Building materials on the road and footpath

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Do you require a licence to place building material on the highway?

If you wish to place building materials on any part of the highway, footway or carriageway, a licence is required, in most cases, from Surrey County Council. A licence is not normally necessary if materials are placed on private land. All materials must be placed on private land whenever possible.

Surrey County Council has an agreement with Epsom and Ewell Borough Council (for Epsom Market Place only). Please contact Epsom and Ewell Borough Council if you wish to make an application in this specific area.

How do you apply for a licence?

To apply for a new licence, please use our online form and pay the fee:

Apply for a building materials licence

Apply to extend a building materials licence

How much does the licence cost?

The cost of the new licence is £130. Licence extensions cost an additional £130.

In some cases, extra charges may apply if;

  • our contractors are called out to light the site, or to make it safe, a charge will be made to the licensee.
  • a bus stop suspension is required
  • any other additional traffic management is required (such as a road closure or temporary traffic lights)

What documentation is required?

Please provide a copy of your Public Liability Insurance for a minimum of £10 million, with your application. If adding screenshots or photographs of required documentation please ensure that every page is included and all information is visible.

What are the terms and conditions?

Please see our terms and conditions for building materials on the road page for the full terms and conditions.

When will a licence be issued and how long is it valid for?

We will issue a licence within ten working days, provided that payment and the correct documents have been sent with the application. This applies to both new and extended licence applications.

The licence is valid for 28 days.

What if you have any queries, concerns or complaints?

If you have queries or concerns, please contact us either online or by telephone.

Please note we will be preventing non-essential streetworks from Surrey town centres from 2/12/2024 until 06/01/2025. Emergency works, particularly works to prevent a hazard to the public, will be exceptional to this seasonal embargo.


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