Licences and permits

The permissions a business needs before it can trade, each one tied to the law that creates it and to the body that issues it. We point at GOV.UK for fees and forms, and never copy them.

19 of 426 licences in Wales for Arts and recreation

Choose from all 48 activities

A

Adventure activities licence (England, Wales and Scotland)

Adventure activities licence, when you need it, what outdoor activities you need it for, caving, climbing, trekking, watersports, penalties for not having a licence

UK Government · England, Wales and Scotland

Arts and recreation · Sports

B

Busking licence (England and Wales)

You may need a busking licence or permit from the council before busking in that area. Find out the council's rules on busking and …

Your council · England and Wales · No national statute

Arts and recreation

C

Child work permit (England and Wales)

To employ a child in the UK, you may need to get a work permit from your local authority

Your council · England and Wales

Any trade

Club premises certificate

Apply for a club premises certificate through your council if you're a social, sporting or political members club and you want to do activities …

Your council · England, Wales and Scotland

Arts and recreation · Charity and community

D

Dive at protected wrecks licence (Wales)

You must have a licence in order to dive designated shipwreck sites.

Welsh Government · Wales

Arts and recreation · Environment conservation and wildlife

H

Hypnotism permit (England, Scotland and Wales)

You must hold a permit to stage a public performance of hypnotism for entertainment purposes in England, Wales and Scotland - learn how to …

Your council · England, Wales and Scotland

Arts and recreation · Events

L

Licence to use music on the radio

You need a licence to broadcast copyright music on the radio

DCMS · England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Arts and recreation

Licences to use music on television

You need a licence to use copyright music in TV programmes

DCMS · England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Arts and recreation · Media and broadcasting

Licences to use music online or on mobile technology

You may need a licence to use copyright music online or on mobiles

IPO · England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Arts and recreation · Media and broadcasting

N

Notification to process personal data

You must notify the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) if your organisation processes personal data in an automated form

UK Government · England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Any trade

P

Pavement or street display licence (England and Wales)

Get a licence to put an advertising sign on the road or pavement in England and Wales - restrictions, fines, penalties

Your council · England and Wales

Any trade

Permission to distribute leaflets (England and Wales)

You may need to get permission to distribute free printed material in certain areas controlled by the local council.

Your council · England and Wales

Any trade

Permission to place tables and chairs on the pavement

Get a licence to place furniture on the pavement in England and Wales - how to apply, restrictions, fines, penalties

Your council · England and Wales

Arts and recreation · Events · Hospitality, restaurants, bars and catering

Protected wreck site licence (Wales)

A protected wrecks licence allows you to dive, survey, dig, take away historical objects and anchor near a protected wreck in Wales

Welsh Government · Wales

Arts and recreation · Environment conservation and wildlife

S

Scheduled monument consent (Wales)

You must have consent to carry out any works to a scheduled monument.

Welsh Government · Wales

Any trade

Sex shop and cinema licence (England and Wales)

Contact your council for a sex establishment licence if you want to run a sex shop or adult cinema

Your council · England and Wales

Arts and recreation · Media and broadcasting

T

Temporary Events Notice (England and Wales)

You need a Temporary Event Notice if you want to carry out a 'licensable activity' on unlicensed premises in England or Wales

Your council · England and Wales

Any trade

TV Licence

You need a TV Licence to watch or record programmes on a TV, computer or other device as they're broadcast, and to watch on-demand …

DCMS · England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Any trade

U

Using a boat on inland waterways

You usually need to register your boat to use it on inland waterways, such as rivers and canals.

Environment Agency · England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Arts and recreation · Driving and motor vehicles · Environment: water +1 more

1 licence on this list has no national enabling statute behind it. The regime is council byelaws or a local Act, or a statute that reaches only part of the area, and those pages say so plainly rather than citing something that does not apply to you. We have not yet mapped an enabling instrument for 1 licence on this list. That is a gap in our graph, not a statement about the law, and those pages say so rather than guessing.

Checking approvals more broadly?

A licence is one of several things you may need before your first day of trading. The pre-trading quick check walks the registrations, insurances and approvals alongside it.

Run the pre-trading quick check

Not sure which of these apply to you?

Our guides on finding a licence and dealing with your local council walk through the questions that decide it.

Find a licence