Essex County Council scaffold licence

What Essex County Council charges for a scaffolding or hoarding licence, how much notice it needs, and where to apply. Add the day your scaffold goes up to get the date you have to apply by.

Essex County Council licenses scaffolding on the roads it looks after. If you're not sure a site is on one of them, look up its postcode.

Scaffold goes up

Council to apply to

Essex County Council

Checked by hand

Apply at least

21 days

before the scaffold goes up

Licence fee£250.20

NoticeNot published

Council takes21 days

Fee covers: Scaffold/hoarding licences: £250.20 for 2026/27 (£241.51 in 2025/26), from Essex County Council's published list of fees and charges.

ExtensionNot published

Insurance needed: £10 million public liability
Longest licence: 182 days

What the council asks for (7)

Only licensed scaffolding contractors can apply (not private individuals)
Public liability insurance of £10 million, with a certificate at the time of application
Apply and pay online through Essex County Council's form
Each licence is valid for 2 weeks; up to 26 weeks can be applied for initially
Renewals need 3 working days; money paid is non-refundable
Town centres and the Christmas period may bring restrictions or refusals
Essex doesn't license Southend or Thurrock: apply to those councils

In the council's words

“Licence Fees Scaffold/hoarding licences Discretionary £241.51 £250.20 3.6%”

essexhighways.orgChecked 13 Oct 2026

Apply on the council's site