All premises involved in the sale of alcohol or the provision of late night refreshments and regulated entertainment need a premises licence. Information relating to Temporary Event Notices can also be found on this page.
The Licensing Act 2003 brings together the sale of alcohol, the provision of regulated entertainment and late night refreshment into one licence. The Act intends to encourage tourism, reduce alcohol misuse, improve the self-sufficiency of local communities and reduce the burden of unnecessary regulations on businesses.
Applying for a licence
If you would like to apply online for a licence associated with the Licensing Act 2003, please click on the links through to GOV.UK:
- Application for a Premises Licence
- Application for Need for a Designated Premises Supervisor to be disapplied
- Application to Specify an Individual as a Designated Premises Supervisor
- Application to Transfer a Premises Licence
- Application to Vary a Premises Licence
- Consent to be Designated
- Consent to Transfer
- Interim Authority Notice
- Minor Variation to a Premises or Club Licence
- Notification of Change of Name or Address
- Notification of Interest in a Premises under Section 178
- Provisional Statement
- Request to be removed as Designated Premises Supervisor
- Temporary Event Notice
Tacit consent applies to these licences so if you have not heard from MVDC within 56 working days for a premises or club licence, or 10 working days for a Temporary Event Notice, you can assume your licence has been granted.
When you are making your application you must send the correct fee with the application or it will be returned to you as incomplete. Payment of fees can be made by cheque payable to MVDC. For information on fees, please see the Environmental Health Fees and Charges page.
The licensing policy below sets out how MVDC will carry out its functions under the Act and what is expected from applicants to promote the four key licensing objectives set out by the Government:
- the prevention of crime and disorder
- public safety
- the prevention of public nuisance
- the protection of children from harm
Further information on the Licensing Act 2003 can also be obtained by accessing the links shown under 'Internet Links'.
Current premises licence and club premises certificate applications
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Commenting on a premises licence or club premises certificate application
Complete a Representation Form ›
or in writing to: Licensing, Mole Valley District Council, Pippbrook, Dorking, Surrey, RH4 1SJ.
Comments may be positive or negative, but will only be considered relevant by the council if they relate clearly to at least one of the Licensing Act 2003 objectives:
- Prevention of Crime and Disorder
- Public Safety
- Public Nuisance
- Protection of Children From Harm
There is a consultation period of 28 days from when the council receive the application. To help ensure your representation meets the requirements for being considered, please see advice on making representation in 'Downloads'.
Temporary Event Notice (TEN)
If you wish to hold an ad-hoc event in Mole Valley, MVDC must receive your TEN no later than ten clear working days prior to the event (not including the day of receipt or the day of the event). If the premises where the event is to be held is in areas governed by two or more local authorities, applications must be made to each.
Please visit our TEN web page for more information.
Live Music Act
The Live Music Act disapplies live music related conditions if the following criteria are satisfied:
- there is a premises licence or club premises certificate in place permitting 'on sales'
- the premises are open for the sale or supply of alcohol for consumption on the premises
- live music is taking place between 8am and 11pm
- if the live music is amplified, the audience consists of no more than 200 people
Live music also ceases to be classed as regulated entertainment if the above criteria are satisfied.
Live music includes vocal and instrumental music and also karaoke singing. Any recorded music accompanying this live music (backing tracks or sampled music for bands, or music from a karaoke machine) is, in most cases, likely to be considered part of the live music and not therefore requiring separate authorisation. Pre-recorded videos played on karaoke machines are likely to require authorisation for 'Films', but if only the words to the song are displayed then no authorisation is required.
The Act also creates a general exemption that live un-amplified music provided anywhere shall not be regarded as the provision of regulated entertainment if it takes place between 8am and 11pm, regardless of the number of people in the audience.
There are a number of mechanisms for the protection of residents and these are:
- upon a review of the premises licence, the licensing authority can determine that conditions on the premises licence relating to live music will apply even between 8am and 11pm
- if the licence doesn't presently authorise live music, the licensing authority can add conditions to the premises licence as though the live music were regulated entertainment authorised by that licence, again to apply between 8am and 11pm
- the licensing authority can determine that live music at the premises is a licensable activity and live music can no longer be provided without permission on the premises licence or a Temporary Event Notice
- other noise legislation, for example in the Environmental Protection Act 1990, will continue to apply. The Live Music Act does not allow licensed premises to cause a noise nuisance
- the Act removes the need to licence entertainment facilities completely - regardless of time or audience size. This means that dance floors, microphone stands, pianos made available for use by the public etc will not be licensable. Health and safety law will of course continue to apply
Renewal Personal Licences
The Government has introduced the De-regulation Act which means that as from the 1 April 2015 owners of a Personal Licence do not need to renew that licence with the Council. The need to inform the issuing Council about any change of name, address or relevant convictions is still in force. The Government fact sheet for licence holders is available to view (see 'Downloads').
For further information, visit GOV.UK or email licensing@molevalley.gov.uk.
MVDC is under a duty to protect the public funds it administers and, to this end, may use the information you have provided in order to access this service for the prevention and detection of fraud. It may also share this information with other bodies responsible for auditing or administering public funds for these purposes. For more information see the Fraud pages.