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Free Printed material distribution

Home Information for Business Business Information and Support Business and Trading Licences and Permits Free Printed material distribution

Contacting Licensing/Taxi Licensing | CONTACT: The Taxi and General Licensing Department currently are not accepting and monitoring phone calls or voicemail messages. For General Licensing queries relating Licensing Act 2003, Gambling Act 2005 and Regulatory and Miscellaneous Provisions please contact general.licensing@nottinghamcity.gov.uk For Taxi Licensing related enquiries please contact taxi.licensing@nottinghamcity.gov.uk Please avoid duplicating your emails, your email will be responded to as soon as possible. PAYMENTS: As of 1st April 2023 the Licensing Authority will not be accepting cheques as a form of payment. If the application is made online by the .GOV application service then the payment shall be made at that time. Should you make an application by email or post then you must provide a relevant contact number in order for payment to be taken over the phone.

Free Printed Material Distribution  (LEAFLETTING)

If you are planning to distribute any of the following a Free Printed Material permit is required.

  •  Flyers
  •  Free Newspapers
  •  Printed Advertisements (not including samples)

There are five areas in the Nottingham City Boundary that require you to be issued with a permit, the maps for these areas are listed below.

If you intend to leaflet outside the areas mentioned in the maps above please contact general.licensing@nottinghamcity.gov.uk to check if authorisation is required.

Please note that you cannot distribute leaflets in the Old Market Square unless you are doing so as part of a promotional booking. If you would like to enquire into hiring a city centre promotional space please email outdoorevent.bookings@nottinghamcity.gov.uk.  

People caught distributing printed material in one of the five areas without permission will be issued with a fixed penalty fine of £75 or be prosecuted.  The local authority reserves the right to take away the material being distributed.

This legislation does not apply and consent under this legislation is not required for the distribution of free printed matter:

  1. By or on behalf of a charity within the meaning of the Charities Act 1993, where the free printed matter relates to or is intended for the benefit of the charity. Please provide the relevant charity number where applicable.
  2. Where the distribution is for political purposes or for the purposes of a religion or belief.
  3. By a person who distributes the free printed matter by delivering it into a building or a letterbox.

If you wish to apply for a Free Printer Material Permit please see the application below, which includes a scale of charges and guidance documents.

Please allow 7 days for issuing the Free Printed Material Permit. 

Please note that permits are valid for a 1 year period, this is then subject to a renewal.

Once you have completed the above application please send to general.licensing@nottinghamcity.gov.uk.

Further Permissions

If samples/mobile advertising/stop or approach members of the public with the intention of asking for money consent will need to be applied for by submitting a Public Space Protection Order application form.

Contact Us

Commercial & Operations Licensing
Central Police Station
Byron House
Maid Marian Way
Nottingham
NG1 6HS

Tel: 0115 915 6571

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