A Temporary Event Notice (TEN) under the Licensing Act 2003 lets you sell alcohol, provide regulated entertainment or serve late night refreshment where there is no premises licence, or for activities your licence does not cover. The event must have fewer than 500 people at any time and last no more than 168 hours. A standard TEN must be received at least 10 clear working days before the event, and the fee is £21. The Christmas and New Year bank holidays reduce the number of working days in late December, so festive TENs need to go in early.
This post is for pub and bar managers, personal licence holders, event organisers and community groups planning festive events. It covers what a TEN allows, the limits, how to count the deadline, what happens if the police or environmental health object, and how to run the event responsibly.
What a Temporary Event Notice covers
A TEN is a notice, not a licence application. If it is given correctly and nobody objects, it authorises the licensable activities it describes for the dates and times given. It can cover the sale of alcohol, regulated entertainment and late night refreshment, which is hot food or drink served between 11pm and 5am.
Premises with a licence often use TENs at Christmas to extend their hours, for example for a late finish on New Year’s Eve, or to hold an event in an area the licence does not cover. Venues without a licence, such as village halls, sports clubs and pop-up spaces, use them to run one-off events.
A TEN must be given by an individual aged 18 or over. A business or organisation cannot give one in its own name.
The limits you must stay within
- Size. Fewer than 500 people on the premises at any time. That means 499 at most, including staff and performers.
- Length. Each event can last up to 168 hours, which is seven days.
- Premises limit. Up to 15 TENs per premises in a calendar year, covering no more than 21 days in total.
- Gap between events. At least 24 hours must separate events at the same premises given by the same premises user.
- Personal licence holders. Up to 50 TENs a year, of which up to 10 can be late TENs.
- Everyone else aged 18 or over. Up to 5 TENs a year, of which up to 2 can be late TENs.
If you expect to run events regularly, a personal licence raises your annual allowance from 5 to 50. To apply, you need the Level 2 Award for Personal Licence Holders.
Deadlines and the Christmas calendar
Standard TENs
A standard TEN must be received at least 10 clear working days before the event. The day you give the notice and the first day of the event do not count. Weekends and bank holidays do not count either.
This catches people out in December. In 2026, Christmas Day falls on a Friday and the Boxing Day bank holiday moves to Monday 28 December. For a New Year’s Eve event on Thursday 31 December, only 29 and 30 December count as working days between Christmas Eve and the event. Counting back 10 clear working days, the notice must be received by Monday 14 December at the latest. Check the date with your licensing authority, and aim to submit well before it.
Late TENs
A late TEN must be given no later than 5 and no earlier than 9 working days before the event. Late TENs count towards your annual allowance. They carry a bigger risk, because an objection means the event cannot go ahead.
Who receives the notice
The notice goes to the licensing authority, the police and environmental health. If you apply online through GOV.UK or your council’s website, the council usually passes it on to the police and environmental health for you.
Objections and what happens next
The police and environmental health can object if they believe the event would undermine the licensing objectives. These are the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance and the protection of children from harm. They have three working days from receiving the notice to object.
- Standard TEN. An objection leads to a hearing, unless everyone agrees one is not needed. The licensing authority can allow the event, issue a counter notice to stop it, or in some cases attach existing licence conditions.
- Late TEN. An objection means a counter notice is issued and the event cannot go ahead. There is no hearing.
Talking to the police licensing team early about a large or late event can help you deal with concerns before they become objections.
Running the event responsibly
A TEN does not require a designated premises supervisor, but the person who gives the notice is responsible for the event. The usual alcohol offences still apply, including selling alcohol to anyone under 18 and selling to someone who is drunk. Staff serving at the event should understand age checks and how to refuse a sale.
Plan door staff, capacity counts and a dispersal plan for late finishes. Our guide to what a designated premises supervisor does covers the day-to-day responsibilities that also apply at a busy festive event. Bar staff can complete Responsible Alcohol Retail training before the season starts.
Level 2 Award for Personal Licence Holders (APLH)
The APLH is the qualification you need before applying for a personal licence to sell alcohol in England and Wales. It covers licensing law, the licensing objectives and your responsibilities, and suits anyone who runs or plans to run licensed events.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Temporary Event Notice cost?
The fee is £21 per notice. It is paid to the licensing authority when you give the notice.
Can I give a TEN for a premises that already has a licence?
Yes. TENs are often used to extend hours or add activities that the premises licence does not cover. Each one still counts towards the premises limit of 15 a year.
Do I need a personal licence to give a TEN?
No. Anyone aged 18 or over can give up to 5 TENs a year. Personal licence holders can give up to 50, including up to 10 late TENs.
What happens if I miss the 10 working day deadline?
You may still be able to give a late TEN, if it reaches the authorities no later than 5 working days before the event. If the police or environmental health object to a late TEN, the event cannot go ahead.
This article was published in October 2026 by National Compliance Training. Regulations change, so always check the latest guidance from GOV.UK and your local licensing authority for the current position. This article does not constitute legal advice.