Personal licences (alcohol)

A personal licence is required by the person responsible for the sale of alcohol from premises. This is in addition to the premises licence.

The fee for a personal licence is £37 and is recognised throughout England and Wales. It lasts for an indefinite duration (unless revoked or surrendered) and is in two parts:

  • a card - this includes a photo of the licence holder, their name and address, a unique number, details of the council issuing the licence and an identifier for that authority.
  • a paper form - this contains similar information to the card but doesn't contain a photo. It also contains details of any relevant convictions.

What you need to apply

To apply for a personal licence you must be at least 18 years of age and usually live within the borough.

You also need:

How to apply

You can apply for a personal licence using our online form below.

In your application you'll need to provide proof of your right to work in the UK, as well as certified copies of both your basic DBS check certificate/result of a subject access search of the PNC and alcohol licensing qualification certificate. You'll also need to upload your photo, endorsed by one of the people listed above. 

Certified copies of documents are those which have been signed by a professional person to confirm they are a true copy of the original. Certified copies must:

  • be signed and dated by a professional person (such as a solicitor, bank official or teacher) who is not related, living at the same address, or in a relationship with you
  • have the wording ‘Certified to be a true copy of the original seen by me’ written on the document by the person certifying it
  • have the name, address, phone number and occupation of the person certifying it printed clearly underneath their signature

The person certifying the document may charge you a fee to do this. You can find out more about certified documents, including who can certify a copy, on GOV.UK.

If you're not able to upload certified copies of your documents you'll need to post the originals after submitting your online form to: Licensing, Legal Services, PO Box 634, Barnsley, S70 9GG. We'll return these to you after processing your application.

In the online form you'll also need to tell us if you've been convicted of any relevant offence or foreign offence, and if you've been required to pay a civil immigration penalty (see section 15 of the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 and section 23 of the Immigration Act 2014).

Apply for a personal licence

After submitting your form we'll process your application and post your personal licence and card to you. You'll usually receive these within 10 working days.

If your application's not successful we'll email you to tell you the reason for our decision.

More information

If you have a criminal conviction

You need to tell us if you've been convicted of any relevant offence or foreign offence, and if you've been required to pay a civil immigration penalty (see section 15 of the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 and section 23 of the Immigration Act 2014).

If you fail to meet the relevant or foreign offences criteria we'll notify the Chief Officer of Police for our area. The Chief Officer of Police then has 14 days to consider whether, having regard to the nature of the conviction, the grant of your personal licence would undermine the crime prevention objective. If they feel this is the case they'll issue an objection notice within the 14 day period. We'll then hold a hearing to consider the notice, unless all parties agree that this isn't necessary.

We may reject your application if we consider it necessary for the promotion of the crime prevention objective, or grant your application in any other case.

If you've applied for a licence by post

If you've submitted an application by post, you'll need to pay the fee for your personal licence using our online form.

In the form please select 'Pay for a new personal licence application submitted via post' as the reason for your application.

Apply for a personal licence

After making your payment we'll process your application and post your personal licence and card to you. We'll also post your original documents back. You'll usually receive all of these within 10 working days.

If your application's not successful we'll email you to tell you the reason for our decision.

Changes of name and address

If you change your name or move address you must tell us, even if you move out of the borough. Under section 127 of the Licensing Act 2003 you'd be committing an offence if you fail, without reasonable excuse, to notify the relevant licensing authority of any change to your name or address as soon as reasonably practicable.

You can tell us about a change using our online form below. In the form you'll also need to upload a photo that meets the passport-standard rules for photos, as well as some photo ID (such as your passport or driving licence). If you're not able to upload these in the form you'll need to post us a certified/endorsed photo verifying its likeness to you.

After submitting your form you'll need to send your current personal licence and card to: Licensing, Legal Services, PO Box 634, Barnsley, S70 9GG. After receiving these we'll issue you with a new licence and card. You'll still be licensed for the sale of alcohol from premises for the period between sending your existing licence to us and receiving your replacement.

If you're not able to return your licence as it's been stolen, you must report this to the police and obtain a reference number before you can order a replacement.

There's an admin fee of £10.50 to change your name or address.

Update or replace a personal licence

After processing your application we'll post a replacement licence and card to you. You'll usually receive these within 10 working days.

Lost, stolen or damaged licences

If your personal licence has been lost, stolen or become damaged, you can order a replacement using our online form below. If your licence has been stolen you must report this to the police and obtain a reference number before you can order a replacement.

In the form you'll need to upload a photo that meets the passport-standard rules for photos, as well as some photo ID (such as your passport or driving licence). If you're not able to upload these in the form you'll need to post us a certified/endorsed photo verifying its likeness to you to: Licensing, Legal Services, PO Box 634, Barnsley, S70 9GG.

The fee for a replacement licence is £10.50.

Update or replace a personal licence

After submitting your form we'll process your application and post a replacement licence and card to you. You'll usually receive these within 10 working days.

Checking a personal licence holder

If you need to check that someone holds a personal licence with our authority, please email licensing@barnsley.gov.uk and we'll be able to provide you with confirmation of this.