​Special Licence applications – Christmas and New Year period

If you are planning an event over the Christmas and New Year period, please allow plenty of time for your Special Licence application to be processed.

Before applying, please note:

• Allow 20 working days for processing. A Special Licence application can take up to 20 working days to process, which is approximately one full month.
• Christmas events: To ensure your licence can be processed in time for events during Christmas week, you will need to submit a complete application and pay the required fees by 20 November 2026.
• No processing between 20 December and 15 January: There are no working days during this period, so Special Licence applications will not be processed.
• Events after Christmas: The Christmas/New Year processing period will also affect applications for events held up to 6 February 2027. If you are planning an event after Christmas, we recommend submitting your application as early as possible.
• Late applications: Applications received less than 20 working days before an event are unlikely to be considered unless there are genuine, unforeseen circumstances.

Please plan ahead and submit your application as early as possible to avoid delays.