Hoardings or site fences

Apply for a licence to place hoarding or site fences on public highways.

1 Overview

Hoardings or site fences, including jersey barriers, are required to separate a construction site from the highway whenever building works are taking place. This does not apply to private gated roads with no public right of way. However, private roads that are not gated and remain accessible to the public will still require a licence.

A licence is required to erect hoardings or site fences including jersey barriers on the public highway, for which a fee is payable.

West Sussex County Council charges £40 per metre.

We require a minimum of 10 working days' advance notice from the date of application to the date the hoarding will be erected.

All hoarding contractors are required to inform West Sussex County Council as soon as hoarding is removed. If the hoarding requires an extension, a request must be made before the proposed end date of the licence. Failure to do so will result in a £335 charge added to the licence. 

Illegal hoardings  

Any structure erected or placed on West Sussex land without a valid licence is considered unauthorised and will be referred to our legal team. Once a structure has been identified as unauthorised, a charge of £50 per day will be applied for each day it remains in place until a licence is issued.

Fast track service

Should you require more urgent approval, you have the option to use our fast track service. We aim to process fast track applications within 1 working day.

If you choose this option, an additional £52 will be added to the total cost of your application. In order to obtain this fast track licence, email highwayslicencing@westsussex.gov.uk before submitting your licence request.

Last updated:
1 April 2026
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