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 for Driving and motor vehicles

Choose from all 48 activities

A

Approved driving instructor (ADI) (England, Scotland and Wales)

You must become an approved driving instructor (ADI) if you want to charge people for car driving lessons.

DVSA · England, Wales and Scotland

Driving and motor vehicles

B

Booking office licence (Scotland)

To take bookings for 4 or more taxis and/or private hire cars in Scotland, you need a booking office licence from your local authority

Scottish Government · Scotland

Driving and motor vehicles · Transport and logistics, including aviation

C

Carrying abnormal loads by road notification (Northern Ireland)

You must notify Roads Service to transport an abnormal load by road in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Executive · Northern Ireland

Driving and motor vehicles

G

Goods vehicle operator licence (Northern Ireland)

You need a licence to operate goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes to carry goods as part of trade or business

Northern Ireland Executive · Northern Ireland

Driving and motor vehicles

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

H

Hackney carriage licence (England, Scotland and Wales)

You need a licence to drive a hackney carriage - taxicabs, England, excluding London, Scotland and Wales

DfT · England, Wales and Scotland

Driving and motor vehicles · Transport and logistics, including aviation

N

National road service licence (Northern Ireland)

To drive a vehicle with more than 8 people, you need a road service licence from the Driver and Vehicle Agency in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Executive · Northern Ireland

Driving and motor vehicles

Non-domestic energy assessor accreditation (Northern Ireland)

You must be part of an accreditation scheme to operate as a non-domestic energy assessor in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Executive · Northern Ireland

Driving and motor vehicles · Energy, gas and electricity · Materials, metal and mining +1 more

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 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

Private hire vehicle or minicab licence (Scotland)

To drive a private hire car (PHC) in Scotland, a private hire car drivers' licence or a taxi drivers' licence must be obtained from …

Your council · Scotland

Driving and motor vehicles · Transport and logistics, including aviation

PSV (Public Service Vehicle) operator’s licence

You need a public service vehicle (PSV) operator’s licence to operate a vehicle for hire or reward (payment or payment in kind) that can …

Traffic Commissioners · England, Wales and Scotland

Any trade

R

You need to register with DVLA if you want to sell or make number plates

Your council · England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Driving and motor vehicles

Run an MOT centre (England, Scotland and Wales)

Your business must be authorised by DVSA and your MOT centre approved before you can open an MOT centre.

DVSA · England, Wales and Scotland

Driving and motor vehicles

T

Taxi operator licence (Northern Ireland)

You need a licence from DVA to run a taxi operation in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Executive · Northern Ireland

Driving and motor vehicles

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

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

V

Vehicle access permit for pedestrian zones (Northern Ireland)

Get permission to access a pedestrian zone with a vehicle in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Executive · Northern Ireland

Driving and motor vehicles · Transport and logistics, including aviation

We have not yet mapped an enabling instrument for 3 licences 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