Personal licence

A personal licence allows an individual to authorise the sale or supply of alcohol. All premises with a premises licence (Licensing Act 2003) need at least one personal licence holder where one of their activities is the sale or supply of alcohol. A personal licence is portable throughout England and Wales.

If you want to apply for a personal licence you must:

• be 18 years of age or over: and
• apply to the licensing authority that covers the area where you normally live.

You are required to have a relevant licensing qualification. 

Making your application

Applications can only be submitted to the Licensing Team by post or email. To make an application you must submit the following documentation:

• a completed application for a personal licence form
  
• a completed disclosure of convictions and declaration form
• your 'National Certificate for Personal Licence holders' from an accredited qualification provider
• a criminal record disclosure that is not more than one month old (see below)
• two passport style photographs. One of these must be certified by a professional person on the reverse to state that it is a true likeness of yourself
• the fee of £37.00, this can be paid over the phone on 0300 123 5015 or by check made out in the name of Cheshire East Council
• evidence of your right to work (PDF, 167KB)

You can obtain a basic criminal record disclosure by applying online using the Disclosure and Barring Service website. If you need further assistance please contact the Disclosure and Barring Service on 0300 020 0190.

We can only accept the originals of your qualification and criminal record disclosure. We cannot accept copies.

Change of personal details, address or loss of personal licence

It is the responsibility of the personal licence holder to notify the licensing authority in writing as soon as possible of any changes to their personal details, if they move address or if their personal licence becomes lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed.

Even if they move out of the Borough, the personal licence remains with the issuing Authority.  For a lost licence there is a fee of £10.50. For a change of personal details you will need to provide:

• a statutory fee of £10.50
• an updated passport sized photograph
• a request in writing
• evidence of a change of name or of a change of address

Renewing your personal licence

The Deregulation Act 2015 came into effect on the 1 April 2015, and abolished the requirement to renew personal licences. Instead personal licences will carry on indefinitely until such time that they are either surrendered or revoked.

Using my existing Personal licence, even though it appears to have expired

Because the requirement to renew has been abolished, the expiry date no longer applies.

Updating my licence to remove the expiry date

All newly issued personal licences will have the expiry date removed, and this will be done automatically the next time you apply to update your licence; for example if you change name or address.

However, if you wish to have your licence updated early, you can apply for a newly issued “copy” of your licence. To do so you will need to supply us with:

• a written request to replace your licence, providing your full name and address
• your existing licence or an explanation as to why it cannot be returned
• the £10.50 administration fee
• an updated passport sized photograph

Contact us

Page last reviewed: 05 August 2024