Licence

Public charitable collection permit (Scotland)

You must apply for a Public Charitable Collection Permit in Scotland if you are collecting money from the public for charity in a public place or by going house-to-house

Apply for this licence

For example SW1A 2AA

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Contact your council to apply for a public charitable collection permit if you want to collect money for charity in Scotland.

This permit covers collecting money from members of the public:

  • in public
  • on a ‘place-to-place’ basis (eg house to house)

If your collection spans an area covered by more than one council - eg a charity run - you must apply to the councils that cover the areas you collect in.

Restrictions

The permit does not cover some public access places, like privately-run shopping centres or car parks.

Exemptions

You do not need to apply for a permit if you collect:

  • during a public meeting
  • using a container in a fixed position in a public place, eg a collecting tin kept on a shop counter

How to apply

Contact your council for a public charitable collection permit.

Depending on your council’s rules, you may have to apply up to 3 months before you can start collecting.

You do not have to pay for a public Charitable collection permit.