UK Act of Parliament
1965
United Kingdom
Nuclear Installations Act 1965
At a glance
Enforced by
What's here
18 compliance obligations, 2 practical guides
Penalty landscape
3 of 18 obligations carry an unlimited fine. 5 carry different penalties and 10 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.
Who this Act binds
Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.
- Any Person 9
- Licence Holder 2
- Operator 1
- Director or Officer 1
Plus 5 non-business duties on Crown ministers, regulators, local authorities or tribunals — shown collapsed under each section below.
Relevant guidance
Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.
Direct — cites this Act
1 guidesSupporting — topic alignment
1 guidesOther Acts binding the same actors
For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.
Any Person also bound by 749 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Human Medicines Regulations 2012 2012 110 duties
- Licensing Act 2003 2003 105 duties
- Merchant Shipping Act 1995 1995 97 duties
- Road Traffic Act 1988 1988 95 duties
- Air Navigation Order 2016 2016 86 duties
Licence Holders also bound by 50 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Space Industry Regulations 2021 2021 50 duties
- Human Medicines Regulations 2012 2012 11 duties
- Value Added Tax Regulations 1995 1995 7 duties
- Air Navigation Order 2016 2016 5 duties
- Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 2018 5 duties
Operators also bound by 125 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Space Industry Regulations 2021 2021 71 duties
- Payment Services Regulations 2017 2017 41 duties
- Air Navigation Order 2016 2016 34 duties
- The Quarries Regulations 1999 1999 31 duties
- Reservoirs Act (Northern Ireland) 2015 2015 22 duties
Directors and Officers also bound by 224 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016 2016 75 duties
- Companies Act 2006 2006 63 duties
- Insolvency Act 1986 1986 46 duties
- CCBSA 2014 2014 22 duties
- CAICEA 2004 2004 18 duties
What this Act requires
Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.
Part 1
No sections of this Part have been ingested yet.
Part 2
Attachment of conditions to licences
5 years imprisonment- Breach of nuclear site licence conditions Any Person
Revocation and surrender of licences
2 years imprisonment- Breach of directions following licence cancellation or surrender Any Person
Maintenance of list of licensed sites and relevant disposal sites
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Government must maintain and publish a list of licensed nuclear sites Crown / Minister / Government department
Browse 1 other section in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Part 3
Duty of licensee of licensed site.
Unlimited fine- Prevent injury, property damage, or environmental harm from nuclear matter Licence Holder
Duty of Authority.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Nuclear Authority must meet nuclear site safety duties for its premises Statutory regulator
Duty of Crown in respect of certain sites.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Government departments must meet nuclear safety and liability standards Crown / Minister / Government department
Duty of certain foreign operators.
- Foreign nuclear operators must prevent radiation damage and environmental harm Operator
Duty of persons causing nuclear matter to be carried.
Unlimited fine- Prevent injury and damage when transporting nuclear matter Any Person
Browse 4 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Occurrences not on a licensed site
Duties in respect of relevant disposal sites
Excluded disposal sites
Excluded disposal sites: acceptance of disqualifying matter
Part 4
Damage to property and measures of reinstatement
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Courts must adjust property damage claims for environmental restoration benefit Tribunal / Court
Browse 3 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Part 5
Notice to the Secretary of State of proceedings
- Notify the Secretary of State if you start legal proceedings Any Person
Browse 11 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Time for bringing claims under ss. 7 to 11.
Satisfaction of claims by virtue of ss. 7 to 10.
Section 16: supplementary
Section 16: CSC-related definitions
Section 16: phasing of increases in liability
Jurisdiction of courts in the United Kingdom
Jurisdiction, shared liability and foreign judgments.
Right of the Secretary of State to intervene
Right of a foreign government to intervene
Proceedings conducted by foreign governments
Powers of Secretary of State in relation to foreign claims
Part 6
Cover for licensee’s or operator’s liability.
2 years imprisonment- Failure to maintain financial insurance for nuclear liability Any Person
Furnishing of information relating to licensee’s or operator’s cover.
- Notify the regulator if nuclear insurance claims reach 60% of the limit Licence Holder
Statement on arrangements
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State must report to Parliament on nuclear insurance arrangements Crown / Minister / Government department
Supplementary provisions with respect to cover for compensation in respect of carriage.
Fine up to £1,000- Failure to provide nuclear insurance/guarantor documents during transport Any Person
Browse 2 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
General cover for compensation by virtue of ss. 7 to 10.
Power to make arrangements with respect to licensee’s or operator’s cover
Part 7
Reporting of and inquiries into dangerous occurrences
2 years imprisonment- Fail to report a dangerous nuclear occurrence without delay Any Person
Recovery of expenses by Health and Safety Executive ONR
- Repay ONR expenses related to nuclear site licence applications and research Any Person
Offences—general.
- Company and officer liability for nuclear offences Director or Officer
Browse 9 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Registration in connection with certain occurrences and events.
Orders.
Amounts in euros
Special drawing rights
Interpretation.
Northern Ireland.
Channel Islands. Isle of Man, etc.
Repeals and savings.
Short title and commencement.
Schedules
Security Provisions Applicable by Order under S.2
Unlimited fine- Comply with security directions and restrict site access Any Person
Browse 2 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
Inquiries under section 22(10) relating to occurrences in Northern Ireland
Measures of reinstatement outside the United Kingdom
Other sections — not classified into a Part
These sections exist in the Act but the contents-of-Parts walker did not place them under a Part. Likely amendments or sections inserted out of the original Part structure.
Browse 9 other unclassified sections
Cost of measures of reinstatement
Approval of measures of reinstatement
Representations
Appeals against decisions
Measures of reinstatement in the United Kingdom: claims under relevant foreign law
Measures of reinstatement outside the United Kingdom: claims under this Act
Loss of income derived from the environment
Cost of preventive measures
s.24
Official guidance
Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.
- Office for Nuclear Regulation: nuclear site licensing (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- HSE: COMAH (Control of Major Accident Hazards) (opens in a new tab) from HSE Detailed Guidance
- HSE: foundries and metals industries (opens in a new tab) from HSE Detailed Guidance
- Environmental permit guidance by sector (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
Enforcement and responsible bodies
The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.
Office for Nuclear Regulation
Independent regulator for nuclear safety and security. Issues nuclear site licences. Regulates nuclear installations, transport, and safeguards.
Explore more
Browse legislation
Find other UK business legislation with related guidance.
Regulators
Learn more about the bodies that enforce this legislation.