Charities

Permits are granted to registered charities and charitable organisations or groups.

Councils have to follow rules set by Parliament to make sure donations made to collectors are properly accounted for, and to protect the public from dishonest collectors.

We also make sure that:

• A collection will not inconvenience the public because of the day of the week, time or the frequency at which it is held
• The collection does not, as far as possible, take place on the same day as another authorised collection

Street collections

A street collection permit is needed by anyone wishing to collect money in the street from a set position for charitable purposes.

House to house collections

A house-to-house collection permit is required mainly for door- to-door charitable collections, either made with collecting tins or by returning to collect a previously posted envelope. It will also cover collections of money made in pubs and, for example, collections of tinned foods for redistribution or jumble for charity sales.

There are standard conditions attached to all licences/permits, such as the age of collectors and the way collections should be conducted. Collectors must wear an ID badge.

When the collection is finished the promoter must submit a simple account showing how much was collected and any expenses.

• Street and House to House Collections in Christchurch and East Dorset

  Find out if you need to apply for a licence to collect money or sell articles for the benefit of charitable organisations

• Street Collection Permits and House to House Collection Licences in North Dorset

  If you wish to carry out a charitable collection that involves either standing in the street or going from house to house or business to business in North Dorset you will need to get the appropriate permission from the Council.

• Street and house collections in Purbeck

  Street and house to house collection licences are issued by the Licensing Department. Collection of money or a sale of articles must be 'for the benefit of charitable, benevolent or philanthropic purposes'.

• Street and house to house collections in West Dorset

  If you are the organiser of a public charitable collection or fund-raising event to be conducted on public accessible land in West Dorset, you must get a licence/permit from the district council.

• Street and house to house collections in Weymouth and Portland

  Street and house to house collection permits are issued by the Licensing Department. Collection of money or a sale of articles must be 'for the benefit of charitable, benevolent or philanthropic purposes'.