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Alcohol Licences

If you wish to sell alcohol then you will need a licence. This includes events where alcohol is provided following the purchase of an entrance ticket.

Please note that all the Licensing web pages are intended to guide you through the procedures associated with making an application for a licence. They are not intended to summarise relatively complex areas of the law. Anyone using these pages should obtain independent advice from their own solicitors or advice centre.

All alcohol licences for premises within West Lothian (including outdoor areas) are issued by West Lothian Licensing Board. The sale of alcohol is controlled by the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005, which requires the following five licensing objectives to be upheld, when sales of alcohol are taking place;

  • Preventing Crime and Disorder
  • Securing Public Safety
  • Preventing Public Nuisance
  • Protecting and Improving Public Health
  • Protecting Children and Young Persons from Harm

Unless the premises are covered by a premises licence an occasional licence will be needed to authorise sales of alcohol on a temporary basis. Information on current licensed premises and personal licence holders

Information regarding the different types of alcohol licences and applications can be found below.

Personal Licence
Information on how to apply for a personal licence, personal licence refresher training and how to renew your personal licence.
Premises Licences
Information on premises licence including how to apply, variation of a premises licence, transfer of a premises licence, Designated Premises Manager (DPM) and payment of annual fees.
Occasional Licence
Please note that, in accordance with section 7 of the Board's statement of licensing policy, in order to allow sufficient time for applications to be processed and determined, applications for occasional licences must be submitted at least 35 days prior to the date of the proposed event. Ideally applications should be made at least four months before the event to allow plenty of time for the application to be processed and determined before the event. Late applications for emergency and unforeseen events will only be considered in certain circumstances. Please see below for further information regarding this.
Extended Hours
You can apply to West Lothian Licensing Board if you hold a premises licence in West Lothian for an extension to your normal licensing hours.
Adverts for Current Alcohol Licence Applications
Under the Licensing (Scotland ) Act 2005 and associated Regulations West Lothian Licensing Board must advertise all applications for new premises licences, premises licence variation applications and occasional licences.
Alcohol Minimum Unit Pricing
From 30 September 2024 alcohol can only be sold at or above 65 pence per unit
West Lothian Licensing Board
The sale of alcohol is controlled by law and each local government area must have a Licensing Board.
West Lothian Local Licensing Forum
The Local Licensing Forum for West Lothian Council, known as "The West Lothian Alcohol Licensing Forum" ("the Forum") is not a policy-making or a decision-making body.
Licensing Standards Officer (LSO)
The Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 introduced the role of the Licensing Standards Officer (LSO), who is responsible under the Act for providing guidance and information to interested parties; ensuring compliance by licence holders; and providing a mediation service for the purpose of avoiding or resolving disputes.
Review of Licensing Board Policy Statement
The Licensing Board has completed the review of its policy statement.