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Licensing Act 2003

  • Explanatory Notes Table of contents

Please note:

All reference to 'Parts' and 'sections' are from the Licensing Act 2003. For other versions of these Explanatory Notes, see More Resources.

  1. Introduction

  2. Summary and Background

  3. The Act

  4. COMMENTARY ON SECTIONS

    1. PART 1 – Licensable activities

      1. General

      2. Section 1 – Licensable activities and qualifying club activities

      3. Section 2 - Authorisation for licensable activities and qualifying club activities

    2. PART 2: Licensing authorities

      1. General

      2. Section 3 - Licensing authorities

      3. Section 4 - General duties of licensing authorities

      4. Section 5 - Statement of licensing policy

      5. Section 6 - Licensing Committee

      6. Section 7 - Exercise and delegation of functions

      7. Section 8 - Requirement to keep a register

      8. Section 9 - Proceedings of licensing committee

      9. Section 10 - Sub-delegation of functions by licensing committee

    3. PART 3: Premises licences

      1. General

      2. Section 11 - Premises licence

      3. Section 12 - The relevant licensing authority

      4. Section 13 - Authorised persons, interested parties and responsible authorities

      5. Section 14 – Meaning of ‘supply of alcohol’

      6. Section 15 – Meaning of  ‘designated premises supervisor’

      7. Section 16 – Applicant for premises licence

      8. Section 17 - Application for a premises licence

      9. Section 18 – Determination of application for premises licence

      10. Section 19 - Mandatory conditions where licence authorises supply of alcohol

      11. Section 20 – Mandatory condition: exhibition of films

      12. Section 21 – Mandatory condition: door supervision

      13. Section 22 – Prohibited conditions: plays

      14. Section 23 – Grant or rejection of application

      15. Section 24 – Form of licence and summary

      16. Section 25 - Theft, loss, of premises licence or summary

      17. Section 26 – Period of validity of premises licence

      18. Section 27 – Death, incapacity,  insolvency of licence holder

      19. Section 28 – Surrender of premises licence

      20. Section 29 – Application for a provisional statement where premises being built,

      21. Section 30 – Advertisement of application for provisional statement

      22. Section 31 – Determination of application for provisional statement

      23. Section 32 – Restriction on making representations following provisional statement

      24. Section 33 – Notification of change of name or address.

      25. Section 34 - Application to vary premises licence

        Section 35 - Determination of application under section 34 and

        Section 36 - Supplementary provision about determinations under section 35

      26. Section 37 – Application to vary licence to specify individual as premises supervisor

      27. Section 38 – Circumstances in which section 37 application given interim effect

      28. Section 39 – Determination of section 37 application

      29. Section 40 – Duty of applicant following determination under section 39

      30. Section 41 – Request to be removed as designated premises supervisor

      31. Section 42 – Application for transfer of premises licence

      32. Section 43 – Circumstances in which transfer application given interim effect

      33. Section 44 – Determination of transfer application

      34. Section 45 – Notification of determination under section 44

      35. Section 46 – Duty to notify designated premises supervisor of transfer

      36. Section 47 – Interim authority notice following death of licence holder

      37. Section 48 – Cancellation of interim authority notice following police objections

      38. Section 49 – Supplementary provision about interim authority notice

      39. Section 50 – Reinstatement of licence on transfer following death of holder

      40. Section 51 – Application for review of premises licence

      41. Section 52 – Determination of application for review

      42. Section 53 – Supplementary provision about review

      43. Section 54 – Form etc of applications and notices under Part 3

      44. Section 55 – Fees

      45. Section 56 – Licensing authority’s duty to update licence document

      46. Section 57 – Duty to keep and produce licence

      47. Section 58 – Provision supplementary to section 57

      48. Section 59 – Inspection of premises before grant of licence,

    4. PART 4:

      1. General

      2. Section 60 – Club premises certificate

