Licence Summary
A premises licence issued under the Licensing Act 2003 allows a premises to sell alcohol, provide regulated entertainment or serve late night refreshment.
If you already hold a premises licence issued by Leeds City Council then you will have some form of authorisation to carry out one or more licensable activities. Under the legislation you can make an application to vary your premises licence to alter the terms of your licence. You may wish to extend the hours you sell alcohol, or ask to have conditions removed from your existing licence. You can also add a licensable activity that your current licence does not authorise you to carry out. If however you want to add alcohol then you need to be aware that you will need to fulfil a lengthier application process.
- You will need a personal licence holder to authorise the supply of alcohol in line with your premises licence.
- You will need to nominate a designated premise supervisor (DPS) on your premises licence application. The premises supervisor must be a personal licence holder.
In August 2009 the Government introduced a simplified system for making minor variations to premises licences. The minor variations process can only be used for variations that could have no adverse impact on the promotion of the licensing objectives.
It cannot be used to:
- Extend the period for which a licence has effect (i.e. a time limited licence)
- Transfer the licence from one premises to another
- Specify, in a premises licence, an individual as a premises supervisor.
- To add the sale by retail or supply of alcohol as an activity authorised by a premises licence
- To authorise the sale by retail or supply of alcohol at any time between 11pm and 7am
- To authorise an increase in the amount of time in any day during which alcohol may be sold by retail or supplied
It could be used to:
- Make minor changes to the structure or layout of a premises
- Make small adjustments to the licensing hours
- Remove of out of date, irrelevant or unenforceable conditions
- Add licensable activities
Guidance on making a minor variation is provided in the guidance note on this page.
If you are planning to make an objection to a minor variation application please see the webpage on making a representation. Please note the consultation period for a minor variation is ten working days.
Eligibility Criteria
Only the premises licence holder can apply to make a variation to the existing licence.
Regulation Summary
DCMS webpage on the Licensing Act 2003
Application Evaluation Process
Applications must be sent to the licensing authority for the area where the premises are located.
Applications must be in a specific format and be accompanied by the fee and, if applicable, a plan of the premises.
Applicants will be required to advertise their application and to give notice of the application to any other person or responsible body, e.g. the local authority, chief police officer or fire and rescue authority.
Further information on applying for a variation can be found in the Guidance Notes on this page.
If representations are received objecting to the application a hearing must be held. The outcome of this hearing would be that the licence be granted or granted subject to additional conditions, licensable activities listed in the application can be excluded or the application can be rejected.
The licensing authority will serve a notice of its decision on the applicant, any person who has made relevant representations (i.e. representations that were not deemed frivolous or vexatious) and the chief of police.
Will Tacit Consent Apply?
Tacit consent applies to a premises licence variation application if no relevant representations are made during a period of 28 days from the day after the application is received by the Licensing Authority. This target date is known as the ‘last date for representation’. The application will be deemed granted after the last date for representation.
If relevant representations are made within the 28 day consultation period tacit consent does not apply and a public hearing must be held to determine your application. The public hearing will be held within 20 working days after the last date for representation. The hearing date may be extended if the Licensing Authority considers it is in the public interest to do so.
Target Completion Period
If there are no representations to the application, the licence will be granted 29 days from that day the Licensing Authority received the application.
If there are representations, the application will go before a Licensing Sub-Committee and a decision will be made at the hearing.
Forms to download, print and post
Should you wish to apply by post, you can download the following PDF forms from this page that you can complete and post to us:
- GN-B Guidance Note on Variations
- GN-J Guidance note on minor variations
- GN-E – Guidance on the Operating Schedule V6
- GN-F - Guidance on the Operating Schedule for Outdoor Events V2
- PREM7 – Application for Variation
- PREM2 – DPS consent form
- PERS1 – Application for personal licence
- PERS2 – Disclosure and declaration form
Forms to download and email
If you would prefer to be sent application forms by email that you can type directly onto, please contact us. We can accept payment by phone.
Apply online
Apply to vary a premises licence
Apply to make a minor variation to a premises licence
Application to change your name or address
Apply to specify an individual as a designated premises supervisor
Consent to be specified as a designated premises supervisor
Request to be removed as a designated premises supervisor
Apply to transfer a licence
Consent to the transfer of a premises licence
Pay your annual fee
Redress
Please contact Leeds City Council in the first instance.
Any applicant, responsible authority or person making representation is able to appeal the Licensing Authority’s decision to a Magistrate’s Court within 21 days of the notice of decision. Full details of how to appeal are provided with the Decision Notice.
Members of the public who are experiencing problems with licensed premises may wish to read Guidance on Problem Premises.
Public Registers or databases
Leeds City Council holds public registers of premises licence applications which can be accessed through the Public Access Portal.
Trade Associations
Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR)
Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematograph and Theatre Union (BECTU)
Federation of Licensed Victuallers Associations (FLVA)
Institute of Entertainment and Arts Professionals (IEAP)
Use of personal data
Leeds City Council is under a duty to protect the public funds it administers, and to this end may use the information you have provided on your application for the prevention and detection of fraud. It may also share this information with other bodies responsible for auditing or administering public funds for these purposes.