Guidance

Marine licence fees

Updated 28 November 2024

1. Advice in relation to the Marine Licensing Service

Advice is provided by the MMO on the marine licence application process and can be obtained by request through the online case management system.

Advice requests are assessed and categorised into:

• Band 3 – Pre-application screening advice and scoping opinions; and
• Band 3P – Advice which is provided by the MMO as an additional service and may include discretionary advice

1.1 Band 3 - Pre-application advice

Pre-application Screening

This is the statutory process by which we determine whether or not a project will be subject to an environmental impact assessment and is provided by the MMO before a Marine Licence Application has been submitted.

Pre-application Scoping Opinion

If requested, the MMO will provide advice on the information required for an environmental statement. Once an EIA Scoping Opinion is requested this becomes a statutory process.

1.2 Band 3P – Advice which is provided by the MMO as an additional service and may include discretionary advice

Advice can include (but is not limited to) the following:

General enquiries:

Enquiries for any advice in relation to the Marine Licensing Service. If your enquiry is considered straightforward, we will provide a simple response. More complex queries may require a fee to be paid. Where this is the case we will discuss this with you and an estimate will be provided for acceptance before we start any work.

Pre-application advice:

Advice provided by the MMO before a Marine Licence Application has been submitted. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Environmental Statement (ES) review – If requested, we may review draft environmental statements before they are submitted to us formally.
• Other – If you request advice, but does not lead to the submission of a Marine Licence Application.

Post-consent advice:

Any advice that is provided by the MMO after a Marine Licence has been issued.

Other advice:

Any advice that is provided by the MMO in relation to the Marine Licence Service.

Advice Fees Structure

Band	MMO rate	Cefas rate	Maximum fee	Payment terms
3	£122 per hour (VAT exempt)	£108.32 per hour	N/A	Fees payable in full in arrears on a monthly basis
3P	£122 per hour (excl. VAT)	£108.32 per hour	N/A	Fees payable in full in arrears on a monthly basis

2. Marine licence application Fees

Marine licence applications are assessed and categorised into fee bands:

• Band 1 (Self-service)
• Band 2
• Band 3

3. Band 1 (Self-service)

Self-service marine licensing replaces the previous fast-track marine licence process which required bespoke consideration by the MMO’s case officers.

A self-service marine licence costs £50 payable in advance. Payment will only be accepted when made by credit or debit card. Payment will be prompted automatically at the appropriate stage of the online application process. Payments must NOT be made by BACS. Any BACS payments for self-service will be returned and no licence will be issued.

Activities which may qualify for a self-service licence include some:

• deposits (including Burial at sea)
• minor removals
• maintenance activities
• non-navigational dredging

Full details are contained in the self-service activities table. You should consider the activities table and self-service guidance before using the MMO’s interactive assistance tool. These resources can help you to understand whether a marine licence is required for your activity and whether the activity is one that qualifies for self-service marine licensing.

Marine licence applications Fee Structure - Band 1 (Self-service)

Band	MMO rate	Cefas rate	Maximum fee	Payment Terms
Band 1 (Self-service)	£122 per hour	N/A	£50	Fee payable upfront

4. Band 2

Marine Licence applications where the proposed activity is for the sole purpose of:

• small-scale construction, alteration or improvement of works
• removal of substances; or
• routine deposits within the UK marine licensing area

Marine licence applications Fee Structure - Band 2

Band	Project cost	MMO rate	Cefas rate	Maximum fee	Payment Terms
Band 2a	£0 to £49,999	£122 per hour	£108.32 per hour	£1,400	Fees payable in full in arrears of determination of application
Band 2b	£50,000 to £999,999	£122 per hour	£108.32 per hour	£2,200	Fees payable in full in arrears of determination of application

Any band 2 project type with complex case characteristics is moved to band 3. Where no complex characteristics are present then the project cost determines which band 2 fee is applicable.

5. Band 3

Marine Licence applications where the proposed activity includes:

• Dredging
• Scuttling any vessel or floating container
• Deposit or use of explosives;
• Incineration of a substance or object;
• Loading any vehicle, vessel, aircraft, marine structure or floating container in the UK (except Scotland) or the UK marine area, with any substance or object for incineration at sea;
• Deposits (outside of the UK marine area) from a British vessel, British Aircraft or British marine structure (or floating container if controlled from those listed);
• Deposits (outside of the UK marine area) from a vessel loaded in the UK;

And where complex characteristics are present:

• Deposits within the UK marine Area;
• Removal of substances;
• Construction.

Marine licence applications Fee Structure - Band 3

Band	Project cost	MMO rate	Cefas rate	Maximum fee	Payment Terms
Band 3	Over £999,999	£122 per hour	£108.32 per hour	No maximum	Fees payable in full in arrears on a monthly basis

6. Complex case characteristics

A project or plan is defined as a complex case if it is one of the following:

• Estimated to cost more than £1 million or unable to provide a confident cost estimate
• Part of a project which requires an EIA
• Likely, either alone or in combination with other plans or projects, to have a significant effect on a protected site or any process on which any protected feature is dependent

7. Marine licensing monitoring

The MMO must monitor Marine Licences to ensure compliance with the activities and the conditions applied to that licence. The MMO will recover the costs for carrying out marine licence monitoring:

There are three types of monitoring undertaken by the MMO:

• Monitoring information
• Monitoring inspections
• Disposal levy

7.1 Monitoring information

Checking information/evidence submitted by the licence holder to discharge a condition.