      3. Section 61 – Qualifying clubs

      4. Section 62 – The general conditions

      5. Section 63 – Determining whether a club is established and conducted in good faith

      6. Section 64 – The additional conditions for the supply of alcohol

      7. Section 65 – Industrial and provident societies, friendly societies,

        Section 66 – Miners’ welfare institutes

      8. Section 67 – Associate members and their guests

      9. Section 68 – The relevant licensing authority

      10. Section 69 – Authorised persons, interested parties and responsible authorities

      11. Section 70 – Other definitions relating to clubs

      12. Section 71 – Application for club premises certificate

      13. Section 72 – Determination of application for club premises certificate

      14. Section 73 – Certificate authorising supply of alcohol for consumption off the premises

      15. Section 74 – Mandatory condition: exhibition of films

      16. Section 75– Prohibited conditions: associate members and their guests

      17. Section 76– Prohibited conditions: plays

      18. Section 77 – Grant or rejection of application for club premises certificate

      19. Section 78 - Form of certificate and summary

      20. Section 79 – Theft, loss of certificate or summary

      21. Section 80 – Period of validity of club premises certificate

      22.  Section 81 - Surrender of club premises certificate

      23. Section 82 – Notification of change of name or alteration of rules of club

      24. Section 83 – Change of relevant registered address of a club

      25. Section 84 – Application to vary club premises certificate

        Section 85 – Determination of application under section 84 and

        Section 86 – Supplementary provision about applications under section 84

      26. Section 87 – Application for review of club premises certificate

      27. Section88 – Determination of application for review and

        Section 89 – Supplementary provision about review

      28. Section 90 – Club ceasing to be a qualifying club

      29. Section 91 – Form etc. of applications and notices under Part 4

      30. Section 92 – Fees

      31. Section 93 – Duty to provide licensing authority with club premises certificate

      32. Section 94  - Duty to keep and produce certificate

        Section 95 - Provision supplementary to section 94

      33. Section 96 - Inspection of premises before grant of certificate

      34. Section 97 - Other powers of entry and search

    5. PART 5: Permitted temporary activities

      1. Section 98 – Meaning of ‘permitted temporary activity’

      2. Section 99– The relevant licensing authority

      3. Section 100 – Temporary event notice

      4. Section 101 – Minimum of 24 hours between event periods

      5. Section 102 – Acknowledgement of notice

      6. Section 103– Withdrawal of notice

      7. Section 104 – Objection to notice by police

        Section 105 -  Counter notice following police objection and

        Section 106 - Modification of notice following police objection

      8. Section 107 - Counter notice where permitted limits exceeded

      9. Section 108 – Right of entry where temporary event notice given and

        Section 109 – Duty to keep and produce temporary event notice

      10. Section 110 – Theft, loss of temporary event notice

    6. PART 6: Personal Licences

      1. Section 111 – Personal licence

      2. Section 112 – The relevant licensing authority

      3. Section 113 – Meaning of “relevant offence” and “foreign offence”

      4. Section 114 – Spent  convictions

      5. Section 115 – Period of validity of personal licence and

      6. Section 116 – Surrender of personal licence

      7. Section 117 – Application for grant or renewal of personal licence

        Section 118 – Individual permitted to hold only one personal licence

        Section 119 – Licence continued pending renewal

      8. Section 120 – Determination of application for grant

      9. Section 121 – Determination of application for renewal

      10. Section 122 – Notification of determinations

      11. Section 123 – Duty to notify licensing authority of convictions during application period

      12. Section 124 – Convictions coming to light after grant or renewal

      13. Section 125 – Form of personal licence

      14. Section 126 – Theft, loss,   of personal licence

      15. Section 127 – Duty to notify change of name or address

      16. Section 128 – Duty to notify court of personal licence

        Section 129 – Forfeiture or suspension of licence on conviction for relevant offence

