Fiducia TogetherRegulatory permissions
Licences and authorisations you may need before trading.
Please note: This page explains what a term means. It is general information, not legal, financial, tax or investment advice, and it does not know anything about your business. Before you sign, file or commit to anything, check it with an accountant, a solicitor, or the official guidance we link to.
What it means
Many activities require a licence, registration or authorisation: food, alcohol, waste, scrap metal, taxis, gambling, financial services, care, security and more.
Why it matters
Trading without a required permission is usually a criminal offence and can make contracts unenforceable.
What it looks like in practice
GOV.UK's licence finder covers most of them by activity and postcode. Registration with the ICO for data protection applies to most organisations.
What to watch out for
Activities that sound unregulated and are not: carrying your own waste requires a waste carrier registration, and offering credit to consumers requires FCA authorisation.
Where to get proper advice
The GOV.UK licence finder, free. Your local authority for most local licences.
Where to read more
Last reviewed 2026-08-28 by Fiducia Together · Next review due 2027-08-28
Please note: This page explains what a term means. It is general information, not legal, financial, tax or investment advice, and it does not know anything about your business. Before you sign, file or commit to anything, check it with an accountant, a solicitor, or the official guidance we link to.