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Authorisations / licensing

With certain exceptions, an authorisation is required for the acquisition, keeping, transfer, storage and/or manufacture of explosives.

There are three types of authorisations:

What is a licence?

A licence is a document that allows the holder to store and/or manufacture explosives. The holder of the licence is the person who controls the activities covered by that licence ie manufacturing and/or storing the explosives, and complies with the conditions of that licence.

Licences can be granted by either, Local Authorities, Police, HSE or ONR, depending on:

  • whether the activity is manufacture or storage
  • whether an explosives certificate from the police is needed to acquire and keep explosives
  • the quantity of explosives
  • whether or not the separation distances can be met

Find out how and where to apply for a licence[56].

Licences can be transferred from one person to another, provided:

  • an application is made in writing to the licensing authority
  • the site remains suitable
  • the person who wishes to manufacture or store explosives in place of the licensee is a fit person

If a licensee dies or becomes incapacitated, a person manufacturing or storing explosives in accordance with the conditions of the licence, will be treated as being licensed until either:

  • the expiration of a period of 60 days starting with the date of death or incapacity
  • the grant or refusal, of a new licence
  • the transfer, or refusal to transfer, of the licence

If a licensee becomes bankrupt, or a company with an explosives licence goes into liquidation, administration, or receivership any liquidator, administrator, receiver or trustee in the bankruptcy will be treated as the licensee.

What is an explosives certificate?

An explosives certificate is a document that identifies a person as being fit to acquire and/or keep relevant explosives.

There are two types of certificate:

  • 'Acquire only' certificate – to permit a person or company to obtain explosives that are to be used immediately, and not kept overnight
  • 'Acquire and keep' certificate – to allow a person or company to obtain explosives and keep them in an approved storage place

Anyone who wishes to acquire and or keep relevant explosives needs to contact their local police explosives liaison officer.  All explosives are relevant explosives apart from those listed under Schedule 2 of Explosives Regulations 2014[57].

How to appeal

You can appeal a decision of a Chief Officer of the Police or make an appeal to the Crown Court, or in Scotland to the Sheriff when an explosives certificate is refused, revoked under Regulation 22 of The Explosives Regulations 2014.

Find detailed guidance here[58].

What is an RCA (Recipient competent authority)?

An RCA is a document approving the transfer of civil explosives. Before any explosives are transferred, the consignee shall obtain from the competent authority for the place where the transfer will terminate, a recipient competent authority document which grants approval for the transfer.

No person may carry civil explosives unless the civil explosives are accompanied by a recipient competent authority.

Further information on transfer of explosives[59] is available.

Find out more

Link URLs in this page

  1. Explosiveshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/index.htm
  2. Explosives Regulations 2014 (Amendment) Regulations 2016https://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/regulations2016.htm
  3. Overview - The Explosives Regulations 2014https://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/new-regulations.htm
  4. Guidance structurehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/guidance-structure.htm
  5. Subsector guidancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/new-regs-subsector.htm
  6. Explosives Legislative Reviewhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/explosives-legislative-review.htm
  7. Getting startedhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/getting-started.htm
  8. Overview - Authorisations/licensinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/licensing/index.htm
  9. Hazard type https://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/licensing/hazard-classification.htm
  10. Safety requirementshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/licensing/safety-requirements.htm
  11. Separation distanceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/licensing/separation/index.htm
  12. Building and construction typehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/licensing/separation/separation-distance-tables.htm
  13. Applying for a licencehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/licensing/how-to-apply.htm
  14. Local authority assenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/licensing/local-authority-assent.htm
  15. Explosives in portshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/licensing/licensing-explosives-in-ports.htm
  16. Information for enforcing authoritieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/licensing/enforcing-authorities.htm
  17. Refusals and revocations of authorisationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/licensing/refusals-revocations.htm
  18. Safeguarding planshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/licensing/safeguarding-plans.htm
  19. Manufacturinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/manufacturing.htm
  20. Securityhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/licensing/storage/storage-security.htm
  21. Storing explosiveshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/licensing/storage/index.htm
  22. Overview - Classification for transporthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/classification/index.htm
  23. UN test resultshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/classification/un-test-results.htm
  24. UN test series FAQshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/classification/faq-conducting-un-test-series-6.htm
  25. Analogyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/classification/analogy.htm
  26. Non-contracting partyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/classification/non-contracting-party.htm
  27. UN default scheme for fireworkshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/classification/un-default-scheme-fireworks.htm
  28. How to applyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/classification/how-to-apply.htm
  29. Overview - Fireworkshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/fireworks/index.htm
  30. Firework displayshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/fireworks/using.htm
  31. Storing and selling fireworkshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/fireworks/industry.htm
  32. Transfer of explosiveshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/transfer-of-explosives.htm
  33. Overview - Ammonium nitratehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/ammonium/index.htm
  34. Ammonium nitrate and COMAHhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/ammonium/comah.htm
  35. Storage of ammonium nitrate blasting intermediate (ANBI)https://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/ammonium/storage-ammonium-nitrate.htm
  36. Notification thresholdhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/ammonium/notification-threshold.htm
  37. High nitrogen contenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/ammonium/high-nitrogen-content.htm
  38. Land use planninghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/ammonium/land-use-planning.htm
  39. Discarding and disposalhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/disposal.htm
  40. Reporting losshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/reporting-loss.htm
  41. Placing civil explosives on the markethttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/ce-marking/index.htm
  42. Market surveillancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/market-surveillance.htm
  43. Record keeping requirementshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/record-keeping.htm
  44. Manufacture, storage and carriage of thermiteshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/manufacture-storage-carriage-of-thermites.htm
  45. Overview - Other topicshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/other.htm
  46. Exemptionshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/exemptions/index.htm
  47. Record of explosives incidentshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/eidas.htm
  48. Identification and traceability https://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/traceability-itoer.htm
  49. Applying for a Site Identification Codehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/applying-for-site-identification-code.htm
  50. Overview - Resourceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/resources.htm
  51. Formshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/forms/explosive/index.htm
  52. Publicationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/publications.htm
  53. Useful linkshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/useful-links.htm
  54. Contactshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/contact.htm
  55. The UK has left the EU, and some rules and procedures have changed from 1 January 2021https://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/ce-marking/index.htm
  56. how and where to apply for a licencehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/licensing/how-to-apply.htm
  57. Schedule 2 of Explosives Regulations 2014http://www.legislation.gov.uk/en/uksi/2014/1638/schedule/2/made
  58. Find detailed guidance herehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/licensing/refusals-revocations.htm
  59. transfer of explosiveshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/transfer-of-explosives.htm
  60. Manufacturinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/manufacturing.htm
  61. Storing explosiveshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/licensing/storage/index.htm
  62. Separation distanceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/licensing/separation/index.htm
  63. Explosives Regulations 2014: Guidance on Regulations – Safety provisionshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l150.htm
  64. Trading Standardshttps://www.gov.uk/find-local-trading-standards-office

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Updated: 2024-11-19