The council’s Trading Standards section is the licensing authority for the storage of petroleum spirit in North Lincolnshire. We need to licence petroleum spirit to make sure those keeping and dispensing petrol do so in a safe manner that is unlikely to cause risk to the public or environment.
What is petroleum?
Petroleum means any product of crude petroleum that has a flashpoint below 21°C. This includes petrol, benzene, pentane and any mixture that contains these products and has a flashpoint below 21°C. This doesn't include white spirit, paraffin, diesel oil or fuel oils.
Why do I need a licence?
A licence will allow you to keep an approved quantity of petroleum. It is an offence to keep any more than the approved amount. It is also an offence to fail to comply with any of the licence conditions or keep licensable quantities of petroleum spirit without a licence.
If you are storing petroleum for commercial or retail purposes and do not have a licence, you may be committing a criminal offence so you should contact us immediately.
The current licensing conditions, an application form and a list of the current licensing fees are available to download at the bottom of this page.
Useful petroleum links
What about domestic storage of petroleum?
You can legally store (without a licence) up to 20 litres of petrol in two 10 litre metal containers, or 10 litres in two 5 litre plastic containers. All containers must be designed for the purpose and they must be marked 'PETROLEUM SPIRIT' and 'HIGHLY FLAMMABLE'.
Store any containers in a garage or shed away from any other buildings. Don't keep it in the house. Make sure the area is well ventilated and away from any naked flame or live electrical equipment.
Check containers regularly for leaks. If you smell petrol fumes, ventilate the area and make sure nobody smokes or turns electrical switches on or off. The slightest spark could cause an explosion.
How can I legally transport petroleum?
For domestic use - apart from what's in the fuel tank, you can only transport petrol in securely closed containers designed for the purpose and marked 'PETROLEUM SPIRIT' and 'HIGHLY FLAMMABLE'. Make sure they are secured in the boot when being transported.
Filling your tank from a container should only be carried out in the open air.
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These notes are for guidance only - for more information please contact:
North Lincolnshire Council
Trading Standards
PO Box 42
Church Square House
Scunthorpe
DN15 6XQ
Tel: 01724 297664
Fax: 01724 297895
Email: trading.standards@northlincs.gov.uk.
Note: The above documents are in Portable Document Format (PDF). You will need a suitable reader to view them. A reader can be downloaded free from the Adobe website (full instructions for downloading the reader are provided on the site).