Guide summary

Use GOV.UK Licence Finder before you start trading to find all licences, permits, and registrations your business needs. Operating without required licences is a criminal offence with penalties including unlimited fines, closure orders, or imprisonment. Most businesses need more than one licence.

Use GOV.UK Licence Finder to identify all licences you need
Check licences for alcohol, food, entertainment, transport, and waste
Apply at least 28 days before trading for food registration
Check fees vary by council (alcohol £100-£1,905, waste carrier £191 new)
Renew licences on time — some need annual renewal
Register your business with HMRC first, then apply for licences

Most businesses need at least one licence, permit, or registration to operate legally. The type of licences you need depends on your business activity, location, and industry sector.

Operating without required licences is a criminal offence with penalties including unlimited fines, closure orders, or imprisonment. The GOV.UK Licence Finder helps you identify exactly what you need based on what you do and where you operate.

Why licences matter

Business licences exist to:

Protect public safety: Food hygiene, alcohol licensing, taxi licences
Protect the environment: Waste carrier registration, environmental permits
Ensure professional standards: FCA authorisation (financial services), CQC registration (healthcare)
Regulate specific activities: Entertainment, gambling, late-night trading

Licences are separate from registering your business structure with Companies House or HMRC. You must first register your business, then apply for activity-specific licences before you start trading.

GOV.UK Licence Finder: find licences you need for your business

Overview of GOV.UK Licence Finder tool covering 30+ government departments and common business licensing requirements.

The GOV.UK Licence Finder helps you identify which licences, permits, and registrations your business needs based on your business activity and location. The tool covers requirements from over 30 government departments and local authorities.

Why use the Licence Finder: Licensing requirements vary by what you do, where you operate, and which industry sector you're in. Operating without required licences is a criminal offence with penalties including fines, closure orders, or imprisonment.

Common business licences covered

Alcohol premises licence: £100 to £1,905 depending on rateable value - Required to sell or supply alcohol from premises. Apply to local licensing authority.
Food business registration: FREE - Register with local authority at least 28 days before trading. Mandatory for all food businesses.
Late night refreshment licence: Included in premises licence - Required for hot food or drink sold between 11pm and 5am.
Waste carrier licence: £191.02 for new upper tier registration, £130.25 to renew every 3 years - Required if transporting business waste. Apply to Environment Agency.
Street trading licence: Varies by local authority - Required for selling goods on streets or in public places. Apply to local council.
Entertainment licence: Usually included in premises licence - Required for regulated entertainment such as live music, plays, films, or indoor sporting events.
Taxi and private hire licence: Varies by local authority - Both driver and vehicle licences required. Apply to local council.

How the Licence Finder works

Enter your business activity: Select what your business does from categories covering retail, food, entertainment, transport, professional services, and more.
Provide your location: Enter your postcode to identify local authority requirements and contact details.
Review results: The tool lists all licences you may need with application links, fees, and local authority contacts.
Apply for each licence: Follow links to online applications or local council contacts for each required licence.

Licence categories covered

The Licence Finder covers over 30 government departments and includes:

Premises and property: Alcohol licensing, late night refreshment, planning permission, building regulations, HMO licensing
Food and catering: Food business registration, food hygiene ratings, mobile food vendors
Transport: Taxi and private hire, goods vehicle operator licences, public service vehicles
Entertainment and events: Live music, theatre, cinema, outdoor events, temporary events notices
Retail and trading: Street trading, market stalls, Sunday trading, scrap metal dealing
Environmental: Waste carrier registration, environmental permits, water abstraction, discharge consents
Professional services: FCA authorisation (financial services), CQC registration (healthcare), Ofsted registration (childcare)
Sector-specific: Pet shops, animal boarding, dog breeding, tattooing, gambling, fireworks, firearms

Important notes

Multiple licences often must Most businesses need more than one licence. For example, a restaurant needs food business registration (free), premises licence for alcohol (£100-£1,905), and potentially late night refreshment permission.

Separate from business registration: Licences are separate from registering your business with Companies House or HMRC. Must register your business structure first, then apply for activity-specific licences.

Renewal requirements: Some licences require annual renewal (food hygiene, taxi licences), while others are permanent until varied or revoked (premises licences). Check renewal deadlines when you receive your licence.

Local authority variation: Fees, processing times, and specific requirements vary between local councils. Always check with your local licensing authority for exact requirements.

