Events · Licensing
Temporary Event Notice (TEN) — do you need one?
Free interactive tool that works out whether your event needs a TEN, when the standard and late deadlines fall, and what to do if a TEN won't work. England & Wales — Licensing Act 2003, Part 5.
Published by The Committee Room·Last updated 15 July 2026·6 min read
Work out whether you need a TEN
Work through the questions in order. The result checks the main TEN limits and calculates clear-working-day deadlines for England and Wales. Confirm borderline entertainment or licence questions with your council.
What is a TEN, in plain English?
A Temporary Event Notice is a notification — not a licence — that lets you do a temporary licensable activity that is not already authorised by a premises licence or club premises certificate. It can also extend the activities, hours or licensed area for one event. The classic case is a village hall fundraiser with a paid bar that its existing authorisation does not cover.
Because it’s a notification rather than a permission, the council doesn’t “approve” or “refuse” it as such. What can stop you is an objection from the police or environmental health within the notice window. For standard TENs that triggers a hearing where you make your case. For late TENs there is no hearing — the objection is final.
When you don't need a TEN
People over-apply for TENs because licensing language sounds scary. You don’t need one if:
- The venue already has a premises licence covering what you’re doing (most pubs, hotels, registered wedding venues; many village halls have a premises licence for alcohol and music)
- You’re not selling or supplying alcohol. Alcohol included in a paid ticket, entry price or package will normally still be treated as a sale; describing the drink as “free” does not by itself avoid licensing
- The entertainment is not regulated or is exempt. Examples include unamplified live music between 8am and 11pm, and some live or recorded music at qualifying community premises between 8am and 11pm for audiences of 500 or fewer where the statutory conditions and written-consent requirement are met. Exemptions are fact-specific: check chapter 16 of the Home Office guidance. This is separate from TheMusicLicence for music copyright
- You’re running a private event with no sale of alcohol and no late-night refreshment — a community AGM, a coffee morning, a children’s party
The statutory limits at a glance
| Limit | Value |
|---|---|
| Attendees at any one time (incl. staff) | 499 |
| Duration of a single TEN | 168 hours (7 days) |
| Minimum gap between events at same premises | 24 hours |
| TENs per premises per calendar year | 15 (max 21 days total) |
| TENs per non-personal-licence-holder per year | 5 (max 2 late) |
| TENs per personal licence holder per year | 50 (max 10 late) |
| Standard fee | £21 |
| Standard notice period | ≥10 clear working days; receipt and event day excluded |
| Late TEN notice window | 5–9 clear working days; receipt and event day excluded |
Scotland and Northern Ireland are different
Scotland uses an occasional licence under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005, issued by the local Licensing Board. Application periods are longer (typically 6 weeks) and there is no “late” equivalent. Apply via your council’s Licensing Board pages.
Northern Irelandhas a more restrictive regime under the Licensing (Northern Ireland) Order 1996. Occasional licences for unlicensed premises are granted by a magistrates’ court on application by a person who already holds a premises licence, not directly to the event organiser. NI community organisers should speak to a solicitor or to a licensed local venue early.
Once the TEN is sorted, the next things to think about
Licensing is one piece of running an event. The two most commonly missed adjacent requirements are:
- Public liability insurance.The hall’s annual policy almost certainly does not cover you as event organiser. See our guide to one-day event insurance — typical cost £60–£250 for a small community event.
- TheMusicLicence (PPL PRS). Any public performance of music — live or recorded — needs a copyright licence separate from the entertainment licensing exemption. PPL PRS operates a discretionary Charity and Community Discount; apply ≥14 days before the event.
We may earn a commission from event-insurance links above — see our affiliate disclosure. It does not change our editorial recommendations. We do not earn anything from the TEN tool itself or from your council licensing fee.
Frequently asked
When is a Temporary Event Notice required?
Any time you want to carry out a 'licensable activity' at premises not already licensed for it — sale of alcohol, regulated entertainment (live or recorded music, plays, films, indoor sport, dance), or late-night refreshment (hot food or drink served 11pm–5am). A TEN is not needed for events with none of these activities, however large.
Do I need a TEN for a wedding?
Only if a licensable activity is not already authorised. Alcohol bundled into a paid ticket or package will normally still be treated as a sale, even if guests do not pay per drink. Entertainment may be exempt depending on its type, hours, audience and premises. Most weddings at venues whose premises licence covers the complete plan need no extra TEN; check the licence rather than assuming.
How long can a TEN cover?
Up to 168 hours — seven consecutive days — at a single set of premises. Maximum 499 attendees including staff and performers at any one time. There must be at least 24 hours between successive events under separate TENs at the same premises.
What if both the standard and late TEN deadlines have passed?
A TEN cannot legally cover the event as planned. Options are: (1) remove the licensable activity; (2) move the event date; or (3) use an existing premises licence or club premises certificate only if it already covers the exact activity, area and hours. Otherwise speak to the council licensing team. A new premises licence is not a same-week fix.
How much does a TEN cost?
£21. Set by the Licensing Act 2003 (Fees) Regulations 2005 and applied consistently across all English and Welsh councils. There is no discount for charities, non-profits or small community events.
How many TENs can I give in a year?
If you are not a personal licence holder: 5 TENs per calendar year, of which no more than 2 can be late TENs. If you are a personal licence holder: 50 TENs per year, of which no more than 10 late. Separately, each set of premises can host no more than 15 TENs per calendar year totalling no more than 21 days.
What's the difference between a standard TEN and a late TEN?
Notice period and objection rights. A standard TEN must leave at least 10 clear working days; a late TEN must leave 5–9 clear working days. The day the authority receives the notice and the first event day do not count. A standard-TEN objection can trigger a hearing. For a late TEN, an objection means the event cannot proceed under it and there is no hearing. Submit a standard TEN whenever possible.
Do I send the TEN anywhere other than the council?
It depends how you submit. If you use GOV.UK or the licensing authority's own electronic facility, the authority must notify police and environmental health. If you give a non-electronic notice, you must also give copies to police and environmental health within the same notice period.
Related guides
One-day event insurance — what community organisers actually need →
Real published prices from the specialist brokers, what the hall's policy doesn't cover, and the volunteer/EL trap.
Village hall hirers' liability — when the hall's policy applies →
The detail on whether the hall's annual policy covers your event, or whether you need your own one-day cover.
Events & activities — the cluster hub →
All our event-related guides on one page.
Sources
- Licensing Act 2003, Part 5 — Temporary Event Notices statutory framework
- Home Office section 182 guidance, February 2026 — chapters 7 (TENs) and 16 (regulated entertainment)
- Licensing Act 2003 (Fees) Regulations 2005 — £21 statutory TEN fee
- Live Music Act 2012 / Legislative Reform (Entertainment Licensing) Order 2014 — entertainment exemptions
- Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 — occasional licence regime, Scotland
- Licensing (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 — occasional licence regime, NI
- Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 — bank holiday definitions for “working day” calculations
- GOV.UK and council licensing pages — local electronic submission facilities and preferred earlier notice
General information, not legal advice. The statutory minimum uses clear working days and excludes receipt day and the first event day. Councils encourage earlier notice; confirm any close date with the licensing team.