Licensing
EHDC is responsible for a range of licences and registrations. We are part of a Europe-wide scheme which aims to break down barriers to cross border trade in services between countries in the EU.
The EU Services Directive has been brought in to make it easier for service providers, particularly small and medium sized enterprises, to offer their services to customers in all EU countries, whether establishing elsewhere in the EU or providing services remotely from the UK.
Alcohol, entertainment and refreshment
Premises serving or supplying alcohol, providing public entertainment or late night refreshment; hypnotists; events and sex shops must be licensed.
Taxi and private vehicle hire
Taxis (hackney carriages) licensed to ply for hire from the street or from a taxi rank and private hire vehicles with pre-booked passengers must be licensed.
Gambling
EHDC has responsibility for granting premises licences for casinos, bingo halls, betting offices, adult gaming centres, licensed family entertainment centres. We also grant permits for, gaming and gaming machines in clubs, unlicensed family entertainment centres and gaming machines in alcohol licensed premises.
Animal Welfare Licensing
We licence a number of animal establishments including riding stables, pet shops, zoos and boarding kennels which we inspect at least once a year.
Food
The food safety enforcement service protects public health. Virtually all food businesses need to register with us, and a small number require approval.
Skin piercing
People practising acupuncture, semi-permanent skin-colouring, cosmetic piercing (including ear piercing), electrolysis or tattooing, and the premises they use, have to be registered with us.
Cooling towers and evaporative condensers
All premises with cooling towers or evaporative condensers must notify us.
Charity collections
All street and house to house collections need to be licensed by the local authority.
Street trading
This means the selling or exposing or offering for sale of any article (including a
living thing) in a street or open place on which the public have access without payment.
Scrap metal dealers
To be a scrap metal dealer, you need to register with your local authority.
Motor salvage operators
Anyone who recovers parts or a whole motor vehicle for reuse or sale needs a licence.
Industrial Air Pollution Control - Part B and A2 processes
You must have an environmental permit if you have installations or mobile plants carrying out, waste operations, waste mobile plant, or mining waste operations.
Houses in Multiple Occupation
HMOs of three or more storeys occupied by five or more people comprising at least two households need a licence.
Caravan and camp sites
Usually both caravan and campsites need a licence from the council to operate.