Apply for or renew a personal alcohol licence

A licensed premises must have a designated 'premises manager' and they must hold a personal licence. An individual cannot be the premises manager of more than one licensed premises.

Applicants have to be aged 18 or older and need to have a licensing qualification/training certificate from an accredited trainer. Refresher training must be undertaken every 5 years.

Personal licences are valid for 10 years unless they are revoked earlier.

How to apply

You should complete the application in full and submit this to your relevant Licensing Board.

• Download a personal licence application [DOC - 85KB]

You'll need to provide:

• two photographs of yourself (One of the photographs submitted with your application should be endorsed on the back.  This endorsement should, contain the words "I certify that this is a true likeness of (name of applicant)", followed by the full name of the person endorsing the photograph)
• the certificate showing the appropriate licensing qualification
• your current licence (if you are renewing a licence)
• the correct fee (£50)

Fee and payment

Applications cost £50 whether you're granted a licence or not:

• Send cash or a cheque (payable to Dumfries and Galloway Council) when you submit your application
• Call 01387 245923 and pay by credit or debit card

What happens next

We consider all applications in line with the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005.  A copy of the application is forwarded to Police Scotland who will confirm whether or not you have been convicted of a relevant or foreign offence and whether or not the Chief Constable recommends that the application should be refused for the purposes of any of the licensing objectives. 

Applications where the applicant does have a relevant or foreign conviction need to be considered by the Dumfries and Galloway Licensing Boards .

A licence will be issued at the earliest possible date after an application has been granted.