Street Trader Licence Edinburgh: Fees, Rules & How to Apply

A street trader licence to sell food in Edinburgh costs £447 for one year (2026/27), or £304 for non-food. Temporary licences for short runs of up to seven days start at £316. The City of Edinburgh Council runs the scheme under Scotland's licensing law — the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 — which works differently from the English system, so if you've traded south of the border, don't assume your process carries over.

The one thing every food truck operator needs to know about Edinburgh specifically: street trading in the city centre (Ward 11) is not usually allowed, though the council can make exceptions. This guide covers the current fees, how to apply, and the practical points for trading in the capital.

How Edinburgh's Scheme Works

Edinburgh operates under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, not the English Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act. A "street trader's licence" is required for selling goods or services in a public place — including from a kiosk, vehicle, or moveable stall.

There's no "consent street" or "licensed street" distinction here — that's an English concept. In Scotland you hold one street trader's licence and trade in public places, subject to the council's conditions and any area restrictions. For the full picture of how the Scottish system differs from England and Wales, see our Scotland street trading licence guide.

The City of Edinburgh Council is the licensing authority and administers applications through its Licensing Department.

Fees (2026/27)

Edinburgh publishes its civic licence fees in an annual schedule. The current street trader fees are:

Category	Fee
Food — 1 year	£447
Non-food — 1 year	£304
Food — temporary (up to 7 days)	£316 per application
Food — temporary incl. late application surcharge	£378 per application
Non-food — temporary (up to 7 days)	£236 per application
Non-food — temporary incl. late application surcharge	£273 per application
Employees — per applicant	£81 (for the duration of the employer's licence)

A 20% surcharge is payable on any temporary licence application submitted within 42 days of the date the licence is due to start, so plan ahead — the temporary food fee jumps from £316 to £378 if you apply late. Temporary applications should be submitted not less than 60 days in advance to avoid the surcharge.

For food trucks, the relevant figure is the £447 food street trader licence for a regular operation, or the £316 temporary food licence for a one-off event of up to a week.

How Long the Licence Lasts

While the fee schedule above is priced per year, Scottish street trader licences can run for up to three years under Schedule 1 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, at the licensing authority's discretion. Edinburgh's published street trader fees are quoted on a one-year basis — confirm the licence term you're being offered when you apply, as it affects how often you'll re-apply and re-pay.

How to Apply

Applications go to the City of Edinburgh Council's Licensing Department. You'll need to submit:

1. A completed application form for a street trader licence.

2. The application fee for your category (food, non-food, or temporary).

3. A digital photograph meeting the council's specification.

4. A food hygiene certificate if you're selling food — a valid certificate must be submitted with any application to sell food.

5. For fixed locations: a wind management form, a detailed sketch plan, and written permissions from adjacent property owners and the landowner.

Apply well ahead of when you want to start trading — and remember the 60-day window for temporary licences if you want to avoid the 20% late surcharge.

The City-Centre Restriction

This is the headline constraint in Edinburgh. Street trading in the city centre (Ward 11) is not usually allowed, although the council can make exceptions. For food truck operators, this means the obvious high-footfall central pitches — around the Royal Mile and Princes Street — are generally off the table for standard street trading, and you should plan for locations outside the central ward or for event-based trading where organisers hold the relevant permissions.

If your business model depends on a central Edinburgh pitch, contact the licensing team early to find out whether an exception is realistic before you commit.

What Else You'll Need

Beyond the trading licence:

• Food business registration. Separate from the trading licence and required across the UK. Register your food business with the relevant council at least 28 days before trading — free and one-time. For mobile units, register with the council where the vehicle is kept overnight. See GOV.UK's food business registration guidance.
• Public liability insurance. Expected for street trading; most operators carry at least £5 million of cover.
• Gas safety certificate (CP44). If you use LPG or gas appliances in your unit.

How Edinburgh Compares

Edinburgh's £447 food licence is mid-range — cheaper than a busy central London pitch but more than some smaller Scottish councils. The bigger planning factor isn't the fee, it's the city-centre restriction, which narrows where you can realistically trade. By contrast, English cities like Manchester (£720 flat licence) let you trade across the whole city boundary on a single fee, while Westminster's central London pitches cost far more but are central by design.

For the national picture, see our council-by-council cost breakdown.

Where to Go Next

For how Scotland's whole licensing regime differs from England, read our Scotland street trading licence guide. To estimate what you'll spend across Edinburgh and other councils, try our free licence cost calculator, and run the food truck compliance checker to confirm every certificate is in place. If you'd rather track your licence and certificate renewal dates in one place once the system is live, join the waitlist.

This is general guidance based on the published Act and the City of Edinburgh Council's 2026/27 fee schedule. Fees and trading restrictions are set by the council and reviewed annually — verify the current position with the council's licensing team before applying. This is not legal advice.

Sources

• City of Edinburgh Council — Street trader licence
• City of Edinburgh Council — Licence application fees and charges 2026/27
• Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 — section 39
• Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 — Schedule 1 (duration)
• GOV.UK — Register a food business