Overview
The qualification you need for a Scottish personal licence
In Scotland, every sale of alcohol must be authorised by a personal licence holder, and every licensed premises must have a premises manager who holds one. Before you can apply to your Licensing Board for a personal licence, you need the BIIAB Scottish Certificate for Personal Licence Holders (SCPLH), based on the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005.
This course covers the full SCPLH syllabus in 10 online modules: licensing law and the five licensing objectives, the role of Licensing Boards and Licensing Standards Officers, personal and premises licences, mandatory conditions including the 65p minimum unit price, control of order, staff training, protecting children, responsible retailing and associated law.
A mock exam draws 40 questions at random from a bank of 100 every time you take it, so you can practise until you are ready. You then sit the online invigilated exam at home or at work, at a time you book with our exam team.
What you’ll learn
What you’ll be able to do
By the end of this course you will be able to:
Explain the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 and the five licensing objectives
Describe the role of Licensing Boards, LSOs and the police
Apply for, keep and renew a Scottish personal licence
Explain premises licences, operating plans and variations
Apply the mandatory conditions, including 65p minimum unit pricing
Recognise and prevent irresponsible promotions
Prevent underage sales and sales to drunk customers
Sit the SCPLH exam with confidence
Course content
Ten modules to work through
Each module follows the SCPLH syllabus and ends with a summary of the key points.
1Introduction to licensing lawThe Act, the five objectives and the three licences⌄
- The Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Acts that amended it
- The five licensing objectives, including public health
- What counts as alcohol and as a sale
- Unlicensed sales and the penalties
2Key roles in licensingBoards, LSOs, police and other enforcers⌄
- What Licensing Boards must and may do
- Which board to apply to
- The four functions of Licensing Standards Officers
- Police, Trading Standards, Environmental Health, fire, HMRC and immigration powers
3Personal licencesEligibility, applying, refresher and your duties⌄
- Who can apply and what to send
- Hearings, convictions and foreign offences
- The 10-year licence and the 5-year refresher deadline
- Endorsements, suspension and revocation
4Premises licencesOperating plans, layout plans and variations⌄
- What a premises licence contains
- Major and minor variations
- The premises manager and changing them
- Vicarious liability, due diligence and occasional licences
5Licence conditions and licensed hoursMandatory conditions, 65p minimum pricing and promotions⌄
- Mandatory, discretionary and local conditions
- Minimum unit pricing at 65p and how to calculate it
- Irresponsible promotions and off-sales display rules
- Licensed hours, drinking-up time and extensions
6Control of orderDrunkenness, reviews and closure orders⌄
- Drunkenness offences
- Removing customers who refuse to leave
- Premises licence reviews and exclusion orders
- Closure orders and police powers of entry
7TrainingYour training and mandatory staff training⌄
- SCPLH, refresher and renewal training
- The 2-hour mandatory staff training
- Who can deliver training and the records to keep
- Training as part of due diligence
8Protecting children and young persons from harmUnderage offences, Challenge 25 and ID⌄
- Offences and penalties for underage sales
- The age verification policy and accepted ID
- The due diligence defence
- Under-18s working on licensed premises
9Responsible alcohol retailingUnits, guidelines, drugs and vulnerability⌄
- Strength, units and calculating them
- Low-risk drinking guidelines
- Effects of alcohol and signs of drug activity
- Duty of care to vulnerable customers
10Associated lawMeasures, consumer, door, smoking, gambling, equality⌄
- Weights and Measures Act 1985
- Consumer protection and pricing
- Door supervision, smoking and gambling
- Equality Act 2010 and music licensing
Who it’s for
Is this course a good fit?
For anyone aged 18 or over who needs to authorise alcohol sales in Scotland.
Bar, pub and hotel managers
Anyone who runs, or wants to run, licensed premises in Scotland.
Premises managers
Every licensed premises in Scotland must name a premises manager who holds a personal licence.
Shop and off-sales staff
Supervisors and managers who authorise alcohol sales in shops and supermarkets.
Restaurant and events staff
Anyone who needs to authorise alcohol sales at restaurants, venues and events.
Moving to Scotland
Personal licence holders from England or Wales: your licence does not cover Scotland.
Career starters
Anyone 18 or over aiming for a supervisory role in hospitality or retail.
Assessment
How it’s assessed
You practise with the mock exam, then sit the BIIAB SCPLH exam online with an invigilator.
Mock exam
The SCPLH exam
The free retake applies when you fail while keeping to the rules of the examination.
Certification
Your BIIAB certificate
BIIAB Scottish Certificate for Personal Licence Holders
Issued electronically after you pass. Send it with your personal licence application to the Licensing Board for the area where you live.
FAQs
