Trading Standards Fees

Charging structure for business support

The fees will be reviewed annually.

Non primary authority

Hourly rate: £62.00 +VAT

To be charged for all advice beyond basic legal advice and its application or interpretation. A new business will receive additional support during the first year to encourage a good start.

Primary authority annual fee

This fee will be a calculation of the cost of the annual review meeting held on the anniversary of the contract plus the agreed number of hours required.

Subsequent hours or discrete projects are chargeable at the hourly rate. The annual fee will be payable on 1 April or quarterly on the first day of each quarter. A company signing up during the financial year will pay a pro rata amount for the remainder of that financial year. The initial set up fee will also be payable in the first year.

Unused hours will not roll over or be refunded.

Pay as you go

• Set-up fee: £250
• Annual Review: £100
• Hourly rate: £62.00
• Travel out of county: £0.45 per mile + subsistence

Please note: All hours are chargeable with a minimum charge of ½ an hour and then in 15-minute increments.

A discrete project may be priced as a one-off fee but will be based on the amount of work involved.

Businesses to be invoiced by agreement but at least quarterly.

Weights and measures fees

The charges for examining, adjusting, testing, certifying, stamping, authorising or reporting on weighing or measuring equipment will be individually calculated and based upon £62.00 + VAT per officer per hour at the place where the service is provided.

This would include testing equipment such as weights, scales, petrol pumps and weighbridges for accuracy.

Certificates

When a certificate is issued, an additional charge of £62.00 + VAT is payable.

Quality assurance

The fees set out above for legal metrology work, including the additional cost for a certificate, will be charged for quality assurance calibrations and tests. In all cases VAT must be added.

Twice the fee (plus VAT) is chargeable when uncertainties are stated. 

Cancelled appointments

Where officers attend on site for an appointment, which has not been cancelled prior to the officers leaving the office.

The Division reserves the right to charge a cancellation fee based upon £62.00 + VAT per officer per hour.

A charge will be made for any delay incurred; this will be charged at £62.00 + VAT per officer per hour.

Special circumstances

Where it may be inappropriate to apply any of the above fees or discounts, a special rate may be arranged with the Technical and Business Manager. 

Explosives licence fees

Fees listed below for the licencing to store explosives relate to Regulations 13 and 27 and Schedule 5 of the Explosives Regulations 2014.

Provision of the Explosives Regulations 2014 under which application made.

These fees are set by The Health and Safety and Nuclear (Fees) Regulations 2021.

Regulation 13

Licence to store explosives where, by virtue of the regulation 27 of the Schedule 5 to the 2014 Regulations, a minimum separation distance of greater that 0 metres is required:

A. One year’s duration: £189

B. Two years duration: £248

C. Three years duration: £311

D. Four years duration: £382

E. Five years duration: £432

Licence to store explosives whereby virtue of regulation 27 of Schedule 5 to the 2014 Regulations no minimum separation distance or a 0 metres separation distance is prescribed:

A. One year’s duration: £111

B. Two years duration: £144

C. Three years duration £177

D. Four years duration: £211

E. Five years duration: £243

Renewal of licence to store explosives whereby virtue of regulation 27 of Schedule 5 to the 2014 Regulations a minimum separation distance of greater than 0 metres is prescribed:

A. One year’s duration: £88

B: Two years duration: £150

C: Three years duration: £211

D: Four years duration: £272

E: Five years duration: £333

Renewal of licence to store explosives whereby virtue of regulation 27 of Schedule 5 to the 2014 Regulations no minimum separation distance or a 0 metres minimum separation distance is prescribed:

A. One year’s duration: £55

B: Two years duration: £88

C: Three years duration: £123

D: Four years duration: £155

E: Five years duration: £189

Regulation 16

Varying a licence

A: Varying name of licensee or address of site: £37

(eg ABC supermarkets Ltd changes to ABC supermarkets 2019 Ltd) or a change of road name eg council changes High street to New High Street.  

B: Any other kind of variation; the reasonable cost to the licensing authority of having the work carried out.

This will apply to many licence changes eg movement of cabinets on plans, when an officer needs to visit the site, reissue of paperwork. This fee will be the reasonable cost of carrying out the work.  In Staffordshire we will be charging £62/hour. 

All these fees do not have VAT added      

Regulation 17

Transfer of licence: £37; Replacement of licence: £37. 

Please note: The fee payable for a licence or renewal of a licence:

(a) of less than one year’s duration is, respectively, the fee set out above for a licence or renewal of a licence of one year’s duration decreased proportionately according to the duration of the period for which the licence renewal is granted;

(b) of more than one but less than two years’ duration is, respectively, the fee set out above for a licence, or a renewal of a licence, of one year’s duration increased proportionately according to the duration of the period for which the licence or renewal is granted;

(c) of more than two but less than three years’ duration is, respectively, the fee set out above for a licence or renewal of a licence of two years duration increased proportionately according to the duration of the period for which the licence or renewal is granted;

(d) of more than three but less than four years’ duration is, respectively, the fee set out above for a licence or renewal of a licence of three years’ duration increased proportionately according to the duration of the period for which the licence or renewal is granted;

(e) of more than four but less than five years’ duration is, respectively, the fee set out above for a licence or renewal of a licence of four years duration increased proportionately according to the duration of the period for which the licence or renewal is granted. 

Licence to sell fireworks all year round

Petroleum storage - annual fees to store petrol

Fees payable in respect of applications for the granting of storage certificates and petrol licences under the Petroleum (Consolidation) Regulations 2014

These fees are set by The Health and Safety and Nuclear (Fees) Regulations 2021

• Storage of up to 2500 litres petroleum: £45 for each year of certification
• 2500 to 50,000 litres: £61 for each year of certification
• Over 50,000 litres: £128 for each year of certification

The Keeper of the fuel must pay an annual fee which is calculated according to the maximum storage capacity. The Keeper can choose to pay for up to ten years in advance.

Environmental searches

Petroleum history file search

Fees charged in respect of Petroleum History File Search carried out £62.00 per hour +VAT (per officer).

Charges for statutory duties

For any activities carried out as part of statutory duties where cost incurred may be reclaimed by the local authority, this will be charged at £62 per hour plus VAT. This may include additional charges for third parties engaged on behalf of Staffordshire County Council in order to fulfil legislative requirement.