Guide
Personal licence: how to get one, from the course to the council
Updated
A personal licence lets a person authorise the sale of alcohol. To get one in England or Wales you pass an accredited course such as the APLH, get a basic criminal record check and apply to your council with a £37 fee; in Scotland the fee is £50.
The steps
- Pass an accredited licensing qualification: the APLH in England and Wales, the SCPLH in Scotland.
- Get a basic criminal record check: GOV.UK says it costs £20 and usually takes up to three days to process.
- Apply to the licensing authority where you live, with the fee: £37 in England and Wales, £50 in Scotland.
- In Scotland, complete refresher training within each five-year period of the licence.
Source: Personal Licence Fees and Requirements: every row, with its source
Sources: GOV.UK, GOV.UK basic DBS check, Licensing Act 2003 (Fees) Regulations 2005, Scottish Government guidance.
How long a Scottish licence lasts
The Scottish Government's guidance says a personal licence has effect for ten years unless it is surrendered or revoked, and Scottish Borders Council's page says the same, with refresher training after five years.
What the whole thing costs
A course at the £130 median, the £37 council fee and a £20 basic check come to £187 in England and Wales before any VAT on the course. The course prices are in the price index and the fees in the fees dataset.
Source: Personal Licence Course Price Index: every row, with its source
This page explains what the authorities' own pages say. Your council decides your application.