Selling alcohol in a shop — a convenience store, farm shop, deli or dedicated off-licence — needs exactly the same authorisations as a pub: a premises licence for the site, a Designated Premises Supervisor, and a personal licence holder authorising every sale. The application is usually easier than for a bar, but the enforcement risk is higher: shops are where test purchases happen.
What you need
- Premises licence authorising “sale by retail of alcohol for consumption off the premises”. Council fee £100–£635 by rateable value; 28-day consultation; see the application guide or use our service.
- DPS — usually the store manager or owner, holding a personal licence via the Level 2 APLH.
- Authorised staff — till operators don’t each need licences, but their authorisation to sell should be in writing and they must be trained.
- Under-18 rule for checkouts: a 16-year-old on the till can complete an alcohol sale only if each sale is specifically approved by a responsible adult — in practice most chains simply require supervisor call-over.
Where shops get caught out
Test purchases
Trading standards and police run underage volunteers through off-licences constantly. One failed test purchase means a fine and a strike; two in three months is “persistently selling alcohol to children” — up to £20,000 fine, licence review, and possible suspension of alcohol sales. Challenge 25, a refusal log and staff training (our AUASP course) are your defence. Read what happens if you fail one.
Proxy sales
Selling to an adult you know is buying for a child is an offence with the same consequences. Train staff to watch for the huddle outside the door.
Deliveries and Click & Collect
If you deliver, age verification must happen at handover, not just at order. Selling online has its own rules — see our online alcohol sales guide.
Hours
Your licence hours are what you asked for, not automatic opening hours. A 24-hour store still can’t sell alcohol outside its licensed hours, and tills should hard-stop alcohol lines outside them.
Frequently asked questions
Can a shop assistant under 18 sell alcohol?
Only if each individual sale is approved by someone 18+ — the practical answer for most stores is supervisor authorisation at the till, every time.
Do I need a separate licence for spirits?
No — one premises licence covers all alcohol. The old spirits-specific rules disappeared decades ago.
What about selling alcohol at the farmers’ market?
Away from your licensed premises you need either a licence covering that location or a Temporary Event Notice for the day.
Setting up? Get the manager qualified with the online APLH and let our team prepare the premises licence application.
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