Village fete bar, wedding in a barn, pop-up taproom, charity quiz night — you don’t need a full premises licence for a one-off event. The Licensing Act 2003 provides a lightweight route: the Temporary Event Notice (TEN). It’s cheap and usually straightforward, but the limits are strict and the deadlines are unforgiving.
What a TEN covers
A TEN authorises “licensable activities” — sale of alcohol, regulated entertainment, late-night refreshment — at premises that either have no licence, or need to operate outside their existing licence terms (a pub extending hours for one night, for example). Key limits per event:
- Fewer than 500 people on site at any time (including staff)
- Maximum 168 hours (7 days) per event
- At least 24 hours between events at the same premises
The annual quotas
- Per premises: up to 15 TENs per calendar year, totalling no more than 21 days
- Personal licence holders: up to 50 TENs per year
- Everyone else: up to 5 TENs per year
That 50-vs-5 difference is why event organisers, caterers and mobile bar operators get a personal licence even though a TEN doesn’t strictly require one — the APLH course pays for itself in flexibility alone.
How to give a TEN
- Submit the notice to the council where the event will be held, with the £21 fee, at least 10 clear working days before the event (don’t count the day you submit or the event day).
- The council notifies the police and environmental health, who have 3 working days to object on licensing-objective grounds.
- No objection? The event is authorised — keep the acknowledged notice at the venue during the event.
Left it late? A late TEN can be given between 9 and 5 working days before the event — but you get fewer per year (10 for licence holders, 2 for others) and any objection kills it outright, with no hearing.
Common TEN mistakes
- Counting calendar days instead of working days — weekends and bank holidays don’t count.
- Underestimating attendance — 500 on site at once includes staff and performers; exceed it and the event is unlicensed.
- Assuming a TEN overrides conditions — for extended-hours TENs at licensed premises, police can insist existing conditions carry over.
- Running a “regular one-off” — monthly events at the same site burn through the 15-TEN quota fast. If that’s your model, a proper premises licence application is cheaper and safer within the year.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a personal licence to give a TEN?
No — anyone 18+ can give one. But personal licence holders get 50 per year instead of 5, which is why professionals qualify.
Can a TEN be refused?
Only the police or environmental health can object, and only on the licensing objectives. Standard TENs then go to a hearing; late TENs are simply void if an objection lands.
What if my event needs more than 499 people?
You need a full premises licence (or a time-limited one) — start at least three months ahead. Our premises licence service handles time-limited event licences too.
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