In order to sell alcohol in England and Wales a Personal Licence is required. In Scotland a Scottish Personal Licence is required. The licence consists of a card the size of a credit card and an A4 paper sheet. The photograph and address details of the licence holder are shown on the card.

First you need to attend a one-day course to obtain the qualification required to apply for the licence.

The Award for Personal Licence Holders (APLH) or in the case of Scotland (SCPLH) Scottish Certificate for Personal Licence Holders

We have centres all over the country (see our nationwide map of venues HERE), most of which are held in public houses.

It is a one-day course starting at 9am and finishing at 5pm (times vary according to venue)

An experienced tutor will take you through everything you need to know in relation to the laws surrounding the sale of alcohol. The emphasis on the day is friendly and informal. The day will end with an approved exam.

An APLH Handbook is available from the BIIAB website. The book is a useful and user friendly reference guide for both before and after the course.

Yes, towards the end of the day you will sit a 40-minute exam consisting of 40 multiple choice questions. The pass mark is 28/40.

You can resit the exam, the first one is free of charge. You will need to book and simply turn up just prior to the start of the exam (approximately 3pm but again this varies depending on venue)

You can resit as many times as required but you will be charged at £30 + VAT each time

Yes you can but there will be a charge of £102 + VAT to do this (exam fee included)

A certificate is sent out within 10 days of sitting the exam

You can apply to your local authority Licensing Authority for the licence (this is the local authority for the area where you are currently living)

No, Inn-Dispensable can do all of this for you for a small charge. We will process all forms and applications. We can also do this for small companies or your staff team if required. More information.

Apply to your local Licensing Authority by sending a licence application form, a Declaration and Disclosure of Convictions form, a basic DBS certificate, your BIIAB qualification certificate, two passport size photographs (one endorsed on the back) and the fee of £37.

Your local Licensing Authority office or website

This is a criminal records check (formerly CRB) and is in addition to the Declaration and Disclosure of Convictions form

You can apply on-line to a number of companies. Disclosure Scotland currently charges £25 for the basic certificate. You will need access to a scanner.

Only if it is within 28 days of issue (this also applies to an Enhanced DBS Certificate)

It is a photograph signed on the back by an appropriate person who confirms the photograph is a true likeness of that person. For a list of appropriate people, contact your Licensing Authority. If you attend an Inn-Dispensable course, your Inn-Dispensable tutor will be able to endorse your photograph.

This varies depending on your Licensing Authority. Some licences are produced within one week of receipt of the application and some can take up to 3 months.

A replacement can be ordered at a cost of £30 including VAT

The Designated Premises Supervisor is the person who is responsible for the day to day running of the premises. They are also the person responsible for ensuring all staff are trained in awareness of the key licensing laws.

You must obtain the APLH qualification and apply to become a Personal Licence Holder. You cannot be a Designated Premises Supervisor if you do not hold a Personal Licence. There are other key responsibilities as part of the Designated Premises Supervisor role. You must have a good knowledge of all aspects of running a safe and responsible operation, be in day to day control and are designated as the single point of accountability.

No, this is not compulsory – once you have done the APLH and obtained a Personal Licence then you can take on the role of Designated Premises Supervisor. However the course and qualification provides more in depth knowledge into other areas of running a safe and responsible operation and associated legislation.

We offer a range of online training courses which can increase your knowledge and effectiveness, and help you to become a successful operator – or enhance your career prospects. In particular, we provide the Personal Licence qualification which is mandatory to becoming a ‘Designated Premises Supervisor’. Plus any food handler requires appropriate training, such as our online ‘Food Safety‘ course.

No, this is not compulsory. However, it is worth considering if you have any staff in supervisory roles or who will be running the premises when you are not on site. This demonstrates due diligence and provides you with a more secure back up. Due diligence is a key consideration when you are a Premises Licence Holder or a Designated Premises Supervisor and demonstrates that you are doing everything possible to avoid committing an offence.

All staff should undergo basic training in licencing law, particularly regarding the sale of alcohol to young people and people who are, or appear to be, drunk. The Award for Responsible Alcohol Retailing covers these elements plus other useful aspects. Inn-Dispensable can run specific staff training on site – please Freephone 0800 074 1583 for details.

There is a range of training that staff should undergo for a premises to be operating legally. Legislation relating to Health & Safety, Food Handling and Fire Safety all have a key role to play and usually require risk assessments and associated training. In addition, courses on customer service training, product knowledge and merchandising can all enhance a business and increase profits. If a training course is not available on our site then we may be able to organise a bespoke course – prices on application.
For more information on how Inn Dispensable can help, please speak to the Inn-Dispensable office team on Freephone 0800 074 1583.