Highway licences

If you are going to put a skip or building materials outside your home or business, or if you are planning to erect some scaffolding, hoarding (including advertising hoarding) or bunting, you may require a licence. Please use this section to find out all the information you require.

• Price list
  Find out the current cost of highway licences.

• Building materials on the highway
  If you wish to place any building materials on any part of a highway a licence is required from this authority. You must complete an application form to obtain a licence. Materials must be placed on private land where possible.

• Demonstrations and parades
  When special events require the road to be closed off to general traffic, a temporary road closure will be required which can only be granted with the written agreement of the police. Such closures require a Traffic Regulation Order.

• Dropped kerbs (or crossovers)
  It is an offence to drive across a public footway without an authorised vehicular crossing as it may cause damage to the footway or the services underneath.

• Highway projections
  Consent must be granted by our legal department for any display (including Christmas decorations and canopies) that may protrude or project over, along or across a public highway.

• Hoardings
  To erect hoardings on a public highway or pavement, you must first obtain a licence. This article contains all the information you need to know including who to contact and who to make a complaint to if a hoarding poses a danger to the public.

• Noticeboards
  Maintenance of noticeboards is usually the responsibility of the district or borough council or town or parish council. However, applications for new noticeboards must be made to us.

• Planting
  We promote all aspects of conservation of the countryside. One way to enhance its appearance is to plant more trees, shrubs or flowerbeds by the highway (usually highway verges).

• Scaffolding
  To place scaffolding on a public highway, you must obtain a licence. If you are planning to erect scaffolding on a West Sussex highway, find all the information and contact details you need here.

• Skips
  Skip licences must be obtained regardless of whether a skip is to be placed on a publicaly maintained highway or a private street. This does not apply to a private road where the public have no right of access.

• Street party
  Information and advice on how to organise a street party.

• Street works
  Any person wishing to carry out street works must have either a Statutory right - granted by the secretary of state or a street works licence. Find out how to apply for a license or report unsafe working practices.

• Tables and chairs
  Tables and chairs need a licence to be placed on pavements, verges or roads. You can also report tables and chairs causing an obstruction. Find out if your establishment already has a licence for tables and chairs.

• Street trading licence
  Consent to trade is required for all street trading activities such as hot food vehicles, ice cream vans and flower stalls. Food business may be subject to inspection and permission to site a mobile stall will be required from the Highways Department and from the landowner.

• Mobile Elevated Work Platforms (MEWP’s or Cherry Pickers)
  To place temporary access arrangements and mobile lifting apparatus on a public highway, you must obtain a licence. If you are planning to place a mobile elevated works platform or cherry picker on a West Sussex highway, find all the information and contact details you need here.

• Mobile cranes and tower cranes
  How to apply for a licence to use lifting equipment on the public highway.