Apply for this licence
Contact the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority (AALA) if you want to charge for outdoor adventure activities for under 18s.
You’ll usually need a licence for the following activities if they’re done in remote or isolated areas:
- climbing
- watersports
- caving
- trekking
Check the full list of activities you’ll need a licence for.
Restrictions
Your licence may limit:
- what activities you can run
- where and what time of year an activity can be run
- the level of risk for an activity
You need a licence for each outdoor activity centre or activity base you run.
Exemptions
You don’t need a licence for:
- voluntary associations offering activities to your members, for example scout groups or local canoe clubs
- schools or colleges offering activities to your pupils or students
- offering activities where each under 18 is with their parent or legally appointed guardian
How to apply
You’ll need to apply at least 3 months before opening an activity centre.
You’ll need to include a fee of £715 with your application.
You can pay and apply online.
You can also download the form and post it with the correct fee. The address is on the form.
Inspections
An inspector will arrange to visit your premises and check your safety standards.
You’ll then get a letter saying if you’re going to get a licence, along with a copy of the inspector’s report.
You may not get a licence until you’ve made certain improvements. The report will tell you what you need to do.
Licence appeals
You can appeal to AALA within 28 days of a being refused a licence. Contact them to find out how to do this.
Adventure Activities Licensing Service
[email protected]
Telephone: 029 2075 5715
Find out about call charges
Licence length
You can be issued with a licence for 1, 2 or 3 years. It is up to the inspector to decide the length of the licence.
This may depend on factors such as the size of your organisation, level of risk and number of activities offered.
Displaying your licence
You must make your licence available for inspection by the public. If you mention it in advertising material, you must include:
- what activities the licence covers
- AALA’s telephone number
Fines and penalties
The AALA can make spot checks at your premises. Your licence may be taken away if safety standards slip. This means you won’t be able to offer the activities covered.
It is illegal to operate licensed outdoor activities without a licence and you can be prosecuted.