Licence summary
You need a licence from us to carry out house to house collections for charitable purposes.
Exemptions
The Home Office has a list of organisations that are exempt from obtaining a licence. If you are an exempt organisation, you should let us know when and where you are planning a collection to avoid double-booking an area.
What happens if I don't apply?
You can be fined up to £1,000 and/or imprisoned for up to six months if you carry out a house to house collection without a licence. If you or someone is going to collect on your behalf doesn’t give a police officer their name, address and signature when asked, they could be fined up to £200.
Are there any restrictions?
You may not be granted a licence if you have been refused a permit under the House to House Collections Act or have had a permit revoked.
How do I apply?
First contact us to see if your preferred collection area and date are available and, if they are, make a provisional booking. Please note that we only allow one collection per location at any one time.
Then complete the online application form at least 28 days before the collection date. You will also need to provide:
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a letter of authority and
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the contract between the organiser and benefiting charity.
After the collection
You must complete and return a Form of Statement showing the money you raised within one month of the collection taking place. You may be refused a licence in the future if you do not submit a Form of Statement.
Download a Form of Statement [DOCX, 51KB]
Fees
There is no charge for house to house collection applications.
Does tacit consent apply?
No. This means you must obtain a licence from us before carrying out a house to house collection.
Appeals and complaints
If you are refused a licence and want to appeal please contact the Licensing team.
Consumer complaints
We advise that consumer complaints are first made to the trader, preferably in the form of a letter (with proof of delivery). If that does not work, further advice is available from Citizens Advice.
For complaints such as noise pollution or one licence holder complaining about another, please contact us for advice.