Licences needed to do any excavations on the highway.
Types of highway excavation licences
There are two types of highway excavation licence available:
- Combined excavation in the highway and vehicle crossover (dropped kerb) licence
- Excavation in the highway licence
Combined excavation in the highway and vehicle crossover licence
document Application form for combined excavation in the highway and vehicle crossover(44 KB)
This licence provides authority under Section 171 of the Highways Act to make a temporary excavation in the adopted highway and permission under Section 184 of the Highways Act to install a vehicle crossover (dropped kerb).
See our pdf drop kerb and vehicle crossover guidance and process document(1.35 MB) for the terms and conditions that apply.
Excavation in the highway licence
document Application form for the excavation in the highway licence(52 KB)
This licence provides authority under Section 171 of the Highways Act to make a temporary excavation in the adopted highway.
See our pdf excavation licence guidance and process document(1.23 MB) for the terms and conditions that apply.
Licence costs
The licence costs are:
Combined excavation in the highway and vehicle crossover licence
- Domestic Vehicle Crossover Licence: £357
- Retrospective Domestic Vehicle Crossover Licence: £536
- Commercial Vehicle Crossover Licence: £1,427
- Retrospective Commercial Vehicle Crossover Licence: £2,145
Excavation in the highway licence
- Excavation Licence: £357
- Retrospective Licence: £536
Requirements to work on the adopted highway
If you want to work on or in the adopted highway within Bristol you'll need to meet the following requirements:
- have public liability insurance of a minimum of £5 million
- complete the work to our standard specifications (where applicable), copies of which are available upon request
- all operatives must be NPORS / SWQR qualified under the New Roads and Street Works Act (1991)
- have a current highway excavation licence for the work
If we do not have a copy of your completed document Public Liability and Highway Operatives Declaration Form(40 KB) on file, you'll need to complete and return this with your application.
Once we have received the form, it will be valid for 12 months from the date of the signature.
How to pay
Online
You'll need a credit or debit card.
Cash
You cannot pay for your licence by cash at the Citizen Service Point for now.
You'll need to pay online.