MK City Council regulates street trading via consent and prohibited streets under powers adopted from the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982.
The street trading policy is reviewed every 3 years. The proposed changes are in the 2026 - 2029 policy document for any feedback or suggested changes (please email Licensing@Milton-Keynes.gov.uk with your consultation responses by the 31 July 2025 ). The revised policy will then to be brought to Regulatory Committee on the 24 September 2025 for consideration. You can view the current policy here: Street Trading Policy 2022 - 2025
If you sell or offer for sale any article in a street in the city of Milton Keynes, you must have street trading consent. This includes sellers of any product, including food and non-food items, from any vehicle, stall, trailer or any other movable or static structure. It includes both hot and cold food, for example burger or ice cream sellers.
MK City Council regulates street trading via consent and prohibited streets under powers adopted from the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982:
- A prohibited street is a street where trading is prohibited on or within 60 metres from it.
- A consent street is a street where trading is requires the consent of the Council trading on or within 60 metres from it.
- Boroughwide consent allows a trader to visit multiple consent locations to trade for up to 20 minutes at a time in any one 100 metre part of any one consent street on any one day.
Please visit the Street Trading guide before applying and for more information on Street Trading in MK.
How to apply
- New applicants are limited to trading for 3 hours per day. When 21 days’ worth of trading has occurred, applicants may wish to apply for a variation to increase their hours.
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To apply for street trading consent in Milton Keynes you will need to complete the appropriate application form (these forms can also be used for renewals):
Consent Street Application or Boroughwide Consent Application
- Applicants must provide:
- The relevant fee
- Photograph(s) of the vehicle/stall
- Map or plan showing the exact location where trading will occur (except boroughwide)
- Evidence of having public liability insurance
- Basic criminal record check for the new applicant and any staff engaging in street trading which can be applied for here: Request a basic DBS check - GOV.UK
- Disclosure of Convictions and Declaration must be provided by any staff engaging in street trading
- Current MOT certificate where a motorised vehicle will be used for trading
Applicants should also:
- Be registered as a food business with Milton Keynes City Council
- Where relevant, have permission of the land owner of the area where you wish to trade
- Have appropriate business waste arrangements
Fees
The Fee Table is provided on the application forms, new applications, renewals and variations are payable in two parts. Firstly, an application fee and secondly, a grant fee, payable at the end of the 28 day consultation period, which is variable depending on how many hours you are applying for.
Other Applications (Variation and Transfer of permit to a new operator or vehicle)
- Increase the trading hours for your existing street trading consent: Variation to Street Trading Consent application
- Transfer your existing street trading consent to a new operator: Transfer of Street Trading Consent
- Transfer your existing consent to a new vehicle or food mobile: Transfer Consent Permit to New Vehicle or Food Mobile
Public Register
For a list of current street traders consent permit holders in Milton Keynes, view the Street Trading Public Register.