United Kingdom
The UK has unusually liberal street-photo rights and full freedom of panorama: you can sell images of public buildings freely.
Guidance, not legal advice
Permit
Conditional
Issuer: Local authority or landowner for commercial shoots; no permit for personal or street photography
Cost: No permit for personal or street photography; commercial shoots on managed sites need a license
You can photograph freely on public land. Commercial shoots on managed or private sites such as Trafalgar Square, the royal parks, and National Trust property need a permit or location agreement.
Drone / airspace
Regulated by the UK CAA: an Operator ID is needed for any camera drone and a Flyer ID for drones over 250g
The UK runs its own scheme rather than the EU EASA system. For Part 107-equivalent depth, see Drone Authority.
Street / public space
Yes, and unusually liberal: you may photograph and even commercially use images of identifiable people in public
The limits are a reasonable expectation of privacy, harassment, and indecency. Publishers still ask for releases in practice.
Freedom of panorama
Full
Section 62 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 lets you photograph and freely sell images of buildings, sculptures, and works of artistic craftsmanship permanently in a public place. It does not cover 2D works like murals or posters.
Practical notes
- You can legally sell a print of the London skyline including the Shard and the Gherkin; buildings are fully covered.
- Privately owned public spaces like Canary Wharf and shopping centres can ban photography on their own land even when the street outside is fine.
Sources
Keep shooting
Knowing the rules is half the job. The craft side: