Pavement licensing and street trading consent

Apply for a licence to place tables and chairs outside a restaurant or cafe or trade on the street

In this section

Pavement licence

You need a licence to place removable furniture outside a cafe or restaurant on a public road or highway, including:

  • counters or stalls for selling or serving food or drink
  • tables, counters or shelves on which food or drink can be placed
  • chairs, benches or other forms of seating
  • umbrellas, barriers, heaters and other articles used in connection with the outdoor consumption of food or drink

On 31 March 2024, the Government commenced with the pavement licensing provisions as laid out in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023. These provisions have introduced a permanent pavement licensing regime in England to replace the temporary provisions introduced by the Business and Planning Act 2020.

Further information about this type of licence can be found at gov.uk.

Apply for a pavement licence

Further information on the application process will be available soon.

(page updated 1 May 2024)