By jurisdiction
United Kingdom
National accreditation
Mandatory and regulatory records
Verified from primary sources, grouped by how binding each one is. None of these is a certificate; each carries the instrument it comes from and the date it was last checked.
Legal permit
Food business registration
A food business must register with its local authority at least 28 days before opening; registration is free and cannot be refused. The GB version of art. 6 applies in England, Wales and Scotland; Northern Ireland is subject to a separate food-hygiene regime.
- Instrument
- Regulation (EC) 852/2004 art. 6 (assimilated law; GB version amended by the General Food Hygiene (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, in force 31.12.2020); Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013, SI 2013/2996
- Who it binds
- Every business that sells, cooks, stores, handles, prepares or distributes food — including home-based, mobile and online traders.
Official source ↗Last verified:
Waste carrier, broker or dealer registration
In England, waste carriers, brokers and dealers must register with the Environment Agency; operating without registration where one is required carries an unlimited fine. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate registration processes with their own regulators.
- Instrument
- Waste carrier / broker / dealer registration (Environment Agency, England)
- Who it binds
- Anyone who transports, brokers or deals in waste in England. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland register separately with their own regulators.
Official source ↗Last verified:
Labour provider licence (Fair Work Agency)
The licensing duty for labour providers in regulated sectors continues, but the issuing body changed: the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority was abolished and the Fair Work Agency took over on 7 April 2026. Any content that still says 'GLAA licence' is out of date.
- Instrument
- Employment Rights Act 2025 (c. 36) s.148, repealing the Gangmasters (Licensing) Act 2004 s.1; functions exercised by the Fair Work Agency
- Who it binds
- Businesses supplying labour in the regulated (former gangmaster-licensing) sectors. The licence is issued by the Fair Work Agency from 7 April 2026 — previously the GLAA.
Official source ↗Last verified:
Conditional requirement
Environmental permit
In England and Wales, reg. 12(1) prohibits operating a regulated facility, or carrying out a water-discharge or groundwater activity, except under an environmental permit — issued by the Environment Agency (Part A1) or the local council (Part A2/B). Scotland operates a separate regime.
- Instrument
- The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016, SI 2016/1154, reg. 12(1)
- Who it binds
- Operators of a regulated facility, and anyone causing or knowingly permitting a water-discharge or groundwater activity, in England and Wales.
Official source ↗Last verified:
Cyber Essentials / Cyber Essentials Plus
For in-scope central-government contracts, a supplier must hold Cyber Essentials or Cyber Essentials Plus (or an accepted equivalent) before the contract is signed. The scheme owner is the NCSC; IASME is the official delivery partner. Under the Procurement Act 2023 s.56, in-scope bodies must accept equivalents.
- Instrument
- PPN 014 — Cyber Essentials Scheme (procurements started on or after 24 February 2025; replaces PPN 09/23 and PPN 09/14)
- Who it binds
- Suppliers bidding for in-scope central-government contracts — departments, executive agencies, non-departmental public bodies and NHS organisations.
Official source ↗Last verified:
Legal obligation
Data protection fee (ICO registration)
Organisations that process personal data must pay an annual data-protection fee to the ICO unless exempt. It is a statutory fee, not a certificate. The current fee amounts are being re-verified against the ICO's own source and are not published here.
- Instrument
- The Data Protection (Charges and Information) Regulations 2018, amended by SI 2025/63 (in force 17 February 2025)
- Who it binds
- Organisations that process personal data, unless exempt. The fee is paid to the Information Commissioner's Office and extends to England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Official source ↗Last verified: