Getting a personal licence starts with the Level 2 Award for Personal Licence Holders (APLH). The course covers the Licensing Act 2003 and your responsibilities when selling alcohol. Use these 15 practice questions to check what you know before your course.
Please note: This is a practice test written by Anka Group to help you revise. The questions are not taken from, and do not reproduce, any real exam paper. Your actual exam will contain different questions. Passing this practice test does not guarantee that you will pass the real exam.
Licensing basics
1. How many licensing objectives are there under the Licensing Act 2003?
A) Three
B) Four
C) Five
D) Six
Answer: B. The four objectives are the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance, and the protection of children from harm. Every licensing decision is made with these in mind.
2. Which of these is NOT a licensable activity?
A) Selling alcohol
B) Serving hot food at midnight
C) Selling cold sandwiches at 1am
D) Providing regulated entertainment
Answer: C. Late night refreshment covers hot food and hot drink supplied between 11pm and 5am. Cold food is not licensable.
3. Above what strength is a drink classed as alcohol under the Act?
A) 0.05% ABV
B) 0.5% ABV
C) 1.2% ABV
D) 2% ABV
Answer: B. Drinks above 0.5% alcohol by volume count as alcohol for licensing purposes.
Personal licences and the DPS
4. Which council issues a personal licence?
A) The council where you work
B) The council where the premises is
C) The council where you normally live
D) Any council you choose
Answer: C. You apply to the licensing authority for the area where you are ordinarily resident. The licence then lets you authorise alcohol sales anywhere in England and Wales.
5. How long does a personal licence last?
A) 1 year
B) 5 years
C) 10 years
D) It does not expire
Answer: D. Personal licences no longer need renewing. They remain valid unless surrendered, suspended or revoked.
6. Who must authorise every sale of alcohol made under a premises licence?
A) The premises licence holder
B) A person who holds a personal licence
C) The local police
D) Any member of staff over 18
Answer: B. Every sale must be made or authorised by a personal licence holder. Staff without a personal licence can still sell, as long as a personal licence holder has authorised them.
7. What must a Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) hold?
A) A food hygiene certificate
B) A personal licence
C) A premises licence
D) A temporary event notice
Answer: B. A premises that sells alcohol must name a DPS, and the DPS must hold a personal licence.
Protecting children
8. A 17-year-old is having a meal at a restaurant with their parents. Which drink can a parent buy for them to have with the meal?
A) A glass of wine
B) A vodka and tonic
C) A shot of whisky
D) None, under-18s cannot drink alcohol in licensed premises
Answer: A. A 16 or 17-year-old can drink beer, wine or cider with a table meal when accompanied by an adult. Spirits are never allowed.
9. When does the offence of "persistently selling alcohol to children" apply?
A) One sale to an under-18 in a year
B) Two or more sales to under-18s on different occasions within 3 consecutive months
C) Three sales within 6 months
D) Five sales within a year
Answer: B. Two or more unlawful sales to under-18s at the same premises within 3 consecutive months can lead to prosecution of the licence holder and a review of the licence.
10. Which physical ID is acceptable under the mandatory age verification condition?
A) A bank card with a name on it
B) A student card without a photo
C) ID with a photo, date of birth and a hologram or UV feature
D) A photo of a passport on a phone
Answer: C. Acceptable ID must show the person's photograph and date of birth, and have a holographic mark or ultraviolet feature. Since September 2026, premises can also choose to accept digital proof of age from certified providers, if their age verification policy allows it.
Responsible sales
11. Is it an offence to sell alcohol to a person who is drunk?
A) Yes
B) No, only if they are under 18
C) No, it is only against company policy
D) Only after 11pm
Answer: A. Knowingly selling or attempting to sell alcohol to a person who is drunk is a criminal offence. So is buying alcohol for a drunk person.
12. Which of these must licensed premises offer customers free of charge, where reasonably available?
A) Soft drinks
B) Tap water
C) Bar snacks
D) Taxi numbers
Answer: B. Free drinking water is a mandatory condition for premises selling alcohol for consumption on the premises.
13. Which small measure must be available for spirits such as gin or vodka?
A) 15ml
B) 25ml or 35ml
C) 50ml
D) 70ml
Answer: B. Premises must offer spirits in 25ml or 35ml measures, beer and cider in half pints, and still wine in 125ml glasses, and make customers aware of these.
14. Which of these is an irresponsible promotion?
A) A two-course meal deal
B) A happy hour on soft drinks
C) A drinking game where customers must drink as much as possible in a time limit
D) Offering a smaller wine glass
Answer: C. Games or activities that encourage people to drink a quantity of alcohol within a time limit are banned by the mandatory conditions.
Events
15. What is the maximum number of people allowed at an event under a Temporary Event Notice?
A) 99
B) 299
C) 499
D) 999
Answer: C. No more than 499 people may be present at any one time, including staff. For more detail, see our Temporary Event Notice guide.
How did you do?
If you scored 12 or more, you have a good grasp of the basics. If not, do not worry: the course covers all of this in detail.
Anka Group runs one-day personal licence courses, with support in English and Turkish. After you pass, we can also help you apply for your personal licence.
Book your course or contact us with any questions.
Correct as of October 2026. This guide is general information, not legal advice.