A licence is required for placing building materials on any part of a highway. Licences are only issued in exceptional circumstances for any duration up to a month. The applicant can extend this before the granted licence expires.

The owner of any land adjacent to a highway requires a licence from the highway authority to plant and maintain shrubs, plants or grass on such land. The licence may stipulate the location and height of any planting.

Landlords of houses of multiple occupation (with more than two households or tenants) are required to be licensed by the Local Authority.

Anyone wishing to construct or locate bridges, buildings, beams and cables over or along the public highway must obtain the appropriate licence from their local authority in order to do so.

A permit is required by any business which could cause pollution or is involved in waste management. Permits for Part A(2) and Part B processes are issued by the local authority

Any scaffold or hoarding which encroaches or projects over the highway requires a scaffold permit. These permits are only issued to the scaffolding company.

A landlord of any privately rented house or flat within an area which has been designated as a selective housing area must have a licence in order to let the property. Licences typically last for 5 years and can be renewed.

Selective licensing gives local councils powers to regulate landlords and managing agents of private rented property in certain areas. A council can designate any part of their local area as a selective licensing area with the aim of addressing the impact that rogue landlords and anti-social tenants can have on a wider community.