Find licences for your business activity and location (opens in a new tab)

Common licensing scenarios

Opening a restaurant or café

A typical food business needs:

Food business registration (FREE) - Register with local authority at least 28 days before trading
Premises licence for alcohol (£100-£1,905) - If selling alcoholic drinks
Late night refreshment licence - If selling hot food/drink between 11pm-5am (usually included in premises licence)
Music/entertainment licence - If providing live music or other regulated entertainment (usually included in premises licence)

Starting a construction business

Construction businesses typically need:

Waste carrier licence (£191.02 new registration; £130.25 renewal every 3 years) - Required to transport construction waste
Environmental permits - For certain waste operations or emissions
Skip licence - If placing skip bins on public roads (apply to local council)

Selling goods online or at markets

Retail businesses may need:

Street trading licence - For market stalls, mobile vendors, or selling from public spaces (fees vary by council)
Food business registration (FREE) - If selling any food products
Product-specific licences - Pet shops, fireworks, knives, alcohol all require specific licences

Requirement · Food, Drink & Hospitality

Alcohol and entertainment licensing for hospitality businesses

If you run a pub, bar, restaurant, or venue serving alcohol or providing entertainment, you'll need a premises licence from your local licensing authority.

What the premises licence covers

Sale of alcohol - For consumption on or off the premises
Regulated entertainment - Live music, recorded music, plays, films, indoor sporting events, dancing
Late night refreshment - Hot food or drink sold between 11pm and 5am

Application requirements

Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS): You must nominate someone with a personal licence to supervise alcohol sales
Operating schedule: Describe your activities, opening hours, and how you'll promote the four licensing objectives (crime prevention, public safety, public nuisance prevention, child protection)
Consultation period: 28-day public consultation - local residents and responsible authorities can make representations
Licensing Sub-Committee hearing: If objections are raised, you may need to attend a hearing

Fees (based on rateable value)

Band A (£0 to £4,300): £100
Band B (£4,301 to £33,000): £190
Band C (£33,001 to £87,000): £315
Band D (£87,001 to £125,000): £450
Band E (£125,001 and above): £635 (or £1,905 for alcohol-primary premises with multiplier)

Annual maintenance fee

Once granted, you pay an annual fee (proportionate to the application fee) to maintain your licence. Fees are due on the anniversary of when your licence was granted.

Personal licence

The Designated Premises Supervisor must hold a personal licence, which requires:

Accredited licensing qualification (e.g., BIIAB Level 2 Award in Personal Licence Holders)
Personal licence application to local licensing authority (£37 fee)
Criminal record check

Personal licences are valid indefinitely (no expiry or renewal required since April 2015 under the Deregulation Act in England and Wales) and are portable between premises. In Scotland, personal licences remain valid for 10 years and require renewal with mandatory 5-year refresher training.

Applies to: All businesses selling alcohol, providing regulated entertainment, or offering late night refreshment (hot food/drink 11pm-5am). This includes pubs, bars, restaurants, cafés, nightclubs, theatres, cinemas, and takeaways.

Enforcement:

Enforced by:

Local Licensing Authority (usually the district or borough council)
Police (for crime and disorder issues)
Environmental Health (for public nuisance)

Operating without a licence is a criminal offence with penalties including unlimited fines and imprisonment up to 6 months. Licences can be reviewed and revoked if licensing objectives are breached.

Apply for a premises licence (GOV.UK)

Requirement · Retail & Consumer Goods

Food business registration - mandatory and FREE

If you prepare, handle, or sell food - even occasionally or from home - you must register with your local authority's environmental health department at least 28 days before trading.

Who must register

Registration is required for:

Restaurants, cafés, takeaways, sandwich shops
Food manufacturers and processors
Mobile food vendors (street food, ice cream vans, burger vans)
Bakeries, butchers, fishmongers, greengrocers
Home-based food businesses
Market stalls selling food
Online food sellers
Businesses providing food at events or festivals

Registration is FREE and straightforward. You only need to register once, but must notify your local authority if you move premises or make significant changes to your food operations.

How to register

Find your local authority: Use GOV.UK to find your local council's environmental health department
Complete registration form: Provide business details, food activities, and premises information
Submit at least 28 days before trading: Late registration can result in enforcement action
Receive confirmation: Your local authority will confirm registration and may schedule an inspection

Food hygiene inspection

After registration, your local authority will conduct a food hygiene inspection and assign a Food Hygiene Rating (0-5 stars). In England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, you must display this rating if you operate in Wales. In England and Northern Ireland, display is voluntary but recommended.

Ongoing compliance

Follow food safety regulations: Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), temperature controls, allergen labeling
Food handler training: All staff handling food should complete Level 2 Food Safety training
Re-inspection: Frequency depends on your risk rating (every 6 months for high-risk premises, every 2 years for low-risk)

Penalties for non-registration: Unlimited fines, closure orders, and imprisonment in serious cases.

Applies to: All businesses involved in preparing, handling, storing, or selling food - regardless of size or frequency. This includes home-based businesses, occasional traders, and permanent premises.

Enforcement:

Enforced by:

Local Authority Environmental Health
Food Standards Agency (FSA) provides national oversight and guidance

Penalties for operating without registration include unlimited fines, emergency prohibition orders, and imprisonment up to 2 years for serious breaches.

