Find out which licences, registrations and permissions your new business needs before it starts trading – general registrations every business should check, sector-by-sector licences, premises and planning, and a register to track applications and renewals.
Starting a business
Business Licences, Permits and Registrations Checklist
About this document
Many businesses need a licence, registration or permission before they can legally trade – and some, such as food business registration, must be in place weeks before opening. Trading without the right licence can lead to fines, prosecution, invalid insurance or having to close. This checklist helps new business owners work out what applies to them and keep track of applications and renewal dates.
The document is laid out in the sections below. Each one comes with a plain-English guidance note explaining what it does and what to change.
Our templates are professionally structured starting points for UK businesses, not legal advice. For anything complex, unusual or high-value, have your final version checked by a solicitor.
Included in the pack
Starting a business
for every document in this category
Editable Microsoft Word files
Guidance notes in every document
Written for UK businesses
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