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.

10 of 426 licences in England for Marine and marine transport

Choose from all 48 activities

B

Boatmasters' licence

Apply for a boatmasters’ licence, once you have completed the necessary training, to operate on certain vessels on inland waters or “limited” coastal operations.

MCA · England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Marine and marine transport

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

M

Marine engine operator licence

Apply for a marine engine operator licence (MEOL) to work in certain engineering roles on merchant vessels.

MCA · England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Marine and marine transport

Marine operator licence limited to small vessels

Apply for a marine operator licence limited to small vessels (MEOL SV) to work in certain engineering roles on merchant vessels.

MCA · England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Marine and marine transport

S

Seabed lease (England and Wales)

You need a seabed lease from The Crown Estate to operate a marine fish farm in coastal waters

HM Treasury · England and Wales

Fisheries · Marine and marine transport

Senior marine engine operator licence

Apply for a senior marine engine operator licence to work as a chief engineer officer on vessels of less than 750 kW power, without …

MCA · England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Marine and marine transport

U

UK engineering fishing class 1

Apply to get a class 1 fishing licence to work as a chief engineer on a vessel over 750kW (approximately 1,005HP).

MCA · England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Marine and marine transport

UK engineering fishing class 2

Apply for a class 2 fishing licence to work as a second engineer on a vessel over 750kW (approximately 1,005HP).

MCA · England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Marine and marine transport

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

V

Vessel traffic services (VTS) licence

Apply for a vessel traffic services (VTS) operator logbook, VTS endorsements and revalidations.

MCA · England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Marine and marine transport

We have not yet mapped an enabling instrument for 2 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