'Qualifying clubs' that want to provide alcohol, late-night refreshments or 'regulated entertainment' to members and their guests need a certificate.
Pages within Club premises certificate
Qualifying club
A 'qualifying club' is one where the club and its assets are for the mutual benefit of its members. The law on clubs can be complex, so we recommend that you seek independent legal advice before making an application.
To be a 'qualifying club', the club must:
- Have at least 25 members
- Have a gap of at least two days between members applying to join (or being nominated) and being admitted to the club
- Be established and conducted in 'good faith'. The way the club is financed determines this.
Qualifying club activities include:
- The supply of alcohol to a member
- The sale of alcohol to a bona fide guest
- The provision of 'regulated entertainment' for club members and guests
If a club is not a qualifying club under the Licensing Act 2003, or it plans to sell alcohol to non-members, it may need to apply for a premises licence instead or as well as a club premises certificate.
Activities permitted by a club premises certificate
You need a club premises certificate if any of the following take place:
- Supplying alcohol to members and bona fide guests
- Regulated entertainment
- Providing hot food or drink between 11pm and 5am
Regulated entertainment is defined as:
- A performance of a play
- A film
- An indoor sporting event
- A boxing or wrestling match
- Live music performance
- Any playing of recorded music
- A dance performance
- Anything similar to music or dancing
Cost of a club premises certificate
See our alcohol and entertainments fees and charges.
More information
See our guidelines for clubs about club premises certificates.
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