About street trading in Oxford

Street Trading is defined as the selling or exposing or offering for sale of any article in a street. Schedule 4 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 defines a street as any road, footway, beach or other area to which the public have access without payment.

There are controls on street trading in Oxford in an effort to improve the environment, raise the standard of traders and protect the public.

All streets in Oxford are now classed as 'consent streets'. A consent street is a street in which street trading can only take place if the consent of the local authority has first been obtained. This means that Street Trading Consent may be needed even if the trader is on private land such as a car park.

Street Trading Policy

See our Street Trading Policy which sets out our framework for the management of street trading in Oxford.

Peddling

We want to help genuine pedlars to trade. Please read the Guidance for Pedlars to ensure that you do not illegally participate in street trading as you could face enforcement action including the possibility of prosecution.

Download our Guidance for pedlars.

Enforcement

Download our Corporate Enforcement Policy.