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Caravan and camping site licence

You must apply for a caravan and camping site licence if you want to station caravans for people to live on your land for more than 28 days.

You will need a licence if you intend to station any of the following for habitation:

  • Caravans
  • Motor homes or mobile homes
  • Camper vans

Before you apply

You need to read and understand the requirements set out on this page before you submit an application for a licence. We cannot proceed with your application unless you give us all the information we need.

The applicant must be entitled to use the land as a caravan site.

We will not issue licences to applicants who have had a site licence revoked within three years of the current application.

Application details

Your application must include the following details:

  • Your name and address
  • Name and address of the premises you want to licence
  • Size and type of the site
  • Details on water supply, including mains water, wastewater, sewage and refuse
  • Planning permission details
  • A full plan of the site

Fees and prices

There is no charge for a caravan and camping site licence.

Duration

Generally, there is no expiry date for a site licence.

However, if the relevant planning permission is for a limited period, the site licence will expire at the same time as the planning permission.

Moveable dwelling site licences (tents)

If you want to use land for tents for more than 42 consecutive days, or for 60 days total in a year, you will need to apply for a moveable dwelling site licence.

You do not need a licence if the tents are for:

  • Yourself
  • Members of your household
  • Seasonal accommodation for agricultural workers on your farm

How to apply

You can submit an application using our online form:

Apply for a caravan and camping site licence 

Further information

You can view details of caravan and camping sites licenced by us on our licensing database.

Select a topic below to find out more about caravan and campsite licences:

The application process

Once we receive your application, we will consult with:

  • Planning
  • The fire service

Processing time

We aim to determine applications within 60 days.

Tacit consent applies. This means that you will be able to act as though your application is granted if you have not heard from us after 60 days.

Appeals

If you want to appeal a permit rejection, please contact us by email at licensing@bathnes.gov.uk

If you are a licence holder and are refused an application to alter a condition, or you want to appeal against a condition attached to a licence, you may appeal to the Residential Property Tribunal

You must make an appeal to the Tribunal within 21 days of the written notification of the refusal. You must then send a notice of appeal to us.

Conditions

We will attach conditions to the licence to cover the following details:

  • Times that caravans can be on the site for human habitation
  • Number of caravans that can be on the site at any one time
  • Type of caravans on site
  • Positioning of caravans and other structures on the site
  • Fire safety
  • The service and maintenance of sanitary facilities

Additional conditions attached to each licence are specific to each site. These are selected as appropriate from the 2008 Model Standards

Complaints

If you believe a caravan or camping site is operating without permission, please report this to us using our online form.

Relevant legislation

Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960

Section 269 of the Public Health Act 1936

Mobile Homes Act 2013

Mobile Homes (Site Licensing) (England) Regulations 2014

We have made the information on these web pages as comprehensive as possible.  However, in attempting to simplify the law, certain requirements have been omitted. Full details of what you must do are in the relevant legislation.

Laws can and do change. We must advise that only the Courts can give an authoritative opinion on statute law.

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