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.

22 of 426 licences for Energy, gas and electricity

Choose from all 48 activities

A

Air conditioning energy assessor accreditation (Northern Ireland)

Licence to operate as an air conditioning system energy assessor in Northern Ireland and approval to work in England and Wales

Northern Ireland Executive · Northern Ireland

Energy, gas and electricity

Apply for a gas or electricity licence (England, Scotland and Wales)

You need a licence if you're a gas supplier, transporter, shipper or interconnector in England, Scotland and Wales

DESNZ · England, Wales and Scotland

Energy, gas and electricity

C

Commercial energy assessor accreditation (Scotland)

Commercial assessors in Scotland must be accredited by an organisation approved by the the Scottish government

Scottish Government · Scotland

Energy, gas and electricity · Retail: manufacturing and wholesale

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

Conveyance, storage or supply of gas, or operate a liquid natural gas facility (Northern Ireland)

You must apply for the relevant gas licence from the Utility Regulator to supply, convey or store gas or operate a liquid natural gas …

Your council · Northern Ireland

Energy, gas and electricity

D

DEC assessor accreditation (Northern Ireland)

Accreditation routes to become a display energy certificate (DEC) assessor and how to apply and find approved schemes and make sure you are qualified …

Northern Ireland Executive · Northern Ireland

Energy, gas and electricity

Domestic energy assessor (existing dwellings) accreditation (Northern Ireland)

You must be a member of an accreditation scheme to operate as a domestic energy assessor (DEA) for existing buildings in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Executive · Northern Ireland

Energy, gas and electricity

Domestic energy assessor accreditation (Scotland)

Get approved to work as a domestic energy assessor and produce energy performance certificates (EPCs) for houses and other residential properties.

Scottish Government · Scotland

Energy, gas and electricity · Retail: manufacturing and wholesale

G

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

Hazardous waste movement notice (Northern Ireland)

You need to pre-notify the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) 72 hours in advance if you want to move hazardous waste

Northern Ireland Executive · Northern Ireland

Any trade

L

Licence to supply electricity (Northern Ireland)

Licence to generate, transmit, distribute or supply electricity in Northern Ireland.

Your council · Northern Ireland

Energy, gas and electricity

N

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

Nuclear site radioactive substances regulation (England)

Permits for operators of nuclear sites who are licensees under the Nuclear Installations Act 1965. And for operators who are tenants on nuclear sites.

Environment Agency · England

Energy, gas and electricity · Environment: management and waste

O

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

Operating an A1 installation (England)

You must apply for an environmental permit if you operate a facility which is classed as an ‘A1 installation’.

Environment Agency · England

Any trade

P

PCB holding registration (Scotland)

You need to register annually with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) if you have equipment containing Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs). These are covered under …

Scottish Government · Scotland

Energy, gas and electricity · Environment: management and waste · Retail: manufacturing and wholesale

R

You need to be registered on the Gas Safe Register to work on gas fittings or gas storage vessels in the UK

UK Government · England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Energy, gas and electricity

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

S

Scheduled monument consent

Different issuer in each nation

England and Scotland · Wales · Northern Ireland

Any trade

W

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

Where GOV.UK lists a licence separately for each nation, it appears here once with a link to each nation's version. They are separate licences in law, often resting on different legislation.

We have not yet mapped an enabling instrument for 4 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