Section 50 street works licence

Page updated on: 14/08/2023

A Section 50 Street Works Licence application is required when a person or organisation wishes to place a new, or retain an apparatus under the street and to inspect, maintain, adjust, repair, alter or renew the apparatus, change its position or remove it.

A 'street' is a highway maintained at the public expense, commonly known as adopted highway and may include footways, verges and carriageways.

Examples of apparatus which may be placed on or under publicly maintained highways includes sewer connections or any other pipes, power cables and ducts, benches and traffic survey cameras. These examples are not intended to be exhaustive or prescriptive.

Fees

Please use the table below to calculate the cost for the licence type you require.

Licence type Licence fee
To serve one dwelling house. £591
To serve two or more dwelling houses and residential development, flats/maisonettes. £884 + £87 per unit.
To serve non-residential development i.e. industrial, office, warehouse, storage, shopping, retail, leisure, assembly buildings, Schools and other educational buildings. £858
To serve land for the purpose of agricultural/horticultural use. £418
To serve land for the purpose of Industrial development £858
To repair / renew / maintain existing apparatus in a Street where a Street Works Licence has not been granted under Sections 181 To 183 of the Highways Act 1980. Public Utilities and Street Works Act 1950 and/or other licensing procedure in respect of apparatus in the street. £591

To repair / renew / maintain existing apparatus where there is an existing or valid Street Works Licence - Licensee to show proof of Licence.

 £259
An additional fee will apply in the case of an excavation longer than 200 metres, each length of 200 metres within the length of that excavation or the balance of such length. £259

Indemnification and insurance requirements

You must indemnify us against any claim in respect of injury, damage or loss arising out of the execution by any person of any works authorised by the consent. The indemnity provided by the policy should not be less than £10 Million for any one accident or any one claim. 

You must provide the following information on the application: 

  • Name of your insurance company 
  • Policy number 
  • Policy expiry date 
  • Employers liability policy information 
  • Public liability policy information 
  • Motor vehicle policy information

Please submit the insurance certificate form following its completion by your insurance company or broker together with your application.

How to apply

You must include the following with the application: 

  • Insurance certificate
  • Copy of Site plan to a Scale not less than 1/500 showing the applicant's property marked in Red and proposed siting of apparatus in blue
  • Copy of location plan to a scale not less than 1/1250 or 1/2500 or 1/10,000 showing location of site in relation to its surroundings
  • Please allow a minimum of 28 days for the application to be processed

For further details regarding this application please see our guidance notes.

guidance notes (.pdf)  Download Application form (.pdf)

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