Monitoring information Fee structure:

Band	MMO rate	Cefas rate	Maximum fee	Payment Terms
Band 1 (Self-service)	Included in licence fee	N/A	N/A	N/A
A licence processed as a Band 2a or 2b application	£94 per hour	£108.32 per hour	£750 for all monitoring activities, for the duration of the licence	Fees payable in full in arrears. You should only receive one invoice
A licence processed as a Band 3 application	£94 per hour	£108.32 per hour	No maximum	Fees payable in full in arrears on a monthly basis

7.2 Monitoring inspections:

Undertaking site or desk based checks to ensure compliance with the licenced activity and conditions.

If you have a licence processed as a Band 2a or 2b application, we will aim to carry out a monitoring inspection;

If you have a licence processed as a Band 3 application, we will aim to carry out two monitoring inspections annually for the duration of the licence.

Monitoring inspections Fee structure:

Band	MMO rate	Cefas rate	Maximum fee	Payment Terms
Band 1 (Self-service)	Included in licence fee	N/A	N/A	N/A
A licence processed as a Band 2a or 2b application	£94 per hour	£108.32 per hour	£750 for all monitoring activities, for the duration of the licence	Fees payable in full upon completion of monitoring inspection. You should only receive one invoice
A licence processed as a Band 3 application	£94 per hour	£108.32 per hour	No maximum	Fees payable in full upon completion of monitoring inspection

7.3 Disposal levy charge

The MMO is required to monitor the environmental conditions of marine disposal sites.

Where a Marine Licence has been issued for the deposit of dredged material into the sea, Licence Holders are required to pay a disposal levy.

Disposal levy Fee structure:

Band	Monitoring activities required	MMO rate	Maximum fee	Payment terms
Disposal levy	Monitoring the environmental conditions of marine disposal sites	Maximum tonnage of disposed material x £0.01 per tonne	£15,000 per annum	Fees payable in arrears on an annual basis

8. Variations

If circumstances change, a Marine Licence can be varied or transferred and can be obtained by request through the online case management system.

In addition, the MMO may vary or transfer any extant Marine Licence. For example where there is a need to change or add conditions because new environmental information has come to light. Where the MMO varies or transfers a Marine Licence then we may recover the cost of determination. If a variation or transfer of a licence is required by the MMO, then the MMO may choose to waive or reduce the fees.

If the licence holder requests a variation or transfer of their licence, then they must pay the appropriate fee. Applications for a variation or transfer are assessed and categorised into fee bands:

Band V0: A change to a licence where the charge has been waived by the MMO.

Band V1: Admin changes - Any application for a minor change to a marine licence, including:

• A request to change the name or address of an agent, contractor or sub-contractor on a marine licence
• Changes to the name of a vessel or registration number of a vehicle transferring the licence from the licensee to another named person

Band V2: Routine changes - Any request to change a marine licence which does not require the MMO to consult our advisors.

Band V3: Complex changes - Any request to change a marine licence that does require the MMO to consult with our advisors.

Fee Structure for Variations to Marine licenses

Variation Type	MMO rate	Cefas rate	Maximum fee
V0	£94 per hour	£108.32 per hour	N/A	No charge
V1	£94 per hour	£108.32 per hour	£50	Fee payable upfront
V2	£94 per hour	£108.32 per hour	£200	Fee payable upfront
V3	£94 per hour	£108.32 per hour	No maximum	Payable monthly in arrears

9. Calculating estimates and controlling costs

You will receive an estimate of the maximum number of hours of casework required from MMO and Cefas staff members for all work needed before you apply and to complete Band 3 applications. The estimated hours are multiplied by the suitable hourly rate to give an estimated fee. You must accept the terms quoted before your application can progress.

Final charges invoiced by MMO are based upon actual hours, not the original estimate.

The staff time spent on your application is recorded accurately and this information is available to you. Time is charged in units of 15 minutes with a minimum of 15 minutes for each item of work.

MMO case managers monitor your application weekly to assess how many more case hours are needed. If the estimated final cost is likely to be significantly different from the actual final cost, you will be notified in good time. You will also receive an explanation of the circumstances and an updated estimate. You will also be informed when more than 90% of the estimated total number of hours has been used.

When an application is complete and valid, MMO review the fee band again before the application is accepted.

10. Charges for travel

You will be charged for travel by MMO staff that relates to your case, regardless of the charging structure that is being applied. Travel charges are made on top of application fees. You will also be charged the actual travel and subsistence costs incurred whilst we travel to and from meetings.

Travel charges are calculated on MMO’s and Cefas’ hourly rates based on the current fee structure (explained above). You will be offered alternatives to MMO staff travelling where possible, such as meeting in MMO offices in Newcastle-upon-Tyne or using electronic conferencing facilities.

Guidance can be viewed here.