It is our responsibility to issue certificates to garages and other premises that store petrol. The certificate stipulates the conditions that need to be met to ensure that the product is stored safely at all times.

To run a business where petrol is stored for dispensing directly into the fuel tank of an internal combustion engine - or where large amounts of petrol are stored for private use you will need a certificate.

Apply 

New Petroleum Certificate

Renew an existing Petroleum Certificate

Transfer a Petroleum Certificate to someone else

Take over an existing Petroleum Certificate from current holder

Fees

New and renewal of Petroleum Certificate

Certificate to keep petroleum spirit of a quantity:

  • Not exceeding 2500 litres - £46.00
  • Exceeding 2500 litres but not exceeding 50,000 litres - £62.00
  • Exceeding 50,000 litres - £131.00

Take over an existing Petroleum Certificate from current holder - no charge

What does the law require?

You must have a petroleum certificate if you store petroleum spirit in underground tanks in a retail petrol filling station. You do not need a certificate if you only store diesel fuel.

The certificate must be applied for 28 days prior to storage commencing

What do I need to consider?

Before granting a certificate we will need to check that your installation complies with our licence conditions and any health and safety guidance which applies to the storage of petrol underground.

The certificate will be granted in accordance with legislation, the Petroleum (Consolidation) Regulations 2014 and the Dangerous Substance and Explosive Atmosphere Regulations 2002.

How will you deal with my application?

If your application is deemed non-contentious, we should be able to grant your certificate without referring the decision to the Licensing Committee.  Contentious applications will be determined by the Licensing Board.

We will attach conditions to any certificate we grant or renew and we may take action to ensure that you comply with those conditions.

When will a decision be made?

We aim to make a decision on your application within 90 calendar days. This assumes that your application is not contentious. Your application will take longer to process if it becomes contentious (for example, if we receive objections or representations) and if that is the case we will keep you informed of the revised timescale.

We will not be able to grant a licence until we have carried out an on-site inspection of the installation and the supporting documentation produced by the contractors who carried out the installation work.

What happens if you don't make a decision within the target time?

'Tacit authorisation' does not apply because there is an overriding reason relating to the public interest, namely the need to ensure public safety. Therefore if you have still not received a decision after the target time has expired, your authorisation is not granted automatically. In such a situation, we will get in touch with you to let you know what happens next.

Please note that you must not carry on the activity for which you have applied for a certificate unless or until you have been granted a certificate.

What can I do if I'm not satisfied?

If you are unhappy with the way we have processed your application please contact us.

How does the Council handle objections and representations?

Find out more about objections and representations