Pub Legal Records You Must Keep in 2026

Last updated: 2 May 2026

Most pub licensees only learn which records they legally need to keep after they’ve been asked for them — usually by an inspector or auditor who’s already in the building. The problem is that by then, if you haven’t been keeping proper records, it’s too late to start. This isn’t just about avoiding fines, either. Poor record-keeping directly affects your ability to prove you’re compliant with licensing laws, pass health and safety inspections, manage payroll correctly, and defend yourself if a dispute arises with your pubco or a customer. I’ve walked through an NSF audit myself — passed in March 2026 — and I can tell you that the pubs that sail through are the ones with systems in place from day one, not the ones scrambling to find paperwork three months in. This guide covers exactly which pub legal records UK law requires you to keep, how long you must hold onto them, and why each one matters to your business and your licence.

Licensing and Premises Records

Your premises licence is the document that proves you can legally operate a pub. You must keep a physical or digital copy of your current licence at your premises and be able to produce it during any inspection — police, local authority, or trading standards. This isn’t optional. If you can’t produce it, the council can take enforcement action or, in extreme cases, suspend your licence.

Beyond the licence itself, you need to keep records of:

• Your personal licence holder’s name, reference number, and issuing authority
• Any variations you’ve applied for (including dates submitted and decisions made)
• Copies of any licensing correspondence with the local authority
• Records of designated premises supervisor (DPS) details if applicable
• Notices of any suspension, review, or enforcement action
• Any conditions imposed on your licence

If you’re operating under a tied agreement with a pubco like Marston’s CRP, you should also keep copies of your tenancy agreement, any amendments, and correspondence with your business development manager. I’ve found this invaluable during discussions about investment, changes to operations, or disputes over terms. Your pubco legally needs to make certain information available to you — keep records of what you’ve requested and when you received it.

Why this matters: Licensing inspections can happen with little or no notice. Trading without being able to produce your licence, or breaching licence conditions through poor record-keeping, can cost you thousands in fines or, worse, your licence itself.

Health and Safety Documentation

The most common failure point I’ve seen in pub audits is incomplete or missing health and safety records — yet this is the area where proper documentation protects you most.

You must keep:

• Risk assessments — a documented assessment of hazards in your pub (electrical, slips/trips, manual handling, fire, etc.). This must be reviewed regularly and updated whenever circumstances change
• Fire safety records — fire risk assessment, evacuation procedures, staff training logs, fire equipment servicing certificates, and emergency escape route checks. For a detailed guide on this, refer to our pub fire risk assessment UK 2026 guide
• Accident and incident logs — record of any injury, near-miss, or incident involving staff, customers, or contractors
• COSHH assessments — if you use hazardous chemicals (cleaning products, pest control), document how they’re stored and handled safely
• Manual handling records — if staff move heavy barrels, kegs, or deliveries, document how you manage this safely
• Electrical and gas safety certificates — proof of annual electrical testing (PAT) and annual gas safety checks
• Equipment maintenance logs — records of servicing for your heating system, extractor fans, refrigeration, and other equipment

I passed my 5-star EHO (Environmental Health Officer) rating partly because I kept structured, dated health and safety records that showed I was actively managing risks — not just reacting to problems. During the inspection, the officer asked to see my risk assessment, and I had it available in seconds. That level of organisation signals compliance.

Food safety records are equally critical. If you serve food, you must keep:

• Your food safety training certificates (HACCP or equivalent)
• Temperature logs for fridges and freezers
• Cleaning schedules and checklists with signatures
• Supplier documentation (delivery notes, certificates of origin for high-risk foods)
• Any test results from food testing laboratories
• Records of any customer complaints related to food

All health and safety records should be retained for at least three years, and in some cases (such as serious injuries) indefinitely.

Financial and Tax Records

This is where most pub licensees underestimate the volume of documentation required. HMRC doesn’t just want your tax return — they want proof of every transaction that informs it.

You must keep:

• VAT records — every invoice, receipt, and sales record. HMRC requires this for six years. If you’re VAT-registered, your till system must produce auditable records of all transactions
• Bank statements and transaction records — proof of all money in and out of your business account. Six-year retention
• Invoices from suppliers — every invoice for stock, utilities, rent, maintenance, equipment. HMRC can ask to see these. Six years
• Expense receipts — if you claim business expenses (equipment, repairs, professional fees), keep the receipts. Six years
• Payroll records — this sits in both financial and employment categories. See below for detail
• Weekly or daily takings records — if you use a till system, keep the till rolls or digital records. At minimum, keep pub daily sales log templates as backup
• Petty cash records — if you operate a petty cash box, log every withdrawal and receipt

Using your pub profit margin calculator or Pub Command Centre helps you organise this information, but the underlying documents must still exist. I’ve seen pubs get caught out because they relied on a till system that couldn’t produce audit trails — when they needed proof for HMRC, they had nothing.

