If you have a premises licence in Scotland you can apply for an extension to your normal licensing hours for a special event. You need to apply the local authority (known as the licensing board) where your premises is based.
Conditions
The following conditions apply:
- the maximum period your licensing hours can be extended is 1 month
- licensing boards will only grant an extension that allows you to serve alcohol for a continuous 24-hour period in exceptional circumstances
- licensing boards may agree to the extension you ask for, or may decide to give a shorter extension
- the conditions of your license during the extension may be different to the conditions you normally have to follow
- once your licensing hours have been extended by an extended hours application, they can’t be extended further
How to apply
Contact your licensing board for an application form or visit their website to apply online. You will need to provide details of the event or occasion and the additional hours you want to be licensed for.
You can’t apply to extend your licensed hours if you hold an occasional licence.
You need to pay an application fee of £10.
Exceptions
You don’t need to apply for an extension of hours where alcohol is:
- consumed within 15 minutes of the end of your licensed hours (eg drinking-up time)
- sold to hotel residents or consumed by residents or their guests
- consumed with a meal within 30 minutes of the end of your licensed hours, as long as it was purchased along with the meal during licensed hours
If, in any other circumstances, you sell alcohol or allow it to be consumed on or taken from your premises outside of licensed hours, you are committing an offence and may be fined up to £1,000.