Under Section 3 of the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960 sites must have a licence if they let:

  • let static caravans to holiday makers
  • let pitches for touring caravans to holiday makers

You can only have a site licence after you have the correct planning permission for your site. You can get advice from our Finding out if you need planning permission webpage. 

Exempt sites 

Specified recreational organisations can get an exemption certificate from Natural England. This will allow them to camp on land without a site licence or planning permission. An exemption certificate is valid for a specified time such as 5 years. It will be subject to strict criteria.

Read more about the criteria and view a list of current exemption holders on GOV.UK.

Register of Camping and Caravan sites

Use our register of camping and caravan sites to check if a camping site in the Dorst Council area has a licence. If a site does not, you can report it by emailing us.

Campsite checklist

Our Campsite checklist page offers advice and guidance about:

  • running a campsite safely
  • meeting the legislation to keep the public safe while they are at your site

Before you start

You will need a layout of the site to a scale more than 1:500.

It should include:

  • boundaries of the site
  • existing buildings on the site
  • positions of any caravan hard standings
  • roads and footpaths
  • toilet blocks, stores & other buildings
  • water supply
  • fire points
  • foul and surface water drainage
  • parking spaces
  • recreation spaces
  • any proposed facilities marked in a different way from any existing facilities

Apply for new camping site licence

Start now

What happens next

You will need to complete a new application if there is a change of:

  • site licence operator
  • operator address
  • number of pitches