For caterers
Temporary Event Notices: 5 a Year, 10 Working Days' Notice
A TEN lets you sell alcohol at an unlicensed event for up to 499 people. The limits: 5 a year, or 50 with a personal licence, 10 working days' notice, £21 fee.
What is a temporary event notice and when do you need one?
A temporary event notice (TEN) lets you sell alcohol, provide regulated entertainment or sell late-night hot food at premises that are not licensed for it, for a one-off event in England and Wales. It covers up to 499 people at a time, including staff, for up to 168 hours (seven days). You give it to the council at least 10 working days before the event, with copies to the police and the council's environmental health team, and the fee is £21.
For caterers this mostly means mobile bars and anyone selling drinks at a field, a barn or a hall without a premises licence. If the venue already holds a premises licence that covers the event, you usually work under that instead.
How many TENs can you give?
Per person, per calendar year: 5 TENs if you do not hold a personal licence, of which 2 can be late; 50 TENs if you hold a personal licence, of which 10 can be late.
Per premises, per calendar year: no more than 15 TENs, covering no more than 21 days in total.
The premises limit catches people out: a popular field or hall may use up its 15 before the summer ends, whoever is giving them.
What is a late TEN?
A late TEN is given no later than 5 working days and no earlier than 9 working days before the event. It exists for genuine short notice. The difference that matters: if the police or environmental health object to a late TEN, the event cannot go ahead with licensable activities, and there is no hearing. With a standard TEN, an objection goes to a hearing where the council decides.
How are working days counted?
Ten clear working days, which excludes the day the council receives the notice, the day of the event, weekends and bank holidays. In practice, give it at least three weeks ahead and you will not need to count.
Who objects, and on what grounds?
Only the police and the council's environmental health team can object, and only on the licensing objectives: crime and disorder, public safety, public nuisance and the protection of children. Conditions from an existing premises licence can sometimes be applied to a TEN.
Do you need a TEN for a wedding bar?
Only if alcohol is sold, or supplied as part of something paid for, and the venue is not licensed for it. Free drinks at a private party, such as a wedding where the couple has paid for the bar and guests are not charged, do not usually need a TEN. A cash bar at an unlicensed venue does. Scotland has a separate system of occasional licences under its own licensing law, and Northern Ireland has its own rules too.
Common questions
How much does a TEN cost?
£21 per notice, paid to the council.
How far in advance do I need to give a TEN?
At least 10 clear working days for a standard TEN. A late TEN can be given between 5 and 9 working days before.
Can I give a TEN without a personal licence?
Yes, up to 5 a year, of which 2 can be late. With a personal licence the limit is 50, of which 10 can be late.
How many people can attend an event under a TEN?
No more than 499 at any one time, including staff and performers.
Does a TEN apply in Scotland?
No. Scotland uses occasional licences, applied for through the local licensing board.