Temporary Event Notices for Christmas and New Year: a plain guide for pubs

If you want to open later than your premises licence allows over Christmas and New Year, or do something your licence doesn't cover, the usual route is a Temporary Event Notice, or TEN. It's cheap and quick, but the deadlines are strict, and December's bank holidays make them tighter than you'd think.

This guide is for pubs in England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have different systems. This isn't legal advice. Your local licensing team is the place to check anything you're not sure of.

First, check your premises licence

Before you apply for anything, get your premises licence out and read it. Look for:

Your normal hours for selling alcohol and for regulated entertainment, like live or recorded music.
Non-standard timings. Many licences already include extra hours for set dates, and New Year's Eve is a common one. If yours does, you may not need a TEN for it at all.
Conditions that would stop what you're planning, like a limit on numbers, no music in the garden after a set time, or door staff after a certain hour.

Solicitors at TLT put it simply in their guide to pub events: "check for any conditions that if not changed would prevent you hosting the events contemplated." If something does, a TEN may be able to cover it for one night.

What a TEN is, and its limits

GOV.UK sets out the rules. In short, an event under a TEN must:

have fewer than 500 people at all times, "including staff running the event"
last no more than 168 hours (7 days)

And there are yearly limits:

A single premises can have up to 15 TENs a year, covering no more than 21 days in total.
A person can give up to 5 TENs a year, or up to 50 if they hold a personal licence.
There must be at least 24 hours between events at the same premises.

The fee is £21. You apply to your local council, and only an individual aged 18 or over can apply, not a company.

The notice periods

This is where people get caught out.

A standard TEN must be given "at least 10 clear working days before your event".
A late TEN can be given between 9 and 5 clear working days before. You're limited to 2 late TENs a year, or 10 if you hold a personal licence, and they count towards your total.
The police and environmental health must get a copy. If you apply online, the council handles that.
They have 3 working days to object. If they object to a late TEN, the event can't go ahead.

"Clear working days" don't include the day the council gets your notice, the day of the event, weekends or bank holidays. In December, that last part matters. In England and Wales, Christmas Day is Friday 25 December, the Boxing Day bank holiday moves to Monday 28 December, and New Year's Day is Friday 1 January 2027.

The 2026 dates, by our count

We've counted back 10 clear working days for the busy nights. Councils can count differently, so treat these as the very last day and aim to get your notice in a week or two before.

Mad Friday, Friday 18 December: in by Thursday 3 December.
Christmas Eve, Thursday 24 December: in by Wednesday 9 December.
New Year's Eve, Thursday 31 December: in by Monday 14 December.

Our honest advice: put them all in by the end of November. If something's wrong with the form, you've time to fix it. If someone objects, you've time to talk.

Think about what you're asking for

A TEN covers what you list on it. When you fill it in, think about:

The times. Ask for what you'll really use. If you'll stop serving at 1am and want everyone out by 1:30am, say so.
What it's for. Selling alcohol, regulated entertainment, late night refreshment (hot food after 11pm), or more than one.
Numbers. Fewer than 500 at any one time, including staff. Most pubs are well under, but a big garden on New Year's Eve can add up.
Neighbours. Late music on a quiet street is the thing most likely to cause an objection. Plan where the noise goes and when it stops.

Plan the night, not just the paperwork

A later licence on a busy night means more to manage.

Staff. Enough on the bar and on the floor for the extra hours, and someone watching the door.
Drinking. Long nights mean more drunk people. Make sure every member of staff knows they can and should refuse service.
Safety. Busy events raise the risk of overcrowding, drink spiking and harassment. TLT's guide suggests planning your response in advance and looking at schemes like Ask for Angela.
Getting home. Know where the taxis are and how late the last bus runs. Tell people.
Fireworks. If you're thinking of fireworks at midnight on New Year's Eve, GOV.UK says the usual 11pm cut-off moves to 1am that night. Read our Bonfire Night guide on displays first. Most pubs are better leaving it to the professionals.

Tell people the times

Customers hate a surprise last orders. Once your TEN is in place:

Put "open until 1am on New Year's Eve" on your screens and your socials.
Put the time on your Christmas booking confirmations.
Tell the staff, so everyone gives the same answer.

Our post on Christmas party bookings covers the rest of December, and our 2027 events calendar has the dates you might want TENs for next year.

How StockTap TV helps

StockTap TV won't do your licensing for you. What it can do is make sure everyone knows the plan. Your own slides run on every TV on a timed loop, so "Christmas Eve: open till late" goes up when you want it to, and countdowns to your events are live at Teal Farm and coming to founding pubs. See what's in it, or join the founding pubs.

Frequently asked questions

How far in advance do I need to apply for a TEN?

GOV.UK says a standard TEN must be given at least 10 clear working days before the event. A late TEN can be given between 9 and 5 clear working days before, but you only get a few each year and an objection stops the event.

How much does a Temporary Event Notice cost?

GOV.UK says the fee is £21.

Do I need a TEN for New Year's Eve?

Not always. Many premises licences already include extra hours for New Year's Eve. Read your licence first. If it doesn't cover what you want, a TEN may.

How many TENs can a pub have each year?

GOV.UK says up to 15 per premises a year, covering no more than 21 days in total.

Does a TEN work in Scotland?

No. TENs are for England and Wales. Scotland has its own system, so ask your local licensing board.

Sources

GOV.UK: Temporary events notice
GOV.UK: UK bank holidays
GOV.UK: Fireworks: the law
TLT: Pub and bar: five points for planning special events

We checked every source on 24 October 2026. Rules change, so check the latest version before you act. Nothing here is legal advice.