Street Trading Licence London: Costs by Borough (2026)

London is the most expensive place in the UK to hold a street trading licence. Fees across boroughs range from a few hundred pounds to nearly £8,000/year for premium pitches — and every borough has a different fee structure.

This guide collects real fee data from London borough websites so you can estimate what you'll spend. All figures were checked against council websites in early 2026.

How London Licensing Differs from the Rest of England

London boroughs operate under the London Local Authorities Act 1990 rather than the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 used by councils elsewhere in England and Wales. The 1990 Act gives boroughs broad discretion over fees, application processes, and conditions.

In practice this means:

• Fees tend to be higher than outside London
• Application processes are more complex
• Waiting lists for popular pitches are common
• Conditions attached to licences are more detailed

Borough-by-Borough Fee Comparison

Borough	Fee Type	Annual Cost (Approx.)	Notes
Greenwich (standard)	Weekly consent	~£4,570/yr	£87/week + £46 admin. Standard areas.
Greenwich (premium)	Weekly consent	~£7,950/yr	£152/week + £46 admin. Town centres, Woolwich, Charlton.
Merton (designated)	Annual licence	£1,971/yr	Renewal fee. New licence: £1,203.
Merton (shopfront, large)	Annual licence	£2,308/yr	Over 18sqm stall. Smaller stalls: £241–£1,590.
Richmond (designated)	Annual licence	£1,076/yr	Renewal: £820. New site designation: £1,255.
Richmond (temporary)	Per event	£199–£448	1-7 consecutive days.
Westminster (hot food)	Application + pitch	£260 app + pitch fees	Pitch fees billed 4-weekly, vary by location. Start-ups: 50% off application.
City of London	Annual licence	£780/yr	Middlesex Street licence.
Hounslow	Application + per sqm	£125 app + £135/sqm	Per square metre of trading space.
Harrow	Per application	£50 admin	Admin fee per application for stalls up to 7 days.

Note: All figures sourced from individual borough websites and verified in early 2026. Fees change annually (usually in April). Always check the specific borough's current fee schedule before applying.

The Most Expensive Boroughs

The highest fees cluster in central and inner London, where demand for trading pitches is highest:

Greenwich stands out with premium weekly rates of £152/week — over £7,900/year for a single pitch. Even standard areas cost £87/week (~£4,500/year). These rates reflect high footfall areas like Greenwich town centre and Woolwich.

Merton charges up to £2,308/year for large shopfront licences, though most food truck operators would fall into the designated site category at £1,971/year renewal.

Westminster has relatively low application fees (£96–£260) but pitch fees — billed separately every 4 weeks — vary enormously by location. A pitch near Oxford Street costs far more than one in a quieter residential area.

More Affordable Options

Some outer London boroughs and specific licence types offer lower costs:

Harrow charges just £50 per application for short-term stalls, making it one of the cheapest boroughs for occasional trading.

Richmond offers temporary licences from £199 for 1-2 days, which suits event traders and weekend-only operators.

Merton temporary licences start at £162 for 1-2 day events — see our full UK cost comparison for details.

Hidden Costs in London

Beyond the headline licence fee:

Application fees are non-refundable in most boroughs. Westminster charges £260 for a hot food application whether or not you're granted a licence.

Variation fees apply if you want to change your trading days, hours, or commodities. Merton charges £151 per variation.

Replacement documents cost £44–£48 if lost or stolen.

Waiting lists in popular areas mean you might pay an application fee and then wait months for a pitch to become available. Your money is tied up with no guaranteed outcome.

Tips for London Food Truck Operators

• Start with outer boroughs — lower fees, less competition, shorter waiting lists
• Consider consent streets over licence streets where available — often cheaper and more flexible
• Apply early — popular boroughs have long processing times, especially Westminster and Camden
• Ask about start-up discounts — Westminster offers 50% off application fees for start-up businesses
• Track renewal dates carefully — London boroughs enforce licence conditions strictly, and a lapsed licence means zero trading in that area

For a broader UK comparison including fees outside London, see our council-by-council cost breakdown. To estimate your total licensing costs across multiple councils, try our free licence cost calculator.

Sources

• Royal Borough of Greenwich — Street Trading Costs
• Merton Council — Street Trading Licence Fees
• Richmond Council — Street Trading Licence Fees
• Westminster City Council — Application Fees (Markets)
• London Local Authorities Act 1990