Child performance licence: East Sussex
East Sussex County Council licenses children who live in East Sussex.Apply 21 days before. East Sussex will issue where complete applications give 10 clear working days; incomplete ones are returned.
Last checked 28 October 2026
- How to apply
- Word application form.
- Notice for a licence
- Apply 21 days before. East Sussex will issue where complete applications give 10 clear working days; incomplete ones are returned.
East Sussex County Council’s page
From East Sussex County Council’s own website on 28 October 2026. Councils change their forms often, so follow their page if it differs.
Do your children need a licence at all?
Not if they’re unpaid, don’t miss school, and haven’t performed on more than 3 days in the 6 months before each show day (the 4-day rule), or if your show has a BOPA. Children who live outside East Sussex are licensed by their own council.
Sources
- East Sussex County Council: child performance licensing (checked 28 October 2026)
- The Children (Performances and Activities) (England) Regulations 2014 (checked 28 October 2026)
- Children and Young Persons Act 1963, section 37 (England, Wales and Scotland) (checked 28 October 2026)
Beginners Call is an information tool, not legal advice. It reads the law the way the Department for Education’s advice does, but your council makes the decision. If in doubt, ask them.
Want the full kit?
I’m deciding whether to build the rest: a cast list that tracks each child’s days across every show, a chaperone rota that won’t let you go over 12, and daily records on your phone. Leave your email and I’ll write once when it’s ready, or not at all if it isn’t built.