Street Trading Licence

How to Apply For a Licence

Where can I trade in Hackney?
How can I become a market trader?
What is the difference between a temporary or casual trading licence and a permanent licence?
How do I apply for a licence?
What do I need to bring with my application form?
Why do I need to come into the office to make a licence application?
Why do I need Public Liability Insurance?
How long will my application take to process?
Will an application form be accepted without all the correct documents?
How can I become a food trader?
Do I still need a licence if I don’t want to sell food?
How old do I need to be to become a market trader?
How do I can I get a mobile shop licence?
How much do market trading licences cost?
Where can I get more information on market trading?
I want to make a complaint regarding Street Trading

Where can I trade in Hackney?

We have a range of council-run markets – four traditional street markets selling a range of products, a popular farmers market and nine individual street trading sites across the borough.

Market	Number of pitches	Trading days
Ridley Road Market (E8)	180	Monday to Saturday
Hoxton Street Market (N1)	215	Monday to Saturday
Kingsland Waste Market (E8)	144	Saturday
Broadway Market (E8)	120	Monday to Saturday
Well Street Market (E8)	60	Monday to Saturday

How can I become a market trader?

In the first instance you’ll have to apply for a licence. There are two types of licences – a temporary or casual licence and a permanent licence.

Usually you’ll need to trade on a temporary licence for at least three months before you can apply for a permanent licence, except if you want to sell fresh food.

The conditions for becoming a food trader are different to other commodities. You’ll need to have a permanent licence from the start as well as a food hygiene certificate and be a registered food business. We have a waiting list for selling food – to go on the list you’ll need to make a full application.

What is the difference between a temporary or casual trading licence and a permanent licence?

With a temporary licence you can trade wherever there’s an available or vacant pitch on any of our markets or individual sites. But it doesn’t guarantee a pitch – all vacant pitches are allocated daily. Once you have your licence, you need to go to the market where you’d like to trade each morning. From around 9am the market inspector allocates available pitches to casual traders for that day.

A temporary licence is valid for six months.

With a permanent licence you’ll get a permanent, fixed pitch. To apply for a permanent licence you need to have been trading on a temporary licence for at least three months first. A specialist panel reviews all applications for permanent licences. They decide if a casual trader can become permanent. Depending on your trading pattern, what you want to sell, what pitches are available, your payment record and any complaints that may have been made against you.

A permanent licence is valid for 12 months.

You’ll have to renew both licences – every six months for temporary and every 12 months for permanent.

How do I apply for a licence?

You’ll need to complete an application form and bring it in person with some key documents to the Markets and Street Trading Office on Downham Road. If you don’t complete the form correctly and bring all the documents we need, we won’t be able to process your application so it’s important to make sure you’re clear about everything that’s required.

What do I need to bring with my application form?

You’ll need to provide:

£30.00 application fee, this covers administration costs is non-refundable
3 identical passport size photographs, clear copies of a up-to-date photo with your full face showing
2 proofs of ID with your name and address e.g. your passport or your new style photo-card driving licence (we can't accept old-style paper licences), recent bills – no more than three months old such as gas, phone, water, electricity or council tax. Mobile phone bills are not accepted
Public liability insurance proof - minimum cover £5 million
National Insurance Number proof e.g. National Insurance card, Inland Revenue document, tax statement, Benefits Agency document, pay slip, P45 or P60.
Samples of the product you want to sell

We can only accept original documents not copies.

Why do I need to come into the office to make a licence application?

We want to be able to verify your likeness in your photographs, need your signature and can only accept original documents – we’ll take copies and let you take the originals to take away with you, it is also easier for us to discuss your sample products.

You’ll need to come into the Markets and Street Trading office at 81 Downham Road, N1 5TR, off Kingsland Road – the Fire Station is on the corner.

We can process temporary licences while you wait but permanent and food licences will take a minimum of six months (three months trading as a casual and three months to process and issue the licence) from when we receive your completed application with all the relevant documents.

When you come into the office, make sure you:

have completed the application form and the attached monitoring form
bring all the original documents you need, passport photographs and samples of the products you want to sell
allow up to 1 hour to process your application – it’s a good idea to call the office before you come to make an appointment

Also if you’re subject to immigration control i.e Non British, Non EEA Citizen, non- Commonwealth Citizen with the right of abode, or a Commonwealth working holiday maker, you’ll need to bring your papers from the Immigration and Nationality Directorate.

If you are a non EEA student we won’t be able to give you a licence. Non EEA student cannot be self employed and street traders fall under the self employed bracket.

Why do I need Public Liability Insurance?

You’ll need public liability insurance to cover you for any accidents, including personal injury or death to anyone shopping at or around your stall. Public liability insurance protects market traders for any compensation that you may have to pay including legal costs.

How long will my application take to process?

You’ll need to come into the Markets and Street Trading office at 81 Downham Road, N1 5TR, off Kingsland Road – the Fire Station is on the corner. You can make an appointment by calling 020 8356 3000.

If you’re applying for a temporary licence and meet all the criteria, it takes approximately 20 minutes to process but allow at least 1 hour, especially if you haven't made an appointment. We will give you the licence on the day.
If you’re applying for a permanent or food licence, once you submit your application it should take a minimum of six months, but we’ll give you a better idea of the time when you come in with your application

Will an application form be accepted without all the correct documents?

We can’t process an application without seeing your original documents. If you’re not sure what to bring, contact Hackney Service Centre on 0208 356 3000.

Alternatively there’s a list of all the requirements in the application pack.

How can I become a food trader?

Firstly, you will need proof of relevant food hygiene training certificate before you can apply for a permanent licence to sell food.

If you don’t have a certificate you need to make your own arrangements to attend food hygiene training. You can find out more about training from Hackney Environmental Health. You’ll also need to register your business with Environmental Health.

Visit the Food Licence FAQ for more information.

Do I still need a licence if I don’t want to sell food?

Yes, whatever you want to sell you’ll need a temporary licence. You can then apply for a permanent licence after three months if you want to get a permanent pitch.

How old do I need to be to become a market trader?

You need to be 17 or older to become a market trader in Hackney.

How do I can I get a mobile shop licence?

We don’t licence mobile shops in Hackney – mobile shops are not allowed to operate in the borough.

How much do market trading licences cost?

We charge administration fees for processing applications, these are non-refundable even if your application is not successful so make sure you follow all the application guidelines and provide all the required documents.

Temporary = £30
Permanent = £30
There is also a daily or weekly charge for the pitch you work on

Where can I get more information on market trading?

For more information on market trading, call Hackney Service Centre on 020 8356 3000. Customer services officers will be able to give you a variety of general information over the phone such as where our markets are located, opening and closing times, commodities sold and how to apply for a trading licence.

I want to make a complaint regarding Street Trading

To make a complaint about one of our markets, one of our traders or street trading in general, contact us on:

Phone: 020 8356 3367
Fax: 020 8356 6610
Write: Markets and Street Trading, 2 Hillman Street, London, E8 1FB
Email: info@hackney.gov.uk
Web: www.hackney.gov.uk/l-complain-how-to.htm

In the first instance the Head of Markets and Street Trading will do their best to resolve your complaint in line with the Council’s three-stage Complaints Process (153KB).

Page updated: 15 Jun 2010