About this course
Scotland has its own licensing regime under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005, with different objectives, offences and duties from England and Wales.
This course prepares learners for the Scottish Certificate for Personal Licence Holders at SCQF Level 6, covering the five licensing objectives, the responsibilities of premises and personal licence holders, and the rules on age verification, irresponsible promotions and pricing.
What learners cover
- The Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 and its five licensing objectives
- Premises licences, occasional licences and the operating plan
- The duties of the premises manager and personal licence holder
- Age verification policy, Challenge 25 and underage sales offences
- Irresponsible promotions, minimum pricing and mandatory conditions
- Offences, penalties and the powers of licensing standards officers
Course content
The course is delivered in short, bite-size sections that learners can stop and restart at any point.
- Section 1
The Scottish framework
The 2005 Act, licensing boards, licensing standards officers and the five objectives.
- Section 2
Licences
Premises licences, the operating plan, occasional licences and personal licence requirements.
- Section 3
Responsible retailing
Age verification, Challenge 25, proxy purchase, drunkenness and irresponsible promotions.
- Section 4
Compliance
Mandatory conditions, offences and penalties, reviews, and refresher training duties.
Who it is for
Premises managers, personal licence holders and staff authorising alcohol sales in Scotland, and anyone applying for a Scottish personal licence.
Entry requirements: No prior knowledge is needed. This e-learning prepares learners for the accredited assessment; the licence itself is applied for through your licensing board.
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: Scottish personal licence holders must complete refresher training every five years to keep their licence valid.
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.