Hazardous goods licences

Poisons are divided by law between:

• Medicinal Products
• Non-Medicinal Poisons (NMP)

Certain household products such as cleaning agents, toilet chemicals and garden chemicals contain substances classed as NMPs. The substances which are classed as NMPs are listed in the 'Poisons List'.

If you intend to sell any NMPs, you must have a council registration or you must work as a retail pharmacist.

The law

The law on poisons is contained in:

• The Poisons Act 1972
• Poisons Rules 1982
• The Poisons List Order 1982

The 'Poisons List' is in two parts:

1. NMPs which cannot be sold except by pharmacists
2. NMPs which cannot be sold except by pharmacists or by persons registered on the Local Authority's List

The Council may refuse to enter a person in the List if one of the following applies:

• the person fails to pay the council's fees
• in the opinion of the council, he is not fit to be on the List
• in the opinion of the council his Premises are not fit to be on the List

How to apply

You can apply online for a poisons licence:

Next stages

Once we have received your application, we’ll arrange to carry out an inspection on your proposed premises (if applicable) to make sure they meet the required standards.

Registration length

Registration lasts one year and can be renewed.

Registration conditions

You must store the poisons safely in one of the following locations:

• in a separate drawer or cupboard kept only for that purpose
• in a part of the premises where customers aren’t permitted
• on a shelf kept solely for the storage of poisons where no food is kept directly under the shelf.

If you intend to sell or deal in the following articles, you'll need a licence:

• knives (non-domestic)
• knife blades (non-domestic)
• swords
• any other article which has a blade or is sharply pointed and is made or adapted to cause injury to another person

A 'dealer' is defined as a person carrying on a business which consists wholly or partly of one or more of the following activities:

• selling
• hiring
• offering for sale of hire
• exposing for sale or hire
• lending
• giving

You do not need a Knife Dealer's Licence for the following knives, if the blade is less than 8.91 cm (3.5 inches) long:

• folding pocket knife
• kirpan
• skean dubh

You might not need this licence if you teach or train people in fencing, archery or water sports.

How to apply

Please read our knife dealers licence application guide document before completing and returning a Knife dealer application form.

Next stages

We will consult with Police Scotland and council departments and arrange to carry out an inspection on your proposed vehicle or premises to make sure it meets the required standards.

Applications advertised allow members of the public to make any objections or representations.

If there is any comment from the public, Police Scotland or any council department, you will be told, and your application will be referred to the Licensing Committee for a decision. If the Committee decides to have a hearing, you will be invited to that and you will be able to speak to the Committee. The majority of applications do not need a hearing and are granted by council officers.

It may take up to eight weeks to process your application. If you haven’t heard from the Licensing Office within a reasonable period, please contact us.

Licence length

If granted, period approval it will last for three years from the date of issue and can be renewed.

If you already hold a licence and you apply again to renew it before it expires, the licence continues even after expiry, until North Ayrshire Council make a decision on the renewal.

Licence conditions

The licence will have the council's Standard Conditions. In some cases the council may apply special conditions appropriate to your circumstances.

Any conditions which apply to you will be set out in the licence document you will be given. If these are broken, then the licence holder can be charged by Police Scotland and the Licensing Committee can suspend the licence after a hearing. You will be invited to such a hearing and will be able to speak to the committee.

There are two types of licence for dealing in fireworks:

1. Storage licence: this is required by anyone who intends to store or sell any kind of firework at any time of year.
2. Supply licence: this is required by anyone who intends to supply fireworks.

You do not need a Supply licence (but you still need a Storage licence) if you only sell fireworks at the following times of year:

• the 1st day of Chinese New Year and the three days immediately preceding it
• the 1st day of Diwali and the three days immediately preceding it
• from 15 October to 10 November
• from 26 December to 31 December

You do not need a Supply licence (but you still need a Storage licence) for caps, cracker snaps, novelty matches, party poppers, serpents, sparklers or throw-downs or if you only supply fireworks to one of the following:

• a business which sells fireworks
• a professional organiser of firework displays
• a business which transports fireworks

Apply for a storage licence

Complete and return a Fireworks Storage application form

Restricted licence

Net explosive quantity of fireworks to be stored:

Under 250kg

• fees range from £108 to £236, depending on term and whether new or renewal
• Payable by credit or debit card, cash, or cheque payable to 'North Ayrshire Council'.
• If your application is refused or granted for a shorter period than you applied, the fee will not be refunded or reduced.

Supply Licence

Supply Licences are not issued to anyone who does not have a Storage Licence.

Please note: Supply licences are only issued in very limited circumstances, primarily to accommodate:

• public displays for national public celebrations
• public displays for commemoration events
• the use of fireworks for the promotion of business in North Ayrshire

Contact us for advice about Firework Supply Licences.

Next stages

We will consult with Trading Standards and arrange to carry out an inspection on your proposed premises, if applicable, to make sure they meet the required standards.

If there is any comment from Trading Standards, or the public, your application will be referred to the Licensing Committee for a decision. If the Committee decides to have a hearing, you will be invited to attend and speak to the Committee. Most applications don't need a hearing and are granted by council officers.

Licence length

If granted, firework storage and supply licences last for up to five years from the date of issue.

The law

To legally sell fireworks you must display a large notice reminding customers about the law with regards to underage sales and possession of fireworks. Boxes of fireworks must not be split and sold separately. All fireworks for public sale are required by law to be CE marked.

If you don't follow these rules, you could be fined up to £5,000 or imprisoned for six months.

More information

For more information on storing and selling fireworks, visit:

• Health & Safety Executive
• Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform