Applications, contacts and timescales
Licence applications
The Railways Act 2005 changes the regulatory structure of the rail industry, winding up the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) and merging HM Railway Inspectorate with the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR).
ORR’s Railway Licensing: Guidance for Applicants and guidance previously published by SRA apply now and will continue to apply until the changes take full effect. They will be updated as the licensing regime evolves. The Railway (Licensing of Railway Undertakings) Regulations 2005 introduced new European licences granted by ORR to railway undertakings operating passenger and freight trains, and accompanying Statements of National Regulatory Provisions (SNRPs). Licences for operators of other railway assets continue to be granted by ORR under the Railways Act 1993 regime. Details of the different types of licences are on the Licensing regime page of this website, available from the left hand navigation bar.
To apply for a licence complete the licensing application form (see related links) and send it to the Licensing Team (contact details below) with the relevant supporting documents and fee. The application form can be completed electronically, but it would be better for applicants to save a copy to their own computer before beginning to complete it. This will avoid the links causing warning messages to pop up continuously. A hard copy of the signed application form should always be sent by post to the Licensing Team.
ORR provides a single point of contact for all applications and queries. Further details can be found in Railway licensing: guidance for applicants. Applicants for licences are encouraged to contact the ORR Licensing Team to discuss their applications at an early stage.
Licence exemption applications
Please note that where the proposed operation falls within the scope of the Railway (Licensing of Railway Undertakings) Regulations 2005 railway undertakings will need to apply for a licence and SNRP and ORR cannot grant exemptions.
To apply for a licence exemption under the Railways Act 1993 please complete the licence exemption application form (see related links) and send it to the Licensing Team, with the supporting documents. Note that the application form can be completed electronically, but it would be better for applicants to save a copy to their own computer before beginning to complete it. This will avoid the links causing warning messages to pop up continuously. A hard copy of the signed application form should always be sent by post to the Licensing Team.
Applicants for licence exemptions are encouraged to contact the ORR Licensing Team about six months in advance of the intended start date of operations, wherever possible. Further details can be found in the Railway Licensing: Guidance on Licence Exemptions.
Contacts
Licensing Team
Office of Rail Regulation
One Kemble Street
London
WC2B 4AN
Email: licensing.enquiries@orr.gsi.gov.uk
Fax: 020 7282 2043
Timescales
These will depend on the relative complexity of the issues involved in any specific application and on any representations received by ORR in response to its statutory consultation.
Licence applicants must allow a minimum of 16 weeks from the date of submission of the application to the requested date for the licence to be granted.
Applying for a licence exemption is a straightforward process that takes around twelve to 16 weeks to complete. However, applicants may find it useful to discuss the application process and their planned operations well in advance of making the formal application.
Please be aware that it is a criminal offence under the Railways Act 1993 to start operating before a licence or exemption has been granted. Where activities fall within the scope of the Railway (Licensing of Railway Undertakings) Regulations 2005, it is a criminal offence under regulations 5 and 9 of the Railway (Licensing of Railway Undertakings) Regulations 2005 to provide train services in Great Britain without holding a European licence and SNRP appropriate to those services.
