I often get asked by managers and bar staff, “My personal licence is nearly 10 years old, how do I renew it?”
It’s a brilliant question. And the answer often surprises them.
Here’s the thing: if you’ve been searching online for renewal information, you’ve probably found conflicting advice. Some sites tell you to renew every 10 years. Others say your licence never expires.
So, which is it?
Let me clear this up once and for all.
Personal alcohol licences in England and Wales no longer have an expiry date.
They are valid indefinitely unless they are surrendered, suspended, or revoked.
Yes, you read that right. Your personal licence lasts forever.
But before you close this article thinking you’re sorted, there’s more you need to know. Because whilst your licence doesn’t expire, there are still legal duties you must follow. And failing to follow them could land you with a hefty fine.
The Big Change: What Happened to the 10-Year Rule?
To understand today’s rules, we need to look back at what changed.
The Old Law (Pre-2015)
Originally, under the Licensing Act 2003, personal licences were valid for exactly 10 years.
When your licence approached its expiry date, you had to go through the administrative hassle of applying for a renewal with your local council. If you missed the deadline, your licence would lapse, and you’d have to start the entire application process from scratch.
It was a proper headache for licence holders and a mountain of paperwork for councils.
The Game-Changing Deregulation Act 2015
Everything changed on 1st April 2015.
The government introduced the Deregulation Act 2015, which completely abolished the need for personal licence renewal in England and Wales.
Here’s what this meant in practice:
- Any licence that was due to expire on or after 1st April 2015 automatically became indefinite.
- Any new licence issued after this date is also indefinite.
- There is no need to get a new licence card with an updated expiry date.
- No more renewal fees every decade.
The government made this change to cut unnecessary red tape. And it worked. But here’s where the confusion creeps in. Many websites still reference the old 10-year rule, and plenty of licence holders who got their licence before 2015 still think they need to renew.
They don’t.
Your personal licence is now valid for life unless you had one that expired before 1st April 2015 i.e. you were granted the license before 1st April 2005, or unless your license was issued in Scotland.
So, Do I Really Need to Do Anything?
This is where it gets interesting.
Whilst “renewal” isn’t required, “updating” absolutely is.
And this is where many licence holders, even experienced ones, can slip up. There are two key areas you must stay on top of.
Legal Duty #1: Updating Your Name or Address
This isn’t optional. It’s the law.
Under Section 128 of the Licensing Act 2003, you have a legal duty to inform the original issuing council of any change to your name or home address.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Contact the council that originally issued your licence as soon as your details change.
- Return your licence card along with proof of the change (e.g., a marriage certificate or deed poll for a name change).
- Pay the small administrative fee, which is typically £10.50.
- Wait for your updated licence to arrive in the post.
What happens if you don’t?
Failing to notify the council is a criminal offence. You could face prosecution and a Level 2 fine, which is up to £500. I’ve seen licence holders get caught out by this. They move house, forget to update their licence, and then face awkward questions during a police inspection months later.
Don’t let this be you.
Best Practice: Updating Your Photograph
Here’s something else that catches people out all the time. The photo on your licence card must be a true likeness of you. Think about it. If your licence photo is 10 years old, do you still look the same? For most of us, the answer is a definite no.
While the law doesn’t set a hard expiry date on the photo, most licensing authorities and police forces strongly recommend or require you to update it every 10 years.
Why does this matter?
An out-of-date photo can cause serious issues during inspections. A police or council officer might question whether it’s actually your licence, potentially doubting its validity. At best, it’s an awkward conversation.
At worst, it could disrupt your work and cause unnecessary hassle.
It’s a simple step to avoid any problems. Just contact your issuing council and ask for their process to issue a new card with an updated photo. This will also involve the standard £10.50 fee.
Your Qualification vs. Your Licence: What’s the Difference?
This is a crucial point that many people mix up.
Your personal licence and your APLH qualification are two completely different things.
The APLH Qualification Never Expires
The Level 2 Award for Personal Licence Holders (APLH) qualification you needed to apply for your licence? That’s yours for life. Once you’ve passed the course and received your certificate, it never expires. You don’t need to retake the exam. Ever.
But here’s the catch.
While your qualification is permanent, the laws and best practices around alcohol sales are not. They change. The Licensing Act gets updated, new regulations come into force, and best practices evolve.
As a director in the training industry, I firmly believe that while your qualification is for life, your knowledge needs to be current.
Are you confident you’re up-to-date with the latest responsibilities of a personal licence holder?
How to Get Your Personal Licence (for the First Time)
If you’re reading this and don’t yet have your personal licence, let me walk you through exactly how to get one. It’s a straightforward, two-step process.
Step 1: Get Your APLH Qualification
First, you need to gain the Level 2 Award for Personal Licence Holders (APLH) qualification. This is the mandatory training that proves you understand UK licensing law.
At Essential Food Hygiene, our online APLH course is designed to make this as easy as possible:
- Completely Online: Study from anywhere, on any device.
- Self-Paced: Fit the learning around your work and life commitments.
- Exam Included: Your exam is taken online with remote proctoring.
Once you pass, you’ll receive your APLH certificate. This is your golden ticket to the next step.
Step 2: Apply to Your Council
With your APLH certificate in hand, you can apply to your local council for your personal licence.
You’ll need to submit an application pack, which includes:
- Your APLH certificate.
- A completed application form – you can find your council here
- A basic DBS check certificate, which must be less than one month old. You can apply for one on the official GOV.UK website.
- Two passport-style photos.
- The application fee, which is set by the government at £37.
The Bottom Line
Your personal alcohol licence lasts forever. No renewal is needed. But “no renewal” doesn’t mean “no responsibilities.”
You must:
- Update your name and address with the council when they change (this is a legal requirement).
- Update your photo approximately every 10 years (this is best practice).
- Keep your knowledge current to operate confidently and legally (this is professional common sense).