Tag: Autumn 2025 Newsletter

Renewing your AALA licence: the implications of being late

Renewing your AALA licence: the implications of being late

Applications for renewal should be received by the AALA not less than 3 months and not more than 6 months before the expiry of the current licence. 

Ensuring an application has been accepted on time (during this period) means the licence will remain in force until such time as a decision is made. 

Not having an application accepted within this window means the applicant risks: 

  • Being unlicensed and therefore unable to legally provide activities for which a licence is required 
  • Not being awarded an ‘additional’ year duration – if it expires during the review period 
  • Returning to a 1-year duration (or less) – if it expires before a renewal application is accepted 

In a recent example a provider who would have received a 3-year licence, had the application been made in good time, has been issued a licence with an 11-month duration.

There are 7 steps to renewing your licence which are set out here, together with some tips for helping things to go smoothly.

Recent revocation of AALA licences

Compliance with licence conditions

Only providers who meet and continue to meet the required safety standards are permitted to hold an AALA licence. Non‑compliance is treated seriously.

AALA revoked three licences in summer 2025. While the circumstances differed, each case involved a failure to comply with the conditions attached to the licence. All licences are issued with specific conditions, as set out in Regulation 9 of the Adventure Activities Licensing Regulations 2004 (AALR). These conditions appear on pages 2 and 3 of every licence.

Maintaining safety management arrangements

Licence conditions require providers to maintain suitable and sufficient arrangements for managing safety. In particular, licence holders must ensure:

• Effective implementation, control, monitoring and review of risk‑management measures
• Appointment of sufficient, competent instructors
• Provision of clear safety information
• Provision, maintenance and appropriate storage of suitable equipment
• Providing first aid and dealing with emergencies. 
• Appointment of a competent person to advise on safety

It is essential that safety management remains in the hands of competent individuals. These may be internal or external, but they must have the competence and authority to ensure that control measures are implemented, monitored and reviewed throughout the duration of the licence. In practice, this means maintaining the safety management arrangements under which the licence was originally granted. This does not require the same people, processes or equipment—but it does require that the organisation continues to operate to the same standard of safety.

Non‑compliance and licence revocation

If AALA considers that licence conditions are not being met, it may vary or revoke the licence. A variation may restrict or reduce the activities permitted. A revocation means the provider is no longer licensed and cannot offer licensable activities unless they successfully apply for a new licence. Any variation or revocation is reflected on AALA’s public register. Under the recent policy change on licence durations, a provider that has had a licence revoked and subsequently reapplies will only be eligible for a one‑year licence.

Providing licensable activities while non‑compliant with licence conditions is an offence under the AALR 2004 and, in most cases, also under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. These offences can result in fines and/or imprisonment. Enforcement lies with HSE and local authorities, and AALA will notify them of any potential breach.

Reminder to licence holders

Providers are strongly encouraged to review the conditions on their licence document and ensure they continue to comply with the arrangements under which the licence was granted.

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