Offering camping in the UK: What is a campsite licence and do I need one?

Do I need a licence to run my campsite?

In most of the UK, a camping or caravan site licence and planning permission are the two main authorisations needed for opening a campsite. Both are usually issued by your local district or borough council and it makes sense for prospective Hipcamp hosts to work towards getting approval for both at the same time—but it’s worth noting that a licence will only be issued for a site that has been granted planning permission. As a result you should hold off submitting the form for your licence until your planning permission has been given the thumbs up. You can read more about how to apply for planning permission here.

For now, we want to answer questions you may have on licensing in particular. First off, do you need a licence? There are some exceptions, which you can read about below, but generally if you want to run a campsite for more than 42 consecutive days (or more than 60 days in a year), the answer is yes—a campsite licence is necessary. And, if you want to host caravans on your land, then a caravan site licence is necessary too. Tented camping and caravans are regulated by two different laws and technically need different licences but most local authorities simplify this by having a single application process.

Do I need a licence to run a campsite in Scotland?

If you want to run a tents-only campsite in Scotland, there is no need to apply for a licence as the right to camp is enshrined in law and not a licensable activity. You will still need a licence if you want to host caravans on your site, though, and the process is much the same as in the rest of the UK.

In addition, since October 2022, most glamping sites in Scotland are required to apply for a short term let licence. A handy tool on the Scottish government website lets you check if your accommodation is affected but, with tents, tipis, shepherd’s huts and yurts all featuring on the list, it is fair to say that if you provide structured accommodation that’s not already covered by an existing caravan site licence, you are likely to need a short term let licence.

How to apply for a campsite licence or caravan site licence

Good news: Applying for a camping or caravan site licence (and for a short term let licence in Scotland) is usually a more simple process than your planning permission application. So, the information that you have supplied to gain planning permission will come in handy for the form necessary to apply for your licence. Ask your council’s licensing department for this form—you can usually fill it in online. It will require details of the site you propose to use: address, acreage, and a site plan. There may be a fee associated with the application (although in many places this is free of charge for tents-only sites). The resulting licence may impose conditions with regard to number of pitches, spacing, number of toilets, and showers etc.

As part of the application process, an Environmental Health officer may visit your site to check its suitability. Licence applications should be processed within 28 days. If they are not, you are permitted by law to assume them granted with no conditions. This is set out in Section 29 of The Public Health Act 1936, the law that governs tented campsite licensing.

Model standards

For a quick and easy application process, it is a good idea to take a look at previous licences that have been issued by your borough or district council. They may have a gold standard to which all camping and caravan sites should adhere to. In Cornwall, where camping is an important part of the local economy, the local planning authority has issued a guide to model standards. If you are able to use these in the planning stages of your campsite, it may help the planning permission and licensing departments to issue the necessary permissions more quickly.

Exemptions

There are a couple of ways in which campsites can operate without the need for a licence issued by the local authority. The first is to join an exempted organisation, such as The Camping and Caravan Club or The Greener Camping Club. These are clubs which have been granted permission to authorise member-only campsites. Each club will have its own list of requirements for campsite owners (as well as a code of conduct for its members). These are likely to stipulate area and spacing of pitches, a minimum requirement for facilities, and that the site has public liability insurance. The application process will have a fee associated with it and be quite similar to the process for applying for planning permission and licensing—but it comes with some advantages too. By applying for your Hipcamp to be a club site, you will likely be given support through the application process. In addition, once you are up and running, you will have an audience of club members to market to. Read more about exempt organisations.

Temporary and pop-up campsites

The second way you can operate a Hipcamp without the need for a licence is to limit the number of nights that you offer camping. A licence only becomes necessary for a site that’s operating for more than 42 consecutive nights (six weeks) or for more than 60 non-consecutive nights in a year. Somewhat confusingly, this does not tally up with the maximum number of nights that you can operate without planning permission. That is limited to 28 in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and 60 in England, and regulated by a different law. Usually, however the two go hand in hand and, on the whole, Hipcamps tend to be one of three options: a 28-day or 60-day site, a seasonal site, or a year-round site. Both seasonal and year-round sites will need a licence (and planning permission) unless they are members of an exempted organisation.

This article was created by the Hipcamp team based on our years of experience, research, and local understanding. However, please note that this is still only our interpretation of UK regulations and does not constitute legal advice. Hipcamp does not accept responsibility for errors and omissions. Different conditions may apply depending on your individual circumstances and we recommend seeking professional advice on implementing the rules.

This article was first published on 18th March 2023 and updated on 13th July 2023.