How to apply for a charity collection licence
If you're collecting for charity in London you may need a licence. The Met is the licensing authority for all charity collections that involve fundraisers going house-to-house, whether that's for cash, direct debits or clothing.
We also license street collections of cash, but not where fundraisers are collecting direct debits. Those types of collection are managed by the Institute of Fundraising.
Answer a few quick questions below to find out if you need a charity collection licence, what kind you need and how to apply.
Advice tool
I'm collecting for charity during the London Marathon along its route
Thank you. You'll need a street collection licence. Follow these steps to apply:
Step 1: View our street collection dates and find a date, or dates, for your collection
Step 2: Click 'Start' below to complete our quick and simple application form.
Average completion time: five minutes
We’ll ask you for an email address in the form; that will be the address we’ll contact after we’ve reviewed your application.
If your application is successful, we’ll ask you to supply the following, so please make sure that you have them:
-
a letter from your charity authorising you to collect, and manage collections on their behalf
-
the charity’s membership details for the Institute of Fundraising or the Fundraising Regulator
Please note, we must receive applications by the first day of the month before your chosen collection date. For example, if you’re planning to collect on 20 September we need to receive your application no later than 1 August.
Read our street collection licences page to find advice on the next steps.