🍷 Personal and Premises Licences in Swansea
Selling Alcohol in Swansea – What You Must Know
If you're planning to sell alcohol in Swansea — whether you're opening a pub in the city centre, running a high street off-licence, or launching an online alcohol delivery service — two licences are essential:
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A Personal Licence, which qualifies an individual to authorise alcohol sales
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A Premises Licence, which authorises the specific physical location in Swansea where alcohol is sold, stored, or dispatched
Your Personal Licence must be issued by the council responsible for your residential address, even if your business operates elsewhere.
Meanwhile, your Premises Licence must come from City and County of Swansea Council if your premises is located within Swansea.
Every licensed business must have a Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) who holds a valid Personal Licence. No alcohol can be sold without either being directly handled or authorised by a Personal Licence holder.
Before applying, you must first pass the Level 2 Award for Personal Licence Holders (APLH), which teaches you the legal knowledge required to operate responsibly.
Applying for a Personal Licence in Swansea
You’ll need to submit to your home licensing authority:
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A completed Personal Licence application form
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Two passport-style photos (one certified)
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A Basic DBS certificate issued within the last 30 days
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Proof of your right to live and work in the UK
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Your APLH qualification certificate
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£37 application fee
Premises Licence in Swansea
If you’re selling alcohol from a premises in Swansea, you must apply for a Premises Licence through Swansea Council.
You’ll need to provide:
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A completed Premises Licence application
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A scaled plan of the premises showing licensable areas
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Nomination of a DPS with a Personal Licence
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A public notice posted at the premises for 28 consecutive days
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Advertisement in a local newspaper
If no valid objections are submitted during consultation, the licence is typically granted without the need for a hearing.
Selling Alcohol Online from Swansea
Running an online alcohol store?
The law applies to you too — a Premises Licence is required wherever alcohol is physically picked, packed, and dispatched.
The Licensing Act 2003 states that a sale occurs where the alcohol is appropriated to the contract — not where the customer places the order.
✅ You must have a Premises Licence if you’re dispatching alcohol from:
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🏠 Your home
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🏢 A warehouse, storage unit, or off-licence offering delivery
❌ You do not need a Premises Licence for:
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A website or online shop with no alcohol storage
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Call centres only taking orders
🛒 Selling via Amazon, eBay or similar platforms?
Most require sellers to hold their own Personal and Premises Licences to meet marketplace alcohol sale policies — even if fulfilment is outsourced.
🚫 Failure to licence your dispatch address can lead to severe legal penalties, including fines and enforcement action.
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Online study on your schedule
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