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Window cleaner's licence

You need a Window Cleaner's Licence if you:

  • are employed (or self-employed) as a window cleaner
  • employ others to clean windows.

All partners in a business, and each employee needs a licence.

It is a criminal offence to do the following without a licence:

  • clean windows for money, promises of money, or with the expectation of payment
  • call at houses, shops, offices or other premises in order to get window cleaning jobs

If you do not have a licence, you could be charged.

How to apply

You will need:

Fees

Window Cleaner's Licence Fee (3 years): £143

Fees are payable by:

  • debit or credit card
  • cheque, payable to North Ayrshire Council

Fees will not be refunded, or returned, if your application is:

  • refused
  • granted for a shorter period than you expected
  • withdrawn

What sort of licence do I need?

Full licence

This is the licence for a regular occupation.

It lasts 3 years, and can be renewed after that for 3 years at a time.

The committee can set a shorter period, but usually the expiry date will be the last day of the month before the month containing the 3 year anniversary.

Temporary licence

A temporary licence lasts 6 weeks, and can't be renewed. However, if you apply for a full licence during that 6 week period, the temporary licence stays in force past 6 weeks, until we make a decision on the application.

When does the licence start?

New licence

Your licence will start on the day we grant it.

Renewed licence

A renewed licence will be backdated, to the expiry date stated on your previous licence. 

If you apply to renew your licence before the expiry date, the licence stays in force past that date, for as long as it takes us to make a decision on your renewal application.

Late renewal

If you give us your renewal application after the expiry date, this means that:

  • your licence has expired, so you cannot operate as a window cleaner
  • if you do operate, the Police might charge you

We will treat your application as asking for the grant of a new licence, instead of a renewal.

You should check with your insurer, you might be uninsured if your cover depends on a licence being in force.

The law allows us to treat a late application as a renewal if:

  • you apply no later than 28 days after the expiry date, and
  • you have a 'good cause' that explains why you are late (you should explain what this is in your application form).

What happens next?

When we have your application and fee, we will:

We allow 28 days for the police and members of the public to make any objections or representations.

If there are no objections or representations, the application can be granted.

If there is any objection or representation, we will send your case to the Licensing Committee for a hearing. If there is a hearing, you will be invited to attend. If you cannot (or choose not to) attend, you will be able to write to the committee about your application. The committee will take account of anything you say or write.

You should allow for the time that it takes for the Council to carry out the statutory processing procedure. This can take up to 6 months.

Licence conditions

The licence will be granted subject to conditions (Word, 38kb)

You will be issued with a badge, that you must keep with you, to show to the Police or a Council officer.

In some cases, we may apply special conditions which will be set out in you licence document.

If conditions are broken:

  • you can be charged by Police Scotland
  • the Licensing Committee can revoke or suspend the licence after a hearing.
  • any breach will be taken into account if you apply to renew the licence.

National Fraud Initiative

We follow National Fraud Initiative guidelines to protect against fraud.

More information

Please consult these notes (Word, 69kb) for more information.

Contact Licensing

Email

licensing@north-ayrshire.gov.uk

Telephone

01294 310000

Address

Licensing Section, Legal Services, North Ayrshire Council, Cunninghame House, Irvine, KA12 8EE

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