When your purchase a property or start a business, you need permission from the state. So, if you plan to start a caravan site, you must first know do caravan sites need a licence?
Yes, caravan sites need a licence. To make your site a legal unit of the local authority or state, you need to apply for a licence. It’s a permit or planning permission that allows you to construct your caravan site according to applicable rules and regulations.
To learn more about caravan sites’ licence, read this post till the end.
Do All Caravan Sites Need A Licence?
No, all caravan sites don’t need a licence. In some countries, it’s compulsory to have a site licence for each caravan site. While in others, you don’t need a licence if you use the land for a limited period.
What Caravan Sites Don’t Need A Licence?
If you’re living in the UK, you won’t need a caravan site licence if:
• Forestry workers, builders, travelling showmen or seasonal workers (like fruit pickers) stay in caravans on the site.
• The area of the site is 5 acres or more than this. The number of caravans on the site is 3 or less, and these caravans stay there for less than 28 days or less a year.
• You’re a member of a caravan club and have an exemption certificate.
• An organization has approved your site with an exemption certificate.
• The people staying on the caravan site belong to the exempted organization.
• Your site is used for the social get-togethers and other events of the caravan club.
How To Apply For A Caravan Site Licence
To apply for the caravan site licence, you can contact your local council. You’ll have to fill an application form to request your licence. Here is what you’ll have to attach with the application:
• Type of the caravan site – residential, permanent, holiday, or touring
• The maximum number of caravans at the site.
• Details of planning permissions.
• A detailed /1500 scale layout of the caravan site, showing the boundaries and hard standings. It should also include an idea of the appropriate roads, footpaths, toilet blocks, water supply, etc.
• Details of arrangements for refuse, sewage, and waster water disposal.
• Proof of the land ownership, obtained from the Land Registry.
Note: The requirements and the procedure to apply for a licence can vary from country to country. It’d be best to contact the local council to get all the details to avoid any mistake.
What’s Included In A Caravan Site Licence?
A caravan site licence includes the following things:
• How the site should be constructed
• What types of caravans can stay on the caravan site
• What toilet and washing facilities should be provided
Can You Apply To Change A Caravan Site Licence?
Yes, you can apply for a change in the site licence. A site licence is a list of the conditions that the state imposes for your caravan site. If you disagree with the caravan site licence’s conditions, you can apply for a change.
The following aspects of the caravan site licence can be altered as per your requirements:
• Occupancy period of the licence – you must send the planning permission already in place with the application if you wish to change the period that the caravan site is open throughout the year.
• Layout of the caravan site – you must have relevant planning permission in place.
• Ownership of the caravan site – the application should include consent signed by the current licence holder.
You must ensure that the documents you submit with the application are accurate. Once you’ve applied, your documents will be checked. Then, a site licence will be issued showing the change you requested.
Who Can Apply For A Caravan Site Licence?
Anyone who fulfils the following requirements can apply for a caravan site licence:
• Must be a person, organization, or company that owns the land.
• You won’t be granted a licence if you previously had a Holiday Site licence revoked in the past 3 years.
• The applicant must be a fit and proper person to apply for the residential site licence, i.e., Mobile or Park Homes.
How Long Does It Take To Get Licence For A Caravan Site?
The time it takes to get a licence depends upon the planning permission. If you already have planning permission for your site, your application will be processed, checked and approved within 2 months. But if you don’t have planning permission, you’ll have to wait for some time. Your application will be processed within 6 weeks of planning permission being granted.
Is There A Fee To Get A Caravan Site Licence?
Yes, you’ll not have to pay a fee if you’re applying to get the licence for a holiday or touring caravan site licence. But, in other cases, for residential caravan sites, you’ll be charged some fee.
Can You Get Fined For Not Having A Caravan Licence?
Yes, the state or local authority can fine you in the following situations:
• You don’t have a licence.
• You break any of the licence’s conditions.
Regardless of these, there is nothing due to which you’ll be fined. The amount of the fine isn’t fixed, and there is no upper limit on how much you’ll be fined. If you continue the violations by breaking any of the licence’s conditions, your site licence will be cancelled permanently.
Summary
If you have a caravan site or want to start one, you’ll need a licence for it. Not all caravan sites need a licence, but most of them need it due to specific conditions.
The process of applying for the caravan site licence is simple. You’ll have to contact the local council and submit the required documents and planning permission for the site.
Your application will be processed, and you’ll be granted a licence in 2 months if you have planning permission. If you don’t have one, you’ll have to apply for it before. The state will set some conditions that you’ll have to follow.
If you don’t like the conditions, you can request a change in the licence. Once the licence is granted, you must follow the conditions because violations can cancel your site licence.
