Premises licences

You can make small changes to your licence which includes:   

• minor changes to the structure or layout of a premises
• adjustments to the licensing hours but not to extend alcohol hours
• removal of out of date, irrelevant or unenforceable conditions
• addition of conditions
• addition of licensable activities

Complete the online application form to make small changes or email entertainment.licensing@leeds.gov.uk to request a minor variation application form. If you are in any doubt if the changes you wish to make fall within the minor variation process, please contact us.   

Once the application form has been received by the Licensing Authority an officer will check the application form and any attachments to determine if the proposed variation meets the criteria for a minor variation. If there are any minor clerical errors on the form an officer will contact you to discuss them with you. If, at this preliminary stage, it is obvious your application is outside of the scope of the minor variations process, your application will be returned to you with the fee and not taken any further.   

Once the application has been properly made, an acknowledgement letter will be sent to you detailing who the case officer is and confirming the consultation period during which you should display your notice.   

Prepare your documents

In your minor variation application form, you will also need to submit an updated plan of your premises.   

Fees

The cost of applying for a minor variation is £89. You will need to make a payment after you submit your application. Call us on 0113 378 5029 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) to pay using a debit card.   

Submit your application

Send your completed form and any documents to:   

Advertise your application

When applying for a new premises licence you must advertise your application. The rules on advertising are strict and should be followed carefully.   

Site notice

After you have submitted your application, you must advertise your application by displaying a notice on the premises for 10 working days. A working day means Monday to Friday and does not include Christmas Day, Good Friday or Bank Holidays. The 10 days run from the day after we received your application. Please contact us if you are unsure of the notice period.   

The notice must:   

• be on white A4 paper (or larger)
• have black lettering
• have a font size of 16 or more
• the title must be in 32pt font

If your premises is more than 50 metres square you must place a notice, identical to the one described above, every 50 metres along the external perimeter of your premises where it touches the highway.   

If your premises is within a complex or its own grounds and the public will be unable to view the notice or notices from the exterior of the site, then you should also display a notice at the nearest public thoroughfare (such as at the entrance to the complex or site) so the notice is easily read by the passing public.   

When preparing your notices, please make sure they contain all the information:   

• he title ”Licensing Act 2003: Minor Variation of Premises Licence” or “Licensing Act 2003: Minor Variation of Club Premises Certificate”
• a brief description of the proposed variation
• the name and postal address of the premises
• the council’s postal address and web address
• the date by which an interested party may make representations
• a phrase which explains that is an offence knowingly or recklessly to make a false statement in connection with an application and the maximum fine for this a person is liable on summary conviction for this offence

Once you have sent us your application one of our enforcement officers will visit your site to inspect the notices. If it is found that the notices or their positioning does not meet the requirements of the Act, then we may ask you to redisplay the notices and we may reset your 10 working day notice period.   

You can contact us before you submit your application to confirm the requirements to reduce the chances of this happening.   

Responsible authorities

We will forward a copy of your application to the relevant responsible authority who will assess whether your application could have an adverse impact on one or more of the licensing objectives. For example, Environmental Health will be asked to comment on any application which includes live music.   

We will let you know our decision 15 working days after you have submitted your application.   

If you would like to make a change to your premises licence, for example a change to the hours or conditions, you will need to apply online for a variation to your premises licence.   

If your application includes adding alcohol, you will need to ask the person who will be your designated premises supervisor to give their consent to be specified as the Designated Premises Supervisor.   

There are set timescales stated in the legislation for determining premises licences. If no one objects to your application, it is automatically granted after 28 days. If you receive comments your application will be decided at a licensing subcommittee.   

Prepare your documents

In your application, you will also need to submit:   

• your original premises licence issued by Leeds City Council (please retain a certified copy of your licence to keep at the premises while your variation is determined)
• an updated plan of your premises (if needed)
• the correct fee

Pay your fee

You will need to make a payment when you submit your application.   

If you would like to change the name of the designated premises supervisor on your licence, you can apply online to vary a premises licence designated premises supervisor and provide a consent form (for the new designated premises supervisor).

Give your consent to be specified as the Designated Premises Supervisor.   

If you need any advice, contact us on 0113 378 5029 or by email to entertainment.licensing@leeds.gov.uk.   

Fees

The fees for changing the designated premises supervisor is £23. We can take your payment over the phone after your application has been submitted. You can also post us your application and pay by cheque.   

There are set timescales stated in the legislation for determining a change of designated premises supervisor. If the Police do not object to your application, it is automatically granted after 14 days. If you receive comments your application will be decided at a licensing subcommittee hearing.   

If you either sell your business or buy a business that has a premises licence, you will need to apply to transfer the licence into the name of the new licence holder.   

The new premises licence holder will need to apply online or email entertainment.licensing@leeds.gov.uk to request a premises licence transfer form.   

The current licence holder will also need to apply online to give their consent to transfer the licence.

Submitting your application

You will need to submit your application to:   

On the same day you send your application to us, you will also need to send it to West Yorkshire Police:   

Fees

The cost of transferring your premises licence is £23. You will need to make a payment when you submit your application. Call us on 0113 378 5029 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) to pay using a debit card.   

There are set timescales stated in the legislation for determining a change of designated premises supervisor and the transfer of a licence. If the Police do not object to your application, it is automatically granted after 14 days. If your application receives a comment, it will be decided at a hearing.   

If you would like to change either the premises name, or the name or the address of someone named on your premises licence, you can complete the online change of details form external link. There is a charge of £10.50.

You cannot use this form to transfer your licence to someone new, or change the person who is named as your designated premises supervisor. There is a different form to do this.  

If you are a landlord or freeholder, you can notify us of this and we will let you know if anything on the premises licence is changed.   

You can notify us of your interest in a premises online external link. There is a charge of £21.

If a premises licence holder becomes insolvent or bankrupt the Premises Licence automatically becomes invalid unless it is transferred to someone else. There is an option to apply for an interim authority which enables a liquidator to temporarily take control of the premises licence until the business is sold or otherwise disposed of.   

You can apply for an interim authority notice online external link. There is a charge of £23. This online form will ask us to contact you with the appropriate forms and to take payment.   

If you are currently a designated premises supervisor but no longer wish to be, you can notify us formally by email to entertainment.licensing@leeds.gov.uk. There is no charge.   

If you are the member of a committee that runs a community hall, instead of a having a designated premises supervisor you can arrange for the committee to take the responsibility for the sale of alcohol at the hall.   

The Licensing Act 2003 allows management committees of community premises to make an application for a premises licence or to vary an existing premises licence which includes an application to remove the requirement of a designated premises supervisor and the authorisation of the sale of alcohol by a personal licence holder.   

A community premises is a premises that forms a part of:   

• a church hall, chapel hall or other similar building
• a village hall, parish hall, community hall or other similar building

A management committee means a committee or board of individuals with responsibility for the management of premises.   

You can apply to disapply the need to have a designated premises supervisor online. There is a charge of £23. This online form will ask us to contact you with the appropriate forms and to take payment.