You need a section 50 licence to:
- dig up the road to repair existing apparatus such as pipe work or cables
- place new apparatus such as pipe work or cables in the road, that is or will be in your ownership
- have utility-owned apparatus placed in a trench excavated by a third party (a contractor which you have hired that has no connection to any of the utility companies)
- inspect, adjust, maintain, repair, renew, move, alter or remove apparatus
- dig or tunnel into a street, sewer or drain
You can do emergency work without a licence but you must tell us within 2 hours of starting work.
Sewers
If you want to do work that will affect a public sewer, you must ask the sewer authority before giving us notice.
Apply for a streetworks licence
Read the guidance for all applicants before you apply.
In addition, you must provide the relevant notices and registration:
- notice of work - required at least 7 days before the proposed start date
- registration of work - required within 7 days of completion of reinstatement
- waste transfer note - complete only if required, and send together with the registration of work
Before you start work
Co-ordinate your work around other planned roadworks and activities.
Read the Safety at Street Works and Road Works - A National Code of Practice. Failure to comply with the code when executing works on the highway is evidence of failing to fulfil the legal requirements to sign, light and guard work. Compliance with the code will be taken as compliance with the legal requirements to which it relates. Further guidance on safe working on highways, including for some situations not covered by this code, is available in Chapter 8 of the Traffic Signs Manual part 1, part 2 and part 3.