Pavement licence

You must submit your application with the following supporting documents:

• the pavement licence application form fully completed, signed, and dated
• a full face photograph (taken within the last 12 months, selfies accepted)
• a copy of one of the documents below as proof of identity:
  • copy of your passport
  • current full UK/EU photocard driving licence
• a copy of one of the documents below as proof of home address:
  • recent utility bill dated within the last 3 months (eg gas, phone, water, electricity, council tax). We do not accept mobile phone bills
  • bank statement (dated within the last 3 months)
  • bank or credit card statement (dated within the last 3 months)
• a copy of one of the documents below as proof of National Insurance number:
  • a copy of your National Insurance card
  • Inland Revenue document
  • tax statement
  • Benefits Agency document
  • payslip
  • P45 or P60
• proof of public liability coverage (minimum coverage of £5 million)
• a copy of one of the below as proof of premises address:
  • recent utility bill dated within the last 3 months (for example gas, phone, water, electricity, Council Tax). We do not accept mobile phone bills
  • bank or credit card statement (dated within the last 3 months)
  • photos of furniture to be placed outside the business premises
• photographic evidence of the site notice being completed and clearly displayed in the shop front window or door, and on shutters if these are used when your premises is closed

• a valid food hygiene certificate (level 2 or above) in the name of the licensee (if trading in cooked food)
• proof of registration of the business with Hackney Environmental Health

If you are a public limited company or chain wishing to apply for a pavement licence, then a member of the management team of each premises will need to apply for the licence on behalf of the PLC or chain.

We can only issue pavement licences to an individual, not a business name.

This does not discount PLCs or chains applying for a pavement licence.

We will not refund any fees paid in relation to shop front trading in the event you wish to switch to a pavement licence.

To have your application considered, you must pay a non-refundable application fee.

All renewals of a pavement licence after three months also require a renewal fee.

See pavement licence fees and charges (PDF 354kb).

Once you’ve submitted your application, a 14 day public consultation period will start. The public will be able to make representations regarding your application.

We’ll contact you if anything’s missing from the application. If anything is missing, the consultation period will not start.

Refer to the supporting documents section before you send your application.

To make a public representation, see Pavement licence objection form.

Following this, we will have a further 14 days to review all representations and decide on your application.

Once you’ve submitted your application, all required documentation and made payment, we will give you a site notice to affix to your premises. It must stay there for the entire consultation period.

It must be clearly visible 24 hours, 7 days a week in your shop front window or door until the end of the consultation period. You must also affix a notice on your shutters if you use them when the premises is closed.

The site notice should:

• state that the application has been made
• show the date the application was made
• show that representations may be made to us during the consultation period and when the consultation comes to an end
• contain any other information we might need

Following the consultation period, we will inform you of the outcome of your application within 7 days.

All decisions will take into account any representations received and we reserve the right to add specific conditions to licences where we feel appropriate to do so.

If you’d like to renew your pavement licence, complete our pavement licence application form (google doc). Email it  to pavement.licence@hackney.gov.uk.