HSE fees and charges explained
This is an overview of HSE’s fees and charges for enforcement activities.
Go to our products page to find pricing information for:
- training and events
- research and consultancy
- testing and monitoring
- books and tools
Why we charge
Some public services are paid for through charges rather than taxes. This helps ensure that services are used more efficiently and that public money is managed responsibly. This is why HSE charges fees for some of the regulatory services it provides, ensuring those creating risk are paying for the regulation of that risk.
What we charge for
We recover the costs for certain enforcement activities, including inspection and investigation. We also charge for licences, applications, approvals and other services.
You can find a full list of the fees charged, the rates, and links to the guidance explaining the charges in HSE fees and charges: current rates.
HSE’s full cost recovery regimes are:
- COMAH (including cost recovery for Network and Information Systems (NIS) Regulations 2018 at COMAH sites
- Offshore (including cost recovery for Network and Information Systems (NIS) Regulations 2018 at Offshore sites
- Fee for intervention
- Gas transportation
- Oil, gas and chemical pipeline systems
- Onshore oil, gas and geothermal well and borehole operations
- Wind and marine energy (renewables)
- Explosives
- Working with ionising radiation
How fees are set
The power for HSE to charge a fee is determined in regulation.
The regulations will either:
- set out the fee amount
- say that a fee is payable but the fee must not exceed the sum of the costs reasonably incurred to perform the relevant statutory functions
Where the regulations say that a fee is payable, we provide guidance on:
- the scope and nature of the activities undertaken for which costs are recovered
- how the costs recovered are calculated
The vast majority of the powers to charge a fee are in The Health and Safety and Nuclear (Fees) Regulations 2022 (legislation.gov.uk) but powers are also found in:
- The Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2009 (legislation.gov.uk)
- The Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 2015 (legislation.gov.uk)
- The Adventure Activities Licensing Regulations 2004 (legislation.gov.uk)
- The Plant Protection Products (Fees and Charges) Regulations 2011 (legislation.gov.uk)
- The REACH Fees and Charges (Amendment of Commission Regulation (EC) No 340/2008) Regulations 2025 (legislation.gov.uk)
How public funds are handled
The main principles, specific requirements and good practice for dealing with public resources is set out in HM Treasury publication ‘Managing Public Money’.