Apply for a sports ground safety certificate

When you will need a sports ground safety certificate

You will need to apply for a safety certificate for places where sports or other competitive activities take place at an outdoor sports ground or stadium, either for the whole stadium or for a covered stand.

A safety certificate contains terms and conditions as required by the council, legislation and national guidance, stating the specified activities permitted at the sports ground, maximum capacities allowed and any other specific requirements to ensure public safety and compliance with national guidance and legislation.

Identify which certificate you will need

There are two types of safety certificate:

• general safety certificate
• special safety certificate

General safety certificate

You will need a general safety certificate:

• for the whole ground where a sports ground or stadium holds a designated sporting event (football, rugby, cricket) and provides accommodation for more than 10,000 spectators (more than 5,000 in the case of association football matches in the Premier League or the Football League). This is known as a Designated Ground under the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975 and is required to be licensed
• for a stand at any sports ground or stadium which provides covered accommodation in stands for 500 or more spectators (and is not within a designated sports ground). This is known as a Regulated Stand under the Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sport Act 1987 and is required to be licensed

Both these certificates will contain the specified activities permitted to be held at the ground, for example - football, rugby, speedway, cricket, athletics, motor or horse racing for an indefinite period and maximum number of spectators allowed.

For all other sports grounds or stands a safety certificate is not required to be issued, however, all outdoor sports grounds are subject to enforcement of spectator safety under the above and other associated legislation where artificial accommodation is provided for spectators to view activities. This also applies to any natural structures artificially modified for the purpose.

Any person can apply for a general safety certificate. The person being issued the general safety certificate will be known as the Holder. Prior to issuing the certificate, this person will be interviewed by the Sports Grounds Licensing Officer on behalf of the council to ascertain that the applicant is of good character and would be unlikely to contravene the terms and conditions of the licence.

In determining the validity of the application, we will make preliminary enquiries and inspections, following which we will issue its final determination within a two month period from the date of the notice.

Special safety certificate

You will need a special safety certificate to hold a special event at a designated sports ground/stadium or involve a regulated stand, other than that which is listed as a specified activity in the general safety certificate already in force for that sports ground/stand. The event can be a 'one off' event or a series of events.

These events might be activities which are in addition to the specified activities listed in the general safety certificate, for which a special safety certificate application is required, such as:

• the playing of music or singing, or pop concert
• any firework, pyrotechnic, special effects, or similar display
• carnival, circus, fair, fun day, or similar open day event
• any events involving the display or exhibition of vehicles or animals
• any other sporting event, apart from the specified activities above, involving track or field, athletics, ball games, physical prowess, or competitions of any description
• any other use in addition to a specified activity which may require the prior approval in writing of the council, for example - public meetings

A general safety certificate must be already in force for a Designated Ground or Regulated Stand before a special safety certificate can be issued for this type of event.

Any person or event promoter can apply for a special safety certificate, but it is preferable that the application comes from the ground already holding the general safety certificate on behalf of the event promoter.

Where an event promoter wishes to hold an event at a licensed ground or stand, they should approach the idea to the ground management before applying to us for a licence. The Holder and ground Board must then satisfy themselves that the event is acceptable to take place safely and the promoter is of sound character, before approaching us for a licence.

Before you apply

You should decide what type of certificate is required and discuss the event and application with the Board or Holder.

Notify us if you're applying for a special safety certificate

You should give at least three months notice us, preferably more, to allow for processing, along with event ticketing, advertising, any meetings, site visits and correction of deficiencies before the licence is issued allowing the event to go ahead.

Event notification form for special events at sports grounds (SAG 10) PDF 287KB)

How to apply for a general or special safety certificate

After you've made the decision to apply, us our application form and complete the relevant sections.

Sports Grounds application for a general or special safety certificate (PDF 226KB) 

Guidance notes for applicants of special events at sports grounds (PDF 309KB)

After you've applied

The Sports Grounds Licensing Officer will review the application, consult with the other interested parties such as the police, fire, ambulance, Building Authority and any other relevant organisation involved, call any Safety Advisory Group meetings, arrange any site visits, or request any further documentation before issuing the safety certificate.

Fees

Where a general safety certificate is issued to a new build stadium or stand, a fee will be charged for 'commensurate work actually and reasonably done' by the council. As each application is different in build and time, this fee will be discussed with the applicant following receipt of the application form.

As it is our policy, in line with national guidance, to review and re-issue these certificates on an annual basis, there will be no charge for commensurate work involved in the re-issuing, once the initial certificate has been issued.

With regards to special safety certificates, this will be dependant upon the size and nature of the event.

Large or commercial events

For large or commercial events, a charge will be levied for commensurate work actually and reasonably done in the processing and issuing of the safety certificate.

Smaller events

For small events that are of local charitable benefit, we do not, at present, charge for the issuing of a special safety certificate at a licensed ground. We support local sports grounds, especially as they also play a vital role in the local community, along with local charity organisations that are of benefit to their local area.

As the applicant normally pays a fee to the ground for their hosting of the event, the enforcing authority will continue to support this by not charging an additional fee for the issuing of a special safety certificate, as any monies given to the ground by the applicant assists in the maintenance and upkeep of the local sports ground

Contact

For further information or advice, or submitting an application for a safety certificate, contact Trading Standards:

Email: trading.standards@cumberland.gov.uk
Telephone: 01946 505005