The licensing team handle requests to reproduce our copyright material and can issue licences for both commercial and non-commercial re-use. If you are not sure whether you need our permission, please contact us for advice. We are always happy to help.

There is usually somebody available to help you between 8:30am and 5pm Monday to Thursday and 8:30am to 4pm on Fridays. If not, you can always leave us a message.

We try to process all non-commercial applications within five working days of receiving them, although we can usually process simple applications much more quickly. If we are not able to process your application within five working days, we will let you know we have received your application and we will give you an estimated time to complete the process.

The UKHO is a government Trading Fund and part of the Ministry of Defence. Our primary activity is the provision of navigational products and services to the Royal Navy and the merchant marine in compliance with Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Regulations. We receive no direct financial support from central government so we must operate in a business-like manner as cost-effectively as possible. To remain an effective long-term supplier of safety information we make revenue from the sale and licensing of our products and services. This must cover the full costs of creating and maintaining the information.