Apply for or renew a highway licence

You need a licence if you want to put an item on a public road or put up a temporary structure. Examples include:

  • Hoarding
  • Scaffolding
  • Portable cabin/toilet
  • Container
  • Mobile tower
  • Conveyor belt
  • Herras Fencing

You will also need a bay suspension if you take up whole or any part of a controlled parking space for any of the above. You can apply for a bay suspension online or contact the team directly by emailing baysuspensions@wandsworth.gov.uk.

The minimum period for a highways licence is 28 days. After this time, you will need to renew your permit. Renewal is not automatic and will depend on the way works have been carried out during the period of the original permit.

Exceptions

We cannot issue highway licences for Red Routes, unless the item or structure is in a side road connected to the Red Route road. 

To place an item or put up a temporary structure on a red route you must apply for a licence or permission from Transport for London.

When to apply

You are required to apply and pay five clear working days before you want the licence to start. The day of submission is not included in the notice period.

Your application must be received by 3pm on the day of submission for it to be accepted for that day. If your application is received after this time it will be deemed as received the next working day therefore the start date will change.

We do not count bank and public holidays or Saturday and Sundays as notification days, so you should take these into account when arranging a licence. All licences are consecutive days.

From Thursday 2 August 2019, the email address used to send out emails about parking permits and parking charge notices in Wandsworth will change to donotreply_wandsworth@tarantocloud.com.

Please add this address to your address book so that these emails are not blocked by any spam or junk filters.

How to apply

There are different ways to apply depending on the type of licence required.

What you will need to do:

  • The application form must be completed fully to avoid delays in the processing of the application
  • The appropriate licence charge must accompany the application form

Scaffold

Also required:

  • Diagram of structure
  • Photograph of location
  • Certificate of public liability insurance to the value of £5,000,000 that is valid for the duration of the proposed licence

Complete the online application form to apply for a scaffold licence.

After you have applied

A Inspection and Enforcement Officer will contact you to arrange a site meeting and the fees, terms and conditions will be confirmed at the meeting.

Pay for or cancel a scaffold licence

You can pay for or cancel your scaffold licence using the online form.

Conveyor belt

Also required:

  • Method Statement
  • Risk Assessment
  • Certificate of public liability insurance to the value of £5,000,000 that is valid for the duration of the proposed licence

Download an application form. You must read and accept the legal terms and conditions.

Hoarding and fencing

Also required:

  • Diagram of structure
  • Photograph of location
  • Certificate of public liability insurance to the value of £5,000,000 that is valid for the duration of the proposed licence

Complete the online application form to apply for a hoarding or fencing licence. You must read and accept the legal terms and conditions.

Pay for or cancel a hoarding or fencing licence

You can pay for or cancel your hoarding or fencing licence using the online form.

Materials

Complete the online application form to apply for a materials licence.

Pay for or cancel a materials licence

You can pay for or cancel your materials licence using the online form.

Portable toilet/cabin, container

Also required:

  • Certificate of public liability insurance to the value of £5,000,000 that is valid for the duration of the proposed licence

When applying to place a container/cabin on the public highway, details must be provided as to the precise usage of the container/cabin. Failure to provide this information will result in the application being rejected or revoked. Marketing suites are not a permitted use of containers/cabins.

Download an application form. You must read and accept the legal terms and conditions.

Submit and pay

The applicant is responsible for ensuring that the application form has been received by the Licensing/Suspensions Team and that payment is made within the required timescales. You should ensure that you give us all the information required as we will return your application form if it is incomplete.

View our highway licence charges.

The licence/suspension will not be granted unless full payment has been received within 24 hours of sending our payment request. If we do not receive your payment within the deadline, we will offer you the next available start date.

There is no need to email the office to confirm you have made payment as we will received a copy of your receipt – Please make sure the WAO number is included when making payment online.

Once the payment email has been sent to you, your application is considered as processed, and an admin fee will apply at this stage. Your licence will be sent via email within four business days of receiving the payment.

View our contact details.

Cancellations

Once an application has been processed, the licence fees and inspections fee are non-refundable should the licence be altered or cancelled for any reason. 

View associated bay suspension charges