Gaining Your Highways and Pavement License for Your Scaffolding Project

When it comes to any scaffolding project, if you are erecting scaffolding on or adjacent to a public highway, you must obtain a license to do so. The responsibility for obtaining the license is usually the responsibility of the company erecting the scaffold, or the organisation hiring it; failure to do so could lead to prosecution, as could failure to adhere to the specified terms.

For those erecting a scaffold on private land, a license isn’t necessary, unless it impedes or overhangs a public space.

The requirements that must be met in order to gain a license will differ depending on the location and what the Local Authority deems necessary. Typically, however, you will be required to provide details on a number of aspects including: the site address, works to be carried out, scaffold designs/TG20 compliance sheets, scaffold dimensions, public protection arrangements, dates, and anything else that the issuing authority deems necessary.

Applying for your highways and pavement license should form part of the initial planning stage of any scaffolding project. Until this has been received, no planned works can move forward.

Not sure what you need to do? Take a look through our Scaffolding Standard Guide to Highways and Pavement Licences for more information on what to expect from the licensing process.