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Transfer a premises licence

Find out how to transfer a premises licence to another person or company.

You can transfer a premises licence to another person or company. This usually happens when the premises has been sold from one person/company to another. A transfer of the licence only changes the identity of the holder of the licence and does not alter the licence in any other way.

The following person may apply for the transfer of premises licence:

  • A person who carries on, or proposes to carry on, a business which involves the use of the premises for the licensable activities to which the application relates.
  • A person who makes the application pursuant to: any statutory function discharged by that person which relates to those licensable activities or any function discharged by that person by virtue of Her Majesty's prerogative,a recognised club.
  • A charity.
  • The proprietor of an educational institution.
  • A health service body.
  • A person who is registered under Part 2 of the Care Standards Act 2000 (c. 14) in respect of an independent hospital (in Wales)/A person who is registered under Chapter 2 of Part 1 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 in respect of the carrying on of a regulated activity (within the meaning of that Part) in an independent hospital in England.
  • The chief officer of police of a police force in England.
  • Any individual aged 18 or over.

Applications

To apply for a transfer of premises licence, you need to:

  • Fill out an application form
  • Pay the correct fee
  • Provide your premises licence or a statement explaining why you can’t
  • Get the consent of the premises licence holder to transfer the licence - download the consent form, complete it and upload it with the application if applying online

Important: If you are not a limited company, you must also show proof of your right to work in the UK. This is because of the Immigration Act 2016. You can find out which documents we accept in the guidance notes of the application form.

Online applications

Apply to transfer a premises licence

If you make an application online, you are not required to send a copy of the application to the Responsible Authorities, we will do this for you.

Paper applications

You can also apply by post.

Send a copy of your application to the police and the Home Office (Immigration Enforcement). You can find their contact details in the list of responsible authorities.

Sections

List of responsible authorities

What happens next?

The Licensing Act 2003 provides a mechanism, which allows the transfer to come into immediate interim effect as soon as we receives the application, until it is formally determined or withdrawn. This is to ensure that there is no interruption to normal business at the premises.

The Chief Officer of Police has 14 days, beginning with the day on which they are notified of the application, to consider the transfer.

They can either:

  • issue an objection notice if they believe that the transfer may undermine the crime prevention objective as set out in the Licensing Act 2003; or
  • raise no objection to the application.

If no objection is received then we will transfer the licence in accordance with the application, amend the licence accordingly and issue it to the new holder. This will usually be done within 7 days from the close of the 14-day consultation period.

The total timescale for dealing with a transfer application (no objection received) is therefore expected to be no more than 21 consecutive days commencing with the correct receipt of the application paperwork (including the Chief Officer of Police) and the associated fee.

Failed application redress

If an objection to the application is received from the Chief Officer of Police, the applicant will be notified and we must hold a hearing to consider the objection.

The Committee’s consideration would be confined only to the issue of the Crime Prevention Objective. The burden would be on the Chief Officer of Police to demonstrate to the committee that there were good grounds for believing that the transfer of the licence would undermine the Crime Prevention Objective. In this case, the committee would reject the transfer. Otherwise, the transfer would be approved.

A right of appeal exists to the Magistrates' Court for both applicant and Chief Officer of Police and it must be lodged with the Court within 21 consecutive days of the date of the objection notice.

Contact Licensing