Business licence assessment

Work and handover

We map the business model, premises and regulated activities, identify relevant authorities and distinguish pre-establishment from operating permissions. The output records unresolved applicability questions and the evidence needed to answer them.

Prepare a separate row for each premises and activity, identifying the operator, opening stage and proposed changes. Include ancillary work such as storage, servicing or food preparation where present. The matrix should distinguish confirmed requirements from questions still needing local verification, with the authority and evidence source recorded for follow-up.

Location-specific evidence

• Activity description
• site list
• entity details
• products
• workforce
• equipment
• planned opening date.

Use the actual site address and premises description alongside the business activity statement. Retain available landlord documents, earlier permissions and correspondence, and identify any difference between the proposed use and the records supplied. A company registration or general business description should not replace the facts about what will happen at the location.

A point to resolve early

A showroom with a repair workshop may need a different assessment from a sales-only shop. Include the back-room activities in the description.

For the showroom example, describe the repair work, equipment, staff and storage arrangements separately from the customer sales area. Identify whether these activities are already operating or planned. That distinction allows the assessment to request the relevant premises and technical information rather than copying a checklist prepared for a retail-only outlet.

Scope and authority process

The assessment is not the grant of a licence. Applications and specialist technical reports are separately identified.

The written engagement identifies the location, authority, application stage and fees. Government charges and third-party costs are addressed separately; authority approval is not guaranteed.

The handover records the permission questions assessed, applications proposed, missing evidence and responsibilities for the next steps. Keep a filing acknowledgement distinct from an issued permission and record conditions attached to any decision received. If the location or activity changes, update the matrix before relying on the earlier assessment for the opening plan.