      17. Section 130 – Powers of appellate court to suspend order under section 129

      18. Section 131 – Court’s duty to notify licensing authority of convictions

      19. Section 132 – Licence holder’s duty to notify licensing authority of convictions

      20. Section 133 –Form etc. of applications and notices under Part 6

      21. Section 134 – Licensing authority’s duty to update licence document

      22. Section 135 – Licence holder’s duty to produce licence

    7. PART 7:

      1. Section 136 – Unauthorised licensable activities

      2. Section 137 – Exposing alcohol for unauthorised sale

      3. Section 138 – Keeping alcohol on premises for unauthorised sale

      4. Section 139 - Defence of due diligence

      5. Section 140 – Allowing disorderly conduct on licensed premises

      6. Section 141 – Sale of alcohol to a person who is drunk

      7. Section 142 – Obtaining alcohol for a person who is drunk

      8. Section 143– Failure to leave licensed premises

      9. Section 144 – Keeping of smuggled goods

      10. Section 145 – Unaccompanied children prohibited from certain premises.

      11. Section 146 – Sale of alcohol to children

      12. Section 147 – Allowing sale of alcohol to children

      13. Section 148 – Sale of liqueur confectionery to children under 16

      14. Section 149 – Purchase of alcohol by or on behalf of children

      15. Section 150 – Consumption of alcohol by children

      16. Section 151 – Delivering alcohol to children

      17. Section 152 – Sending a child to obtain alcohol

      18. Section 153 – Prohibition of unsupervised sales by children

      19. Section 154 – Enforcement role for weights and measures authorities

      20. Section 155 – Confiscation of sealed containers for alcohol

      21. Section 156 – Prohibition of sale of alcohol on moving vehicles

      22. Section 157 – Power to prohibit sale of alcohol on trains

      23. Section 158 – False statements made for the purposes of this Act

    8. Part 8: Closure of premises

      1. General

      2. Section 160 – Order to close premises in an area experiencing disorder

      3. Section 161 – Closure order for identified premises

      4. Section 162 – Extension of closure order

      5. Section 163 – Cancellation of closure order

      6. Section 164 – Application to magistrates’ court by police

      7. Section 165 – Consideration of closure order by magistrates’ court

      8. Section 166 – Appeal from decision of magistrates’ court

      9. Section 167 – Review of premises licence following closure order

      10. Section 168 – Provision about decisions under section 167

      11. Section 171 – Interpretation of Part 8

    9. Part 9: Miscellaneous and Supplementary

      1. General

      2. Section 172 – Relaxation of opening hours for special occasions

      3. Section 173 – Activities in certain locations not licensable

      4. Section 174 – Certifying premises on grounds of national security

      5. Section 175 – Exemption for raffle, tombola

      6. Section 176 – Prohibition of alcohol sales at service areas, garages

      7. Section 177 – Dancing and live music in certain small premises

      8. Section 178 – Right of freeholder to be notified of licensing matters

      9. Section 179 – Rights of entry to investigate licensable activities

      10. Section 180 - Right of entry to investigate offences

      11. Section 181 – Appeals against decisions of licensing authorities

      12. Section 182- Guidance

      13. Section 183 - Hearings

      14. Section 184 – Giving of notices,

      15. Section 185 – Provision of information

      16. Section 186 - Proceedings for offences

      17. Section 187 – Offences by bodies corporate

      18. Section 188 – Jurisdiction and procedure in respect of offences

      19. Section 189 - Vessels, vehicles and moveable structures

      20. Section 190 - Location of sales

      21. Section 191 – Meaning of “alcohol”

      22. Section 192– Meaning of ‘sale by retail’

      23. Section 195 – Crown application

      24. Section 196 – Removal of privileges and exemptions

      25. Section 197 - Regulations and orders

      26. Section 198 – Minor and consequential amendments

      27. Section 199 – Repeals

      28. Section 200 – Transitional provisions

      29. Section 201 – Short title, commencement and extent

    10. Schedule 1 – Provision of regulated entertainment

    11. Schedule 2 – Provision of late night refreshment

    12. Schedule 3 – Matters to be entered in licensing register

    13. Schedule  4 – Personal licence: relevant offences

    14. Schedule 5 – Appeals

    15. Schedule 6  – Minor and consequential amendments

    16. Schedule 7- Repeals

    17. Schedule 8 – Transitional provision

  5. Commencement

  6. Hansard References

  • Explanatory Notes Table of contents

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Explanatory Notes

Text created by the government department responsible for the subject matter of the Act to explain what the Act sets out to achieve and to make the Act accessible to readers who are not legally qualified. Explanatory Notes were introduced in 1999 and accompany all Public Acts except Appropriation, Consolidated Fund, Finance and Consolidation Acts.

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