Marine licensing exempted activities
Find out which activities may be exempt from requiring a marine licence and what you need to do in such circumstances.
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Overview
The Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (MCAA 2009), the Marine licensing (Exempted activities) Order 2011 (as amended), the Marine licensing (Exempted activities) Order 2013 and the Marine licensing (Exempted activities) Order 2019 set out activities which may be exempt from requiring a marine licence in certain circumstances.
The exemptions have been grouped into themes and listed below for ease of review.
If you intend to rely on an exemption you must make sure that you meet the relevant qualifying criteria and conditions. You might also need to notify the MMO about your activities.
Marine licence exemptions, where they apply, do not remove the requirement for you to secure any other consents.
Enforcement action might be taken if it is later determined that the activity, or the circumstances in which it was carried out, is not consistent with the terms of the relevant exemption.
Markers, moorings and pontoons
- Moorings and aids to navigation
- Temporary markers
- Pontoons
- Markers for European marine sites and marine conservation zones
- Diver trails within restricted areas
For more information, please refer to the detailed guidance on Markers, moorings and pontoons
Litter
- Recovery of marine litter
- Use of vehicles to remove litter, seaweed or dead animals
- Use of vehicles or vessels by harbour authorities to remove marine litter and debris
For more information, please refer to the detailed guidance on Litter.
Scientific research
- Scientific instruments
- Tracers and reagents
- Samples for testing an analysis
For more information, please refer to the detailed guidance on Scientific research.
Maintenance
- Maintenance of Harbour works
- Maintenance of coastal protection, drainage and flood defence works
For more information, please refer to the detailed guidance on Maintenance.
Dredging
- Dredging for Harbour Authorities
- Navigational dredging
- Deposits in the course of aggregates or mineral dredging
For more information, please refer to the detailed guidance on Dredging.
Fishing and shellfish
- Shellfish propagation and cultivation
- Fishing operations
For more information, please refer to the detailed guidance on Fishing and shellfish.
Cables, pipelines, oil and gas and carbon capture storage
- Lay or maintain cables for the transfer of electricity or data
- Emergency inspection or repair of a cable
- Oil and gas pipelines and carbon capture storage
- Emergency inspection or repair of a pipeline
For more information, please refer to the detailed guidance on Cables, pipelines, oil and gas and carbon capture storage.
Vessels
- Launching of vessels
- Deposits in the course of normal navigation
- Hull cleaning
- Dismantling of ships
- Salvage
- Rights of foreign vessels under international law
For more information, please refer to the detailed guidance on Vessels.
Pollution response
- Deposit of equipment to control, contain or recover oil
- Deposit of marine chemical and marine oil treatment substances
- Activities falling within Part 6 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995
For more information, please refer to the detailed guidance on Pollution response.
Emergency, safety and training
- Emergency works in response to flood or flood risk
- Cables and pipelines – authorised emergency repair and inspection
- Accidental deposits
- Removal of obstruction or danger to navigation
- Coastguard activities – safety purposes and training
- Flares and other such items for safety purposes and training
- Safety directions under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995
- Fire fighting
For more information, please refer to the detailed guidance on Emergency and safety.
Miscellaneous
- Bored tunnel
- Scheduled works under the Crossrail Act 2008
- Licensed deep sea mining
- Defence activities
- Air accident investigation
- Activities in the Scottish inshore region
For more information, please refer to the detailed guidance on Miscellaneous.
Common conditions
- Notifications
- Navigational risk
- Environmental risk – MPA’s
- Environmental risk – Water bodies
- Environmental risk – Historic environment
For more information, please refer to the detailed guidance on Common conditions.
Updates to this page
Published 26 April 2016Last updated 28 November 2024 + show all updates
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Banner update
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Exemptions are no longer categorised as Category 2 or Category 3. Exemptions guidance has been grouped according to activity type.
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Text updated
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Text updated
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http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/526/contents/made URL updated
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URL added
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Text updated
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updated section on pontoons and added in link to River Basin Management Plans
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First published.