Personal Licence Applicants – A Guide to DBS Checks
People that run a pub, restaurant, bar, nightclub, or other premises licensed to sell alcohol, will need a personal license that is registered in their name.
The purpose of a personal license is to ensure that all licensees run their establishments in a professional and responsible way, without endangering their customers or the wider public.
In order to obtain a personal license to sell alcohol, the applicant must first get a criminal background check, known as a DBS Check. In this article, we are going to discuss some of the details you need to know about personal licenses, along with the rules surrounding DBS Checks for applicants.
Which people require a Personal License?
In a nutshell, individuals that need a personal license are those that intend to sell alcohol at a licensed premises. This may include people that are to work as designated managers or supervisors at a licensed premises, so it is not just limited to the owners.
To make things easier, only one person needs to be named on the personal license, not every employee at the licensed premises. However, every alcohol sale at the premises is the responsibility of the personal license holder. This means, for instance, that if a sale of alcohol is made to an underage person without verifying their identification and date of birth, then the personal license holder is held responsible.
It is important to note that once an applicant has received a personal license to sell alcohol, it is transferable to other premises and not limited to a single establishment. Also, you can apply for a personal license, whether or not you are employed at or currently own a licensed premises.
People applying for a personal license to sell alcohol must be aged 18 years or more and must have a relevant licensing qualification. In order to gain a personal license, the individual must submit their application through their local council’s licensing authority.
Do Licensees or License Applicants Require a DBS Check?
A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is required by anyone that applies for a personal license. A Basic DBS Check is the minimum level of check needed to gain a personal license. A Basic DBS Check is the lowest level of criminal record check that reveals unspent convictions and conditional cautions only.
Will My Conviction Stop Me Getting A License?
A conviction on your record doesn’t necessarily prevent you from getting a license, but it does depend what the offence was and how long ago it was committed.
When you apply for your personal license, you must disclose any ‘relevant’ offences on your application form. Relevant offence examples may include:
- Serious crimes – e.g. assault with a weapon, sexual offences
- Fraudulent crimes
- Drug crimes
If you want to see a detailed list of offences that are considered relevant to a personal license application, then please check Licensing Act 2003 (Personal licence: relevant offences) (Amendment) Order 2005 and Schedule 4 of the Licensing Act 2003.
If details of a relevant offence are found on your criminal record, then the licensing authority will ask the Chief Police Officer to search local records and analyse the offences in order to make an informed decision.
You can find more details about how to apply for a personal license if you have criminal convictions on the Unlock website.
How To Get A Basic DBS Check
If you are the owner of a licensed establishment, manage one, or you’re planning to get one, you may need to get a personal license to sell alcohol. This means that you will also need to get a minimum of a Basic DBS Check.
These days, it is very easy to get a Basic DBS Check. You can apply quickly and conveniently online, using our easy-to-use portal.
The only eligibility criteria is that you are aged a minimum of 16 years old and live in England or Wales.
If you have any questions about obtaining a personal license and the DBS Checks that go with it, contact us today.
