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How to get an SIA Licence?
Home Alcohol Personal Licence (APLH)

Personal Licence (APLH)

The Personal Licence issued by local councils allows holders to authorise the sale of alcohol in England and Wales.

Book your APLH exam Let us handle your application
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Authority
Local Council
Duration
~3 weeks
Cost
£58.50 (inc DBS check)
Valid For
No expiry
Qualification Needed
Level 2 Award for Personal Licence Holders
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STEPS TO GET LICENSED
Pass the APLH Course
  • 6 hours
  • Multiple choice exam
Apply to your local council
  • DBS check
  • Endorsed passport photos
  • £37 application fee
  • Online or by post, depending on your council
Receive your licence in the post
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Fast: Same-day results

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Clear: Step-by-step support

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Trusted: 450,000+ trained

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Proven: 95% pass rate

What is the Personal Licence?

The Personal Licence allows holders to authorise the sale of alcohol at licensed premises. The Personal Licence is typically for those who work in the hospitality industry, like bar staff and event managers. 

 

We make getting your personal licence a simple, stress-free process ✅

The Personal Licence is commonly referred to as APLH or Personal Licence and is issued by the local council and ensures that holders have the necessary skills and qualifications to operate legally, while also maintaining a safe environment for their customers, employees and coworkers.

The licence applies in England and Wales. In Scotland the equivalent is the SCPLH (Scottish Certificate for Personal Licence Holders), which is a separate qualification.

 

⚠️ REMEMBER - There is no expiration date for the Licence. 

 

Do I need a Personal Licence?

You will need a Personal Licence if you are authorising the sale of alcohol.

As per the 2003 Licensing Act, it is a legal requirement for premises that serve alcohol, also known as licensed premises, to have a named Personal Licence holder.

 

⚠️ Warning - Selling alcohol without authorisation is a criminal offence carrying an unlimited fine and/or up to 6 months in prison. 

Eligibility

To be eligible for a Personal Licence, you must:

✅ Be 18 years of age,

✅ Have the right to work in the UK and have

✅ Pass the APLH Course.

You also must not have forfeited a Personal Licence in the previous 5 years or have been convicted of any relevant offences.

 

How to apply for a Personal Licence

Here are the steps for getting your Personal Licence:

 

✅ Pass the APLH Course

The Level 2 APLH course is one day course and is assessed by a multiple-choice exam. Click here to book your course

✅ Complete DBS Check

You will need a recent Disclosure and Barring Service check as part of your application. It costs £21.50 for a basic check.  

For further information, click here

✅ Complete Application

To send the application, you will need:

  • ✅ Original qualification certificate 
  • ✅ Recent DBS check
  • ✅ 2 countersigned photographs 
  • ✅ Pay £37 fee
  • ✅ Disclosure of convictions form (if applicable)

 

Sounds like too much work? Use EasyApply

Use our risk-free EasyApply service to apply for your personal licence.  

 

What is EasyApply for Personal Licence?

Let us do all the work and make sure your application is successful. This includes processing your DBS check and Licence Fee.

 

100% Money Back if your licence gets refused ✅

The Personal Licence (or APLH) Training Course

To apply for your Personal Licence, you will need the Level 2 Award for Personal Licence Holders qualification.

 

You can obtain this by completing the APLH Training Course, which takes 6 hours. Some of the units include:

 

✅ Unauthorised licensable activities

✅ Police powers and rights of entry

✅ Legal and social responsibilities of the personal licence holder

✅ Illegal drugs, the effects of alcohol and disorderly conduct

 

The APLH Training Course is assessed by a multiple choice exam which contains 40 multiple-choice questions. When you pass, you will receive a certificate. Keep this safe, as it is part of your application. 

 

Personal Licence Mock Exam

Prepare for your APLH Personal Licence Exam by completing this mock test. Learn all you can from the training video below, then follow the test link underneath it. Good luck!

 

Take the free mock exam

Cost of the Personal Licence

Your Personal Licence Application costs £37, which is payable to your local council. You may also incur extra costs (around £21.50) when obtaining your basic DBS Check. Your Personal Licence does not have an expiry date. 

Not sure where to start?
We'll clear it up!

The application for a Personal Licence costs £37, this is non-refundable once paid. This is paid directly to your local council. You may also need to pay £21.50 for a DBS Check if your haven't already got one that is recent.

Your APLH Licence has no expiry date and is valid indefinitely. This is as long as it is not forfeited or revoked.

To be eligible for a personal licence you will need to pass an APLH course, be at least 18 years old and have the right to live and work in the UK. You will also need to have not forfeited a personal licence in the previous 5 years.

The APLH Course introduces you to the fundamentals of working in the industry. It runs over 6 hours and is a requirement for obtaining your personal licence. You will need to pass a multiple choice exam to obtain the Level 2 Award for Personal Licence Holders qualification.

A designated premises supervisor has the day-to-day responsibility for the running of a business and is responsible for the authorisation of all alcohol sales. It is a legal requirement that licensed premises have a Designated Premises Supervisor.

Yes, you can. A premises only needs one personal licence holder to authorise the sale of alcohol. Just working behind a bar doesn’t need a personal licence.

Having a criminal record does not rule you out from applying for an Personal Licence. The licensing authority will make a decision on whether your conviction is relevant to your licence application.

If convicted of a relevant offence a court may order a personal licence to be cancelled, also know as it being forfeited. Courts can also order a personal licence to be suspended for up to six months.

Most identity checks can be completed online. You will also need to have your supplied passport photos signed by a solicitor or notary, a person of standing in the community or any individual with a professional qualification.



No. The Personal Licence (APLH) covers England and Wales. Scotland has its own qualification, the SCPLH, issued under separate Scottish licensing law.



The course takes one day and you get your exam result the same day. Councils then typically take around three weeks to process your application, so most people go from booking to holding their licence in under a month.



EasyApply is our application handling service. We process your DBS check, prepare and submit your council application, cover the fees and track it through to issue. If your licence is refused, you get 100% of your money back.

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