About this course
Anyone who authorises the sale of alcohol in England and Wales needs a personal licence, and a personal licence requires an accredited qualification.
This course prepares learners for the Level 2 Award for Personal Licence Holders. It covers the Licensing Act 2003, the four licensing objectives, the duties of the personal licence holder and designated premises supervisor, and the offences and penalties attached to alcohol retailing.
What learners cover
- The Licensing Act 2003 and the four licensing objectives
- The roles of the personal licence holder and designated premises supervisor
- Premises licences, club premises certificates and temporary event notices
- Unauthorised and underage sales, and proof-of-age schemes
- Offences, penalties, police powers and licence reviews
- Protecting children from harm and dealing with drunk or disorderly customers
Course content
The course is delivered in short, bite-size sections that learners can stop and restart at any point.
- Section 1
The licensing framework
Licensable activities, the licensing objectives, licensing authorities and responsible authorities.
- Section 2
Licences and permissions
Personal licences, premises licences, DPS duties, temporary event notices and mandatory conditions.
- Section 3
Selling alcohol lawfully
Age verification, proxy sales, drunkenness, unauthorised sales and refusal registers.
- Section 4
Enforcement
Offences and penalties, police and licensing officer powers, reviews, suspensions and appeals.
Who it is for
Prospective and existing personal licence holders, designated premises supervisors, pub and bar managers, retail managers and anyone responsible for authorising alcohol sales in England and Wales.
Entry requirements: No prior knowledge is needed. This e-learning prepares learners for the accredited assessment; the personal licence itself is applied for through your local licensing authority.
How it is delivered
Fully online and self-paced
Learners work through the course at their own pace and can pause and resume where they left off.
Any device
Works on desktop, laptop, tablet and mobile, with audio, video and written transcripts throughout.
Interactive throughout
Scenarios, exercises and images keep learners engaged rather than clicking through slides.
Knowledge checks
Short checks at the end of each section so learners can see what has landed before moving on.
Average completion time is around 4 hours, though learners can take as long as they need and return as often as they like.
How it is assessed
Knowledge checks run throughout the course so learners can test understanding as they go. The course ends with a multiple-choice assessment taken online. Learners who do not pass first time can retake it.
Certification
Learners receive a Highfield Online Training digital certificate as soon as they pass the end-of-course assessment. Certificates download straight away and can be saved to a CPD log or staff training record.
Refresher guidance: Personal licences do not currently expire, but employers often refresh knowledge when the law or the role changes.
How it works for teams
- 1. Choose how many licences you need and pay by card, or request an invoice.
- 2. Add your learners' names and email addresses.
- 3. We set them up on the course platform and they receive their login by email.
- 4. Track who has been set up from your account.