Highway licences

Application forms, costs and requirements for a Highway Licence, Street Works Licence or Temporary Traffic Order.

Last updated: 1 September 2026

Next review: 1 September 2027

Highway licences cover things like scaffolding, hoardings, cranes etc, for Street Works and applying for Temporary Traffic Orders. Please note that Highway Licences for the specific purpose of filming will have VAT charged at the standard rate of 20%.

In accordance with the Highways Act 1980, you must have a licence to work on or occupy the public highway. This includes roads, pavements and verges.

 It is an offence to place scaffolding or hoardings on the highway without permission.

If you carry out work without this permission, you are breaking the law. This could result in confiscation of materials and court action against both the hirer or owners of the materials and the people who delivered them.  For building materials, we will only grant a licence in exceptional circumstances, if there is nowhere else to keep them. 

For skip licences, see our skip licence information page.

Highway licence application form

Download the Highway Licence form (PDF)

  • Complete and save the form on your PC. Then email us the form with all attachments.
  • Pay the appropriate fee, as instructed on the application form.
  • Please allow at least ten working days between the date we receive application, and the date you intend to start. It might not be possible to agree your preferred date if there are conflicting activities in the road, or you don't provide enough information.  Once approved, we'll send you the licence, with any conditions attached.  Do not start activities until you receive the licence.
  • Licences are subject to all the conditions on the application form plus any other conditions we add.
  • Please ensure that you clear the site by the date the licence expires.  If you require an extension, you must apply at least five working days before expiry.

Fees and duration of licence

From 18 February 2026

LicenceDurationFee 
Materials
(Maximum surface area:10sq m)		14 days£155
Crane5 days£660 minimum fee**for Scaffolding, Hoarding, Compound and Container licences the minimum fee is for a highway surface area of up to 25 sq m (at ground level).  For larger areas a higher charge is required, as detailed in the application form, up to a maximum of £4,000 for each 30-day period.  
   
Scaffolding30 days£660 minimum fee*
Hoarding30 days£660 minimum fee*
Compound30 days£990 minimum fee*
Container30 days£990 minimum fee*

Street Works Licence

Most utility works are carried out by statutory bodies. They apply directly to us for a street works permit.  Qualified contractors doing other works (eg for new drainage connections) need a licence (section 50) to open or tunnel through the public highway.

Download the Street Works Licence application form (PDF)

You'll find application conditions, costs and payment details on the form.​

Temporary Traffic Order

A temporary traffic order is required if traffic restrictions (for example: road closure, banned turn, parking restrictions* etc) are necessary for street works.

Download the Temporary Traffic Order application form (PDF)

You'll find application conditions, costs and payment details on the form.

* For parking restrictions, a Traffic Order is required where there are no existing parking controls. Where there are existing parking bays, apply for a parking suspension.

Contact

Help with completing online forms

For those without computers, you can use a self-service PC in any Waltham Forest Library

Staff there can help you to log in and create a MyAccount.