How to apply for a scaffolding licence, how much it will cost, and how to pay online.
All scaffolding licence applications are now online. Any applications sent by paper or email will be rejected.
To put scaffolding on, or next to, a highway you must:
- apply and pay for a scaffolding licence
- have public liability insurance cover with a £5 million indemnity limit
You must apply for a licence at least 5 working days before you want to put up scaffolding. Emergency scaffolding licences are exempt from this.
If you need to carry out any highway works for which a Section 278 Agreement is needed (see your planning decision notice) this must be signed and completed before we can process your application.
Cost
The cost of a scaffolding licence depends on how long the scaffolding will be up:
- Up to one calendar month: £90
- Up to two calendar months: £144
- Up to three calendar months: £214
- Up to four calendar months: £286
- Up to five calendar months: £357
- Up to six calendar months: £431
- Between six and nine months: £641
- Between nine and twelve months: £856
If you apply for a scaffolding licence fewer than 3 working days before you want to put up the scaffolding, you'll have to pay £103 for up to one calendar month. This is known as emergency scaffolding.
If you put up scaffolding without a licence, you have to pay £157 for every month you didn't have the licence.
What happens when you apply
A scaffolding licence takes 3 to 10 days to process.
We'll return your permit to you by email.
Your application and tacit consent
Tacit consent doesn't apply for this licence. You must wait until you receive your licence from us.
Safe working area at ground level
The scaffolding must have a safe working area at ground level when it's being put up or taken down. This is to prevent pedestrians gaining access.
In the city centre this work must be carried during these times:
- Monday to Saturday: before 7am and after 6pm
- Sunday: before 8am and after 5pm
Lighting
The scaffolding should be illuminated unless no part of it is:
- less than 0.45 metres (18 inches) from a carriageway in a horizontal direction
- over a footway and less than 2.4m (8 feet) above the footway
Pedestrian walkways
You must maintain a pedestrian walkway around the scaffold. If this cannot be arranged, you must make sure pedestrians can go under the scaffold safely with no:
- trip hazards
- projecting tubes or fittings
- risk of objects or debris falling through
The scaffold must:
- be highlighted
- have a walkway for people to walk over
- be wide enough for people with wheelchairs or prams to walk through safely
Apply for and renew a scaffolding licence
There are two types of scaffolding licences:
- standard freestanding scaffolding
- load support scaffolding
Standard scaffolding
Apply for a scaffolding licence
Load support scaffolding
If you want to put up load supporting scaffolding, you must document apply for a Section 169 Special Scaffolding licence(32 KB) . The Section 169 licence applies to special scaffolding, tower scaffold or mobile elevating work platforms (MEWP) on the highway.
When you apply, you'll need to include:
- a set of scaffolding calculations
- copies of Public Liability insurance cover to the minimum value of £5 million per incident for both the applicant and the scaffolding contractor
- a dated design or check certificate
A Section 169 Special Scaffolding licence costs £450. This is a one off cost.
How to pay
You can pay for your licence online. You'll need a credit or debit card.
We cannot process your scaffolding licence until payment is received.