Street Trading Licence Westminster: Application, Fees & Tips

Westminster is one of the most-searched London boroughs for street trading information — and one of the most complex. The council runs its scheme under the London Local Authorities Act 1990 rather than the 1982 Act that covers the rest of England and Wales, and it splits trading into markets, street trading proper, and casual trading — each with its own application path and fee.

This guide focuses on the markets application route, which is the one most food truck operators will use.

How Westminster's System Works

Westminster operates a markets licensing scheme for street trading. If you want to trade on a designated market pitch — including the council's licensed market locations — you apply for a markets licence with a category-based application fee.

There are three primary categories that food and food-adjacent traders fall into:

• Hot takeaway food — food cooked or heated for immediate consumption (the typical food truck classification)
• Fresh produce — fruit, vegetables, bread, raw food items
• Non-food items — clothing, accessories, crafts

Each category has its own application fee. Hot takeaway food carries the highest fee because the council classes it as the highest-impact category for waste, queuing, and environmental health oversight.

Application Fees

The figures below are Westminster's current published markets application fees (page last updated 7 October 2025). All fees are one-off application fees — pitch fees are billed separately every 4 weeks.

Category	Standard	Start-up business (50%)	WCC resident (20%)	Charity / community
Hot takeaway food	£260.00	£130.00	£208.00	£0.00
Fresh produce	£126.00	£63.00	£101.00	£0.00
Non-food items	£96.00	£48.00	£77.00	£0.00

If you qualify for more than one discount, the council applies the higher one — they don't stack. The 50% start-up discount is the most valuable for new food truck operators; the WCC resident discount only applies if you live in the borough.

Other fees worth knowing:

• Minor variations (changes to trading days or commodities): £30.00–£60.00
• Casual trader registration: £48.00–£60.00
• Licence replacement: £19.00

Pitch fees are separate from the application fee and depend on the pitch location, with central pitches around Oxford Street, Soho, and Leicester Square commanding higher rates than peripheral locations.

How to Apply

1. Identify your target market or pitch. Westminster operates several licensed markets and casual trading locations. The application form varies by market.

2. Download the application form from the Westminster markets and street trading page. Forms differ by category — pick the hot takeaway food form if you're running a food truck.

3. Gather supporting documents:

   • Two passport-size photographs
   • Proof of identity (passport or driving licence)
   • Proof of address (utility bill, bank statement)
   • Food business registration confirmation
   • Public liability insurance certificate (most London boroughs expect at least £5 million)
   • Level 2 food hygiene certificate (or equivalent training evidence)
   • Gas safety certificate (CP44) if using gas appliances
   • Vehicle photos, dimensions, and details of the trading unit
   • Description of goods to be sold

4. Submit the application with supporting documents.

5. Pay the application fee. Westminster takes payment over the phone by debit or credit card on 07866 019686 (Monday–Friday, 10am–4pm).

6. Wait for processing. Processing times vary by market and time of year. Popular markets — Berwick Street, Tachbrook, Strutton Ground — may have waiting lists for specific pitches.

7. If granted, agree pitch terms. You'll receive a pitch allocation and start the 4-weekly pitch-fee billing cycle.

What Westminster Specifically Requires

Beyond the standard licensing stack, Westminster has a few requirements food truck operators should plan for:

• Insurance cover: Public liability cover is required and most London boroughs expect a £5 million minimum, with some markets and event organisers expecting £10 million. Confirm the level for your target market before applying.
• Waste management: You're responsible for clearing your pitch at the end of each trading day. Westminster takes waste enforcement seriously, particularly in heritage areas.
• Trading hours: Each market has its own permitted hours — overshooting them is a breach of your licence conditions.
• Goods description: You're licensed for specific goods. Adding a new menu category (e.g. moving from hot food to also selling packaged drinks) needs a minor variation (£30–£60).

Tips for Applying in Westminster

• Use the start-up discount if you qualify. £130 for a hot takeaway food application instead of £260 is the single biggest saving available to new operators.
• Apply for the market that fits the food, not just the footfall. Berwick Street works for ready-to-eat hot food; Tachbrook is more produce-oriented. Trying to force a fit increases the chance of refusal.
• Phone before submitting. The licensing line (07866 019686) is staffed Mon–Fri 10am–4pm. A 5-minute call about pitch availability saves weeks of waiting on an application for a market that's full.
• Budget for variation fees. Most new operators tweak their menu in the first 6 months — factor £30–£60 into your year-1 budget for at least one variation.
• Combine the WCC resident discount with rented housing. The 20% resident discount applies to anyone with a Westminster address, not only homeowners.

Comparing Westminster to Other Councils

Westminster is mid-to-high on the application-fee scale — its £260 hot takeaway food fee is comparable to other inner London boroughs, but its pitch fees can push the all-in annual cost above £5,000 for a busy central pitch.

For broader context across the capital, see our London borough cost breakdown. For a national comparison, see our council-by-council cost breakdown. If Westminster turns out to be too expensive or competitive, Manchester's flat £720 licence or Birmingham's quarterly consent scheme are usually cheaper alternatives for operators who can trade outside London.

To estimate what you'll spend across Westminster and other councils, try our free licence cost calculator — select your target councils and see the estimated fee total. If you'd rather track everything in one place once the system is live, join the waitlist.

Sources

• Westminster City Council — Markets Application Fees (current fees, page last updated 7 October 2025)
• Westminster City Council — Markets and Street Trading
• London Local Authorities Act 1990
• GOV.UK — Street Trading Licence Finder