Crane licence

If you need to place the crane on private land you will not need a licence. You can hire the use of cranes or cherry pickers from crane operating companies.

The crane operating company is responsible for having the relevant licence. A site visit is required by the council before any licences are granted.

A road closure may be required in certain instances. Please note that there is a six to eight week lead time in arranging a road closure.

Crane licence fees

The current (2024/2025) fees for a Crane licence are:

• £315.20 - Positioning and lifting the equipment on the highway (where applicable).
• £695.20 - deposit required.
• £347.30 - Over sail licence.

Terms and conditions

The applicant must ensure the following:

1. The safety of the general public must be your primary consideration at all times.
2. Payment should be included with the application or contact details provided with application where debit/credit card payments need to be taken. Applications will not be assessed or accepted unless payment has been taken.
3. Public liability insurance to a value of £5m that covers the public highway is obtained.
4. Harrow Council is indemnified against any third-party claim arising from your presence on or above the highway.
5. The full cost of any clearance, reinstatement or repairs to the highway, street furniture or statutory undertakers’ equipment resulting from your activities will be deducted from the deposit and any outstanding fees will be paid on demand. 
6. The equipment is attended at all times and removed from, or does not overhang, the highway when not in use.
7. The working area is coned off to protect pedestrians. A minimum width of 1.5m must be provided for pedestrians at all times If this cannot be maintained on the footway a temporary guarded walkway must be provided in the carriageway. Refer to Safety at Streetworks and Roadworks Code of Practice.
8. Local residents and business are notified at least 2 days in advance of works being carried out.
9. A minimum width of 6.75m must be maintained for two-way vehicular traffic on a bus route or 5.5m on a non-bus route, if this is not possible you must provide, in agreement with Harrow Council, a minimum width of 3.25m and a method of single alternate traffic control or a TTRO will be required. A traffic management plan must be submitted for approval where the minimum widths are not able to be maintained. 
10. A copy of the licence is to be on site whist the lifting is being used on the highway. 
11. Date stamped photographs are to be taken of the highway where the lifting equipment is located before and after the lifting equipment is placed on the highway. This is to ensure that no damage is caused to the highway by the placement of the lifting equipment. The photographs should be sent to the Council within 7 days after the lifting equipment is removed from the highway.
12. Refunds will only be made upon the council receiving a written request and a copy of the photographs taken in condition 11, failure to do this will result in refunds being withheld. Please note any additional special conditions attached to the licence, subject to a site meeting.