Section 50 street works licence to install and work on apparatus

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

In most circumstances, you need to give at least one months notice to obtain a licence

Emergency works that are necessary to prevent or stop situations likely to cause danger to people or property can be carried out without a licence. However, you must notify us within 2 hours of starting the emergency work.

Find out more about:

• installing new apparatus
• work on or repair existing apparatus

If you need to install new apparatus as part of repairs to existing equipment, you must apply to install new apparatus.