Licence - house-to-house collections
To carry out house-to-house collections of cash and/or goods for charitable purposes you need a permit from the local authority. Applications must be made at least one month before the proposed collection date. There is no fee for this permit.
How to apply
- Apply to run a charitable collection (house to house)
- Notify us of the result of a charitable collection (house to house)
Eligibility
Persons under the age of 16 are not permitted to act as collectors and it is the responsibility of the promoter of the collection to enforce this.
What the law says
Application process
You must make applications at least one month before any proposed collection dates, to allow sufficient time for you to order the necessary badges and certificates of authority from Her Majesty's Stationery Office.
How long will it take you to process my application?
We aim to process your application within 28 days of receiving it. Please contact us if you have not heard from us by the end of this period. You can do this online if you applied through the UK Welcomes service or by using the contact details on this page.
How to appeal
Please contact us first. Any applicant who is refused a licence or wants to object to a condition on the licence can appeal to their local magistrates' court within 21 days of receiving notice of the decision.
Complaints about house to house collections
If you want to complain that a house-to-house collection is causing a nuisance, or if you believe that there has been a breach of licence conditions, please contact us. If you are in the UK, you can also contact Consumer Direct who will give you advice. From outside the UK please contact the UK European Consumer Centre.
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