Premises licence

Other changes and notifications for a premises licence

All fees for changes and notifications are non-refundable. This includes requests we reject after starting to process them and carry out checks, as well as applications that are withdrawn, stopped, or refused by the Licensing Committee.

Please check your application carefully before you submit it. If you're unsure about anything, we recommend getting professional advice to make sure your application is correct and to avoid any problems.

Notification of an interest in premises

If you are a person with a property interest, e.g. freeholder, in a premises you may choose to register your interest in the premises for a 12 month period during which time we must then notify you of any change to the premises as registered.

You will need a debit or credit card to make payment to submit your notice.

Request to transfer a licence to a new holder

If you have taken over the running of an establishment that requires you to hold a premises licence, you may apply to transfer an existing premises licence to yourself:

To apply you will need:

• to obtain the premises licence to include the approved plan from the existing premises licence holder and to upload a copy of it. If you are unable to obtain the existing licence and plan, we will expect you to provide detailed explanation of all the steps you have taken to obtain the licence and why those actions have failed to secure it. Your application will not be deemed valid if you fail to give us a copy of the licence or satisfactory explanation.
• to provide a signed consent form from the exiting licence holder or the reference number for the online form the exiting licence holder has submitted to us
• if you are applying as an individual or a partnership which is not a limited liability partnership, to upload a proof of entitlement to work in the UK or provide a 9-digit share code from the right to work service for each individual
• a debit or credit card to make payment to submit your application

For further information, view our premises transfer guidance notes.

If the premise licence already has gaming machines and you want to use them, contact the machine provider and submit the required application to us. Failing to do so is an offence under the Gambling Act 2005. For more details, visit our Gambling or Gaming Permits and Notifications.

Consent to the transfer of a premises licence

If you are a premises licence holder, please use this form to confirm to us that you consent to the transfer of your licence to another person.

On submission of the form you will be given a reference number which you are required to provide to the person who will be applying to us for the transfer of the premises licence.

Interim Authority Notice

In instances where a premises licence has lapsed owing to death, incapacity or insolvency of the holder and there may be some time before an estate may be dealt with, there is provision in regulation for a person with a prescribed interest to give notice to reinstate the licence.

Note, as there is also provision in regulation to transfer a licence that has become lapsed under the same circumstances and we advise you carefully consider which action may be the most appropriate for your situation.

Further information is available in the Licensing Act 2003.

To submit an interim authority notice you will need:

• to confirm you will inform the current DPS (where there is one) of your application.
• If you are applying as an individual or a partnership which is not a limited liability partnership, to upload a proof of entitlement to work in the UK or provide a 9-digit share code from the right to work service for each individual.
• A debit or credit card to make payment to submit your application.
• To apply within 28 consecutive days starting the day after the licence was deemed lapsed.

For further information, view our interim authority notice statutory guidance.

Request to be removed as designated premises supervisor (s.41)

If you are the named Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) on a premises licence, that we issued, and are aware that the licence holder has not made arrangement to vary the DPS, you may use this form to notify us that you no longer wish to be responsible for the sale of alcohol at the premises and want to remove yourself as the DPS.

• If you are also the licence holder you will need to upload a copy of your premises licence.
• If you are not the licence holder you will need to send a copy of your notice form (one will be issued to you on submission) to the premises licence holder and ask them to return their licence or a statement as to why they cannot comply, to us within 14 days of receiving your notification. You will be required to provide evidence you have done this within  48 hours of submitting your notice to us.

This form is not to be used by a licence holder seeking to vary the DPS on their licence.

Surrender your premises licence

If you no longer wish to hold your premises licence you should serve us (the licensing department) a notice to surrender that complies with the provisions of the Licensing Act 2003.

Only the premises licence holder can surrender the licence.

There is no fee for this procedure but you will be required to state your premises licence number and to upload your licence or provide adequate information as to why you cannot return it. 

If you are vacating a premises you may wish to consider consenting to transfer your licence to the new occupier before opting to surrender.

Annual Licence fees for a surrender

You'll still need to pay for any outstanding annual fees if you give up the licence after the date the fees became due. 

There is no provision for a refund if you give up your licence partway through a year.

You won't need to pay an annual licence fee if we accept a surrender before the date the fee is due. 

Next steps

Once submitted a form it will be validated. It will not be accepted as served if you have not provided all of the information or correct documents we need to process it.

We will contact you if it is deemed incomplete or rejected or if we have had valid representation from a responsible authority.

If you have not heard from us at the end of a statutory consultation period you may act as though your application is granted.

Appeal

Please contact us in the first instance:

• email: [email protected]

If an objection is made you may appeal against the decision. Appeals must be made to the local Magistrates Court within 21 days:

Clerk to the Justices
Northamptonshire Magistrates Court
85 to 87 Lady’s Lane
Northampton
NN1 3HQ

Tel: 01604 497000

Last updated 18 March 2025