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Personal licence for selling alcohol

You will need a personal licence:

Apply for a personal licence

To apply for a personal licence you must be aged 18 or over and apply to the council where you live. Applications must be made by post, as we need to see the original documents for your criminal record check and the qualification certificate.

Applicants need to provide all of the following:

  • a completed personal licence application form
  • two passport photos – one of which must be signed by a third party to verify that you are the person in the photo. This should be done by a solicitor, notary, person of standing in the community, or any individual with a professional qualification.
  • proof that you hold a Level 2 Award for Personal Licence Holders qualification – to see the awarding bodies please visit accredited personal licence qualification providers.
  • proof of your right to work in the UK (see note 2 on the application form)
  • a criminal record certificate. Please note that we must see the original certificate and that it must be dated no earlier than one month prior to your application. Most applicants submit a basic disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service.
  • the application fee of £37. This can be included with the application as a cheque or on receipt of the application we can contact you for card payment. We recommend that you do not post cash.

Please send all of the above to the Licensing Team at the below address.

For details on how we use data relating to licence holders and applicants, please see our privacy notice for licence holders and applicants.

What happens next

Once we have all your completed forms, and the information requested above, if there are no issues we aim to process your application within ten working days.

If Thames Valley Police object to the granting of your licence, we will arrange a hearing to decide your application.

Once we have issued your licence it remains valid indefinitely and means that you can authorise sale of alcohol at any premises licensed under the Licensing Act 2003.

If you wish to surrender your licence, please email or write to us to confirm this. You will need to return the badge and licence, or confirm if they have been lost. 

Request a change of details or a copy of your licence or badge

To tell us about a change of name or address, or to request a copy of your licence or badge, please use our Online Applications Portal. There is a fee of £10.50 for this process.

You will need to attach a document explaining the changes required, or to confirm that you require a copy of the licence or badge. Please include your name, licence number and your contact details so we can get in touch with you if required. If you have changed address, please include your old address and your new address. You will need to return your existing licence and badge (or confirm if either/both have been lost), and send us a new passport sized photograph if a new badge is required.

Alternatively you can email your request to us at the address below. We will then contact you by telephone to collect payment. 

If you do not have access to email, you can post your request with the fee of £10.50 to the Licensing Team at the below address.

Contact us - Licensing

01235 422556
(Text phone users add 18001 before dialing)

licensing@southoxon.gov.uk

South Oxfordshire District Council
Abbey House
Abbey Close
Abingdon
OX14 3JE

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