Licences and permits

The permissions a business needs before it can trade — each one tied to the law that creates it, or to a plain statement that no national statute does, and to the body that issues it. We point at GOV.UK for fees and forms; we never copy them.

1 of 41 licence · 1 with a named enabling instrument · 1 issued by a council

Narrow it down

Pick the activity you are asking about, and the nation you trade in. A licence can exist in one nation and not the next, so both matter.

What you do

All activities Advertising and marketing¹ Agriculture: animals² Agriculture: crops and plants¹ Animal products: manufacturing and wholesale² Animals, including pets and zoos¹ Arts and recreation⁹ Beauty, hairdressing, nails and spa treatments⁴ Building and construction⁶ Charity and community⁴ Chemicals and petroleum² Cleaning¹ Driving and motor vehicles² Education, including tutoring and training² Energy, gas and electricity¹ Environment: management and waste³ Environment: water¹ Events⁹ Finance, insurance and insolvency¹ Firearms, explosives and fireworks¹ Fisheries¹ Food and drink: wholesale, manufacturing and production¹ Gambling and betting, including arcades, bingo and racing² Healthcare¹ Hospitality, restaurants, bars and catering⁷ Legal services¹ Materials, metal and mining¹ Media and broadcasting³ Property and real estate¹ Retail: manufacturing and wholesale⁴ Social care³ Sports¹ Street trading and markets⁴ Tattooing, piercing and electrolysis² Telecommunications, technology and information services¹ Tourist accommodation, including hotels and campsites⁷ Transport and logistics, including aviation³ Veterinary¹

Where you trade

Any nation England⁴¹ Wales³⁸ Scotland¹¹ Northern Ireland³

Who issues it

Most business licences are issued by the council for the area you trade in — the licensing authority — under powers Parliament gave it. A small number are issued by a national regulator instead, and go to that body wherever you are.