Applying for road works permits

Who needs a permit

Road works permits are issued by the highway authority, this can be the Government of Jersey  or the Parish.

You must notify the relevant authority if you're planning to do works on or next to a road that can affect road users or pedestrians. You may need a road works permit if you're planning to do utility works, road maintenance or specified road works which may include:

• operate mobile cranes
• use concrete pumps
• load or unload scaffolding
• place scaffolding or skips on a road
• do building construction and maintenance
• do exterior office cleaning
• construct or repair roadside walls
• do roadside slope stabilisation works
• do tree felling
• construct or modify vehicle entrances
• do survey work (related to road works)
• store building materials on a road
• any other activities considered impactful enough

You do not need a permit for hedge trimming and branchage, unless you need:

• traffic or pedestrian control
• signing, lighting and guarding

Roads works regulations and safety requirements

Private work that affects the road

Work you carry out to your private property on or next to a Government of Jersey main road needs specialist knowledge, skills and equipment. You’ll need a licence before you apply for a road works permit. The licence sets out the scope of work to be done and the road works permit provides the conditions for carrying out the work.

Find further guidance and regulations for developers or private work that affects roads.

When you should apply for your permit

You must allow enough time for the highway authority to process your permit application and plan and co-ordinate your works. This will depend on the:

• scale and complexity of the works
• level of planning
• consultation
• traffic impact assessment

Find the minimum application periods below.

Apply for a road works permit

You must apply for a permit before you start the work on the road. Once you have applied, the highway authority will decide if your activity needs a permit.

You should keep a copy of your permit on site when the work is taking place and be able to provide it on request to a road works inspector.

Your permit will have standard conditions and it may have specific conditions depending on the type of work. You must comply with all these conditions. You may also need to consult the highway authority as works progress to discuss any changes to the site that may have an impact on safety or traffic flow.

If you hire a Civil Works contractor, they'll apply for your road works permit via the Trafficworx system.

To appeal a highway authority permit decision email the road works and events team.

Apply for a roads work permit

Oversailing licence for cranes

You need an oversailing licence if your crane jib over sails the road.

You must also have the necessary planning permission or other permissions in connection with the crane. This includes training and qualification requirements and safeguards such as:

• no load can be carried or suspended over the road at any time
• the jib must be at least 10 metres above the road
• only the jib may cross over the road, including the counter-jib and counterweight. In absolutely no circumstances can any other parts of the crane cross over the road
• the jib may only cross over the road when it's necessary and this cannot be avoided for the purposes of the works
  

At the end of the licence period, or earlier, you can dismantle the crane to the extent that it no longer crosses over the road.

Apply for your oversailing licence

To apply for an oversailing licence email the road works and events team.

If you're planning to over sail the road (including footway), you'll need a road closure. If the oversailing also needs a footway, lane or road closure, you must also apply for a road works permit.

Cranes and lifting appliances regulations

Road works permit fees

We’ll determine the fee for your permit when you apply based on the table below.

If your work needs to break the road's surface, you  must also pay  a reinstatement fee.

The following fees include permits for mobile scaffolding or mobile elevated platforms.

Scaffolding permit fees

The following fees do not include mobile scaffolding or mobile elevated platforms. These are charged at the same rate as road works permit fees.

Additional fee for scaffolding in St Helier

There's an additional scaffold administration fee for works carried out in St Helier.

Cancel or change your permit

Trafficworx users can apply for road works permit variations using the system.

If you're not a Trafficworx user, you need to notify the highway authority to apply for a permit variation if you want to:

• change your permit's start date
• change the duration of the permit
• change daily working times or traffic management
• cancel your permit

Variation requests cost £38.75.

If the work lasts longer than planned, you must apply for a permit extension which will reflect the new duration fee. You'll also need to pay a variation fee.

If you cancel your permit by 10.30am on the last working day before your permit's start date, you only need to pay the variation fee. If you cancel after that, you need to pay the variation fee and the full permit's fee.

You must give the highway authority notice confirming completion of the works as soon as it is reasonably practicable after the works are cleared from the road. You should give the notice via the Trafficworx system or Mobileworx app. If this is not possible you can call or email the relevant highway authority.

Road works permit fee policy

Inspections and compliance

We may inspect your site to make sure you:

• have a road works permit
  
• do the work safely
  
• have the qualifications and training needed
  
• have the relevant authorisation
  
• meet your duties under the law and regulations

If you fail to comply or cooperate with an inspector, you could be prosecuted.

Find out more on performance and non-compliance.