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.
21 of 426 licences for Media and broadcasting
Choose from all 48 activities
C
Child performance licence (Northern Ireland)
You must have a licence for a child to take part in a public performance in Northern Ireland
Your council · Northern Ireland
Consent for leaflet distribution (Northern Ireland)
You must have permission from your local council to distribute leaflets within designated litter control areas
Your council · Northern Ireland
Copyright Licensing Agency licence
Apply for a licence to produce copies of copyright protected material
DCMS · England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
L
Licence to provide ringtones to download
You need a licence to provide ringtones for downloading
DCMS · England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
Licences to use music on television
You need a licence to use copyright music in TV programmes
DCMS · England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
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
M
N
Newspaper Licensing Agency (NLA) educational licence
You may need a licence from the Newspaper Licensing Agency (NLA) to make copies of newspaper content for teaching purposes.
DCMS · England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
NLA Media Access Limited business licence
You may need a license from the NLA Media Access Limited to make copies of newspaper content for internal use in a business.
DCMS · England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
NLA Media Access Limited corporate website republishing licence
You may need a license from the NLA Media Access Limited if you are an organisation hosting NLA represented content on your website(s) and …
DCMS · England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
NLA Media Access Limited simplified licence
You may need a license from the NLA Media Access Limited if you're receiving or making internal copies of NLA represented content.
DCMS · England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
NLA Media Access Limited web end user licence
You may need a license from the NLA Media Access Limited if you are a public relations organisation making copies of NLA represented content …
DCMS · England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
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
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
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
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
S
Sex establishment / sex cinema licence (Northern Ireland)
Contact your council for a licence if you want to run a sex establishment or sex cinema in Northern Ireland
Your council · Northern Ireland
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
Sex shop licence (Scotland)
Contact your council for a licence if you want to run a sex shop in Scotland
Your council · Scotland
T
TV broadcast licence
You need a licence to provide commercial television services in the UK
DCMS · England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
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
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.
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.