Premises Licence to sell alcohol

A Premises Licence is required to sell alcohol from a premises on a day to day basis.

An Occasional Licence allows you to sell alcohol from a premises for a temporary period of up to 14 days.

How do I apply?

Please read our Guidance on Applying for more information on the application process.

• How to lodge an application
• Supporting documents required
• How the application will be processed
• The time it will take to get a decision
• What to do if you are unhappy with the decision

Do I have to provide a Disabled Access and Facilities Statement?

From April 2018 all applications should be accompanied by a Disabled Access and Facilities Statement.  The statutory template for this statement can be found at the end of the Premises Licence application form. 

The Scottish Government has produced  Guidance [286kb] to assist applicants in completing the statement.

Can I apply if my Premises is still under construction or conversion?

If the premises are still under construction or conversion, you can apply for a Provisional Premises Licence.

This is two stage process which allows the licence to be considered in principle and, if provisionally granted, the licence can confirmed at a later date once the premises has been finalised.

Do I need a solicitor to apply for a licence?

Licensing legislation can be complex.  The Licensing Board will expect any applicant to understand the licensing requirements set out in the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 and all other relevant primary and secondary legislation.  In addition the Board will expect applicants to be familiar with the terms of the Board's Licensing Policy Statement.

You do not need a solicitor to apply for a licence but you may wish to consider taking independent legal advice before applying for a licence.

The Board cannot recommend any specific solicitor or law firm however the Law Society of Scotland website contains a search function to help find a solicitors in Scotland; this includes searching for solicitors accredited as experts in liquor licensing.

How do I apply for Certificates of Suitability under Section 50?

Before applying for a Premises Licence or Provisional Premises Licence you will require to obtain certain Certificates of Suitability issued under section 50 of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005. 

Use the links below for further information on how to apply for these certificates.

• Building Standards - Section 50
• Environmental Health - Section 50
• Planning - Section 50

How much does it cost?

Please refer to our  Fees and Charges [250kb] document for details of the current fee and accepted payment methods.

The application will not be accepted without the correct fee.

How to make Payment

Applications can be lodged online and preferred payment should be made by BACS Transfer (electronic banking) to the Licensing Board Account. 

When making payments please quote Grant/Premises address as detailed below:-

Account Name: Glasgow City Council - Licensing
Account No. 00116224
Sort Code: 83-44-00
Reference: Grant/Premises e.g. Grant/231 George Street.

Please note that your application will not be formally lodged until payment has been received.  The fees are non-refundable. 

Can someone object to an application?

In terms of the Licensing (Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations 2007, the Licensing Board is required to give notice of an application for new licence during the first 21 days of the consultation period.

 Public Notice of Premises Licence Applications [82kb]

During this 28 day consultation period any individual can object or make a representation to the application.

Read our guidance on making an objection or representation for more information.