Temporary event notices

You may need a temporary event notice (TEN) if you want to:

hold a small event
sell alcohol
provide regulated entertainment

Temporary event notices allow small-scale events involving the sale and/or supply of alcohol, regulated entertainment or provision of late-night refreshments to take place without the need for a full premises licence.

Applying for a temporary event notice

The event organiser must:

send 2 copies of the temporary event notice to the council
pay £21 by cheque to the council
send one copy to the local police at least 10 clear working days before the event

The 10-day deadline does not include the day the notice is received or the date the event is due to take place.

Only the police and environmental health may object to an event taking place and this must relate to one or more of the licensing objectives. The police have the power to close events instantly if there's disorder or noise nuisance.

Go to our privacy notice for temporary event notices to find out how we use your data.

Event limitations

There are limits to events covered by temporary events notices:

events covered by a temporary event notice can last up to 168 hours
events must involve no more than 499 people
anyone over 18 can apply for a maximum of 5 temporary event notices a year

You can apply for more temporary events if you're a licence holder or venue:

personal licence holders can apply for a maximum of 50 temporary event notices a year
both licensed and unlicensed venues can hold up to 20 temporary events notices a year or 26 days, whichever is the greater - this is for periods occurring wholly or partly in 2022 or 2023

If an objection is made by the police or environmental health, a hearing will be held.

Conditions may be added to the temporary event notice.

Late temporary event notices

If you have less time before your event, you can get a late temporary event notice. These can be rejected without a hearing if there's an objection.

You can submit a late temporary event notice up to 5 working days before the event - this does not include the day the notice is received or the day the event is due to take place.

You can submit a late temporary event notice:

up to 2 times a year for non-personal licence holders
up to 10 times a year for personal licence holders

For a late TEN, you submit the same temporary event notice, but you have to tell us that it is late.

A late temporary event notice will be automatically rejected if an objection is received from either the police or environmental health.

Event notice guidance

Where to send your application

If sending by post or hand delivering, 2 copies, together with payment (by cheque) the address is:

Licensing team
Health and Safety and Licensing
Bartholomew House
Bartholomew Square
Brighton
BN1 1JP

A third copy must be sent to the police at:

Police licensing Unit
2nd Floor
Police Station
Brighton
BN2 0LA