Important Update: Institute of Licensing Membership Structure for 2026

An important update to the Institute of Licensing membership structure for 2026.

The refreshed organisational membership structure, introduces a clearer and more consistent membership framework, designed to better support organisations across the UK.

The structure continues to be based on the number of linked members within an organisation, as it has been previously. What has changed are the membership categories, which have been updated to better reflect the range of organisations and personal members within our community. This helps ensure the structure works fairly for both organisational and personal members, while allowing us to continue providing the training, resources, events and professional development opportunities that support you and the wider licensing profession.

You may notice that the total subscriptions displayed in the membership portal is higher than previous years. One reason for this is that membership subscriptions now include VAT, which was not previously applied in the same way.

However, the Institute of Licensing is approved by HMRC for professional tax relief. This means that many members may be eligible to claim tax relief on their membership subscription.

You can find further information and check eligibility on the HMRC website.

We recognise that membership is an important investment for both individuals and organisations. Our aim with the new structure is to create a clearer, more consistent model that supports the long term development of the licensing profession and the services we provide to members.

If you have any questions about the updated structure or your organisation’s membership category, please do get in touch and our team will be happy to help.

Thank you for being part of the Institute of Licensing community and for the vital work you do in licensing across the UK.