Licences and permits

Abstract water (England)

If you abstract water or plan to, you may need to apply for an abstraction licence.

Environment Agency · England

Any trade

Alter a wall, fence or drain at the side of a road (Northern Ireland)

You must have consent to alter a wall, fence or drain at the side of a road in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Executive · Northern Ireland

Building and construction

Authorisation to mix special waste (Scotland)

To dispose of, carry, or receive special waste in Scotland, you must comply with the regulations as detailed below.

Scottish Government · Scotland

Building and construction · Environment: management and waste

Authorisations to impound water (Scotland)

You must apply for an authorisation from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to build a dam or weir in Scotland.

Scottish Government · Scotland

Any trade

Carry out excavations near a road (Northern Ireland)

You must have permission to carry out excavations near a road in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Executive · Northern Ireland

Building and construction

Certificate of design or construction (Scotland)

You need approval to issue certificates of design or construction in Scotland

Scottish Government · Scotland

Building and construction

Consent to carry out excavations in or break up the surface of a road (Northern Ireland)

Excavate in or break up the surface of a road (Northern Ireland)

Northern Ireland Executive · Northern Ireland

Building and construction · Energy, gas and electricity

Construct a bridge over a road (Northern Ireland)

You need a licence to construct a bridge over a road in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Executive · Northern Ireland

Building and construction

Construct cellars, vaults, arches or parts of a building under a road (Northern Ireland)

Get permission to construct a cellar, vault, arch or part of a building under a road in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Executive · Northern Ireland

Building and construction

Construction project notification (Northern Ireland)

You may need to notify HSENI if you are a contractor planning a construction project

Northern Ireland Executive · Northern Ireland

Building and construction

Cooling tower notification

Cooling tower notification for commercial site owners

Your council · England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Building and construction · Chemicals and petroleum · Property and real estate +1 more

Erect scaffolding or hoardings on a road (Northern Ireland)

You need consent to erect scaffolding, hoardings, etc. on a road in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Executive · Northern Ireland

Building and construction

Fix or place rails, beams, cables, arches or other items over a road (Northern Ireland)

You need permission fix or place rails, beams, cables, arches or other eitems over a road in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Executive · Northern Ireland

Building and construction

Flood risk activities (England)

You may need an environmental permit to do work in or by a main river, flood defence structure or sea defence, or in a …

Environment Agency · England

Any trade

Goods vehicle operator licences

You need a goods vehicle operator’s licence if your business uses a goods vehicle with either a gross plated weight (the maximum weight that …

Traffic Commissioners · England, Wales and Scotland

Any trade

Greenfield soil declaration (Northern Ireland)

You must submit a completed Greenfield Soil Declaration Form to the Northern Ireland Environment Agency If you move clean, greenfield soil within Northern Ireland …

Your council · Northern Ireland

Building and construction · Environment conservation and wildlife · Environment: management and waste

Impound water (England)

If you impound water, or plan to, you may need to apply for an impounding licence.

Environment Agency · England

Any trade

Left-hand drive stretched limousines PSV licence (Northern Ireland)

You need a licence to operate a left-hand drive (LHD) stretched limousine public service vehicle in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Executive · Northern Ireland

Building and construction

Licence to construct or alter a building over a road (Northern Ireland)

You need a licence to construct or alter a building over a road in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Executive · Northern Ireland

Building and construction

Licence to place festive lighting on roads (Northern Ireland)

You need a licence to place festive lighting on, above or over a road in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Executive · Northern Ireland

Building and construction

Licence to work with asbestos (England, Wales & Scotland)

You need a licence to work with asbestos in England, Wales and Scotland

UK Government · England, Wales and Scotland

Building and construction · Chemicals and petroleum · Cleaning +1 more

New Marina Application (England, Scotland & Wales)

Building a new marina in waters owned or managed by British Waterways

DEFRA · England, Wales and Scotland

Building and construction · Property and real estate

On-construction DEA accreditation (Northern Ireland)

You must be a member of an accreditation scheme to operate as an on-construction domestic energy assessor in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Executive · Northern Ireland

Building and construction · Energy, gas and electricity · Property and real estate

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 use street or pavement space for displays (Scotland)

You must get written permission to put advertising signs or displays on the road or pavement in Scotland - fines, penalties

Your council · Scotland

Any trade

Place a traditional arch over a road (Northern Ireland)

You must have consent to place a traditional arch over a road in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Executive · Northern Ireland

Building and construction

Provision of a milk tanker facility on or near a road (Northern Ireland)

You need permission for works to provide a milk tanker facility on or near a road in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Executive · Northern Ireland

Building and construction

Register as an architect

Register with the Architects Registration Board before working as an architect in the UK - temporary register, fines, penalties, qualifications

MHCLG · England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Building and construction · Property and real estate

Road occupation licence (Scotland)

You must get a road occupation licence from the council to occupy any part of the road in connection with building work in Scotland …

Your council · Scotland

Building and construction · Energy, gas and electricity

Road occupation licence for building work (England and Wales)

You must get a licence from the council to dig up the road, or temporarily occupy it in connection with building work - fines, …

DfT · England and Wales

Building and construction · Energy, gas and electricity

Road Opening Permit (Scotland)

You need a valid road opening permit to excavate under any public road, footway or footpath in Scotland

Your council · Scotland

Building and construction · Energy, gas and electricity

Scaffolding and hoarding licence (England and Wales)

You need a licence from the local authority to put up scaffolding or hoarding on a public highway in the UK.

Your council · England and Wales

Building and construction

Skip operator licence

Get a skip permit for your skip hire company - skip hire licence, local authority, highway act

Your council · England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Building and construction · Environment: management and waste

Street works licence (England, Scotland and Wales)

You need a licence to place apparatus on a street or road in England, Wales and Scotland

Your council · England, Wales and Scotland

Building and construction

Using, treating, storing and disposing of waste (England)

You may need an environmental permit if your business uses, recycles, treats, stores or disposes of waste or mining waste.

Environment Agency · England

Any trade

Waste management authorisations (Scotland)

You need an authorisation from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to treat, keep, or dispose of waste in Scotland.

Scottish Government · Scotland

Building and construction · Cleaning · Environment: management and waste

Waste management licence (Northern Ireland)

You need a licence to deposit, keep, treat or dispose of waste in Northern Ireland

Your council · Northern Ireland

Building and construction · Cleaning · Environment: management and waste

Working with fluorinated gas (F gas)

You must have your own qualifications to work on equipment containing F gas, even if you work for someone else.

Environment Agency · England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Any trade