Short answer for England and Wales: no – personal licences no longer expire and there is nothing to renew. But the long answer matters, because licences can still be lost in other ways, Scotland runs on completely different rules, and thousands of licence holders still carry cards showing an expiry date that no longer applies.
England & Wales: no expiry since 2015
Personal licences were originally granted for ten years with a renewal process. The Deregulation Act 2015 abolished renewals: licences in force became indefinite, and every licence granted since has no end date. If your photocard shows an expiry date from the old regime, the date is simply ignored – the licence continues.
What you still have to do
- Tell your council about name or address changes. This is a legal duty with a small statutory fee – and yes, that includes moving house. The licence itself stays with the council that issued it, wherever you live now.
- Declare new relevant convictions. If you’re convicted of a relevant offence, you must notify the issuing council, and courts can order forfeiture or suspension of your licence on conviction.
- Keep your right to work. For non-UK nationals, the licence lapses automatically if your permission to work in the UK ends.
How a licence can still be lost
- Court forfeiture or suspension following conviction for a relevant offence.
- Surrender – you can give it up voluntarily (people rarely should).
- Lapse on death, mental incapacity, or loss of right to work.
- Revocation for convictions that surface post-grant under the 2017 powers given to licensing authorities.
There is no concept of a licence going stale through disuse: you can hold it for years without working in licensed premises and it remains valid.
Scotland: the opposite in almost every way
Scottish personal licences, issued under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005, do expire – they last ten years, and renewal applications must reach your Licensing Board no later than three months before expiry. On top of that, every Scottish licence holder must complete SCPLH refresher training every five years and submit evidence to the Board within three months of the five-year anniversary. Miss the refresher deadline and the Board must revoke the licence – this catches out hundreds of licence holders every year.
If you’re in Scotland, check your grant date now and diary both deadlines. Our Scottish personal licence guide covers the whole system.
Do I ever need to retake the APLH?
No. In England and Wales the APLH qualification doesn’t expire and there is no refresher requirement. Many employers do like supervisors to refresh their knowledge voluntarily – the law changes more often than people think (Martyn’s Law being the latest example) – but nothing forces you to re-sit.
Frequently asked questions
My photocard shows an expiry date that has passed. Am I still licensed?
If the licence was in force when the 2015 changes took effect, yes – the printed date is defunct. You can ask your issuing council for a replacement card without the date if an employer queries it.
I’ve moved to a different council area. Do I re-apply?
No. Your licence remains with the original issuing authority for life; you just notify them of your new address.
I’ve lost my licence card. What do I do?
Request a certified copy from your issuing council (small fee). Employers and police can verify the licence with the council in the meantime.
Not licensed yet? Start with the online APLH course or the full application guide.
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