Personal Licence to Sell Alcohol (APLH)

What it is

A Personal Licence is the legal permission to be responsible for selling alcohol from licensed premises. If you run or manage a shop, off-licence, convenience store, restaurant, pub, or takeaway that sells alcohol, someone there must hold this licence, often as the Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS). It is one of the fastest and cheapest recognised licences to get in the UK.

Who it suits

This suits anyone working in or opening a business that sells alcohol, which includes a huge number of corner shops, off-licences, and takeaways run by migrant families. If you are the owner or the trusted person in charge of the till, this licence lets you legally authorise alcohol sales. It is a very accessible first step because the barrier is low and the qualification is short.

How you qualify

1. Pass the Level 2 Award for Personal Licence Holders (APLH), a course that usually takes one day and ends in a multiple-choice exam.
2. Get a basic DBS criminal-record check, dated less than one month before you apply.
3. Apply for the personal licence at the local council where you live, sending your APLH certificate and DBS check.

Cost and how long it takes

The APLH course costs roughly £90–200 depending on the provider and whether you study online or in a classroom. A basic DBS check is around £21.50 on the official gov.uk service. The council application fee is commonly £37, though this can vary by council. That is usually a total under £260. Most people are licensed within 2–4 weeks of applying. Since 2015 the personal licence has no expiry date, so once granted it does not need renewing unless it is revoked.

The English you need

The APLH course and its multiple-choice exam are in English, and cover licensing law, the four licensing objectives, and your legal duties. You need enough reading English to follow this, but it is a manageable, single-day topic rather than a heavy academic course. With everyday English plus a bit of focused study, most people pass. Some providers offer study materials to help you prepare.

The honest reality

This licence is genuinely quick and useful, and there is no training trap here because it is a real legal requirement, not a made-up certificate. The one thing to get right is the DBS timing: your basic DBS check must be dated less than one calendar month before you submit your application, or the council will reject it. Apply to the council where you live, not where the shop is. Beyond that, this is one of the smoothest official processes for newcomers.

What you can earn

The licence itself is not a salary, it is a qualification that unlocks roles and lets you run a business selling alcohol. As an estimate, a shop or off-licence supervisor or manager might earn around £23k–30k employed, more in London, while owners keep the business profit. For many, the real value is being legally allowed to be the responsible alcohol seller in their own or a family shop. These are estimates, not guarantees.

Your next step

Book a Level 2 APLH course, which you can often do online in a day, and at the same time order a basic DBS check from gov.uk so the timing lines up. Once you have both, apply to your local council. Check your council's website for its exact fee and application form before you start.