Applying for a club premises certificate

What you need to know to apply for a club premises certificate

Qualifying clubs are organisations where members have joined together for particular social, sporting or political purposes and have bought alcohol in bulk for members for supply in the context. They commonly include Labour, Conservative and Liberal clubs, the Royal British Legion, other ex-services clubs, working men's clubs, miners' welfare institutions and social and sports clubs.

A qualifying club has general conditions it must satisfy:

  • a person may not be given memberships or as a candidate for membership to any membership privileges without an interval of at least 2 days from their membership application or nomination and their membership being granted
  • that club rules state that those becoming a member without nomination or application cannot have membership privileges for at least two days between them becoming members and being admitted to the club
  • that the club is established and conducted in good faith
  • that the club has at least 25 members
  • that alcohol is only supplied to members on the premises on behalf of or by the club

Additional conditions in relation to the supply of alcohol must be complied with. These conditions are:

  • that alcohol purchased for and supplied by the club is only for members of the club who are over 18 years of age and are elected to do so by the members
  • that no person at the expense of the club receives any commission, percentage or other similar payment in regard to the purchase of alcohol by the club
  • that there are no arrangements for anyone to receive a financial benefit from supplying alcohol, apart from any benefit to the club or to any person indirectly from the supply giving a gain from running the club

Apply for a club premises certificate

Page last updated: 13 Jul 2023