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Guidance: Renew a water abstraction licence

Environment Agency

May 31
23:15 2023

If your whole licence has a time limit and you want to continue abstracting water after the date it expires, you must apply to the Environment Agency to renew your licence.

If there are any conditions on your licence that have a time limit and you want to extend the time limit, you must apply to the Environment Agency to renew them.

When you must apply

If your whole licence has a time limit, you need to apply to the Environment Agency to renew your licence at least 3 months before it expires. If you do this and the Environment Agency has not made a decision before the time limit expires, you can carry on abstracting water until they do decide.

If a condition or conditions on your licence have a time limit, you need to apply to renew the conditions at least 3 months before they expire. If the Environment Agency has not made a decision before the time limit expires, you can only carry on abstracting water under the licence conditions that are not time limited until they do decide.

If the Environment Agency do not receive your application to renew a whole licence until after the expiry date they will treat it as a new application. This means they may:

  • not be able to grant your licence on the same terms
  • not be able to grant you a new licence
  • have to advertise your licence you will have to pay for this

If you do not want to renew your licence you do not need to take any action. If it has an expiry date it will expire on that date. Alternatively you can apply to revoke (cancel) the licence before it expires.

If the licence has time limited conditions, and you do not want to replace them, they will expire. You will only be able to continue abstracting under the conditions that are not time limited.

If your licence has already expired and you wish to continue abstracting, you will need to apply for a new licence.

If you abstract without a valid licence you may be breaking the law. The Environment Agency may take legal action against you.

Renew your licence with exactly the same terms

If you want to renew your existing licence or the time limited conditions with exactly the same conditions, complete the form Application for a new licence to replace a time-limited licence or condition.

How to complete your same terms renewal form

You need to complete one form for each licence.

When you submit your form you must also send:

We will return your renewal application if you do not provide all the relevant information.

Renew your licence with different terms

If you want to make any changes to your current licence or licence conditions you must apply to renew the licence or licence conditions on different terms.

Complete the application forms for a new licence and follow the guidance notes.

When you submit your form you must also send the application charge for a different terms renewal see the charge in section 2.7 in Water resources licences: when and how you are charged.

After you apply

The Environment Agency will consider the details in your form and use your abstraction data returns information when they make their decision.

Your abstraction must be environmentally sustainable. The Environment Agency need to make sure theres enough water available for everyone and the environment. If they think they may need to change your licence they will contact you to discuss their proposals.

Contact us

General enquiries

National Customer Contact Centre
PO Box 544
Rotherham
S60 1BY

Email enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk

Telephone 03708 506 506

Telephone from outside the UK (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm GMT) +44 (0) 114 282 5312

Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.

Published 12 July 2018
Last updated 1 June 2023 +show all updates
  1. We've updated the page to make clear when to apply for a renewal, which application forms to use for the same and different terms renewals and how to find out the application charge.

  2. First published.

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