Caravan site licence

You must complete the caravan site licence application form and read the permanent residential mobile home sites licence conditions and touring caravan and campsite licence conditions. You will need to submit a site plan showing the layout of roads, caravans and facilities with your application.

The following conditions must be met:

• you must be entitled to use the land as a caravan site
• licences will not be issued to applicants who have had a site licence revoked within three years of the current application
• a caravan site licence cannot be issued unless you have the necessary planning permission

The licence will expire when your planning permission expires.  

We may use the information provided for the prevention and detection of fraud. We also share this information for auditing purposes.

Our licensing payments page explains what fees apply and how to pay them.‌

View the Derby City Council Mobile Home Fees Policy.

Caravan site licences have conditions which include, but are not limited to: 

• the type of caravan, for example: residential, static holiday or touring
• the allowed number of caravans per acre/hectare and the spacing between individual caravans
• water supply and drainage
• lavatory and washing facilities
• fire precautions and electrical installations.

View the permanent residential mobile home sites licence conditions and the touring caravan and campsite licence conditions

You may need other permissions in addition to those required from us.

These must be obtained before you begin your licensed activities.

Planning permission

Either you or your legal advisor must check that all the land used for siting of caravans has the necessary planning permission. You can check by emailing developmentcontrol@derby.gov.uk. Any change in the use of a property will require planning permission.

If you already have planning permission for the same use, you should check that your licence application does not break any condition attached to the planning permission. If your licence is granted, Planning Enforcement action will be taken against you if you do not have the right planning permission in place.

If you wish to change the use of the land to a permanent caravan site use, you must still have planning permission before a licence can be issued.

It lasts indefinitely, subject to planning permission or the licence is not revoked. An annual fee will need to be paid. Our licensing payments page explains what fees apply and how to pay them.

• A caravan site with an area of land or structures around it and the use of the site is incidental to the dwelling means the caravan site cannot be occupied separately.  This means the occupier of a caravan, which is on land next to a dwelling house, must have some connection with that household, such as a family member.
• A single caravan sited for not more than two consecutive nights and for a maximum of 28 days within a 12 month period. Up to three caravans on a site, of not less than five acres in size. for a maximum of 28 days in any 12 month period.
• Sites occupied by exempted organisations such as the Caravan Club.
• Sites of up to five caravans certified by an exempt organisation and which are for members only.
• Sites occupied by the local authority.
• Sites for temporary and special purposes such as:
  • caravan rallies
  • agricultural and forestry workers
  • building and engineering sites
  • travelling salesmen.

We must grant the licence unless:

• you do not have planning permission
• you have had a site licence revoked within the last  three years
• your planning permission will expire within six months of the date of your application.

If you have recently become the owner of an existing caravan site, the licence for this site must be transferred, you must complete the caravan site new / transfer application form.

Our Licensing payments page explains what fees apply and how to pay them.

If you want to vary or amend your caravan site licence you will be required to complete the vary or amend caravan site licence application form.

Our Licensing payments page explains what fees apply and how to pay them.

Here is the current Licensed Caravan Site Public Register.

View the Fit and proper person site manager guidance and complete the mobile home site managers fit and proper application form.

Our licensing payments page explains what fees apply and how to pay them.‌‌