Getting a personal alcohol licence

If you wish to become a designated premises supervisor (DPS), you must first get a 'personal licence to sell alcohol' under the Licensing Act 2003.

Please note that you can only apply to Merton Council for a personal licence if you actually live in the London Borough of Merton. If you do not, you need to apply to the local council where you live. The location of your place of work is irrelevant, unless you live there.

We issue personal licences in the form of a plastic card with a photograph of the holder and other personal details as required under The Licensing Act 2003. There is also a certificate. You will not be able to amend them. Should your details subsequently change (for instance you change your living address) you will need to notify us (regardless of where you have moved to).

To apply for a personal licence you need to do the following:

• Complete and sign the Personal Licence Application Form. This involves demonstrating the right to work in the UK by including a copy (not the original) of one of the identification documents listed in the notes at the end of the application form. There is no point sending in your application without this required element as we will simply have to return it to you for completion.
• Complete and sign the Disclosure of Convictions and Declaration Form.
• Obtain a 'Basic Disclosure' conviction disclosure certificate. This is done by contacting a central body called the 'Disclosure and Barring Service':
  • Website: Disclosure and Barring service (GOV.UK website)
  • E-mail: customerservices@dbs.gsi.gov.uk
  • Telephone: 0300 020 0190

This certificate must be no more than 1 month old when we receive your application. If it is older, or if your application is incomplete and your disclosure certificate becomes out of date before we receive a complete application, you will be required to get another one. 

• Obtain any one of the nine possible accredited licensing qualification certificates in the list below. This typically involves a one-day course with a multiple choice test at the end. We do not run these courses - it is a matter of contacting the qualification bodies and asking about courses in your area.
  • BIIAB Level 2 Award for Personal Licence Holders or
  • CIEH Level 2 Award for Personal Licence Holders or
  • Highfield Level 2 Award for Personal Licence Holders or
  • IQ Level 2 Award for Personal Licence Holders or
  • LASER Level 2 Award for Personal Licence Holders or
  • Pearson BTEC Level 2 Award for Personal Licence Holders or
  • QNUK Level 2 Award for Personal Licence Holders or
  • SQA Level 2 Award for Personal Licence Holders or
  • TQUK Level 2 Award for Personal Licence Holders
     
• Obtain two passport-size photographs of yourself that have been printed on photographic paper (colour photocopies are not acceptable). Please note that these photos are used to generate your licence, so you may wish to keep them free of scratches and creases etc. when attaching them.
• The back of one of these passport photographs must have a written statement by a person of professional standing who is not a member of your family, stating that it is a true likeness of you. Their statement needs to include their name, your name, their signature and their profession. It does not have to be any particular profession, but please make sure they include all the elements required, as missing off one or more is a frequent cause of applications being sent back for completion. They may need to use quite small writing to fit everything on, but it is quite feasible.
• Pay the application fee of £37.00 

Once you have completed all these steps, please scan and return the documents to us at licensing@merton.gov.uk 

Contact us

Licensing
London Borough of Merton
1st Floor Annexe
Merton Civic Centre
London Road
Morden
SM4 5DX

Telephone: 020 8545 3969
Email: licensing@merton.gov.uk