Licensing 

Licences not issued 

• Boatman licences 

  We are not currently responsible for issuing Boatman licences but below is some general information you may find useful.

  General information
  You need to be licensed as a Boatman in order to hire out a craft. These Licences will be either a Restricted or Full Boatmans Licence.

  Restricted Boatmans Licence
  A Restricted Boatmans Licence applies to operators on the shore or pier only. This licence does not include the navigation of pleasure craft to be used for carrying passengers for hire. In order to qualify for Restricted Boatmans Licence an applicant must:

  • Be 18 years of age or over
  • Have a full knowledge of all statutory rules, regulations and bye laws applicable to navigation on the water or waters for which the licence is required
  • Not suffer from any disease or physical disability which could effect his or her fitness to assist in the charge of pleasure boats, vessels or craft let for hire

  Full Boatmans Licence
  A Full Boatmans Licence applies to operators who assist in the charge and navigation of pleasure boats, craft or vessels to be let for hire or be used for carrying passengers for hire.

  In order to qualify for a Full Boatmans Licence an applicant must:

  • Be over 18 years of age
  • Have a full knowledge of all statutory rules, regulations and bye laws applicable to navigation on the water or waters for which the licence is required
  • Not suffer from any disease or physical disability which could affect his or her fitness to assist in the charge of pleasure boats, vessels or craft let for hire
  • Applicants are asked to complete a declaration on their fitness. Further consideration will need to be made if your mobility or movement is restricted or you experience epilepsy, fainting, cardio vesicular problems or mental illness

  Licences are issued on an annual basis. They are not transferable and cannot be backdated.

   

• Credit licences 

  We are not responsible for issuing licences for businesses who want to offer credit or lend money to consumers, or wants to allow customers time to pay for goods and services.

  A credit licence must be obtained from the Consumer Credit Licensing Bureau of the Office of Fair Trading under the Consumer Credit Act 1974.

  General information
  The following types of business must be licensed with the Office of Fair Trading:

  • Consumer credit
  • Consumer hire
  • Debit adjusting and debt counselling
  • Debt collecting
  • Credit reference agencies
  • Canvassing credit off trade premises

  The Office of Fair Trading holds a public record of all licensed traders and of all those who have applied for a licence. They can provide details to the public about its licensed businesses, such as the type of activities they cover, their authorised trading names and main business address.

  In December 2003, the government proposed changes to the consumer credit market. Their proposals include strengthening credit licence rules, giving the Office of Fair Trading the power to fine moneylenders and make surprise raids on debt companies, and making small print bigger on adverts for financial products.

  For further information see the Office of Fair Trading website.

  Fair Trading
  Some of the areas covered within this section are, false or misleading descriptions of goods or services, pricing complaints, holiday complaints, internet miss selling, unfair trading practices and scams.

  We are very active in the fight against counterfeit goods. The counterfeiting trade is closely linked to both drugs and people trafficking, which helps to fund organised crime.

  In carrying out this duty we are contributing to the Council's rights and responsibilities strategy.

   

• Hackney carriage, Drivers, Private hire drivers, Operators and Vehicle licences 

  Hackney Carriage licences and Driver's licences

  A 'Hackney Carriage' is more commonly called a Taxi. It is the responsibility of the Public Carriage Office to licence and regulate the number of Hackney Carriages it licences and their drivers.

  A licence is required before any person can drive a hackney carriage (taxi).

  This licence is required for any chauffeur-driven hire vehicle that will ply for hire, be flagged down or hired at a taxi rank. Once licensed a taxi is always a taxi until the licence expires. These vehicles have a roof sign and display a white plate on the rear of the vehicle.

  Private Hire Driver's, Operator's and Vehicle licences

  Anyone who wants to drive a licensed private hire vehicle or wants a private hire operator's licence so they can accept or invite bookings for private hire vehicles is required to obtain a licence.

  There are 3 private hire licences.

  • Private hire driver's licence
  • Private hire operator's licences
  • Private hire vehicle (minicab) licences

  Private hire rules
  Private hire vehicles cannot ply for hire in the street or at taxi ranks. Journeys must be pre-booked, normally by telephone or in person at a cab office. Failure to do so is an offence and invalidates the vehicle's insurance cover.

