You may need a licence, certificate or permit for some business activities, as well as other things, such as street parties.

If you are not sure what license you need, you can check on the GOV.UK licence finder.

Licences processed by the licensing team

Please complete the relevant online forms on the GOV.UK website. If you would prefer to download an application form, please complete and send to licensing@havant.gov.uk.

Charitable collections licences:

To support charities and good causes, these permits are issued free of charge. 

Collecting in any street or public space

If you want to collect money or sell items on the street or in a public space for charity or good cause, you may need a 'street collection' licence.

Please contact the Licensing Team at licensing@havant.gov.uk or 023 9244 6660 as soon as possible so we can check availability of your requested dates before submitting an application form (which must be received no later than one month prior to the collection date).

Collecting from house to house or business to business

If you want to collect money or items for charity by visiting people at home or at a business, you may need a 'house to house' collection licence.

Please note: no licence will be issued to a person (or collecting company) if that person (or any representative of the collecting company) has not returned a Form of Statement from a previous collection.

Club premises certificate

Full details of how to apply for a club premises certificate can be found on our website.

Furniture on the Highway

If you wish to place furniture on the highway (this includes any footpath or pedestrianised area), you will require permission from Havant Borough Council.  Full details on how to apply for a licence/permit can be found on our website.

Gambling and lotteries

Full details of how to apply for gambling permit can be found on our website.

Hackney carriage and private hire licences

Full details of how to apply for a taxi license can be found on the hackney carriage and private hire licences page.

Hypnotism permit

You must have authorisation to demonstrate or perform a hypnotism act in public.

Personal licence

Full details of how to apply for a personal licence can be found on our website.

Premises licence

You will need a premises licence if you want to sell alcohol, serve hot food and drinks between 11pm and 5am, or provide some types of entertainment from a particular venue.

Full details of how to apply for a premises licence can be found on our website.

Scrap metal dealer licence

A scrap metal dealer must hold either a site licence or a mobile collector’s licence.

Sex shop and cinema licence

You need a licence to run a sex shop (selling sex toys, books and videos) or run a cinema showing sexually explicit films.

Street trading consent

Should you have any queries regarding street trading, please contact the Licensing Team licensing@havant.gov.uk

Temporary event notice

Full details of how to apply for a temporary event notice can be found on our website.

Licences processed by the environmental health team

Caravan and camping site licence

If you allow your land to be used as a caravan or camping site by the public for more than 42 consecutive days, or 60 days in a year, you will need a licence.

Cooling tower

You must tell us if your commercial site uses a cooling tower or evaporative condenser. Cooling towers and evaporative condensers help to remove excess heat from sites like power stations or chemical plants.

Environmental permit

You may need an environmental permit if your business manages or produces waste or emissions that pollute the air, water or land.

Food premises registration

When you start a new food business or take over an existing business, you must register with us.

Houses in multiple occupation (HMO) licence

Full details of how to apply for a premises licence can be found on the house in multiple occupation page.

Skin piercing/tattooing licence

Skin piercing includes, tattooing, acupuncture, body piercing, electrolysis, semi-permanent and permanent make up.

You must also comply with bye-laws which cover things such as cleanliness of premises and sterilisation of instruments.

Licences processed by Hampshire County Council

Explosives licence

Hampshire County Council provides information about the Fireworks Act, changes in law, licensing and registration, firework safety and the sale of fireworks. 

Highways licence

Licences available from Hampshire County Council include: to place a skip on, erect scaffolding or a structure on, to cultivate or excavate part of, to erect banners, hang cables or decorative lights on or over, to excavate to install apparatus and to deposit materials on the highway.