Apply for a marine licence
The Marine and Fisheries Agency administers marine licences and consents under the Food and Environment Protection Act (FEPA), Coast Protection Act (CPA) - or equivalent local harbours legislation for which the Secretary of State's approval is required, and Telecommunications Act.
An applicant can apply for various consents in combination. This offers benefits to applicants by reducing the burden of duplicate application and providing a single point of contact for enquiries. This approach also enables joint consultation with the nature conservation bodies and other interested parties and a more holistic assessment of proposed projects. However, if an applicant wishes to apply for separate consents this is also possible.
To apply for a marine consent please either:
- Submit a FEPA and/or CPA application online
- Download an application form
- Request an application form from the Marine and Fisheries Agency
Please use the online application wherever possible. This reduces the MFA licence processing time and the applicant receives a £100 discount on the normal licence charge.
A fee will be charged for all Food and Environment Protection Act (FEPA) licences. Payments must be made at he time an application is submitted.
For more details on what the fees are, how to make a payment and background on how the fees are derived, please see our page on The Licensing Process.
When applying for a marine consent it is important to consider whether a Marine Wildlife Licence is also necessary.