When do you need a licence?

A sex establishment can be a:

• sex shop (any premises, vehicle, vessel or stall used for business that consists to a significant degree of selling, hiring, exchanging, lending, displaying or demonstrating sex articles)
• sex cinema (any premises used to a significant degree for the showing of films which are concerned primarily with, or relate to, or are intended to stimulate sexual activity)
• sexual entertainment venue (any premises at which a live display of nudity, or live performance which is intended to stimulate sexual activity, is provided before a live audience for the financial gain of the organiser or entertainer)

Before you apply

• read our policy Sex Establishment Licensing Policy - November 2019 (PDF, 229 KB)
• read our terms and conditions Sex establishment standard conditions (PDF, 235 KB)
• you should also contact our planning department, to ensure you have the correct planning permission.

Apply

Sex Establishment Licence application form (DOCX 59.53KB)

Costs

Consultation process

All new, renewal and variation applications must be advertised.

• an advertisement (in the form prescribed by us) must be placed in a local newspaper circulating in Barking and Dagenham, not later than seven days after the date of application
• a public notice (in the form approved us) must be displayed for 21 days from with the date of application, on or near the premises and in a place where the notice can conveniently be read by the public
• once the application has been advertised, you must complete and return a public notice certificate, along with a complete copy of the newspaper which contains your advert

Public notices