What Permits Do I Need for a Mobile Bar Van at Events?

by Andrea Falcone
(London, e3 5jz)

Mobile bar van serving drinks at an outdoor event

Mobile bar van serving drinks at an outdoor event

Me and my business partener would like to buy a van, turn it into a bar and provide services at private events,weddings, festival, parties exc..we will be selling alcohol and drinks only, no food.
what legal requirements do we need?
what permits?
how and where do we apply for them?
how much will they cost and how long will it take to get them?
Thanks for your help

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Mar 28, 2026
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starstarstarstarstar 		Mobile Bar Permits and Alcohol Licensing
by: MobCater

Hiya Andrea,

A mobile bar van at private events is a great business idea and there's definitely demand for it. Because you're selling alcohol though, the licensing side is a bit different from a standard food van.

The big one is getting a Personal Licence. You or your business partner will need one. To get it, you first need to pass the APLH qualification (Award for Personal Licence Holders). It's usually a one-day course costing around £100-£150 and you get your results the same day. Once you've passed, you apply for your Personal Licence through the council where you live — it costs £37 and you'll need to include a DBS criminal record check (about £18) and two passport photos.

For the events themselves, you'll most likely be using Temporary Event Notices (TENs). These are what let you sell alcohol at a specific location for a limited time. Each one costs £21 and you give at least 10 working days notice to the council and the police. You can use up to 50 TENs per year as a Personal Licence holder. For most mobile bar businesses doing private events, weddings, and parties, TENs are the way to go.

If you end up doing regular work at the same venue, the venue might already have a Premises Licence that covers alcohol — in which case you'd operate under theirs. Always check with the event organiser.

Public liability insurance is a must — go for at least £5 million cover. When you're serving alcohol, some insurers will want to know about your setup and may have specific requirements, so shop around and make sure the policy covers alcohol service.

Since you're not serving food, you won't need a food hygiene certificate. But if you're serving anything that's not prepackaged — even garnishes for cocktails — it's worth getting one anyway. They're about £20 online and it shows you're professional.

You'll also want to register as a food business with your local council even if it's drinks only, as some councils class it the same way. It's free, takes about 10 minutes online, and you need to do it at least 28 days before you start trading.

The whole process from start to first event can take around 4-6 weeks if you crack on with it — the APLH course, DBS check, and Personal Licence application are the main things that take time.

This is general guidance for UK mobile catering. Rules can vary between councils, so always check with your local authority.

Disclaimer: This is general advice for UK mobile catering. Licensing rules vary between councils, so always check with your local authority's street trading or licensing team before you start.

Best of luck
David

Try the free MobCater App — our startup checklist and guide walks you through every step: https://www.mobcater.co.uk/mobile-catering.html

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