Temporary event notices

Temporary event notices

You need a temporary event notice (TEN) for an occasional event if you are providing the following types of activities: 

• selling alcohol (note if alcohol is provided at an event a sale may be deemed to be included in any entry or ticket fee)
• serving alcohol to non-members of a private club
• provide licenced entertainment (music, dancing or indoor sporting events)
• serving hot food or drink between 11pm and 5am 

You will also need a TEN if:

• the licensable activity is not included in the existing licence for the premises or club your event is being held at
• your event is held in a private dwelling and you charge those attending with a view to making a profit (including charity events) 

You must be 18 years or older to give a TEN and you can give a maximum of 5 TENs per year unless you are a personal licence holder, which allows you to give 50 TENs per year. 

A TEN only permits licensable activities to be carried out. It is the event organisers responsibility to ensure they have the consent of the property owner to hold the event at their premises.

Your event must:

• involve no more than 499 people at any one time (including staff) 
• last no more than 168 hours

A premises: 

• must have a 24 hours gap between separate TEN's on the same premises
• can only be authorised to hold a maximum of 15 temporary events per year of no more than 21 days in total

The notice should contain:

• details of the licensable activities
• the total period for the event
• the times when during that period when each activity will take place
• the maximum number of people proposed to be allowed on the premises
• any other required matters

The notice must be submitted to us at least 10 clear working days before your intended event (i.e. excluding the day when notice is given or deemed to be given and the day for which it is to take effect). Provided you have allowance to do so, a late ten may be given but must be submitted no later than 5 clear working days before the event.

Please read all of our published guidance before submitting a notice to us as the fee is not refundable (including any withdrawn, rejected, or refused notification). 

Ensure you:

• have read note 13 of the guidance so that you understand the definition of ‘Relevant entertainment’ before selecting this activity
• do not select ‘Supply of alcohol by or on behalf of a club’ before checking you would qualify as a club under Licensing Act 2003 and that your proposed activity does not, in fact, classify as ‘Sale by retail of alcohol’

If you:

• intend to have child performance at your event you will need to separately apply for a licence or an exemption for the children to perform in public
• will hold an event with 200 plus attendees please see Martyn’s Law: the SIA’s new regulatory role

For prices, view our fees and charges.

Apply

Once logged in you will be able to log back in and return to a previously started form at a later stage.

Please refer to the processing temporary event notices for further details on what happens after submitting your notice.

Last updated 29 April 2025