Contents
The short answer
In England and Wales, a pub needs a premises licence from the local council and a named Designated Premises Supervisor who holds a personal licence. The premises licence sets opening hours and rules, and it is a public record. Scotland has a separate system. Residents can ask for a review if there are problems.
What licences does a pub need?
Under the Licensing Act 2003, a pub in England or Wales needs two kinds of licence. They do different jobs.
The premises licence belongs to the building. It lists what the pub may do and when. That can include selling alcohol, playing live music and serving hot food late at night. Late-night food means hot food or drink between 11pm and 5am.
The personal licence belongs to a person. Every pub must name a Designated Premises Supervisor, known as the DPS, and that person must hold a personal licence.
Does everyone who serves drinks need a licence?
No. Bar staff do not need a personal licence. But every sale of alcohol must be made or approved by someone who has one. Staff without one work under the authority of a personal licence holder.
Personal licences no longer need to be renewed. They stay valid unless they are taken away or surrendered.
Why do closing times differ along one street?
There is no national closing time. Each pub's hours are written into its own premises licence. That is why two pubs a few doors apart can stop serving an hour apart.
Conditions often come from objections made when the licence was first granted or when it was last changed. A pub is not breaking any rule just because its neighbour closes earlier.
What are the four licensing objectives?
Every decision about a licence in England and Wales has to serve four aims. They carry equal weight.
- Preventing crime and disorder.
- Public safety.
- Preventing public nuisance.
- Protecting children from harm.
How do I find out what a pub's licence allows?
A summary of the licence must be on display in the pub. Your council also keeps a public register of licences, and many put it online. Search for the pub's name or address on your council's website.
The licence lists the hours, the activities and any conditions. If a pub near you is open later than you expected, the licence will show what it is allowed to do.
How do I object to a new licence?
When someone applies for a licence or asks to change one, the application must be advertised. A notice goes up at the pub, and there is a notice in the local paper. The council also publishes it.
Anyone can send the council a comment, and you do not have to live next door. It must reach the council within the consultation period, which is usually 28 days. Your comment must be about one of the four licensing objectives. Complaints about competition or house prices carry no weight.
What if an existing pub causes problems?
Residents, the police and certain council teams can ask for a licence to be reviewed. A review can lead to new conditions, shorter hours or, in serious cases, losing the licence.
Evidence helps. Keep a log with dates, times and what you heard or saw. Report noise to your council's environmental health team, selling alcohol to children to Trading Standards or the police, and crime to the police.
What are the rules on age checks?
Selling alcohol to someone under 18 is a crime. It is an offence for the person who serves them, and the business can be punished too.
In England and Wales, every licence has a mandatory condition that the pub must have an age check policy. The minimum is that anyone who looks under 18 must show photo ID with a date of birth and a hologram. Many pubs go further with Challenge 21 or Challenge 25. That is allowed and the legal age does not change.
A pub can also refuse service to anyone who is drunk, and it is expected to.
How is Scotland different?
Scotland uses a separate law, the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005. It has five licensing objectives instead of four, and the extra one is protecting and improving public health. Local licensing boards make the decisions. If you live in Scotland, check with your local licensing board.
Frequently asked questions
- Can children go into a pub?
- It depends on the individual premises licence. Some pubs allow accompanied children until a set time, some limit them to food areas, and some do not allow them at all. The licence decides.
- How do I object to a new licence application?
- Send your comment to the council's licensing team within the consultation period, usually 28 days. It must relate to one of the four licensing objectives.
- Does a pub have to serve me?
- No. A pub can refuse service without giving a reason. It cannot refuse because of a protected reason under the Equality Act 2010, such as race, sex, disability, religion, age or sexual orientation.
- Is there a legal last orders time?
- No national one. Each pub's hours are set in its premises licence, so they differ from place to place.
- Who can ask for a licence to be reviewed?
- Residents, other people, and the authorities such as the police can ask the council to review a licence if the pub is not meeting the licensing objectives.
- Does a personal licence run out?
- No. Since a change in the law in 2015, personal licences do not need to be renewed. They stay valid unless removed or given up.
About this guide
Written and maintained by the LocalListed editorial team. It describes UK regulation and consumer protections in general terms and is not legal, financial or professional advice. Rules differ between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and change over time: always check the position with the named regulator before relying on it.
