The Licensing (Form of Licence) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997 (‘current regulations') prescribe the form of licence (which is effectively a booklet), which is issued by a court, and authorises the retail sale of alcoholic drinks under the Licensing (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 (the 1996 Order’).

The Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2021 (‘the 2021 Act’) made a number of changes to the 1996 Order, some of which relate to information which is legally required to be included in a liquor licence which has been granted by a court.

These regulations amend the current regulations to take account of the changes required to the existing form of licence, as a result of provisions within the 2021 Act.
The regulations do the following-

• Allow for a reference to an authorisation permitting further later opening for public houses and hotels, until 2.00am on 104 days in any year, except Christmas Day.
• Add a reference to the premises of a local producer of alcoholic drinks which is now included in the categories of premises which may be granted a liquor licence and will be authorised for the retail sale of alcoholic drinks for consumption off the premises.
• Add a further reference to an order which has been granted to a certain part of a local producer's premises stating it as being suitable for the sale of alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The reference includes details of the permitted hours for consumption on the premises, limited to between 4pm and 10pm, on 104 occasions in any year.
• Add a reference to an underage function which is authorised to take place in specified licensed premises when a certain part of the premises which has been deemed suitable to hold an underage function and certain conditions have been met. The reference includes details in relation to the time under 18s are permitted to attend a function, up to 1.30am, and to remain on the premises, up to 1.30am following the function.
• Remove references relating to provisions in the 2021 Act which removed additional restrictions on Good Friday, Easter Day and made Easter weekend permitted hours the same as any other weekend throughout the year.
• Remove reference to late night permitted hours on a Sunday, making closing time on a Sunday night the same as any other night.