Environmental and waste licences

Environmental licences protect the environment and ensure responsible waste handling. Common requirements include:

Waste carrier registration

You need a waste carrier licence if you transport business, commercial, or construction waste - including your own waste from your own business.

Upper tier registration: £191.02 new registration; £130.25 renewal every 3 years - required for businesses transporting waste as part of their business (builders, waste removal companies)
Lower tier registration: FREE - only for charities and voluntary organisations transporting their own waste

When you need it: If you remove waste from a customer's premises (builders, landscapers, clearance companies) or transport waste as a service. This applies even if you're only moving waste to the local tip.

Exemption: You don't need registration if you only carry your own waste from your own business activities and it's not waste removal or transport as your main business (e.g., an office taking its waste to the recycling centre).

Environmental permits

Environmental permits regulate activities that could harm the environment. You may need a permit for:

Waste operations: Storing, treating, or disposing of waste beyond exempt quantities
Emissions to air: Industrial processes, combustion plants, solvent use
Discharges to water: Trade effluent, surface water drainage from commercial sites
Groundwater activities: Discharges that could affect groundwater quality

Fees vary significantly: Part B local authority permits from £1,650 for standard activities. Environment Agency installation permits range from £10,000-£30,000+ depending on complexity. Apply to the Environment Agency (England), Natural Resources Wales, or the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Use GOV.UK Licence Finder

Enter your business activity and location to identify all required licences. The tool covers over 30 government departments and local authorities.
Register before you trade

Apply for licences BEFORE you start operating. Food businesses must register at least 28 days in advance. Premises licences can take 2-3 months.
Budget for licence fees

Licence costs range from FREE (food registration) to £1,905+ (large alcohol premises). Factor these into your business plan.
Note renewal dates

Many licences require annual renewal (waste carrier every 3 years, premises licence annual fee). Missing renewals can invalidate your licence.
Check local authority requirements

Licensing fees and specific requirements vary between councils. Always confirm details with your local licensing authority.
Consider multiple licences

Most businesses need more than one licence. A hospitality venue might need food registration, premises licence, entertainment licence, waste carrier registration, and music licence.

Penalties for operating without a licence

Operating without required licences is a criminal offence. Enforcement is taken seriously by local authorities and regulatory bodies.

Potential penalties

Unlimited fines: Courts can impose unlimited fines for serious licensing breaches
Imprisonment: Up to 6 months (summary conviction) or 2 years (indictment) for serious offences
Closure orders: Immediate closure of premises until compliance achieved
Prohibition notices: Ban on trading until issues resolved
Product seizure: Removal of goods or equipment involved in unlicensed activities
Criminal record: Conviction creates criminal record affecting future business activities

Enforcement powers

Local authorities and regulatory bodies can:

Conduct unannounced inspections
Enter premises without notice
Seize goods and documents
Issue fixed penalty notices
Prosecute in magistrates' court or Crown Court
Apply for closure orders

Unlicensed alcohol sales: Unlimited fine and/or up to 6 months imprisonment (summary), or up to 2 years (indictment). Premises closure possible.
Operating without food registration: Unlimited fine and/or up to 2 years imprisonment in serious cases. Emergency prohibition orders for imminent health risk.
Unlicensed waste carrier: Unlimited fine and/or up to 2 years imprisonment. Vehicle and waste seizure. £300 fixed penalty notice for minor breaches.
Operating without entertainment licence: Unlimited fine. Premises closure possible. Licence application refusal more likely after conviction.
Unlicensed street trading: Fine up to £1,000. Seizure of goods and equipment. Potential prosecution for repeat offences.

Legal basis

Primary legislation and key regulations

Licensing Act 2003 Primary 2003 · UK-wide Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 SI 2016 · England & Wales

Browse UK legislation legislation.gov.uk

Official guidance

Food Hygiene Ratings in Wales (GOV.WALES) (opens in a new tab)

www.gov.wales

Business licences in Scotland (mygov.scot) (opens in a new tab)

www.mygov.scot

GOV.UK

Apply for a premises licence (GOV.UK) (opens in a new tab)

Home Office

nibusinessinfo.co.uk (opens in a new tab)

Find licences you need for your business

Why licences matter

Common licensing scenarios

Opening a restaurant or café

Starting a construction business

Selling goods online or at markets

Environmental and waste licences

Waste carrier registration

Environmental permits

Use GOV.UK Licence Finder

Register before you trade

Budget for licence fees

Note renewal dates

Check local authority requirements

Consider multiple licences

Penalties for operating without a licence

Potential penalties

Enforcement powers

Legal basis

Official guidance

Related guides in Compliance & Legal

Business licences by activity type

Approvals and registrations you need before trading

Host weddings and events on your farm

Late Night Levy for licensed premises

Managing noise from hospitality premises