Petroleum licensing

Petrol pumps We're responsible for petroleum licensing in Belfast, under the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act (Northern Ireland) 1929.

This means that we licence and inspect petrol filling stations (and other places that store and dispense petrol) to make sure the design and operation of the premises meets specific safety controls.

Petrol is inherently hazardous and it gives off flammable vapours which, when mixed with air in appropriate proportions, will burn with explosive force if set on fire.

If it isn't handled correctly, petrol can have harmful short and long-term health effects and, if released into the environment, for example, via a spillage, it can harm aquatic life and present a risk to the natural environment.

There's potential for accidents at all sites where petroleum fuel is stored and dispensed. Making sure people are safe and protecting the environment are major concerns, especially because the risks associated with petrol are significantly increased at stations which the general public have access to.

EUGO portal logo It's therefore extremely important that these premises have properly designed and constructed facilities which are correctly operated and maintained.

A safety check will be made as part of the application process for a petroleum licence. Our surveyors also visit premises which already have a licence to make sure they meet their terms and conditions.

Guidance notes for petroleum licensing

Anyone applying for a petroleum licence under the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act (Northern Ireland) 1929 must comply with the requirements of the council.

Due to the complicated nature of the process, we recommend you read the guidance notes below before completing your application. They also contain information about petroleum licensing fees

Apply for a petroleum licence

You can use our online payment system to apply for a petroleum licence. You can also use the system to renew or transfer an existing licence.

Apply for a petroleum licence

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We accept the following credit or debit cards: If you aren't sure whether you need a licence, email buildingcontrol@belfastcity.gov.uk or call our licensing team on +44 28 9027 0650.

You can also download the application form and return it by post, along with the relevant documents and fees, to:

Head of Building Control Service
Health and Environmental Services Department
5th Floor
9 Lanyon Place
Belfast
BT1 3LP

Who needs a petroleum licence?

Anyone with premises where petroleum is stored and dispensed by mechanical means for resale, for example, petrol stations, or on private sites, for example, for company vehicles, must have a valid petroleum license from us.

If you aren't sure whether you need a licence, email buildingcontrol@belfastcity.gov.uk or call our licensing team on +44 28 9027 0650. Our opening hours are Monday to Thursday, 9am to 5pm, and Friday, 9am to 4.30pm.

Exemptions from petroleum licensing

You do not need a licence to store petroleum spirit or petroleum spirit mixtures in containers in your workplace.

This is now regulated under the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmosphere Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 (DSEAR).

This legislation came fully into operation on 30 June 2003, as part of the Health and Safety at Work (Northern Ireland) Order 1978, and is concerned with protecting employees and premises against risks from fire, explosion and other similar events which could arise from dangerous substances which are used or are present in the workplace.

Under DSEAR, workplaces must: Employers, or self-employed business owners, are responsible for complying with the regulations. If they apply to you, you should obtain a copy of them, using the link above, and familiarise yourself with your legal responsibilities.

Making sure workplaces comply with DSEAR is the responsibility of either the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland or us (or other relevant local authority), depending on the allocation of premises under the Health and Safety (Enforcing Authority) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999.

The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland normally look after industrial sites, while environmental health officers from local authorities usually monitor other sites, such as retail premises.

More information is available by calling the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland helpline on 0800 0320 121, calling into their information and advice centre at 88 Ladas Drive, Belfast, BT6 9FR or visiting their website at www.hseni.gov.uk

What types of licences are available?

You can apply for: If you're applying for a new licence, or want to renew an existing one, you must also tell us the maximum quantity of petrol you intend to store, as this determines the cost of your licence. There are three categories:

What documents are needed to apply?

Once you know the type of licence you need, you can apply online using our online payment system or fill in an application form and return it by post.

As part of the application process, you must supply us with a range of documents relating to your premises. If you are applying for a renewal or transfer of an existing licence, you must also supply the certificates listed below.

Documents required for petroleum licensing applications
Type of document Duration
Electrical certificate One year
Fire appliance certificate One year


As the applicant, it's your responsibility to submit all certificates needed by the council. Please note that we only accept original certificates - faxes or photocopies are not sufficient. Certificates will be copied and the originals returned to you, if requested.

For new licences, you must also submit four copies of the plans of your premises (at a scale of 1:100).

Hard copies can be sent by post to:

Head of Building Control Service
Health and Environmental Services Department
5th Floor
9 Lanyon Place
Belfast
BT1 3LP

If you are employing approved persons to provide any of the documents for you, please refer them to these notes to clarify the type and duration of certificates you need. As well as the certificates listed above, applicants must also submit a completed petroleum licensing risk assessment.

How are applications processed?

Timescales

We aim to issue your petroleum licence, if approved, within 42 calendar days of receiving your application.

However, we cannot do this until any work that we require on your premises has been satisfactorily completed (see below) and you have provided all the documents we need.

During this time, our licensing surveyor will inspect your premises. Please note however that we cannot progress your application or carry out an inspection until we receive four copies of the floor plans of your premises (see above).

You should not store or dispense petroleum at your premises until a valid petroleum licence has been issued.

Repairs and maintenance

As part of the application process, we may ask for remedial work to be undertaken at your premises if we feel it is necessary to bring the site up to a suitable standard before a licence can be issued.

We use Guidance for the Design, Construction, Modification, Maintenance and Decommissioning of Filling Stations (known as the Blue Book), which was revised in March 2005 and published by the Association for Petroleum and Explosives Administration (APEA) and the Energy Institute London.

It provides technical details about the storage and dispensing of petroleum products used as fuels for motor vehicles, primarily at filling stations which the general public have access to. It also includes information on minimising the risks from fire and explosion to both people's health and to the environment, and describes good practice and certain legal requirements.

Appeals

If we refuse your application or impose terms, conditions or restrictions which you are not happy with, or if we revoke your licence, you have the right to appeal our decision.

You must appeal, in writing, to the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) within ten days of receiving our decision (we will send you a certificate outlining the reasons behind it).

What happens when a licence is approved?

You should not store or dispense petroleum at your premises until a valid petroleum licence has been issued.

Tacit approval does not apply to petroleum licence applications and you should not consider your licence granted until you receive formal confirmation from us.

When we issue your licence, it is important that you, as the licensee, as well as everyone employed on your premises, acts in accordance with and observes the conditions of the licence. Licensees who contravene any conditions of their licence are liable, on summary conviction, to a fine of up to £100 for each day on which the contravention occurs or continues.

The occupier of licensed premises must display the petroleum licence and its conditions on the site, in a position where they can be easily read by employees. There is a penalty of up to £20 per day if this is not done, or to any person who pulls down or defaces the licence and its conditions.

All petroleum licences are granted for a period of up to 12 months and are subject to standard conditions. Applications for renewals should be submitted at least one month before your licence is due to expire.

How much do petroleum licences cost?

The cost of a petroleum licence depends on the type of licence you are applying for and the amount of petroleum spirit to be stored. Please note that these fees are non-refundable, even if your application is refused.

Petroleum licensing fees
Type of licence Quantity of petroleum Fee (per year of licence)
Grants (new licences) and renewals Up to 2,500 litres £41
2,500 to 50,000 litres £57
More than 50,000 litres £118
Transfer £8 (one-off fee)


Fees can be paid by cheque or postal or money order (made payable to Belfast City Council), or by credit and debit card using our online payment system

Contact details

If you have a query about petroleum licensing, email buildingcontrol@belfastcity.gov.uk or call our licensing team on +44 28 9027 0650. Our opening hours are Monday to Thursday, 9am to 5pm, and Friday, 9am to 4.30pm.