Highway licences


Processing, granting and enforcing licences for activities which are restricted by legislation.

There are two main types of licence: those which have to be paid for and those that are free.

Licences which have to be paid for:

  • opening streets for private works;
  • road closure;
  • scaffold licence (only issued to scaffolding contractors); and
  • skip licence (only issued to skip hire companies).

Free licences:

  • building bus shelters;
  • erecting village signs.
  • installing grit bins;
  • installing hanging baskets;
  • installing seats on verges and pavements;
  • planting in the road - such as flowers on roundabouts, bulbs and trees on verges; and
  • putting banners across streets.

Trunk roads are managed by W S Atkins on behalf of the Highways Agency. Any questions regarding these roads should be directed to them rather than Suffolk County Council.

Requests for licences in the following towns should be directed to:

Street closures for events including fairs, fun runs and races are dealt with by your district or borough council.

For more information contact the 
Customer Service Centre.