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Where this applies

Whether you need a permit, and from whom, turns on the local regulations made under s.5 — which is why GOV.UK says you "might" need one. The London arrangement is statutory rather than administrative: under s.5(1A) the regulation-making authorities are the Common Council of the City of London, the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime and the council of each district, and a district council's regulations have no effect inside the Metropolitan Police District — so across Greater London the permit is applied for from the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, and separately from the City of London for the Square Mile. In Wales s.5(1A)(c) reads across to the county and county borough councils by Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 s.17(5). House-to-house collections are a separate regime under the House to House Collections Act 1939 and must not be conflated with this one. Part 3 of the Charities Act 2006, which would have replaced this regime, was never commenced.

What this covers

If you want to collect money or sell items on the street for charity, you might need a street collection licence, depending on your local council

It applies in England and Wales. Other UK nations run their own regimes — check the equivalent for the nation you trade in.

Charity and communitySocial care

Why you need it

This licence is not an administrative preference — it exists because Parliament created it. The power to require it comes from Police, Factories, & c. (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1916.

Enabling legislation

Police, Factories, & c. (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1916 Enabling 1916

Provision anchor: s.5(1) (with s.5(1A))
Worth knowing: There is no single national rulebook here — check with the licensing authority for the area you want to collect in before you fix a date.

Read it on legislation.gov.uk legislation.gov.uk

What the Act carries

These are the duties, penalties and exemptions our graph holds for Police, Factories, & c. (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1916 as a whole — the Act behind this licence, not the licence conditions themselves. They show what sort of instrument you are dealing with.

Duties on businesses: 1
Penalties: 1
Exemptions: 0

Duties on businesses under the Act

Contravene street collection regulations s.5

What happens if you get it wrong

Contravene street collection regulations Fine up to £200

Read our full dossier on Police, Factories, & c. (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1916

Who issues it

Your local council issues this, acting as the licensing authority for the area you trade in. Councils apply the same statute but set their own fees, conditions and timescales, so two neighbouring authorities can reach you differently.

Where to apply

Our guidance on this

Everything below is written out in full elsewhere on Guvnor — this page points at it rather than repeating it.

Get licences for street collections, house-to-house collections and charity lotteries

How to get the right licence or permit for a street collection, a house-to-house collection, or a charity lottery, covering England and Wales, Scotland …

Get licences from your local council

Comprehensive guide to local authority licensing requirements including premises licences for alcohol and entertainment, food business registration, street trading, pavement licences, Temporary Event Notices, …

Find licences you need for your business

How to identify and apply for the licences, permits, and registrations your business needs using GOV.UK Licence Finder. Covers premises licences, food registration, transport, …

Businesses in the same activities usually need one or more of these too.

House to house collection licence (England and Wales)

Your council · England and Wales

Club premises certificate

Your council · England, Wales and Scotland

Pavement or street display licence (England and Wales)

Your council · England and Wales

Registration of independent health care service (England and Wales)

CQC · England and Wales

Duty, penalty and exemption labels are Guvnor’s analysis of the enabling instrument, not the instrument itself. Fees, forms and conditions are set by the issuing authority — always check the linked source.

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