Licensing and permits

Some street trading consent applications suspended

We are not accepting street trading consent applications for:

Street trader licence

Do I need a licence?

Street trading in Liverpool is strictly regulated, and all streets are designated as follows:

  • Prohibited streets – no trading can take place on these streets, or in any public place within 5 metres of them, at any time.
  • Licence streets – a licence is needed to trade on these streets but we are not currently granting any new licences.
  • Consent streets – you can only trade on consent streets if you have written consent from us. If you sell anything on these streets at any time, or any public place within 10 metres of them without consent, you may be prosecuted or have your goods seized.

Waterloo Place 

We are accepting applications for Waterloo Place – please view the documents below before you apply. 

The sale of controlled and restricted goods such as alcohol and tobacco must not be sold in any streets, including licence or consent streets.

How to apply to trade on a consent street 

1. Check the street list before you apply

First, check the list of licensed streets and prohibited streets. You cannot trade on any of these streets. If the street does not appear on the list you can apply for street trading consent. 

2. Pay the non-returnable fee

We do not charge a fee for applying for Waterloo Place, but if we do decide to grant you a licence we will be in touch to take payment in full.

For all other applications, please pay a non-refundable fee of £70 before you apply for any consent street.

You must make a note of the payment reference number to use when you apply.

Pay the administration fee online now 

3. Apply online

Once your payment has been processed, use the form below to make an online application. We cannot process your application if you do not enter the correct payment reference number.

You will also need copies of the following to upload when you apply:

  • proof of ID
  • proof of address
  • a photograph of the location of site 
  • a copy of your public liability insurance certificate
  • written permission from the landowner if trading on private land
  • where appropriate a trade waste agreement
  • new applicants must have applied for and attach a statutory declaration certificate

Apply to trade on a consent street

Read our privacy notice which tells you how we use your data.

What happens next?

If your application is successful we will contact you to ask you to pay the licence fee.

Most applications are determined within six weeks. However, it may take up to two months to process a new application while we consult with other bodies and give them 14 days to make representations. 

Tacit consent does not apply, so if you have not heard from us following your application this does not mean a licence has been granted. If you are still waiting for confirmation of a licence after two months please contact us.

Types of consent

  • Daily consent for trading for a period of up to five days.
  • Long-term consent for trading covering any period up to 12 months.
  • Football ground consent to trade on match days around Anfield and Goodison Park.

Fees

All new consent applications, other than Waterloo Place, must include a £49 non-refundable administration fee. Applications submitted without this fee will not be considered.

If your application is successful we will contact you to arrange the outstanding part of the fee, which must be paid in full before the authorisation is issued. Fees are reviewed annually.

Consent fee 2024/25

  • Grant of other long-term static consent - £615.94
  • Renewal of other long-term static consent (12 months) - £380.51
  • Grant of long-term mobile consent for ice cream traders (12 months) - £481.35
  • Renewal of other long-term mobile consent for ice cream traders (12 months) - £245.92
  • Grant of Sefton Park perimeter long-term static consent - £591.67
  • Renewal of Sefton Park perimeter long-term static consent (12 months) - £356.24
  • Renewal of Pier Head long-term static consent (12 months) - £634.57
  • Grant of football match-day consent - £470.73
  • Renewal of football match-day consent - £235.30
  • Daily consent for all commodities - £66.24 on initial application then £20.14 per day for each day's trade thereafter, up to a maximum of five days:
    • 1 day - £68.67
    • 2 days - £86.38
    • 3 days - £106.52
    • 4 days - £126.66
    • 5 days - £146.80

Licence fee 2024/25 for existing licence holders

The licence is based solely on pitch size (m²) at £212.92 per square metre. The council is not currently granting new licences.

Exceptions

There are certain types of very limited activity which are considered not to be street trading and may take place in any street in Liverpool without the need to obtain a licence or consent. These exceptions are:

  • trading as a news vendor within specified limits
  • trading within a market
  • trading outside a shop as part of the shop's business
  • trading as a roundsman
  • trading in accordance with a pavement café licence or similar granted under the Highways Act 1980
  • selling goods as part of an authorised charitable collection

If you feel your proposed activity may fall within one of these exceptions then please contact us before you start trading to check that this is the case.

Pedlars certificates are no longer of any effect in Liverpool, unless the trading is limited to visits from house to house.