Commentary on Sections Section 69: Personal licences: no requirement to renew
332.Part 6 of the Licensing Act 2003 contains the framework governing personal licences. A personal licence is granted by a licensing authority to an individual to enable that individual to supply alcohol or authorise its supply in accordance with a premises licence. A personal licence does not authorise the use of premises for licensable activities, but subject to exceptions there must be at least one personal licence holder to authorise the supply of alcohol in accordance with a premises licence. An individual may apply for the grant of a personal licence and the application will be granted if that individual satisfies certain requirements. Section 115 of the 2003 Act provides that a personal licence has effect for 10 years from the date of its grant but may be renewed by making an application to that effect.
333.This section amends section 115. Subsection (1) amends section 115(1) to provide that a personal licence has effect indefinitely. Subsection (2) provides that the indefinite duration of personal licences will apply to a licence granted on or after the day on which subsection (1) comes into force, and a licence granted or renewed before that day. Subsection (3) provides that any term in a personal licence limiting its duration in a licence granted or renewed before the day on which subsection (1) comes into force has no effect on or after that day.
334.The section, as with the Licensing Act 2003, forms part of the law of England and Wales only. It comes into force on a day to be appointed by the Secretary of State in a commencement order.