Market trading licence

We have a list of the commodities you can sell or serve.

They’re divided into categories. If you have a market trading licence, you can sell up to 3 commodities from one category. 

It’s not an exhaustive list and we’ll consider all requests for commodities. Certain kinds of commodities perform better at certain markets, so please take this into consideration before applying.

For example, Kingsland Market is primarily known as a second-hand / bric-a-brac market.

If you’re applying for the first time and you’ll be preparing, selling, storing, or transporting food to sell in Hackney’s markets, you must register your food business. This also applies if you are taking over an existing business.

For further information and guidance see food safety guidance for market traders and Safer food, better business for caterers.

For details of application and renewal costs, see markets fees and charges (PDF 354kb).

• proof of identity (passport or driving licence)
• proof of home address (utility bill or bank statement within the last 3 months)
• proof of national insurance number (copy of your national insurance document, tax statement, benefits agency document, pay slip, P45 or P60)
• a copy of your public liability insurance certificate (with a minimum of £5 million) -public liability insurance cover should specifically cover trading activities on the public highway
• one full face photograph of the applicant taken within the last 12 months
• a non-refundable application fee to cover administration costs. Refer to the
  fees and charges list for the current fee/charge.

Food traders only

• a copy of gas certificate if cooking with LPG gas
• a valid food hygiene certificate (level 2 or above) in the name of the licensee (if trading in cooked food) – please note that if registering assistants a copy must be submitted for each assistant

Limited or public companies

• a copy of the business certificate of incorporation

• a copy of your public liability insurance (with a minimum of £5 million) – public liability insurance cover should specifically cover trading activities on the public highway
• one full face photograph of the applicant taken within the last 12 months 
• a non-refundable application fee to cover administration costs – refer to the fees and charges list for the current fee/charge

• proof of home address if it’s changed since your last application (utility bill or bank statement within the last 3 months)
• a copy of your public liability insurance certificate (with a minimum of £5 million) – public liability insurance cover should specifically cover trading activities on the public highway
• one full face photograph of the applicant taken within the last 12 months – please print the name of the applicant on the reverse of the photograph
• a non-refundable application fee to cover administration costs – refer to the fees and charges list for the current fee/charge

• assistant and manager registration form

There’s an administration fee of £20 per assistant/manager.

Please return by post or email.

Please note: the licensee is expected to be in visible control of the stall for most of the working day (51% of the time). Where a licensee is not at their stall for this time without a reason that we consider reasonable, we can revoke a licence for non-attendance.

If the details of assistants change, you must update your details by completing the assistant and manager registration form, so our records can be updated.

Registering vehicles at Hoxton Street Market, Ridley Road Market, and the Narrow Way

For Ridley Road Market, Hoxton Street Market and the Narrow Way, there is a vehicle exemption list which allows traders to enter the market during permitted unloading times without receiving a parking penalty charge notice (PCN).

Each trader may have up to two vehicles registered at any one time but only one vehicle is permitted for use on any given trading day.

First-time applicants must add their Vehicle Registration Mark(s) VRM to the licence application form where prompted to ensure that their vehicles are added to the list.

You can do this by completing:

• VRM exemption list form

Please return by post or email.

Failure to provide us with your VRM in the correct way will mean that you aren’t added to the exemption list and will be susceptible to the issue of a penalty charge notice (PCN) when entering the market to unload.

We won’t be liable for any PCN issued under such circumstances. Traders are responsible for their own parking arrangements and are eligible to apply for business parking permits.

Submit a variation request

Your request will be considered at the next officer licensing panel (OLP) which takes place on the 8 of every month.

You’re allowed to submit one request per quarter.

The officer licensing panel (OLP) is the process by which you can apply for a permanent licence, vary the details of your temporary or permanent licence, and where we determine whether a licence should be revoked.

We’ll advertise the date of the OLP and will issue a reminder two weeks before application submissions close.

If you’re applying for a variation or a permanent licence, you must make a request in writing and supply the relevant forms and fees prior to the OLP.

Once submissions for the OLP have closed, we’ll collate the information and send it to the chair and panel members.

The OLP is made up of the head of markets and street trading, service area manager, markets and street trading operations manager, and the shop fronts team leader.

Before the OLP, the members will submit their recommendations about whether to accept or reject an application.

Other teams such as highways, trading standards and environmental health, and agencies such as TfL, will also be asked to supply comments where relevant.

The licensing and development manager will then prepare a report for the OLP with their recommendations.

If the panel members don’t support the application, we’ll write to inform you.

You’ll be able to make representations to the panel and will be given a minimum of 21 days’ notice of the panel date.

If the panel members recommend that a licence be revoked, we’ll write to you stating the reasons and asking if you want to make representations to the panel in person and giving them a minimum 21 days’ notice of the panel date.

You can request a review of the panel’s decision and an independent head of service will review the evidence and put forward a decision, which will be final.