From Wednesday 1 April 2026, you'll need a parks business licence for commercially operated outdoor activities and dog walking services delivered in a park or green space managed by Bristol City Council.
If you would like to continue operating in our parks and green spaces after this date, you must apply for a licence before 1 April 2026.
Parks business licensing:
- increases public safety
- protects shared spaces
- improves organisation of activities
- supports the maintenance of our parks and green spaces, ensuring they remain clean, safe, and welcoming for everyone to enjoy
- ensures compliance with parks byelaws
When you don't need a licence
You don't need a licence if you are not charging for a service, or you're carrying out activities such as:
- playing informal sports with friends or family
- exercising alone such as jogging or solo yoga
- taking part in free-to-join groups such as Parkrun
- part of a formal sports club with an existing agreement with the council
- walking your own dog
If you charge for a service, it's better to apply for a licence and we'll tell you if a licence and a licence fee applies to your activity.
Outdoor activities
If the service you charge for is a fitness activity, the maximum instructor-to-attendee ratio is 1:20. You'll need additional licensed instructors for groups over 20.
For larger events with more than 50 people, you'll need separate approval from us. You can find more information on our what you can do in our parks and green spaces page.
Dog walking
One walker is allowed a maximum of 4 dogs at any one time.
Outdoor activities on Clifton and Durdham Downs
Clifton and Durdham Downs are governed by the Downs Act and controlled by the Downs Committee. As a result, the charging structure and fees for business activities have been set separately from other parks and green spaces.
If you use The Downs for commercial dog walking, you do not need a licence, so don't include The Downs in the number of parks you apply for.
If you run paid outdoor activities on The Downs, such as fitness classes or personal training sessions, you'll need to apply separately for their annual licence fee:
- Sessions with less than 19 participants: £900
- Sessions with 20 or more participants: £2,600
The type of licence you need is based on the session's maximum capacity. If the session can accommodate 20 or more attendees, you'll need a higher licence, even if fewer than 20 people actually attend.
If you run outdoor activities on The Downs and in other Bristol parks and green spaces, you'll need to:
- pay 2 licence fees
- apply for the licences separately, by completing two application forms
Fees and charges
For outdoor commercial activities, excluding commercial dog walking:
- 1 park: £400 + VAT, reduced by 50% for eligible Bristol‑based small businesses
- Up to 7 parks: £600 + VAT, reduced by 50% for eligible Bristol‑based small businesses
- 8 to 15 parks: £800 + VAT
For commercial dog walking:
- Up to 7 parks: £300 + VAT, reduced by 50% for eligible Bristol‑based small businesses
- 8 to 15 parks: £500 + VAT
A 50% discount is available to Bristol-based small businesses:
- with an annual turnover under £25,000
- who operate in 7 or less Bristol parks and green spaces
Apply for a parks business licence
Licences are issued to businesses and will list the operators and parks that are covered by the licence.
The main operator or business owner must apply using the application form and include the names of all operators they want added to the licence.
All listed operators must be covered by the business's or main operator's insurance. If they're not, they'll need to submit their own separate application.
Before you apply
To complete the form you'll need to upload:
- photo ID: details of accepted photo ID are in the application form and must match the name of the person who will be listed on the licence
- first aid certificate (for outdoor activities): must match the name of the person who will be listed on the licence
- a risk assessment (see risk assessments, templates and examples on the HSE website): your risk assessment should consider risks specific to each park you're applying to operate in
- public liability insurance certificate: if you're a new business and you do not have insurance yet, you can email this after your licence application is approved
You'll also need to read our:
- pdf Parks Business Licensing Terms and Conditions(230 KB)
- pdf Parks Business Licensing Code of Conduct(110 KB)
Complete the form with as much detail as possible about your business.
This includes information about your income, the nature of your activities, and which parks you intend to use.
After you apply
When we look at your application, we'll consider:
- type and scale of the activity
- the park size and capacity
- what the area is already being used for
- other licences in the area
Submitting the form will not automatically confirm your licence.
Renewing your licence
Each year, you'll be prompted by email to renew your licence.
You'll need to send us:
- confirmation that you want to continue your activity or dog walking
- updated insurance and first aid certificates
You must renew your licence before it expires. You won't have to pay the application fee for a renewal.
If your licence has already expired and you wish to continue operating, you must submit a new application. New applications will be treated as a new submission. We cannot guarantee that you'll be able to continue operating in any particular park or green space.
If you don't have a licence
Operating without a licence is a breach of pdf parks byelaws(449 KB) . Breaching a byelaw is an offence and you may be prosecuted. This can result in fines of up to a maximum of £500.
For licence holders, failure to comply with park byelaws, licence terms and conditions, or the code of conduct may result in your licence being revoked.
Cancelling your licence
If you want to cancel your licence, email parks.business@bristol.gov.uk with your licence registration number and instruction of your cancellation.
If you cancel, you'll still be liable for your total annual licence fee.
We cannot give refunds for any part of the licence term that hasn't been used.
Data protection
Any personal information you give us as part of your licence application will be handled in accordance with pdf Bristol City Council's Privacy Notice for Regulatory Services.(233 KB)