Interim Authority Notice

An Interim Authority Notice may be given to the Licensing Authority where a premises licence has lapsed owing to the death, mental incapacity or insolvency of the premises licence holder, where the holder is an individual or on the dissolution or insolvency of a company which holds a premises licence.  

The effect of the interim authority is to reinstate the premises licence from the time the notice is received and the person giving the notice becomes the licence holder.

An application for an Interim Authority Notice must be made within 28 days from the date of the death, incapacity or insolvency to enable the premises to continue to trade. The Interim Authority Notice will only stay in existence for a period of three months, after which time it lapses. There can only be one interim authority notice in force for a premises at any one time. A transfer of premise licence must take place within that three months period.

Eligibility criteria

When the holder of a licence dies suddenly, becomes mentally incapacitated or becomes insolvent, an “interim authority” notice may be given to the licensing authority within 28 days beginning the day after the licence lapsed, otherwise the licence lapses and an application for a new premises licence would need to be made.

The notice may be given by a person who has a prescribed interest in the premises concerned or is connected to the former holder of the premises licence and has the entitlement to legally work in the UK. For the purposes of an Interim Authority a person has a prescribed interest if:

  • the former holder has died, and that person is his personal representative;
  • the former holder has become mentally incapable and that person act for him/her under a power of attorney; or
  • the former holder has become insolvent and that person is his/her insolvency practitioner.

It is not possible to give an interim authority notice in situations where a limited company held the licence and was dissolved, nor where a club held the licence and ceased to be a recognised club. In these situations, a transfer application must be made within the initial 28 days after the licence lapses, to retain the licence. Interim authority notices may not be given in respect of premises for which an application to reinstate the licence by transfer has already been made.

Important Information 

Before making your application using our online form please note the following:  

  • Please ensure you have a credit or debit card available to pay the £23 fee.  
  • Please ensure you have the premise licence number to hand.
  • Fit the eligibility criteria.
  • Be over the age of 18.
  • Know key dates relating to the lapse in licence i.e. the day of the death/registration of the power of attorney/insolvency hearing of the previous licence-holder).
  • A copy of your application will be sent onto the Police  and the Home Office (Immigration Enforcement) by the Council.

Supporting Documentation

There are no statutory requirements to supply any supporting documents with your application. Therefore on the Upload files page of the online form just click 'Next'.

Apply for an Interim Authority Notice

Interim Authority Notice Form