Temporary event notices (TENs)

A TEN must be submitted by a person aged 18 years or older.

A personal licence holder can give a maximum of 50 TENs per calendar year, subject to no more than ten of those being late TENs. A non-personal licence holder can only give a maximum of five TENs per calendar year, subject to no more than two of those being late TENs. TENs cannot be given by associated persons such as a spouse, parent, child, brother or sister of the notice giver so as to exceed these limits.

TENs are subject to additional maximum limits as follows:

The capacity must not exceed 499 people at any one time.
The event can last no more than 168 hours (7 days) with a minimum of 24 hours between events at the same premises.

Premises are limited to a maximum of 15 TENs in any calendar year, with a total of no more than 21 days per year. Events which begin on one day and extend beyond midnight will count as two days.

​A summary of the regulations relating to this notice are available on the GOV.UK website.

Serving a notice

The notice must be in a specific format and be accompanied by the required fee of £21. If a TEN is submitted without a fee it will be considered incomplete and returned to the applicant.

Unless an application has been submitted electronically, the premises user must also serve a copy of the notice on the police and environmental health responsible authorities on the same day the notice is served on the licensing authority. The notice must contain the following information:

• if alcohol is to be supplied, a statement confirming that it is a condition of using the premises that the supplies are made under the authority of the person giving the notice
• a statement relating to details of the licensable activities, the event period, the times when during that period the activities will take place, the maximum number of people proposed to be allowed on the premises and any other required matters

Notification requirements

Standard TEN – a standard TEN must be received by the licensing authority at least ten working days before the event. The 10 days do not include the day the notice is served or the first date of the event. Bank holidays are also excluded from the count.

Although 10 working days is the minimum notice to be given, event organisers should provide the earliest possible notice of events to enable any police or environmental health concerns to be addressed as far in advance of the event as possible.

Late TEN – a late TEN can be submitted between five and nine working days before the event.

Late TENs should only be used in exceptional circumstances and usually for reasons outside of the event organiser's control, for example, a change of venue at short notice.

The licensing authority will acknowledge receipt of the notice.

A counter notice will be issued on a standard TEN or late TEN by the Licensing Authority if the number of permitted TENs has been exceeded.​

If the police or environmental health responsible authorities believe that an event that is subject to a TEN would undermine any one of the licensing objectives they can serve an objection notice to the licensing authority and the premises user. This notice must be served within three working days from the receipt of the TEN.

Standard TEN The licensing authority must hold a hearing if an objection notice is served on a standard TEN by the police or environmental health. The licensing authority may issue a counter notice to the temporary event notice if it considers it necessary for the promotion of the licensing objectives. If the licensing authority decides not to give a counter notice, it may apply conditions to the TEN if they are also on a premises licence or club premises certificate relating to the same premises. A decision must be made at least 24 hours before the beginning of the event.

The police or environmental health responsible authorities may modify the TEN with the consent of the premises user. In such a case an objection notice will be deemed to have been withdrawn and a hearing is no longer necessary.

Late TEN – If objections are received to a late TEN, the event will not be permitted to go ahead.

View the City of London's procedure for public hearings below.

​All applications and notices are subject to a statutory consultation period and the consultation period commences when a complete and valid application is received by the Licensing Authority.

TENs must be notified to the police and environmental health responsible authorities on the same day the notice is served on the licensing authority.

The licensing authority will acknowledge receipt of the TEN within one working day of receiving a valid notice. If there are no objection notices to the notice, there will be no further communication from the licensing authority and the event is deemed licensed.

If there are objection notices to the TEN, the licensing authority will arrange a public hearing to consider the notice. The hearing will take place at least 24 hours before the proposed event.

​Yes – if your notice is unopposed you will be able to act as though your application is granted.

Applicant / notice giver

Standard TEN – If a counter notice is given in relation to an objection notice the applicant for the TEN may appeal against the licensing authority's decision. Appeals must be made to City of London Magistrates Court, 1 Queen Victoria Street, London, EC1N 4XY within 21 days of being notified of the decision. An appeal may not be brought later than five working days before the day of the planned event.

Late TEN – the decision of the licensing authority is final and there is no right of appeal.

Exceeded limits – the decision of the licensing authority is final and there is no right of appeal

Police / Environmental health responsible authority

Standard TEN

If the Licensing Authority decides not to issue a counter notice in relation to an objection notice the police and environmental health responsible authorities can appeal the licensing authority's decision. Appeals must be made to City of London Magistrates Court, 1 Queen Victoria Street, London, EC1N 4XY within 21 days of being notified of the decision. An appeal may not be brought later than five working days from the day of the planned event.

Any person who has concerns about an event authorised by a TEN should contact the Licensing team by phone on 020 7332 3406 or send and email to the Licensing team.

Any person who is suffering noise or nuisance associated with an event authorised by a TEN should contact the Pollution team by phone on 020 7332 3630 or send an email to the Public Protection team.

The Council also operates an out-of-hours service to deal with urgent complaints arising outside normal office hours. Out-of-hours complaints can be made via Guildhall switchboard on 020 7606 3030.

• ​National Outdoor Events Association (NOEA)
• The Events Resource Directory