 or over to apply for a premises licence.

Conditions

You must either be, or have appointed, a designated premises supervisor (DPS) before you can apply for a licence. A DPS holds a ‘personal licence’ to sell alcohol.

You might have to register to pay machine game duty on any gaming machines you have on your premises.

There may be other conditions added to your licence, such as having an age-checking policy.

Length of licence

Most Premises licences have an unlimited duration but you will have to pay an annual fee.

How to apply

To apply for a premises licence, contact the council where the premises is based.

Your application must include:

  • your details (including any criminal convictions)
  • detail of the designated premises supervisor (DPS)
  • a detailed plan of the premises
  • a planning certificate, building standards certificate and, if food is to be sold, food hygiene certificate

You will also need to include your ‘operating plan’:

  • the activities you’re planning
  • the times when alcohol will be sold
  • the times when food will be sold
  • the premises capacity

You will be charged a fee based on the rateable value of the premises.

Extending your licence conditions

If you wish to serve alcohol outside of your licensed hours, eg for a wedding, you must apply to extend the hours of your licence.

Displaying your licence

You must display your ‘licence summary’ at the premises where it can be easily seen.

The other pages of the licence should be kept safely at the premises. Police or council officers can ask to see them at any time.

Fines and penalties

If you carry out any licensable activities at your premises without a premises licence, you can be fined £20,000, sent to prison for up to 6 months, or both.

You can be fined up to £1,000 for failing to produce your licence on request.