Apply for this licence
Contact your local council for a licence if you live in England, Scotland or Wales and want to use your land as a caravan site.
You do not need a licence to run a caravan site if:
- forestry workers, builders, travelling showmen or seasonal workers (like fruit pickers) stay in caravans on the site
- the site is 5 or more acres and there are 3 or less caravans there for 28 days or less a year
- you’re a member of an organisation like a caravan club and have a caravan exemption certificate
- your site is approved by an organisation with a caravan exemption certificate
- members of an exempted organisation stay in their caravans on the site
- your site is used for a social get-together of caravan club members (a ‘rally’)
Restrictions
The council may put conditions on the licence including:
- how the site should be laid out
- what type of caravans are allowed
- what toilet and washing facilities should be provided
If you disagree with the conditions, you can appeal to a local magistrates court. The council may change licence conditions at any time but they should discuss any changes with you.
You must have planning permission for the caravan site before you apply for a licence.
How to apply
Contact your local council for an application form.
You may have to pay a fee for a licence.
Your licence will last as long as you’ve planning permission for the caravan site.
Fines and penalties
You may be fined if you:
- do not get a licence
- break any of your licence conditions
In some cases, there is no upper limit to how much you can be fined. Your licence may be withdrawn if you repeatedly break your licence conditions.