Licensing Courts

Valediction for Mrs Jill Quirk upon her retirement from the Licensing Bench.

Any application to the Licensing Court will be subject to the Licensing Court Rules 2014.

See also: Guidance Notes for Licensing Courts forms

Licensing Court dates for 2022

For time limits for filing any Licence Application, please refer to the Licensing Court Rules 2014                  

• Thursday December 8^th

Licensing Court dates for 2023

• THURSDAY JANUARY 5^th
• THURSDAY FEBRUARY 9^th
• THURSDAY MARCH 9^th
• THURSDAY APRIL 6^th
• THURSDAY MAY 11^th 
• THURSDAY JUNE 15^th
• THURSDAY JULY 13^th
• THURSDAY AUGUST 10^th
• THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 14^th
• THURSDAY OCTOBER 12^th
• THURSDAY NOVEMBER 9^th
• THURSDAY  DECEMBER 7^th

NB These dates may change throughout the year and interested persons should check prior to making an application to ensure the correct date is identified.

Monthly Licensing Courts

The Licensing Court is chaired by Her Worship the Deputy High Bailiff accompanied by up to four magistrates. The court usually sits on the second Thursday of each month in a public court.

The Licensing Court deals with applications for:

• on-licences (and any variation of)

• off-licences (and any variation of)

• passenger vessels licences

• designated officials

• music & dancing licences (and any variation of)

• registration of clubs (and any variation of)

• club secretary

• occasional licences

• cinematograph

• weekly club and charity functions.

After receiving the application, the court grants the licences either at court, or in some instances, licences can be issued administratively in private chambers.

All Licensing Court Applications (together with all relevant supporting documentation) must be submitted to the court, in duplicate, together with the relevant fee. Failure to do so will result in your application being returned.

Type of application	Form(s)	Guidance notes
On-Licence/Passenger Vessel application	LLP10/ON	Licensing form guidance notes
Off-Licence application	LLP10/OFF
Company Information	LLP10/A
Club Registration	LLP10/CLUB
Music and Dancing	LC6 LC7
Occasional Licence	LC3 LC4	Marquees and Tented structures Fire Service letter  Fire Service guidelines LC4 guidance notes
Designated Official (DO)	LL/1	Writing a reference for a Designated Official
Temporary Designated Official/Licensee	LL/5
Resignation/removal of Designated Official/Licencee	LL/6	Notification of...
Change in Club Secretary	Letter application	see below
Amendments to Licenced Premises	Letter application	see below
Cinematograph	LC8 LC8A LC9 LC9A	LC8G LC8AG  LC9G LC9AG

Guidance

• Guidance notes for hosting of 18th birthday celebrations

• Guidance for New Applicants attending the Licensing Court

• IoM Licensing Forum - Codes and Guidance manual

Applications without specific forms

Application to change the Secretary of a Club

A letter application should be sent to the court requesting the change of secretary together with a minute of the club’s decision to change secretary and the relevant fee. 

NB: All documentation should be submitted in duplicate. The letter should include full details of the new secretary and indicate which court sitting they wish to attend. Upon receipt, the court will inform the new secretary of a court date on which he/she should appear before the Licensing Bench.

Application to amend a licensed premises

A letter application should be sent to the court requesting the changes to be made together with plans detailing the proposed changes and the relevant fee. All documentation must be submitted and advertised in accordance with the time scales set out in the Licensing Court Rules 2014.

NB: All documentation should be submitted in duplicate.

Weekly Special Permissions/Charitable Function Licences

Special permissions are weekly applications submitted by clubs to ask permission to hold a function where non club members will be attending. These may be considered by Her Worship, sitting alone, every Thursday. Applications must be lodged at the court office with the appropriate fee and supporting documentation by close of business on the Friday prior to the Thursday on which the applications are to be considered. Failure to comply will result in applications not being considered. Licences are made available for collection at the Courts of Justice public counter each Friday at 12 Noon. One (white) copy is retained by the applicant and the other copy (pink) should be forwarded, by the applicant, to the local police station in the vicinity of the event. Failure to collect the licences will be reported to the Police Alcohol Unit.

Special Permissions

• Application form

• Guidance note

Charitable Function

• Application form

• Guidance note

Applications should be sent, in duplicate, to the following address:

Licensing Clerk
Summary Courts Office
Deemsters Walk
Bucks Road
Douglas
Isle of Man
IM1 3AR

Legislation

The following Acts and Rules apply for Licensing matters

• The Licensing Act 1995
• The Licensing (Amendment) Act 2001
• The Licensing Regulations 1996
• The Licensing Court Rules 2014
• The Licensing Court of Appeal Rules 1996
• The Music and Dancing Acts 1961 to 1976
• The Cinematograph Act 1977

Copies of the legislation can be obtained from the Manx Legislation website.

For any queries which are not answered by the information contained on this page, please email the Licensing section