Business licences

Public weighbridges Child work and performance permits Explosives Feed hygiene - apply for approval or registration Fireworks Performing animals Sports grounds Petroleum storage certificates

Local district and borough councils are responsible for other business licences such as alcohol sales, taxis and live music.

Public weighbridges

List of public weighbridges

Please contact sites before visiting.

Apply for a public weighbridge certificate

All public weighbridge attendants must hold a certificate of competence from the Chief Inspector of Weights and Measures.

Contact us to apply for a certificate:

Trading Standards, 2nd Floor Farnham House
Postal Point CH0330
Hertfordshire County Council
Six Hills Way
Stevenage SG1 2ST

Phone: 01707 292429

After you apply, we will test you on using your company's equipment, issuing tickets and keeping records.

For full details of the test requirements and your other responsibilities, please read our guidance notes for public weighbridge proprietors and attendants.

The certificate entitles you to use the specified equipment anywhere in the country. If you need to use a different type of equipment, please apply to be retested.

Explosives

Apply for an explosives licence

You need a licence to store:

products containing a net mass of 5kg to 2,000kg of explosives, like fireworks, safety cartridges and airbag detonators.
more than 15kg of small arms ammunition.

	New licence cost (1 year)	Renewal cost (1 year)
Explosives licence (up to 250kg net mass)	£119	£59
Explosives storage licence (up to 2,000kg net mass)	£202	£94

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If you're storing more than 2,000kg of explosives, you'll need a licence from the Health and Safety Executive.

Fireworks

You'll need to apply for an all year round fireworks licence if you intend to supply, or expose for supply, fireworks outside of the following dates:

The first day of Chinese New Year and the 3 days before it.
The day of Diwali and the 3 days before it.
Between 15 October and 10 November.
Between 26 December and 31 December.

This licence costs £500.

Email us to apply for a fireworks licence.

Trading Standards, 2nd Floor Farnham House
Postal Point CH0330
Hertfordshire County Council
Six Hills Way
Stevenage SG1 2ST

Phone: 01707 292429

Performing animals

The Performing Animals (Regulation) Act 1925 has been replaced by the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018.

We are no longer responsible for licences for ‘keeping or training animals for exhibition in the course of a business for educational or entertainment purposes’.

For new licences, please contact the local district or borough council where the animals are kept.

From 1 April 2019, you must have a valid licence under the 2018 Regulations.

Sports grounds

We issue safety certificates for:

Sports stadiums with a capacity of 10,000 or more.
Premier and football league stadiums with a capacity of 5,000 or more.
Any covered sports stand with a capacity of 500 or more.

We can issue general safety certificates for ongoing activities (like football games) or special certificates for one-off events (like a music concert).

To request a new certificate or to see copies of existing certificates, contact our business advice team.

Paying a petroleum storage certificate fee

You should have received a letter from us about renewing your petroleum storage certificate (issued under the Petroleum Consolidation Regulations 2014). If you wish to continue storing petrol, you'll need to renew and pay here.

Petrol storage certificate renewal and payment

You will need...

...the reference number we issued to you. You'll find this number on the letter we sent you, requesting you to renew your fee.

If you don't have a reference number issued by us, you can't proceed. Email administration.cfs@hertfordshire.gov.uk with your name and the address(es) where you store petroleum.

If you don't currently hold a petroleum storage certificate and require one, please email administration.cfs@hertfordshire.gov.uk to request an application for a new storage certificate.

If you need to discuss anything with a Petroleum Enforcement Authority (PEA) Officer, email administration.cfs@hertfordshire.gov.uk.

Full information regarding the storing of petrol on the Health and Safety Executive website.

Full list of Trading Standards Fees and Charges 2024 (PDF 168KB)