Applying for a licence

Explosives: update

The UK has left the EU, and some rules and procedures have changed from 1 January 2021.

This page explains how and where to apply for a licence.

Licensing and enforcement authorities (by location, type and quantity of explosive)
Activity	Licensing authority	Enforcing authority
Manufacture of explosives	HSE	HSE
Manufacture and storage of any quantity of explosives at ONR regulated sites	ONR	ONR
Storage of more than 2000 kg of explosives	HSE	HSE
Manufacture and storage of Ammonium Nitrate Blasting Intermediate (ANBI)	HSE or ONR (at ONR regulated sites)	HSE or ONR (at ONR regulated sites)
Storage of any quantity of explosives on the surface of a mine, whether in a building or not	HSE	HSE
Storage of any quantity of explosives within a harbour areas	HSE	HSE
Storage of up to 2000 kg of explosives if some of the explosives are either: smokeless powder, or percussion caps a relevant explosive that requires an explosives certificate* (eg blasting explosives or black powder) Ammunition the acquisition of which is regulated or prohibited by virtue of the firearms Act 1968-97 Explosives that are to be stored by a person who is a registered firearms dealer	Police	Police
Storage of up to 2000 kg of other explosives (including fireworks and small arms ammunition) the acquisition of which is NOT regulated or prohibited by virtue of the firearms Act 1968-97 where separation distances can be met, none of which requires and explosives certificate*	Local licensing authority	Local licensing authority
Storage of up to 2000 kg of explosives where separation distances in Regulation 27 and schedule 5 cannot be met	HSE or ONR (at ONR regulated sites)	HSE or ONR (at ONR regulated sites)
Handling explosives in a harbour	HSE	HSE
On-site mixing	HSE/ONR	HSE

* Explosives that do not require an explosives certificate are listed in Schedule 2 to the Explosives Regulations 2014.

Apply for a licence from the local Authority

Contact the licensing authority for the area where the site is located, for advice and an application form. Details on which local authority to apply to, is detailed below.

Local licensing authorities

England: The Fire and Rescue Service is the enforcing authority in the metropolitan counties (West Midlands, Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Tyne and Wear, South, and West Yorkshire), as well as in Cornwall. For all other areas, the enforcing authority will normally be the trading standards department of the local authority (in some parts of England this will be part of the county council).

Scotland and Wales: For explosives not requiring an explosives certificate the enforcing authority is the local council.

Where a district council or city council has taken over the functions of the county council, the authority may have agreed with the police or combined fire authority for the fire authority to enforce and the administer licensing on its behalf.

Apply for a licence from the police

Contact your explosives licensing officer in the area where the site is located for advice and an application form.

Apply for a licence from HSE, transfer an existing licence or change the name of the licensee

To apply for a licence, transfer a licence or change the name of the licensee, you will need to complete the relevant form and send it, along with any supporting information, to the address given on the form. Information can be sent either electronically or in hard copy.

The relevant fees are payable on the scale laid down in the current The Health and Safety and Nuclear (Fees) Regulations 2022. HSE will not normally start work in detail on an application until it has received the relevant application fee

Before you apply for a new licence HSE recommends that you make yourself familiar with its Statement of Purpose for its licensing regime and its approach to determining the appropriate period that a new explosives licence should be granted for. If you are applying for a new licence or want to vary a licence and the activities you are undertaking on site require flammable substances or other dangerous substances or materials then you may want familiarise yourself with HSE's approach to when it would expect appropriate conditions to be part of the licence where those materials are likely to initiate or aggravate a fire or explosion.

HSE has produced guidance for its inspectors on the decisions they would be expected to make when considering applications for licences other than ‘fixed’ rule licences . While the approaches and procedures contained within this document are principally aimed at HSE staff they can serve as effective guidance to applicants for a new or varied licence when considered alongside information contained on HSE’s website and on relevant application forms.

Manufacture of explosives, storage of more than 2000kg of explosives, or Manufacture and storage of ANBI

Transfer of a licence to another company/individual

If you want to transfer your licence to another company or individual, you should complete form LP43. The company or individual to who you are transferring your licence to should complete form LP44

Change of Name

If you are changing the name of the person or company that holds the licence (but not transferring your licence to another company or individual), your licence should be updated to reflect the new name. To apply for the change to your licence, please complete Form LP45.

Storage of less than 2000kg of explosives where separation distances can be met

Information on how to apply for a licence for less than 2000kg is available on the forms page.

Handling explosives in a harbour or Port

Applications can be submitted by a harbour authority, a berth operator or a person having interest in the activities involved.

To apply for a licence to handle explosives in a harbour or port, please complete form LP88.

Further information on handling explosives in ports is available.

Dispute a decision

All decisions related to a licence to manufacture or store explosives are subject to a formal process of peer review. If you wish to dispute a decision relating to a licence application made to HSE, contact [email protected] explaining in your reasons for disputing the decision.

How to appeal

You can appeal a decision by a licensing authority to refuse or revoke a licence or to vary a licence without the licensees agreement under section 44 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Find detailed guidance on refusals and revocations of licences here.

Apply for a licence from the Office of Nuclear Regulation (ONR)

Contact ONR if you are applying for a licence for the manufacture and/or storage of explosives at ONR regulated sites.