Petroleum licences

You do not need a licence to store petroleum spirit or petroleum spirit mixtures in suitable containers in your workplace. However you must comply with the relevant legislation to protect employees and premises against fire risks, explosion and other similar events which could arise from dangerous substances in the workplace.

Such workplaces must:

• carry out a risk assessment of any work activities which involve dangerous substances
• put measures in place to remove or reduce risks as far as reasonably possible
• provide equipment and procedures to deal with accidents and emergencies
• provide information and training for employees
• ‘zone’ explosive and mark them if necessary

Employers and business owners are responsible for complying with the regulations.

The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland is normally responsible for ensuring that industrial sites comply with DSEAR, while we monitor other sites, such as retail premises.

If your premises is exempt from a petroleum licence and you require more information please contact the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland helpline on 0800 0320 121.

You can apply for:

• a new licence (or grant)
• a renewal of an existing licence 
• a transfer of an existing licence

If you're applying for a new licence, or want to renew an existing one, you must also tell us the maximum quantity of petrol you intend to store, as this determines the cost of your licence. 

There are three categories of licence:

• up to 2,500 litres
• 2,500 and 50,000 litres
• more than 50,000 litres

Applying for a licence

You can access the petroleum licence pack as a Word document on this link

You can return it by post to:

For new premises, you must submit four copies of the plans of your premises (at a scale of 1:100).  The plans must include the fuel installation layout including tanks, pipe works, drains, vents and buildings.

Original certificates to accompany your application are:

• Electrical Certificate- Filling Station Electrical Periodic Inspection Report (Annual)
• Fire Fighting Equipment maintenance certificate (Annual)
• Interceptor Cleaning (Annual)
• DSEAR Risk Assessment (Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres (NI) Regulations  2003), to be reviewed annually
• Tank & Pipework Testing (frequency dependant on tank age) or Substantiation of Fuel Management Surveillance System
• A completed petroleum licencing risk assessment

It's your responsibility to submit all certificates we need.  
 

The cost of a petroleum licences depends of the type of licence you are applying for and the amount of petroleum spirit to be stored.

Please note that these fees are non-refundable, even if your application is refused.

Fees can be paid by BACS payment, cheque or postal or money order (made payable to Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council), or by credit and debit card using our online payment system.
 

We aim to issue your petroleum licence, if approved, within 42 calendar days of receiving your application.

We cannot issue the licence until any work that we require on your premises has been completed and you have provided all the documents we need.

We will inspect your premises.  

We may ask for remedial work to be undertaken at your premises to bring the site up to a suitable standard in line with legal requirements.

To find out more please purchase and use the APEA guide. 

You should not store or dispense petroleum at your premises until we have issued a valid petroleum licence.

Appealing the council’s decision

If we refuse your application or impose terms, conditions or restrictions which you are not happy with, or if we revoke your licence, you have the right to appeal our decision.

Your appeal must be sent in writing within 10 days to the Health & Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI).
 

When we issue your licence, it is important that you, as the licensee, as well as everyone employed on your premises, comply with the conditions of the licence.

If you do not comply with the conditions of the licence, you can be fined up to £100 for each day you do not comply.

The occupier of licensed premises must display the petroleum licence and its conditions on the site, in a position where they can be easily read by employees. There is a penalty of up to £20 per day if this is not displayed, or to any person who pulls down or defaces the licence and its conditions.

All petroleum licences are granted for a period of up to 12 months and are subject to standard conditions. Applications for renewals should be submitted at least one month before your licence is due to expire.