Opening or taking over a shop: the checklist we use
Updated 22 October 2026 · A guide for shop owners
Opening a shop, or taking one over, means a lot of things land at once: the council, the landlord, suppliers, the bank and the fit-out. Most delays come from one item being left too late, usually the licence or the energy supply. This is the order we work through with shop owners. It covers England and Wales; Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own licensing rules.
Start with what you will sell and when
Write down the hours you want to open and whether you will sell alcohol or hot food or drink after 11pm. Those two answers decide which licences you need. Selling alcohol needs a premises licence and a designated premises supervisor (DPS) who holds a personal licence. Hot food or hot drink between 11pm and 5am counts as late night refreshment and also needs to be on a premises licence.
If you are taking over an existing shop, ask the seller for a copy of the current premises licence, including the plan and the conditions page. The hours and conditions on that licence are what you inherit.
Licences: allow at least six weeks
A new premises licence, or a change to add longer hours, needs a notice in the window for 28 days, a notice in a local paper and a 28-day consultation. With no objections that is roughly five to six weeks; with a hearing it can be two to three months.
Taking over a shop with a licence already in place is quicker: a transfer and a change of DPS can take effect immediately when you apply, with the police given 14 days to object. Personal licences take a few weeks and need a short accredited course first, so book the course early.
Business rates: check the bill before you pay it
Rates are billed by the council, using the rateable value set by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA). Since 1 April 2026 there is a new valuation list, and most shops get a lower multiplier automatically. Small shops with a rateable value of £12,000 or less, and no other property, can pay nothing under small business rate relief.
When you move in, tell the council the date you became responsible and ask whether relief has been applied. Look up your rateable value on gov.uk and check the floor area and description are right.
Energy, card machine and till: line them up early
Taking over a shop often means inheriting the previous owner's energy contract or moving onto expensive out-of-contract rates. Take meter readings on the day you take the keys and arrange your own supply straight away.
Card machines and tills can take a week or two to approve and deliver, so apply as soon as the business bank account is open. If you plan to use card takings for funding later, a clean card history from day one helps.
Keep one list and one contact
The simplest way to avoid gaps is to keep every item on one list with a date next to it: licence submitted, notices up, consultation ends, energy live, card machine live, rates relief confirmed. That is what our new shop service does for you — one person, one plan, updates at every step.
Questions shop owners ask
Do I need a personal licence to work behind the counter?
No. Staff can serve alcohol without one, but every sale must be authorised by a personal licence holder, and the shop must have a DPS who holds one.
Can I open before the licence is granted?
You can open and sell things that need no licence, but not alcohol or late-night hot food until the licence or change is in force.
Does the council fee change by area?
The main premises licence fees are set nationally and depend on the rateable value band of the shop. Some councils charge separately for optional pre-application advice.