Marine licence application forms

How to apply for a marine licence

Some marine activities require a licence under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009.  Find out if you need a marine licence.

To apply for a licence please complete the relevant form from the bottom of this page and send to us, together with any supporting information and the relevant fee.

Which application form should I use?

There are four types of marine licence application:

• Band 1 Application form – for specific activities considered low risk that are subject to a simpler licensing process. Please read the band 1 guidance before submitting a band 1 application.
  
  
• Dredge and Disposal Application Form – for dredge and/or disposal operations
  
  
• Marine Minerals Application Form – for the extraction of marine minerals
  
  
• Marine Works Application form – Marine Works include, but are not limited to coast defences, beneficial uses of dredged materials, subsea cables, pontoons, jetties, ground investigations, land reclamation, and outfall pipes

What should be submitted as supporting information?

All applications for aquaculture, dredge and/or disposal and all Band 3 application must be accompanied by a biosecurity risk assessment. A template biosecurity risk assessment along with a guidance document is available at the bottom of this page.

All applications for dredge and/or disposal must be accompanied by sediment sampling and analysis results. A sediment sample analysis results form is available at the bottom of this page.

All applications (apart from band 1 low risk activity applications) must be accompanied by a WFD assessment, and complete a Welsh National Marine Plan signposting document setting out how the project complies with its policies. A Welsh National Marine Plan sign posting form is available at the bottom of this page.

Application For Flood/Coastal Defence Works

If you are carrying out works that looks to change or maintain the current shoreline position, for example works to a coastal defence structure you will need to provide the following with your application;

Identify the relevant Shoreline Management Plan and policy unit for the area of planned work. This information can be found on our website at Shoreline Management Plans, and if the planned works are not in line with the relevant policy, justification must also be provided.

Depending on the nature and location of the proposed works a coastal squeeze assessment may be required to support your application. You should screen the proposed works for the need of a coastal squeeze assessment and present a summary of this screening exercise in support of your application. If the screening exercise indicates a coastal squeeze assessment is needed, this should also be provided. Guidance on how to conduct a coastal squeeze screening and assessment is provided in Guidance Note 62.

How do I submit a marine licence application?

Apply for a band 1 low risk activities licence online.

Other applications can be sent electronically to permitreceiptcentre@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk

How many copies are required?

If the application form and all supporting documents can be sent electronically in an email that is 20MB or smaller, we will accept the application by email. 

If the application form and all supporting documents are too big to email, we would advise you to contact us in order to determine the most appropriate method for submitting the application. 

Application fees

Applications must be accompanied by the relevant fee. Please see our fees and charges page.

We will not begin processing an application until the correct fee has been paid.