Important for tied pubs: Your pubco may collect rent, manage some invoices, or deduct costs from your account. You still need copies of all these documents for your own tax compliance and to verify what you’re being charged.

Employment and Payroll Records

Employment law requires you to keep comprehensive staff records. This protects both you and your employees.

You must retain:

• Employment contracts — signed contract with each employee outlining hours, pay, terms, and conditions. Keep indefinitely (or at least three years after they leave)
• Payroll records — proof of every wage payment, tax deduction, and National Insurance contribution. Three years minimum, but HMRC can ask for up to six years
• Right to work documentation — proof that you’ve checked each employee’s right to work in the UK (passport copy, visa, etc.). Three years after employment ends
• Staff training records — this includes licensing law training (Challenge 25, age verification), health and safety induction, food safety training, and any other mandatory training. Keep for three years
• Holiday and absence records — log of annual leave taken, sick leave, compassionate leave. Three years
• Timesheets or rota records — proof of hours worked, breaks taken, and rest days given. Three years. Check our guide on pub staff rota legal requirements for specific legal minimums
• Discipline and grievance records — if you’ve had to manage performance issues, verbal warnings, or formal investigations, document them all with dates and outcomes. Three years after any action concludes
• References provided to third parties — if you provide a reference for an ex-employee, keep a copy of what you said. Three years

This documentation becomes critical if an employee brings a claim against you — for unfair dismissal, discrimination, unpaid wages, or health and safety failures. Without contemporaneous records (notes made at the time, not afterwards), you’re at a disadvantage.

I keep staff records digitally and in paper form. It takes minutes to set up, and it’s saved me time during both internal queries and external audits. The NSF audit in March 2026 included spot checks on staff training records — having them organised meant that part took 10 minutes instead of an hour of searching.

Alcohol and Stock Records

Licensees often assume that because they have a till system, they don’t need separate stock records — this is a dangerous assumption. Your till tells you what sold, but it doesn’t verify stock accuracy or prove you’re complying with your licensing conditions.

You must keep:

• Stock take records — a regular (usually weekly) count of all alcohol, showing opening stock, purchases, sales, and closing stock. This verifies your till data and identifies shrinkage or theft. Use a pub stock take template to standardise this
• Supplier delivery notes — proof of what alcohol was delivered, by whom, and when. Cross-check against your invoices
• Spoilage or damage records — if you have to dispose of stock (broken bottles, expired products), document what was lost and why
• Cellar temperature logs — proof that you’re storing alcohol at correct temperature. Keep a cellar temperature log template and use it daily
• Beer line cleaning records — proof of how often lines are cleaned. Reference our beer line cleaning frequency guide for compliance standards
• Opening hours and sales records by type — if your licence restricts when you can sell alcohol, keep records proving you comply

These records are particularly important if:

• You’re challenged by a pubco about shrinkage or wastage
• You need to claim stock losses for insurance purposes
• A licensing authority questions your compliance with licence conditions
• You’re looking to reduce waste and understand your true cost of goods sold

I review my stock records monthly as part of my pub weekly accounts routine. It takes 30 minutes and gives me early warning if shrinkage is creeping up — usually a sign of either theft, over-pouring, or a fault with the till.

How Long You Must Keep Each Record

Retention periods vary by record type, and keeping records longer than required creates unnecessary clutter — but not keeping them long enough exposes you to serious liability. Here’s the summary:

• VAT records, invoices, bank statements: Six years (HMRC requirement)
• Payroll, tax records: Six years (HMRC requirement); three years minimum for employment law
• Employment contracts, training records, staff documentation: Three years after employment ends
• Health and safety documentation (risk assessments, accident logs, inspection records): Three years minimum; indefinitely for serious injuries
• Food safety records: Three years (though some councils recommend keeping indefinitely)
• Stock and cellar records: Three years (for audit and tax purposes)
• Licensing documentation (licence, variation applications, correspondence): Keep for the duration of your licence, plus three years after you leave the premises
• Insurance documentation: Keep for the duration of the policy, plus six years after expiry

A simple rule: if you’re unsure, keep it for six years. Digital storage costs virtually nothing, and you’ll have the document if you ever need it.

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