Business licences

A Knife Dealer Licence is required if you wish to carry on business as a dealer in certain types of knives (generally "non-domestic" knives), swords, blades or sharply pointed articles.

A late hour catering licence is needed by all places serving food, whether on a "sit-in" or "carry-out" basis, between the hours of 11 pm in the evening and 5 am the following morning.

A second-hand dealer's licence is needed by any person carrying on a business as a dealer in second hand goods or articles. A licence is only needed by the owner or manager of the business and not by salespersons or other employees.

A sex shop licence is needed for any premises, vehicle, vessel or stall used for a business which consists to a significant degree of selling, hiring or exchanging, lending, display or demonstrating sex articles.

A skin piercing and tattooing licence is needed by all businesses who undertake tattooing or skin/body piercing.

Public performances of stage plays must be licensed under the Theatres Act 1968. There is an application fee which must be paid at the time the application is made.