# The Marine Licensing (Exempted Activities and Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2026, Note: Explanatory note


(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations amend the Marine Licensing (Exempted Activities) Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/409) (“the 2011 Order”) and the Marine Licensing (Application Fees) Regulations 2014 (S.I. 2014/615) (“the Fees Regulations”).
Part 2 amends the 2011 Order, which specifies licensable marine activities in respect of which a marine licence under Part 4 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (c. 23) (“the 2009 Act”) is not required, whether subject to conditions or otherwise. The amendments create new exemptions from the need for a marine licence in relation to maintenance of bridges or cantilevered structures and replacement of existing swinging moorings with advanced mooring systems. They also modify certain existing exemptions, including to make some of them unavailable where the exempted activity might impact a highly protected marine area.
Part 3 amends the Fees Regulations, which prescribe the fees payable in relation to marine licence applications where the Secretary of State is the appropriate licensing authority under the 2009 Act. The hourly rate payable for application fees is increased to £155, and becomes subject to annual increases in line with increases in the consumer prices index. Four new activities are added to Band 1 (which attracts an application fee of £50) in what will become Schedule 1 to the Fees Regulations (activities related to the detection of unexploded ordnance, the deposit of scientific instruments or equipment which might cause an obstruction or danger to navigation, recovery of abandoned vessels, and the deposit of fireworks). Paragraph 2 of Schedule 1 sets out matters which determine the availability of Band 1 and Band 2 licences. Sub-paragraphs (1) and (2) apply to the activities listed in Band 1 relating to the removal of a vessel and the deposit of fireworks respectively, while sub-paragraph (3) applies to any Band 1 or 2 activity.
The amendments also provide for fees in relation to monitoring, variations and transfers of marine licences under powers introduced into the 2009 Act by section 232 of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 (c. 55). These fees were previously provided for by the Public Bodies (Marine Management Organisation) (Fees) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/2555), which is revoked on the date these Regulations come into force by subsection (9) of that section. The new provision for these fees in the Fees Regulations largely reflects the provision that was made in that Order, but with the new hourly rate that now applies for application fees, increased maximum fees and other minor updates.
Part 4 includes transitional provision in relation to the new fees.
No impact assessment has been produced for these Regulations as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen. A de minimis assessment of the effect that this instrument will have on the cost of business has been prepared and is available from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, 2 Marsham Street, London, SW1P 4DF.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/1110/note (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/marine-licensing-exempted-activities-and-fees-amendment-regulations-2026/note
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.