Appointing a new Designated Premises Supervisor
If your business sells alcohol, you must have a Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) named on your premises licence.
The DPS has the primary responsibility to ensure that all staff sell alcohol legally. This means making sure that alcohol sales are only made in compliance with both the law and the specific conditions of the premises licence.
If your current DPS is leaving or you wish to appoint someone new, you must apply to vary your licence.
Varying a DPS - FAQs
Click a question to show the answer.
What is a Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS)?
The DPS is the person responsible for how alcohol is sold at your premises. There can only be one DPS per premises, and they must hold a personal licence.
When do I need to apply for a change?
Because the DPS is specified on the premises licence any changes to the DPS must be properly notified to the licensing authority by the licence holder.
You must apply to vary your licence any time you want to change the DPS.
The application must be made by the licence holder, not the current or new DPS.
You need to:
- Complete a DPS variation application form
- Obtain a completed DPS consent form from the new DPS
- Pay the fee (currently £23)
Submit your application and to your local council’s licensing team. You must also return the current licence with your application (or explain in the application form why you can not return it).
If you apply online, the council will notify the police for you. If you apply by post, you must send a copy to the police.
Why does the DPS have to consent to being named on the licence?
The DPS is considered to be the person responsible for the sale of alcohol at the licensed premises. This means the DPS will often be the first point of contact for the Police and licensing authority at the premises.
Because the position of DPS carries substantial responsibility, licensing authorities must verify the incoming DPS’s willingness to be named on the licence.
Can the DPS start straight away?
Yes, you can ask for the change to have immediate effect, so the new DPS can start acting in that role while the application is being processed.
Can the police object to the new DPS?
Yes. The police have 14 days to object if they believe the appointment would undermine the licensing objectives (e.g. crime prevention). If they do, a hearing may be held to determine whether the new DPS can be appointed.
If the police do object, you can withdraw your application and make another to appoint someone else as DPS.
What if I don't change the DPS?
It is against the law to sell alcohol without a valid DPS named on your licence.
If your DPS leaves but you do not appoint a new DPS and continue to sell alcohol, you could face enforcement action or prosecution.
Yes, if you hold a personal licence you can be named as the DPS.
How long does it take to change the DPS?
If there are no objections to the new DPS, your licence will usually be updated within 14–21 days.