Permission to hand out printed material (flyers, samples, etc)

  1. Summary

    Free printed material includes but is not limited to:
    • Leaflets
    • Booklets
    • Flyers
    • Newspapers
    • Branded merchandise or marketing materials
    To hand out printed material you will need permission in any of the following areas. 
    • Manchester City Centre (the area bound by the River Irwell, Regent Road, Dawson Street, Egerton Street, Mancunian Way, Fairfield Street, Pin Mill Brow, Great Ancoats Street, Redhill Street, Radium Street, Oldham Road, New Cross, Swan Street, Miller Street, Cheetham Hill Road and Trinity Way)
    • Area surrounding the Etihad Stadium (bound by Alan Turing Way, Ashton New Road, New Viaduct Street, Philips Park Road and Hillkirk Street)
    •  Oxford Road Corridor (The land running the length of Oxford Road and Wilmslow Road as far south as the junction of Wilmslow Road, Burton Road, Parsonage Lane and Palatine Road in Withington.)

    Additional permissions - Markets

    You will need extra permission if you want to distribute material where a market is taking place. Please contact the relevant market owner. For City Council operated markets contact:

    Gorton and Wythenshawe Markets email gortonmarket@manchester.gov.uk
    Longsight Market email longsightmarket@manchester.gov.uk
    New Smithfield Market email nsmwholesalemarkets@manchester.gov.uk
    City Centre Markets email citycentremarkets@manchester.gov.uk

    Additional permissions - Events in the city centre

    If you want to hold a promotional event, email citycentrespacebookings@manchester.gov.uk, or see which spaces are available to  book online.

    A Leaflet Distribution Consent will not be issued until permissions have been obtained.

  2. Important information

    Exceptions

    You don’t need to apply for consent if your free printed materials are for:
    1. Charitable causes
    2. Political/belief purposes for example philosophical beliefs including atheism, environmentalism, pacifism and veganism.  
    3. Religious beliefs

  3. Fees

    Find out more about fees and how they are calculated for this application

  4. Application and guidance notes

    Apply to handout free print material

    View the guidance notes and standard permit conditions before you apply for consent

  5. Processing and timescales

    Applications must be submitted 5 working days before you propose to use them. Working days do not include Saturdays, Sundays or bank holidays. Applications received with less than 5 working days' notice may not be processed.

  6. Validity and renewals

    Consents last for twelve months from the date of grant and an application for a new consent must be applied for thereafter. Additional or replacement badges may be requested at any time.

  7. Terms of use

    You can share your consent card with anyone you choose, providing it is used by one person at a time and they do not break any of our conditions. You will need to pay for additional consent cards if you want more than one person to distribute your free printed materials at the same time.

    Applications for consent will usually be refused if the applicant has been convicted of an offence of distributing free printed matter without consent, or causing another person to distribute free printed without consent within the last 5 years; or paid a Fixed Penalty Notice within the last 3 years.

    Consents will also be refused if, in the opinion of the Council, the proposed distribution leaflet contains racist or offensive literature or promotes tobacco products. Applications for consent to promote nicotine products will also be refused.

    Consents will also be refused if, in the opinion of the Council, the proposed distribution leaflet would be likely to lead to defacement of the designated land.  In these circumstances we will notify you of the reasons for refusal and give you the opportunity to comment before providing a final decision. Refused applicants may appeal to the Magistrates Court against a refusal.

  8. Complaints

    Contact us in the first instance

    Refused applicants may appeal to the Magistrates Court against a refusal.

  9. Contact us

    For further information or for a complaint contact us on premises.licensing@manchester.gov.uk in the first instance.
    Contact the premises team if you need additional badges after a permit has been issued

  10. Further Information

    Environmental Protection Act

    Charities act 1993

    Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)

    Advertising standards agency

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