A hand offering a plain flyer to a passer-by on a busy town high street, seen from behind
AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.
doodleflyer

WHAT THE LAW AND COUNCILS SAY

Before you
hand one out.

CHECK THE MAP of designated streets

  • Check the area
  • Apply in good time
  • Pick up the litter
  • Flyering in three lines

Some streets need a council's permission. Most do not.

Under Schedule 3A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, councils in England and Wales can designate areas where free printed matter, from flyers to stickers, may only be handed out with their consent. The aim is to stop leaflets becoming litter.

Updated

Do I need consent?

THE SHORT ANSWER

It depends where,
and who you are.

Consent is only needed on land a council has designated.
Some groups and some methods are exempt.

DESIGNATED AREAS

Town centres with a map

A council can only designate land where it is satisfied the land is being defaced by discarded free printed matter. Outside those areas, no consent is needed.

Do I need consent?

LETTERBOXES

Through the door is different

Council guidance says consent is not needed where free printed matter is put into a letterbox or building, so door-to-door delivery is not affected.

How to apply

WINDSCREENS

Cars count as distribution

Councils explain that distribution includes fixing or placing leaflets on a vehicle, as well as handing them out or leaving them in a stand.

See the fines

General information only, not legal advice. For advice on your own situation, speak to a qualified lawyer or a free advice service.

A QUICK CONSENT CHECK

Do I need
council consent?

Pick a situation to see what the law and council guidance say. The bar shows how likely it is that consent is needed.

Consent check

Choose a situation
Posting leaflets through letterboxesNo consent

Delivering into a letterbox or building does not need consent, according to council guidance on Schedule 3A.

A charity handing out its own leafletsExempt

The law does not apply to charities distributing material about or for the benefit of the charity. Some councils still ask exempt groups to register, free of charge.

Political or religious leafletsExempt

Distribution for political purposes, or for a religion or belief, is outside Schedule 3A. Councils still expect it to be done responsibly.

Flyers for a gig in a designated areaConsent needed

Handing out free printed matter on designated land without consent can be an offence, and so can causing someone else to do it.

Flyers on car windscreens thereConsent needed

Placing leaflets on vehicles counts as distribution, so the same rules apply in a designated area.

Sources: Environmental Protection Act 1990, Schedule 3A; guidance from Torbay, Preston and Hillingdon councils.

Applies in England and Wales. Each council sets its own designated areas, conditions and fees, so check your council's map and guidance.

TWO NUMBERS WORTH KNOWING

Fixed penalty
or court fine.

An officer can offer a fixed penalty instead of prosecution.
In court, the fine can be higher.

£100

Default fixed penalty in England

Councils can set their own amount; £100 applies in England, and £75 in Wales, if they have not. An officer can also seize the flyers.

FIXED PENALTY · SCHEDULE 3A

£2,500

Maximum fine on conviction

The Act sets a fine of up to level 4 on the standard scale, which Torbay Council gives as £2,500.

COURT FINE · TORBAY COUNCIL

Councils may refuse consent to anyone convicted, or who paid a fixed penalty, for unauthorised distribution in the previous five years.

FOUR STEPS TO FLYER LEGALLY

A little paperwork,
a cleaner street.

A plain flyer tucked under the windscreen wiper of a parked car
AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.

These steps follow council guidance on applying for consent in designated areas.

  1. Check the designated area

    Councils publish maps of designated streets. Outside them, no consent is needed.

  2. Apply at least 14 days ahead

    Torbay and Preston ask for applications at least 14 days before distribution starts, with the fee.

  3. Wear the badge, follow the conditions

    Consents come with conditions to stop litter. In Preston, each distributor must wear a council-issued badge.

  4. Clear up afterwards

    Hillingdon asks distributors to collect discarded material. Consent can be refused or revoked after an offence.

WHAT COUNTS AS FREE PRINTED MATTER

Flyers, cards,
stickers and papers.

A hand pushing a folded leaflet through the brass letterbox of a painted front door
AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.

Council guidance explains that printed matter is free if no charge is made to the person receiving it. That includes leaflets, newspapers, documents, cards, pamphlets and stickers, and placing free newspapers in a stand.

Fees vary widely: Torbay charges £154 for an annual or single-event consent for one distributor, while Hillingdon charges £37.60 per application covering 8 hours.

Questions

Questions people ask

Do I need permission to hand out flyers?

Only in areas your council has designated under Schedule 3A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Elsewhere, no consent is needed.

Are charities exempt?

Yes, when distributing material that relates to or benefits the charity. Distribution for political purposes or for a religion or belief is also outside the rules.

Can I put leaflets through letterboxes?

Council guidance says consent is not needed where free printed matter is put into a letterbox or building.

What is the fine for flyering without consent?

A fixed penalty set by the council, or £100 in England if none is set. On conviction, a fine up to level 4 on the standard scale, given by Torbay Council as £2,500.

How do I apply for consent?

Apply to your council with its form and fee. Several councils ask for at least 14 days' notice, and consent can come with conditions such as wearing a badge.

Sources

Where the facts come from

  1. legislation.gov.uk: Environmental Protection Act 1990, Schedule 3A (free distribution of printed matter)
  2. Torbay Council: Apply for a leaflet distribution licence
  3. Preston City Council: Guidance notes for leaflet distribution
  4. Hillingdon Council: Leaflet distribution

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