  Further information
  Further information and details on how to apply for any of these licences can be obtained from the Public Carriage Office.

   

• Hairdressers licences 

  We are no longer responsible for licensing hairdressers. Since the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994, the need for hairdressers to be registered has been eliminated.

  However, other salon activities such as ear piercing, electrolysis, tattooing and acupuncture, and the employment of employees still need to be registered.

  General information
  The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 is the key act which will affect all commercial concerns, whether self-employed or an employee, and whether mobile or based at a Salon. Under this Act a number of Regulations have been made.

   

• Highway projection licence 

  A licence is required for any display that may protrude or project over a public highway.

  General information
  The maximum depth that the display can protrude over the public footway is 1.05 metres (3 feet 6 inches), subject to 2.10 metre (7 feet) clear passageway between the edge of the display and the road (or any intervening pavement furniture such as a bollard or telephone box).

  We reserve the right, in exceptional circumstances, to allow a greater depth of display where the pavement is very wide, or a smaller depth of display where a pedestrian footfall is very high.

  All goods or equipment on display under the terms of the licence should be kept within the specified area.

  For the safety of pedestrians underneath projections from frontage developments, such as canopies, blinds or CCTV equipment, a minimum vertical clearance of 2.75 metres is required from the surface of the footway to the underside of any projection.

  We may alter this vertical clearance in exceptional cases.

  If at a future date pavement furniture is added by us, and the display area of the licence is affected, the licence will be reviewed or removed.

  For further information or to obtain a licence please contact the team on 020 8215 3007.

   

• House to house collection licence 

  A permit is required to undertake a 'house to house' collection, under the House to House Collections Act 1939.

  Whereas street collection permits are normally issued to cover a period of 1 or 2 days, a house to house collection permit can be granted for any period up to 1 year. With regard to vetting and checking whether an organisation applying is genuine or not, the same procedures apply for street collections.

  As with street collection permits there is a requirement for the promoter of the collection to make a return following the collection.

  Collections generally take place from door to door or from one public house to another.

  Some of the larger well-known charities, such as Christian Aid and Age UK, have a Charity Commission exemption from having to apply for a permit, but by and large most of the smaller, and particularly local groups and organisations need a permit before they can collect money (or articles which they intend to sell later), from door to door.

  Unlike street collections, there is a statutory right of appeal against the refusal to grant a house to house collection permit. In this case, the right of appeal is to the Secretary of State, and the grounds for refusal are set out in the Act itself.

  House to House collection is dealt with by the Police.

   

• Nursing agency licence 

  The licensing and enforcement of nurses' agencies has passed from local authorities and is now under the responsibility of the National Care Standards Commission.

  Any agency which supplies nurses to hospitals, old people's homes or other outlets can only do so if they are licensed. This applies to employment agencies or any organisation or individual operating in this area of work.

  The licensing of nursing agencies was moved to the National Care Standards Commission from 1 April 2003.

  Since this time all existing nurses' agencies must have their registrations transferred to the National Care Standards Commission and new providers of these services are required to register with the National Care Standards Commission before they can begin their operations.

  For further information please visit the National Care Standards Commission website.

   

• Scaffolding and hoarding licences 

  When carrying out any building work/maintenance or removal of any part of a property which is next to the public highway (road, pavement or rear lane), the safety of all users of the highway must be paramount.

  Any scaffold or hoarding which encroaches or projects over the Highway requires a scaffold permit. These permits are only issued to the scaffolding company.

  Basic requirements to obtain a licence
  This is achieved by providing safe areas at ground level or a platform at high level.

  When it is necessary to place hoardings on the highway around the place of work or scaffolding, permission is necessary and can be obtained from us, on completion of a form together with a sketch.

  Once permission has been granted, the conditions attached to the licence must be carefully read and kept to at all times.

  Regulation
  Copies of the Highways Act 1980 can be purchased from the Legislation website.

  A copy of the Highways Act 1980 can be inspected at the council offices, where you may also obtain an application form and further help or advice.

  Further information
  For more up-to-date information. please contact Traffic and Highways on 020 8215 3005.

   

• Voluntary mini-cab schemes 

  We are not responsible for Mini Bus Permits for voluntary and non-profit making organisations. These are issued by the Department for Transport.