Club Premises Certificate

The Club Premises Certificate is for social, sporting or political members clubs.

You may need to apply for a Club Premises Certificate through your council if you're a social, sporting or political members club (like a working men's club or British Legion).

You need a certificate to:

• Sell or supply alcohol to members or guests.
• Provide regulated entertainment, like musical performances or film screenings to members or guests.

To apply for a Club Premises Certificate you need to:

1. Download and complete the Club Premises Certificate application form.
2. The following supporting documents must be included in your application:
   • A building plan of the premises.
   • A copy of the rules of the club.
   • A club operating schedule.
3. Email the completed application form and supporting items to the Licensing Unit using the contact information on this page.
4. Display a Public Notice. Public Notice template
   • It must be displayed in a visible place on the premises for at least 28 consecutive days starting the day after the application was submitted.
   • It must be displayed where it can be conveniently read and easily seen by members of the public from the exterior of the premises.
   • It must be at least A4 size.
   • It must be printed legibly in black ink or typed in a black font equal or greater than font size 16.
   • If the premises covers an area greater than 50 square metres a further, identical notice must be displayed every 50 metres around the perimeter of the premises.
5. Publish a notice in a local newspaper that circulates in the vicinity of the premises. It must be published on at least one occasion during the period 10 working days after the day the application was submitted.

We'll aim to respond to your enquiry within 5 working days of receipt of your email.

If your application is complete and valid, we'll contact you to pay the licence fee within the timeframe allowed under the legislation.

If your application is not complete or valid, we'll contact you about any outstanding requirements. Your application process will not start until we take payment.

Download the club premises certificate application form at GOV.UK

Find out how we use your personal information in our privacy notice.

You'll be charged a fee that's based on the rateable value of the property. Business Rates explained

You can see these fees in the table below.

If your premises doesn't have a rateable value, it will be charged at Business Rate band A.

Any interested party may make representations to us before the certificate is granted or before amendments to a certificate are granted.

If representations are made a hearing will be held to consider the application and the representations. Notices will be made by us detailing the reasons for any outcome. Interested parties who made representations will receive notice of a failed application.

An interested party is:

• A person living near the premises or a body representing such a person.
• A person involved in a business near the premises or a body representing such a person.

To qualify for a certificate, your club must make sure:

• It has premises that are occupied and used regularly for club purposes.
• Alcohol and entertainment are only provided to members and their guests.
• Only someone 18 or older who is nominated by the club can serve alcohol or buy it for the club.
• There is no arrangement for anyone to benefit financially from buying or selling alcohol.
• New members wait 2  days from their application before getting membership privileges.
• It's established and conducted in good faith.
• It has at least 25 members.

You may have to pay Machine Games Duty on any gaming machines you have on your premises.

Displaying your certificate

You must prominently display the Club Premises Certificate in your club.

If an application is rejected, please contact us in the first instance (see contact section for how to get in touch).

If you disagree with the licensing committee's decision, you can appeal to your local magistrates' court. You must do this within 21 days.

You can be jailed for up to 6 months and/or fined if you provide alcohol or entertainment without the necessary certificate or without following its conditions.

Contact the team